Secretly Married for 4 Years, He Regrets to Tears After the Divorce-Chapter 32: A Blaze That Reddened Half the Sky
Wren Sutton’s temples throbbed.
"Mom, we don’t need to treat him to dinner. He..."
Mrs. Sutton’s mind was made up. "He gave you a new car; I have to show our appreciation. Besides, you brought back so many things from the Lancaster family today. Leaving everything else aside, that box of tea alone is worth tens of thousands."
"I’ve prepared a return gift. After dinner, I’ll give it to Adrian to pass along to his grandmother. It’ll be a small token from your father and me."
The more Mrs. Sutton spoke, the happier she became.
"So it’s settled. I’ll call and book a restaurant now. You’re in charge of contacting Adrian."
Wren couldn’t get a word in edgewise and was forced to accept.
Just the thought of having to call Adrian Lancaster and invite him to dinner made her head ache.
Her reluctance was one thing. But even if she did call Adrian, there was no guarantee he would come. Not only would that be a disappointment, but she was also worried her mother would be embarrassed.
About fifteen minutes later, Mrs. Sutton had booked a restaurant. It was an exceptionally high-end place, a clear sign of her earnest intentions.
She sent the address and private room number to her daughter.
"Remember to forward this to Adrian. Tell him to get there anytime before seven in the evening. Any earlier might interfere with his work."
Wren glanced down at her phone, sitting cross-legged on the bed with a frustrated look on her face.
’What’s done is done. It looks like I have no choice but to call Adrian Lancaster.’
When Mr. Sutton learned the family was going out for dinner, he cut his fishing trip short and hurried home to get ready.
Mrs. Sutton took a dark green, floral-patterned silk qipao from her closet.
It was a form-fitting, vintage Chinese design that was both dignified and elegant.
It suited her perfectly, befitting her dignified air as a university professor. A string of pearls was the finishing touch, each element complementing the other.
Wren didn’t change. She was still in the same outfit she had worn to pick up the car.
At six o’clock in the evening, the family of three left right on time.
Wren drove while her parents sat in the back seat.
"Nina, you did let Adrian know, didn’t you?"
Wren mumbled a vague response.
"That’s good," said Mrs. Sutton.
"I didn’t get to have a proper drink with Adrian last time," Mr. Sutton said. "So today, I brought a bottle of Maotai."
"Just one bottle? Will that be enough?" Mrs. Sutton asked.
Mr. Sutton said confidently, "It’s plenty. A small drink is for enjoyment, a light buzz is just right. And even if it’s not enough, we still have a bottle of red wine. Between the four of us, it’ll be more than enough."
Mrs. Sutton nodded, smiling in relief.
Half an hour later, Wren pulled up to the restaurant entrance.
"Dad, Mom, you two go on ahead to the private room. I’m going to park the car."
"Alright." Mr. and Mrs. Sutton got out of the car.
Wren drove into the parking garage and found an open spot.
She unbuckled her seatbelt but didn’t get out right away.
Having put it off until the last possible moment, she finally took out her phone to call Adrian Lancaster.
RING... RING... RING...
The call went through, but no one picked up.
Wren paused for a moment before dialing again, deciding to give it one last try.
She felt conflicted as she waited.
Part of her wanted Adrian to answer, and part of her didn’t.
She wanted him to come, and at the same time, she didn’t.
RING... RING... RING...
Just as Wren’s patience was wearing thin, someone picked up. It wasn’t Adrian Lancaster, but Maya Marshall.
"Looking for Adrian?"
Wren wasn’t surprised to hear her voice. "Put him on the phone," she said coldly.
Maya Marshall let out a low, smug laugh. "He can’t come to the phone," she said, her voice dripping with provocation. "Adrian’s in the shower. You can tell me, and I’ll pass on the message."
Wren gripped her phone, suppressing a wave of fury.
’It wasn’t heartbreak she felt, but disgust.’
’How could someone be so shameless? To be a mistress and act so superior about it, with absolutely no sense of decency.’
’And Adrian Lancaster was a scumbag with no moral floor.’
"I don’t need you to pass on any message."
Wren prepared to hang up.
’Adrian Lancaster didn’t deserve this dinner.’
’Bringing him before her parents would be an insult to them. His very presence would taint the meal.’
"I heard you picked up a new car today," Maya said, clearly not ready to end the call, her voice filled with pointed interest.
"What’s it to you?" Wren retorted, her face like ice.
Maya laughed again, her tone dripping with smugness. "That Iceberry Powder pink Porsche Taycan? It was my reject."
Wren froze. Her heart plummeted, and a heavy, aching pain spread through her chest.
"Adrian originally bought the Iceberry Powder one for me, but I didn’t like it. Returning it would have been a hassle, and throwing it out felt like a waste, so we figured we might as well give it to you. It’s not the first time you’ve gotten my hand-me-downs, anyway."
Then, Maya hung up.
With a trembling hand, Wren put her phone away. The grating words, especially that last sentence, were like a sharp blade stabbing her in the heart, shredding her dignity.
’No wonder Adrian had suddenly brought up getting her a new car yesterday.’
’No wonder she was so surprised the car had been sourced so quickly—he’d only mentioned it yesterday, and today it was already sitting at the dealership.’
’No wonder she’d been shocked that Adrian even knew she liked Iceberry Powder pink.’
’So, the car was never meant for her at all. It was just a casual hand-off to get rid of it.’
Wren was filled with a seething rage. She felt like a clown, like Adrian and Maya were making a fool out of her together.
Furious, she slammed her fist onto the steering wheel.
Tears streamed down her face.
’It was one thing that he didn’t love her, but why did he have to trample all over her self-respect? Was she really such an easy target?’
’She would rather Adrian give her nothing at all than accept Maya’s leftovers.’
...
「In the Private Room」
Mrs. Sutton glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock sharp.
She looked toward the door again.
"Why isn’t Nina here yet? And Adrian hasn’t arrived either."
"She’s probably waiting for Adrian in the parking garage," Mr. Sutton said. "Don’t worry. If you’re hungry, we can have the waiter bring a dessert."
Mrs. Sutton waved a hand dismissively. "I’m not hungry. I’m just worried about why those two aren’t here yet. I hope nothing’s gone wrong."
Just then, a waiter knocked and entered, asking politely, "Sir, Ma’am, would you like us to begin serving?"
"Please wait a little longer," Mr. Sutton replied. "Our party isn’t all here yet."
The waiter agreed and was about to leave when Wren walked in. She smiled at the waiter and said, "We’re not waiting. You can start bringing the food."
Her expression was perfectly natural as she walked over and sat beside her mother.
Mrs. Sutton craned her neck to look at the doorway. "Where’s Adrian?"
"He had an urgent business trip to Bexley. The head of the branch office there absconded with company funds. It’s a huge mess, so he had to go handle it in person." Wren’s expression was so grave that it didn’t look like an act at all.
Shock gave way to anger for Mr. and Mrs. Sutton. Their attention immediately shifted to the absconding manager, and they spent a moment verbally tearing him apart.
Things rarely go as planned. Instead of blaming Adrian, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton comforted Wren.
"Dad, Mom, I’m fine. I was just worried you two would be upset."
"There was a good reason. It’s not like Adrian bailed on purpose. With a crisis that big at the company, your mother and I understand," Mr. Sutton said.
"Yes, we understand," Mrs. Sutton added.
A bitter sorrow made Wren want to cry, but she held back the tears.
’Adrian wasn’t worth it.’
After dinner, Wren drove her parents home. She dropped them off at the entrance to their building but didn’t get out of the car.
"Dad, Mom, I’m going to head out for a bit. I have my keys, so you don’t need to wait up for me."
"Be back early," Mrs. Sutton urged.
"I will."
...
Wren drove alone to the riverbank. Across the water, the lights of the city glittered.
Above, a few stars dotted the sky.
Wren got out of the car, her expression cold as stone.
She took out a can of gasoline she had brought and, without a moment’s hesitation, poured it all over the car’s interior. Then she lit a cigarette and tossed it inside. Her movements were unnervingly fluid.
By the time Isla Griffith arrived, the Iceberry Powder pink car was engulfed in a raging inferno, looking like it could explode at any second.
Isla was stunned by the sight, utterly speechless.
She didn’t have time to ask Wren what was happening. She just pulled her into her own car and sped away.
A moment later, with a deafening BOOM, the car exploded. The flames surged, burning even more fiercely and painting half the sky red.
