Night had already fallen and the clock edged past nine when Jason and his daughter arrived back home.

Amelia clung to the hem of her fathers coat, her movements lethargic as she stepped off the vehicle.

To be honest, with her mom around, she hadnt really felt like coming back tonight.

But Penny said her mom had come all this way just to spend time with her and Dad, and it would hurt her moms feelings if they didnt go back.

Her dad also said if they didnt return tonight, her mom would definitely tag along on their boat trip tomorrow.

So, Amelia reluctantly agreed to come back.

Still, she couldnt help but worry and mumbled unhappily, Dad, what if Mom insists on coming with us tomorrow?

She wont, Jason said with certainty.

Over the years of their marriage, Olivia had always tried to find ways to spend more time with him.

But she knew her placeas long as he made his stance clear, she wouldnt dare upset him.

In Amelias memory, Olivia never disobeyed Jason.

If he said it wouldnt happen, then it definitely wouldnt.

Finally, Amelia was reassured and cheered up.

She skipped into the house, her earlier gloom gone, and told Zoe she wanted to take a bath.

Of course, Zoe replied quickly. Remembering Olivias instructions, she handed an envelope to Jason. Sir, Mrs. Hayes asked me to give this to you.

Jason took it and casually asked, Where is she?

Well, she packed up and went back home at noon. Didnt you know?

Jason paused on his way upstairs and turned back. She went back?

Yes.

Jason hadnt given Olivia a chance to explain why she had come to Sylvaria, and he didnt care enough to ask.

Learning that she had left didnt bother him.

Amelia was also a little surprised.

For a moment, she felt a twinge of disappointment.

She had thought that if her mom didn't follow them out on the boat tomorrow, it might actually be nice to have her company in the evening.

Besides, shaping seashells hurt her hands, and she had wanted to ask her mom to help her finish the project.

Jason and Olivia hadnt seen each other for months. Olivia had made the effort to come all this way but hadnt even gotten to see Jason.

Remembering how pale Olivia had looked when she left, Zoe couldnt help but add, Sir, Mrs. Hayes didnt look well when she left. She seemed upset.

Zoe had initially thought Olivia had left in a hurry due to an emergency.

But now, realizing Jason hadnt even known about her departure, she sensed something was wrong.

Upset?

Olivia had always been patient and accommodating around him.

So, she could get upset too?

That was new.

Jason smiled faintly, indifferent, and dismissed Zoe with a vague response before heading upstairs.

Just as he was about to open the letter Olivia had left him in the room, Penelope called.

After taking the call, Jason tossed the envelope aside and walked out.

Soon after, the envelope fell from the bedside onto the floor.

Jason didnt return that night.

The next day, when Zoe came to clean, she saw the envelope on the floor and recognized it as the one Olivia had asked her to give Jason.

Assuming he had already read it, she casually placed it in a nearby drawer.

*****

After Olivia's flight landed, she went straight home and upstairs to pack.

After six years, she had accumulated quite a few things in the house.

But she only took a few sets of clothes, some daily essentials, and her professional books.

During their marriage, Jason had deposited monthly allowances for her and their daughter into two separate cardsone for her, one for their daughter.

But Olivia had always used her own card for expenses and never dipped into their daughters fund.

Moreover, because she loved Jason, she often couldnt resist buying him clothes, shoes, cufflinks, tiesanything she thought would suit him whenever she went shopping.

As for herself, her job didnt require lavish spending, and her heart was always set on giving the best to her husband and daughter.

So, most of the allowance Jason gave her ended up being spent on them.

Under these circumstances, there shouldnt have been much left in her card.

However, over the past year or so, since their daughter had been living with Jason in Sylvaria, Olivia had far fewer opportunities to buy things for them.

Now, there was still a little over three million left in the card.

It might not be a significant sum to Jason, but to her, it was substantial.

Since the money rightfully belonged to her, Olivia transferred it without hesitation.

She left both cards behind, pulled her suitcase behind her, and walked away without looking back.

She owned an apartment not far from her workplacea modest place, just over a hundred square meters.

She had bought it four years ago to help a friend who was going through a tough time and had never lived there herself.

Now, it finally came in handy.

The apartment had been regularly cleaned, so it wasnt dirty. With a quick tidying up, it was ready to move into.

Exhausted from the day, Olivia washed up and went to bed around ten oclock.

Beep, beep, beep!

The shrill alarm jolted Olivia awake from her dreams.

For a moment, her mind was blank from being abruptly awakened.

Then, she realized it was one in the morningwhich meant it was just past seven in the morning in Sylvaria, where Jason and their daughter were.

Jason and their daughter usually had breakfast around this time.

Ever since their daughter had followed Jason to Sylvaria, Olivia had made it a habit to call her at this hour.

But since she often went to bed early due to work exhaustion, she had set this alarm to make sure she didnt miss the call.

When their daughter first went to Sylvaria with Jason, she missed Olivia terribly and wanted to call her constantly.

But as time went on, their phone conversations went from warm and longing to perfunctory and impatient.

This alarm had long become unnecessary.

Olivia had kept it only because she couldnt let go.

Thinking of this, she smiled bitterly.

After a moments hesitation, she deleted the alarm, turned off her phone, and went back to sleep.

*****

Meanwhile, Jason and Amelia were almost finished with breakfast.

Although Jason knew Olivia usually called their daughter around this time, he wasnt always home and didnt pay much attention to it.

He noticed Olivia hadnt called today but didnt dwell on it. After finishing breakfast, he went upstairs to change.

Amelia found Olivia increasingly naggy and had grown less fond of their phone conversations.

Seeing that Olivia hadnt called yet, she figured her mom might have been held up by something.

Her eyes lit up mischievously as she grabbed her backpack and dashed toward the door.

Zoe saw her and hurried after her. Miss Amy, its still early! You have plenty of time before you need to leave!

But Amelia ignored her and happily climbed into the car.

No way was she going to stick aroundfor once, her mom hadnt called on time.

If she didnt leave now, her mom might call later, and shed have to talk to her. She hated that!

*****

After getting married, Olivia had started working at the Hayes Groupall for Jasons sake.

Now that she was getting divorced, there was no reason for her to stay.

The next morning, Olivia handed her resignation letter to Allen Brown at the office.