Elyse had spent the entire day on set. By the time she finished, she noticed more than ten missed calls from Laurie Blake on her phone.

Her already frayed nerves from a long day were now stretched to their breaking point.

Laurie was Trevor's mother. When she was younger, she had been quite famous in Elerith—graceful, gentle, and admired by many. After marrying into the Blake family, she rose to prominence among the elite social circle of Elerith.

Laurie had never held a favorable opinion of women like Elyse, who were part of the entertainment world. In her eyes, Elyse was unworthy of her son and brought shame to the Blake family's reputation.

After they got married, Trevor seldom took Elyse back to Blake Manor unless there was no other choice, as his family never welcomed her kindly.

Before, Elyse had chosen to tolerate everything to spare Trevor any awkwardness, reminding herself that they were his family and she simply had to endure it.

But now, everything had changed. She was already preparing to leave Trevor. Since he had betrayed her, why should she continue to endure any slight for his sake?

At that moment, her phone rang. It was Laurie again.

Elyse picked up the call, and Laurie's reproachful voice came through instantly. "Why are you only answering now? Do you have any idea how many times I've tried calling you today? Are you really that occupied?"

"Yes, I've been busy. What do you need?" Elyse replied, tone flat.

It was the first time Elyse had addressed Laurie this way, catching her off guard. Unable to find any fault with it, Laurie suppressed her reaction and went straight to the point. "Come to Blake Manor immediately. I have something to discuss with you."

"Alright. Anything else?" Elyse responded indifferently.

"What kind of tone is that?" Laurie demanded sharply.

Elyse gave a mocking laugh. She had only shown a hint of impatience, yet Laurie already couldn't handle it. All this time, she had been mistreated and slighted at Blake Manor.

"If that's all, I'm hanging up now." With those words, Elyse disconnected the call.

"It's been three years of marriage, and she still refuses to acknowledge you as family?" Anthony huffed, indignant on Elyse's behalf.

"Yeah, but I'll be divorced soon. Whether she accepts me or not won't matter anymore," Elyse replied casually.

"So, are you still planning to go to Blake Manor?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? I want to see what she's up to this time."

At ten that evening, Elyse reached Blake Manor. Unlike the anxiety she usually felt coming here, she was remarkably calm tonight.

The housekeeper opened the door and immediately spoke with a hint of sarcasm. "What kept you so long to come here? Your mother-in-law is about to retire for the night."

In the past, Elyse would have swallowed the slight without a word, mindful that the housekeeper held a special place in Trevor's life. But that version of her no longer existed.

Elyse rolled her eyes. Her voice turned cool and cutting. "Then I'll take my leave now. She could've said so during the phone call. I was told to come right away, but now that I'm here, you're telling me it's her bedtime. Does she find messing with me funny?"

"You..." The housekeeper faltered, clearly caught off guard. Seeing that Elyse was actually about to get back in her car and leave, she quickly said, "Mrs. Blake, I was just joking! Your mother-in-law is still inside, waiting for you!"

Elyse cast the housekeeper an indifferent glance before stepping past her, unwilling to waste energy on someone who thrived on minor authority.

The moment Elyse stepped into the foyer, the sound of laughter drifted from the living room. Laurie and a young woman were chatting and laughing about Trevor's childhood.

A faint sneer touched Elyse's lips. Clearly, Laurie was still intent on introducing a better match for her son. It was nothing new.

Yet this time, Elyse felt none of the unease that once haunted her. She walked in with ease, her pace confident.

The instant Elyse stepped into the living room, the atmosphere shifted. The smiles on both women's faces disappeared, and Laurie didn't bother concealing her disdain.

"You finally decided to show up? What could possibly keep you so occupied? You could never look after Trevor properly," Laurie spat, her expression sour.

Elyse didn't bother to hide the sarcasm on her face. "Trevor isn't a toddler in need of supervision. Do you see him as someone incapable of handling himself?" She glanced at the young woman. "Is she meant to be the maid you hired for him?"

"Mind your words, Elyse! What gives you the right to talk about my son like that?" Laurie snapped, her voice rising.

Elyse's defiance struck a nerve. Furious, Laurie seized her coffee mug and flung it at Elyse without hesitation. Elyse reacted quickly, lifting her arm to shield herself, but the scalding liquid still splashed across her skin, sending a sharp burn through her hand.

This time, Elyse wasn't about to take it lying down. Without missing a beat, she grabbed a cup nearby and threw it down forcefully at Laurie's feet.

The cup hit the floor with a sharp crack, breaking apart instantly as fragments scattered across the floor.

Laurie let out a startled scream.

"Elyse, what's gotten into you?" Trevor's voice rang out as he stepped in, immediately taking in the chaos before him.

The moment Laurie saw him, she immediately said, "Trevor, look at your wife! She actually raised her hand against me!"

Elyse stood there, her gaze distant and emotionless as she looked at the mother and son. The accusation in Trevor's eyes told her everything she needed to know. There would be no point in explaining. Without another word, she turned toward the exit.

Near the doorway, Trevor caught up to Elyse and grabbed her wrist—his grip landing right on her fresh burn. Her skin was already inflamed from the burn, yet he didn't notice at all.

A tightness rose in Elyse's throat, and her vision blurred as tears threatened to spill. She bit down hard on her lip, forcing the tears back. Lifting her chin, she met his gaze with quiet defiance.

Trevor looked at her as though she were a stranger. The Elyse he remembered had always been obedient, always showering him with affection regardless of how distant he was. "Elyse..."

Before he could continue, Elyse interrupted, her voice cutting through the air. "Shouldn't you be accompanying Joanna to her prenatal appointment today?"

That single question was enough to reveal that she knew about Joanna, and she had seen the message.

Trevor's expression tightened. A hint of unease flashed across his eyes. He instinctively tried to hold onto her, but she wrenched her hand free without hesitation.

It hit Trevor then—this wasn't a fleeting outburst. Elyse truly meant to leave him.

"I can explain. It's not what you're imagining," Trevor said, panic creeping into his voice.

Elyse stepped back, putting distance between them. Her tone turned icy. "Trevor, whatever she is to you doesn't concern me. What matters is that she's pregnant with your child. I won't accept betrayal. Let's end this marriage. Don't push me to despise you completely."

Laurie came out just in time to catch Elyse's words, her expression instantly brightening with excitement. "Trevor, is that true? Who's having your baby? That's fantastic news! Since Elyse is asking for a divorce, you should agree right away!"

A hollow smile tugged at Elyse's lips. She had expected this—his mother had been waiting for the day they ended things.

"Mom, can you stop picking on Elyse all the time? She wouldn't have reacted like this unless you crossed the line. And for the record, I have no intention of divorcing her," Trevor said firmly.

Elyse stared at Trevor with her reddened eyes. A dull ache spread through her chest, as if something inside was being carved away piece by piece. So he had always known what she endured, yet chose not to intervene. Perhaps to him, the peaceful facade was what mattered the most, even if it meant she suffered from mistreatment.

At this point, whatever fragile hope Elyse had left for Trevor was completely gone. Without hesitation, she turned and walked away.

Trevor moved to follow, but Laurie blocked his way. She held Trevor's arm and launched into a tirade. "The entire family opposed your marriage to Elyse. But you ignored us and married her behind our backs. What could she even bring to the table? She is all looks and no substance!"

Trevor tuned out her words and pulled his arm free from her grip before rushing after Elyse.

The moment Trevor was gone, Laurie wasted no time making a call for an investigation. If there really was another woman carrying his child, she intended to bring the woman into the Blake household without delay, no matter her background. Trevor's grandmother had long been waiting for a great-grandchild and would never allow a Blake descendant to remain outside the family. Once that woman entered Blake Manor, Elyse would be more than determined to leave Trevor.

The second Elyse settled into the car, Anthony's eyes dropped to her hand, and worry crept into his voice. "What happened to your hand?"

Brushing it off, Elyse barely looked at it. "It's nothing serious. Just a small burn."

Concern deepened in Anthony's expression as he studied it more closely. "It's already swollen. We're going to the hospital so you can get ointment. You've got a shoot tomorrow that focuses on your hands, and this can't be ignored."

Exhaustion weighed on Elyse as she shut her eyes. Anthony always took charge of her schedule, and she didn't need to worry about a thing. What stung was that Anthony had noticed her injury right away, while Trevor had remained unaware and even gripped that exact spot, adding to her discomfort.

Once they reached the hospital, Anthony handled everything from registration to picking up the medicine, leaving Elyse seated alone while she scrolled through her phone without interest.

Out of nowhere, a soft and pleasant voice drifted down to her. "Excuse me, miss, could you help me pick up this report?"

Only then did Elyse notice a medical report resting near her feet. Her gaze shifted to the woman who had spoken. She looked fragile and graceful, the kind of beauty that naturally drew protection from others. The gentle curve of her stomach hinted she was about five months pregnant.

Elyse leaned down and picked the report up. Thanking Elyse with a warm smile, the woman did not take the report back. Instead, she asked gently, "Would it be alright if I sat beside you?"

Giving a small nod, Elyse answered, "Of course."

Once seated, the woman caressed her belly. Seeing that Elyse seemed approachable, she began making small talk.

Elyse asked, "Did you come here on your own?"

"Yes. I'm five months pregnant now. My husband is a criminal investigator and is always busy with work. I don't want to trouble him over every little thing."

Hearing that made Elyse's thoughts jump straight to Trevor, who was also a criminal investigator.

The woman seemed to love her husband deeply, as her face brightened whenever she mentioned him. "Still, he treats me so well. He knew I wasn't feeling great during the pregnancy and that my mood was off, so he handed over his whole paycheck to me. And he bought me this bracelet. Isn't it lovely?"

A sudden stillness took hold of Elyse. Just last month, Trevor had given her a bracelet for their wedding anniversary, and it looked exactly like this one—almost identical. Could that really be just a coincidence? Same job. Same bracelet. Something in her chest faltered.

Elyse lowered her gaze to the report still resting in her hand. The name "Joanna Kirk" stood out sharply, almost searing itself into her sight.

Concern touched Joanna's expression as she asked, "What's wrong? You don't find it looks nicely?"

Elyse let out a self-mocking laugh. "So, Ms. Kirk, you go after another woman's husband?"

Color rushed across Joanna's cheeks, though it was unclear if it came from humiliation or fury. Words seemed ready to spill out, but before she could speak, Elyse set the report on her lap and said in an even tone, "Goodbye, Ms. Kirk."

At that moment, Anthony came back with the ointment in hand. One glance at Elyse's expression made him tense. "What happened? Is the pain getting worse?"

"No," Elyse answered, giving a small shake of her head.

"That's a relief. I noticed you speaking with someone earlier. That wasn't a fan who recognized you, right?"

A scoff slipped from Elyse as she replied, "No. That was Trevor's mistress. She just came over to stake her claim."

The words set Anthony off at once. He turned sharply, already heading back. "Damn it. I'll go deal with her myself," he muttered under his breath.

Before he could take another step, Elyse reached out to stop him. "What are you planning to do? Start something with a pregnant woman? Just let it go. We're divorcing anyway. Before long, none of this will concern me."

Right after that, her phone started ringing. Trevor's name flashed on the screen. Since everything between them had not been legally settled, she chose to answer.

"Elyse, where are you? I'll come get you. Let's not end things, alright? I'll explain whatever you want to know. Please don't shut me down," Trevor pleaded through the line.

He had returned home, only to see that over half of Elyse's things were gone, along with her suitcases. That meant she had already moved out the very next day after bringing up the divorce, leaving him with no chance to explain.

Elyse's tone was flat. "Trevor, I ran into Joanna."

Trevor's breathing faltered. When he spoke again, his tone turned gentle, as if he were trying to calm her down, urging her not to act impulsively or make any harsh decisions.

A cold smile formed on Elyse's lips. So he was nervous she might do something to Joanna.

Hanging up, Elyse blocked his number without hesitation. She would mail him the divorce papers soon.

As it happened, she was about to enter a month-long closed shoot. That break would give her space to settle her emotions and keep things from turning into an ugly confrontation before the divorce was finalized.