Chapter 1724

Xavier rubbed his chin lightly as an image of Lily surfaced in his mind. By his count, it had been more than half a month since she'd run off. That was more than long enough. After all this time, how should he punish her? The car sped eastward, just as the first rays of morning light broke through. … Maryanne, who usually slept late, was fast asleep. Suddenly, she was hauled up and tossed out of the door. With messy bed hair and clutching her pillow, she looked down groggily to find Noah on one side and Chelsea on the other. "Mommy, what's going on?" Chelsea mumbled sleepily. Maryanne shook her head blankly. "I don't know. Who threw me out here?" Noah, dressed in light blue pajamas, stood straight and stiff. "My daddy," he replied seriously. "Xavier?" Maryanne yelped. "It felt like someone hauled me up and dumped me here. Does that mean he had his hands around me? I'm telling Lily about this!" She tossed her pillow aside and pounded on the door. "Xavier, I'm a married woman—w