?Chapter 5:


    Noah had set the terms before their wedding—beyond the board of directors, it was best to keep their marriage under wraps.


    He surely anticipated K’s return, didn’t he?


    Every step of the way, he had been silently working to make things easier for K.


    The moment she hung up was a blur, but one thing stuck—her promise to Laura that she’d bring her boyfriend home this Saturday. But just who was she supposed to show up with?


    Sadie’s mind was in chaos as she hastily collected her things and exited the office.


    As she stood on the curb, her eyes searching the street, a sleek Maybach slid to a stop before her.


    The window descended slowly, unveiling the striking features of a man whose appearance never failed to draw admiring gasps from onlookers.


    It was none other than Noah.


    “Get in,” he called out, his voice smooth and authoritative.


    Despite her urge to decline, the memory of Laura’s unsettling phone call earlier made Sadie step into the car with resignation.


    This time, she deliberately chose the back seat instead of the front.


    “I told you I’dpensate you, but don’t think acting pitiful will make me feel sorry for you,” Noah remarked, a hint of reproach in his tone.


    “Acting pitiful?”


    The irony of his words struck Sadie, and augh, sharp and devoid of any real amusement, escaped her.


    “When are we getting divorced?” she asked, her voice tinged with a brittle, hollow quality.


    Noah, puzzled by herughter, replied, “Rx, there’s no need to rush—it’s not the right time.”


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    “And where are we going now?” Sadie pressed, her frustration mounting.


    “We’re heading back to the family estate—Grandpa wants to see you,” Noah exined, his voice softening.


    Noah’s grandfather, Nigel Wall, stood as a pir of warmth in Sadie’s chaotic life, second only to Laura.


    Since her family’s financial copse in middle school and the mysterious disappearance of her parents, kindness had been a rare luxury in Sadie’s life.


    Noah’s presence had once brightened her entire existence.


    Now, everything seemed to be reverting to a gray, mundane reality.


    Sadie remained silent, her quietness an implicit nod of agreement. After a long pause, her voice, barely above a whisper, broke the silence.


    “One month.”


    “What?” Noah’s confusion was palpable.


    “I want the divorce finalized within a month,” she dered, her tone resolute yet tinged with a hidden urgency.


    If the proceedings dragged on, Noah might uncover her secret—she was pregnant.


    Given his attachment to K, he would undoubtedly demand she end the pregnancy, and she was determined not to forsake her unborn child.


    Noah’s brow creased in annoyance. “The decision’s been made, Sadie. Stop ying these mind games with me,” he said, his voiceced with frustration.


    He knew all too well how deeply she cared for him, which always left him wrestling with a sense of guilt.


    However, he was adamant that her feelings couldn’t be used as leverage in their strained negotiations.


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