Chapter 3

After the birthday banquet was over, Nathan was still bubbling with excitement in the car.

For once, his mother hadn't been there to watch over him or stop him, so at the party he got to eat whatever he wanted.

Also, Nicole had spoiled him endlessly. She was so much better than his mother.

When the Maybach pulled up in front of the villa, Nathan pouted and reluctantly took Christopher's hand as he climbed out.

He never wanted to go home after outings because his mother would always be there.

But Nicole had said he needed to respect Amelia's rules if he wanted to have more fun next time. And Christopher had added that if he misbehaved, he wouldn't get to play with Nicole again.

So, despite his reluctance, he returned home.

"Daddy, I want to play with Ms. Nikki again tomorrow. Don't let her go abroad, okay? Then Mommy won't bother me anymore."

Christopher's voice was flat and unreadable. "She'll go abroad for a while, but when she returns, she won't leave again. She'll stay with you."

Amelia had been married to Christopher for six years. She was always eager to please him, obedient and accommodating, yet most of the time, he refused her requests.

On the other hand, Nicole was almost always indulged.

Nathan was aware of the special bond between Christopher and Nicole. When he heard his father's words, he finally smiled in satisfaction.

The moment they stepped inside, Nathan's excitement spilled over. "Mommy, fill the tub for me! I want to soak in a nice milk bath!"

Nicole had even complimented him today, saying he smelled so sweet, just like Christopher did when he was younger.

At that moment, Anna came out to greet him. "Mr. Nathan, Mrs. Zephyr isn't home tonight. Shall I help you with your bath?"

Christopher asked casually in a neutral tone, "Where is she?"

"I'm not sure, sir. Mrs. Zephyr and Miss Evelyn didn't come back tonight," Anna said, pulling out a neatly packaged folder. "This is for you. Mrs. Zephyr asked me to give it to you."

Christopher lowered his gaze, took the folder, and tossed it casually onto the table. Then he looked at Nathan. "Go have Anna help you with your bath."

Nathan's face lit up with excitement. "Mommy and Evie aren't home! That means the toy room is all mine!"

Christopher smiled faintly and ruffled Nathan's hair. "Yeah, it's all yours."

"I don't want to play with the toys Evie gave me anymore. They're boring. I'm going to move all the toys Ms. Nikki gave me into the toy room, and Evie isn't allowed to play with them!"

That was because Evelyn didn't like Nicole. She only liked their mother, who was just a silly country bumpkin.

What was there to like about someone like that?

"Daddy, since Mommy's not home, can I ask Ms. Nikki to come sleep with me?"

"No," Christopher said flatly. "Ms. Nikki is very busy."

Nathan pouted but went upstairs to take his bath.

As Anna followed him, she suddenly paused and turned back to Christopher. "Sir, it looks like Mrs. Zephyr packed her things and Miss Evelyn's luggage and left. Maybe she went back to her parents' house..."

Christopher simply nodded.

He didn't care.

For Amelia, the Sinclair family wasn't a safe or welcoming place. Outside of the Zephyr family, she had nowhere else to go.

Normally, she was patient and tolerant, never objecting to Nathan or Nicole spending time together.

But today, she had acted out and thrown a small tantrum.

Once her temper subsided, she would naturally return, just like always.

Christopher sat on the sofa and finished up a work email. As he got ready to head upstairs to wash up, his eyes fell on the folder that had been tossed on the table earlier.

Casually, he opened it.

The bold words of "Divorce Agreement" stared up at him from the page.

Christopher scanned the terms with a faint, indifferent expression.

She only wanted five million and custody of Evelyn.

He snorted and dismissed it entirely, then casually tossed the papers into the trash.

Amelia would come back eventually. She always did after throwing a tantrum.

-

After packing their things at the villa, Amelia and Evelyn stayed at a hotel for the time being.

"Evie, would you like to go live with Mommy somewhere else?"

Evelyn lowered her head, biting her lip, looking conflicted.

Amelia crouched down to her level. "You don't want to leave Daddy and Nate, do you?"

Evelyn longed to call Christopher "Daddy", and even more, she wanted to play with Nathan. Most of the time, she waited at home for them to come back for dinner. By the time the food grew cold, they still hadn't returned. She would always tell Evelyn to eat, but Evelyn would take a few bites and say she was full. She would always wait for them, leaving herself hungry.

Evelyn was a growing girl. Over time, she became increasingly thin, and her health started to suffer.

At first, Amelia thought it was just her daughter's small appetite. Later, she realized the painful truth... Evelyn had been waiting for Christopher and Nathan.

Evelyn looked up to meet Amelia's gaze. "Mommy, does Uncle Chris not like me? Is that why he doesn't like you either?"

Amelia's chest tightened, as if a blade had cut straight through her heart. The pain was sharp, raw, and unrelenting.

"My sweet girl, you're amazing," Amelia said, holding her daughter's small hand. "If he doesn't like you, that's his loss. Will you come with Mommy?"

"Yes," Evelyn said firmly, nodding. "Even though I'll miss Uncle Chris and Nate, I know you love me the most. Wherever you are, that's where I want to be."

Amelia's eyes stung with tears as she hugged her daughter tightly.

This time, she would protect Evelyn no matter what.

When she returned to the villa, she had only packed a few sets of clothes for herself and Evelyn.

After the marriage, Christopher had been sending half a million dollars to her account regularly to support the children and manage the household.

However, he would always sneak extra money to Nathan. When he returned from business trips, he would bring high-end clothes and accessories for Nathan, claiming it was because the boy had lost his real father, his birth mother didn't care about him, and he was pitiful.

In her past life, she loved Christopher to the extreme, obeying his every word and constantly buying him gifts and clothes. She had poured all her energy, money, and attention into him and the children, managing the household and their family life.

Daily visits to high-society circles and managing social connections also fell on her shoulders. By the end, she barely had any money left.

Looking back now, she realized how foolish and pitiable she had been.

After giving Evelyn a bath and tucking her in, Amelia was just about to get up and wash herself when her phone rang urgently.

It was Anna.

"Mrs. Zephyr, what ratio and temperature should Mr. Nathan's milk bath be? No matter how I prepare it, Mr. Nathan says it's uncomfortable."

"Call Nicole to give him the bath. That's the only way he'll be comfortable."

Anna was confused by Amelia's answer. But before she could react, the line went dead.

Anna took a deep breath and called again. "Mrs. Zephyr—"

"I'm getting a divorce from Christopher. Nathan is his son and has nothing to do with me. Don't call me again," Amelia said coldly, then hung up.

Anna was stunned.

Christopher glanced at Anna holding the phone and asked, "What did she say? When is she coming back?"

Anna nervously swallowed and said, "Mrs. Zephyr said she's divorcing you and that you should call Ms. Randall to bathe Mr. Nathan."