"Not at all, Senior. It’s my treat today, so eat whatever you like," Wren Wynter declared grandly.

"In that case, I’ll have to make sure to eat my fill," Ho-ran Park said with a raised brow.

"Go ahead."

’My little slush fund can handle it.’

After packing up their things, the three of them headed to the restaurant together.

"Wren, how did you handle the person who hurt you?" Ho-ran Park asked, pushing up his glasses.

"Wren doesn’t plan on pressing charges. That person is still in custody, but I heard from a friend that she’s not having an easy time in there," Shaun Quinn said thoughtfully.

Hearing this, Wren Wynter was stunned. "I signed a statement of forgiveness. Shouldn’t she be getting out soon?"

’If her cellmates are all vicious criminals, then every extra day she spends in there is another day of torture.’

"Someone must have intervened." Shaun Quinn’s interlocked fingers tightened slightly.

"It couldn’t be... him, could it?" Ho-ran Park said.

Shaun Quinn didn’t answer, but the answer was obvious: Kaden Xavier was getting revenge for Wren Wynter.

His gaze was sharp as he looked at the expressionless Wren Wynter, as if afraid she might be swayed by this.

Wren Wynter’s brow furrowed for a moment before her expression returned to normal. She smiled and changed the subject, "Are Joy and the other seniors here yet?"

"They should be," Ho-ran Park replied. "We’re just around the corner."

"Okay." Wren Wynter nodded.

The three of them got out of the car and walked into the private dining room. Leo Crowe and Leif Shaw were already there.

"Wren!" The moment Joy Lynch saw Wren Wynter, she shot up and gave her a bear hug, then looked her up and down. "How’s your recovery? Are you okay?"

"If you hug her that tight, she won’t be okay for long," Ho-ran Park teased.

"I’m fine." Wren Wynter glanced around but didn’t see Crystal Nash. "Where’s Crystal? I haven’t seen her in ages. What has she been up to?"

"Ugh, don’t even ask. Ever since she broke off her engagement with Hugh Hale, her family has had her on lockdown. Forget seeing her; the last time we even spoke was when she secretly borrowed a maid’s phone to call me," Joy Lynch said with a long sigh.

This made Wren Wynter very worried.

The Nash Family had always hoped for a marriage alliance with the Hale Family.

For Crystal Nash to unilaterally break the engagement, she was probably having an incredibly difficult time with the Nash Family.

"Sit down first. When you’re feeling better, we’ll go to the Nash estate and check on her."

"Okay."

After dinner, Shaun Quinn was responsible for taking Wren Wynter home.

Ho-ran Park left with a drunk Joy Lynch.

Leo Crowe also left with an equally tipsy Leif Shaw.

「View Gardens.」

Wren Wynter unbuckled her seatbelt, got out of the car, and said goodbye to Shaun Quinn. "Second Senior, I’m heading in. Drive safe."

"Alright." Shaun Quinn watched Wren Wynter leave before starting the engine.

With no one else around, the smile vanished from Wren Wynter’s face.

"Wren."

Suddenly, a cold, hard voice came from behind her.

Even though they were separated, Wren Wynter had to admit that her familiarity with the man’s voice hadn’t faded one bit.

She froze for a second, then acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, stuffing her hands in her pockets and quickening her pace.

"Was that Shaun Quinn who just dropped you off?" Seeing her ignore him, Kaden Xavier quickly grabbed her wrist, but mindful of her recent recovery, he loosened his grip. "Why didn’t you tell me you were discharged from the hospital?"

"That has nothing to do with you, does it, Mr. Xavier?" Wren Wynter shook his hand off as if he were a viper, her voice icy.

"I was just worried about you..."

"Don’t be. I can’t take it."

"Do you have to speak to me like this?" Kaden Xavier’s dark eyes narrowed. "I just want to have a proper talk with you."

"But I have nothing to talk to you about," Wren Wynter said in a low voice, taking a few steps back.

Kaden Xavier pinched the aching bridge of his nose and said abruptly, "That woman—I’ve had her detained. She will pay for what she’s done."

Hearing this, Wren Wynter stopped dead in her tracks. Fury rose in her face as she turned and shoved Kaden Xavier hard. "Why would you do that?"

"She almost killed you. You couldn’t bring yourself to punish her, so what’s wrong with me making her pay the price?"

Kaden’s heart clenched in agony at the thought that Wren had almost suffered the same fate as his grandmother.

"Kaden Xavier, do I need to remind you? We’re divorced! You have no right to meddle in my affairs!" Wren Wynter fumed.

’How could he just make decisions for me like that?’

’He’s just as arrogant as he’s always been.’

"We haven’t finalized the divorce papers yet."

"You!"

She understood now. Kaden Xavier was betting on the fact that she wouldn’t finalize the divorce until the real culprit was caught, and that’s why he was acting with such impunity.

"Wren, have you eaten? I made you a nourishing meal. You should try it."

Only then did Wren Wynter notice the insulated food container in Kaden Xavier’s hand.

’He made it?’

’He’s never cooked a single meal in his life. How could he possibly make a nourishing meal? The house staff probably prepared it.’

"No, thank you. You should go. And if there’s nothing else, don’t come looking for me again. I don’t want to see you. If you have this much energy to spare, you should spend it on Grandma."

With that, Wren Wynter went inside and closed the main gate, as if shutting a door between their hearts.

Kaden Xavier stared intently at the closed gate, his thin lips pressed into a firm line. The faint scent of her hair still lingered in the air.

The peach-scented shampoo she loved.

After her shower, Wren Wynter opened her laptop, planning to review some recent case files before bed, but Butler Chandler’s voice sounded from outside her door.

"Miss, Mr. Xavier is still outside. Should I go speak with him and send him home?"

’Kaden Xavier is still here?’

Wren Wynter was a little surprised.

’It’s been about two hours since I got home and showered, right?’

’He’s actually still standing out there!’

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was eleven at night.

’He isn’t planning to stand there all night, is he?’

Wren Wynter slowly calmed herself, her voice betraying no emotion. "Leave him be."

"...Very well."

Wren Wynter was lost in thought for a few seconds, then began reviewing her case files with a clear mind, not even glancing toward the window.

Her work had piled up during her time off.

Being busy really was the best way to clear one’s mind of all distractions.

After waiting for a long time with no sign of Wren Wynter, a wave of bitterness washed over Kaden Xavier.

’So this is what it feels like to wait. It’s agonizing.’

’How did Wren manage to wait for me to come home, night after night like this?’

Just then, the iron gate opened.

Kaden Xavier snapped his head up, a bright light shining in his eyes.

But in the next second, the light in his eyes dimmed.

"Mr. Xavier, you should go home. The miss has retired for the evening."

Butler Chandler stood at the gate. His tone wasn’t friendly, but he was still showing Kaden Xavier a certain degree of respect.

Recalling the kindness Kaden had shown in the past, Butler Chandler ultimately couldn’t bear to see him standing out in the cold for so long.

"It’s fine, Uncle Chandler. You don’t need to worry about me."

"Mr. Xavier, if you had shown our miss even a fraction of this concern back then, she never would have divorced you. As someone who’s seen a thing or two, let me offer you some advice: what’s lost is lost," Butler Chandler said earnestly.

"I know it was my fault, Uncle Chandler," Kaden Xavier said, his voice calm and unhurried. "I don’t expect her to forgive me. I just want to see her, to talk with her a little more."