Chapter 97: Chapter 97
By the time Dylan arrived, it was already three in the afternoon.
Elise was waiting with the agreement ready. In the living room, she sat calmly on the sofa, gesturing toward the new document on the coffee table as she looked at him.
"Take a look at this agreement."
Dylan’s gaze shifted from her face to the papers. When he didn’t move, she prompted him with practiced patience. "Look it over. We need to reach a conclusion, one way or another."
Only then did Dylan pick up the document, flipping through it with his head lowered. It was still a divorce agreement, but this new version explicitly addressed the custody of their child. As he read on, his expression froze.
Slapping the papers back onto the coffee table, he stared at her. "Elise, I’ve told you before: I don’t agree to a divorce."
"You don’t want to, but I do," she replied expressionlessly. "For a marriage to work, it takes two people to agree."
Dylan’s dark eyes locked onto hers, brooding. "You’re being unreasonable. I’ve already explained the misunderstanding; I never cheated, and I never betrayed you. We have a child on the way now. Don’t you think acting like this is incredibly irresponsible to our baby?"
Elise merely scoffed. "Forcing a child to grow up in a family where the parents are completely estranged isn’t exactly doing them a favor either."
Dylan’s jaw tightened, his tone remaining unyielding. "Born into a marriage is always better than born into a divorce."
"If you think being born into a marriage is better for the child’s reputation, then I happen to be accommodating you on that exact point." Elise’s voice was completely flat, entirely businesslike.
"I’ve stated in the agreement that, considering a pregnant divorce might cause negative PR for the Bennett Corporation, I am willing to take a step back. We can wait until after the baby is born to officially file the paperwork.
After the divorce, since a child under three is in their infancy and relies far more on their mother, I will have custody during that period. You will have visitation rights as the father. Once the child turns three, you may legally contest for custody, and the final decision will depend on who has the stronger case."
It was undeniably clear, and it was a massive compromise. Taken at face value, the agreement proved just how fiercely determined she was to leave him.
Yet Dylan only let out a cold huff. "I’m not signing this."
"You didn’t read the final page," Elise reminded him. "Take a look. I believe I’ve already made enormous concessions. If you’re still unwilling to cooperate, I will proceed with a lawsuit starting today. However, if we litigate, the news will inevitably get out. The pressure on the Bennett family and the corporation won’t be minor."
Hearing this, Dylan hesitated for a fraction of a second before bending down to pick up the agreement again, flipping directly to the final page.
There was a final, additional clause: ’If both parties reach a mutual consensus before the child is born and neither raises the issue of divorce again, this agreement shall be rendered null and void.’
Seeing this, Dylan paused. A moment later, he lifted his eyes to look at her, his gaze heavy with scrutiny.
Elise met his eyes, her face perfectly composed.
"I am currently three months pregnant, which gives us a little over half a year. Dylan, you say you don’t want a divorce, and you say you haven’t wronged me. Then use these next six months to prove it to me. Show me whether this marriage is actually worth saving."
Dylan pressed his thin lips into a tight line, his dark eyes unreadable.
Elise knew he was wavering. She drove the point home: "If you agree, then for the remainder of our marriage, I will fulfill my role as Robin’s aunt. I will help look after him and coordinate with you and Fleur to handle his emotional well-being."
She knew exactly how much Dylan treasured his nephew. She knew that the moment she offered this term, he would accept.
Sure enough, after a brief hesitation, Dylan agreed. The new agreement was drawn up in duplicate, and Dylan called in the company’s top attorney to personally notarize it.
Once the signatures were finalized and the lawyer had departed, Dylan looked at Elise. "Pack your things. I’ll take you back to the manor now."
"I’m already packed," she said indifferently. "We can leave right away."
She wheeled a single suitcase out from the master bedroom. Seeing that she only had one suitcase, Dylan’s brows knitted slightly. He knew she had only brought a token amount of daily necessities and clothes; there were countless belongings she had absolutely no intention of moving back.
Her body was willing to return, but her heart was packed and ready to leave her home at any moment.
But Dylan chose not to dwell on it for now. This agreement she had forced him to sign today appeared aggressive, but wasn’t it ultimately a graceful exit strategy for both of them?
He simply didn’t believe she truly wanted a divorce; he assumed she was just using this method to command his attention. She was his wife and the mother of his child; as her husband, he could tolerate this little bit of temper and calculation.
With that realization, the inexplicable panic that had gripped his chest vanished without a trace.
...
Dylan personally drove Elise back to the Bennett Manor.
The moment they walked through the door, Mrs. Lander rushed to greet them. "Madam, you’re back!"
Elise handed her suitcase over. "Mrs. Lander, please take my luggage upstairs."
"Right away!" The woman took the bag excitedly. Seeing that Dylan had personally brought her home, she assumed the couple had completely reconciled. She carried the suitcase straight up to the second-floor master bedroom.
Elise didn’t stop her, calmly changing into her house slippers.
Dylan had assumed that upon returning, Elise would demand separate bedrooms, but to his surprise, she didn’t mention it. This made him even more certain that she didn’t genuinely want a divorce, and even more confident that the agreement would never take effect.
Elise didn’t care what he thought. Once she changed her shoes, she turned to him and said, "I’m a bit tired, so I’m going upstairs to rest."
Watching her walk toward the stairs, Dylan said, "I’m heading to the office first. I’ll be back for dinner tonight."
Without breaking her stride, Elise replied evenly, "I’ll tell Mrs. Lander to include your portion."
Their interaction was civil, cooperative, and polite—yet utterly detached. Dylan tracked her figure with his eyes until she disappeared around the corner of the second floor, and only then did he turn to leave.
...
Upstairs in the master bedroom, the housekeeper was just coming out. Seeing Elise, she said, "Madam, I’ve organized all your things exactly the way you like them. The Master slept here last night, so the sheets and duvet covers are all fresh."
"Thank you," Elise replied softly. "Prepare dinner for Dylan as well. He said he’ll be back."
"Understood!" Mrs. Lander beamed. "Seeing you and the Master make up brings me joy from the bottom of my heart!"
Elise didn’t elaborate, merely offering a faint smile before walking into the bedroom. Glancing at the massive bed, her voice remained level. "Mrs. Lander, could you please prepare an extra blanket?"
The woman blinked, finding the request odd, but she didn’t dare question it. "Of course."
The bed in the master bedroom was a full two meters wide, and the existing duvet was even larger—more than enough for a couple. There was no practical need for a second blanket. But then again, some pregnant women experience changes in their sleeping habits; perhaps Elise simply found it more comfortable to have her own blanket now?
Muttering to herself, Mrs. Lander didn’t delay. She quickly found a fresh blanket, encased it in a clean cover, and laid it out neatly.
While she worked, Elise sat on the sofa in the attached sitting area and fired off a text to Zoey, informing her about the new agreement signed with Dylan and her move back to the Bennett Manor.
The moment Zoey read through the terms, she understood everything. Guessing Elise’s true strategy, she chose not to say anything more, only reminding her to prioritize herself and the baby first above all else, no matter the circumstance.
Looking at Zoey’s reply, the corners of Elise’s mouth curved slightly. Finding a true soul sister in this lifetime was a rare treasure.
"Madam, everything is set up," Mrs. Lander said as she finished. "You’re pregnant, so all this moving back and forth must have exhausted you. I won’t disturb your rest. What would you like for dinner? I’ll head out to buy groceries now."
"Just cook according to my usual preferences." Elise stood up, pausing before she asked, "By the way, where is Melissa?"
"She’s over at Orchard Residence now," the woman explained. "The Master settled the eldest young mistress and the young master over there. He mentioned the young master is used to living there, and it’s quite close to us. Miss Bonnaire is raising the child alone and isn’t in the best of health, so living nearby makes it easier to head over if she needs a hand."
Hearing this, Elise’s lips curled into a freezing smile. "That sounds exactly like something he would do."
She wasn’t surprised, nor was she angry. After all, it was all perfectly aligned with her calculations.
