Divorce Agreement

Ellie, sweetheart. Wake up..."

Ellie gradually opened her eyes. She gasped when she noticed how bright the day was.

"H-Helen, what time is it?" Ellie asked while searching for her cell phone in her bag.

"Ten-thirty. Why? What is it, dear?" Helen stared at Ellie, perplexed.

Ellie was taken aback. She was shocked when she saw the time displayed on her mobile. Right! It's 10.30 a.m. Noah must have left!

"Ellie, what's the matter? Why are you panicking? Did you sleep here all night?"

"Helen, has the young master left yet?" Instead of answering, Ellie asked the middle-aged woman a question.

Helen nodded. "Hmm. From 7.30 this morning. Why?"

Ellie remained silent. She sprang to her feet and groped for the bag she'd been using as a pillow the night before.

"Helen, I'll go first," Ellie said, leaving Helen dumbfounded.

She sprinted down the stairs. She was determined to go to Noah's office, The Anderson Group. She would go there whether or not she was welcomed.

Ring, ring, ring!

Ellie's quick pace came to a halt as her cell phone in her pocket rang. She answered the phone after seeing the caller's name.

"Callie?" Ellie's voice was somewhat choking as she answered the phone. She was bracing herself for the terrible news.

"Ellie! Where are you?"

"To The Anderson Group."

"Stop! Don't look for that jerk! The bill has been paid!"

Ellie fell silent. Her eyes widened without blinking. She couldn't believe her ears.

What did Callie just say? Already paid? Am I hearing things?

"Ellie? Ellie!"

Ellie's thoughts were pulled back by the loud voice of Callie from her mobile speaker.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"The bill is paid," Callie repeated her remarks in a purposefully stern voice so Ellie could hear her properly.

She knew Ellie would be as surprised as her when she first received the information from the administration.

A few minutes ago, she was about to deposit the money she got from selling the jewelry left by her late grandmother.

However, the administration informed her that all the bills were clear.

It surely surprised her.

Well, she had just received a message a couple of hours ago stating that she needed to pay the balance immediately or Diana would be transferred to the regular ward today.

"What did I tell you? Mrs. Anderson was probably busy, that's why she—"

"Mrs. Anderson paid the bill?" Ellie immediately asked back, interrupting Callie's words.

"Who else could it be if not her? Didn't you call her?"

Ellie's brow slowly furrowed. She hasn't been able to reach her since three days ago. Could it be that her mother-in-law got information from the hospital?

"No. I can't contact her yet," Ellie stated flatly.

Silence. The two friends, who were linked by the flat device in their hands, stood silently for an instant.

"Maybe the hospital." Ellie breaks the silence by voicing her speculation.

"Wait. If it's the hospital, why did they have to wait until now when mum was critically ill three days ago? Or why not when she had to be moved to the ICU two months ago?

Also, unlike before, they didn't give me the receipt. It's just a paper stating the bill has cleared. Ellie, don't you find it weird? I thought you'd managed to contact her."

Ellie fell silent once again.

"They didn't give you the receipt but a paper?"

"Hm."

What is this? Why is it so weird? Then, if not Mrs. Anderson, who pays all the bills?

"Ellie, don't worry. Just go to work. I'll help you to find it out," Callie assured her best friend.

Ellie took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."

"I'll let you know as soon as I have the information. The important thing is, mum is now safe. They will continue the treatment. Don't worry about it anymore, okay?"

Ellie nodded once again. A few seconds after Callie ended the call, she slid her phone into her jeans pocket and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," Ellie said gratefully to those who had helped her. She vowed in her heart to repay that person's kindness someday.

Ellie dashed back into Noah's mansion. She must now return to work. It's been three days since she left, the maximum days off permitted by Dr. Holmes.

Ellie was thankful to Dr. Webber for assisting her in speaking to her mentor, Dr. Holmes. Otherwise, she would not get any day off coz she had been using it all.

Without any days off, it would be exhausting if she had to travel back and forth between the hospital where her mum was being treated and the hospital she currently works as a resident doctor.

Aside from today being the last day of her leave, she was more anxious about what Dr. Webber had said to Dr. Holmes and to such an extent that he granted her another extended leave.

She was worried that Webber's doctor would inform him about her pregnancy.

Dr. Holmes was the Anderson family's trusted doctor. If her mother-in-law had learned about it, then Noah would be aware too.

No! That cannot happen!

Ellie hastily cleaned herself up and changed her clothes. She wore a khaki culotte, which she matched with a white sleeveless shirt and a thigh-length classic jacket. As for her hair, as usual, she pulled it into a ponytail.

Satisfied with her look, she exited the room after grabbing the bag she had placed on the table.

"Oh, my God!" Ellie exclaimed in shock and patted her chest.

Alexandra's bare face, which looked so white and somehow pale, plus the long hair she slung over her shoulders to her stomach, greeted Ellie as she opened the door.

Oh, God! She looks like Sadako!

"What's the matter, do you hiding something, hm?" Alexandra playfully asked and started to look inside Ellie's room.

"M-Miss Alexandra?" Ellie bowed in respect while calming her pounding heart from surprise. Ignoring Alexandra's question.

"Are you going to leave?" Alexandra scanned her from head to toe.

Ellie composed herself. She nodded and drew a smile. "I have to work, Miss."

Alexandra pursed her lips and nodded. "Um, I just need a moment of your time." Alexandra paused her sentences and looked hesitantly at Ellie.

"I heard you need my mother-in-phone law's number. Oops! I mean, future in-law." Alexandra sheepishly smiled as she covered her mouth with her long, silky white fingers.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. It's just... Noah urged me to get used to calling his mother like that," Alexandra added, looking worriedly at Ellie.

Ellie discreetly gripped her bag strap. Her heart seemed like being pierced by needles.

She had been married to him for almost four years, yet Noah would constantly rebuke her if she addressed Mrs. Anderson as "mom" in front of him.

But Alexandra...

Ellie's body tightened as her heart sank heavily.

However, Ellie managed to keep her faint smile and shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. Mrs. Anderson will soon be your mother-in-law, Miss, "Ellie said calmly.

Suddenly Alexandra felt a little frustrated when she saw how calm Ellie was. She casually leans on the door frame and composes her mind.

"So, you want to contact my mum-in-law, ehm... my future in-laws for what?" Alexandra asked the question once again. With her brown eyes, she now fixed her gaze on Ellie.

Ellie, on the other hand, found it so ear-piercing. Especially the term "my in-laws." Ellie understood what exactly the woman in front of her meant.

"You... wanted to help Noah talk to my mum-in-law about the divorce?" Alexandra shot another question before Ellie could answer.

Ellie was a little surprised when she heard this. However, she instantly comes back to her realization. It was Alexandra. Of course, Noah would tell her about this.

The real couple always shares everything. Am I correct? In her heart, Ellie sneered.

Unlike her. Who is she? She's just an outsider! Intruder of this loving couple's nest. Third-party of the lovebirds.

"Yes," Ellie answered firmly.

Alexandra sighed. "I'm sorry, Ellie. I shouldn't have done this. Even though you both were married in name only, but... when it comes to this kind of thing, Noah should be the one who talks to you.

He's the one who initiated and insisted on divorcing you. But, you know, Noah is a very busy and impatient person. So, he instructed me to talk to you on his behalf. He... also asked me to give you this."

Alexandra extended her hand, which held a document she'd been keeping behind her body for Ellie.

"What is this?"

Alexandra seems hesitant to respond. Looking at her, Ellie figured it out.

She calmly took the map out of Alexandra's grasp.

Slowly, she unfolds the map.

In an instant, Ellie felt like she was getting struck by a thunderbolt in broad daylight.

Her heart and mind became numb as she noticed two words on top of the document.

"DIVORCE AGREEMENT" is written in bold capital letters.