Chapter 45: Chapter 45
Guests drifted through the ballroom in an endless stream, their laughter blending seamlessly with the soft strains of music floating through the villa.
Above them, an enormous crystal chandelier cast shards of glittering light across the room. The glow caught the sharp angles of Dylan’s face, accentuating the cold elegance etched into his features.
His dark eyes were like a bottomless lake—still on the surface, impossible to read beneath.
He didn’t answer Rina’s question. Instead, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, forming a faint smile that carried an unreadable meaning.
"So there actually is someone in the Harper family who genuinely cares about her."
Rina stared in surprise. Before she could respond, another businessman approached, wine glass in hand.
"Mr. Bennett, what a pleasure. I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Connor Osvald from the TMT Group..."
One executive became two. Two became five.
Within minutes, Dylan was once again surrounded by influential figures from North City’s business circles.
Rina quietly stepped aside with her champagne. From a distance, she watched him navigate the crowd with effortless composure.
Ordinarily, men like these would never have the opportunity to speak with Dylan face-to-face. Tonight’s birthday banquet had given them that rare chance.
Flattering smiles surrounded him from every direction.
Dylan stood among them like a figure carved from another world. Tall and impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit, he carried himself with an air of detached nobility that made him impossible to overlook.
Years ago, he had been little more than an overlooked son pushed to the margins of the Bennett family. Now, he stood at the pinnacle of North City’s power structure.
Everything about him radiated authority. It wasn’t something he consciously projected. It had become part of him.
His narrow black eyes revealed little when they settled on someone, offering no clues to the thoughts hidden behind them.
Watching him, Rina suddenly remembered Elise upstairs. Remembered her sitting on the edge of the bed with tears slipping silently down her cheeks.
A tight knot suddenly formed in her chest.
She couldn’t understand it.
How had two people who had once endured hardships together—who had survived countless trials and even faced life-and-death situations side by side—ended up becoming strangers beneath the same roof?
Perhaps what everyone said was true: falling in love was easy; staying in love was the difficult part.
By a little after nine o’clock, the birthday celebration was nearing its end.
Only after most of the guests had departed did Elise finally come downstairs.
The first floor was busy with servants moving in and out, clearing away dishes and restoring order to the house.
In the living room, only the Harper family remained... Along with Dylan.
The rich aroma of tea filled the air. A kettle simmered on the tea table, releasing clouds of steam with soft bubbling sounds.
Everyone sat around the low table while William personally prepared the tea.
The first cup he poured was offered to Dylan. Dylan accepted it, took a measured sip, then set the cup down.
As he did, he glanced at the watch on his wrist.
Leah noticed that movement immediately. She was just about to send someone upstairs to fetch Elise when she looked up and saw her standing nearby.
Momentarily startled, she quickly rose to her feet and crossed the room.
Taking Elise’s hand, she asked with carefully performed concern, "Are you feeling any better?"
It was the excuse she had prepared for her daughter’s absence. Everyone present knew perfectly well that Elise had deliberately avoided the banquet. But maintaining appearances was an unspoken rule within the Harper family.
So they all pretended not to know. After all, protecting the family’s interests had always mattered more than protecting Elise’s feelings.
Although Rina genuinely cared about her, she had never possessed any real influence within the family.
In gatherings like this, silence was often her only option.
Beside her, the second Harper son, Noah, suddenly stood.
Looking toward William, he said calmly, "Father, my car has arrived. I’m heading out."
William nodded. Unlike his treatment of his other children, his tone softened slightly.
"Drive carefully. Come home more often when you have time."
"I will," Noah answered politely. Then he turned and left.
As one of the country’s leading scientific researchers, he was a source of immense pride for William Harper. Because of that, he was often granted more understanding than the rest of the siblings.
After Noah departed, Dylan rose as well. His deep voice broke the quiet.
"Father, Mother. Elise isn’t feeling well. I’ll take her home so she can rest."
Hearing this, William immediately rose to his feet as well.
"Your house is quite a distance away. If she’s already unwell, another long drive will only make it worse."
He looked between them.
"Why don’t you stay here tonight?"
Before Dylan could respond, Elise abruptly pulled her hand free from Leah’s grasp.
Taking a step forward, she looked directly at her father.
Her voice was calm as she said, "Father, Dylan and I are already in the middle of divorce proceedings."
A beat of silence. Then she continued. "And I’ve already moved out."
The words landed like a stone dropped into still water.
The room instantly fell silent. Elise held her father’s gaze.
She waited. Waited for his anger. Waited for his condemnation. Waited to be driven out of the house once again.
Seconds passed. Then a full minute.
No one spoke. No one reacted. The silence itself became unsettling.
In that moment, Dylan’s earlier words echoed through her mind.
Do you really think they’ll agree?
A chill crept slowly up her spine. Her gaze swept across every face in the room.
There was no surprise. No outrage. No confusion.
Only Rina looked troubled. A slight furrow appeared between her brows, concern and helplessness evident in her eyes.
Finally, Elise looked at Dylan, and he was already watching her.
His expression remained composed. His dark eyes reflected her pale face back at her. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.
Struggling to contain her anger, she demanded, "What did you tell them?"
Dylan walked toward her, and without answering, he removed his suit jacket and draped it gently over her shoulders.
"It’s late." His voice was low and steady. "You don’t look well today. Let’s go home and rest."
The jacket carried the faint scent of cedarwood and his lingering body heat.
Once, that simple gesture would have filled her with warmth.
Now it felt like a cage. Like invisible chains tightening around her chest.
The familiar scent nearly suffocated her. Because all she could think about was whether another woman’s perfume still lingered on the fabric.
In one swift motion, she tore the jacket from her shoulders and threw it onto the floor.
"Enough, Dylan!" The fury she had been suppressing finally erupted. "Do you enjoy humiliating me this much?"
The jacket landed heavily at their feet.
Dylan stared at her, his lips pressed into a thin line.
"You stupid child!" Leah hurried forward to pick up the discarded jacket.
Turning toward Elise, she snapped,
"What are you throwing a tantrum for now? Dylan is busy enough as it is, yet he still made time to celebrate your father’s birthday. Instead of appreciating him, you’re constantly suspicious and demanding a divorce. You’ve been spoiled by him for far too long."
William’s face darkened, his features hardening into something utterly stern.
"What married couple never argues?" His voice carried the authority of a final verdict. "A man doing business will inevitably attract a few rumors. That’s normal."
He fixed his gaze on Elise.
"As Mrs. Bennett, you should carry yourself with dignity. You’ve known Dylan for years. The bond between you isn’t something those women outside can compare to."
He paused.
"You need to learn to trust your husband."
Then came the command.
"And don’t ever bring up divorce again. Marriage is not a game."
At that moment, Ethan also stood. Clearing his throat, he adopted the tone of a responsible older brother.
"Elise, you could get away with being impulsive when you were younger." He shook his head. "But you’re someone’s wife now. It’s time to control your temper."
His eyes flickered toward Dylan.
"Dylan is the CEO of Bennett Group. You can’t embarrass him in public."
Throughout the exchange, Rina remained seated. She said nothing, but her tightly knitted brows and worried eyes never left Elise.
Listening to the endless stream of advice supposedly offered for her own good, Elise felt nothing but bitter irony.
She had expected this. Even so, hearing it spoken aloud still made her laugh.
"So what?" Her gaze swept across them. "If Dylan asked, would you all convince me to take care of his mistress during her postpartum recovery too?"
The room stiffened instantly. Several faces changed color.
"Elise!" Leah’s voice rose sharply. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Then, almost immediately, her tone softened as she turned toward Dylan. A hint of flattery entered her voice.
"Dylan, you know how she is. She’s just angry. Please don’t take any of this seriously."
Dylan ignored her entirely. From beginning to end, his eyes never left Elise’s face.
"Elise." His voice was calm as he spoke to her. "Just please come home with me."
Home?
The word nearly made her laugh again.
There was no home anymore. Not for them. Not after everything.
A cold smile curved her lips. Her gaze sharpened.
"What exactly did you promise them?" She looked directly at him. "A few billion-dollar projects? A few lucrative contracts?"
Dylan remained silent, but his silence answered enough.
Elise then turned toward her father. The warmth had completely vanished from her eyes.
"Since I married Dylan, Bennett Group has generated billions in revenue for Harper Group."
Her voice trembled slightly—not from fear, but from heartbreak.
"So tell me, Father." She laughed bitterly. "You raised a daughter and earned tens of billions in return."
She held his gaze. "Wasn’t that already a profitable enough investment?"
Her voice dropped lower. "Why are you still not satisfied?"
"You ungrateful girl—" William’s face flushed red with fury. His body suddenly swayed.
"Will!" Leah cried out.
She rushed forward and helped him sit down. Then she turned toward Elise with blazing eyes.
"Your father has high blood pressure! Are you trying to kill him?"
Elise stared at the two people who had given her life.
And for the first time, she felt as though her heart had fallen into an endless glacier.
The cold spread deeper and deeper.
Leah’s scolding continued in the background, but Elise no longer listened.
She didn’t say another word.
Without looking back, she turned around and strode toward the front door. This time, she walked away from them all.
