Seraphina Sutton lowered her head, biting her bottom lip so hard she nearly drew blood.

"Mrs. Xavier... I understand," she said, her voice choked and trembling. "I... I wouldn’t dare."

"Good. As long as you understand." Seeing her submissive display, Helen Sawyer smiled in satisfaction. She rose to her feet and added, "Get some rest. I’ll have someone take you home after the banquet."

The door closed softly.

Seraphina Sutton’s face was pale, but her eyes were cold and venomous.

She rested a hand on her slightly rounded abdomen, her fingertips pressing so hard they turned white.

’Godsister?’

’Who wants to be some damn godsister?’

Seraphina Sutton kept her head bowed, her fingers twisting the corner of the quilt, her voice barely a whisper. "Mrs. Xavier, I understand... I won’t dare to have any other ideas."

The banquet was drawing to a close. Wren Wynter helped Old Madam Xavier cut the cake, then was pulled aside by a few elders for a chat.

By the time she finally got away, it was already after ten o’clock at night.

She rubbed her sore ankles and decided to head to the entrance to call a car.

"Dr. Wynter!" Felix Vance popped up from nowhere, his eyes sparkling. "Heading home? I’ll give you a ride!"

Wren Wynter smiled politely. "There’s no need to trouble you, Captain Vance. I can just call a car myself."

"No trouble, no trouble at all!" Felix Vance enthusiastically pulled out his car keys. "It’s on my way. Besides, it’s not safe for you to go home alone this late at night."

Wren Wynter was about to politely decline again when a cold, deep voice cut in.

"That won’t be necessary, Captain Vance."

Kaden Xavier had approached at some point. His suit jacket was off and draped over his arm, leaving him in a white dress shirt with the top two buttons undone. He exuded an air of languid pressure.

Felix Vance froze for a second, then smiled and clapped Kaden Xavier on the shoulder. "Cole, perfect timing! I was just about to give Dr. Wynter a ride home. Since you’re here, I’ll leave your little sister to you!"

He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, clearly assuming Wren Wynter was Kaden Xavier’s sister. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Kaden Xavier’s gaze darkened. He suddenly reached out, wrapped an arm around Wren Wynter’s shoulders, and pulled her to his side.

"Felix," he said, his voice calm, yet every word was crystal clear. "Let me reintroduce you. This is my wife, Wren Wynter."

The air instantly froze.

The smile on Felix Vance’s face froze. His eyes widened as he looked from Kaden Xavier to Wren Wynter. After a long moment, he stammered, "W-Wife? Cole, you’ve got to be kidding, right? Isn’t Dr. Wynter... isn’t she your sister?"

’How did his sister become his wife?’

Wren Wynter froze. She hadn’t expected Kaden Xavier to reveal their relationship to Felix Vance.

’Has he gone crazy?’

’What’s gotten into him?’

Kaden Xavier’s hand on Wren Wynter’s shoulder tightened. He stared at Felix Vance. "We’ve been married for three years. We just hadn’t made it public before. Right now, only you and Seraphina know about this."

Felix Vance looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, standing frozen on the spot. After a long while, he managed a smile that looked more painful than a grimace. "So... so that’s how it is... Congratulations, congratulations... I-I should get going."

He spoke incoherently, his eyes dimming, and all but fled in disarray.

Once Felix Vance was a good distance away, Wren Wynter finally broke free from Kaden Xavier’s grip and looked up at him. "Weren’t you the one who didn’t want to make our relationship public?"

’So what was this?’

Kaden Xavier looked down at her, the hallway light casting soft shadows beneath his eyelashes.

"One more person knowing won’t make a difference." ’He didn’t mind if Felix spread the word. It would be good for those captains and flight attendants who had their eyes on Wren to give up.’

’It was all for that ridiculous male possessiveness.’

’How could he bear to let Seraphina Sutton be pointed at and judged by everyone?’

’Because if their marriage went public, Seraphina Sutton would be labeled a homewrecker, and their affair would have nowhere to hide.’

The corner of Wren Wynter’s mouth twitched. Without another word, she turned to leave with a stoic expression, but Helen Sawyer’s voice stopped her.

"Kaden! Wait!"

Helen Sawyer approached with Chloe Chandler, who stood beside her looking sweet and well-behaved. However, when she looked at Wren Wynter, resentment was hidden in the depths of her eyes.

"Kaden, it’s not safe for Chloe to go home by herself. You can give her a ride since it’s on your way." As Helen Sawyer spoke, she deliberately glanced at Wren Wynter, as if to test her reaction.

Chloe Chandler immediately chimed in, smiling sweetly and delicately. "Then I’ll have to trouble Mr. Xavier."

As she spoke, she shot a provocative glance at Wren Wynter, walked straight to Kaden Xavier’s car, pulled open the front passenger door, and sat down.

Watching this scene, Wren Wynter felt a wave of disgusted absurdity wash over her.

’Kaden Xavier had already found his next prospect. He was entangled with other women, yet he still had the nerve to control who she spoke to.’

’By what right?’

She clenched her handbag, her fingertips turning white.

Kaden Xavier looked at Chloe Chandler sitting in the passenger seat, and his expression darkened.

He turned his head to the driver standing nearby and said, "Old Lee, take Miss Chandler home."

Chloe Chandler’s expression changed. "Mr. Xavier, you..."

"My wife’s feet are sore. We’re going to walk home," Kaden Xavier cut her off, his tone cold. "Old Lee, make sure you get Miss Chandler home safely."

After he finished speaking, he took Wren Wynter’s hand without allowing for any argument and turned to walk towards the tree-lined path outside the villa.

Sitting in the car, Chloe Chandler watched the two of them leave side-by-side, and she furiously punched the seat in anger.

Old Lee glanced in the rearview mirror, then silently started the car.

The early autumn night breeze carried a chill, dispelling the sweltering heat of the day.

Wren Wynter let Kaden Xavier lead her by the hand for quite a distance before she realized what was happening. She tried to pull her hand back, but he only held it tighter.

"Kaden Xavier, let go," she said, her voice laced with annoyance.

"It’s dark out. Holding hands is safer," Kaden Xavier said as if it were obvious.

Wren Wynter let out an exasperated laugh. "You didn’t seem too concerned about safety when Miss Chandler was sitting in your passenger seat just now, did you?"

Kaden Xavier’s steps faltered for a moment. He turned his head to look at her. "Are you jealous?"

"What’s there for me to be jealous of?" Wren Wynter turned her face away. "We’re about to get divorced. You can let whoever you want sit in your passenger seat."

Kaden Xavier was silent for a moment, then said suddenly, "I’m not getting a divorce."

Wren Wynter couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She yanked her hand free and walked ahead on her own.

They walked one in front of the other, neither of them speaking again.

The street was quiet, with only the streetlights casting a dim, yellow halo.

As they passed a street corner, a faint whimper suddenly came from a small alley nearby.

Wren Wynter stopped in her tracks and looked toward the sound.

A filthy little puppy was curled up next to a trash can. It looked to be only a few months old, was nothing but skin and bones, and its big, wet eyes stared timidly at her.

Kaden Xavier saw it too. Seeing that Wren Wynter was about to approach it, he frowned. "It’s a stray. Don’t get too close. It might be sick."

Wren Wynter ignored him completely, squatting down and cautiously extending a hand.

The puppy flinched back but didn’t run. It just whimpered softly, staring pitifully at Wren Wynter.

"It’s hurt." Wren Wynter saw a wound on the puppy’s hind leg. It had scabbed over, but the area around it was still red and badly swollen.

She took a wet wipe from her handbag and gently cleaned the puppy’s head.

The puppy tentatively licked her hand, its tail giving a slight wag.

Kaden Xavier stood to the side watching, his frown deepening, but he ultimately said nothing.

Wren Wynter looked up at him, her gaze questioning.

Kaden Xavier met her gaze for a few seconds before finally sighing. He took off his suit jacket and handed it to her. "Wrap it in this. It’s dirty."

Wren Wynter glanced at the jacket, took it, and carefully wrapped it around the puppy before cradling it in her arms.