Chapter 7

Xander's eyes turned icy cold, a menacing aura emanating from him. "What's the deal between you two?" The man suddenly puffed out his chest and pulled the woman into his embrace. "What's it to you? Mind your own damn business. I'm warning you, don't bother us again, or you'll regret it." With that, he slammed the door shut. As Xander stared at the closed door, thoughts of their intimate encounter in the room and the man's embrace filled him with revulsion. Until now, he could have found excuses for her or deceived himself. But faced with undeniable evidence, he had no choice but to accept that his wife had been with another man and that he had been cuckolded. He turned away, tossing the bouquet of roses into a trash can before stepping into the elevator without looking back. Felix, watching Xander leave through the peephole, breathed a sigh of relief. "Mel, do you know that terrifying man?" Melody shook her head vigorously, muttering, "So scary! So scary!" "Oh no, Caterpie should be back from the supermarket by now!" The pair dashed out of the apartment just as another elevator opened. Abigail, carrying gifts for them and the freshly bought olive oil, looked at the flustered couple. "What's going on with you two?" Felix scrutinized Abigail to make sure she was alright, then relaxed. "You didn't run into any strange people, did you?" Abigail, puzzled, replied, "No, why?" Felix pulled her inside, closed the door, and peered through the peephole before explaining. "Some guy just knocked on our door. He seemed like bad news. I answered his questions honestly, but luckily I snapped out of it and chased him off." Melody nodded vigorously. "Yeah, the way he looked at me was like he wanted to devour me alive. So scary! Good thing Fee was quick to react." Hearing their account, Abigail hugged Melody. "Our neighborhood has a high turnover of residents. I heard there was a theft recently. We all need to be careful." Felix pulled out his phone. "I'll order a security camera for our door right now. If you're working late, call me beforehand, and I'll meet you downstairs." Abigail agreed. "Okay." Melody sighed. "What a waste of such a handsome face!" Abigail and Felix chimed in together. "Miss, don't be fooled by a man's good looks." Melody persisted. "But he was really, really handsome." Abigail and Felix just stared at her, speechless. Downstairs, Xander climbed back into his car, instructing the driver to head to Southcrest Residence. After more than two hours on the road, they arrived at Southcrest Residence late into the night. The villa was still brightly lit. Before Xander could step out of the car, he spotted a frail figure in the courtyard. The elderly woman, seeing his car, excitedly shook off the butler's support and hurried toward him. Xander quickly got out of the car and rushed to support her. "Grandma." "Xander, where's Abigail?" The elderly woman craned her neck to look past him into the car, and her bright eyes dimmed when she did not see who she was hoping for. "If you didn't bring her, why are you here?" "Grandma, I came to talk to you about the situation between her and me." Xander helped her into the house and asked the butler to leave them alone. Sensing something was wrong, the elderly woman felt uneasy. "Is Abigail mad at you and doesn't want to see you? Should I call her to explain on your behalf?" Xander's sensual thin lips curved with a touch of coldness. "She's seeing someone else." "What? What nonsense are you talking about?" Margaret angrily snatched a cushion from the sofa and threw it at Xander. "Abigail isn't that kind of person; she would never do such a thing. Don't tarnish her reputation." Xander sneered. "I saw it with my own eyes. Do you think I'm lying?" Margaret hesitated. "Xander, could it be a misunderstanding? Should I call her and ask?" Xander spoke gravely. "I called her the day I returned, and I heard a man's voice in the background. I lied to myself that it might be a misunderstanding. But today, when I went to her place to pick her up, I saw her hugging and holding that man. Do you still think it's a misunderstanding?" Infidelity is unbearable for anyone, especially for Xander. Even though his marriage to Abigail was not built on love, Margaret knew he could not swallow this bitter pill. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her emotions were hidden. "What do you plan to do now?" Xander coldly uttered, "Divorce." The divorce was the last thing Margaret wanted, but Abigail had found someone else, and that left her no choice. She continued. "Xander, I know you're furious, but try to think from Abigail's perspective. A girl marries a man she's only met once, and after registration, her husband disappears. She has no feelings for him, so if she meets someone suitable, it's not entirely wrong." Xander raised an eyebrow. "And?" Margaret continued. "Maybe we should wait for her to initiate the divorce, giving each other some dignity." "Dignity?" Xander removed his silver-rimmed glasses and casually wiped them, his expression a mix of amusement and bitterness. "Grandma, if it weren't for your sake, I would have made that pair of lovebirds disappear from Florivera. And you still want me to give them dignity? Did she consider my dignity when she slept with another man?" Margaret sighed. "Before you registered your marriage, I met Abigail a few times. She's an excellent girl, and I thought you'd be happy together, which is why I arranged the marriage. It's my fault for pushing you into marriage when you didn't want to, or this wouldn't have happened." Once a powerful and influential businesswoman, who had weathered countless storms and faced formidable opponents with a steely resolve, Margaret now found herself apologizing to a young upstart for the sake of a blonde bimbo. Xander's heart ached as he watched this scene unfold, and the anger he had been suppressing boiled up once again. "Grandma, no one can push me around, and no one can betray me." He had lived for over two decades without ever meeting a girl he liked, nor had he ever considered falling in love with anyone. When his grandmother wanted him to get married, he felt it did not matter who he married, so he agreed. The marriage was not built on love, but from the moment he decided to marry her, he was prepared to spend a lifetime with her, never once considering betraying her. He never imagined that when he arrived at her place with a car full of gifts, he would be greeted by the sight of her living with another man. Margaret knew him well enough to blame herself for what had happened, even if it was just to protect the girl. "Xander, I made a solemn promise to Abigail's grandmother that my grandson would treat her granddaughter well. She trusted me and agreed to the marriage. I don't want to face my old friend with shame. Please, do me one last favor, and I won't interfere in your love life or future marriages." Xander could not stand to see his grandmother so humbled, and agreed. "Fine, I'll let her save face." With the crisis averted, Margaret barely had time to catch her breath before Xander called his private lawyer. "Michael, prepare the divorce papers." Margaret, alarmed, asked, "Xander, what are you...?" She still did not fully understand him. After hanging up the phone, Xander said, "Grandma, you should rest. I'm heading back to Florivera." As she watched his tall, lonely figure walk away, Margaret realized for the first time that she might have made a mistake. She did not want her grandson's marriage to be like his parents', a union built on exchanging interests. So, she arranged for him to marry a girl from an ordinary background, hoping their love would be pure and unblemished. Unfortunately, she overlooked the fact that a good marriage required emotional connection.