Chapter 2

After leaving the villa, Madeleine moved into the high-end apartment registered under her name.

Located in the city center at Evergreen Residences, the apartment had three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a spacious living room. It was fully furnished and ready for her to move in.

She hired some housekeepers to clean it, spent the day decorating the place, and by the time she had washed up and gone to bed, it was past 11:00 pm. She slept soundly.

The next morning, she woke to the alarm, dazed as she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. Once she remembered where she was, she reached for her phone and silenced the ringing.

At Clearwater Bay, she used to rise early to prepare breakfast for Jonathan and Sawyer. She preferred cooking herself, worried the maids might overlook hygiene, especially for Sawyer. With his weak constitution and picky palate, she crafted a different menu for him every day, finding contentment in watching him grow.

As the memories surfaced, Madeleine closed her eyes and smiled wryly. Starting today, those tasks were no longer her concern.

She lay in bed a while longer before finally getting up to wash up in the bathroom.

A while later, she received a call from Sawyer. She answered, "Hello?"

"Mommy! For lunch, I want egg pudding, fried prawn balls, blueberry tart… You have to come home and make them for me." He listed his favorite dishes, his childish tone full of unquestionable entitlement.

Madeleine paused briefly before reminding him, "Sawyer, Daddy and I are getting divorced. I can't come over. You can ask Bree or your new mother to cook for you."

"I don't want to! Aunt Allie has to use her hands for dancing and playing the piano. How can I make her do chores?"

Madeleine felt as if someone was ripping her heart apart. To Sawyer, Allison was someone to be pampered, while Madeleine was simply the live-in help, existing to serve his needs.

"Listen, Sawyer. I'm your mother, not your nanny. I have my own life too, and from now on, I won't be living solely for you."

Sawyer furrowed his brows. "Then I'll hire you to be my cook. Grandma said you grew up in the countryside. You don't have any skills besides housework. How are you going to make money to buy the things you need once you've divorced Daddy?"

Madeleine shut her eyes, struggling hard to suppress the rising frustration.

She remembered how, when Sawyer was a toddler just learning to speak, his whole little world had revolved around her. But little by little, those around him had filled his ears with how his mother—a nobody from the countryside—was unpresentable. And so, he began to look at her with growing disdain and impatience.

Doted on by both families, the once-meek boy had become spoiled and headstrong.

"I'll handle my own things. You don't need to worry about me. Was there anything else? If not, I'm hanging up."

Sawyer pouted in dissatisfaction. Then, he heard Madeleine saying, "By the way, you should remind Daddy that I'll meet him outside the courthouse later at 9:00 am."

When Jonathan entered the room, he saw Sawyer fling his smartwatch onto the bed in a fit of temper.

"What's the matter?"

"I hate Mommy! She wouldn't come home to cook for me," Sawyer replied.

Jonathan's face darkened. "She's still upset about yesterday."

"Mommy also wants me to remind you to meet her at the courthouse later at 9:00 am." Sawyer looked up, a conflicted expression on his face. "Daddy, is Mommy serious about the divorce? Does that mean I'll never get to eat her food again?"

As much as he wanted Allison to be his new mother, he still expected Madeleine to be there for his daily needs.

"Don't worry. She isn't serious. She could never bear to leave you."

There was a look of certainty in Jonathan's eyes as he patted Sawyer's head.

Sawyer's eyes lit up instantly. He snorted indignantly. He would wait for the day she came back and willingly prepare his meals.

…

Meanwhile, Madeleine got ready to head out. When it was almost time, she drove to the courthouse.

Evergreen Residences was in the city center, so traffic on the nearby roads was heavy. Because she seldom drove herself anywhere during her five years as a housewife, her driving skills had become rusty.

As she made a turn, a small figure suddenly darted into the road.

Her blood ran cold and she immediately slammed on the brakes.

The tiny form had tripped and fallen on the road right before her car.

Madeleine quickly got out of the car to check the person's condition. Sitting helplessly on the road was an extremely adorable girl of about four or five years of age, noted for her fair complexion, delicate facial features, and cute bob.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Madeleine helped her up quickly.

The girl wore a white tulle dress. Her tights were torn, revealing her scraped knees.

She stared at her wounds for a moment before bursting into tears.

"It hurts! It hurts so much!"

"It's okay. Don't cry. I'll take you to the hospital right away."

After confirming that the girl didn't have her guardians with her, Madeleine wasted no time; she moved the girl into her car and drove her to the hospital.

At the very same moment, Jonathan drove himself to the courthouse, arriving promptly at 9:00 am.

He didn't get out of the car. Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Madeleine's number.

"I'm here. Where are you?"

"I got held up because something urgent came up. Can you…"

It was just as he expected; her excuse about urgent matters struck him as feeble, prompting an inward snort.

Jonathan sneered. "Madeleine, cut it out with the tantrums. Do you think the rest of us have as much free time as you do?"

Without waiting for her response, Jonathan ended the call and drove straight to his office.

…

Meanwhile, Madeleine stood silently in the corridor outside a hospital examination room, listening to the disconnected tone after the call ended.

Jonathan obviously thought this was another ploy for attention. Madeleine found herself utterly at a loss for how to properly clarify her actual situation.

"Can the guardian please come in?"

Madeleine could hear the doctor in the examination room calling for her. She put her phone away and entered. The little girl was sitting quietly on a chair, the wounds on her knees already cleaned and treated.

"Doctor, is she alright?"

"Yes, the abrasions aren't deep. Just keep the areas dry for the next few days. Ensure she has a balanced diet and avoids strongly flavored foods."

"Alright. Thank you, doctor."

After thanking the doctor, Madeleine smiled at the girl, picked her up, and carried her to the lobby.

The young girl stared at her with big, round eyes. Madeleine patted her head gently.

"Tessa, you mustn't run into the streets like that, especially without a grown-up."

The girl's name was Teresa Chamberlain. Madeleine had contacted her guardian on the way to the hospital; they were already on their way.

It was a good thing Madeleine had been driving slowly due to her rusty driving skills. Otherwise, things could have taken an unfortunate turn.

Teresa gazed at Madeleine, her eyes bright and curious. "Ms. Smith, are you married?"

The question took Madeleine by surprise. She chuckled. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

A flash of disappointment crossed Teresa's eyes. She pursed her lips and said nothing.

Just then, a voice called out. "Ms. Teresa!"

Madeleine turned to see a woman in her 40s rushing toward them.

"Eliza!" Teresa called back.

"My goodness! You almost scared the life out of me! How could you even think of sneaking out of the house when I was out to buy things?"

Still seeming pretty shaken, Eliza Larson picked Teresa up and carried her in her arms.

Eliza directed her gaze to Madeleine. "You must be Ms. Smith. Thank you for taking Tessa to the hospital, and sorry for the trouble."

"It's alright," Madeleine replied with a smile.

After relaying the doctor's instructions to Eliza, Madeleine waved goodbye to Teresa and left.

Not long after she was gone, a black Bentley pulled up to the curb. A tall, handsome man emerged, his well-pressed dark suit enhancing his good looks and charisma.

Teresa greeted him. "Uncle Al!"

Alec Chamberlain strode over, took Teresa from Eliza, and looked her over. His expression was stern, but concern flickered in his eyes.

"Does it still hurt?"

Teresa shook her head. She could tell Alec was about to lecture her for secretly sneaking out of the house just by the stern look on his face.

She quickly said, "Uncle Al, I met the lady in the photo! The one you've always kept in your wallet."

Alec froze for a split second, his eyes narrowing.

Teresa continued, "She was the one who took me to the hospital. Unfortunately, Ms. Smith is already married. You must feel heartbroken, Uncle Al."