Trash Husband, I'm the Top novel Chapter 401

Three years later.

Fairvale International Airport.

Hans stood tall and sharp in his tailored suit, a stack of documents resting in his hand.

His assistant glanced at the time. “It’s time, sir.”

Hans handed over the papers, his long strides carrying him toward the VIP arrivals gate.

There, the slender figure of a woman slowly came into view.

Her hair was cut neatly to her jaw, and the white dress she wore softened her features, lending her an air of gentle grace. She smiled as she walked, every movement elegant.

Hans opened his arms wide.

“Aurora, welcome home.”

Nora hugged her brother tightly, her smile deepening.

“Let’s go. Grandma’s been waiting for you to come back.”

“Okay.”

The car started and pulled away from the airport.

Not far away, inside another car, Will’s voice was low. “Mr. Chambers, Ms. Cooper has left.”

Daniel closed his eyes, rubbing his brow.

“Let’s go.”

Three years.

She’d been gone three years.

Now she was finally back.

And he could only watch her from afar, just as he had, time and again, for all those years.

Mrs. Cooper, the family matriarch, had been in poor health lately, but Nora’s return seemed to revive her. She’d been glancing out toward the driveway since early morning, unable to sit still.

Martin and Shirley had tried several times to persuade her to rest, but she wouldn’t listen. In the end, they could only keep her company.

Six-year-old Payne was in his last year of kindergarten, but today he’d been given the day off for a special reason.

Like his great-grandmother, he waited eagerly by the front window.

Shirley watched the pair—one old, one young—and could only smile helplessly at their anticipation.

Over an hour later, the car finally pulled into the driveway.

Mrs. Cooper and Payne jumped to their feet at once.

Inside the living room, another woman waited.

It was Eleanor.

She held the hand of a toddler—a boy of about two. When she saw Nora, she smiled warmly. “Welcome back.”

As if nothing unpleasant had ever passed between them.

She could pretend, Nora thought.

But Nora couldn’t.

She ignored Eleanor and bent down to greet the little boy instead. “Hello, Noah.”

Noah was Hans and Eleanor’s son.

Years ago, after Hans had fully taken over the family business, he’d intended to divorce Eleanor. But for reasons unknown, they’d spent a night together. Eleanor vanished afterward, only to reappear three months later.

Hans had a paternity test done—Noah was his.

So, in the end, the marriage remained.

But the two only drifted further apart.

Eleanor, for her part, seemed to have accepted things. She no longer clung to Hans as she once had, simply settling into her role as Mrs. Cooper.