The car pulled out of the neighborhood and headed toward Yunshui Bay.
Cecilia Ye hugged Zoey Zhang tightly, her head resting against the window as she stared vacantly outside.
The scenery slipped by in reverse, sunlight illuminating her delicate features.
Just a little longer, she told herself. Once the divorce certificate was in hand, she’d move out on her own.
“Xavier Foster, are we going to tell Grandpa Rivers about the divorce?”
Xavier Foster had said before that he would wait until after Grandpa Rivers's birthday to talk about it.
“Grandpa Rivers won’t agree to it.”
His fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, brows furrowed.
“It’s okay, I can convince Grandpa Rivers. Don’t worry...”
Don’t worry. You can be with your Vivian Belle without a care.
Soon, the car rolled into the old house at Yunshui Bay.
Both Grandpa Rivers and Grandma Rivers were downstairs waiting for them. As soon as they walked in, the elderly couple hurried to the door—and Grandma Rivers immediately took Cecilia Ye’s hand.
“Cecilia, Grandma Rivers’s missed you so much.”
“I missed you too, Grandma Rivers. Look, I brought Zoey Zhang here!”
She held up Zoey Zhang for Grandma Rivers to see. The little pup kicked its legs nervously, which made everyone laugh.
“Alright, alright, let someone feed him in a bit.”
Grandpa Rivers sat nearby, watching Cecilia Ye with a kind smile, though for once, he wasn’t as talkative as usual.
“Grandpa Rivers, don’t you miss me? Why aren’t you saying anything?” Cecilia Ye teased him, playful as always.
“Ayy, how could Grandpa Rivers not miss you? If I didn’t, would I still call you all the time?”
Xavier Foster entered from behind.
Grandpa Rivers thumped his cane on the floor, face turning stern. “Xavier Foster, come to the study with me.”
Cecilia Ye noticed the look on Grandpa Rivers’s face and instantly grew worried. Grandma Rivers drew her close and soothed her with a gentle pat.
“Come, Cecilia, sit with Grandma Rivers for a while.”
In the study, Grandpa Rivers took a seat, gaze steely as he looked at Xavier Foster.
Xavier Foster stood to the side, hands in his pockets, eyes cast sideways toward the table, giving the impression he couldn’t care less.
Grandpa Rivers let out a heavy huff.
“Xavier Foster, where’s that woman?”
Xavier Foster replied in a flat tone. “You mean Vivian Belle, Grandpa Rivers?”
“Who else would I mean? Xavier Foster, last time you brought her to the birthday party, did it ever cross your mind how much that would hurt Cecilia, hmm?”
Grandpa Rivers’s anger was palpable as he shot Xavier Foster a hard look.
“I’m an old man—what do I care about embarrassment? But Cecilia? So many people saw you abandon your own wife to chase after another woman. Xavier Foster, have you lost your mind?”
Xavier Foster took the scolding in silence, his head just barely lowered, never arguing back.
“Tell me, tell me, how did I end up raising such a heartless child?”
After Grandpa Rivers’s anger had subsided a bit, Xavier Foster finally spoke: “Grandpa Rivers, back then Vivian Belle was injured because of me, and the consequences have been serious. I promised I’d take care of her—I’d marry her.”
His words hit Grandpa Rivers like a thunderclap. Grandpa Rivers was stunned, then erupted, jumping to his feet.
He swept his arm, knocking several books off the desk and sending them flying at Xavier Foster.
“Xavier Foster, say that again—who do you want to marry?”
“Vivian Belle.” Xavier Foster’s face was emotionless, his voice cold but unwavering.
“So you drove Cecilia out of the house on purpose? I thought you two just had a spat—never imagined this. Xavier Foster...”
Xavier Foster still had no intention of arguing.
Grandpa Rivers’s chest heaved with rage, his eyes blazing. “Cecilia’s suffered so much. She’s been with the Fu family for six years—six years! She’s so well-behaved, so devoted to you, and this is how you repay her?”
Grabbing a paperweight, Grandpa Rivers hurled it at Xavier Foster. It grazed his forehead, drawing blood.
Still unsatisfied, Grandpa Rivers threw everything off the desk until it was bare, then, clutching his aching chest, dropped heavily into his chair.
“Grandpa Rivers, please take care of yourself.” Xavier Foster stepped forward but was warded off by a sharp jab of the cane.
“Get out! Stay away from me!”
The shouting had long since carried downstairs. Even Grandma Rivers hadn’t expected things to go this far. Cecilia Ye, worried, rushed up the stairs.
She heard objects breaking inside and, unable to care about anything else, flung the door open.
A scene of chaos greeted her. Grandpa Rivers was slumped and gasping in the chair, face dark with rage.
“Grandpa Rivers, what happened? Please, don’t get angry.”
She rushed forward, pressing a comforting hand to Grandpa Rivers’s chest, then poured him a glass of water.
Grandma Rivers stood in the doorway. “Zhiye, do you even understand what you’re doing?”
Grandma Rivers hardly ever scolded Xavier Foster, but now even she couldn’t hold back.
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
Xavier Foster kept his head lowered, hands at his sides, accepting all the blame.
He never wanted to upset his grandparents, but a promise is a promise—he had to do right by Vivian Belle.
Cecilia Ye looked at the cut on his forehead. Despite herself, she couldn’t help but feel a sting of concern.
Grandpa Rivers patted her on the head. “Cecilia, is it Xavier Foster who wants the divorce? Don’t worry, Grandpa Rivers will stand up for you.”
Grandma Rivers was shocked. “What? Divorce?”
Cecilia Ye shook her head, her voice airy and faint. “Grandpa Rivers, Grandma Rivers, I’m sorry. Zhiye and I agreed long ago—if Vivian Belle ever returned, we would get divorced. Please don’t blame Zhiye. I was the one who agreed in the first place.”
“I’m already so grateful that Zhiye was willing to bring me out of my old home.”
“Xavier Foster, so you’re just going to waste four years of Cecilia’s life like it’s nothing? How can you be so selfish?”
Grandma Rivers hugged Cecilia close, comforting her. “Cecilia, it’s not right. I won’t let you two get a divorce.”
“Grandma Rivers, I didn’t handle things well... but we are really planning to get divorced. If you think I owe Cecilia, I can make it up to her.”
He had hoped to break the news gently, but now, there was no other way.
He had made reckless decisions about Cecilia once, robbing her of four years of youth.
Xavier Foster stood straight-backed, unwavering in his resolve.
Grandpa Rivers shook with anger, looking at Xavier Foster as if he couldn’t believe how disappointing his grandson had become.
“Xavier Foster, do you know what kind of person Vivian Belle is? You’re being foolish! Cecilia’s been part of the Fu family for years and never once asked for a cent. Who cares about your ‘compensation’?”
Seeing red, Grandpa Rivers grabbed the glass of water Cecilia had just poured and flung it at Xavier Foster.
Xavier Foster hung his head and didn’t dodge. At the sight, Cecilia’s worry overcame her pain—her body reacted before her mind did. She lunged in front of him.
The glass struck her sharply across the back, scalding water splashing all over her.
“Ah—” Cecilia Ye couldn’t help but let out a soft cry. The pain was excruciating.
Xavier Foster caught her as she went limp in his arms, heart clenching with guilt.
“Cecilia, why did you shield this ungrateful man?”
The elderly couple rushed over, both deeply distressed at her pale, stricken face.
She lay weakly in Xavier Foster’s embrace, her back throbbing and burning. Gritting her teeth, she managed to regain composure.
Shaking her head, she pleaded softly, “Grandpa Rivers, please don’t be angry at Zhiye. We made this decision together.”
Tears glittered in her eyes—whether from pain or sadness, even she couldn’t say. Her tearstained face was heartbreaking to behold.
Grandma Rivers, eyes turning red, hurriedly said, “Enough! Bring Cecilia back to her room right now. I’ll call the doctor.”
Grandpa Rivers could only shake his head and sigh deeply.
Xavier Foster, you really don’t know how good a girl you’ve lost.
As Xavier Foster carried her away, Grandpa Rivers’s voice echoed from behind: “I’ll never agree to this divorce—and that Vivian Belle will never set foot in the Fu house. Wait for me to die if you have the patience!”
Xavier Foster gritted his teeth, said nothing, and walked out.
He gently set Cecilia Ye on her bed. Her back hurt so badly she could only lie facedown, sweating from the pain, fists gripping the blanket.
Neither of them spoke. Xavier Foster reached to help undress her.
She flinched away, tear-filled eyes gazing up at him.
Seeing the red scalds on her neck where the hot water had splashed, Xavier Foster’s heart twisted painfully.
“Be good, let’s take your clothes off so I can check if you have any blisters.”
He stroked her hair and turned the air conditioning up a bit.
This time she didn’t resist. He unbuttoned her shirt, pulling it halfway down to her waist, and unclasped her bra from behind.
A large patch of her back was already bruising, the fair skin bright red, with several blisters forming along her shoulder blade.
Scalds are a misery—Cecilia Ye sucked in small breaths, her grip on the blanket turning her knuckles white.
Xavier Foster went downstairs to fetch ice and began to cool her burn, blowing gently on her back while a tenderness even he didn’t recognize filled his icy gaze.
The pain eased, and Cecilia Ye’s tears soaked the blanket—she made not a single sound, comforted by the fact that, lying facedown, Xavier Foster couldn't see her face.
The doctor arrived quickly.
Seeing the raw, exposed skin on Cecilia Ye's back, Xavier Foster’s expression darkened. He kept the doctor at the door, explaining her injuries rather than letting him in.
Fortunately, the burn wasn’t too deep. The doctor left them with ointment for the scalds and cream for the bruises.
“Wait,” Cecilia Ye called out as the doctor was leaving, unable to keep quiet. “Zhiye, you should get something for your cut too.”
The doctor, understanding, left behind disinfectant and sterile bandages for Xavier Foster’s forehead before slipping away.