Chapter 62
Caroline looked at Arthur—this man she had known for over a decade and shared a bed with for seven years.
The impatience on his face was painfully genuine. As if everything she did was wrong.
Staying home was wrong. Going to work was wrong. And now, even her silence was wrong.
She suddenly felt weary.
"Arthur," her voice remained calm. "This is the last time."
Arthur frowned. "Last time for what?"
"The last time I'll come to Windsor Manor for dinner. The last time I'll sit here and listen to all of this." She stood, gathering her coat and bag. "It won't happen again."
She walked past him toward the stairs.
Downstairs, Tiffany and Heidi were still chatting animatedly on the sofa. Irene was peeling fruit. The children watched television. No one noticed she was leaving—or perhaps, no one cared.
She reached the entryway, changed her shoes, and pushed open the heavy wooden door. The night wind immediately rushed in, carrying late autumn's chill.
She didn't look back as the door closed softly behind her, sealing off the light and laughter inside.
At the roadside, she took out her phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly.
"Mr. Morales," her voice, though scattered by the wind, remained clear. "The divorce agreement I consulted you about earlier—please prepare it now."
"Yes, all clauses as I previously stated."
"The petition..." she paused, drawing in a deep breath of cold air. "Send it to Arthur's email first thing tomorrow morning."
Hanging up, the phone screen darkened as she slipped it back into her coat pocket. In the distance, car headlights swept past and vanished.
The night wind stung her cheeks as she pulled her coat tighter and walked forward along the elongated shadows cast by the streetlights.
The next morning, Caroline went directly to the company laboratory where Frank and the team were retesting data according to yesterday's experiment.
When the data report appeared on the central screen, silence fell before giving way to barely contained excitement.
"Mr. Morris, it's here!" Frank practically pushed through the researchers gathered around the screen, his glasses nearly pressing against it.
The most crucial line of numbers was eye-piercingly clear.
"Ninety-eight percent specificity?"
Beside him, the researcher responsible for microfluidic chips spoke in an altered voice. "Costs reduced by twenty-five percent! And the yield rate increased!"
Seconds later, collective gasps echoed throughout the laboratory.
Frank slowly rose and turned toward Caroline at the main console. She kept her eyes lowered, fingers sliding across her tablet.
"Ms. Hamilton," Frank approached her, admiration evident in his voice. "These results... are even better than our best estimates."
Caroline acknowledged with a soft sound and handed him the tablet. "The sample processing workflow can be further optimized. The formal experimental cycle can be shortened by another ten percent."
Frank accepted the tablet, absorbed in the optimization plan she had just outlined.
His phone suddenly vibrated. He checked it—a message from Heidi. Glancing up to ensure Caroline hadn't noticed, he opened it.
[Mr. Morris, has Ms. Hamilton finished her experiment? How's the data? If there are issues, find an opportunity to have her clarify further to avoid future problems.]
Frank's finger hovered over the screen momentarily before he decided not to respond. He darkened the screen and returned the phone to his pocket.
"Ms. Hamilton, regarding the formal experiment arrangements..."
"The preliminary plan is already in your inbox," Caroline replied, looking around at the various expressions throughout the laboratory. "Meeting at three this afternoon to discuss."
She turned and returned to her office, the door closing gently behind her.
Only then did Frank take out his phone again and open the message.
[Ms. White, there are absolutely no issues with the data. Ms. Hamilton's capabilities are evident to all of us.]
[The experiment was extremely successful, with all data meeting standards. Ms. Hamilton's abilities are undeniable. Going forward, all technical matters in the laboratory will defer to Ms. Hamilton's judgment.]
He sent the message, stared at the green icon indicating successful delivery for two seconds, then opened Heidi's profile and muted her notifications.
Back in her office, Caroline packaged the final experimental report and added two recipients: Gavin and Ruben.
The email body contained just one line: [Preliminary experiment completed. Data and conclusions attached for your review.]
She clicked send.
Less than ten minutes later, her internal line rang—Gavin.
"Caroline! Are these data for real?" His booming voice made her ear throb even through the receiver. "Alright, full funding approved! Not a penny short! Start the formal experiment next week! People, equipment, materials—anything you want, just say it!"
The phone had barely disconnected when her mobile rang—Ruben.
"Caroline, I've reviewed your report," he began eagerly as soon as she answered, his voice gentle yet excited.
"My joint laboratory has prepared your independent office. The project can start anytime. I've spoken with Gavin, and he says it's up to you. What do you think? Would you like to join us here?"
Caroline held the phone and walked to the window. Below, the campus bustled with traffic.
"Thank you, Dr. Flores. I'll arrange my work here and get back to you as soon as possible."
"No rush. I'll await your decision."
After ending the call, she returned to her computer where her academic presentation draft was open. She clicked on the PowerPoint and began making revisions.
A soft notification sound indicated a new email.
[Sender: Terry.][Subject: Progress update regarding divorce proceedings.]
The content was brief: [Ms. Hamilton, the petition and related legal documents were officially sent to Mr. Windsor and his legal counsel's designated email at 10:00 AM today. I will keep you updated on further developments.]
Caroline moved her mouse and marked it as read without replying. She closed her email and reopened the PowerPoint. The cursor blinked on the screen.
At the same time, sunlight filled the living room at Windsor Manor.
Heidi held a teacup, her voice soft and gentle. "Mrs. Windsor, once I help Arthur handle the company matters, I can come keep you company every day."
She paused, testing the waters. "I just wonder if my frequent visits would be... inconvenient."
Tiffany patted the back of her hand. "No worries. This will be your home sooner or later. That Caroline never deserved our Arthur."
At the staircase, Arthur had just come down and overheard the last sentence. He frowned. "Mom, what are you talking about?"
"What else?" Tiffany glared at him irritably. "Your precious wife, who dared to leave without a word yesterday! I think she's just throwing a tantrum, waiting for you to coax her back. I'm warning you, don't give in."
Arthur loosened his tie, his tone impatient. "I don't care. When she's done with her drama, she'll return."
He picked up his car keys and headed out. "There's another meeting at the company. I won't be back for dinner."