Chapter 3
After having lunch with Terry, Caroline drove back to her apartment.
Just as she entered, her phone rang at the most inopportune moment. It was Arthur's sister, Elsie Windsor.
"Caroline, I heard you're back in Sovereign City. How have you been?"
Caroline couldn't decide whether her body or her heart was more exhausted. After a pause, she replied, "Elsie, it's been a while. I'm doing fine."
She wasn't ready to tell anyone in the Windsor family about her illness.
The voice on the other end conveyed genuine concern. "Caroline, do you remember what day it is in a couple of days? Grandpa specifically asked to see you and my brother."
Every late summer, Isaac Windsor, Arthur's grandfather, celebrated his birthday with the entire family in attendance.
The marriage between Caroline and Arthur had been arranged by Isaac himself.
Caroline, overwhelmed by one blow after another lately, had nearly forgotten about this if not for Elsie's reminder.
"Got it."
Elsie had been one of the few people who treated Caroline decently since she married into the Windsor family.
Caroline's first instinct was to refuse. Now that she was divorcing Arthur, she wanted to cut all ties with him and the Windsor family.
But since Isaac had specifically requested her presence, it was difficult to say no. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to bring up what had happened years ago.
Caroline had just laid down to rest when, half-drowsy, another call came through. She answered without checking the caller ID.
"Hello, Mommy!" Layla's sweet and childish voice came through.
Caroline's drowsiness cleared instantly. After a moment's silence, she replied flatly, "What is it?"
"Mommy, lately you've been—"
Before Layla could finish, Logan apparently nudged her. "Layla, get to the point."
Layla made a face. "Mommy, can you pick us up tonight for dinner at Grandpa's house?"
Caroline could imagine her hopeful little expression.
In the past, she would have been there to pick them up without them even asking. Now she didn't want to, nor did she have the energy. The memory of the children happily playing around Heidi that day made her heart ache.
Caroline turned over, burying herself under the covers and covering her eyes. Her voice was hoarse. "Have your daddy pick you up tonight. I'm very tired today."
Perhaps it was one of the few refusals in her life, and certainly the first from their mother. Layla suddenly felt a twinge in her heart. Mommy had always accommodated them.
She was about to say more when Logan grabbed the watch-phone and said, "Mommy, you're so irresponsible. Ms. White would never be like this."
This was sure to provoke her, and then she would come.
Faced with Logan's accusation, Caroline just gave a slight laugh. The twins she had nearly died giving birth to wanted someone else to be their mother.
"Then go ask her to pick you up," she said before hanging up.
Caroline couldn't completely stop loving her children, but after years of devotion with nothing good in return, she was no longer going to chase after their affection.
---
The Windsor Manor stood steeped in approaching darkness, its architecture rich with history.
As soon as Caroline stepped out of her car, she spotted two small figures pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Logan saw her, made a face, and ran off. Layla ran to hug her, looking up with her fluffy head. "Mommy!"
Caroline returned the hug lightly before gently pushing her away.
The moment she entered the main room, the atmosphere seemed to tighten.
Arthur's older brother and sister-in-law sat on opposite ends of the sofa. The man bore a slight resemblance to Arthur but appeared more mature and steady. He stood to greet Caroline when she entered.
Her sister-in-law, dressed in bright, glamorous attire with a commanding presence, pretended not to notice Caroline's arrival. She had never approved of Caroline's role as a "stay-at-home mom."
"Caroline, what have you been so busy with that you couldn't even find time to bring the children to the Windsor Manor?" Arthur's mother, Tiffany Windsor, spoke coldly from her seat at the head of the room, her authority unquestioned. "You're a mother. Do what you're supposed to do."
Caroline knew Tiffany was reminding her of their arrangement.
When Tiffany had agreed to Caroline and Arthur's marriage, one condition was that Caroline would completely abandon her career to focus on raising their children.
Back then, a prestigious foreign medical school had offered her a training position, which she reluctantly gave up to marry Arthur. That training spot had gone to Heidi instead.
Five years later, Caroline had become a full-time mother caring for her husband and children.
Her mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and brother-in-law disliked her, her husband was distant, and Heidi had returned triumphantly, parachuting in as Arthur's personal secretary, riding high.
One decision had created a world of difference. Caroline laughed bitterly to herself.
She opened her mouth to explain, then realized it wasn't worth it. "I understand."
She had come today to discuss the divorce with Isaac. There was no need for further explanations. She found an empty spot to sit and ate dinner quietly.
Isaac's illness required him to rest in bed, so tonight wasn't a sit-down dinner; Caroline didn't get to see Isaac.
Night fell quickly. Arthur, busy with company matters, didn't arrive until midnight. Caroline was coming downstairs when she ran into him entering. They locked eyes briefly, neither speaking.
Arthur had been busy with work lately, rarely sleeping at home. He seemed to have lost weight.
Caroline quickly looked away. Arthur was the last person she wanted to see here. He had always been cold toward her.
Even though she had left the divorce agreement, Arthur hadn't asked her a single question about it. Instead, he walked past her to exchange pleasantries with the Windsor family.
Caroline felt as if there was a gaping hole in her heart, with wind whistling through it.
Elsie witnessed all of this and patted Caroline's hand. "Get some rest, Caroline. Couples can sort things out when they're alone."
But Caroline no longer wanted to explain anything to Arthur.
Over the years, she had tried everything to warm his heart, all in vain. She had depleted all her warmth for Arthur and had no strength left to warm him anymore.
She had only come today because she wanted to discuss the divorce.
After chatting with Elsie for a while, Caroline returned to the room and heard Arthur on the phone in the bathroom.
His deep voice came through the glass door, muffled and husky: "Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow."
It was a patient tone he had never used with her. She didn't need to guess who was on the other end of the call.
Caroline walked through the garden before returning and knocking on the bedroom door.
"You sleep here tonight. I'll go to the study."
Arthur put away his phone and glanced at her indifferently. "No need."
He walked past her, saying coldly, "I'll sleep in the study." Then he went downstairs, drawing a clear line between them. He had only ever felt responsibility toward Caroline, never love.
Looking at what had once been their marital bedroom in the Windsor Manor, Caroline ultimately drove away in the middle of the night. Her heart felt too constricted here.
She told the housekeeper that the Hamilton family had some matters to attend to, but she would be back in time for Isaac's birthday. The housekeeper didn't try to stop her.
---
Early the next morning, Layla ran to her parents' room but found no one there. Arthur had been called back to the company in the early hours.
She complained loudly about wanting to see Caroline, but the housekeeper informed her that Caroline had left in the middle of the night.
Logan was also awake by then. Learning this news, he felt inexplicably angry. Why was his mother always coming and going mysteriously lately?
He asked the housekeeper to call Caroline, but there was no answer. Caroline had been keeping her phone on silent while sleeping.
In the past, she had always worried about everything, her mind constantly on her children, unable to sleep whenever her phone rang. Now that she had let go of Arthur, she could finally get a full night's sleep.
The children had no choice but to go to school in Arthur's car. But without their mother around, tomorrow they could have Heidi take them to school.
The thought immediately lifted their spirits.