Chapter 2

"Here's the divorce agreement. Take a look."

Trevon, fresh from the hospital, confronted Madeline with a request for divorce.

The image of Lydia's hurt look lingered in his mind, leaving him with a sense of resignation.

His rejection was not just about his aversion to germs. It was also the sudden sickness and weakness that overtook him.

He dismissed it as a one-off, which was not worth worrying about. However, faced with Madeline, the discomfort was undeniable.

Madeline, still reeling from her hospital visit, was blindsided by the divorce papers laid out before her.

It took a moment for her to find her voice, and when she did, it quivered.

"Do we really have to end this?"

"Yes."

Madeline's grip tightened, and the question she could not suppress spilled out.

"Is it because Lydia's back?"

Trevon loosened his tie, his face turning to stone. "Didn't I make myself clear three years ago?"

He had, and she had accepted it. However…

"If... Just if..."

Madeline hesitated, biting her lip.

Trevon was impatient. "Madeline, you can't always want more."

She looked up sharply, disbelief etched on her face. Did he think she was haggling over the divorce terms?

With several deliberate taps on the table, Trevon continued, "Indeed, you've done everything required of being a wife these past three years. There's a modest place near Johnsrud. It's yours now. That's the best I can do. Don't make me lose respect for you."

Madeline's response was trapped in her throat as she smiled bitterly.

Three years of marriage, and her reward was a house. Should she be thankful?

He was determined to get the divorce over with, by any means necessary.

There was no need to mention the baby. It would only complicate how he saw her.

She did not need a man whose heart belonged to another.

Madeline felt nauseous, feeling like she needed to purge immediately. She crouched down to clutch the bin and gagged, but nothing came up.

Trevon watched, his brow furrowed in disbelief.

Why did her sickness stir something in him? Was it a mere coincidence?

Seeing her ashen face, it was clear she was unwell.

Trevor gave Madeline a questioning look. "Are you sick? When did it start? What's wrong?"

Madeline felt the urge to throw up but could not, which only intensified her discomfort. Clinging to the trash can seemed like the only thing she could do.

At the sound of his question, her fingers tensed uncontrollably. She forced a casual response.

"Maybe it's just a cold. No big deal."

"Answer me!"

His voice turned sharp, sending a jolt through Madeline, and she murmured almost without thinking.

"This afternoon, when you were… I'm just feeling a bit of chest tightness, weak limbs, and a touch of nausea. Typical cold symptoms."

She did not bring up the hospital visit, quickly labeling it a cold to avoid any wild guesses. The timing and the symptoms lined up perfectly.

'So, it's because we caught a cold at the same time?' Trevon wondered.

Madeline finally let go of her resistance. She deliberately avoided the divorce papers on the table and fetched the sour orange she had bought earlier from the fridge.

Her mouth was unbearably uncomfortable, and she craved the relief of something sour. After all, she would need some strength in her hand to sign those papers.

The moment she took out the sour orange, its tangy scent filled the room.

Catching a glimpse of Trevon standing to the side, watching her with a frown, she hesitated before offering, "Want one?"

Trevon looked away, clearly uninterested.

Madeline chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry, it slipped my mind. You're not into sour stuff."

However, as she sliced into the vibrant sour orange and its juicy interior burst with a potent tangy aroma, Trevon seemed unable to look away.

Madeline was about to take a bite when she noticed Trevon approaching. His towering presence felt like a wall closing in, making the kitchen feel smaller by the second.

Instinctively, Madeline stepped back. "If you don't like it, then I'll just..."

Before she could finish, Trevon was at the sink, lathering up with soap, washing his hands with deliberate care three times before reaching for a piece of the sour orange.

He scrunched his forehead, eyeing the orange for a long moment before popping it into his mouth.

Madeline's jaw dropped in astonishment. However, Trevon did not spit it out. He chewed thoughtfully and swallowed before looking at her seriously.

"Next time, make sure the knife's washed three times, okay?"

The urge to bite into that tangy orange slice was irresistible. Sure enough, the sour kick seemed to soothe his queasy stomach.

It was not just some bug.

His nausea had kicked in right after Madeline's, as if he was only sick because she was. What was up with that?

Trevon made a mental note to get to the bottom of it.

Madeline gave a simple "Oh" in response. They finished the orange together, a moment of closeness they had not felt in three years.

After washing her hands, Madeline looked up at Trevon. Sharing that sour fruit seemed to have bridged the gap between them, if only a little.

However, their journey together was nearing its end.

She murmured, "I'll sign the divorce papers."

It was like cashing out after three years. A million and five hundred thousand dollars, and a house to her name. She was coming out ahead. When she was about to sign, Trevon snatched the papers away.

"We'll add another house to the deal. Wait for the lawyer's final draft."

Madeline nodded, still in a daze.

Suddenly, Trevon's phone buzzed and Lydia's whiny voice came through as he picked up the call.

"Trevon, when are you coming? I'm bored."

Madeline gripped her pen so hard her thumb whitened, nearly snapping it. Trevon ended the call, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door.

Madeline stepped forward, her voice tinged with concern. "How am I supposed to explain this to Grandma?"

"We'll talk when I'm back," Trevon replied before the door slammed shut behind him.

The house, once filled with life, echoed with emptiness.

Madeline chuckled at herself, shook off the silence, and went to the kitchen to whip up some noodles. After all, she had to think about the little one growing inside her.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Expecting Trevon, who might have forgotten something, she swung the door open only to be greeted by unwelcome faces.

Madeline's warmth vanished. "What are you two doing here?"

Cilix Sanders, her father, smiled and said, "You weren't picking up, so your mom and I thought we'd drop by."

Her phone did show a string of missed calls. Ignoring their calls was nothing new, but their sudden visit was unexpected.

"My mom's lost her mind, locked up in Sunshine Psychiatric Hospital. Did you forget to visit her, or did you forget she's there?"

Skylar Lowe, Madeline's stepmother, stood beside Cilix in her flawless Chanel outfit. She looked nothing like someone who had toiled in the fields. However, her sharp and calculative eyes matched her biting tone.

"Such disrespect! Where are your manners?"

Madeline was furious. If she truly lacked manners, Skylar would have been long gone. It was Skylar's appearance, after all, that had tipped her mother over the edge.

However, Madeline had been biding her time, collecting proof. They would all pay, eventually.

Pushing down the bile, she asked coolly, "So, what brings you here?"

"Let's talk inside," was all they said.

Once they were in, Madeline poured water into two glasses, her hands steady as stone.

Madeline's calm and compliant facade only fueled Skylar's ego. With an arrogant head tilt, she announced, "Your sister's back in town. It's time you end things with Trevon and give up your title as Mrs. Gibson to her!"

Madeline fought the impulse to douse Skylar with water as she gripped the kettle firmly.

"Give it up? I'm not following you."

Madeline's gaze shifted to Cilix.

"You told me when Trevon was in that coma, the company was strapped for cash. Marrying Trevon was the only way to afford my mom's medical bills. I married into the Gibson family for the sake of the Sanders family. How did Lydia end up taking my place as the daughter-in-law of the Gibson family?"