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.

divorce papers he had given her just minutes ago

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 address is on the

the day that they registered their marriage. With his capability, it

at the documents she was holding out to him. He shifted his gaze

voice became hoarse. “Didn’t we agree to wait a few

or not, the result is

papers, so she directly thrust them to Leo. “Besides, tomorrow is Sally’s birthday. She would be happy if

was caught off guard

his head, he asked, “What

she questioned. His voice was soft, so

“Nothing,” he said.

regained his composure, and looked at

back. “You too,”

words fell, the door slammed shut in front of

tightly closed door,

in his mind. He glanced at the document in his hand, then

the Hale

marriage between her and Leo, trying to

straightforwardly stated, “Ramona, Leo gave me a divorce agreement

them Dad and Mum. If it weren’t for the alliance with the

been kicked out then, her life during those years had not

contemptuous and spoke as though she was generous, doing Madison a favor. “It’s Sally’s birthday today. Come over in the evening

coldness in her eyes.

order, Ramona should have

for your fortunate adoption by our family for a few years, you probably wouldn’t have had the chance to step

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

Madison responded calmly as she

villa. She entered this place with a single

snorted coldly and

villa, a car

directly called Madison. Two succinct and indifferent words came from him. “Come

Chapter 3 The Front Passenger’s Seat

dragged her

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

saw her running over, his slightly frowned brows eased somewhat. He turned and adjusted the gift box

door of the car and got in,

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

noise. She lowered her head to look at her outfit. She asked,

the front passenger seat to her. “Go

label. Even the packaging was elaborate. Madison immediately recognized it as the latest dress released by

hesitation, she put the gift box back. “It’s a

her words, his movement paused. “We haven’t announced the divorce

“But…” Madison began.

and I forgot it in the car,” Leo coldly interrupted her. His tone

had no choice but to take the gift box and go back to change

complemented the tone of her skin. The skirt shimmered under the light as she walked. She looked like she had stepped out of

that the dress was not her size, she would have

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

from inside the car. “Sit in

furrowed her eyebrows. “Isn’t that a

was reserved for one’s girlfriend. If there was no girlfriend, it was for someone with a close relationship with the driver.

treating me as a

“That’s not what I

make it clear to Leo what she

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

was insistent on it. “Then I won’t go.

about to leave. The car honked at her, followed by the man’s indifferent

at the rear door.

car while holding her dress. Since the size

the car and drove, “Is the dress not

it’s a bit loose. I’ll use some pins to fix it when we

speaking, the

wearing a seatbelt in the back seat, and her head bumped directly into the front seat.

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

on the seatbelt and fastened it. She

liked Leo. Under those circumstances, killing her to make way for Sally would be more convenient. Now that Madison had signed the divorce papers, Leo shouldn’t necessarily want her to

hoped to resolve the divorce as soon as possible to

divorce been finalized?” she asked

Chapter 4 Adopted Daughter

suddenly increased, and Leo’s voice seemed to be distorted by the noisy wind outside. “Why? Are you

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

looking serious. “It

car speed gradually stabilized. “I’m not

went silent. She did not talk

would settle things with the Hale family. After that, she would have no more connections

the car

society gradually became more prominent. Many people fawned over and flattered them. By this moment, the luxury cars of the visiting guests

suit, was already walking toward the lawn where the party was set up at the villa. Madison had no choice but to

guests present cast their eyes in their direction because of

the beautiful woman playing the piano. Gifts piled up high next to the five-layer cake. Under the lights and

from a romantic film that delighted people’s

now would seem very indiscreet. Thus, Madison, who was following Leo, slowed down her steps and

before she could disappear into the crowd, Leo

been put on pause at the most exciting

anything wrong. He looked at Madison, who was standing in front of

the guests turned to Madison at once. Murmurs erupted

looks familiar, but I feel like I’ve never

nob*dy that the Hale family mistakenly carried home from the hospital after being abandoned by her biological parents. She’s the one the Hale family kindly raised

the wedding? How dare she show her face back here? If I were her, I would have jumped off a building already. I would have been too embarrassed to live.

one after another. The looks they

but Madison, who

those unpleasant things said about her and did not

stood up when Leo spoke. She walked gracefully toward Madison. “Madison, when did you return to the country? Why didn’t you tell

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

returned last night and had a call with Ramona this morning. Maybe she was afraid you wouldn’t be happy, so

Instead of calling them Mom and Dad as she used to, she now referred to

and won’t get nagged by my mom every day,” Sally said sweetly to

expression, Madison took a small gift box from her handbag. “Happy birthday,”

Thank you, Madison!” Sally took it,

Madison froze entirely.

Chapter 5 The Ill-Fitting Gown

was about to push away Sally, Sally suddenly had a

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

an evening

and jewelry were displays meant to show

brand and which set of jewelry belonged to which designer. If

were obviously categorized as embarrassing

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