The chill that Vincent had shed just a second before returned in an instant. "How long?" Vincent asked, his tone cool. "Six months." "No. That's too long." "At least three months. When the time's up, I'll come back." Chloe held his gaze, her voice leaving no room for argument. He opened his mouth to protest, then seemed to change his mind. He gave a short nod. "Fine. Three months. I won't get in your way during that time. And if you need my help with anything, just ask." He paused, then added, "But if you're not back in three months, things will get messy." Chloe didn't bother with a response. She simply picked up her bag and turned toward the door. "I'll get someone to send you home. These things are too heavy to lug around, real hassle." "These are for my son. They're not heavy." She reached the doorway, then stopped and glanced back at him. "Robert's sixth birthday is coming up. You should get him a present for when you meet." Then she walked out. Even after she'd crossed the courtyard, she could still hear Vincent laughing. That man... he really wasn't quite right in the head. The moment she was free of his presence, Chloe lifted her face to the sky. It had been sunny when she arrived, but now the weather had turned—much like everything else in her life. Three months! She only had three months left. Some plans would have to be moved up—starting now. ***** The internet was blowing up. Every day, more people called Chloe a homewrecker. But as the accusations piled up, she stayed quiet. Cosmos Group and LOVELESS didn't say a word either. To them, it was like none of it even happened. The online drama wasn't worth their time. The one really stuck in the middle was Arthur. The news of his engagement to Jennifer was now official. His mother, Madilyn, had made the announcement. Everyone in their world knew about it. If he denied it now, he'd be making his own mother look like a liar. He had no choice. He had to play along and let Madilyn handle everything. But then... After the news got out, his phone wouldn't stop ringing. Business partners kept calling to congratulate him. They all wanted to send gifts. After all, he'd just gotten married. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and everyone knew what a big deal it was. The heir to the Myers family was finally settling down—of course everyone wanted to congratulate him. But with each new wish, something inside him twisted. It felt like a stab to the heart. They said he'd "finally settled down." That he was "finally off the market." Every word sounded like a joke. But the truth was, he'd already been married six years ago. To Chloe. They had a child together. Robert was almost six now—the thought made his chest hurt. Jenarth was a good kid, sure. Sweet and polite. But he wasn't Arthur's son. His real son, Robert, was growing up somewhere... without him. And now his mother wanted him to act like a father to Jenarth. He'd promised to look after Jennifer and Jenarth, yes—but not like this. Not like a husband. Not like a fake dad. A marriage needed love. Without it, how could anyone be happy? This... this wouldn't work. No way it could.But did he even have the right to talk about happiness anymore? With the news everywhere, Chloe must have seen all that trash by now. What could he possibly do to earn her forgiveness? Arthur racked his brain for a long time, but came up empty. "Daddy Arthur! I bought you a cupcake!" Jenarth's cheerful voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Jennifer walked in, holding Jenarth's hand. Two staff members followed behind them, each carrying several elegant-looking boxes—expensive, by the look of them. "Arthur, Jenarth insisted on buying you a cake. I couldn't say no." Jennifer smiled gently. "He's over five now and he's never had a proper birthday. Let's treat today as his birthday. Can you blow the candles together with him?" She nodded at the housekeeper, who stepped forward to carry the cake and set it carefully on the table. Arthur stared at the cake, hesitation clouding his eyes.Jennifer quickly called the two staff members forward. They opened the boxes and carefully laid out the contents for Arthur to see. "Arthur, look. I compared so many designs. There are two different styles here. Tell me which one you prefer, and I'll place the order right away." She pointed toward the two wedding dresses displayed in the boxes. But Arthur's mind wasn't on the dresses. He barely registered they were there. All his attention was fixed on that small, delicate cake. "Arthur." Jennifer's voice was soft. No response. "Arthur?" She raised her voice slightly, a touch of impatience slipping through her gentle tone. Hearing her tone, Jenarth glanced up and tugged gently on Arthur's sleeve. "Daddy Arthur, Mommy is talking to you."