DUMPING MY BILLIONAIRE WIFE

CHAPTER 11

Inside the moving car, the quiet atmosphere slowly became heavier.

Earl was sitting beside Meave in the back seat. The city lights outside the window passed by slowly, reflecting faintly on the glass. The driver focused on the road ahead while the soft sound of the engine filled the silence.

But Earl’s attention was not on the road.

It was on Meave.

He had been watching her for the past few moments. At first, he thought maybe she was simply tired. After everything that had happened today, anyone would feel exhausted.

But the more he looked, the more he realized something was wrong.

Her breathing had changed.

It was not steady anymore.

It came a little faster now, as if she was trying to keep it under control. Her chest moved slightly with every breath, and there was a faint tension in her posture.

Then there were her hands.

Her fingers were gripping the purse in her lap tightly.

Too tightly.

The leather was slightly wrinkling under the pressure of her grip. It looked like she was trying to hold something inside herself, like she was stopping something from happening.

Earl noticed the way her palm curled slowly.

The way her shoulders stiffened.

The way she avoided looking at him.

All of those small details told him something was going on.

He could sense it.

Finally, he couldn’t stay silent anymore.

“Is everything alright, Meave?” he suddenly asked.

His voice carried genuine concern.

Meave did not immediately respond.

She kept her gaze forward, not looking at him.

Then she slowly took a deep breath.

Her shoulders rose slightly before lowering again as she exhaled.

“I’ll be fine, Earl,” she said quietly.

Her voice sounded controlled, but there was a faint strain in it.

She closed her eyes for a moment.

Then she slowly opened them again.

“I will be alright once I take my medication,” she added.

Earl blinked slightly.

“Oh… you forgot your meds, didn’t you?” he said.

He shifted slightly in his seat, turning his body toward her a little more.

“Meave, although I am beyond happy for what you have helped me with,” he continued calmly, “I don’t want you to risk your life because of me.”

His voice was sincere.

Earlier today, she had sent a medical team immediately. She had helped his father without asking for anything in return first. She even allowed them to stay inside her mansion.

Those things were not something Earl could simply ignore.

He felt grateful.

But at the same time, he didn’t want to become a burden to her.

Meave slowly turned her head.

Her eyes met his.

There was something intense in her gaze.

“I’m not risking anything, Earl,” she said quietly.

Her voice was steady now.

“I am doing this because Emman needs someone to be with.”

Her eyes stayed fixed on him.

“He needs you.”

For a brief moment, her expression softened.

Then she continued.

“And I need you…”

But she suddenly stopped.

The words hung in the air between them.

Silence filled the car again.

Earl noticed the slight pause in her sentence, but before he could say anything, Meave spoke again.

“Right now,” she said slowly, “just don’t talk to me.”

Her voice sounded strained again.

“Or else…”

She paused.

Earl frowned slightly.

“Or else what?” he asked.

But Meave did not answer.

Instead, she closed her eyes again.

Her breathing became heavier.

She leaned back slightly against the seat, as if focusing all her energy on controlling herself.

Her fingers tightened again around the purse.

Her jaw clenched slightly.

It looked like she was holding something inside.

Something she didn’t want to show.

Earl watched her quietly.

The elegant woman who looked calm and powerful in front of everyone earlier now seemed like she was fighting an invisible battle within herself.

Her body was tense.

Her breathing is uneven.

But she said nothing.

She simply kept her eyes closed and took a deep sigh, as if trying to hold something from coming out.

The car slowly stopped in front of a large medical establishment owned by the Castillon family.

Bright lights illuminated the entrance. The building looked modern and extremely expensive, with clean glass walls and polished floors that reflected the light above. Everything about the place looked quiet, organized, and professional.

The moment the car stopped, a woman in a neat uniform quickly walked forward and opened the door for Earl.

“Please, sir,” she said politely.

Earl blinked in surprise.

For a moment, he did not move.

He was not used to being treated like this.

The way she spoke… the way she held the door… it almost felt like he was someone important.

Like he was a prince being welcomed into a palace.

He slowly stepped out of the car.

The air inside the building was warm and calm, completely different from the cold rain outside earlier. Soft lights lined the hallway, and everything looked extremely clean.

But then Earl noticed something strange.

Every employee he saw was a woman.

The nurse who walked past them.

The receptionist standing behind the front desk.

The medical staff moving equipment down the hallway.

All women.

Earl slowly turned his head and glanced toward the driver of the car.

She was also a woman.

Then the realization slowly formed in his mind.

He and his father might be the only men inside this place.

This was where Meave lived and worked.

Suddenly, he remembered something.

That day inside the mansion, the butler had told him something important.

Meave Castillon despised men.

The memory made him pause.

If she hated men so much…

Then why was he here?

Why did she allow him to stay?

Why did she allow him to be near her?

Those questions slowly filled his thoughts.

“I’ll go inside first,” Meave said calmly.

Her voice pulled Earl out of his thoughts.

She stepped out of the car gracefully and walked toward the entrance.

Earl nodded.

“Alright.”

Before leaving, she paused slightly and looked back.

“The butler will help you,” she added.

Then she continued walking inside the building.

A few seconds later, a woman wearing a formal uniform approached Earl.

She was the butler.

“This way, sir,” she said politely.

Earl followed her quietly through the hallway.

The place looked even more impressive the deeper they went inside. Advanced machines could be seen through the glass walls of different rooms. Medical equipment stood neatly in place, blinking softly with lights and signals.

The environment felt quiet but highly professional.

“This way, sir,” the butler repeated while opening another door.

Earl nodded.

“I want to see first where my father is,” he said.

The butler gave a respectful nod.

“Of course.”

They walked down another corridor until they reached a special room.

The door slowly opened.

Earl stepped inside.

The sight made him freeze slightly.

His father was lying on a comfortable medical bed in the center of the room.

Several high-tech machines were connected to him. Monitors showed his heartbeat and breathing. Tubes and sensors were carefully attached to his body while the machines quietly worked around him.

The room itself looked more luxurious than many hotels Earl had seen before.

The equipment looked extremely advanced.

The bed looked comfortable and clean.

Even the lighting inside the room felt calm and peaceful.

Earl slowly walked closer.

His father looked stable now.

His breathing was steady.

The bandage on his head had already been replaced with a fresh one.

For the first time since the accident, Earl felt a small sense of relief.

“They will monitor him closely,” the butler said gently from behind him.

Earl nodded.

“Thank you.”

After a moment, the butler guided him out of the room again.

They walked down another hallway until they stopped in front of another door.

The butler opened it.

“This is your room, sir,” she said.

Earl stepped inside.

The room was spacious and elegant. Soft lighting filled the space, and the furniture looked expensive but comfortable.

“Ms. Meave’s room is just next door,” the butler added while pointing to the wall.

“If you need anything, just ask me.”

Then she bowed slightly before leaving.

Earl was left alone in the room.

He slowly looked around.

Everything here felt unreal.

Just earlier today, he was sitting in a small restaurant, unable to pay for a ten-dollar meal.

Now he was standing inside a luxurious room owned by the richest woman in the city.

His life had changed too quickly.

He walked slowly toward the small table near the bed.

Something caught his attention.

A piece of paper.

And a card.

He picked them up.

First, he read the note.

“There’s one million dollars in that card. I hope this could help you ease your burden. Your password is your birthday.”

Earl’s eyes widened.

“One million… dollars?”

He stared at the card in disbelief.

How could she give him this much money so easily?

He hadn’t even agreed to the contract yet.

He had not promised anything.

Yet she still gave him something this valuable.

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

Finally, he stood up.

He walked toward the door.

Meave’s room was right next to his.

He raised his hand and knocked gently.

Knock.

Knock.

There was no response.

“Ms. Castillon…” Earl called softly.

“Are you still feeling unwell?”

A moment later, her voice came from inside the room.

“Take some rest…” Meave replied calmly.

But Earl could still hear something strange in her tone.

It sounded tired.

Almost strained.

“Do you… do you need my help?” Earl asked carefully.

Inside the room, Meave leaned against the door.

Her body felt tense.

Sweat slowly ran down from her neck.

Her breathing was uneven.

The episode she had been holding back earlier was becoming harder to control.

Her fingers trembled slightly.

She tried to calm herself.

But the feeling inside her body kept growing stronger.

Finally…

She slowly reached for the door handle.

The door opened.

Meave stepped outside.

Then she froze.

Her eyes met Earl’s.

And for a moment, neither of them moved.