My Ex-Wife Is A Big Shot In Disguise by Lindsay Lewis

Chapter 8

Chapter 1 Divorce

“Let’s get a divorce.” They had been married for three years, and this was the second thing Leo Palmer said to her.

The first time he spoke to her was on their wedding night.

She had twirled in front of him in a white wedding gown while holding up the wide flared skirt. With a broad smile on her face, she had asked him if she looked good.

She certainly had not expected his reply.

“The wedding is over. I will have someone send you abroad,” Leo had said.

After that, she was sent overseas alone for three years.

She never expected to receive such a sentence right after returning to the country.

A divorce on their wedding anniversary.

“Must we get divorced?” she asked. Madison Hale didn’t look up. Her long hair covered her face, hiding all emotions in her eyes and face.

Only her slightly trembling voice could be heard, which carried a hint of tears. “Can we discuss it?” she added.

Leo stared at her with his dark eyes for a long time. When he spoke, his cool voice was devoid of any extra emotions. “You know, if it weren’t for my grandfather being critically ill, I wouldn’t have married you in the first place.”

Three years ago, Leo’s grandfather, Edgar Palmer, fell seriously ill. His dying wish was to see Leo get married and start a family.

The marriage did not belong to Madison originally. Madison was a girl whom the Hale family had mistakenly brought back. At eighteen, Madison had been informed that the real heiress, Sally Hale, had returned to the family. And she, Madison, had been the one who had occupied Sally’s rightful place.

Everything Madison had enjoyed should have belonged to Sally. The love of the parents, the indulgence from an elder brother, and even the marriage that had been arranged with Leo since birth.

But Edgar said the foundation of marriage is love. Madison and Leo grew up together. Even if her identity was false, it was still a fact that they had grown up together. Thus, Edgar insisted that Leo marry her. The marriage arrangement remained true since the Hale family still recognized her as one of their family.

That was how she and Leo got married.

But Sally was diagnosed with a two-way emotional disorder and couldn’t stand hearing any mention of Madison. She could not bear seeing Madison even more. After learning about the marriage, Sally attempted suicide and insisted on Leo accompanying her, or she would kick up a fuss.

To prevent Sally’s condition from worsening, Leo sent Madison abroad on the second day of their marriage and left her there without contacting her at all. It was only now that she returned.

Leo handed her a contract. “I’ve already had the lawyer draft the divorce papers. Take a look at them. If you have no objections, just sign them.”

Madison took the papers from him with her head down. “Can you give me some time to think about it?” she asked.

Leo looked at her. Her thick bangs covered her eyes. Living alone in a foreign country seemed to have made her personality more reclusive.

“If there’s anything unsatisfactory regarding assets, feel free to mention it. This villa will be transferred to your name. I’ll give you a week,” he added.

After saying that, he left the master bedroom.

As his fingers grasped the doorknob, he glanced back at the room. The woman’s slender shoulders trembled slightly as she held onto the divorce papers. She did not move at all.

Leo’s expression darkened as he closed the door.

The room fell completely silent.

After a moment, a burst of cheers erupted.

“Good riddance! I’m finally divorced!” Madison exclaimed.

She looked at the divorce agreement in her hand and was finally unable to hold back her laughter. Her shoulders shook even more, apparently.

In the three years since she was sent abroad, she received no messages of concern from the Hale family and not a word of comfort from her husband-in-name.

Even when she was stalked and almost died out there, she still couldn’t get through to Leo’s phone.

Any love she had for Leo was long gone and buried.

After signing the papers happily, she rolled around on the bed. Her bangs fell from her face with her long hair. There was no trace of grievance on her beautiful face.

Just as she was about to finish tidying up her luggage, the phone rang.

Madison answered the call with a sweet voice. “Hello, Joe.”

The voice on the other end got straight to the point. “Madison, the group of people who tried to kidnap you at the airport when you returned to the country has been caught. It was related to that stalking case from three years ago. Unfortunately, the clues all point to your adoptive parents and also… your husband-in-name.” Chapter 2 Birthday

Madison remained silent for a moment.

After a while, she spoke casually. “Well, thankfully, nothing happened to me, and I’m lucky to have found you all. Since they raised me, I will let it go.”

She would consider it a repayment to them for years of raising her.

“Madison…”

It seemed like the person on the other end still wanted to say something, but there was a sudden knock on the door.

Madison ignored the person outside the door and continued talking on the phone. “Joe, I know what you want to say. But I don’t want to stir up trouble now. I just want nothing to do with them in the future!”

Not to mention that nothing came out of the kidnapping incident, even if there were clues, the Hale family and Leo could easily deny being involved in it. Without substantial evidence, it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Moreover, considering the character of the Hale family, if they knew Madison’s biological parents belonged to the Daves family, they would likely use raising her for twenty years as a reason to demand stuff from the Daves family continuously.

Thus, Madison just wanted to divorce as soon as possible and to sever ties with the Hale family completely. Even if her identity were known to the Hale family in the future, it wouldn’t cause trouble for her brothers.

The knocking on the door became urgent.

Madison decided not to speak further on the matter. “Alright, Joe. I have something on. Let’s talk later.”

She hung up the call.

She didn’t open the door immediately. When the knocking became even more impatient, she slowly combed through her unsightly bangs and walked over lazily.

When the door opened, the man who was standing outside still had his hand raised. His face showed obvious impatience.

Madison raised her eyes and spoke in a gentle voice, “Is there anything else?”

It was only four words, but it conveyed a sense of distance.

Leo unconsciously furrowed his eyebrows. He dropped his hand and spoke indifferently, “Tomorrow is Sally’s birthday. There’s a party at the Hale family. Make time. I’ll come back in the afternoon to bring you there.”

Madison blinked.

‘Sally,’ she thought, scoffing silently. ‘He called her so affectionately.’

She smiled. “Alright. Is there anything else?”

Leo looked at her. Her black hair hid her beautiful face, and he could not detect any emotions from her. It seemed as though she calmly accepted the decision.

A strange sense of frustration welled up in him. As he was about to turn around, he said, “There’s nothing else. Rest early.”

“Hold on,” Madison called him.

She entered the room and quickly returned. She was holding onto the divorce papers he had given her just minutes ago and handing them to him.

“I’ve already signed them. You can take care of the procedures when you have time. As for the papers, you can send them to me after that. My address is on the last page,” Madison told him.

Leo had been absent on the day that they registered their marriage. With his capability, it should be an even more straightforward task now that they were getting a divorce.

Leo looked at the documents she was holding out to him. He shifted his gaze to her overly calm face and saw no sadness or grief.

His Adam’s apple darted. His voice became hoarse. “Didn’t we agree to wait a few days?”

“Whether we wait or not, the result is the same, right?” she asked.

Madison’s hand grew tired from holding up the papers, so she directly thrust them to Leo. “Besides, tomorrow is Sally’s birthday. She would be happy if she knew about this,” she added.

Leo was caught off guard and slowly took the papers.

Lowering his head, he asked, “What about you?”

“What?” she questioned. His voice was soft, so Madison couldn’t hear him clearly.

“Nothing,” he said.

He put away the documents, regained his composure, and looked at Madison’s face. He said, “Rest early.”

Madison took a step back. “You too,” she replied.

slammed shut in front

closed

faint smile still lingered in his mind. He glanced at the document

the

the marriage between her and Leo, trying to be subtle as she went

Hale family and straightforwardly stated, “Ramona, Leo gave me a divorce

had been scolded by the Hale family’s parents for addressing them Dad and Mum. If it weren’t for the alliance with the

she hadn’t been kicked out then, her life during those years

signed the divorce agreement, Ramona’s tone, which had been cautiously polite, changed instantly. Ramona became arrogant and contemptuous and spoke as though she was generous, doing Madison a favor. “It’s Sally’s birthday today.

her gaze, concealing the coldness

should have

years, you probably wouldn’t have had the chance to step into the threshold of a wealthy family. You might have even

was threatened, and Ramona also used their raising her as a means of manipulating her. However, back then, Madison was just a baby. If it weren’t for the earthquake and being mistakenly carried off by a nurse at the hospital, she would have

Madison responded calmly as she finished tidying her

She entered this place with a single suitcase and would leave

snorted coldly and hung up

villa, a car horn suddenly

called Madison. Two succinct and indifferent words came from him. “Come

Chapter 3 The Front Passenger’s Seat

deliberately dragged her

call that she came out of

frowned brows eased somewhat. He turned and adjusted the

as she opened the rear door of the car and got in, she explained, “Sorry for keeping you waiting. I

through the rearview mirror. His hands on the steering wheel tightened. “Are you going to the party

a bewildered noise. She lowered her head to look at her outfit. She asked, “Is there something wrong with this? It shouldn’t

front passenger seat to her. “Go

Sprince, a luxury fashion label. Even the packaging was elaborate. Madison

put the gift box back. “It’s a gift

words, his movement paused. “We haven’t announced the divorce yet. Do you intend to disgrace the Palmer family by showing up at the

“But…” Madison began.

the brand, and I

had no choice but to take

the tone of her skin. The skirt shimmered under the light

clearly indicated that the dress was not

Madison quickly went downstairs. When she opened the rear car door, she suddenly found

inside the

“Isn’t that a

passenger seat was reserved for one’s girlfriend. If there was no girlfriend, it was for someone with a close relationship

at her. “So, treating me as a

what I meant,”

make it clear to Leo what

two seconds. “Sally is not you. She won’t mind such trivial matters. Get in the car. I don’t want to say the same thing a second

“Then I won’t go. I

was about to leave. The car honked at her, followed

the rear door. It opened this

raised her eyebrows and slid into the car while holding her dress. Since the size wasn’t right and the dress’s design

and drove, “Is the dress

loose. I’ll use some pins to fix it when we

could finish speaking, the car suddenly

wearing a seatbelt in the back seat, and her head bumped directly into

shouldn’t resort to this!’ Madison thought. ‘If something happens, he would also risk his

seatbelt and fastened it. She glanced at the scenery outside the car

and everyone knew she liked Leo. Under those circumstances, killing her to make way for Sally would be more convenient. Now that Madison had signed the divorce

as soon as possible

divorce been finalized?” she

Chapter 4 Adopted Daughter

of the car suddenly increased, and Leo’s voice seemed to be

I am in a hurry?’ Madison thought. ‘It’s not like I am about to get into another relationship.

serious. “It should be you who’s

and the car speed gradually stabilized. “I’m not in

went silent. She did not

signed the divorce papers. Tonight, she would settle things with the Hale family. After that, she would have no more connections with these

later, the car stopped

Hale family’s status in high society gradually became more prominent. Many people fawned over and

made her shiver. When she looked up, Leo, who was dressed in a suit, was already walking toward the lawn where the

their eyes

to the five-layer cake. Under the lights and everyone’s gaze, Leo approached the woman

a scene from a romantic film that delighted

Madison, who was following Leo, slowed

Leo suddenly stopped walking

was as if the film had been put on pause at the most exciting

He looked at Madison, who was standing in front of the

at once. Murmurs

looks familiar, but I feel like I’ve

mistakenly carried home from the hospital after being abandoned by her biological parents. She’s the one

abroad by Mr. Palmer on the day of the wedding? How dare she show her face back here?

another. The looks they cast

were not loud, but Madison, who was close,

those unpleasant things said about her and did not walk

Leo spoke. She walked gracefully toward

How impolite and uncultivated!’ In everyone’s minds, Madison’s

and had a call with Ramona this morning. Maybe she was afraid you

to her adoptive parents. Instead of calling them Mom and Dad as she used to, she now referred

you back, I have a companion and

took a small gift box from her handbag. “Happy birthday,” she

even prepared a gift for me. Thank you, Madison!” Sally took it, joyfully

Madison froze entirely.

Chapter 5 The Ill-Fitting Gown

bear it anymore and was about to push away Sally, Sally suddenly had a slight change in

assessed Madison’s figure. “Madison, is this dress a bit

circle, attending an evening party

were displays

discussion among them included who wore the limited edition haute couture from which brand and which set of jewelry belonged to which designer. If someone wore an outdated dress, they would be immediately ostracized, not to mention accidentally

obviously categorized as

around them started ridiculing

doesn’t even have a fitting dress. How could she call herself Mrs.

slack. She just came back from exile overseas. It’s good enough that she has a decent dress to wear. Look at her hairstyle. It’s so old-fashioned. No wonder Mr. Palmer doesn’t like her! I wonder when Mr. Palmer will

the others were saying, Sally complained to Leo. “Leo, why did you

scene. She watched Sally’s performance expressionlessly, thinking that it

measurements. I thought both of you had similar figures, so I had the designer tailor it according to your size. I didn’t expect it to be ill-fitting. There was also

The gossiping abruptly stopped.

couldn’t maintain

the mocking gazes from the people around her, as if they were saying she was fatter

when Sprince’s spring-summer collection was

Madison was the first

not only gave the dress to Madison but also spoke up to defend

Sally struggled to maintain her composure and complained to Leo, “I

his gaze and looked at

sent over by Leo this time, with different sizes. If you don’t mind, go change into another one. Ill-fitting clothes don’t look

intended

the dress was ill-fitting, wearing it a bit loose was quite comfortable. However, as the words of rejection were about to come out, she suddenly curved her lips and

the room you used to stay in before. Choose whichever you like. There are still guests here, so I won’t accompany

“See

bent down and helped lift the

expression remained unchanged as he said, “I’ll

instinctively looked

flash of resentment on Sally’s face. But upon closer inspection, Sally’s delicate face only revealed a hint of coquetry. “Leo, my sister

“It’s hard to console a girl once

turned to leave decisively without a second

silky fabric slipped away from his palm. Lifting his gaze,

went straight to the furthest room on the villa’s

in the bedroom on the second floor with a balcony. Later, when the real daughter

expressed her dislike for Madison on her face and complained about the difficulties of her life as an abandoned commoner every time

When she was alone in the small room, it was the most relaxing

Madison pushed

behind her suddenly slammed shut with a bang. She could hear the sound of the key being

her

Chapter 6 The Apology

was lively. Due to Madison’s ill-fitting dress, many socialites who were gathered together quickly found a

birthday party gradually heated up as many socialized together, some were eager

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