Chase found Wendy's sudden flurry of messages strange. Given her usual behavior—she only contacted him when Henry was around—her multiple messages were unusual. From her perspective, if he truly wanted to salvage their marriage, he should have heeded her implicit cues and withdrawn. However, he no longer cared about her opinion, ignoring her messages and silencing his phone. He had no intention of returning home; if Wendy wished to remove his fingerprints, she was welcome to. He anticipated this as the extent of her actions. With Henry present, her first love clearly held priority. Yet, unexpectedly, in the dead of night, his door swung open. Half-asleep, Chase bolted upright as the room's lights snapped on. In the blinding glare, he saw Wendy in the doorway, her face etched with barely contained anger, momentarily disorienting him. Even during their time together, they had slept in separate rooms for a considerable period. Wendy often returned late, claiming she didn't want to disturb his sleep; in reality, since Henry's return, she had maintained a distant demeanor. Chase understood and remained unconcerned.

"What are you doing…" Chase hastily pulled the blanket higher. Wendy's lips twitched. Her tailored coat accentuated her figure. The lingering anger and chill from the outside couldn't fully obscure her beauty. Five years of marriage had weathered Chase, but Wendy remained unchanged. "Not bad. You've learned to run away from home," she remarked, shrugging off her coat and approaching the bed. Pausing beside him, she pinched his cheek. "You haven't gone out much these past few years, just staying home, secretly turning into a drama king?"

So she had come to berate him? Chase stared in disbelief, his brow furrowing. He slapped her hand away. Awakened at that hour, with such hostility, anyone would be angered, especially considering their pending divorce. He no longer owed her any courtesy. "If I'm so ridiculous, what are you doing here?" he challenged. "What, Mr. Henry left?" The instant the words escaped him, he saw Wendy falter, understanding dawning. "I just left, and Mr. Henry already moved in. Beautiful night, beautiful company. I really don't get why you came all the way here just to make yourself miserable." It was the first time in five years he'd spoken to her with such sarcasm. She seemed surprised, but considering Henry's presence, she understood his irritation. She attempted to calm him. "What are you throwing a fit for? I already told you, Henry and Joy don't have anywhere to stay right now. We've got plenty of rooms, and it's not like they're in the master bedroom. It won't affect you."

"Wendy, you didn't forget you signed something that day, did you?" Chase probed. Wendy nodded instantly. "Of course not. I even agreed to adopt a child with you. What are you still mad about? I wanted you to go back and take care of Joy because I thought it'd help you get used to the whole taking-care-of-a-kid thing. After all, we're going to have one too."

Chase fell silent. That was it. No wonder she'd signed so readily—she believed it was an adoption agreement. Seeing her confidence, he chuckled coldly. To avoid complications, he refrained from mentioning it was a divorce agreement. "Let's go. Go home," Wendy urged, tugging at the blanket. But Chase countered, "You can go home by yourself. Even Stella said that house is yours and has nothing to do with me. I know my place. No need to show up and be an eyesore. Besides, Mr. Henry's child should really be taken care of by him. If she gets hurt while she's with me, I can't afford to be held responsible."

"Chase!" Wendy snapped. He raised an eyebrow. "If you want to yell, go home and do it. Yell at Mr. Henry and his kid all you want. This is a hotel. Waking other people up in the middle of the night is kind of rude."

Wendy departed as she had arrived—wrapped in cold air and carrying her anger. Chase sighed, sinking back into the darkness. No wonder she'd signed so easily; she hadn't even examined the document. He mused that he might have included extra properties had he known. He chuckled softly; he wanted nothing from Wendy. Escaping her would allow him to rebuild his life. He believed in himself; he wouldn't succumb to misery. He had planned a smooth transition to life in Darovia, but his passport unexpectedly encountered problems. He sighed; if fate dictated it, he would stay a few more days.

Wendy stared blankly out the window. Chase still refused to return home. The previous night, lacking Chase's cooking, she ordered congee for Joy. After Stella left, she discovered Chase's location and prepared to find him. Henry offered, "Mr. Goodman's probably upset. Want me to come with you?"

"What about Joy?"

"She already took her medicine and went to sleep. It's fine. I'll go with you and help explain." His sincerity was unsettling. His insistence on accompanying her…suggested a shift in their dynamic.