Free Web NovelChapter 7: Chapter 7
During the three days Dylan didn’t come home, Elise didn’t sit idle.
She went through the house and sorted out everything that belonged to her—piece by piece. Whatever was hers, she took it all. Nothing left behind. She packed everything neatly and called a moving company to take it away.
Watching her, Mrs. Lander quickly realized this wasn’t a momentary fit of anger.
Panicked, she tried calling Dylan, but he didn’t answer.
With no other choice, she turned back to Elise, trying to persuade her to reconsider. But Elise’s attitude was firm, unshakable.
On the fourth day, Mrs. Lander saw Elise coming downstairs with a suitcase in hand. Alarmed, she hurried over.
"Madam... where are you going?"
Elise paused, then gave her a small, tired smile. "Mrs. Lander, you’ve worked hard these past years."
She took out a thick envelope from her bag and handed it over.
"These five years, I haven’t been in a good state. I’ve caused you a lot of extra trouble. Think of this as a small token of my gratitude."
"No, no, I can’t take this!" Mrs. Lander waved her hands frantically. "Madam, arguments between husband and wife happen... the master still cares about you. Please don’t act on impulse—"
"I’m not acting on impulse," Elise said gently but firmly, pressing the envelope into her hands. "I’m leaving. Take care of yourself."
With that, she turned and walked toward the door, suitcase in tow, without looking back.
"Madam! Madam, wait—this money—!"
By the time Mrs. Lander chased after her, Elise had already gotten into a white supercar.
The engine roared.
With a sharp drift, the car sped off, leaving nothing but exhaust in its wake.
Helpless, Mrs. Lander pulled out her phone and sent Dylan a message:
[Sir, something’s wrong—Madam has left!]
***
Half an hour later, the white supercar pulled into the underground garage of an upscale residential complex in the city center—Starlight Towers.
This was one of Elise’s properties from before the marriage.
It was the top penthouse of the building, over three hundred square meters of living space, complete with a rooftop garden overlooking the entire city.
One unit per floor. Absolute privacy.
The car slid into its private parking spot and came to a stop.
The woman in the driver’s seat removed her sunglasses and turned to look at Elise.
"Have you really thought this through?"
Elise met Zoey Paige’s scrutinizing gaze and gave a faint, calm smile. "What? You think I’m just acting on impulse too?"
"Not exactly." Zoey rubbed her nose. "It’s just... you gave up so much for Dylan. Ending things like this—divorcing him and basically handing him over to Quinn—it doesn’t feel like you."
"Divorce is just a clean break," Elise said coolly. "As for handing him over?" She let out a soft, cold laugh. "I have no intention of making things easy for them, don’t worry."
Hearing that, Zoey visibly relaxed. "Good. As long as you’ve got that mindset, I’m on your side no matter what you do next."
"Thank you." Elise smiled faintly. "At least I still have you."
"Well, of course! I’m a lot better than that ungrateful bitch Quinn!" Zoey frowned. "Honestly, I still can’t believe she betrayed you. Looks like we both underestimated her acting skills."
"We just underestimated human nature," Elise said as she pushed open the car door. Her voice turned cold. "But if I could pull her out of the dirt once... I can throw her right back."
Zoey got out as well, slamming the door shut with a grin. "Back where she came from. Sounds fair to me."
***
It took several trips for the movers to bring all of Elise’s belongings upstairs.
The apartment had a three-bedroom layout with a clear separation between living and resting spaces, making the main living area especially spacious. The light French-style décor was exactly to Elise’s taste.
She had personally drawn up the design plans for the renovation.
Back then, Dylan had looked at the sketches and teased her, asking if she had put so much thought into it because she planned to make it their marital home.
At the time, they had just gotten engaged. Elise, having finally won the love she had longed for, had been in high spirits. She had laughed and said—it could be.
Because of that one sentence, every detail of the home—from the renovation to the furniture and appliances—had been carefully chosen by her.
She had imagined a life here with Dylan.
A home they would share.
Children they would raise together.
But later, Dylan purchased Starsea Residence as their marital home.
Though disappointed, she had yielded to him. And this place... had been left empty ever since.
Now, looking back, Elise felt a strange clarity.
Perhaps, all along, fate had already been quietly arranging everything.
Stepping into the apartment again, Elise felt an unexpected sense of relief.
Relief that she had once poured so much care into designing and furnishing this place.
Because here—every corner, every detail—was arranged exactly to her liking. It was a space that belonged entirely, and solely, to her.
...
Moving was exhausting.
With her pregnancy known to her, Zoey refused to let her lift a finger. Elise could only stand nearby, giving instructions on where everything should go.
From morning until dusk, they worked without pause.
By the time evening fell, the new home was finally in order.
Elise ordered dinner, and the two of them sat in the rooftop garden, sharing a quiet meal under the open sky.
Zoey looked at her, frowning slightly. "Are you really planning to hide the pregnancy from Dylan?"
Elise nodded. "He already has a secret child with Quinn. This one... has nothing to do with him anymore."
"But once your belly starts to show, you won’t be able to hide it." ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
"That’s why I need to settle everything before that happens." Elise took a sip of fish soup, pausing before adding, "Even a mutual divorce has a one-month cooling-off period. If Dylan cooperates, it’ll be easier. If not, I’ll have to take it to court."
"Then sue him for bigamy!" Zoey said bluntly. "That illegitimate child and Orchard Residence—they’re all evidence!"
"I know." Elise lowered her gaze slightly. "But the lawyer who’s willing to take my case hasn’t had time to go over things in detail yet. I’ll check in with Madeline again tomorrow."
"Alright. As long as you’ve got a plan."
Elise gave a small nod. "Come with me to the company tomorrow."
"Of course."
***
The next morning, when Elise woke up, Zoey had already prepared breakfast.
After eating, Elise changed into a tailored business outfit and applied light makeup to give herself a healthier, more polished appearance.
But the refined look clashed with her dull, lifeless long hair.
She ran her fingers through it—and made a decision.
Two hours later, she stepped out of the salon. Her waist-length hair was gone, replaced by a sleek cut that brushed her collarbone.
Zoey snapped a photo of her and gave a thumbs-up. "There she is—the bold, radiant Elise is back!"
Elise smiled faintly, her fingers threading through her hair. freёwebnovel.com
It felt lighter.
Hair that had lost its vitality couldn’t be saved, no matter how expensive the treatments.
Sometimes, the only solution was to cut it off completely.
Let go... So something new could replace it.
Hair was like that.
People... should be too.
...
At ten in the morning, Elise and Zoey arrived at the company.
This time, the security guards didn’t dare stop her.
They went straight up to the executive floor.
Zoey had just finished a meeting and stepped out of the conference room when a young secretary hurried over, her expression uneasy.
"President Foster... that woman from last time is here again."
Quinn paused, her brows knitting slightly. "Where is she?"
The secretary lowered her head, her voice dropping almost to a whisper.
"She’s... in your office."
