Lydia's smile froze on her face. Wendy was stunned, and the onlookers were equally shocked. Jessica and Susan huddled together, whispering in disbelief.

"What's going on? Why is David carrying Wendy's suitcase?" Jessica murmured.

Ethan's face darkened, his eyes fixed on his assistant, David. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

David, oblivious to the simmering tension, looked confused. "Sir, didn't you ask me to help your wife with her luggage? Since the divorce papers haven't been finalized, she is legally still Mrs. Collins, right?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Ethan’s expression was thunderous, while Wendy and Lydia looked equally pained. Even Alexander, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes in a cold frown.

Wendy took a deep breath. She wouldn't stoop to David's level of unintentional bluntness, but she wouldn't let the situation linger either. She marched over and snatched her suitcase back.

"No need. I can handle my own things," Wendy said firmly. Then, she turned to Ethan with a look of icy composure. "We finalize the papers in five days. I expect you to be on time."

Without waiting for his response, she headed into the lobby. As Alexander pushed Chris’s wheelchair past Ethan, he paused for a fleeting second, casting a mocking, unreadable glance at the man who was losing everything without even realizing it.

In their shared room, Jessica and Susan finally burst into laughter. "Did you see Lydia's face?" Susan gasped, clutching her stomach. "Being reminded of her actual status in front of everyone—she won't sleep tonight!"

Wendy ignored the drama, quietly hanging her clothes in the closet. Shortly after, the organizer, Linda, knocked on the door to apologize for the last-minute change in the guest list.

"It’s fine, Linda," Wendy reassured her. "I’m not the one who has done anything wrong. I have no reason to hide."

After finishing her unpacking, Wendy stepped out into the hallway and saw Alexander. He was standing by a large window, the sunlight outlining his tall, striking silhouette. He looked relaxed, exhaling a thin trail of smoke as he looked out at the mountain scenery.

He turned and met her gaze, a gentle smile softening his features. "The hospital was getting a bit cramped for Chris, so I brought him here for the fresh air. I heard the hot springs are excellent for recovery."

Wendy felt her heart skip a beat at his calm, steady presence. "I was just heading there with my friends."

"Don't stay in the water too long," Alexander cautioned, his eyes never leaving her face. "You don't want to get dizzy."

Wendy nodded, her cheeks warming slightly. "I'll be careful."

The hotel's hot spring area was designed with meticulous privacy. When Wendy arrived, she found Jessica and Susan engaged in a playful standoff at the edge of the water, still wrapped in their bathrobes.

"Why don't you go first?" Susan teased. "I thought you were the brave one."

Wendy shook her head at their antics and slowly lowered herself into the warm, mineral-rich water. As the steam rose around her, she let the tension of the encounter with Ethan melt away. She didn't need the drama of her past; she only needed this moment of peace to prepare for the new life waiting for her in five days.