Chapter 2

When I landed, it was already dark out.

When the car arrived outside the entrance, it was stopped by the guard.

“Hold it! What are you doing here?”

The guard glanced sideways at me and assessed me. He arrogantly said, “This is the private mansion of the president of the Viapent Group, and we’re having a birthday banquet for Old Mr. Ford today. You can’t enter without an invitation!”

I looked at his unfamiliar face, wondering when we had changed guards for the entrance.

“I own this property. Are you sure you want to block my way?”

The guard reacted as if he had just heard a joke. His gaze swept up and down over me. He taunted, “Bro, you should take a closer look at yourself before you lie. This property belongs to Ms. Croy of the Viapent Group. She’s celebrating her grandfather’s birthday.

“Personally, I’d say that you just want to sneak in to get some free food and drink. Forget it. Don’t you know who Ms. Croy is? There’s no way you’d be able to just get into this place.”

I laughed. When did this mansion become Madison Croy’s property?

I called her right away.

Madison answered the call very quickly. Her voice was soft and coquettish. “Honey? Why are you calling all of a sudden? I’m busy preparing dinner for Anderson. The banquet’s still going.”

She paused before continuing, and her voice got sweeter. “How did your business negotiations go? When are you coming back? Anderson and Lucas miss you.”

Madison was supposed to be the closest person to me. She was my partner in life, but when I heard her voice, I recalled the security footage from earlier. I could only think about how Anderson and Lucas were both suffering at home.

I said in a frigid tone, “Come outside. I’m at the entrance.”

I could hear Madison’s breath stutter.

Obviously anxious, she said, “W-Why did you come home so suddenly? I thought you were still abroad. Are you playing a trick on me, Conway?”

“You’d better be here in five minutes, or I’m cutting off your credit card.”

“Don’t! I’m coming! I’m coming right now!” Madison’s voice was frantic. “Wait for me, honey. I’m going outside right now!”

When I hung up, the guard next to me was still laughing.

“Wow, you’re really putting on a full show. Who did you call? I’ll kindly remind you that the cleaning staff wouldn’t have the power to let you in.”

I ignored him.

Three minutes later, Madison came tottering out in her high heels, jogging frantically over. Behind her was Mr. Jeffords.

When she saw me, there was a flash of fear in Madison’s eyes before it vanished.

She neatened up her hair and smiled before she came to hug me. “Honey, why didn’t you tell me you were coming home? I’d have gone to the airport to meet you!”

I tilted my head to one side to evade her. Then, I looked Madison up and down. I had not seen her in months.

Since she lived in the lap of luxury, she looked very well.

The only thing that was different about her was the plain ring on her finger. It stood out especially from the branded clothes she wore from top to toe.

Why was she wearing a plain band instead of her ruby wedding ring?

I refused to believe that nothing was going on.

My hand whipped out to grab her wrist and pull it before my eyes.

“That’s an exceptionally ugly ring.”

Madison immediately tensed as her gaze evasively flitted from side to side.

I looked down at her and assessed her. “Why are you wearing this when it’s Dad’s sixtieth birthday? It’s an embarrassment to me. Where’s your wedding band?”

Madison pulled her hand back. She hurriedly pulled the ring off. She stuttered out an explanation. “I saw this when I went out with some friends a few days ago. I thought it looked new, so I bought it. I’ll change it right now. I’ll just go…”

I looked away. Evenly, I said, “No need. If you don’t like your wedding band, you can just throw it away.”

After saying that, I walked past her and headed toward the mansion.

When Mr. Jeffords saw this, he hurriedly followed a couple of steps behind me.

“Sir, you’ve just only returned, so there are a few urgent work matters that require your attention. I’ve already prepared them in your study…”

Before he finished speaking, Charlie blocked his way.

“Mr. Jeffords, please start on the paperwork to fire the door guard. He doesn’t even know who owns this mansion. There’s no point in keeping him on.”

The guard’s face immediately went pale.

Mr. Jeffords wanted to say something, but he noticed the dark look on Charlie’s face and could only smile. Then, he went off.

Seeing that no one could stop me, Madison quickly followed me. She reached out to take my arm.

Her voice was charming as she said, “What’s up with you today, honey? You’re so mean. You haven’t even looked at me properly after coming home. Did I do something to make you mad?”

I did not stop walking. I did not even look up.

“Where’s Lucas?”