Walking Away While Pregnant: Dear Ex-Husband, I Don't Love You Anymore Chapter 47

After ending the call, Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but Elise beat him to it.

"Pull over."

A slight frown appeared between his brows.

eting her gaze through the rearview mirror, he said, "We’re not in the city center yet. It isn’t safe to let you out here."

A cold laugh escaped her lips.

"Mr. Bennett, I think you’d better hurry off and rescue your precious Quinn."

Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Soone’s already here to pick up, so there’s no need for your concern."

Ahead, parked along the roadside, sat a white car with its hazard lights flashing.

Dylan had already noticed it. It was Elise’s Porsche Panara. The woman behind the wheel was Zoey.

He said nothing further. Silently, he pulled the Phantom over behind the Panara.

The mont the car stopped, Elise pushed open the door and stepped out.

Without sparing him a glance, she walked straight to the white Porsche, opened the passenger door, and slid inside.

Monts later, the Panara rged into traffic and disappeared into the brightly lit avenue ahead.

Dylan’s gaze lingered on the retreating taillights. Then he withdrew his eyes and turned the Phantom toward Orchard Manor.

By the ti Elise arrived ho, it was already ten o’clock.

Hunger gnawed at her stomach viciously.

She asked lissa to make her a simple bowl of chicken soup. At the mont, she desperately needed sothing warm and filling.

lissa moved quickly. Before long, a steaming bowl of soup was placed in front of her.

Elise imdiately lowered her head and began eating.

She had barely managed a few bites during the birthday banquet, and everything she’d eaten had co right back up.

Now, as she tasted the rich broth and perfectly cooked noodles, it felt like the most delicious al she’d ever had.

Zoey watched her devour the food without stopping and frowned.

"Does your family not feed you or sothing?"

Elise swallowed a mouthful of noodles and sighed.

"Eating in that house gives indigestion." She scooped a few floating carrots with her spoon. "Besides, I don’t plan on going back there ever again."

"Was it that bad?" Zoey looked genuinely shocked. "Your family is that terrifying?"

Elise shrugged.

"It’s hard to explain in a sentence or two." Then she sumd it up simply. "In that family, profit cos before everything else."

Zoey fell silent. After a mont, she nodded thoughtfully.

"Well... seeing what you’ve been through, suddenly being an orphan doesn’t seem so bad."

Elise shot her an amused glare before continuing to eat.

"Oh, right." Zoey suddenly rembered sothing. "My friend got back to tonight."

Elise looked up.

"The new identity can be arranged."

Zoey leaned forward. "And you’ll even be able to choose your own na."

A spark of excitent flickered in Elise’s eyes.

"What are you thinking?"

She considered it for a mont. Then a smile slowly appeared.

"Anastasia."

"Anastasia?" Zoey repeated it thoughtfully. "As in resurrection?"

Elise nodded. "Yes."

The smile on her lips deepened slightly. "Let it be the symbol of my rebirth."

She lowered her eyes. "I think it’s good.."

Zoey grinned. "I like it. The aning’s beautiful."

"Then that’s settled." Elise nodded. "Anastasia it is."

"Oh, another thing." Zoey rested her elbow on the table. "The organizers of tomorrow night’s charity gala personally delivered an invitation to the company this afternoon."

Elise arched a brow. "A charity gala?"

"You’ve donated more than anyone else over the past few years." Zoey pointed at her. "Apparently that makes you one of their VIP guests of honor."

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "They practically begged for you to attend."

Elise imdiately frowned.

"There’ll be a lot of people there, won’t there?" Her hand instinctively drifted toward her abdon. "I’m pregnant. The fewer public events, the better."

"I knew you’d say that." Zoey laughed. "So I already warned them you’re incredibly busy and might not be available."

Elise smiled. "That’s why you’re my favorite assistant."

Zoey snorted. "Assistant? More like unpaid life manager."

Elise set down her spoon.

"Before I leave the country, we still need to find soone reliable to take over the company."

"Exactly." Zoey pointed at herself. "I can help run things temporarily, but don’t expect to manage an entire company by myself. I’d burn the place down in a month."

Elise couldn’t help but laugh. Then her expression grew thoughtful.

"I built this company from nothing." A trace of reluctance surfaced in her eyes. "Handing it over completely doesn’t sit well with ."

She paused.

"But there’s no rush." She looked at Zoey. "Once I leave, you’ll still be here for a while."

"We have ti." Zoey nodded. "Don’t worry. I’ve already asked my friend overseas to start looking for suitable candidates."

A comfortable silence settled between them.

After a mont, Elise rubbed her aching temples.

"Honestly, none of these problems are particularly difficult." Her voice lowered. "The only thing standing in the way is the divorce."

She looked tired.

"If I can get the divorce certificate, everything else becos manageable."

A shadow crossed her eyes.

"But if Dylan refuses to let go..."

She trailed off. Zoey imdiately beca alert.

"What are you thinking?"

Elise t her gaze.

"If it cos to that..." Her hand settled protectively over her stomach. "Then I’ll take a more extre approach."

Zoey narrowed her eyes. "What kind of extre approach?"

Elise’s expression remained calm as she replied, articulating every word, "I’ll make sure Elise Harper disappears completely."

Silence.

Zoey stared, speechless. Then, her eyes widened.

"Wait." A beat passed. "Oh my God. You an..."

Realization struck like a thunderbolt. "You’re planning sothing that big?"

Elise shook her head. "Only if I’m left with no other choice."

She looked down at her abdon. Her expression softened imdiately.

"The cleaner the break..." Her voice beca almost a whisper. "The better chance my baby and I have at a truly new life."

***

The next morning, the manager of one of their manufacturing facilities in Switzerland called her phone.

A problem had arisen with a newly delivered batch of jewelry materials. Soone from headquarters would need to travel there and handle it personally.

Elise initially intended to go herself, but Zoey imdiately vetoed the idea.

"Absolutely not." She crossed her arms. "You’re in your first trister. No unnecessary travel. I’ll go myself."

After so consideration, Elise reluctantly agreed.

Zoey booked the earliest available flight and departed for Switzerland that afternoon.

At two o’clock, Elise received another phone call from the charity gala organizers.

Their persistence was impossible to refuse. After several polite attempts to decline, she finally gave in.

The event wasn’t limited to business elites. Many celebrities and entertainnt industry figures would also be attending.

Everyone would arrive dressed to impress.

Elise hadn’t attended a gala in years. None of the formal gowns in her closet suited her current condition.

In the end, she visited a boutique and chose sothing more practical.

Instead of an evening gown, she selected an elegant tailored suit styled with formal eveningwear elents.

She paired it with low heels.

Afterward, a stylist gave her a simple, understated makeup look. By the ti everything was finished, it was almost ti to leave.

She instructed her driver to take her directly to the venue.

The charity gala was grand even by North City’s standards.

Luxury vehicles filled the entrance. Business moguls mingled alongside famous actors, singers, and influencers.

The mont Elise stepped out of her car, she regretted coming.

Several dia crews lined both sides of the red carpet. Cara flashes erupted nonstop as photographers aggressively captured every arriving guest.

She had never enjoyed public attention.

Just as she was debating whether to quietly turn around and leave, a familiar voice called out behind her.

"Ms. Elise?"

She froze. Turning around, she found herself face-to-face with Alexander Hayes.

"Mr. Hayes!"

Surprise flashed across her face. She glanced at his suit, clearly much fancier than his usual look.

"You’re attending too?"

He smiled.

"The organizers wouldn’t stop calling." His expression turned amused. "It beca impossible to refuse."

His gaze swept around the entrance before returning to her.

"Are you here alone?"

Elise nodded. "My assistant is away on business in Switzerland."

She sighed. "Honestly, I didn’t want to co either. Unfortunately, the organizers were very persuasive."

Alexander chuckled.

"In that case..." He gestured toward the red carpet. "Would you like so company?"

Elise hesitated, but in the end, accepted his offer.

"Sure."

And so the two of them walked the red carpet together.

They signed the guest wall side by side before being escorted into the venue by event staff.

The last person Elise expected to see there was Quinn. Yet the mont she entered the ballroom, she spotted her.

Quinn stood among several young actresses, dressed in a custom-made burgundy evening gown.

Her makeup was flawless. A wine glass rested elegantly in her hand as she laughed and chatted with the group around her.

Standing beside her was Dylan.

Dressed in a black suit, he was engaged in conversation with a renowned film director.

The sight instantly sparked a realization. Dylan was opening doors for Quinn. Building connections. Creating opportunities.

Apparently, Quinn’s future in the business world had stalled. Now she was aiming for the entertainnt industry.

Elise’s lips curved into a cold smile.

So things never changed. Quinn’s ambition remained as fierce as ever.

Without another glance, Elise looked away.

Turning toward Alexander, she said, "I’m starving."

She nodded toward the buffet area. "Let’s go see what they have to eat."

The man smiled.

"Lead the way."

Together, they turned and headed toward the buffet tables. Across the ballroom, Dylan chose that exact mont to look up.

His gaze landed on their retreating figures. The warmth instantly vanished from his eyes.

A dark, unreadable shadow settled there instead.