Ethan's expression was as flat as a glass of plain water. He walked over and sat down, opening the lid somewhat awkwardly, and brought a small spoonful of porridge to Seraphina's lips.

The savory aroma drifted into Seraphina's nose, reawakening the appetite that had faded due to her illness, and her mouth seemed to desperately want another flavor to replace the bitterness within.

Seraphina hesitated for a brief moment before parting her lips to take the spoonful.

However, the porridge was too hot, causing her brows to knit instantly as she sucked in several breaths of cool air.

Ethan froze, tightening his face in a trace of self-reproach. When he scooped the second spoonful, he deliberately blew on it before extending it again.

With this back and forth, Seraphina finished the bowl of porridge, and the very last bottle of her IV fluid finally finished dripping as well.

The nurse came over to withdraw the needle, and Ethan, carrying her medicine, led Seraphina out of the hospital.

Watching Ethan throw the car door open, Seraphina did not climb inside. She stared at him, her fingers rubbing the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with an inescapable shroud of worry and confusion.

An Ethan like this was far too abnormal.

The corners of Ethan's mouth curved up into a mocking chuckle. "Looking down on my car this quickly?"

Seraphina furrowed her brows, lowering her head to fumble through her pockets. However, when Ethan rushed her to the hospital, he hadn't brought her bag along, so her phone, paper, and pen were all left inside the bag.

She shot Ethan a slight glare—could he not just cast all of that aside and speak to her properly?

Ethan's grip on the car door tightened. He straightened his posture and stared at her, "...".

Suddenly, a car pulled up right behind his vehicle, and Julian Vance stepped down. Ethan's face darkened completely in an instant, and with a loud thud, he slammed the car door shut.

Seraphina's entire body jolted. She stared at him blankly, but seeing his gaze lock onto the space behind her, she couldn't help but turn around to look.

Dressed in a gray turtleneck sweater and a black trench coat, Julian stood a few paces away from her, seemingly holding a piece of paper in his hand.

Seeing that Seraphina's face wasn't entirely pale, Julian finally set his mind at ease. He didn't even spare Ethan a single glance, speaking directly to her, "I only found out you were here after asking Leo. How are you feeling? Are you a bit better?"

Seraphina instinctively turned her head to look at Ethan. To her surprise, he didn't glare at either her or Julian with his usual deep, bitter hatred; instead, he stood facing his car, his weakly lowered eyes concealing every ounce of his emotion, making it completely impossible to read him.

Her heart wrenched, and she slightly parted her lips, forgetting for a split second that she couldn't speak.

Julian's expression turned solemn. He lifted the paper in his hand, his voice rising several decibels along with it, "By the way, this is the divorce agreement CEO Vance left behind at the office."

Chapter 40: Leeway

Julian didn't feel in the slightest that he was adding fuel to the fire.

He shot a glance at Ethan, who had visibly stiffened, his eyes filled with a trace of disdain; now that everything he cared about was gone, he was left with nothing but that foul temper of his.

Seraphina stared at the light piece of paper in Julian's hand. Beside her own signature, the name "Ethan Vance" looked exceptionally jarring.

Just like that, a thin piece of paper brought a marriage to an absolute end. Her chest felt heavily stifled, looking as though she still couldn't entirely let go.

She had always wanted the two of them to simply go their separate ways and find peace after the divorce, but actually witnessing Ethan's signature didn't bring her much relief.

Staring at his own reflection on the car window, the unwillingness, fury, and trace of helplessness on his face made Ethan thoroughly detest himself.

He actually had such a wretched moment!

On the day he asked Seraphina to meet, the two had parted on bad terms, and in a fit of pique afterward, he had fiercely signed his own name beside the signature Seraphina had previously left on the divorce agreement.

What was this supposed to be—digging his own grave or reaping what he sowed?

Ethan couldn't stop a self-deprecating chuckle from rising within his chest. The old patriarch truly possessed remarkable foresight, knowing that he had originally married Seraphina solely to inherit Vance Enterprises, so the moment he cast Seraphina aside, Vance Enterprises was stripped away along with her.

Seraphina stretched out her hand, taking the paper that felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and turned her head to look at Ethan.

Yet, Ethan suddenly shoved her bag into her arms, rounded the vehicle to climb into the driver's seat, and with a sharp slam of the door, started the engine and drove far away.

Seraphina's expression froze. She instinctively chased after him for two paces, watching the car dissolve into the traffic before completely vanishing around the corner, her aching heart looking as though it were suddenly covered in a layer of dust.

She crumpled the paper tightly until deep wrinkles formed, her gaze seemingly drifting far away along with the departing man.

Julian bit his lip, stepping forward to pat Seraphina on the shoulder. "Are you very worried about him?"

Seraphina hesitated for a brief moment, before nodding honestly.

Seeing this, the light in Julian's eyes dimmed a shade further. He merely knew that Ethan would be unable to face Seraphina due to losing Vance Enterprises, but he had forgotten that inside Seraphina's heart, she was still completely unable to forget Ethan—even, she still loved Ethan...

Seraphina stared at the divorce agreement in her hands, the rims of her dry eyes turning warm.

She suddenly pulled a bank card, paper, and pen from her bag, wrote on the paper for a moment, and handed both items together to Julian.

Julian froze slightly, taking them blankly. He glanced at the bank card, before fixing his eyes onto the note.

Thank you for your help over these past few months. I am no longer undergoing the surgery. This card contains eleven thousand. I know it is nothing compared to the medical expenses you took upon yourself for me, but I will absolutely repay you every single cent.

Catching sight of the final words, Julian's hand gripped the paper fiercely, nearly crushing it into a ball.

He lifted his head, slamming directly into Seraphina's clear, pristine eyes, the words in his mouth catching completely in his throat.

He knew Seraphina didn't love him; in fact, even before she married Ethan, she had laid bare her feelings to him, making it clear she viewed him merely as an elder brother.

He had simply been clinging to a desperate hope all this time, and now, facing this bank card, he realized he was rather farcical.

He had originally intended to step into the void left behind by Ethan, only to discover that Seraphina's heart had never opened even a single fraction of a crack for him.

"Your heart truly is far too soft," Julian looked at her helplessly. "This is all his retribution, shouldn't you be thrilled?"

Hearing this, Seraphina's brows knit slightly.

She didn't feel thrilled at all; instead, she felt deeply worried for Ethan. Because she had once inhabited the exact same emotional space, she knew precisely how agonizing it was for Ethan right now.

Julian cast a glance in the direction Ethan had departed, speaking flatly, "You don't need to worry about him landing on the streets either. The patriarch merely transferred Vance Enterprises; he didn't require him to hand his personal wealth over to me as well."

Chapter 41: His Warmth

Julian withdrew his gaze and looked deeply at Seraphina one last time, as if bidding a final farewell to something.

"Seraphina, you and I are nothing more than tools arranged by Grandfather for Ethan's growth."

Seraphina's eyes were filled with utter confusion. Grandfather Vance had never thought highly of Ethan during his lifetime, so how could she and Julian be Ethan's "tools"?

Julian took a deep breath and finally let out a long sigh. "Vance Enterprises will still be his, but he must climb up step by step. Once he can stand firm, he will still be the CEO of Vance Enterprises."

Having said this, he couldn't help but think of the shrewd, calculating old patriarch. If it weren't for Mr. Harrison's explanation, he might have believed that Grandfather had truly gone mad to hand Vance Enterprises over to an adopted grandson like him.

But Grandfather had only given Ethan five years. Could Ethan pull it off?

Seraphina pondered over it but remained completely in the dark. She simply tucked the divorce agreement away first, preparing to look for Ethan.