Chapter 4

My phone pinged with a notification. Dashiell had transferred ten million dollars to my account with a message:

"I was wrong about this. This is my compensation to you."

As I stared at the ten million in compensation, unable to dissolve my hatred, I finally realized that for the rest of my life, I needed to live for myself.

Having come to this realization, I felt a bit excited.

I replied to Elio's email: "Not far. Give me a month, and I'll come with you."

Ever since the fight with Dashiell, we had tacitly agreed to sleep in separate rooms.

I slept in the master bedroom, while he took the guest room.

But when I got up at night, I often saw the guest room door open and empty.

He was probably spending the night at Evelina's.

However, I no longer needed to care where he spent his nights.

I packed up my belongings from the bedroom, slowly arranging for them to be shipped. Elio would receive them abroad.

One day, Dashiell bought me a gift—a tiara I had been eyeing at the counter for a long time.

He even broke out a bottle of wine he had been saving for years and prepared a full dinner for me.

"Scarlett, Grandpa's birthday is in a few days. Can we stop fighting, just for now?"

Again, it was for the sake of both families' reputations. We were used to putting on a show at such big occasions anyway.

I agreed, "Alright." Since grandfather turned seventy, his birthday celebrations have always been grand affairs.

We went to the best restaurant in all of New York City, filling the entire place with people.

My family, Dashiell's family, and many business partners and friends were there.

Before entering, Dashiell reached out his hand to me, and I took it as usual.

He pried open my fingers and forcefully interlaced them with his.

No matter how hard I tried to break free, it only resulted in my knuckles aching.

Seeing that I had settled down, he smiled with satisfaction before stepping through the restaurant's main entrance.

Evelina was there too.

She was busy helping out the Stratton family.

The smile on Dashiell's face instantly vanished, replaced by a hint of unease in his eyes.

During the dinner, the ever-present topic of having children was once again thrust upon me.

My mom and mother-in-law took turns speaking.

"Are you two pulling our legs? It's been five years since you got married, and you've been trying for three years now. How come there's still no news?"

"Maybe you two should get yourselves checked out?"

"They absolutely must get checked. I'll arrange for them to do it tomorrow. I want to see what the hell is going on with them." I wiped the forced smile off my face as tears welled up, remembering what Dashiell had done.

I lowered my head, gently brushing away a teardrop with my pinky.

Forcing another smile, I poured a glass of wine. "Come on, it's Grandpa's birthday today. Let's not talk about this."

"May Grandpa's fortune be as boundless as the sea and you live a long and happy life."

My mother-in-law took away my wine glass. "Grandpa appreciates the sentiment, but you're trying to get pregnant now. You can't drink."

"Dashiell, you can't drink either."

Evelina patted her belly, a glint in her eye. She took my mother-in-law's hand and placed it on her stomach.

"Auntie, Scarlett isn't pregnant, but I am."

The entire table's mood soured for a moment.

She glanced at me. "I mean, you'll definitely be holding your first grandchild soon."

"Who knows, maybe even two."

"Dashiell's in such great shape. You should put your mind at ease."

I stole a glance at Dashiell. His furrowed brow instantly relaxed, and he gazed at Evelina with loving adoration. Evelina poured me a glass of wine. "Scarlett, you must have been scared out of your wits just now."

"It's all my fault. I have such a big mouth. Please don't take it personally."

She raised her glass, "I want to apologize to you. Even though you've been trying to conceive for three years without success, a little drink like this shouldn't hurt, right?"

I didn't look at her or respond.

Yet she continued to hold out her glass.

Dashiell anxiously snatched the wine glass from Evelina, "You're pregnant! What are you doing drinking?"

"Be careful of the baby in your belly."