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.

door slammed

at the tightly closed door, his expression

smile still lingered in his mind. He glanced at

the Hale family the next

indirectly about the marriage between her and Leo, trying

“Ramona, Leo gave me a divorce agreement last night, and I’ve already

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

she hadn’t been kicked out then, her life during

the divorce agreement, Ramona’s tone, which had been cautiously polite, changed instantly. Ramona became arrogant and contemptuous and spoke as though she was generous, doing

her gaze, concealing the coldness in her eyes. She

Ramona should have hung up

Leo be together. But now, 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

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

calmly as she finished tidying

else of hers in the villa. She entered this place with a single suitcase and would

snorted coldly and hung

the villa, a car horn suddenly

He directly called Madison. Two succinct and

Chapter 3 The Front Passenger’s Seat

dragged her

second call that she came

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

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

at her through the rearview mirror. His hands on the steering wheel

noise. She lowered her head to look at her outfit. She asked, “Is there something wrong with this? It shouldn’t

the front

a luxury fashion label. Even the packaging was elaborate. Madison immediately recognized it as

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

divorce yet. Do

“But…” Madison began.

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

Exasperated, Madison had no choice but to take the gift box

dress complemented the tone of her skin. The skirt shimmered under the

that the dress was not her size, she

quickly went downstairs. When she opened the rear car

came from inside the car. “Sit

eyebrows. “Isn’t that a

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

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

not what I meant,”

head. She decided to make it

at her in silence for two seconds. “Sally is not you. She won’t mind such trivial

it. “Then I won’t go.

The car honked at her, followed

rear door. It opened this

while holding her dress. Since the

started the car and drove, “Is

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

she could finish speaking, the

the back seat, and her head bumped directly into

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

silently pulled on the seatbelt and fastened it. She glanced at

of his wife, and everyone knew she liked Leo. Under those circumstances, killing her to make way for Sally would be more convenient. Now that

hoped to resolve the divorce as soon

divorce been finalized?” she

Chapter 4 Adopted Daughter

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

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

shook her head, looking serious. “It should be you

lifted slightly, and the car speed gradually stabilized. “I’m not

silent. She did not talk

settle things

later, the car stopped

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,

gust of night wind 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

eyes in their direction because of

five-layer cake. Under the lights and everyone’s gaze, Leo approached the woman who was

scene from a

them now would seem very indiscreet. Thus, Madison, who was following Leo, slowed down

she could disappear into the crowd, Leo suddenly stopped walking

put on pause at the most exciting

Leo didn’t think there was anything wrong. He looked at Madison, who was standing in

guests turned to Madison at

is she? She looks familiar, but I feel like I’ve never seen

from the hospital after being abandoned by her biological parents. She’s the one the Hale family kindly raised as Sally’s real sister. But in the end, she stole Sally’s fiancé. It’s

that 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

people spoke one after another. The looks they

Madison, who was close,

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

walked gracefully toward Madison. “Madison, when did you return to the country?

her adoptive parents. How impolite and uncultivated!’ In everyone’s minds, Madison’s image

a call with Ramona this morning.

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

With you back, I have a companion and won’t get nagged by my mom

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

gift for me. Thank you,

Madison froze entirely.

Chapter 5 The Ill-Fitting Gown

it anymore and was about to push away Sally, Sally suddenly had

dress a bit loose?

high-society circle, attending an evening party meant

were displays meant to show

wore the limited edition haute couture from which brand and which set of jewelry belonged to which designer. If someone wore an outdated dress,

categorized

started ridiculing Madison

doesn’t even have a fitting dress. How could she call

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. Palmer will divorce this woman. He should hurry up

if she didn’t hear what the others were saying, Sally complained to Leo. “Leo, why did you

scene. She watched Sally’s performance expressionlessly,

thought both of you had similar figures, so I

The gossiping abruptly stopped.

almost couldn’t

from the people around

it when Sprince’s spring-summer collection was released. It had not been available for sale yet and could only

Madison was the first to

dress to Madison but also spoke up

maintain her composure and complained to

his gaze and looked at Madison. He gave a

several dresses sent over by Leo this time, with different sizes. If

intended

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

whichever you like. There are still guests here, so I won’t

“See

someone behind her bent down

unchanged as he said,

instinctively looked at

of resentment on Sally’s face. But upon closer inspection, Sally’s delicate face only revealed a hint of coquetry.

hard to console a girl once she’s angry. You should go get your gift

to leave decisively without

his fingers, but the silky fabric slipped away from his palm. Lifting his gaze, he only saw

to the furthest room on the

balcony. Later, when the real daughter of the Hale family

about the difficulties of her life as an abandoned commoner every time she saw Madison. Not letting Madison stay in the servant’s

under someone else’s roof was tormenting. When she was

thought, Madison pushed the door

the door behind her suddenly slammed shut with a bang. She could hear

but her arm was

Chapter 6 The Apology

dress,

as many socialized together, some were eager to have

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