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.

She entered the room and quickly returned. She was holding onto the divorce papers he had given her just minutes ago and handing them to him.

“I’ve 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 last page,” Madison told him.

Leo had been absent on the day that they registered their marriage. With his capability, it should be an even more straightforward task now that they were getting a divorce.

Leo looked at the documents she was holding out to him. He shifted his gaze to her overly calm face and saw no sadness or grief.

His Adam’s apple darted. His voice became hoarse. “Didn’t we agree to wait a few days?”

“Whether we wait or not, the result is the same, right?” she asked.

Madison’s hand grew tired from holding up the papers, so she directly thrust them to Leo. “Besides, tomorrow is Sally’s birthday. She would be happy if she knew about this,” she added.

Leo was caught off guard and slowly took the papers.

Lowering his head, he asked, “What about you?”

“What?” she questioned. His voice was soft, so Madison couldn’t hear him clearly.

“Nothing,” he said.

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

Madison took a step back. “You too,” she replied.

the door slammed shut in front

tightly closed door, his expression extremely

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

received a call from the Hale family the

indirectly about the marriage between her and Leo, trying to be subtle as

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

Hale family’s parents for addressing them Dad and Mum. If it weren’t for the

she hadn’t been kicked out then,

Ramona’s tone, which had been cautiously polite, changed instantly. Ramona became arrogant and contemptuous and

her gaze, concealing the coldness in her eyes. She

giving the order, Ramona should have hung

aren’t we back on the right track? Madison, don’t be upset over this. Your status is low, and you aren’t compatible with the Palmer family. If it weren’t for your fortunate adoption 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

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 nurse at the hospital, she would have

understand,” Madison responded calmly as

She entered this place with a single suitcase and would leave

coldly and hung up

villa, a

the car. He directly called Madison. Two succinct and indifferent

Chapter 3 The Front Passenger’s Seat

dragged her

Leo’s second call that she came out of the

slightly frowned brows eased somewhat. He turned and adjusted the gift box on the front

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

His hands on the steering wheel tightened. “Are

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

the gift box on the front passenger seat to her. “Go and

elaborate. Madison immediately recognized it

the gift box back. “It’s a gift for

divorce yet. Do you intend

“But…” Madison began.

gift from the brand, and I forgot it

had no choice but to take the gift box

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

the slightly loose waist, which clearly indicated that the dress was not her size, she would have

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

voice came from inside the car.

“Isn’t that a bit

was no girlfriend, it was for someone with a close relationship with

glanced at her. “So, treating me as a driver

not what I

her head. She decided to make it clear to Leo

not you. She won’t mind such trivial matters. Get in the car. I don’t want

won’t go. I don’t think Sally would want to see

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

tugged at the rear

the size

started the car and drove, “Is the

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

speaking, the car suddenly braked, interrupting Madison’s

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

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

it.

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

divorce as soon as

our divorce been finalized?” she

Chapter 4 Adopted Daughter

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

like I am about to get into another relationship. I’m not the one who has

head, looking serious. “It

and the car speed gradually stabilized. “I’m

silent. She did not

had already signed the divorce papers. Tonight, she would settle things with the Hale

car stopped outside the

prominent. Many people fawned over and flattered them. By this moment, the luxury cars of the visiting guests had almost occupied all available

Leo, who was dressed in a suit, was already walking toward the lawn where the party was set up

eyes in

five-layer cake.

was like a scene from a romantic film that delighted

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

the crowd, Leo suddenly stopped walking and turned to look at

the film had been put on pause at the

think there was anything wrong. He looked at Madison, who was standing in front of the crowd. His eyebrows furrowed.

guests turned to Madison at once. Murmurs erupted

is she? She 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 as Sally’s real sister.

on the day of 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 cast at Madison were filled with

not loud, but Madison, who

stood calmly there as though she couldn’t hear those unpleasant things said

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

parents. How impolite and uncultivated!’ In everyone’s minds,

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

changed her address to her adoptive parents. Instead of calling them Mom and Dad as she

have a companion and

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

even prepared a gift for me. Thank you, Madison!” Sally took it, joyfully

Madison froze entirely.

Chapter 5 The Ill-Fitting Gown

away Sally, Sally suddenly

dress a

high-society circle, attending an evening party meant competing with one

displays meant to show

who wore the limited edition haute couture from which brand and which set of jewelry belonged to which designer. If someone wore an outdated dress, they would be immediately ostracized,

obviously categorized as embarrassing and

them started

fitting dress. How could she

some slack. She just came back from exile overseas. It’s good enough that she has a decent dress to wear. Look at her hairstyle. It’s so old-fashioned. No wonder Mr. Palmer doesn’t like her! I wonder when Mr.

complained to

She watched Sally’s performance

Leo spoke up to explain. “I didn’t have time to ask for Madison’s measurements. I thought both of you had similar figures, so I had the designer tailor it according to your size. I didn’t expect it to be ill-fitting. There was also no time

The gossiping abruptly stopped.

almost couldn’t maintain

from the people around her, as if they were saying she was

her eyes on it when Sprince’s spring-summer collection was released.

was the first

unexpectedly, Leo not only gave the dress to Madison but also

composure and complained to Leo,

lowered his gaze and looked at Madison. He gave

the way, Madison, I had several dresses sent over by Leo this time, with different sizes. If you

originally intended to

ill-fitting, wearing it a bit loose was quite comfortable. However, as the words of rejection were about to come

in the room you used to stay in before. Choose whichever you like. There are still guests here, so I won’t accompany you.” Sally retracted her

“See you

someone behind her bent

as he said, “I’ll

instinctively looked

But upon closer inspection, Sally’s delicate face only revealed a hint of coquetry. “Leo, my sister gave me a

him. “It’s hard to console a girl once

leave decisively

fabric slipped away from his palm. Lifting his gaze, he only saw her slender

to the furthest room

balcony. Later, when

her life as an abandoned commoner every time she saw Madison. Not letting Madison stay in the servant’s room was already a show

tormenting. When she was alone in the small room, it was the most relaxing

thought, Madison

on, the door behind her suddenly slammed shut with a bang. She could hear the sound of the key being pulled out from

her arm was suddenly

Chapter 6 The Apology

party held on the villa lawn was lively. Due to Madison’s ill-fitting dress, many

as many socialized together, some were eager to have Sally cut the cake and make

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