Chapter 1 Divorce

“Let’s get a divorce.” They had been married for three years, and this was the second thing Leo Palmer said to her.

The first time he spoke to her was on their wedding night.

She had twirled in front of him in a white wedding gown while holding up the wide flared skirt. With a broad smile on her face, she had asked him if she looked good.

She certainly had not expected his reply.

“The wedding is over. I will have someone send you abroad,” Leo had said.

After that, she was sent overseas alone for three years.

She never expected to receive such a sentence right after returning to the country.

A divorce on their wedding anniversary.

“Must we get divorced?” she asked. Madison Hale didn’t look up. Her long hair covered her face, hiding all emotions in her eyes and face.

Only her slightly trembling voice could be heard, which carried a hint of tears. “Can we discuss it?” she added.

Leo stared at her with his dark eyes for a long time. When he spoke, his cool voice was devoid of any extra emotions. “You know, if it weren’t for my grandfather being critically ill, I wouldn’t have married you in the first place.”

Three years ago, Leo’s grandfather, Edgar Palmer, fell seriously ill. His dying wish was to see Leo get married and start a family.

The marriage did not belong to Madison originally. Madison was a girl whom the Hale family had mistakenly brought back. At eighteen, Madison had been informed that the real heiress, Sally Hale, had returned to the family. And she, Madison, had been the one who had occupied Sally’s rightful place.

Everything Madison had enjoyed should have belonged to Sally. The love of the parents, the indulgence from an elder brother, and even the marriage that had been arranged with Leo since birth.

But Edgar said the foundation of marriage is love. Madison and Leo grew up together. Even if her identity was false, it was still a fact that they had grown up together. Thus, Edgar insisted that Leo marry her. The marriage arrangement remained true since the Hale family still recognized her as one of their family.

That was how she and Leo got married.

But Sally was diagnosed with a two-way emotional disorder and couldn’t stand hearing any mention of Madison. She could not bear seeing Madison even more. After learning about the marriage, Sally attempted suicide and insisted on Leo accompanying her, or she would kick up a fuss.

To prevent Sally’s condition from worsening, Leo sent Madison abroad on the second day of their marriage and left her there without contacting her at all. It was only now that she returned.

Leo handed her a contract. “I’ve already had the lawyer draft the divorce papers. Take a look at them. If you have no objections, just sign them.”

Madison took the papers from him with her head down. “Can you give me some time to think about it?” she asked.

Leo looked at her. Her thick bangs covered her eyes. Living alone in a foreign country seemed to have made her personality more reclusive.

“If there’s anything unsatisfactory regarding assets, feel free to mention it. This villa will be transferred to your name. I’ll give you a week,” he added.

After saying that, he left the master bedroom.

As his fingers grasped the doorknob, he glanced back at the room. The woman’s slender shoulders trembled slightly as she held onto the divorce papers. She did not move at all.

Leo’s expression darkened as he closed the door.

The room fell completely silent.

After a moment, a burst of cheers erupted.

“Good riddance! I’m finally divorced!” Madison exclaimed.

She looked at the divorce agreement in her hand and was finally unable to hold back her laughter. Her shoulders shook even more, apparently.

In the three years since she was sent abroad, she received no messages of concern from the Hale family and not a word of comfort from her husband-in-name.

Even when she was stalked and almost died out there, she still couldn’t get through to Leo’s phone.

Any love she had for Leo was long gone and buried.

After signing the papers happily, she rolled around on the bed. Her bangs fell from her face with her long hair. There was no trace of grievance on her beautiful face.

Just as she was about to finish tidying up her luggage, the phone rang.

Madison answered the call with a sweet voice. “Hello, Joe.”

The voice on the other end got straight to the point. “Madison, the group of people who tried to kidnap you at the airport when you returned to the country has been caught. It was related to that stalking case from three years ago. Unfortunately, the clues all point to your adoptive parents and also… your husband-in-name.” Chapter 2 Birthday

Madison remained silent for a moment.

After a while, she spoke casually. “Well, thankfully, nothing happened to me, and I’m lucky to have found you all. Since they raised me, I will let it go.”

She would consider it a repayment to them for years of raising her.

“Madison…”

It seemed like the person on the other end still wanted to say something, but there was a sudden knock on the door.

Madison ignored the person outside the door and continued talking on the phone. “Joe, I know what you want to say. But I don’t want to stir up trouble now. I just want nothing to do with them in the future!”

Not to mention that nothing came out of the kidnapping incident, even if there were clues, the Hale family and Leo could easily deny being involved in it. Without substantial evidence, it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Moreover, considering the character of the Hale family, if they knew Madison’s biological parents belonged to the Daves family, they would likely use raising her for twenty years as a reason to demand stuff from the Daves family continuously.

Thus, Madison just wanted to divorce as soon as possible and to sever ties with the Hale family completely. Even if her identity were known to the Hale family in the future, it wouldn’t cause trouble for her brothers.

The knocking on the door became urgent.

Madison decided not to speak further on the matter. “Alright, Joe. I have something on. Let’s talk later.”

She hung up the call.

She didn’t open the door immediately. When the knocking became even more impatient, she slowly combed through her unsightly bangs and walked over lazily.

When the door opened, the man who was standing outside still had his hand raised. His face showed obvious impatience.

Madison raised her eyes and spoke in a gentle voice, “Is there anything else?”

It was only four words, but it conveyed a sense of distance.

Leo unconsciously furrowed his eyebrows. He dropped his hand and spoke indifferently, “Tomorrow is Sally’s birthday. There’s a party at the Hale family. Make time. I’ll come back in the afternoon to bring you there.”

Madison blinked.

‘Sally,’ she thought, scoffing silently. ‘He called her so affectionately.’

She smiled. “Alright. Is there anything else?”

Leo looked at her. Her black hair hid her beautiful face, and he could not detect any emotions from her. It seemed as though she calmly accepted the decision.

A strange sense of frustration welled up in him. As he was about to turn around, he said, “There’s nothing else. Rest early.”

“Hold on,” Madison called him.

onto the divorce papers he had given

already signed them. You can take care of the procedures when you have time. As for the papers, you can send them to me after that. My

day that they registered their marriage. With his capability, it should be an even more straightforward task now that they were getting a

holding out to him. He shifted his gaze to her overly calm face and saw no sadness or

His voice became hoarse. “Didn’t we agree

the result is the same, right?” she

from holding up the papers, so she directly thrust them to Leo. “Besides, tomorrow is

was caught off guard and slowly

he asked, “What

soft, so Madison couldn’t

“Nothing,” he said.

away the documents, regained his composure, and looked at Madison’s face. He said, “Rest

took a step back. “You too,”

door slammed shut in front

tightly closed

still lingered in his mind. He glanced at the document in his hand, then turned and

call from the

about the marriage between her and

try to hide from the Hale family and straightforwardly stated, “Ramona, Leo gave me a divorce agreement last night, and I’ve already

If it weren’t for the alliance with the Palmer family and the reputation of

kicked out then, her life during those years

and contemptuous and spoke as though she was generous, doing Madison a favor.

her gaze, concealing the coldness in her

the order, Ramona should have hung

by our family for a few years, you probably wouldn’t have had the chance to step into the threshold of a wealthy family. You might have even died on the street someday. Moreover, if it weren’t for you, Sally

these words, Ramona successfully degraded Madison. Madison’s life was threatened, and Ramona also used their raising her as a means of manipulating her. However, back then, Madison was just a baby. If it weren’t for the earthquake and being mistakenly carried off by a

responded calmly as she finished tidying her

the villa. She entered this place with a single suitcase and would

and

a car horn

out of the car. He directly called Madison. Two succinct and indifferent words came from him.

Chapter 3 The Front Passenger’s Seat

deliberately dragged her

wasn’t until Leo’s second call that she came out

saw her running over, his slightly frowned brows eased somewhat.

opened the rear door of the car and got in, she explained, “Sorry for keeping you waiting. I took a nap in

mirror. His hands on the steering wheel tightened. “Are you going to the party dressed like this?”

to look at her outfit. She asked, “Is there something wrong with

box on the front passenger seat to her. “Go

label. Even the packaging was elaborate. Madison immediately recognized it

put the gift box back. “It’s a gift for Sally. If I wear

the divorce yet. Do

“But…” Madison began.

have another gift prepared for Sally. This is a gift from the brand, and I forgot it in the car,” Leo coldly interrupted

choice but to take the gift box and go back to change into

The skirt shimmered under the

the slightly loose waist, which clearly indicated that the dress

Madison quickly went downstairs. When she opened the rear car door, she suddenly

displeased voice came from inside the car.

“Isn’t that a

her mind, the front passenger seat was reserved for one’s girlfriend. If there was no girlfriend, it was for someone with a close

“So, treating me as

“That’s not what I meant,” she

it clear to Leo what she

her explanation, Leo stared at her in silence for two seconds. “Sally is not you. She won’t mind such trivial matters. Get in the car. I don’t want to say the

“Then I won’t go. I don’t think

dress and was about to leave. The car honked at her, followed by the man’s indifferent voice. “Get in the

at the rear door. It opened this

slid into the car while holding her dress. Since the size wasn’t right and

the car and drove,

nonchalantly, “Yeah, it’s a bit loose. I’ll use some pins to fix it when we reach. Don’t worry. I

speaking, the car

seatbelt in the back seat, and her head bumped directly into the front seat. Her head throbbed

he wants to kill me, he shouldn’t resort to this!’ Madison thought. ‘If something

seatbelt and fastened it. She glanced at the scenery

Leo. Under those circumstances, killing her to make way for Sally would be more convenient. Now that Madison had signed the divorce papers, Leo

resolve the divorce as

Has our divorce been finalized?”

Chapter 4 Adopted Daughter

increased, and Leo’s voice seemed to be distorted by the noisy

did he mean by saying I am in a hurry?’ Madison thought. ‘It’s not like I am about to

her head, looking serious. “It

the car speed gradually

She did

things with the Hale family.

an hour later, the car stopped outside the Hale family’s

recent years, the Hale and Palmer families cooperated in business. The Hale family’s status in high society gradually became more prominent. Many people fawned over and flattered them. By this moment, the luxury cars of the

almost made her shiver. When she looked up, Leo, who was dressed in a suit, was already walking toward the lawn where the party was set up at the villa. Madison had no choice but to follow quickly, holding up the

their eyes

up high next to the five-layer cake. Under the lights and everyone’s gaze, Leo approached

a romantic

who was following Leo, slowed down her steps and attempted to blend into the crowd of

the crowd, Leo suddenly stopped walking and turned to look

been put on pause at the most exciting part,

He looked at Madison, who was standing in

turned to Madison at once. Murmurs erupted all around

she? She looks familiar, but I feel like I’ve

the Hale family mistakenly carried home from the hospital after being abandoned by her biological parents. She’s the one the

you mention it, she’s the one sent abroad by Mr. Palmer on the day of the wedding? How dare she show her face back here? If I were her, I

spoke one after another. The looks

Madison, who was close, heard them clear as

those unpleasant things said about her and did not walk

up when Leo spoke. She walked gracefully toward Madison. “Madison, when did you return to

the country without informing her adoptive parents. How impolite and uncultivated!’ In everyone’s minds, Madison’s

Ramona this morning. Maybe she was afraid you wouldn’t be happy, so she didn’t

parents. Instead of calling them Mom and Dad as she used

companion and won’t get nagged by my mom every day,” Sally

disgusted. Restraining her expression, Madison took a

Thank

Madison froze entirely.

Chapter 5 The Ill-Fitting Gown

Sally suddenly had a slight

assessed Madison’s figure. “Madison, is this dress

evening party meant competing

displays meant to show

jewelry belonged to which designer. If

dresses were obviously categorized

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