Chapter 11 #2
By the third day, every glance at her silent phone left a little more disappointment behind than the last. Even Benjamin, who had promised to update her once he reached Xavier, never called.
The waiting slowly became the hardest part.
Each passing hour fed the uneasiness she had tried so desperately to ignore, until the knot in her chest seemed to settle there permanently.
It wasn't until the evening of the fourth day that the silence was finally broken.
The front door of the Chen Manor swung open downstairs, followed by the faint sound of footsteps echoing through the entrance hall.
A few seconds later, hurried footsteps raced up the staircase.
The bedroom door was knocked on in quick succession before it opened just enough for Layla, one of the housemaids, to peek inside.
Her face was bright with relief.
"Miss Foster," she called, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. "Mr. Chen has returned home."
Elise's gaze lifted from the phone in her hands the instant she heard Layla's voice. A wave of relief washed over her so suddenly that she almost laughed.
"Xavier’s back?"
The anxious weight that had been pressing on her chest for the past three days seemed to loosen all at once.
Without wasting another second, she threw the blanket aside and hurried out of bed, reaching for the silk robe draped over the armchair beside her.
She slipped it over her shoulders as she walked, hastily tying the belt around her waist before stepping into her slippers.
"Did you take his bag?" she asked, smoothing a hand over her slightly rumpled hair. A small smile touched her lips despite the hour. "He must be exhausted."
Already thinking about the things he would need after days of traveling, Elise brushed past the end of the bed and headed for the bedroom door.
Before she could take more than a few steps, Layla hurried in front of her, blocking her path.
"Miss Foster..."
Something in the maid's voice made Elise pause.
She looked up, only to find Layla standing there with an uneasy expression, her hands clasped nervously in front of her apron.
A faint crease formed between Elise's brows.
"What is it?"
Layla lowered her eyes briefly before looking back up, as though struggling to find the right words.
"Mr. Chen..." She swallowed. "...he didn't come back alone."
Elise's smile slowly faded.
"What do you mean?"
"He..." Layla's fingers twisted nervously in front of her apron. "He came back with a woman."
Silence filled the room.
For a heartbeat, Elise simply looked at her, unable to comprehend what she'd just heard.
Then Layla forced herself to continue.
"Mr. Chen told everyone that..." Her voice grew quieter with every word. "...she'll be the mistress of this house from now on."
The color drained from Elise's face.
Elise stood rooted to the spot, staring at Layla as though she hadn't understood what she'd just heard.
For several long seconds, her mind refused to process the words, leaving her frozen in place while an unbearable silence settled around her.
Her fingers slowly tightened around the belt of her robe, and every muscle in her body stiffened as the reality of Layla's words began to sink in.
Xavier had come home.
But he hadn't come home alone.
It took everything she had to steady herself. She slowly straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, forcing herself to look composed even as the ground seemed to crumble beneath her feet.
"I... see."
The words came out rough and almost inaudible.
The smile that had brightened her face only moments ago disappeared without a trace. The light in her eyes dimmed, replaced by a quiet emptiness that made her expression change so completely that even Layla noticed it.
Concern immediately crossed the maid's face.
"Miss Foster..." she called softly. "Are you all right?"
Elise didn't answer.
She wasn't sure she knew how.
A familiar ache spread through her chest, one she had spent years pretending no longer existed.
Ever since she was a child, she'd lived with the quiet fear that people eventually left—that no matter how much they cared for her, there would come a day when they realized she wasn't worth keeping.
Her birth parents had proven that to her long ago, and although she'd found a loving family in Kevin and Grace, that fear had never truly disappeared.
Now, hearing that Xavier had returned home with another woman...
The fear she'd buried for so many years no longer felt like a fear.
Elise's gaze slowly shifted back to Layla.
Despite everything she was feeling, her voice remained soft when she spoke, carrying the same gentle warmth she always used with the people around her.
"Where is the woman Xavier brought back?"
Layla hesitated.
The brief pause was enough for Elise to notice the discomfort in the maid's expression. Layla lowered her eyes for a moment before answering carefully.
"She's downstairs, Miss Foster. Mr. Chen has just entered the house with her."
Elise remained silent for a second, then gave a small nod.
"Take me there."
Layla looked at her with concern but didn't question her. She quietly stepped aside and guided Elise out of the bedroom, leading her through the hallway toward the staircase.
With every step down, Elise could feel the strange heaviness in her chest growing stronger.
Xavier stood in the center of the living room, his tall figure as commanding as ever. One of the maids was taking his suit jacket from him while another collected the luggage that had been brought inside.
There was a gorgeous woman standing beside him.
The quiet movement on the staircase caught the attention of the maids nearby, and several of them turned around. Their whispers started almost immediately, low enough that they clearly thought no one could hear them.
But Elise heard every word.
"Mr. Chen brought another woman back to the house..."
"Does that mean Miss Foster isn't his wife anymore?"
"What do you mean? When was she his wife?"
"They were supposed to get married, weren't they? Maybe the wedding was canceled."
Elise’s eyes found Xavier standing in the living room. Then they shifted to the woman beside him.
She was beautiful.
The woman had short brunette hair that framed her delicate features, with a charming face that carried both sweetness and sophistication.
She wore an elegant white outfit that looked expensive without appearing overly flashy.
The long skirt flowed smoothly over her figure, becoming sheer from the thighs down to her ankles, with a subtle slit adding a touch of elegance.
Her off-shoulder white top completed the refined appearance, making her look like someone who had been raised in the same privileged world as Xavier.
The woman noticed Elise approaching and turned her gaze toward her. Their eyes met briefly, but she didn't say anything. She simply studied Elise quietly before returning her attention to Xavier's side.
And then Xavier's eyes met hers.
He looked at her calmly, almost as though the past three days had not happened. There was no sign of the anger she expected to see, no trace of the frustration from their argument on the yacht.
"This is Astrid," he said, his voice steady as he gestured toward the woman beside him. "I'm in love with her. She will be staying in this house with me from now on."
Without waiting for Elise to answer, Xavier turned away and looked toward Layla.
"Take Astrid's luggage and prepare the guest room."
Layla gave a respectful nod before quickly moving toward the suitcase near the entrance. She lifted it carefully and carried it toward the guest room on the ground floor, leaving the three of them standing in the quiet living room.
Elise's eyes followed her until she disappeared down the hallway. After a quiet breath, she lowered her gaze and composed herself before continuing down the remaining steps.
By the time she reached the bottom, a gentle smile had returned to her face. It was the same soft smile she had always given Xavier, the one filled with warmth and concern.
"You've been away for several days," Elise said softly as she approached them. "How are you feeling? The journey must have been exhausting. Would you like something to drink? Or perhaps something to eat?" she asked gently. "You must be tired after such a long trip."
Xavier's expression shifted slightly.
For the first time since she had come downstairs, he seemed unable to immediately respond. He had clearly expected anger, questions, or even accusations, but Elise walked to him with the same patience and gentleness she had always shown him.
Before he could answer, however, Elise stepped past him.
Her attention was no longer on Xavier.
Instead, she walked toward Astrid.
The unexpected movement caused Xavier's brows to draw together slightly as he watched her approach the woman beside him.
Elise stopped in front of Astrid, her steps unhurried as she looked at the young woman standing beside Xavier. A gentle smile naturally curved her lips, and she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before extending her hand in greeting.
"Hi. I'm Elise." Her voice was as soft and warm as ever, carrying the same kindness she showed everyone she met. "I don't know whether Xavier has told you about me or not, but—"
"He has," Astrid replied with an arrogant smile as she accepted the handshake. "He told me about you. You're the woman who was supposed to marry him, aren't you? The girl his parents forced him to date?"
Elise nodded without the slightest hesitation.
"Yes, that's me."
She withdrew her hand and folded both hands loosely in front of her, her gaze briefly shifting toward Xavier before returning to Astrid.
"But now that you're here, I suppose that won't be happening anymore." Her tone remained light and matter-of-fact, as though she were simply acknowledging an obvious change in circumstances. "You're very beautiful, by the way."
Astrid blinked, visibly surprised by the compliment.
"Thank you," she answered after a moment, studying Elise with quiet curiosity.
Xavier froze.