After Bet came out of the study, he returned to the living room and saw Yvonne chatting with Emma.


    Emma was telling stories about Bet''s embarrassing moments from his


    childhood. In truth, Yvonne knew most of them; after all, they had grown up together as childhood sweethearts.


    But this version of Yvonne didn''t remember, so as Emma recounted the tales, Yvonne had to pretend it was the first time she was hearing them, her expression a mixture of amusing and adorable.


    Bet didn''t interrupt them. Instead, he walked through the living room, intending to step outside for a smoke.


    When Bet got to the courtyard, just as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, he looked up and saw Noah sitting in the gazebo, head down, smoking.


    He must have been sitting there for a long time, as the ground at his feet was littered with cigarette butts.


    Bet walked over, entered the gazebo, and sat down next to Noah.


    "What are you doing out here?" Noah nced at him, his voice hoarse from smoking too much.


    "Came out for a smoke." After speaking, Bet tapped a cigarette from the pack, lit it, letting the smoke curlzily from between his fingers.


    Bet took a drag from his cigarette, his gaze sweeping casually over the butts on the ground beforending on Noah.


    "Cynthia is pregnant. You should cut back on the smoking, Noah. The heavy smoke isn''t good for her or the baby."


    Noah let out a self-deprecatingugh. “Cynthia''s at her parents'' house. It''s hard enough for me to even see her now. The smoke can''t reach her, no matter how heavy it is."


    "You and Cynthia have been together for so many years. She won''t divorce you so easily," Bet advised.


    Cynthia had fought tooth and nail to marry Noah after she returned; she wasn''t about to let this marriage slip through her fingers now. But Bet was an outsider and couldn''t be too blunt. If he said too much, it might seem like he was trying to stir up trouble between the couple.


    “Yeah.” Noah just nodded, his mood not improving much.


    Perhaps Noah understood all this; he was just afraid to take the gamble.


    He was afraid because he cared.


    17.


    When the @garette burned down, Noah extinguished the butt, stood up with a slight cough, and said, heading out. Tel Grandfatherfor me."


    "Alright," Bet nodded.


    He watched Noah''s car slowly pull out of the courtyard, then casually extinguished the half smoked cigarette between his fingers and headed back inside.


    Meanwhile, Noah''s car left the militarypound and headed toward the Scott family''s residence.


    Mr. and Mrs. Scott were away at an academic conference and weren''t home.


    In the living room, Cynthia was sitting and talking with a man in a sharp suit.


    "Miss, Mr. Thompson is here,” the maid announced as she led Noah in.


    Noah was carrying a pastry box. He had made a special trip to a famous old bakery to buy some of Cynthia''s favorite pastries.


    Cynthia looked up at Noah, her


    expression neutral. "You''re just in time. I had mywyer draft a new divorce agreement and a stock. transfer agreement. Take a look and see if there are any issues. We can stiffmake changes if you don''t think it''s fair."


    Noah looked at the divorce papers on the coffee table, his eyes stinging.


    "Mr. Warren, could you please give us a moment? I need to speak with my wife alone," Noah said to the man in the suit.


    Thewyer, Mr. Warren, nodded, stood up, and left with his briefcase.