Zera nodded politely. “Mrs. Winter, Raine, I’ll be leaving now.”
Aella stood frozen, staring at Zera’s back as she walked away.
Designer clothes, top brands, a maid, a driver, a car-Tyrone had given her everything.
Her chest tightened. The pain in her heart spread until she could hardly breathe.
The emotions she had buried came crashing back, and she collapsed onto a chair in the hallway.
Raine hurried over, worried. “Aella, why didn’t you slap her?”
Tears filled Aella’s eyes. Her lips trembled as she tried to speak. “I … “
But then she thought of Raine’s hot temper and quickly shut her mouth.
Raine steadied her, set her bag aside, and then ran after Zera.
Aella was too slow to stop her, so she quickly rushed after Raine.
At the elevator, Raine blocked Zera’s path.
Zera stopped. “Ms. Winter, is something wrong?”
Raine forced a smile, holding back her urge to slap her. “Ms. Caldwell, one look at your outfit and I can tell you came from money. Which family are you from? I’d love to be friends with someone like you.”
Zera’s nails dug into her palms.
Everything she wore, carried, and used came from Tyrone.
And six years ago, when she dated him, the Winters already knew her background.
Raine’s question was a slap in the face.
Still, Zera stayed calm. “You must be joking, Ms. Winter. I’m just an ordinary girl from a regular family.”
Raine crossed her arms, her tone sharp. “Then maybe you married into money. Which family did you marry into? Maybe I know them.”
Zera’s face stiffened. She glanced at Aella and finally admitted, “Ms. Winter, I’m not married.”
Aella’s body shook so hard. She almost fell.
Not married. Yet she had a five-year-old son.
That child could only be Tyrone’s.
Raine gave Zera a thumbs-up. “I can tell you’re really capable. Ms. Caldwell, what do you do for work? Let’s be friends. I admire women like you-making your own money, living your own way. No leaning on men, no being anyone’s burden.”
Zera flushed with embarrassment. She sneaked a glance at Aella, then quickly looked away.
Lowering her head, she mumbled, “Mrs. Winter, I’ve got something to do. I’ll be leaving now.”
Before her words had even faded, she had already slipped into the elevator.
Raine was about to chase after her, but Aella stopped her.
Raine stomped her foot in frustration. “Aella, I didn’t even get to slap her!”
Aella’s face turned pale.
She pulled Raine to a quiet corner and whispered, “Raine, I know you’re standing up for me. But even if you hit her, it won’t change the fact that she and Tyrone are back together. Tyrone loves her, and he loves their child. If he finds out, he’ll be furious. Please, don’t make this worse.”
Raine held Aella’s hand, her eyes full of worry. “Aella, are you giving up on Tyrone?”
In the past, whenever another woman got close to Tyrone, Aella would be on high alert and treat it like a battlefield. She would do whatever it took to drive them away.
But now, the woman Tyrone cheated with stood right in front of her, and Aella hadn’t even lifted a finger.
It was a clear sign that she had given up on her brother.
If she wasn’t letting go, how could she stay this calm?
Aella didn’t answer.
In her heart, she knew-it was Tyrone who had let go of her first.
Back home, afraid her mind would spiral, she buried herself in books.
If she really wanted a divorce, she needed to come up with a billion dollars.
Where on earth was she supposed to find that kind of money in a short time?
On Monday, she showed up at the hospital right on time to start her new job as Samuel’s assistant.
Her first day was full of introductions. She met her new coworkers and got a clear picture of what she needed to work toward.
After work, Aella stopped by her parents’ place.
The three-bedroom apartment was barely 1,000 square feet, but it felt warm and cozy.
She had dinner with them, chatted for a while, then headed back to the villa she shared with Tyrone.
Her study materials were there, and she needed to keep up her reading.
Otherwise, she would have stayed with her parents for a few days.
That night, she showered, slipped into pajamas, and sat in bed with her laptop.
Around ten, she heard the low rumble of a car engine outside.
Moments later, the bedroom door opened. Tyrone walked in, dressed in a dark business suit, his face stormy.
Aella frowned at the sight of him.
He had told her he’d be away on a week-long business trip.
But only three days had passed.
Why is he suddenly back?
She didn’t need to ask. The look on his face told her he had something on his mind.
Without a word, Tyrone glanced at her and headed straight into the bathroom.
The sound of rushing water filled the room. Aella stared at her book, but her eyes couldn’t catch a single word.
Aella closed her laptop, stacked her books on the nightstand, and leaned back against her pillow. She sat quietly, waiting for Tyrone to come out of the bathroom.
Every time he came home, the first thing he did was take a shower. It had always been his routine.
At some point, it became hers too.
She liked his scent. She liked falling asleep in his arms.
In her happiest days, she once told him she loved him and begged him to hold her every night.
She even said if he didn’t, she’d die of heartbreak.
But the night she discovered his affair, everything changed.
Since then, she had spent nearly every night alone, restless, and sleepless.
She hadn’t died. She was still here.
See? Nobody in this world is truly indispensable.
Even though she had loved Tyrone so deeply, she could still endure the pain, stay awake through the nights, and prepare herself to walk away.
Tyrone came out of the bathroom in dark pajamas. Aella was sitting on the bed, staring blankly ahead.
His eyes fell on the stack of medical books on the nightstand. He reached over and flipped through a few pages.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his voice unreadable. “Why are you back to reading medical texts all of a sudden?”
Aella didn’t answer.
He reached out, tucking her long hair behind her ear. “Do you want me to find you an easier position?”
She shook her head. “My parents already moved out of the place downtown. They had it cleaned; the door code is still the same. They told me to let you know-you can take it back.”
Tyrone showed little reaction. “Where did they move to?”
She didn’t hide it. “By Riverside Drive, close to where my dad works.”
Tyrone narrowed his eyes and said, “I’m the heir to Winter Group. And my in-laws live in the rundown place by the factory. Do you think that looks right?”
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