"She wouldn't dare!" The cigarette between Ethan's fingers flickered in the dusk, and the words that overflowed from his throat carried an unquestionable coldness. "Next time if she dares to harass you. I'll have my lawyer send me a letter directly."

Lydia finally managed a smile through her tears and leaned in to kiss him."I believe in you. I know you still love me."

Her fingertips hooked his tie, bringing them closer again.

Ethan lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Meanwhile, Wendy, who was in the car, had no idea that someone was badmouthing her behind her back.

Despite the strong presence of Alexander in the car. Susan and Jessica were not the type to let the atmosphere go cold.

Before long, the two of them were chatting away.

They talked about how shocked Lydia looked when Ethan asked David to take her down the mountain, and then about how grim Ethan's expression was when Susan asked him to take their picture.

They chattered non-stop throughout the journey.

Wendy leaned lazily against the back seat, listening to their conversation.She was feeling a bit carsick and didn't say much.

Alexander, on the other hand, was quite cooperative, occasionally chiming in, which kept the atmosphere pleasant.

Perhaps it was the accumulated fatigue from the past few days, or maybe the cozy atmosphere in the car.

In a daze, she felt someone gently covering her with a suit jacket,and the gentle scent of cedar and amber enveloped her.

The car drove smoothly along the road as Susan and Jessica continued their lively conversation.

At one point,they glanced back and saw that Wendy had unknowingly fallen asleep on Alexander's lap, looking like a cute little kitten.

Jessica's eyes widened, and just as she was about to exclaim, Susan quickly covered her mouth and gave her a look.

The two of them stifled their laughter, not daring to make a sound for fear of waking Wendy.

Alexander had noticed when Wendy fell asleep and had carefully moved her onto his lap to make her more comfortable.

He gently cradled her head with one hand and used the other to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight, allowing her to sleep peacefully.

The car was silent except for the sound of the wind and the hum of the engine.

Over an hour later, the car hit a pothole, causing a jolt that woke Wendy up.

As soon as she opened her eyes, Wendy met Alexander's close jawline.

Only then did she realize that she had been resting her head on the other person's lap at some point, and a glaring water stain was spreading on

that expensive haute couture dress pants.

In an instant, her face turned bright red with embarrassment,and she wished she could disappear.

Wendy tried to get up in a hurry but accidentally bumped her head on the car roof, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain.

Wendy kept her head down, too embarrassed to look at him, and mumbled, "I'm sorry for messing up your pants."

Her voice was barely audible,like a whisper.

Alexander's lips curled into a slight smile as he teased, "It's okay. Let's just say you left me a special mark. It's kind of cute."

Susan and Jessica, watching the scene unfold, couldn't hold back their laughter any longer.

"Wendy, you really need to work on your sleeping habits. Otherwise, Mr.Turner's designer clothes will all be ruined by your drool!" Susan joked,laughing.

Jessica chimed in with a laugh, "Yeah, Wendy, you know that pair ofpants is at least five thousand dollars."

"No worries. As long as Wendy wants to, she can 'ruin' as many expensive pants as she likes," Alexander said, playing along.

Susan and Jessica burst into laughter again. Susan remarked, "Mr. Turner,you sure know how to flirt."

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "I'm not into flirting. I just like flirting with Wendy."

Wendy choked on her own saliva and started coughing violently.

Alexander quickly patted her back. "Take it easy, don't rush. Have some water."

Once Wendy's coughing subsided, she glared at him playfully. "Why are you joining in on their nonsense?"

"I'm not. I'm being serious," Alexander replied earnestly.

Wendy sighed,realizing he was teasing her on purpose.

She turned her head to look out the window, deciding to ignore him for now.

Susan and Jessica, having had their fill of entertainment, pretended tobe proper ladies, though their eyes kept darting back to Wendy and Alexander.

When the car finally reached the city and Susan dropped Wendy and Alexander off at The Knight Villa.

Wendy's earlobes were bleeding red. She grabbed her small bag and was about to rush out of the car.

Alexander,with quick eyes and hands, grabbed her wrist. From the warm palm came an inescapable force. "T'll take you back."

The paulownia trees in front of the old villa cast swaying shadows.Susan rolled down the car window and winked, "Wendy, the moonlight is so beautiful tonight. Why don't you consider taking a stroll under the moon with Mr. Turner?"

"I think you must be bored to death, right? If you talk nonsense again,I

will definitely not help you bargain next time!" Wendy pretended to throw the bag, but Alexander caught it steadily.

"Bye-bye, wish you all happiness." Susan's hearty laughter echoed as she waved and drove off, leaving Wendy standing there,feeling awkward.

Alexander turned to her, his gaze falling on Wendy'seslightly flushed cheeks. "Your friends are really something."

Wendy shot him a look. "You're not much better."

"Really?"

Wendy pursed her lips. "Just as childish."

Hearing this, Alexander burst into laughter. "Childish or not, aslong as you like it."

Wendy was speechless.

"Alright, you must be tired. Go home and rest. You have work tomorrow,don't you?" Alexander said considerately.

After saying goodbye, Wendly headed into The Knight Villa.

Alexander watched until the light in her room came on before heading to his own place next door.

The next day at the hospital, Michael noticed Wendy's troubled expression."What's going on? You look like you have a lot on your mind this morning."

Wendy sighed gloomily. "I'm reflecting on why my judgment of people is so poor."

Her ex-husband was unreliable, and her friends were unpredictable.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Wendy changed into her work clothes and finished her handover with a colleague, preparing for her rounds.

Before leaving the office, she glanced at the small calendar on her desk.

The day circled in red was fast approaching, marking the date of her divorce hearing.