CHAPTER 183: CHAPTER 183: EVEN GRANDPA IS HELPING YOU

Florence Fuller’s mood calmed down, and she gave a cold glance at Luke Gardiner, who was lying on the ground half-dead, then turned and left.

Ethan Harper watched Florence’s back and then looked down at Luke on the ground, letting out a cold chuckle: "You think you can make her stay."

Luke heard this and looked at Ethan, his eyes full of disdain: "What right does a third party like you have to speak to me."

Ethan didn’t take his words seriously at all: "If I were you, I’d sensibly get a divorce."

"In your dreams!" Luke gritted his teeth and sneered coldly: "I’m telling you, you want to take her place, no way."

Ethan glanced at him expressionlessly, then turned to follow Florence.

——

After returning to SJ, Florence began preparing for her divorce lawsuit with Luke.

She knew it would be tough, but no matter what, she didn’t want to keep dragging things out with Luke.

The day after Florence submitted the divorce petition to the court, she got a call from Old Mr. Gardiner.

She went back to the old residence, and Old Mr. Gardiner’s complexion wasn’t good as usual. When Florence arrived, he was sunbathing in the backyard.

"Grandpa."

"You came," the old man smiled: "Sit."

Florence sat down beside him.

"How’s your health?"

"It’s as it is," the old man smiled: "You’ve come just at the right time. I wanted to ask if you’d go back to that farm with me, the one we visited before. It’s peaceful there, good for recuperating."

"Go there," Florence thought for a moment: "When?"

"In the next few days," the old man coughed a few times: "I know you blame me for harsh words. This body of mine isn’t holding up well anymore."

From the time she married into the Gardiner Family, the old man had always been kind to her. Seeing his deteriorating condition now, Florence decided not to tell him about the divorce lawsuit with Luke.

"Alright."

Seeing her agree, the old man sighed quietly in relief, his aged eyes lowering slightly, concealing the guilt within them.

Ethan learned about this affair two days before she left, helping her pack things.

Florence sat on the beanbag next to the floor-to-ceiling window, her laptop on her lap as she worked. Ethan, taking stock, looked at her seriously working: "Do you want to come over and see if anything’s missing?"

"You can handle it," Florence glanced at the suitcase: "No need to bring too much."

Ethan closed her suitcase: "There shouldn’t be anything missing. If there’s anything you need when you’re there, call me."

Florence’s gaze left the computer and fell on him. She stared at him for a moment, about to speak, but Ethan shook his head: "I know what you want to say."

Florence silently gazed at him.

"Florence, I won’t make things difficult for you. Just handle everything at your own pace, no need to worry about me."

If compromising could buy peace, he was willing to wait.

"I don’t know if Luke will come, but most likely he will. I’ll keep my distance from him," Florence promised.

Ethan walked to her side: "I’ll wait for you to come back."

Florence nodded.

On the day of the farm visit, Florence got delayed by a last-minute meeting. She let the old man go first and said she’d arrive later.

When she arrived at the farm, it was already past ten in the evening.

The butler and servants helped carry her things into the mansion. Luke’s voice hurriedly came down from upstairs: "You’re here, arriving so late. Are you hungry?"

Florence didn’t want to talk to him and looked at a servant nearby: "Where’s grandpa?"

"The old man couldn’t hold out and went to bed an hour ago."

"Madam, should we prepare a snack for you?"

"No need," Florence refused and walked past Luke towards the stairs: "Take me to my room."

The butler carried her luggage and led her to a room. Upon entering, she found Luke’s belongings there too. She frowned: "Prepare another room for me."

"There aren’t any extra beds in the other rooms," the butler explained.

Florence frowned: "In such a big mansion, there are no beds in other rooms?"

The butler nodded: "Madam, you can check if you don’t believe me."

Luke stood quietly at the doorway, watching her.

Florence met his gaze sternly: "Your idea."

It wasn’t a question.

"You all can rest now," Luke said to the butler and servants.

The butler nodded, glanced at Florence, then at Luke, and quickly left the room.

The room wasn’t big; there was no sofa, just a big bed and a wardrobe. Florence looked around and didn’t find even an extra quilt.

"I won’t do anything to you, tidy up and sleep," Luke said.

Florence snorted coldly: "So, it was deliberate, even grandpa is helping you."

But didn’t he say he wouldn’t interfere in her matters with Luke?

Luke walked over to the bed and sat down: "Believe it or not, I’m changing now."

"Changing?" Florence glanced at him sidelong: "Alright, then during our stay here, you can’t sleep on the bed. I’ll sleep alone."

Luke opened his mouth slightly, looked at her, and nodded: "Alright."

Florence took her clothes and went into the bathroom.

Luke stared at the things from her suitcase, silently stepped forward, and squatted down.

When Florence came out again, Luke was just packing her suitcase. The items inside were already taken out.

"What are you doing?" Florence said, displeased.

"I just helped you take your things out and placed them in the wardrobe," Luke said softly: "I didn’t touch anything else. Don’t worry."

Florence walked to the desk. Her skincare products from the makeup bag had been neatly arranged.

"Have a good rest," Luke said: "I’ll go outside and handle some work."

He took his laptop and went to the balcony.

Florence wasn’t moved at all. She finished her skincare routine, lay in bed, sent a message to Ethan, and turned off the light to sleep.

The next morning, when she woke up, she was alone in the room.

The room was as it was before. She washed up and changed clothes, then went downstairs.

"Madam," the butler stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs: "The weather is nice today; breakfast is in the outside yard."

Florence nodded and walked out to the courtyard, where Luke and the old man were already at the dining table. Luke at that moment had his head down, listening earnestly to the old man while occasionally nodding.

Old Mr. Gardiner paused his words when Florence appeared. Florence sat opposite Luke: "Good morning, Grandpa. Am I late?"

"Not at all," the old man smiled: "Luke said you arrived quite late last night; no need to get up so early. He can bring breakfast up for you later."

A faint smile was on Florence’s face: "No problem; I’ll dine down here."

The old man noticed the coldness in her tone.