When they arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, the entrance was already crowded with cars.

Chloe Reed tried to get out but found the car door was still locked. Her voice was hoarse. "Open the door."

Walker Grant kept one hand on the steering wheel, his entire being radiating an icy chill. The atmosphere inside the car was exceptionally oppressive. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Just then, his phone rang. He took it out, glanced at it, and answered, "Hello?"

After a moment, he hung up and said to Chloe Reed, "Something came up at work. I have to go on a business trip for a few days. We’ll handle this when I get back."

"Let’s do it now," Chloe Reed insisted, looking at him. "I don’t want to wait."

But Walker Grant said, "Even if we file the papers now, we still have to wait for the mandatory cooling-off period. A few more days won’t make a difference."

With that, he unlocked the car doors.

"Get out."

"Let’s go in and get it done now. It won’t take much of your time," she said, her tone hardening.

But Walker Grant simply opened his door, got out, walked to the curb, and hailed a taxi before leaving on his own.

Chloe Reed closed her eyes, clutching the seatbelt tightly.

She sat alone in the car for a long time, so long that the sky outside grew dark.

Finally, Chloe was jolted from her stupor by a phone call.

"Cherie, I got off work early today. Let’s go grab a bite," came the voice of her best friend, Iris Yates.

Chloe Reed’s voice was raspy as she said, "Can you come pick me up? I’m at the entrance to the Civil Affairs Bureau."

Sensing something was wrong with her tone, Iris Yates agreed and rushed over.

When she heard a knock on the car window, Chloe Reed finally opened the door and got out. Her legs were a little numb. She immediately threw her arms around Iris Yates.

"Cherie, what’s wrong? What happened? Wasn’t yesterday your and Walker Grant’s anniversary? Did it go so badly that you’re getting a divorce?" Iris Yates asked urgently.

Leaning on her friend’s shoulder, Chloe Reed said listlessly, "I lost to Sunny Reed. I lost completely."

In the bar, flashing lights swayed, casting multicolored reflections on the drinks, intoxicating the eyes and numbing the senses.

After Iris Yates learned what had happened, her fists clenched in anger.

"Ever since your parents brought her home, she’s stolen their affection and attention from you. I thought she would finally settle down after she married Julian Grant."

"But then Julian Grant had to go and die, and now she’s set her sights on Walker Grant. How can a person be so disgusting? Does she just love snatching what belongs to others?!"

Chloe Reed downed a glass of liquor, leaned against her friend, and squinted her eyes.

"I’m such a failure. My eight-year relationship with Walker Grant couldn’t even stand up to a few tears from Sunny Reed and her son. Tell me, why can’t I just cry to win some sympathy?"

Just as Iris Yates was about to comfort her, she suddenly saw something. She narrowed her eyes and said, "Cherie, I see the Grant family’s only heir. He’s only three, isn’t he? What’s he doing here?"