Not long after, the car started moving. This time, Madeline seemed very composed. She took out her phone and started recording the entire process.
At first, her vision was blurred by tears, making it hard to see clearly. But as time went on, her emotions slowly shifted—from heart-wrenching pain to an eerie calmness. By the time they were done, she felt utterly indifferent.
Madeline had almost forgotten what she had just experienced. She turned off the recording and hid in the back of the car. Only after the two people left did she come out.
When the elevator doors closed with a soft ding, she felt as though her heart shattered into pieces. At that moment, Madeline finally let go completely. Without waiting for them, she walked back to the hotel alone.
Madeline had no idea that Elias had been frantically searching for her during that time. The moment she returned to the hotel, Elias rushed out desperately.
"Madie! Madie! You scared me to death! I'm sorry—it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so focused on work and neglected you. Please, hit me if it'll make you feel better!"
Elias kept apologizing; his eyes red as though he was about to cry. Sadly, Madeline's eyes no longer had that familiar spark, perhaps because she had already moved on. "Sorry. I was just bored, so I wandered off. I ended up walking back to the hotel."
Madeline had never apologized to Elias before. Throughout their four years of dating and marriage, it was always Elias who bowed his head first. This one apology made Elias' chest tighten. He could tell something about Madeline had changed.
She kept smiling—calm and serene. There was no trace of anger or emotion. Yet, Elias realized there was no longer any reflection of himself in her eyes.
This realization sent a wave of panic through him, making him increasingly restless and uneasy. "Madie, don't leave me. Please, don't leave me." He hugged her tightly as if trying to embed her into his very bones, but Madeline didn't give him an answer.
"Madie, say something! You're not going to leave me, right?" He repeated the question over and over, almost like he couldn't stop until he heard the answer.
"Hmm. The old Elias was so wonderful. How could I bear to leave him?"
Elias was caught up in his anxious state, so he completely missed the word "old." Only after receiving a definite answer did Elias begin to calm down.
After this incident, Elias spent even more time with Madeline, which led to Whitney's dissatisfaction.
During the few days Elias was busy, Madeline quickly handled all her affairs. She transferred her assets, including the money she secretly made from selling her properties.
"Elias, you haven't contacted me since returning to the country. I even bought so many outfits I thought you'd like."
Elias brushed off Whitney's restless hand. "Stop it. I've already spent enough time with you. Right now, I need to focus on Madie. Be good."
Although Whitney felt unhappy, she didn't dare go against him. Elias liked obedient women and she knew better than to confront him directly.
"One more thing—when Madie is around, don't get too close to me. I don't want her to find out. Remember this: if you behave, I'll take care of you. But if you don't, you know the consequences."
For Elias, Madeline was his bottom line. No matter how much Whitney acted out in front of him, she was absolutely forbidden to cross Madeline.
By the time Elias got home, Madeline had almost finished packing everything. He walked in just as she was putting her belongings into boxes.
"Madie, what are you doing?" Elias' face darkened and he angrily knocked over the boxes. He instinctively thought Madeline was preparing to leave him.
