The living room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

It was a long time before Dylan finally spoke, his voice deep and raspy. "Elise, you’ve changed."

Elise stood up and looked him straight in the eye. Her reflection was mirrored perfectly within his pitch-black eyes. A storm of complex emotions surged within his gaze, but Elise couldn’t understand it, nor did she care to anymore.

Feeling the profound tranquility within her own heart right now, the corners of her lips curved up into a faint smile.

"It’s not that I’ve changed. I have always been this kind of person. If everything with Quinn and Fleur had happened five years ago, when we were newly married, my love and patience for you absolutely wouldn’t have lasted five years. Because you have crossed my boundaries time and time again, and even the most intense affection will eventually be ground down to nothing."

Dylan’s thin lips parted slightly, but not a single word came out.

"I originally came downstairs planning to have a proper chat with Fleur, but it’s blatant that she doesn’t understand a word I say."

Elise took a deep breath and let out a soft sigh before continuing, "So, since that’s how it is, I don’t think there’s any need for Fleur to come over in the future. I can’t stand her, and you can’t stand me giving her attitude. In the end, it only leaves Robin caught in the middle, walking on eggshells and feeling terrified."

"I will convince Robin to go over and spend time with Fleur to build up their bond. But at the start, he definitely won’t want to stay for too long. I think we can begin with a single meal and slowly increase the time they spend together as mother and son. Everything requires a process. Robin is a sensible child; as long as we give him time, I believe he will adjust."

This was not a negotiation; it was a notification.

Dylan knew that the current Elise truly would not make even half a step of compromise for his sake ever again. It was only today that he finally realized that throughout their five years of marriage, he had never actually been the one in control.

Loving him or not loving him had always been Elise’s decision alone. When she loved him, she could be warm and tender. When she didn’t love him, she became cold and formidable. Loving him or not was entirely dependent on a single shift in her mindset.

Dylan watched Elise’s retreating figure as she walked up to the second floor, a deep sense of bewilderment gradually surfacing in the depths of his eyes.

If Elise truly didn’t love him anymore... could this marriage even continue?

. . .

Elise went upstairs, changed her clothes, and woke Robin up. By the time she brought him back downstairs, Dylan had already left.

Seeing Elise carrying her bag, Mrs. Lander smiled and asked warmly, "Are you going out, Madam?"

"Yes, I’m taking Robin out to play with Lily."

"Ah, I see. Will you be returning for dinner tonight then?"

Elise glanced at the time. "Probably not. If we do come back, I’ll call you in advance."

Mrs. Lander nodded in response. "Alright, understood."

***

Elise first had the family driver swing by the law firm to pick up Lily.

Alexander had been tied up with a criminal case over the past couple of days and couldn’t break away. Lily had been throwing a tantrum, begging to see Elise, so he had no choice but to call her. Elise happened to want to get out of the house anyway, so she offered to pick up Lily alongside Robin and take them to the mall to play.

However, since she was a pregnant woman managing two children on her own, Alexander felt a bit uneasy, so he reached out to ask if Madeline was free. Madeline happened to be quite free these past few days, and upon learning of the situation, she arranged to meet up with Elise at the mall.

There was a massive children’s fairytale amusement park on the second floor of the mall, which was perfect for kids between one and five years old.

Elise purchased a membership card, and Madeline led the kids to change into dust-free, sterile socks while the staff fastened smart tracking devices onto their wrists.

The amusement park was incredibly safe, but because it spanned a large area and featured various slides and crawling tunnels, all children playing inside were required to wear trackers so parents could pinpoint their location at any given moment.

Once Elise swiped her card, the two little toddlers let out cheers of joy, kicked up their heels, and dashed straight inside.

"A child’s happiness really is just that simple." Watching the two toddlers plunge headfirst into the massive ocean ball pit, Madeline remarked with a sigh of admiration, "If you’re going to have kids, they absolutely have to be like Robin and Lily—so beautiful and adorable. Just looking at them is enough to heal your soul!"

Hearing Madeline’s words, Elise gently stroked her own stomach, her voice soft and tender.

"Once you’re actually pregnant yourself, you’ll realize that as long as the child is safe and healthy, nothing else matters."

"Right?" Madeline rubbed her chin, looking at Elise. "Now that you’ve moved back, how are things going between you and Dylan?"

"A hollow facade. Same bed, different dreams."

Madeline couldn’t help but sigh. It didn’t sound too good. She glanced around and pointed to some nearby seats. "Let’s go sit over there."

Elise murmured in agreement. The two found a spot where they could keep an eye on the ocean ball pit and sat down. Madeline used her phone to scan the QR code and ordered four freshly squeezed juices—two for Robin and Lily, and one each for herself and Elise.

Madeline watched Elise, who was quietly sipping her juice across the table, pursed her lips, and finally spoke up, "I heard Dylan settled Fleur into Orchard Residence?"

Elise set down her juice and lifted her eyes to look at her friend. "Mm. He said it’s close by, making it easier to look after her."

"She’s his sister-in-law, so it’s actually normal for him to look after her. But I honestly feel like Fleur has changed a lot since she came back this time. She used to be a total ice queen goddess, but now she’s become so meek and incredibly clingy."

Elise raised an eyebrow, studying Madeline, and suddenly asked, "Does she often run to Aaron to cry and play the victim?"

Madeline’s eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"Because she acts the exact same way in front of Dylan. She came over at noon today with a pile of supplements, saying she wanted to thank me for taking care of Robin lately. She even personally cooked two dishes for me to try: hot-and-sour kidney slices and stir-fried pork liver."

Madeline couldn’t hide her shock, "...Holy crap!"

Elise didn’t eat offal, nor did she like spicy, heavy flavors. Madeline had noticed this the very first time they ever had a meal together.

"Didn’t Dylan warn her?"

Elise let out a soft laugh. "He didn’t even know I don’t eat organ meats himself, so how could he warn her?"

Madeline bit her lower lip.

Aaron had actually just sent her a text message, asking her to help talk some sense into Elise. Things had already reached this point, yet he still had the nerve to ask her to intervene!

She let out a cold snort. "Men are all identical trash. They all have that stupid knight in shining armor complex! Right now, as long as Fleur makes one phone call—no, even just one text message—Aaron wishes he could instantly teleport right in front of her. Looking at it now, Dylan isn’t much different!"

"Let’s stop talking about them," Elise said calmly. "We just need to stay rational and guard our own hearts. They’re just men; if they don’t behave, we can just replace them."

"Replacing one would be a lot simpler for me. It’s just an unrequited crush, after all. Once I wake up to reality, I won’t have lost anything. But you..." Madeline pouted, casting a glance at Elise’s stomach. "Even if there’s no affection left between you two, there’s still a child. Plus, the interests of the Harper family are tied up in this. If Dylan refuses to divorce, your position is going to be a bit passive!"

"Don’t worry." Elise’s expression was calm, but her eyes were entirely resolute. "I know what I’m doing."

Hearing her say this, Madeline didn’t push any further. She knew that Elise had always been a highly independent and decisive person. If it hadn’t been for that accident five years ago, she wouldn’t have been so despondent for all those years.

Now that she had pulled herself out of it and pulled herself together, she naturally wouldn’t let herself be wronged again.

***

Meanwhile, at Orchard Residence.

By the time Dylan arrived, Fleur was still sitting on the sofa, weeping.

Melissa stood to the side, trying to persuade her, "Miss Fleur, your disposition is just too soft. The Young Master is your own flesh and blood; why on earth should you hand him over to her? Mr. Bennett protects you so much anyway, why must you put yourself through this..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the front door swung open.

Melissa’s voice cut off instantly. Turning her head and seeing it was Dylan, her face froze with guilt.

"S-Sir." She looked at Dylan, trying her best to hide her inner panic. "You’ve come at the perfect time. Miss Fleur has been crying ever since she got back. I truly can’t seem to comfort her."

Dylan walked in, casting a brief glance at Fleur sitting on the sofa before his icy gaze locked onto Melissa’s deeply worried face.

When he spoke, his deep voice carried an absolute, unquestionable authority, "Pack your things. Your employment ends today. Oliver will get in touch with you regarding your severance."

Hearing this, Melissa stared at Dylan in utter disbelief. "S-Sir... you’re firing me?"