Butler Chandler looked at Wren Wynter’s pale face. He seemed to want to say something, but held back. In the end, he just sighed and turned to care for the man on the sofa.

Wren Wynter said nothing more and went straight upstairs.

She needed some time to process everything that had happened last night, as well as Kaden Xavier’s behavior today.

Night fell once more, and Kaden Xavier slowly stirred, waking up on the sofa.

He opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Butler Chandler’s concerned face, not hers.

"Mr. Xavier, you’re awake? Are you feeling any better?"

Butler Chandler asked softly.

Kaden Xavier shifted, his throat feeling a bit dry, but the heavy feeling in his head had subsided considerably.

He tried to sit up, and Butler Chandler hurried forward to help him.

"Much better,"

he said, his voice hoarse. His eyes subconsciously swept across the living room, but he didn’t see that familiar figure.

Butler Chandler seemed to read his mind and handed him a glass of warm water. "Miss Wynter gave you medicine this afternoon and also made you some ginger soup, so your fever broke quickly. A little while ago, she saw you were sleeping soundly and went upstairs."

’Wren...’ Kaden Xavier held the glass of water, a warmth spreading through his chest.

’So she hadn’t completely ignored me after all.’

After finishing the water, he suddenly smelled the familiar aroma of a home-cooked meal wafting from the kitchen.

"Butler Chandler, what is that...?"

"Miss Wynter made it. She said that since your fever just broke, you need to eat something light. She made you some porridge and a few side dishes,"

Butler Chandler explained.

Kaden Xavier’s hand trembled slightly. ’How long has it been since I’ve eaten something Wren has cooked?’

The last time had been back when they were still married. She would occasionally cook on a whim, and that taste... it had once been the most tender part of his memory.

He was overcome with emotion. The taste he thought he had long since forgotten was now so vivid.

He struggled to his feet, walking unsteadily toward the dining room.

Wren Wynter was sitting at the dining table, looking down at her phone. She looked up when she heard him approaching.

"You’re awake?"

Her voice was flat, betraying no emotion.

Kaden Xavier sat down across from her, his eyes falling on the small side dishes and a bowl of steaming porridge.

The porridge was cooked to a soft consistency, fragrant with the scent of rice, and the side dishes were prepared with care.

"Thank you," he said, his voice full of sincerity.

Wren Wynter put down her phone, picked up her chopsticks, and placed a small portion from a side dish into her bowl.

"Don’t mention it. You had a fever. I couldn’t just let you starve. How are you feeling now?"

she asked, her tone laced with a doctor’s professionalism.

"Much better."

Kaden Xavier picked up a spoon and tasted the porridge. The familiar flavor instantly bloomed on his palate.

He closed his eyes, a storm of conflicting emotions churning within him.

This taste, once a simple, everyday part of his life, had now become a rare delicacy.

"Wren." He put down his spoon, his tone turning serious. "Are you really still going to Aferia?"

Wren Wynter’s movements paused. She set down her chopsticks and met his gaze.

"Yes."

Her answer was sharp, without a hint of hesitation.

She expected him to try and stop her, just like he always had, using all sorts of reasons and excuses.

Kaden Xavier looked at her, a complex mix of emotions in his eyes.

He knew her resolve, and he knew his past mistakes.

"I support you."

He said slowly, each word spoken with clarity and conviction.

Wren Wynter froze when she heard him.

She had braced herself for a barrage of objections, perhaps even accusations. She never expected him to say something like that.

"You... what did you say?"

she asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"I said, I support you."

Kaden Xavier repeated himself. Seeing the surprise in her eyes, he felt a pang of bitterness.

’Her mistrust of me runs bone-deep.’

"I know that once you’ve made up your mind, it’s hard to change it. I used to always try to keep you by my side, thinking that was the best way to protect you."

"But now I understand. You’re not a canary in a cage. You have your own ideals, your own ambitions. Aferia may be dangerous, but that’s where you find your purpose. I can no longer be selfish and trap you in my world."

A complex emotion swelled in Wren Wynter’s chest.

She looked at Kaden Xavier. His eyes were sincere, lacking the forceful possessiveness they once held.

She couldn’t tell if he had truly changed or if this was just an act to win her back.

"You don’t have to do this." She avoided his gaze. "We’re divorced. My choices have nothing to do with you."

Kaden Xavier didn’t argue, but simply watched her in silence.

Just then, Kaden Xavier’s phone rang.

He picked it up and saw that it was Assistant Lynch.

"Hello."

"Mr. Xavier, how are you feeling? About your wife..."

Assistant Lynch’s voice was tinged with worry and a hint of exhaustion.

"I’m fine now."

Kaden Xavier cut him off. "My fever’s broken. Come pick me up at View Gardens."

There were a few seconds of silence on Assistant Lynch’s end, as if he were surprised Kaden Xavier was telling him his actual location.

"Understood, Mr. Xavier. I’m on my way."

After hanging up, Kaden Xavier looked at Wren Wynter.

"Assistant Lynch is coming to get me."

Wren Wynter nodded but didn’t say anything.

’What is he trying to accomplish with all this?’ she wondered.

’Is this to show me he’s changed, or does he genuinely want to support me?’

Kaden Xavier looked at her, wanting to say more, but he just sighed and went back to his porridge.

The atmosphere at the table fell silent again, broken only by the soft clinking of cutlery against porcelain.

Before long, the sound of a car engine came from outside. Assistant Lynch had arrived.

Kaden Xavier put down his utensils and stood up.

"I’m leaving," he said to Wren Wynter.

Wren Wynter looked up and nodded at him. "Get home safe."

Kaden Xavier walked to the door and glanced back at her one last time. Wren Wynter was still sitting at the table, her head bowed over her phone, as if he had never been there at all.

A wave of disappointment washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of determination.

’I’ll make her see that I’ve changed. I’ll make her trust me again.’

Assistant Lynch was visibly relieved when he saw Kaden Xavier.

"Mr. Xavier, you still look a bit pale. Should we go to the hospital for a check-up first?"

"That won’t be necessary. Back to the office."

Kaden Xavier got into the car. His voice carried a hint of fatigue, but his gaze was clearer than ever.

Assistant Lynch glanced at Kaden Xavier in the rearview mirror, pondering to himself.

’Mr. Xavier seems to have really changed since his trip to Aferia.’

’That bone-deep weight and gloom he carried seem to have lessened somewhat.’

Only after the sound of the car faded into the distance did Wren Wynter slowly lower her phone.

She looked at the empty bowl and utensils Kaden Xavier had used, a complicated feeling stirring in her heart.

She thought she had completely given up on him, but his presence and his supposed change were sending ripples across the calm surface of her heart once more.

She shook her head, trying to cast aside the chaotic thoughts.

She had more important things to do. The trip to Aferia was a goal she had set for herself, and she couldn’t let anything shake her resolve.