Chapter 5

The spacious kitchen suddenly felt unbearably cramped.

Julia stood awkwardly behind Allison and Daniel. After a few tense seconds, she quickly spoke up. "It's ready. I'll pack it up now."

Daniel nodded, then turned to Allison, his expression as cold and detached as ever.

"Since you're here, come with me to the hospital and apologize to Camila. You went too far yesterday. She's really upset."

Allison gave a sharp, humorless laugh. "Are you serious? You had an affair with Camila and married her, and somehow I'm the one who owes her an apology?"

"I didn't have an affair," Daniel said, his expression turning cold.

"You don't know the whole story.

"The wedding wasn't real. I was helping Camila. Her family is extremely traditional, and they've always favored their sons. She had to fight for every opportunity she got just to make it through grad school.

"Her parents tried to force her to marry a man with an intellectual disability and threatened to cut her off if she refused.

"She didn't want to turn her back on the people who raised her, but she couldn't throw away her entire future either. She felt trapped, so she came up with the idea of staging a wedding."

Daniel frowned at her.

"She was my best student, and now she's my most trusted assistant. As her former professor and her employer, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

"You're my wife, Allison. I've put up with a lot because I always believed that, whatever else you were, you were a decent person.

"But what you did yesterday crossed a line. You barged in, made a scene, and humiliated Camila without even knowing the full story. Now, everyone back home is talking about her. How is she supposed to live with that?"

Allison stood in silence as Daniel delivered his lengthy explanation.

In seven years of marriage, this was the most he had ever said to her at one time. The thought was almost laughable.

Daniel continued, his voice calmer now, as if he were explaining something to a student.

"Whatever you thought you were doing, you humiliated Camila and put her through a great deal of emotional distress. The doctor says she's severely traumatized and is showing signs of depression. You're coming with me to the hospital to apologize. After that, you'll explain everything to her family."

Allison finally laughed. "No. I'm not apologizing to your mistress."

"She's not my mistress." Daniel's expression tightened. "I already told you, Camila was forced into this. She didn't do anything wrong…"

"Didn't do anything wrong?" Allison cut in. "Then why did the wedding planner call me? Do you honestly think I'm that stupid, or are you just refusing to see what's right in front of you? She knew you were married, and she went through with it anyway. She's just a shameless…"

"Allison!" Daniel finally snapped, anger flashing across his usually unreadable face. "Before calling her shameless, maybe take a look at yourself. Seven years ago, you schemed your way into my bed because you were so desperate to marry me!"

A slap cracked through the kitchen.

Allison had struck him with all her strength, whipping his face to the side.

It happened so fast that Daniel didn't even have time to react. When he turned back to her, his face was filled with fury and disbelief.

She had actually slapped him.

Allison lowered her trembling hand. Her entire body shook.

So that night seven years ago had been festering inside him all this time.

She had explained over and over that it was an accident, that she never planned any of it. Daniel even told her never to bring it up again.

But he never believed her.

In his eyes, she had always been the scheming woman who trapped him into marriage.

His coldness over the past seven years suddenly made perfect sense. The distance. The indifference. The way he always held himself back from her.

Allison was tired, more tired than she had ever been in her life.

Daniel slowly turned his head back and wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb. His gaze turned even colder.

"You have two options. Either apologize to Camila and explain everything to the Dixons... " He paused. "Or we'll get a divorce."

"Fine," Allison answered without a moment's hesitation.

Daniel's expression relaxed slightly. He thought she had finally given in. After all, she had fought so hard to become Mrs. Hall. There was no way she would ever agree to a divorce.

"Then get ready. We'll leave right…"

"Let's get a divorce," Allison cut in, making her choice unmistakably clear.

Daniel went still, as though he wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. "What did you say?"

"I said, let's get a divorce."

The words made Allison's chest ache. She said the same thing at that farce of a wedding the day before. Daniel cared so little about her that he didn't even remember.

Sensing that things were quickly getting out of hand, Julia hurried over with the packed food.

"Mr. Hall, everything's ready. You should take it to Ms. Dixon while it's still warm. It won't taste as good once it gets cold."

Daniel took the containers and gave Allison an icy look. "I'll give you some time to think about what you're saying. I'm not going to keep putting up with these impulsive outbursts."

With that, he strode out of the house, carrying the food with him.

After seeing him out, Julia returned to the kitchen and began lecturing Allison.

"Mrs. Hall, you need to stop being so stubborn. Just do what Mr. Hall says and apologize to Ms. Dixon, and this whole thing will be over. Ms. Dixon is a good person. You really shouldn't have..."

Allison shot her a cold look and walked out of the kitchen without a word.

Julia stood frozen, genuinely rattled.

In seven years, she had never seen Allison look at her that way.

-

Back in the bedroom, Allison stared at the two packed suitcases.

She needed to find somewhere else to live and move out as soon as possible. She had plans to meet Elliot that morning so they could visit their mentor, Joshua Maxwell, together.

When she saw the time, she forced herself to get moving. She washed up, changed into something simple, and headed downstairs.

Julia was in the living room. She started toward Allison as though she wanted to say something, but Allison walked past without even looking at her.

Following the address Elliot had sent, Allison arrived at the rehabilitation center where Joshua was staying. The facility was located behind Fairfield Central Hospital and catered exclusively to senior government officials and nationally renowned experts.

Meanwhile, in a hospital room nearby, Camila managed to eat a little before falling asleep.

Daniel gently pulled the blanket up around her. As he looked at her pale face, guilt settled heavily in his chest.

A knock sounded at the door. It was Miles Parker, Daniel's close friend and business partner.

Not wanting to wake Camila, Daniel quietly stepped into the hallway.

Miles took one look at his exhausted face.

"I'm here about the company again."

His expression grew serious as he continued to speak.

"We've been held up by the quantum gyroscope for over six months. We've tried every company and research institute we could find, both here and abroad, but none of them can meet our precision requirements. We need to find another way forward. We can't afford to drag this out any longer."

The quantum navigation system was the cornerstone of Daniel's tech company and accounted for 70% of its profits. It was also the technology that made him a major name in the industry.

But the system relied on quantum gyroscopes to function.

The research institute in Doverland, Daniel's former supplier, suffered a catastrophic accident that wiped out all its research data. The gyroscopes it produced afterward could no longer meet the required level of precision.

With the company's inventory running dangerously low, failing to secure a replacement would devastate both Daniel's reputation and the future of his business.

"There's only one option left," Daniel said, looking at Miles. "Dr. Maxwell's research institute."

"Dr. Maxwell?" Miles had clearly heard of the renowned scientist. "I thought his health had gotten worse, and he had stepped away from his work."

"He has." Daniel nodded. "His former student, Dr. Doyle, runs it now. He says their quantum resonator gyroscope should be compatible with our system, but only Dr. Maxwell and the person who developed it know the exact specifications."

"But Dr. Maxwell isn't seeing visitors anymore, is he?"

"That's right." Daniel's expression turned grim. "That's why Dr. Doyle offered to contact the developer for us. So far, they haven't responded."

"Who is this person, and why are they so hard to reach?" Miles asked urgently. If the developer agreed to help, the company's crisis would be over."

"I don't know." Daniel shook his head. "They've never made a public appearance. All I know is that they are Dr. Maxwell's most gifted student and are exceptionally talented."

He looked out at the clear blue sky, his voice resolute. "Whatever it takes, we have to find them. If they agree to work with us, they can name their price."