"I’m sorry, Kaden. It’s all my fault for being so useless. I already caused you trouble during the day, and now I’ve made you come all this way again tonight."

In the dimly lit bedroom, Seraphina Sutton leaned weakly against the headboard, her pale face etched with self-reproach.

Kaden Xavier handed her the medicine he had prepared and offered a gentle word of comfort. "The three of us have known each other for so many years. Asher Lynch saved my life. It’s my duty to take care of you and your child."

Asher Lynch again.

Seraphina Sutton bit her lip, a flicker of resentment in her eyes, and subtly changed the subject. "By the way, the necklace I helped you pick out today... did Dr. Wynter like it?"

"Yeah." Kaden Xavier answered dismissively, his expression darkening slightly.

Seraphina Sutton knew the truth, but her face relaxed into a smile of relief. "That’s good. She seemed to be in a very bad mood earlier. I was worried she’d pick a fight with you and it would affect your marriage."

"She won’t. Wren is easy to placate. She won’t make a big deal out of it."

The words tumbled out of Kaden Xavier, and he wasn’t sure if he was trying to reassure Seraphina Sutton or himself.

Seraphina Sutton detected the fondness in his tone. Her nails dug deep into her palm, but her smile was gentle and harmless. "I thought as much. After all, she loves you so much. To be with you all the time, she even gave up her position as an attending physician at a top-tier hospital, content to be a simple flight medic. For your sake, I’m sure she’ll understand our situation."

"Yeah." Seraphina Sutton’s words eased some of Kaden Xavier’s inner turmoil. "Get some sleep. I’ll keep watch in the living room and leave at dawn."

Over the years, Wren always started fights with him over Seraphina, and he was growing weary of it.

Whenever they fought, he just had to ignore her, and she would eventually cool down on her own and cook a huge meal to win him over.

After all, Wren has been attached to him since they were kids. The way she used to look at him was so sweet it was like honey.

Later, when tragedy struck the Wynter family, he personally brought Wren back to live with the Xaviers. The poor girl fell into a depression for a while, and he was the only one who could make her smile.

And at their wedding three years ago, she was so happy, crying and laughing in his arms.

No one knew better than him how much Wren loves him. How could she ever truly bring herself to divorce him? She’s just furious. This is just a desperate tactic to scare him.

At that thought, Kaden Xavier felt completely at ease.

The night passed.

Wren hadn’t slept a wink. She sat numbly on the floor until morning, only picking up her phone after it had rung several times.

"Wren, dear, are you awake? Have you had breakfast yet?"

Old Madam Xavier’s affectionate voice came through the phone. Wren’s eyes welled with tears, and she almost broke down crying.

She bit her lip hard, forcing her voice to sound as light as possible. "I just woke up. Have you eaten, Grandma?"

"Oh, that’s perfect! Fresh matsutake mushrooms were just flown in last night, so I can make your favorite matsutake and shrimp congee. It’s Saturday, and you don’t have to work anyway, so bring Kaden over and have breakfast with your grandma!"

"Grandma, I..." Wren’s voice caught in her throat. She desperately wanted to tell Old Madam Xavier that Kaden hadn’t come home all night. But the words died on her lips, replaced by a casual-sounding laugh. "Okay, I’ll be right over."

Old Madam Xavier doted on her as if she were her own granddaughter. The shock of her husband’s death two years ago had been so great that she’d needed heart surgery.

No matter what, she couldn’t be the cause of the elderly woman’s heartbreak.

Her injured ankle was throbbing. Wren limped to find some pain-relief spray, put on the dress she knew Old Madam Xavier loved most, and carefully applied light makeup to hide her dark circles and the traces of her tears.

Unfortunately, after going to all that trouble to get ready, the first person she saw upon arriving at the old family home was her mother-in-law, Helen Sawyer.

The older woman was sipping tea in the garden pavilion, clearly waiting for her.

"Come here. We need to talk."

Wren took a deep breath. She had barely sat down beside Helen Sawyer when her mother-in-law impatiently demanded, "Did you drink the medicine I sent over yesterday? How do you feel?"

It seems Kaden’s warning worked. Nanny Lewis didn’t tattle.

Wren answered calmly, "I didn’t drink it, and I won’t be drinking it in the future. Mom, please don’t send it again."

"What?!" Helen Sawyer flew into a rage, her shrill voice nearly piercing the roof. "I went to the trouble of getting you a special remedy, and you didn’t even take a single sip? Wren, you’re so ungrateful! Don’t you forget, if it weren’t for the kindness of the Xaviers, how could someone of your station ever be worthy of marrying Kaden and living the life of a wealthy socialite!"

Every word was a jab. Wren closed her eyes, her tone placid.

"I know I owe the Xavier family a debt of gratitude, and I have never forgotten it. That’s why, for all these years, no matter how unreasonable you’ve been, I have always treated you with respect."

"I’m unreasonable?" Helen Sawyer blew up, glaring at her. "You disrespectful brat! How dare you speak to your mother-in-law that way? It’s clear your parents died too early to teach you any manners! You’ve been married to Kaden for three years, and your womb is still empty. A useless waste of space who can’t even have a child, how dare you..."

"When my parents were alive, you were always so friendly, calling them your dear in-laws. You and my mother were as close as sisters. Even though they’re gone, that doesn’t give you the right to insult their memory!"

Wren cut off Helen Sawyer’s shrill tirade, her voice like ice.

"Besides, it takes two people to have a child. How can you be so sure I’m the one who can’t conceive? What if the problem lies with your son?"

"Kaden is a pilot! His annual aviation medical exams are always perfect, and he’s only twenty-nine! How could a young man like him possibly have a problem? How dare you question your own husband!"

Her confidence shaken for a moment, Helen Sawyer flew into another rage and roared, which only earned her a scoff from Wren.

"By that logic, I’m four years younger than him. My body should be in even better shape."

"You!" Helen Sawyer never imagined that Wren, who had always been so meek and submissive, would dare to talk back to her. She was so shocked and furious that she was rendered speechless.

"You, on the other hand, are getting on in years. Constant anger isn’t good for your blood pressure. If I recall, it’s gotten as high as 180. You really should be more careful."

Wren’s words made Helen Sawyer’s well-preserved face twist in a grimace.

"Fine, Wren! So your usual obedience was all an act for the old madam and Kaden! I’m going to tell my son right now and see how he deals with you!"

"Be my guest." There wasn’t a trace of warmth in Wren’s eyes. "If there’s nothing else, I’m going to see Grandma now."

The moment she turned, the sound of a shattering teacup came from behind her. Wren scoffed and, ignoring it, walked around the garden toward the house.

Just as she stepped onto the first stair, a piercing pain shot through her ankle.

"Hss..."

The sudden, sharp pain made Wren break out in a cold sweat. Her vision went black, and she staggered backward uncontrollably.

The next second, a strong hand wrapped firmly around her waist, catching her as she fell.

At that same moment, a deep male voice sounded in her ear.

"Are you all right?"