Walking Away While Pregnant: Dear Ex-Husband, I Don't Love You Anymore Chapter 43

Night had fallen over the Harper family estate, and luxury cars lined the sprawling driveway one after another.

By the ti Elise arrived, most of the guests had already gathered.

Ethan had brought her there, but the mont she stepped out of the car, he left her to fend for herself.

Leah was dressed in a custom-made silk dress, her hair pinned into a flawless bun behind her neck. Every detail, from her jewelry to her polished appearance, radiated the refinent and extravagance of a wealthy socialite.

She erged from the lively crowd with a warm smile on her carefully maintained face and took Elise’s hand.

"You must be exhausted from work, Elise. I’ve already placed your gown upstairs. The banquet is about to begin, so let’s go change first."

In public, Leah always played the role of the loving mother to perfection. Her performance never disappointed.

Expressionless, Elise allowed herself to be led away while several affluent won showered her with polite complints and flattery.

The mont they reached the second floor, however, Leah released her hand. The smile faded from her face almost instantly.

Lowering her voice, she snapped, "Could you not even manage a smile just now? Why do you always walk around with that sour expression? Who exactly are you trying to offend?"

The criticism entered one ear and exited the other.

Elise had heard it too many tis.

She was used to it. Numb to it. And far too tired to argue.

Ever since the day Leah had suggested she acknowledge Robin as her own child, the last traces of mother-daughter affection she still held had completely withered away.

The only reason she continued returning to this house and helping maintain appearances was out of respect for the fact that they had raised her.

Walking ahead, Leah stopped outside Elise’s forr bedroom and pushed the door open.

"Dylan will be here tonight as well. Be smart about this. I don’t care what’s going on between the two of you behind closed doors. In public, you will play the role of Mrs. Bennett properly."

No response ca from behind her. Frowning, Leah turned around.

Elise was still standing outside the room, looking down at her phone, completely ignoring every word she had said.

"Elise!" Anger surged through Leah’s entire body. She strode over and smacked Elise sharply on the arm.

"Did you hear a single word I just said?"

Clatter.

The phone slipped from Elise’s hand and hit the floor. Pain shot through her arm where she’d been struck.

Her brows knitted together. Bending down, she picked up her phone before lifting her gaze to Leah.

Her face was devoid of emotion. Her voice was equally cold.

"There’s sothing I’ve wanted to ask you for years."

Leah froze.

Elise looked directly at her.

"Is a marriage that’s dead in everything but na, held together solely by responsibility and appearances, really worth that much?"

For a few seconds, Leah seed unable to process the question. Then outrage exploded across her face.

"Elise, don’t give that nonsense. Marriages in wealthy families have always been built on interests and alliances first."

"I see." A faintly mocking smile tugged at Elise’s lips. "As long as you’re happy with it."

She stepped around Leah and walked into the room.

"I’ll change and co downstairs on my own. You don’t need to worry about ."

Her indifferent attitude nearly made Leah lose her temper. But with so many guests waiting downstairs, she could only suppress her anger.

"Just rember what I told you."

With that, she turned and left. The bedroom door closed behind her.

At last, silence returned. Leaning against the door, Elise shut her eyes. An overwhelming weariness settled over her.

North City was enormous, yet nowhere within it truly belonged to her.

Perhaps that was for the best. When the ti ca to leave, she would have no reason to look back.

The evening gown Leah had prepared for her was a haute couture design. Its elegant simplicity and soft lotus-pink shade would have complented her complexion perfectly.

But Elise had no intention of wearing it.

She hadn’t returned tonight to maintain the illusion of a happy family. Nor had she co to pretend she and Dylan were a loving couple.

Her purpose was simple––she was here to make her position on the divorce absolutely clear.

As for the charade of family harmony and marital bliss... Anyone who enjoyed acting could perform it themselves.

Downstairs, the celebration grew increasingly lively. The birthday banquet had officially begun.

Elise decided she would wait until most of the guests had left before making an appearance.

Yet not long after the festivities started, soone knocked on her door.

She had locked it from the inside.

When no one answered, the visitor knocked again. Annoyance flickered across her face.

Assuming it was Leah or another mber of the Harper family, she rolled off the bed, crossed the room, and opened the door.

Dylan stood outside. Dressed in a tailored black suit, he looked tall, composed, and impossibly striking.

Elise paused, startled. Then she frowned.

"Dylan, we’ve already signed the divorce agreent. You didn’t need to co tonight."

His dark eyes rested steadily on her.

"We haven’t finalized the divorce yet. Legally, we’re still married."

"We signed the papers and we’re already in the mandatory cooling-off period."

Her tone was rciless. "As far as I’m concerned, you’re already my ex-husband."

Not a shred of courtesy remained.

"So there was absolutely no reason for you to show up tonight."

Dylan’s expression remained calm.

"As long as the divorce certificate hasn’t been issued, I’m still your husband. If I skip my father-in-law’s birthday banquet, people will talk."

A cold laugh escaped her.

"Oh, now you’re worried about appearances?"

Her eyes sharpened.

"When you were openly appearing everywhere with Quinn and Robin, where was this concern about what people might say?"

Normally, Dylan would have left the mont soone spoke to him this way. But tonight, he seed determined to play the role of the devoted husband.

Even after being confronted so directly, he remained completely unfazed.

"The banquet has already started," he said evenly. "We should go downstairs."

His infuriating composure made Elise feel as though she were punching cotton.

The frustration inside her only deepened.

"Dylan." Her voice turned icy. "I didn’t co back to celebrate my father’s birthday."

He looked at her silently.

"I ca to tell them that we’re getting divorced."

A faint smile touched his lips. "And do you really think they’ll agree with this?"

"Don’t think using the Harper family to pressure will make change my mind." Her gaze was unwavering. "I’ve never been more certain."

A bitter laugh escaped her.

"And thanks to you, that slap my mother gave last ti finally woke up."

Without waiting for a response, she slamd the door shut.

Outside, Dylan stared at the closed door. Dark emotions flickered through his eyes.

After a long mont, he pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away.

Then he headed downstairs alone.

Back inside, Elise sat on the window seat, gazing out into the night. Guests drifted through the illuminated garden below. Laughter echoed beneath the strings of lights.

The celebration was vibrant and full of life. Yet none of it had anything to do with her.

The exhaustion she’d been suppressing slowly spread through her body.

Drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around herself and buried her face against them.

Ti slipped by unnoticed. Just as she was beginning to drift off, another knock sounded at the door.

Elise lifted her head.

"Who is it?"

"It’s ." A young woman’s voice answered from outside.

She paused. Then the woman added, "I’m alone."

After a mont’s hesitation, Elise climbed down from the window seat and opened the door.

The woman standing outside made her lips tighten briefly before she greeted her softly.

"Sis..."

The visitor was Rina, the third daughter of the Harper family and Elise’s half-sister.

"I noticed you never ca downstairs, so I brought you sothing to eat."

Rina extended the tray in her hands.

Elise lowered her gaze. Every dish on the tray happened to be one of her favorites.

"No matter how angry you are, you shouldn’t take it out on your own body."

Rina brushed past her and entered the room, setting the tray on the small table in front of the sofa.

Elise turned to watch her, her emotions tangled once more.

Truthfully, they weren’t close.

She knew only that Rina had beco an exceptionally successful film director, spending most of the year working elsewhere and returning ho only for the father’s birthday banquet and sotis New Year’s Eve.

The four Harper siblings had rarely interacted while growing up. They knew little about one another. Naturally, there wasn’t much affection between them.

That was why Rina’s gesture surprised her. It even left her feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Turning around, Rina found Elise still standing there and raised an eyebrow.

"What? Afraid I poisoned it?"

Elise snapped back to reality. "No."

"Then eat." Rina sat down on the sofa and bent forward to rub her calf. "I haven’t attended one of these social gatherings in ages. Honestly, I’m struggling to adapt."

She was breathtakingly beautiful. People often said she’d inherited the exceptional looks of her late mother.

Elise had never t that woman, but she’d heard the stories growing up.

William Harper’s first wife had once been a celebrated actress at the height of her fa. After marrying into the Harper family, she retired from the entertainnt industry to beco a full-ti society wife.

Tragically, she passed away from illness only a year after giving birth to Rina.

Seeing Elise still unmoving, Rina laughed. "You really think I’d poison you?"

Elise smiled helplessly. "Stop teasing ."

She closed the door and walked over. Looking at the spread of food before her, she realized she wasn’t particularly hungry.

Yet the sight of her favorite dishes suddenly made her crave them.

Pregnancy had a way of making her appetite completely unpredictable.

Thinking of the baby growing inside her, she stopped overthinking and picked up her chopsticks.

After only a few bites, however, her stomach lurched violently.

Her expression twisted as a wave of nausea surged upward.

Clapping a hand over her mouth, Elise bolted toward the bathroom, leaving Rina utterly stunned.