The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge novel Chapter 704

His tone was calm, devoid of any threat or transactional implication. He was simply negotiating with her.

Gwyneth found his reasoning plausible, even if she privately scoffed at the idea that Everhart couples never lived apart. It was all for show, wasn't it? Still, for her grandfather's sake, she had to compromise.

“Fine, I agree.”

It was just a matter of living under the same roof, she reasoned. Hawthorne's villa had plenty of rooms. She could pick one, and if she didn’t want to see him, it would be easy enough to avoid him. It reminded her of old stories about sprawling manors where a lord and his lady could live for years without ever crossing paths if one fell out of favor.

Hawthorne's villa was absurdly large. The idea of living together yet entirely separate was not unacceptable.

Seeing her nod, Hawthorne let out a quiet sigh of relief and started the car again, driving them the rest of the way home.

She hadn't been back in nearly half a month. When the butler saw Gwyneth, the old man's face lit up with genuine surprise and delight.

Previously, his expression had always been as cold and distant as a traditional butler. Gwyneth had even wondered if he'd had professional training in expression management.

“Mrs. Everhart, you’re back!”

Seeing the elderly man welcome her so warmly, Gwyneth found she couldn't ignore him. She gave a slight nod. “Butler Parham.”

Butler Parham looked as happy as if he were greeting his own granddaughter-in-law. He was so excited he almost stumbled, and Gwyneth felt a flicker of emotion.

After composing himself, the butler led the way inside.

“We’ve put fresh sheets on your bed, and the maids have been airing them out in the sun every day. The room is all ready for you. It’s so wonderful to see you back.”

Butler Parham, usually a man of few words, chattered on about the household chores.

Hawthorne walked beside Gwyneth, pulling her suitcase behind him. When a maid came to take the bag, the butler realized he had forgotten his own duties.

“Butler Parham, thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

She could be cold to Hawthorne, but she couldn't bring herself to be callous toward an old man.

If he had insisted on sharing a room, Gwyneth would have felt deeply uncomfortable. But with his assurance, she had nothing more to say.

Returning to this place felt surreal. She never thought she’d come back.

The flowers and trees in the courtyard looked vibrant and full of life.

“Do you still want to go to the company?” Hawthorne asked.

Gwyneth’s brow furrowed. She remembered a message from a colleague saying Hawthorne had brought Patti Yale to the office.

“No, I don’t think I’ll be going back.”

She didn’t want to run into his little flame. Besides, she was only agreeing to the Thanksgiving wedding for her grandfather's sake. Their connection, she thought, wouldn't last much longer. Once her grandfather and the rest of her family were ready, she would officially divorce Hawthorne.

Hawthorne had anticipated this. With Patti Yale now at the company, he had to go all-in to play the long game and reel in a big fish like Danny Oakes.