Chapter 4

They took advantage of their friendship with Alexander to freely criticize her. "I can't believe you're still here. You've got some nerve." "Anyone with a shred of dignity would've stepped aside and filed for divorce the moment Alicia came back. How can you shamelessly cling to the title of Mrs. Bennett?" "Exactly. Look at you. You're nothing but a beggar. What do you have that could possibly compare to Alicia?" Elise stared at their faces. Their arrogance and cruelty were so utterly ridiculous that she found it almost laughable. Alicia had been the one to leave. The title of Mrs. Bennett had never been something Elise took by force. What gave these people the right to accuse her? Unwilling to waste her time or energy on them, she decided to walk away without a word. However, they grew bolder, stepping forward to block her path. "Are you deaf? We're talking to you." "Stop pretending you didn't hear us. You are not worthy of being with Alex. The kind of woman who should be by his side is someone like Alicia. She's accomplished, graceful, and stands out in any crowd with her charm and poise." "Exactly. A woman with Alicia's talent is far more suited to be Mrs. Bennett. Alex has always loved classic fine art, and Alicia just happens to be exceptionally skilled at it. That's why he's been so fond of her for so many years. You probably don't even know the first thing about art." As the last comment fell, one of them retrieved a painting they had clearly brought in advance and placed it in front of Elise. "This is the piece that made Alex fall for Alicia. Tell me, do you even understand what you're looking at?" Elise turned her gaze toward the painting, and a deep, unfamiliar emotion slowly stirred in her eyes. The longer she studied it, the more familiar it felt. Then, in a sudden flash of realization, she remembered. She had painted this as her graduation project back in university. It had only been a casual sketch back then, so she had never given it much thought. She had loved painting since childhood, but being a member of the prominent Cullen family, she was rarely allowed to show her face in public. Most of her award-winning work had been submitted under a pseudonym, and she had never personally appeared at any exhibitions. Over the years, her pieces had gained wide recognition. Many people had tried to imitate her style, and one of the more notable copycats had even gained some fame. She hadn't expected that so-called talented imitator to be Alicia. However, the greatest irony of all was that Alexander had fallen for Alicia because of this very painting. When it came down to it, the person he had truly fallen for was Elise. Fate was truly absurd. It almost felt as though everything had already been predestined. She let out a soft, ironic laugh. The people around her immediately reacted with displeasure. "What are you laughing at?" She simply shook her head and said nothing more. There was no longer any need to explain. After the auction ended, Elise chose not to leave with the others. Instead, she quietly hailed a cab on her own. Alicia found it a little strange and instinctively took a step forward, but Aaron stopped her by grabbing her hand. "Don't bother with her, Alicia. Let's just go back together." Alexander opened the car door and got in without even glancing in Elise's direction. That was fine. Elise hadn't known how to explain herself anyway. She instructed the driver to take her to the law firm. The day her memories returned, she had already made an appointment and asked the lawyer to prepare the divorce agreement. And now, she had come to collect it. … On Aaron's birthday, Alexander hosted an extravagant celebration in his honor. Aaron stood before the crowd to cut the cake. To everyone's surprise, he handed the very first slice to Alicia. Alicia accepted it with delight and presented the painting she had won at the auction as his birthday gift, just as promised. "Alicia has truly spared no expense. That is an exceptionally lavish gift for a child." "She knows what she's doing. Haven't you noticed how fond Aaron is of her now? He's clearly more affectionate with her than with his own mother. Anyone unaware of the situation might assume she's his biological mother." "There's a clear difference between Alicia and Elise. Alicia's a poised and polished heiress, while Elise is barely more than a stray. Aaron might be young, but kids pick up on more than we think. If I were him, I'd choose Alicia as my mother too." Amid the quiet discussions, Alicia approached Elise with a composed smile. "Elise, may I ask what gift you brought for Aaron? I hope it's not just another toy. Aaron isn't like most children, and let's be honest, your background is worlds apart from his. You really shouldn't impose your way of thinking on him. If his classmates find out you gave him something so thoughtless, it might embarrass him." Elise smiled without a word. She quietly retrieved a gift box from behind her and placed it in Aaron's hands. Inside was a divorce agreement, with a specific clause stating that she had relinquished custody of the child. This time, the gift she had prepared was freedom for both Aaron and Alexander.