Kaden Xavier stood frozen, letting the object hit him on the forehead. Bright red blood trickled down from his temple. If this let Wren Wynter vent her anger, a small injury like this was nothing to him.

He had, indeed, handled today’s matter poorly.

For a split second, Wren’s heart wavered, but she quickly composed herself and sneered, "Putting on a show! You hypocrite!"

With that, she turned and walked into the room.

"Sir, your injury..." A maid approached, asking cautiously.

"I’m fine."

Judging by her expression, she must have vented her anger. Kaden turned and walked out.

Meanwhile, Seraphina Sutton ran out of the villa, feeling as if she would be swallowed by humiliation and rage. She stomped her foot in anger, a vicious light glinting in her eyes.

"Seraphina!" Kaden Xavier called out, catching up to her after leaving the villa.

Seraphina immediately wiped the expression from her face and turned around, looking aggrieved.

"Seraphina, don’t hold it against Wren. She’s just a bit spoiled; she doesn’t mean any harm."

Seeing Kaden still defending Wren, Seraphina almost lost the aggrieved expression on her face. Her chest heaved almost imperceptibly. "It was my fault, anyway. I shouldn’t have intruded on your life together."

"I’ll have the driver take you back to Azure Dragon Bay. The password is Asher Lynch’s birthday."

Seraphina froze, guiltily agreeing. The truth was, she’d long forgotten the date of Asher Lynch’s birthday. "Kaden, I’m not feeling well. Can you take me back?"

"Not well? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?" Kaden’s face filled with concern.

Seraphina waved her hands in a fluster, forcing a smile. "No, it’s not necessary. It’s just... my stomach feels a little upset."

"Then I’ll have the family doctor go take a look. If it’s serious, I’ll have the driver take you to the hospital."

"Then you..."

Before Seraphina could finish, Kaden turned and strode back toward the villa.

Her eyes were fixed on Kaden’s tall, straight back, her nails digging deep into her palms. The corners of her eyes turned crimson.

Seraphina was going mad with jealousy!

Why wasn’t she the one who could make Kaden turn back?!

DING—

She answered the phone, her tone hostile. "Hello."

As she listened, Seraphina’s expression grew uglier, eventually turning deathly pale.

—

Luckily, Wren hadn’t changed the door code yet, so Kaden was able to get in easily. But Wren was nowhere to be found in the entire villa.

Kaden went upstairs and pushed open the ajar bedroom door, but he didn’t see Wren there either.

Where did she go?

Just as Kaden was about to see the resignation letter Wren had written on her laptop, her icy voice came from behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

"What are you doing here?" Wren had thought he’d left and wouldn’t be back.

She needs to change the code.

Kaden straightened up and spun around. He saw Wren standing there in a blue silk slip dress, water droplets still clinging to her chestnut curls.

Under the light, her bright, striking features looked exceptionally cold.

Kaden was momentarily dazed. He stared straight at Wren as a wave of heat washed over him.

"Kaden Xavier, if you don’t have anything else, go back to your own place."

Wren frowned slightly, drying her damp hair as she walked over to her laptop and put it to sleep. For now, she didn’t want Kaden to know she was planning to quit.

"This is my home, too." Kaden eyed Wren, the fresh scent of her body wash drifting into his nose and making his heart itch.

"You were the one who said we wouldn’t bother each other for a month. What, does Captain Xavier go back on his word?" Wren’s face was devoid of expression.

"I regret it."

"Kaden Xavier, does Seraphina Sutton know about this shameless side of you? I’m already willing to let you two be together. Aren’t you afraid of hurting her by dragging this out?" Wren scoffed.

"Why are you bringing Seraphina into this again? What do you mean, ’let us be together’? Wren, make yourself clear." Kaden felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing his heart, and the feeling of losing control was deeply unsettling.

"I’ve made myself perfectly clear." Wren dug her nails into her palm. "You let her interfere in our marriage again and again, let her cross the line time after time. I’ve long grown tired of this messy, trivial marriage."

"Why do you have to keep harping on this? I’ve already told you, the position of Mrs. Xavier will only ever be yours," Kaden said impatiently.

She used to be so gentle, considerate, and obedient. She loved to act cute. How did she become so unreasonable now?

"I don’t want it!"

"Then what do you want? That man in the hospital?" At the thought of him, Kaden’s eyes turned into bottomless pits.

SLAP!

Wren slapped Kaden’s handsome face again, her eyes bloodshot. "Kaden Xavier, I don’t want to see you anymore."

How could he question her fidelity? Insult Ho-ran?

"Wren, where do you think you can go without me, without the company? Don’t you forget who gave you everything you have now!" Kaden’s steady tone was like a sharp blade, slicing open Wren’s ridiculous past.

Wren found it laughable. Perhaps he’ll never know how exceptional she really is, or what she gave up for him. She slowly closed her eyes, refusing to look at Kaden Xavier again.

Kaden was furious. He spun around and stalked out of the room. He’d like to see where Wren can possibly go without him. He’ll make her understand that only he, Kaden Xavier, can give her what she wants!

As Kaden reached the main door, he heard the sound of the keypad lock from the entryway.

Helen Sawyer pushed the door open, glanced around, and her gaze locked onto Kaden upstairs.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"What kind of question is that? Can’t I come see my own son?"

Helen Sawyer walked into the villa, and trailing behind her was none other than Seraphina Sutton.

Seraphina kept her head down and said apologetically, "Kaden, I’m so sorry. I was just about to leave when I ran into your mother. I couldn’t stop her."

Wren’s recent words echoed in Kaden’s mind, and he felt a strange sense of aversion toward Seraphina.

"It’s not your fault."

"Where’s Wren? I’m here, and she doesn’t even have the decency to come out and greet me. She has no manners at all!"

Helen Sawyer lifted her chin arrogantly, her words sharp and biting from the moment she opened her mouth.

Wren came out of the room and stood beside Kaden, looking down at Helen Sawyer from her superior position on the landing.

"You expect me to make a special appearance to greet you? Who do you think you are, the Queen?"

"You! This is rebellion! Utter rebellion! Wren, how dare you speak to me like that! Believe it or not, I’ll make Kaden divorce you!"

Helen Sawyer pointed a finger at Wren and began to curse furiously, looking less like the wife of a wealthy family and more like a common shrew.

Wren sneered. "I’d be delighted."

Kaden rubbed his temples, a headache brewing. He turned to Helen Sawyer with a hint of anger. "Mom, my business with Wren is not for you to interfere in."

"Kaden! What’s so good about her? She’s a hen that can’t even lay an egg! You’re the eldest son of the Xavier Family, the youngest captain. What kind of woman couldn’t you have? Why must it be her!"

"I already told you, I’m the one who doesn’t want kids for now. It has nothing to do with Wren." Kaden’s brows furrowed deeply in frustration.

Standing beside Helen Sawyer, a triumphant smirk flickered across Seraphina’s face. She’d just gone to great lengths to make a good impression on Helen Sawyer.

"How long have you two been married? There’s still no sign of anything from her belly. The other branches of the Xavier Family are watching you like hawks. You need to plan ahead. Swap her for another woman now, have a child soon, and only then will they give up on their schemes!"

Helen Sawyer patted Seraphina’s arm and said earnestly, "This girl, Seraphina, seems quite nice to me. She’s good-looking, her profession is a good match for yours, and besides, you’ve known each other for so long. You know everything about each other..."