"That won’t be necessary. I’m tired and I’m going to rest." Wren Wynter’s voice was flat, showing no desire to talk.

"Wren, I’ll do my best to keep you and Seraphina apart from now on." Kaden Xavier lowered the hand he’d been using to knock. "Get some rest."

’Avoid contact?’

’Was he afraid I’d cause trouble for Seraphina Sutton?’

The next day, Wren Wynter showed up at the aviation medical office right on time, as if nothing had happened.

A little after nine in the morning, Felix Vance pushed the door open. He looked travel-worn, but his face was lit up with his trademark radiant smile.

"Dr. Wynter! Miss me? I’m finally back!" His booming voice shattered the morning tranquility of the aviation medical office.

"Captain Vance."

Wren Wynter looked up from behind her computer monitor. Seeing him, she gave a nod in greeting.

"Oh, right. Today, Cole, Seraphina Sutton, and I are flying to Artoria. It’s the maiden flight for a new route. With the round trip and taking care of some things over there, it’ll probably take three or four days. Is there anything you want? They have tons of stuff—perfume, purses, jewelry, or maybe some local snacks? I can bring something back for you."

"No." Wren Wynter’s reply was curt. Her gaze fell to the medical report she had just opened, and her brow furrowed slightly.

Felix Vance was about to say more when the examination room door was pushed open again.

Kaden Xavier and Seraphina Sutton walked in, one after the other.

Both were dressed in crisp pilot and flight attendant uniforms, carrying identical black flight cases. They looked all set for departure.

"Cole, perfect timing. It’s almost our turn for the physical," Felix Vance said casually, his gaze shifting subtly between Kaden Xavier and Wren Wynter.

’I don’t know what Cole is thinking, not cherishing a wonderful wife like her, choosing to be a sucker instead.’

Kaden Xavier gave an almost imperceptible grunt of acknowledgment, his gaze never leaving Wren Wynter.

Seraphina Sutton gave Felix Vance a gentle smile, her own gaze drifting toward Wren Wynter as well, as if by chance.

The routine check-up began. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Wren Wynter began with Kaden Xavier’s examination.

"Everything’s normal, Captain Xavier." She withdrew her stethoscope and, with a blank expression, quickly jotted down the data on his chart.

"Flight Attendant Sutton, please lie on the examination bed."

Wren Wynter’s expression was one of intense concentration as she stared at the waveforms and data on the monitor.

A moment later, she muted the machine, wiped away the ultrasound gel with a tissue, and gestured for Seraphina Sutton to sit up.

"The fetal heartbeat is currently normal, and the heart rate is within the standard range," she stated as she wrote. "However, Flight Attendant Sutton, you’re still physically weak. And while the fetal position is normal, it’s not stable enough. From a medical perspective, for a long-haul international flight, I’d advise you not to go. It would be much safer for you to rest here at the base."

Seraphina Sutton sat up and methodically straightened the hem of her uniform skirt. Then, she placed a hand on her stomach, her face breaking into a soft smile that was a mixture of gentleness and resolve.

"Thank you for your concern for me and the baby, Dr. Wynter. But," she paused, her eyes flicking, as if by accident, toward Kaden before quickly looking away, "it’s my job. Besides, Kaden will be on this flight, so I’m not worried. And this baby..."

She patted her abdomen gently, her smile deepening. It held a maternal glow and an indefinable, suggestive undertone.

"He probably wants to be like Kaden and see the blue sky a little sooner, too."

Wren Wynter’s pen didn’t even pause. She was like an impartial observer. "I’m simply providing a medical recommendation based on your physical condition."

"The examination is complete. Both of you meet the physical requirements for this flight. I wish you all a safe flight."

With that, she looked at no one, turning to walk toward the sink in the examination room to disinfect her hands.

"Wren, about yesterday... I can explain."

"I don’t want to hear it, and I don’t care." Wren Wynter’s cool voice was quiet. "Kaden Xavier, you don’t need to explain anything to me."

Kaden Xavier’s voice was low and urgent, his words coming out much faster than usual. "Yesterday was a complete misunderstanding. The sales clerk got it wrong."

He said it all in a rush. It was probably the longest speech he had given her in their entire seven years together.

"But you didn’t deny it, did you?" Wren Wynter frowned, pulling away from his grasp. Her eyes were clear as she asked slowly, "Kaden Xavier, do you remember our bet?"

Kaden Xavier froze, not understanding what she meant for a moment.

"The bet..." Wren Wynter’s voice was clear and cold, each word landing like a shard of ice. "There are two days left."

Kaden Xavier’s heart clenched violently, and his fingers curled into tight fists.

"In two days, the bet will be over." Wren Wynter looked at his face, which had suddenly lost all its color, and said with quiet dignity, "I’m not going to change my mind about the divorce. So, don’t bring back any gifts. There’s nothing to discuss."

"When you get back, make time as soon as you can. We’re going to get the paperwork done. No more delays."

With that said, she turned and left without a shred of hesitation.

"BANG!"

A dull thud echoed through the empty hallway. A sharp pain shot through his knuckles, but the man’s face was contorted in a pain that went deeper.

He didn’t seem to feel the pain in his hand, though.

That physical pain was nothing compared to the void that had just ripped open in his heart.

Two days.

Only two days left.

’She’s really going to leave me!’

At that moment, Kaden Xavier felt something inside him slipping away, something he couldn’t grasp, no matter how he tried.

The sky had gone completely dark by the time Wren Wynter returned to the villa.

Inside the villa, only a few hallway lights were on, making the space feel cold and empty.

She went upstairs and returned to her room.

She had already gotten rid of most of the things she didn’t need over the past few days, including necessities and clothes.

The room felt somewhat bare.

She pulled out a 24-inch suitcase she had prepared earlier, opened it, and began packing her last few remaining items.

A few of her most-read medical textbooks, some seasonal clothes she hadn’t gotten around to moving yet, and the skincare products from her toiletry bag.

It wasn’t much, but it quickly filled up more than half of the suitcase.

’I came with just one suitcase, and I’m leaving with just one suitcase.’

She zipped the suitcase, straightened up, and glanced around the room she had lived in for the past few years.

The ornate European furniture, the expensive silk curtains, the designer makeup on the vanity that she rarely used—none of it ever really felt like hers.

She didn’t take a single one of the designer bags or pieces of jewelry from the closet, either.

’They never belonged to me, anyway.’

’I thought I would feel sad to leave, but now that the day is here, it seems there’s nothing to miss at all.’

Just then, the doorbell rang downstairs.

Wren Wynter had no choice but to put down what she was doing and go downstairs.

She didn’t open the door right away. Instead, she checked the video doorbell screen in the entryway.

On the screen were the familiar, serious faces of two middle-aged women.

’They’re Grandma’s people.’

Wren Wynter’s heart tightened.

One of the women on the screen seemed to notice the call had been answered. She took half a step forward and spoke to the camera in a professional tone, "Madam, you are requested to return to the main residence."