Chapter 82
Arthur's expression softened as he personally helped Heidi into the car, his voice gentle and reassuring. "Go home first. I'll check on Logan, then come see you."
Heidi lowered her gaze with a shy smile, responding with a soft murmur of agreement.
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Meanwhile, Caroline had barely taken her seat in Stanley's car when Becky lunged forward and embraced her.
"Caroline, are you alright?" Becky's voice was tight with concern.
She'd heard about Caroline's encounter with Arthur and Heidi, and fearing her friend might be mistreated, had threatened to starve herself unless Stanley went to find Caroline.
"I'm fine," Caroline replied with a slight shake of her head.
But Becky remained indignant. "You should have seen it! The Aurelia staff were packaging all those items Heidi bid on—Arthur's gifts to her!"
Her voice rose with frustration. "I don't understand. You're Arthur's wife, a thousand times better than that Heidi. How can he not see that? The blind, heartless jerk!"
She immediately covered her mouth, eyes widening. "I'm sorry, Caroline. I didn't mean to pour salt on your wounds."
Thinking of the twins, Becky's barely contained anger flared again. "And Layla and Logan! They don't even know who their real mother is—constantly thinking about that tramp!"
"After all the pain you went through giving birth to them, all these years of taking care of their every need... and what's the result? They've completely forgotten you!"
Becky always spoke without thinking, prioritizing her own emotional release. Only after her outburst did she realize she'd hurt Caroline again. "Caroline, please don't take it personally, I just... I just..."
Caroline shook her head silently. She was used to it by now.
From childhood, when her mother remarried into the White family and she was ignored, to Heidi's return from abroad and Arthur's devotion to her, to her own children wanting Heidi as their mother...
Despite the heartbreak, she'd never spoken of it to anyone. After all these years, she'd grown accustomed to the pain.
A sudden knock on the car window interrupted her thoughts.
When the window lowered, Arthur's breathtaking face appeared. No matter how many times she saw him, Caroline's heart still fluttered at the sight before going numb again.
"Mr. Windsor, is there something you need?" Stanley's expression grew serious.
Arthur ingnored the question; instead, he directed a command at at Caroline, "Come home"
She refused. "I still have work to finish, and today isn't my scheduled day to return to the Windsor Villa."
At her words, Arthur's eyes turned icy, scrutinizing her.
Caroline could feel the atmosphere grow tense. She smiled bitterly to herself—Arthur had always treated her like a Windsor family servant, and her bold refusal had clearly displeased him.
"The housekeeper says Logan has vomited several times since returning home," Arthur said flatly. "He can't eat anything and keeps asking for you."
Caroline's pupils trembled slightly. The children were her weakness. The moment she heard Logan was unwell, her hand moved to the car door, instinctively ready to follow Arthur.
But just as she was about to open it, Becky stopped her.
"Aren't you Logan's father? Can't you take care of your sick child?" Becky snapped. "Caroline's about to divorce you, and you still want her to be your free servant? Where's your precious Ms. White? Don't the children adore her? Why not ask her to take care of them?"
Arthur's eyes grew cold. "Mr. Powell, if you can't control your sister, I wouldn't mind doing it for you."
Becky was furious enough to leap out and confront him. "Who do you think you are? You want to control me?"
Stanley rubbed his temples wearily. "She's the boss in our family. I can't do anything about her. I'm just happy when she doesn't cause trouble."
At the word "boss," Becky's cheeks flushed momentarily. But hearing "cause trouble," she quickly withdrew her hand, not daring to say another word—she feared her brother when he lost his temper.
Arthur's icy gaze fell on Stanley, neither man willing to back down from the confrontation.
"Mr. Powell, you have quite the family values," Arthur remarked coldly.
Stanley replied, "Likewise. At least a Powell doesn't force people against their will."
Arthur's thin lips pressed into a straight line as his cold gaze returned to Caroline. "Are you sure you're not coming home?" His voice was filled with pressure.
This time, Caroline hesitated. She was the mother of two children—loving them was instinctual. How could she not worry about them?
But her time was limited. If her cancer treatment failed, she would die. Since the children now preferred Heidi and found her presence irritating, perhaps it was better to let go.
Caroline withdrew her hand. "If the children are sick, call the family doctor or take them to the hospital. I'm not a doctor—I can't help even if I go."
Arthur's hawk-like eyes instantly fixed on her.
Caroline sat straight-backed, unafraid of his scrutiny, even offering a practical reminder, "Mr. Windsor, rather than wasting time here, you should get back sooner."
Arthur placed his hand on the car door, his expression darkening. "Get out." It was a command.
Becky was indignant. Was Arthur in such a hurry to get Caroline back to serve as his free housekeeper? She wouldn't allow it.
She kicked the back of the front passenger seat, signaling Stanley to drive away; she didn't want to waste a single minute on this foolish Arthur.
Stanley sighed inwardly but managed to speak. "Mr. Windsor, I understand Ms. Hamilton has already filed for divorce. Your affection for Ms. White is common knowledge. Demanding Ms. Hamilton return to the Windsor Villa seems rather unethical at this point. You have your beloved, and she has her male models, right?"
He thought his words were fairly reasonable, though his mind briefly wandered to Becky's obsession with male models and whether any could possibly be more handsome than himself.
Arthur's brow furrowed, his expression nearly black with anger. "I never agreed to the divorce."
Caroline helpfully reminded him, "The court hearing is in one month. Please attend on time, Mr. Windsor."
With that, she instructed the driver, "Sir, please drive."
The car sped away without hesitation. Arthur's solitary figure remained motionless in the darkness for a long time, his shadow elongated by the streetlights.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally turned and left.
Caroline returned to her previous apartment. Before parting, she glanced at Becky and Stanley, but ultimately said nothing.