My movie 9

The butler took the bag full of medicated patches with a heavy heart and softly said, “Mr. Chase, that’s very thoughtful of you.” Chase thought about reminding him not to call him “Mr. Chase” anymore, but with Wendy likely to show up, he didn’t want to make things more complicated—so he kept quiet. He just nodded and followed behind the butler. The butler led the way silently. What a good man Mr. Chase was, and yet the young miss didn’t like him. She just had to go for that Harrison guy instead. The butler had been with the Quinn family since before Paul and Mandy got married. He was long overdue for retirement. He’d watched Wendy grow up and naturally knew about her past with Henry. From the very beginning, none of them had liked Henry. It wasn’t about his background—it was about the kind of man he was. Inside the main hall of the Quinn estate, the place was filled with powerful figures. It was exactly the kind of event Chase hated. He wasn’t the kind of man who cared for social climbing, but at events like this, if the Quinn family’s son-in-law didn’t hold his own, it’d just be embarrassing for everyone. So he had no choice but to keep his head high, walking confidently behind the butler, keeping in step. “Hey, did you hear? Henry’s back.” “Of course. I knew Wendy still had feelings for Henry. She only married Chase out of heartbreak when Henry got engaged to someone else. Watch—she’ll be divorced in no time.” “But Henry came back with a daughter.” “So what? It’s not like Wendy can’t afford to raise her. The Quinn family could raise a dozen kids without blinking.” … In a corner stood a group of Wendy’s old classmates. They were all from elite academies, all from privileged backgrounds—when they stood together, they drew attention. After greeting her parents, Stella also headed over to join her circle of friends. “I saw Henry too. Isn’t the Harrison family supposed to hate him? Why would they let him show up at something like this?” The Harrison family still thought Henry was a disgrace. Now he’d come back with a child from another woman? They’d probably rather he die at home than show his face in public. But with his custom suit and that Patek Philippe on his wrist, people didn’t quite know what to make of him. Stella glanced toward him, drink in hand. Say what you will—he was still the former heir of the Harrison family. Every move he made was graceful. Even after years abroad, he didn’t look the least bit out of place at an event like this. People gossiped around him nonstop, but he acted like he didn’t hear a word. When someone came up to greet him, he responded gently. When no one did, he quietly kept to himself. It looked a little pitiful. “Who cares what the Harrison family thinks? As long as my sister likes him, that’s all that matters,” Stella said. One of the Lyn girls tugged Stella’s skirt and whispered, “But your sister’s still technically married. Where’s her husband?” “He just got here,” Stella said, her face twisting in annoyance. “At an event like this, with his background, the only reason he’s even invited is because he married my sister.” The group of girls, already in gossip mode, lit up. “Now that Henry’s back, and your sister clearly still likes him, do you think she’ll divorce Chase and marry Henry instead?” “No doubt about it.” Stella answered with certainty. “She’s said it herself—she’s been sick of Chase’s face for years. They should’ve divorced ages ago.” Just as she said it, Chase walked in behind the butler. All eyes turned to him, curious and judgmental. But Chase stayed calm and unbothered. He gave a small nod, acknowledging everyone, then headed straight for his mother-in-law’s room. “Mom.” He didn’t want to make things uncomfortable for Mandy on her birthday. News of the divorce hadn’t been made public yet, and he didn’t want to cause a scene—so he didn’t correct her title. Mandy had been in a gloomy mood all day, sitting quietly and refusing to smile. But the moment she saw Chase, her eyes lit up. She waved him over, and he came to her side. He chatted with her for a while, gently cheering her up, then took out the gift he’d carefully prepared. “I remembered you liked this painting. I had someone bring it from overseas. Happy birthday.” Mandy had loved collecting art over the years, often buying works from well-known masters. Lately, though, she’d taken a liking to up-and-coming artists. Their pieces weren’t cheap either, but at least they were within Chase’s means. “This is lovely. Just having you here makes me happy.” Mandy looked him over and, after making sure no one was nearby, asked quietly, “You and Wendy…” The divorce cooling-off period had passed, but Wendy had been abroad recently. Had they finalized it yet? She had always genuinely liked Chase. Meeting Mandy’s expectant gaze, Chase couldn’t lie to her. “The divorce certificate’s been finalized.” “But Wendy’s been out of the country… how did you—” She didn’t need to finish the sentence. The realization hit her, and her eyes welled up instantly. “You poor thing.” Chase gently patted her hand. “Mom, I don’t feel sorry for myself. This is the start of a new chapter for me. It’s like being reborn. I’ve been married to Wendy for years, and I’ve never once felt wronged. I loved her.” Wasting time with someone you love… that’s still a beautiful thing. Even if it didn’t lead to a happy ending. “Oh, that girl Wendy…” Mandy sighed. “Henry’s here too. Have you seen him?” “We ran into each other at the house. Also bumped into him at the hospital where I’m interning. His daughter was sick.” They chatted a bit more, and then Mandy pulled a check from her drawer and slipped it into Chase’s hand. “This is from me. I know you want to study abroad. No matter where you go, you’ll need somewhere to live.” “I can’t accept this, Mom.” Chase pushed the check back and took out a few bank cards, placing them in front of her. “These are the cards Wendy gave me over the years. I never used them. We were married, not in some kept arrangement. These belong to her. Please return them.” “You silly child…” Wendy stepped out from the next room. Even with her flawless makeup, she looked exhausted. As CEO of Quinn Group, she was more than competent. Even on her mother’s birthday, she’d been next door handling business. She knocked and opened the door, surprised to see Chase sitting beside her mother. They were even holding hands, looking unusually close. Wendy walked over and rested her hand on the back of Chase’s neck. “You’re late,” she said calmly, but with a hint of irritation. They hadn’t been in touch in a while. She’d thought when she came home, she’d see Chase waiting there. But when she opened the door, it was still just silence—and Joy’s toys left scattered on the coffee table. If Chase had been home, there’s no way he’d let the place look like that. “Had a surgery.” Chase subtly moved away from her touch. They were already divorced—no matter how they played the part in public, they couldn’t be too close. “Let’s go downstairs then.” Wendy moved to her mother’s other side and helped her up. “It’s about time.” One on each side, Mandy felt her heart twist in a thousand directions.