Wren’s question made Kaden’s throat tighten. His icy eyes burned into her, not missing a single flicker of expression on her face.

"Wren, do you have to speak to me like this?"

"Then how should I speak?" Wren fought back the sting in her eyes and let out a bleak, cold smile.

Without waiting for his answer, she turned to the seniors with her and said, "Let’s head back. We don’t want to be late for the wedding banquet."

"Alright."

Shaun Quinn’s sharp, cold eyes swept over Kaden Xavier. He then deftly adjusted the suit jacket around Wren’s shoulders, neatly covering her slightly disheveled dress and the red mark on her neck.

Watching Wren walk further and further away, chatting and laughing with another man, Kaden felt his heart being squeezed by a giant, invisible hand, leaving him breathless.

The young woman who used to trail after him, promising she’d never leave, hadn’t smiled at him in what felt like a very long time.

Even after Wren and her group had disappeared from sight, Kaden continued to stare. Seraphina Sutton dug her red-painted nails into her palm so hard that the jealousy in her eyes nearly overflowed.

’What’s so great about Wren, anyway!’

’Why does every single person protect her?’

After the wedding banquet, Wren didn’t linger at Moonwater Villa. She and Joy Lynch returned to The Capital that very night.

Wren was surprised to find Kaden Xavier at the villa when she got back.

He was wearing only a black shirt, the top two buttons undone. The flickering light cast shadows on his profile, making him appear all the more callous.

The ashtray on the coffee table was piled high with cigarette butts.

As a pilot, Kaden Xavier rarely smoked.

But tonight, he couldn’t help but chain-smoke.

When he saw Wren walk in, he immediately stood up. His voice was magnetic yet cool. "Wren, about what happened in Marinus... I was inconsiderate."

Wren ignored him and walked straight to the kitchen to pour a glass of water.

She knew better than anyone just how cold-blooded the heart beneath Kaden’s apologetic facade truly was.

Seeing her ignore him, Kaden wrapped his arms around her from behind, just like he used to, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Wren, don’t be angry, alright? Seraphina’s pregnant. If..."

"Kaden Xavier."

Wren struggled out of his embrace and turned to face him, her patience wearing thin.

"If you care so much about her, then don’t come here and put on an act for me."

She pulled a file from her purse and slapped it on the table.

"Sign this."

Kaden glanced at the document. His pupils constricted when he assumed it was a divorce agreement, and his expression instantly turned cold.

"Wren, you keep saying you love me, but have you ever once trusted me? If I were really in love with Seraphina, I wouldn’t have married you."

"Why did you marry me?" Wren met his beautiful eyes and smiled. "Wasn’t it because Grandpa said he wouldn’t let you keep flying if you didn’t marry me?"

Kaden was stunned that Wren knew. "Yes, but..."

’But if I didn’t want to marry her, no one could have forced me.’

’Even with Grandpa’s threats, I had other ways to do what I love.’

But Wren didn’t give him the chance to finish.

"It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not a divorce agreement. You say I don’t trust you, but do you have any trust in me?"

"Didn’t you say you were going to give me a gift? I want the house at Elysian Villa. Or are you too stingy to part with it?"

"You can have it!" At her words, Kaden’s suspicions vanished. He picked up the two documents, flipped to the signature page, and signed his name without hesitation.

Elysian Villa was where they had stayed during their first date; he had even feigned being unwell to coax her into staying there with him for a whole month.

And Wren hadn’t suspected his lie in the slightest.

It was arguably their happiest place.

’If she wants that place, she must still love me. She must have forgiven me.’

Wren stared at the familiar signature, an imperceptible dark gleam flashing in the depths of her eyes.

The first document was indeed the deed to the house at Elysian Villa.

But the second was a resignation form.

"I want to sleep alone tonight."

"Alright." Though reluctant, Kaden didn’t press the issue.

’There’s always tomorrow.’

Wren gathered the documents and headed upstairs.

「The next day.」

Wren went straight to the director’s office.

"Director, here is my letter of resignation."

The director’s head throbbed the moment she saw her. "Dr. Wynter, didn’t I tell you that now is not a good time..."

Wren said nothing, simply placing a new document on his desk.

The director took a closer look and froze.

It was a standard resignation form, and Mr. Xavier had already signed it.

The director’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

’Mr. Xavier approved it himself?’

She tremblingly picked up the document, turning it over and over. The signature was undeniably authentic.

"Director, can it be approved now?" Wren asked.

With Kaden’s signature, the director’s hands were tied, even if she wanted to convince Wren to stay.

"Yes, of course..."

The director’s mind went blank. She could only nod mechanically and stamp the official seal on the form.

According to regulations, Wren still needed to spend her last month at the company handling the work transition.

Wren returned to the Flight Medicine office with the stamped resignation form, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

She had barely sat down when Seraphina Sutton walked in carrying an exquisitely wrapped fruit basket, an apologetic smile on her face.

"Dr. Wynter, I’m so sorry. I came today specifically to apologize to you."

As she spoke, she placed the fruit basket on Wren’s desk, her voice pitched just loud enough for everyone in the office to hear.

"What happened yesterday was my fault. I was being so thoughtless, and I gave you a scare. Kaden scolded me for it, too. He even punished me by making me stay at the Azure Dragon Bay apartment for a week to reflect on my actions."

"I hope you won’t hold it against me?"

As she spoke, she nonchalantly tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing a brand-new jeweled bracelet on her wrist.

"He gave me this bracelet to help me calm my nerves. I felt bad accepting such an expensive gift, really, but he insisted. So now, I want to give it to you as compensation."

She made a show of taking off the bracelet.

Wren lifted her gaze and said coolly, "Oh, I have a Harry Winston at home."

Instantly, Seraphina’s movements froze.

Harry Winston was one of the top brands on the global jewelry market.

Worth countless times more than the one she was wearing.

Seraphina had never been so humiliated.

Little did she know, her performance hadn’t earned her any sympathy. Instead, it had ignited the fury of the entire Flight Medicine office.

Joy Lynch was the first to snap, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, ’reflect on your actions’? Sounds more like a paid vacation to me. Staying in a luxury apartment owned by Captain Xavier, and after what just happened yesterday, you have the nerve to come here and show off a new bracelet?"

"You really think you’re something special? Putting on this virtuous act? Who gave you the nerve?"

"Miss Sutton, your apology is just *so* sincere."

A nurse nearby chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Exactly. You almost got someone killed, and your punishment is getting scolded a little and a paid vacation? That’s barely a slap on the wrist. Anyone who didn’t know better would think it was a reward."

"You...!"

Seraphina’s expression changed dramatically. She hadn’t expected this kind of reaction at all, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"That’s not what I meant! I really did come to apologize."

"Then act like you’re sorry!"

A sharp rebuke came from behind her. It was one of the senior nurses, someone who usually kept to herself.

"This is the Flight Medicine office. We save lives here. It’s not a stage for people like you to put on a show. We haven’t forgotten that you nearly got someone killed, yet you have the gall to swagger in here and show off? Who gave you the nerve?"

"Now get out."

"That’s right, get out! It’s disgusting just looking at you."

The room erupted in anger.

Previously, people had only held Seraphina in contempt out of respect for Kaden. But yesterday’s near-death incident had crossed a line for the medical staff.

Now, seeing her put on such a hypocritical act, they couldn’t hold back any longer.

Seraphina was stunned by the backlash. She looked pleadingly at Wren, hoping she would step in and say something.

But Wren didn’t even look up, remaining focused on organizing the files in her hands.

Seraphina gritted her teeth and left in humiliation.

’I’ll remember this!’

Joy Lynch let out a triumphant "Hmph!" and sidled up to Wren. "That was satisfying. This bunch of fence-sitters finally did the right thing for once."

Wren just smiled faintly, completely unbothered.

A moment later, Felix Vance poked his head in. His arm was wrapped in gauze, but he had a wide grin on his face. "Dr. Wynter, you busy?"