Chapter 21
The clatter of dinnerware gradually subsided, leaving behind a table in disarray and an oppressive silence.
Arthur was the first to rise, the screech of his chair legs against the floor piercing the quiet. Without looking at anyone, he headed straight upstairs.
Caroline slowly began clearing the dishes from the table.
When she returned to their room, Arthur was already seated at his desk, the glow of his laptop casting half his face in light and the other in shadow.
Arthur seemed oblivious to Caroline's presence, still engrossed in his work.
Caroline said nothing, grabbing her change of clothes and heading to the bathroom.
The warm water washed over her body, but it couldn't wash away the weariness in her heart.
As she gazed at the steam rising around her, she thought back to seven years ago when she first married Arthur.
He was the same back then—whenever something troubled him, he would lock himself in his study to work it out.
Back then, she would always bring him a cup of hot milk. Though he never responded, she still enjoyed the silence by his side. But now, all that remained between them was silence and distance.
After her shower, Caroline dried her damp hair and saw that Arthur was still working.
She didn't disturb him, heading straight to the bed and picking up the latest issue of the neurology journal from the nightstand.
In a few days, she and Alton would be attending an academic conference together. She hadn't been in the academic field for seven years and needed to catch up on industry trends to hold her own at the conference.
Time ticked by, the room filled only with the sounds of typing and pages turning.
Caroline glanced at the clock; it was already eleven.
She closed her book, ready to lie down, when Arthur suddenly stopped what he was doing.
"How exactly did you convince Grandpa to let you join the company?" His voice was as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth.
"Don't get any ideas. I'm just curious, since he was so adamant about not letting you join before."
Caroline paused, a wave of bitterness washing over her.
She turned to look at Arthur's back, speaking softly, "I didn't."
"Didn't?" Arthur turned, his gaze indifferent. "I know the kids are older now, and you're bored, not wanting to stay in the kitchen as a housewife. But there's no need to make things hard for yourself."
Caroline felt a sharp pain in her heart, like it was being pricked by countless needles.
Her voice was light, with a hint of weariness. "It was Grandpa's idea. I just didn't want to disappoint him."
Arthur let out a cold laugh, standing up and walking to the bed, looking down at her. "The company isn't an easy place to be. I won't show favoritism to anyone there."
His gaze cut across her face like a knife. "So I'm giving you a heads-up. Don't think our relationship will get you any special treatment. I'll be strictly professional."
With that, he grabbed his laptop and walked out of the room without looking back.
The door slammed shut with such force that the walls seemed to tremble.
Not long after, the sound of a car engine starting downstairs drifted up, gradually fading away.
Caroline sat on the bed, staring at the closed door, feeling a sudden wave of helplessness.
She knew Arthur had misunderstood, but she was too tired to explain, and there was no point in it.
In his mind, she had long become that unreasonable, jealous woman, hadn't she?
A familiar cramp twisted in her abdomen, making her wince in pain.
She suddenly remembered that in the rush of the day, she had forgotten to take the medication the doctor prescribed.
She quickly got out of bed, rummaged through her bag for the pill bottle, and swallowed a few with some warm water.
The bitterness of the pills spread across her tongue as she leaned against the headboard, gently rubbing her stomach.
In the past, if Arthur had said something like that to her, she would have cried all night, trying every way to explain herself. But now, she felt an unusual calm, like a still pond, no longer capable of even the smallest ripple.
Maybe she was just really tired.
Caroline took out her phone, opened the chat with her divorce lawyer, and after a moment's hesitation, typed out a message: [Mr. Morales, please draft a divorce notice for Arthur as soon as possible. I want to finalize the paperwork ASAP.]
The next morning, Caroline took the kids to school as usual.
Driving through the early morning streets, the sunlight streamed through the car windows, warm and comforting.
Layla and Logan sat in the back seat, unusually quiet, lost in their own thoughts.
"Mommy," Layla suddenly spoke up as they neared the school, her voice hesitant, "can you pick us up early this afternoon?"
Caroline glanced at her in the rearview mirror, smiling. "Of course, sweetie. Why?"
"Nothing," Layla mumbled, looking down. "I just want you to come home with us early."
Caroline didn't think much of it, assuming the kids just missed her.
After dropping them off at the school entrance and watching their small figures disappear into the building, she turned and left.
Back at the house, Caroline locked herself in her room and began studying the Windsor Group's documents.
She downloaded the company's financial statements and project reports from the past five years, meticulously going through them and noting down any questions to ask a professional later.
The more she read, the more astonished she became.
She had always known the Windsor Group was a large enterprise, but she hadn't realized the extent of its complex operations and relationships.
Just one overseas acquisition involved the laws and policies of over a dozen countries, not to mention the intricate web of shareholder relations.
"Running a company is really not easy," Caroline muttered to herself, feeling a surge of determination.
The more challenging it was, the more she wanted to take it on. She wanted to see if she could carve out her own path, away from Arthur and the Windsor family.
At school, Layla and Logan sat in their classroom, their minds far from their studies.
"Do you think our plan will work?" Layla whispered, doodling aimlessly on her paper.
Logan patted his chest confidently. "Don't worry, it will!"
He leaned closer to Layla, lowering his voice. "Yesterday, when I called Mommy and Daddy for dinner, I secretly took Daddy's USB drive from his bag."
"What?" Layla's eyes widened in surprise. "Why did you take Daddy's USB drive? If he finds out, he'll be really mad!"
"Calm down," Logan said with a smug smile. "I asked Daddy's assistant. He said Daddy has an important project on that USB drive and only Ms. White can handle it. If Daddy can't find the USB drive, he'll definitely ask Ms. White to come to the house to get it."