Ch. 11..20
Chapter 11
“A misunderstanding?” Vivian’s words had merely served to infuriate Fabian. His voice soared, as he
soon pinched her chin.
He was exerting so much force upon it that Vivian’s face had started to contort in pain.
“What misunderstanding? In my opinion, you’d seen that the broke bloke from two years ago had
suddenly struck his pot of gold, becoming a Chief Editor.
Hence, since you’ve come to regret your decision, you’ve decided to claim that this was all merely a
misunderstanding, right?”
Upon uttering such words, a vicious glint flashed across Fabian’s eyes. He jerked Vivian’s face towards
him as he warned her, “Vivian, let me tell you this. | am
no longer the gullible man that | had used to be.”
Gazing at his familiar face, which was currently full of resentment and hatred, all Vivian could feel was
complete shock and heartache.
She had wanted to explain herself. However, she found that she could not bear to utter a single word in
her defense.
What else is there to explain?
If he were truly willing to believe me, why would he have left back then, without even informing me as
much?”
Before all else, he has already come to believe that | am merely a gold-digger; someone who is ready
to betray him for money, at any given point in time.
Also, even if he were to believe my explanation, so what?
| am someone else’s wife now. Furthermore, | am no longer my past self. We’ll never be able to return
to the past...
At such a thought, Vivian tried her utmost best to suppress the tears that had threatened to escape her.
In doing so, she took a deep breath as she abruptly
raised her head.
“Fabian,” she uttered softly, her tone surprisingly calm. “You are right. What happened that year is
exactly as you’ve thought it to be. However, you’ve got
something wrong. Currently, | don’t want to be in a relationship with you. Having a position as the Chief
Editor, or even a CEO, this has nothing to do with me.”
Upon uttering her last sentence, Vivian soon felt a sharp sensation across her chin. Evidently, Fabian
was pinching her forcefully, his grip strengthening.
However, to her utter surprise, he decided to fling her away in the next instance.
Staggering backward, Vivian was quick to steady herself against the wall with an arm. Raising her head
to glance at him, she caught sight of Fabian glaring at
her coldly. The disdain and hatred in his eyes were like daggers, piercing through her heart.
! should allow it to hurt. It'll certainly be a better alternative than getting myself entangled with him.
Hence, she justifiably suppressed her tears as she quickly announced, “If there’s nothing else, I'll be
taking my leave now.”
With that, she made a brief departure from the office, without even daring to steal another glimpse at
Fabian.
Bolting out of the magazine company, Vivian soon reached its ground level. However, she soon came
to realize that it was pouring heavily outside. To her utter
misfortune, she discovered that she had left her umbrella in the office.
Even while faced with such a circumstance, Vivian found that she was simply not courageous enough
to go back, to retrieve her umbrella. As she was aware
that Fabian might have still been in his office, she did not dare to return.
fam such a coward.
Watching as the rain poured from the sky, Vivian sought to hail a cab. Unfortunately, with the
combination of the peak period, along with the thunderstorm,
Vivian found that it was nearly impossible to find a cab. The cab-hailing application was malfunctioning
as well. Ultimately, she had no choice but to harden her
resolve, as she covered her head with her bag and sprinted towards the train station.
Completely drenched, she had to squeeze herself in, with the other commuters on the train. She was
hoping that the rain would have stopped by then, but it
seemed as though God was trying to torment her too. The thunderstorm outside blared on, showing no
signs of stopping.
Still unsuccessful in her futile attempt to hail a cab, Vivian had no choice but to wait by the train station.
She soon recalled a past memory, from two years ago, on a night that had a similar thunderstorm. /t
was a night where she had lost the thing that was the
most precious to her...
Soon after, she lost Fabian, the man whom she thought would accompany her for a lifetime.
The sense of despair that she had felt two years ago was like a parasite, invading her initially numb
heart.
Vivian could not help but wrap her arms around her body, squatting down as she curled herself into a
ball.
Cold...
It’s so cold...
She was so cold that her body had begun to shiver uncontrollably, just as it had throughout the night,
two years ago...
On the verge of being engulfed by such memories and painful emotions, Vivian soon caught a glimpse
of a wheelchair and a pair of long legs, suddenly
appearing before her very two eyes.
Stunned, Vivian’s head snapped up. She saw Finnick in front of her, while Noah held an umbrella up
beside him.
Due to the pouring rain, his handsome face became a blurred image. Nonetheless, his cold aura was
still evidently noticeable. Although he was wheelchair-
bound, his current appearance was like an angel’s descent to Earth. The sadness that Vivian had felt
suddenly dissipated.
Vivian’s eyelashes fluttered.
Finnick?
“Why are you here?” Finnick lowered his head and stared at Vivian, who was squatting down on the
ground. For a reason unbeknownst, a hint of fury soon
crept into his voice. “Were you drenched by the rain?”
It was at that moment when Vivian finally returned to her senses.
Flustered, she attempted to stand up. However, her vision suddenly went black, as she soon lost
consciousness.
In a panic, Finnick quickly grabbed hold of Vivian, as he tried to steady her.
When he felt that the woman in his arms was abnormally warm, his gaze turned solemn. As his stare
landed on the bruise that Fabian had left on Vivian’s chin,
a murderous glint flashed across his eyes.
“Let’s return home.” The brief change in his expression was fleeting. Finnick soon resumed his usual
indifferent expression. Hugging Vivian, he wheeled his
wheelchair towards the black Bentley that was parked at the side.
Finnick’s car was parked at a hidden corner beside the train station. Due to the combined weight of
both himself and Vivian, Finnick discovered that the
wheelchair could not move as smoothly as it had before.
“Mr. Norton.” Noah could not help but offer, “Allow me to provide you some assistance.”
“There’s no need for that.” Without a moment of hesitation, Finnick instantly refused his offer. He then
adjusted Vivian’s position in his arms, carrying her, as he
directly rose from the wheelchair...
The room was pitch-black.
Hot...
So hot...
It’s so hot that | feel as though | am burning...
Moaning in utter discomfort, Vivian suddenly found that she was being placed down, as something cold
was soon pressed against her skin.
Vivian greedily tried to hug the cold object. However, she suddenly heard a man’s heavy panting.
Something is amiss!
Only then did Vivian’s muddled mind become clearer. As she tried her best to open her eyes, the blurry
image of a man entered her vision.
She struggled hard, to push the man who was looming above her. Unfortunately, he would not budge at
all, as if he was a massive mountain.
“Ouch!”
Chapter 12
Momentarily, a sharp pang of pain struck her, causing her to shriek out in pain.
Just then, the man forced himself upon her aggressively, time and time again.
Pain, hatred, and humiliation threatened to tear Vivian apart. She had wanted to resist him, but she
was far too weak to defend herself from his
advances. Hence, her only choice was to endure it ail...
After going through what had seemed like a limitless expanse of darkness and pain, Vivian’s
surroundings suddenly shifted.
Now, she was surrounded by a thunderstorm, as a distant thunder boomed.
Her body completely bruised, Vivian dragged herself along the streets. She wrapped her tattered
clothes tightly around herself as she staggered around in the
rain. Holding her phone, she frantically dialed a number, over and over again.
Fabes...
Fabes, where are you?
l’m so scared. Come and save me quickly...
Unfortunately, no matter how many times she had called him, all she could hear was a cold,
mechanical voice, “Sorry, the number that you have dialed is busy.
Please try again later.”
At long last, unable to endure her suffering any longer, Vivian collapsed in the rain...
Looking at Vivian, who was currently breaking out in a cold sweat, Finnick could not help but frown. He
turned his gaze to the doctor, who was by his side, and
asked, “Is she truly alright?”
“Don't worry, Mr. Norton. She has merely caught a fever because of the cold. As of now, she’s probably
having a nightmare.”
Upon hearing his reassuring words, Finnick soon appeared relieved.
As soon as the doctor made his leave, Finnick turned his gaze towards Vivian, who was extremely
pale. About to touch her forehead, Finnick was surprised,
when he saw that her body had started to quiver,
“Vivian?” Finnick could not help but furrow his brows again. “Are you alright?”
Evidently, Vivian was still in an unconscious daze. Her cracked lips parted slightly, as a string of words
escaped her lips.
A slight frown soon made its way to Finnick’s face. Bending down to some extent, he soon heard the
words that Vivian was mumbling.
“Fabes... Save me... Where are you? Fabes... Please believe me...”
Fabes?
Finnick sat up straight, as a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
it’s that man’s name again.
He stared at Vivian who was on the bed. Although her face was ashen and sickly, it did nothing to
conceal her beauty. This was especially apparent, as he
gazed at her fluttering eyes. Finnick had never seen her display such vulnerability before.
He mulled over it for a while.
Now that he had thought about it, this woman had always acted in a rather careful manner. She was
distant, right from the beginning, when he had first met
her. She had never once depended on him. In fact, she probably never intended to do so.
Yet, she seemed as if she was filled with fondness and trust, for the man called Fabes.
He had given Noah instructions to investigate Vivian's past. As Noah was a man of great efficiency, he
soon summarized the play of events of everything that
had happened to Vivian.
For instance, Finnick knew that she had a memorable first love. However, even as such, she had still
broken up with her first love, two years ago. Although he
had never checked her first love's name and background, it appeared as though the person was
named Fabes.
Finnick began to feel extremely gloomy, upon that thought, for reasons unbeknownst to him.
At that moment, Vivian abruptly opened her eyes.
Suppressing his emotions, Finnick lowered his head and stared at her. “Are you okay?”
Vivian blinked. Only then did she realize that she was lying in a room in the villa, with an IV drip
attached to her hand.
“Were you the one who had fetched me back home?” asked Vivian, her throat feeling parched.
“Yeah,” Finnick replied nonchalantly as he handed a cup of warm water over to her.
“Thank you.” Vivian accepted it as she soon began to sip on the water.
When Finnick took note of the usual distant and polite expression that had returned to Vivian's face, he
inexplicably felt a sense of frustration.
“Vivian.” Finnick abruptly asked, “Who is Fabes?”
“Ahem!”
Vivian had never expected Finnick to suddenly ask her such a question. Hence, she began choking on
her water as she coughed violently.
“Be careful.” In comparison to how flustered Vivian was, Finnick remained calm, as he patted her back.
Panicking, Vivian looked up and saw Finnick gazing at her. She could sense that his gaze had landed
on her bruised chin.
It’s rather glaring.
Finnick quickly took out an ointment from the medical kit on the bedside table. He squeezed some out
onto his hand and applied it to Vivian's bruised chin.
Vivian felt a cool sensation on her chin. However, she soon glanced at Finnick warily as she asked
hesitatingly, “How do you know Fabes?”
“You had yelled his name while you were dreaming.”
Vivian was stunned. Only then did she remember that she had dreamt about the incident that had
happened two years ago, all while in her sleep.
A despondent look crept into her eyes. Before Vivian could think of an answer, Finnick slowly
interrupted her.
“Vivian, | don’t care about your past. Nevertheless, | do hope that you’ll understand that you are my
wife now. | don’t like my woman yelling another man’s
name.”
Chapter 13
When Finnick announced that, his tone was still relatively indifferent. However, when Vivian heard his
words, she felt an indescribable sense of pressure being
weighed upon her.
His obsidian eyes were seemingly calm, yet brooding and unfathomable. Vivian found that she could
make sense of his emotions at all.
By then, Finnick had already finished applying the ointment on her chin. Lowering her gaze, Vivian
soon muttered aloud, “Thank you.”
“You're welcome.” Finnick calmly placed the ointment aside. “I don’t like it wnen someone else leaves a
mark on you.”
Vivian's body stiffened again.
Although she had merely kept silent, it felt as though Finnick was aware of everything that was going
on.
Upon feeling the sudden, cool sensation on her chin, Vivian came to realize that Finnick was far more
domineering and indecipherable than she had initially
expected.
“Okay,” responded Vivian as she lowered her head. Unknowingly, her palms had already started to
perspire.
“Rest early.” Finnick wheeled his wheelchair around. “I'll sleep in the guest room today.”
With that said, he left the room immediately, without stopping to wait for Vivian's reply.
In the room, Vivian slumped against the soft bed, not feeling the slightest hint of drowsiness.
Upon receiving the IV drip the next morning, Vivian was increasingly energized. Hence, she decided to
go to work. However, when she stood up to pack her C
bag, she realized that her bag was gone. Instead, a branded bag stood in its place.
“Molly.” When she saw Molly coming up to clean the room, she queried, “Where is my bag?”
“Ma’am, your bag was drenched by the rain yesterday. Hence, Mr. Norton had instructed someone to
buy you a new one.”
Vivian felt guilty almost immediately.
She could recognize the bag that Finnick had bought her— it was a Chanel bag that was probably
worth tens of thousands. With her salary, she would have
certainly not been able to afford it. However, her old bag had already been discarded. Without any
other bag, she could only steel her resolve, as she accepted
his gift.
She then headed downstairs to have her breakfast. Just as she was about to hail a cab, Finnick
offered, “Since you’re not fully recovered yet, I'll send you to
the office today.”
“It's okay.” Vivian was slightly flustered. “I can do it on my own accord...”
However, Finnick had already turned the wheelchair around. Soon, he was headed for the door, not
giving her any room for refusal.
Defeated, Vivian could only follow him to the car.
Fortunately, Finnick headed off to work earlier than her. When the Bentley arrived at the office, there
were not many people downstairs. Upon bidding Finnick
farewell, Vivian alighted the car swiftly.
Gazing at her back, a solemn look appeared in Finnick’s eyes.
Why is she reacting in such a manner? Is she really that afraid that someone will come to learn about
our relationship?
Vivian soon entered the building. Fortunately, sne had managed to catch a lift before its doors had
closed. However, when she entered, she realized that there
was only Fabian inside.
“Excuse me.” Instinctively, Vivian wanted to leave the lift. However, Fabian was quick to close the lift's
doors.
“Why are you avoiding me?” Fabian smirked coldly. “We're from the same department. Do you really
think that you'll be able to avoid me?”
Biting her lip, Vivian chose to remain silent.
Fabian lowered his gaze towards Vivian. As she was still sick, her face was rather pale. He soon came
to the observation that sne had been letting out
continuous, soft coughs.
He could not help but feel a tug at his heart.
Damn it.
Even though I’ve already found out about this woman’s true self, my emotions are still influenced by
her.
“Have you caught a cold?” Came Fabian’s icy question.
“Yeah.” Vivian did not intend on explaining herself further either. Upon acknowledging him curtly, she
walked out immediately, after the lift doors had opened.
As Fabian headed to his office, he felt extremely gloomy. In the end, he could not help but call his
secretary. “Please buy some cold medicine for me.”
His secretary sent the medicine to him quickly. Fabian fidgeted with it for a long time before he soon
stepped out of his office.
Upon walking past the office pantry, Fabian came to overhear some gossip, amongst his female
colleagues.
“Huh? Are you serious? Vivian came to work today in a black Bentley?”
“Of course! Even Sarah witnessed it!”
“Oh my God! That means that her husband is rich, doesn’t it? Otherwise, why would he own such a
luxurious car?”
“Are you stupid? How could that have been her husband's car? The diamond ring that her husband had
given her was rather cheap. In my opinion, it’s
definitely another man’s car...”
“Also, did you see her bag today? It's a Chanel bag! In the past, she merely used those cheap bags
that she had bought online. Now that she suddenly owns
a Chanel, I’m certain that the man had bought it for her.”
Standing outside the pantry, Fabian had unknowingly tightened his grip on the medicine.
He suddenly realized that it was utterly foolish of him to have bought her the medicine. Crumpling the
box of medicine in his fist, he tossed it into the dustbin,
before returning to his office.
On the other side, Vivian’s phone rang when she reached her desk.
Upon seeing the number that was displayed on her phone screen, her gaze turned cold.
She walked to an empty corridor as she accepted the call and asked frostily, “Why have you called
me?”
“Vivian, what's up with your tone?”
“Nothing.” A hint of impatience crept into Vivian's voice. “I know that you wouldn't have called me for
nothing. Tell me, what's happened this time?”
“Your little sister is going to get married soon.” Indeed, the man from the other end of the line went
straight to the point, as he soon revealed his objective in
calling her. “If you're free, come home and have a meal with us. You can meet your future brother-in-
law too.”
“Home?” Vivian’s tone sounded mocking. “Dad, you must have gotten something wrong. That is not my
home.”
‘Vivian, be careful of how you speak to me!” The man’s tone grew irate. “Your sister isn't just marrying
anyone. She is marrying the grandson of the Norton
family! Your sister had said that it would be better if the family were to reunite. Hence, it is innerent that
you come over tomorrow night!”
With that, he hung up the call.
Vivian frowned as she gripped her phone.
Ashley is marrying someone from the Norton famity?
No wonder she insists on making me go. It would have been weird if she didn’t brag to me about
having such an impressive fiancé.
Although Vivian was aware of what her family was planning to do, she knew her father’s personality all
too well. If she were to refuse him, he would definitely
get enraged.
it’s just a meal, anyway. I'll just go.
Chapter 14
Ever since Fabian became the Chief Editor, Vivian, who had always liked to work overtime, left exactly
on the dot. Today was not an exception either.
She took a cab home to the villa. Slumping against the soft sofa, she realized that her cold had not fully
recovered yet as her muscles had ached terribly.
When Vivian heard someone approaching her, she sat up in a fluster. She soon caught sight of
Finnick’s wheelchair beside her.
Instead of wearing his formal, white shirt, Finnick was wearing a casual grey cardigan, outlining his
perfectly sculptured body.
“Why are you back so early today?” She was surprised to see Finnick at this time of the day.
Finnick threw a returning glance at Vivian.
Her face was still slightly pale while her eyes were red, which meant that she had cried in the morning.
“Well,” mused Finnick, his expression still calm, “The food is ready. Come and eat.”
When Vivian arrived at the dining room, her gaze fell upon the dishes on the table. She was
momentarily stunned.
Most of the dishes were soup-based and vegetarian, with many nutritional ingredients in them.
Although they had not stayed together for long, Vivian noticed that Finnick had a love for spicy food.
Why are today’s dishes so bland?
Feeling suspicious, Vivian sat down. Finnick poured her a bowl of chicken soup and placed it in front of
her. “This is to warm your body.”
Vivian was astonished.
Were these dishes specially cooked, to tend to my cold?
Vivian felt an indescribable feeling, flooding within her heart. Her initial exhaustion and sadness had
slowly disappeared as it was soon replaced by a
heartwarming feeling.
So, it feels so good to have been cared for by someone.
“What are you thinking about?” Finnick’s mellow voice sounded out from beside her.
Jolted back to her senses, Vivian smiled and murmured, “It's nothing.”
Suddenly remembering something, she added, “Oh, right. I'm going to eat at my father’s place
tomorrow night. Seeing as such, you won't need to prepare
dinner for me.”
“Okay,” replied Finnick. After a while, he added, “When |’'m free, I'll visit your parents too.”
Stunned, Vivian blurted out, “There’s no need for that.”
Finnick raised his eyebrows in question.
Vivian realized that her reaction seemed slightly inappropriate. Feeling embarrassed, she explained,
“My parents... Don’t have a good relationship... My Mom’s
health is quite bad too, so...”
Looking at how flustered Vivian had seemed, a small smirk played upon Finnick’s lips.
Vivian was unaware of the fact that he had already investigated her family’s background.
“Really?” Instead of exposing her lie, he responded calmly, “When you're free, | would want to bring
you along to meet my family.”
Vivian was taken aback, for it was the first time that Finnick had mentioned his family.
“Your parents?” asked Vivian carefully.
“My parents have long passed away.”
Embarrassed, Vivian muttered, “Sorry.”
“It's okay.” Finnick remained as composed as ever. “I'll bring you to visit my grandfather and elder
brother when your schedule is freed up. Coincidentally, my
brother's son is going to get married recently.”
Someone’s getting married again?
Vivian smiled bitterly.
Has it been auspicious recently? Why is everyone rushing to get married?
“Okay, then.” Since she was Finnick’s wife, it was a basic courtesy to visit each other’s families. Hence,
she did not refuse.
The next day, Vivian managed to survive until her dismissal time from work. She hailed a cab to the
Miller Residence.
Upon stepping out of the cab, she took notice of a woman wearing a bright yellow dress, happily
rushing towards her.
“Vivian, you have finally arrived!” The woman grabbed Vivian's hands in hers. Flashing a bright smile at
Vivian, she urged in an intimate manner, “Come in
quickly. | want to introduce my fiancé to you!”
Staring at Ashley, who appeared rather beautiful, Vivian pursed her lips. “The grandson of the Norton
family, huh?”
Appearing astonished, Ashley smiled shyly. “So Daddy has already let you in on everything.
Nonetheless, when you see him later, don’t mention anything of the
Norton family! He hates it when others discuss his family background.”
Although Ashley had uttered such words, the proud look in her eyes could not be concealed.
Vivian merely smiled at her words.
Since young, she had known that Ashley was a materialistic person. Now that she managed to cling to
someone from the Norton family, it must have been
really hard for her to stop herself from bragging.
However, it was certainly a proud achievement to be engaged to a member of the Norton family.
In Sunshine City, the top three families were the Nortons, the Morrisons, and the Jacksons. They were
powerful families who had risen to power ages ago,
unlike the Millers who had only recently shot up to riches.
If she was not mistaken, Ashley's fiancé was the son of the eldest son of the Norton family. He had
studied abroad for a long time, so many outsiders did not
know his name.
While Vivian mulled over it, Ashley was already eagerly dragging her to the villa.
In the living room, a tall and lean figure was sitting on the sofa, his back facing them.
Ashley dragged Vivian over, her face full of excitement. “Fabes, let me introduce her to you. She’s my
sister. Although we don't share the same mother, she’s
my biological sister!”
Fabes?
Vivian's body stiffened. When she raised her head, she saw the man smiling at her. “Oh! | didn’t expect
your sister to be someone that I’m acquainted with.”
it was Fabian.
Vivian was utterly stunned, feeling as though she had just been struck by lightning.
Never in a million years would she have imagined Ashley’s fiancé to be Fabian!
He’s the grandson of the Norton family?
Chapter 15
At that moment, Ashley, who was hugging Vivian’s arm, revealed a surprised expression. Suddenly,
she smiled. “Oh, right! I'd almost forgotten that Fabes used
to go to the same university as you. He’s also in the journalism department, so he’s your senior.”
“Yeah, | know him.” Suppressing the bitter feeling that was arising in her heart, Vivian pretended to be
calm. “It’s just that | haven’t seen him in a long time.”
When Fabian noticed Vivian's indifference, his eyes narrowed. “Ashley, can | speak to your sister for a
while?”
The look in Ashley's eyes changed. However, she still maintained her gentle demeanor. “Okay, I'll see if
| can help out in the kitchen.”
At that, only Vivian and Fabian were left in the living room.
“What’s wrong, Vivian? Why didn’t you react to the fact that I’m now your brother-in-law now?” asked
Fabian mockingly, as he lowered his head and stared at
Vivian.
“What kind of reaction would you have liked me to have? Should | have called you my brother-in-law?”
Vivian eyed Fabian coldly. “Or perhaps, you'd like me to
call you the grandson of the Norton family?”
Fabian’s expression fell.
He hated it when others called him that. In fact, he despised it even more when others had tried to get
closer to him because of his family background.
Hence, when he was studying in college, he refused his father’s offer to send him abroad to the United
Kingdom. Instead, he went to Z College in the adjacent
city, as he pretended to be a poor man.
It was then when he had met Vivian.
When he had first met her, he treasured her a lot because she loved him for being “Fabian”, rather than
for being the “grandson of the Norton family”.
However, the harsh reality dealt a slap to him. Vivian had dumped him, a supposedly “broke bloke.” For
the sake of money, she had even...
When Fabian recalled those photos from the past, he felt heartbroken. He grabbed Vivian's wrist tightly
and mocked, “Vivian, now that you know that I’m not
only the Chief Editor of Glamour Magazine but also a member of the Norton family, do you regret it
now? However, | can give you a chance to make amends...”
Vivian raised her head slowly and gazed at Fabian’s furious expression. Before she could respond, he
continued viciously, “Since you're willing to sell anything
for money, why don’t you be my mistress?”
Vivian's eyes widened in shock, unable to fathom that Fabian could utter something like that.
“Ha! Are you tempted by my offer?” The mocking look on Fabian’s face intensified. “It's not surprising,
though. Although you're married, you've continued to
engage in such indecent affairs, right? Instead of remaining with a disgusting old man, it'll better to be
with me, wouldn't it? Don’t worry. I’m from the Norton
family. | can give you anything that you desire.”
Vivian was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of disgust.
She had never thought that Fabian, whom she had once deeply loved, would disgust her so much.
“Oh, right. Vivian, Mom says that she needs to get some wine. Would you like to accompany me?”
Fortunately, Ashley appeared at that moment, interrupting Vivian’s urge to slap Fabian’s face harshly.
“Okay, I'll go with you.”
Shooting a glance at the man, who quickly resumed his gentle demeanor, Vivian followed Ashley
towards the wine cellar.
“Truthfully, Fabes doesn’t like to drink red wine.” When they were picking the wine, Ashley suddenly
spoke up, “Haha! A lot of his habits are unlike those of
wealthy men.”
Unaware of why Ashley was suddenly bringing this up, Vivian merely muttered an acknowledgement.
“So, it's normal that you didn’t recognize him to be the grandson of the Norton family,” drawled Ashley.
Vivian's expression suddenly stiffened. Her head snapped up, as she looked at Ashley, who had a
bright smile upon her face. “However, Vivian, no matter how
much you regret it now, Fabes is already mine.”
Vivian was astonished.
Ashley is aware of my past with Fabian?
“You want to ask me how I’ve come to know about it?” Ashley’s smile became more coquettish.
“Naturally, Fabes had told me about it himself.”
Vivian felt a sense of unease, rising within her.
Did Fabian narrate our past to Ashley as if it were all a joke?
“Huh? You don’t appear too happy, Vivian.” Holding the wine bottle, Ashley inched closer to her.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Vivian's expression turned cold. “Ashley, what are you trying to say?”
Only then did the hypocritical smile fade from Ashley's face. A hostile glint appeared in her eyes as she
warned, “Vivian, you Know what I’m trying to tell you. |
know that you’re working in the same company as Fabes. However, I’m warning you now. Don’t covet
something that doesn’t belong to you!”
Gazing at Ashley’s threatening look, Vivian finally found that all of this hilariously ridiculous.
“Don't worry.” She raised her hand. “I am already married. | am completely uninterested in your fiancé.”
When Ashley saw the wedding ring that was on Vivian's finger, she was momentarily stunned.
Notwithstanding, she quickly burst out laughing.
“Vivian, you're already married? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” She took a closer look at her ring and
laughed even louder. “It appears as though my brother-
in-law is an honest man. He must be really nice to you, right?”
To Ashley, an “honest man” was synonymous with a poor man.
Without denying it, Vivian coolly replied, “You're not worried anymore, right?”
“I’ve never been worried.” Ashley feigned an innocent and harmless look again. Blinking her eyes, she
drawled, “After all, after what had happened two years
ago... Even if you’d wanted to reconcile with Fabes, he wouldn't be willing to do so either, right?”
Vivian's body shuddered, as she glared at Ashley.
Ashley’s grin grew wider. She abruptly moved closer to Vivian and lowered her voice. “After all, who'll
accept a woman who has been ravaged by a stinky, old
man?”
Ashley’s words were like daggers to Vivian’s heart, causing her to feel extremely distressed. Her body
started to quiver uncontrollably as she soon yelled,
“That’s enough! Stop talking...”
However, Ashley moved even closer to her ears. With a mocking tone, she scorned, “Vivian, does your
current husband know that your virginity was stolen by
an old man, two years ago? And... It was only for a price of ten thousand...”
“That’s enough!” shrieked Vivian, wno was unable to bear it any longer. She shoved Ashley aside
forcefully.
“Argh!”
Ashley fell onto the floor, causing the wine bottle to be smashed into smithereens.
“Ashley!”
Chapter 16
Before Vivian could react, she heard a scream of surprise. When she raised her head, she saw Emma
rushing over.
Emma was her father’s wife and Ashley's mother. However, she was not Vivian's biological mother.
Her mother was still lying in the hospital, surviving on medicine and pills alone.
Emma quickly helped Ashley up from the floor. Fabian had also rushed over. When he saw her pathetic
look and reddened eyes, his gaze was soon filled with
fury. “Vivian, what are you doing?”
Unlike how fragile Ashley had appeared, Vivian maintained a stubborn look of defiance, despite being
drenched in red wine. “She had continuously irked me
with her words, so | accidentally pushed her. I’m sorry.”
“Accidentally?” Emma raised her voice as she glared at Vivian resentfully. “What do you mean by it
being an accident? It's evident that you've done it on
purpose! You're simply jealous that Ashley is able to marry someone great, hence, you'd wanted to
sabotage her before her wedding! Why does she have such
a ruthless sister?”
“Emma, you're overthinking this. Why would | be jealous of Ashley?”
“You've been jealous of her since young. Don't think that I'm oblivious to it!” Emma’s voice became
sharper. “You refuse to admit your mistake! You and your
mother are cut from the same cloth. You're just like your mother—a shameless seductress!”
Vivian was completely enraged.
“Emma!” Her tone became frosty. “I’m warning you now. Because you're older than me, I'll let it go,
even if you insult me. However, if you insult my mom, I'll definitely refuse to show you any form of
courtesy!”
Vivian's bloodshot eyes frightened Emma. Unable to utter a single word, she shot a pleading look at
Harvey, who was beside her.
Harvey's expression was hostile too. Glaring at Vivian, he chided angrily, “Vivian! What are you saying?
Apologize right now!” Next chapter
Vivian’s body shuddered in anger. She was about to rebuke when Fabian scorned coldly, “Mr. Miller,
you should really settle your domestic affairs properly.
She's all but an illegitimate daughter, yet she dares to raise her voice against the actual family?
Where's the order in this house?”
Vivian froze as she glared at Fabian in disbelief.
Fabian met her gaze. However, his eyes were filled with disdain.
Initially, he thought that Vivian was unlike her mother, who was a mere mistress. Yet, they turned out to
be similarly shameless!
He uttered such horrible words in response. However, it was not to stand up for Ashley. Instead, he
was merely maddened by his blindness and foolishness in
the past.
“I'm sorry that you have to witness this, Mr. Norton.”
Only then did the dumbfounded Vivian return to her senses. Shooting a furious glare at Harvey, she
rebuked, “Dad, what are you talking about? Others don't
know what had happened, but you clearly do! Back then, Mom—”
Before Vivian could finish her sentence, Harvey glowered at her. He yelled, “Vivian, shut up!
Remember that your last name is William, not Miller. So, don’t act
all high and mighty in the Miller Residence!”
Your last name is William, not Miller.
Harvey's words were like sharp daggers to Vivian, piercing her heart as it caused it to ache terribly.
All of her words of defense morphed into an utter sense of helplessness.
Suddenly, she found everything to be completely meaningless.
When she saw how the three people in front of her were warily staring at her, she scoffed mockingly.
They are a family. They love each other and they possess a common enemy.
Since the beginning, I've been nothing but an outsider to them.
Why should | stay here and humiliate myself further?
“I’m sorry,” apologized Vivian indifferently. “Since | made all of you unhappy, | won't stay here anymore.
|’ll only serve to ruin your mood.”
With that, she left the wine cellar, without sparing any of them a second glance.
When she brushed past Ashley, she spotted the gloating look on Ashley's face, as though she had won
the match.
“Hey, sis.” Vivian stopped in her tracks. It was rare for her to address Ashley as her sister. “My best
wishes to both you and Fabian. Have a blessed
engagement and | hope that you'll stay happy forever.”
Upon her last sentence, she left without any hesitation.
When she left the Miller Residence, she realized that it was already nighttime.
The Miller Residence was just like Finnick’s villa. There were no available cabs or bus stops in its
vicinity. Hence, Vivian could only whip out her phone, to use
a cab-hailing application. At that moment, her phone suddenly rang.
When she saw that the call was from Finnick, Vivian was stunned for a moment, before she finally
answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hello, it's me.” Finnick’s mellow voice sounded out from the other end of the line. “Are you eating at
your father’s place?”
For some reason, when Vivian heard Finnick's voice, she felt a sudden urge to cry.
Chapter 17
Vivian cleared her throat and tried to sound as casual as she could. She did not want Finnick to find out
about what happened. “Oh, | didn’t manage to have a
meal with them in the end. | caught a cold so | excused myself.”
Over on the other end, Finnick did not reply immediately. He felt something was off but was
contemplating if he should pursue the matter. “Where are you
now?” He decided to drop the matter and give her some space in the end.
“Well, I'm at Yves Mansion. Why don’t you grab something to eat first? And could you ask Molly to
prepare some soup? I'll have it when | reach home.”
Again, there was silence on the other side. Vivian looked at her phone and found out that it had
switched off automatically because it ran out of battery.
Damn it! Now of all times?
How am | supposed to go back now?
She tried switching it back on but it just did not work. She stomped her foot in frustration and looked
around desperately as she tried to recall the location of
the nearest bus stop.
But it was not long before she felt a sharp pain in her ankle. Her high feels were giving her blisters and
it hurt badly.
Vivian groaned and shook her head weakly. It was really an unlucky day for her.
The Yves Mansion’s neighborhood was huge and she found herself wandering in the same place even
after walking for a few minutes.
The night was getting colder and the frosty breeze blew right through her body. A shiver went down
Vivian’s spine and she pulled her cardigan tighter around
her thin body as she continued walking.
Just as she was about to take a turn into another road, a glaring light shone right into her eyes.
She tilted her head aside and squinted to see if it was a cab. To her dismay, it was a private car—a
black one.
Right, what was | even expecting? A cab in a posh neighborhood like this one?
Vivian frowned and took a closer look at the car as it slowed down toward her.
Wait... This car looks familiar...
It came closer and finally stopped right in front of her.
The door opened and down from the car ramp came an attractive young man in a wheelchair.
It was none other than Finnick.
The car light shone so brightly in the dark that Vivian could not see him clearly. But from the outline of
his body and his chiseled jaw, Vivian could tell with just
one glance it was definitely him.
He was the one who had always found her during the hardest moments in her life, even if she was not
expecting him to come over this time around.
His wheelchair stopped right in front of Vivian and a smile broke out on his face as he looked up at her.
She looked startled, but cute nonetheless.
“Why? Are you not happy to see me?” Finnick teased with a gentle smile.
Vivian raised her eyebrows and grinned. “Of course I’m happy to see you.”
It was true. She was happy to see him.
Finnick was there for her whenever she was stranded. He had always been the light at the end of the
tunnel for her.
Seeing the contented smile on her face, Finnick beamed with pleasure. “Let's go.” He beckoned.
Vivian nodded cheerfully and followed him toward the car. She had totally forgotten about the pain in
her ankle as she walked toward him. But the blister burst
and she halted her steps all of a sudden, trying to gulp back her tears.
“What’s wrong?” Finnick realized she was jerking in pain and saw her checking out her feet.
His gaze followed hers and finally stopped at her ankle. Finnick’s brows furrowed as he spotted red
stains of blood.
“It’s nothing. Just the heels. | just need to put on a plaster after | get home.” But before Vivian could
continue walking, he bent over and held her ankle with his
hands.
“I’m fine, Finnick...” Vivian suddenly felt uneasy as a hot sensation spread across her pink cheeks.
His fingers brushed against her skin as he lifted her left leg to get a closer look.
Finnick checked her wound carefully and his brows drew together in a worried frown. “It’s bleeding.”
Vivian gasped as his touch tingled her skin. She was not sure if she was having goosebumps because
of the pain or his electrifying touch.
“It’s nothing, really,” she mumbled. Vivian could not seem to pronounce her words clearly. Her blood
was boiling and her heart was beating faster. But Finnick
did not realize this at all—he was too worried about her.
He took off her heels decisively and pulled her along her waist in a strong tug. Everything happened so
quickly that Vivian did not even have time to react. She
let out a cry and the next thing she knew she was already in Finnick’s arms, sitting on his lap.
In fact, she was so close to him she could feel the heat radiating off his body in the chilly night.
“Finnick!” She stared at him, bewildered.
Their eyes met and she quickly looked away nervously. But Finnick was unperturbed. He turned his
wheelchair toward the car and said, “Let’s go home.”
Chapter 18
Chapter 18 Go home? Vivian stopped struggling and her eyes widened in surprise, but sadness seeped in later on. Home? ! don’t have a home anymore... Although she had moved in with Finnick, she had never taken his villa as her real home. To her, it was just a roof over her head when she had nowhere else to go. It was never her home. But for the first time, Vivian felt a warm feeling blossoming in her heart like the first spring after a long cold winter. Her startled eyes surveyed Finnick’s face as he reciprocated her gaze quietly. Their marriage had happened out of the blue. Yet looking at him, Vivian thought it was not a bad idea to have someone by her side after alll. Her face relaxed and she finally gave in, wrapping her arms around his neck. Now that she caved, Finnick’s eyes glimmered subtly with joy. His brows curved into a smile and he moved toward the car proudly. Not long after they got in, the car sped off, moving further away from Yves Mansion. As the black Bentley gradually went out of sight, a lurking shadow emerged from a dark corner along the empty road. Under the lonely street light, Fabian stood as he watched the couple depart. After Vivian left the Miller family, although Fabian did not run after her, he still felt uneasy. The night had fallen and he worried about her safety. So Fabian gave a random reason and excused himself not long after she left alone. He saw her walking strenuously in the dark but he could not bring himself to send her home after everything that happened between them. So Fabian decided to just watch her from afar—until the man in the wheelchair appeared. Although Fabian could not see the man clearly from a distance, he knew instantly it was Finnick the
very moment he saw his car and his iconic wheelchair. His fists clenched so tight red marks grew under his pale skin. Why? Why must it be him? Vivian, you're already married, so why do you have to get involved with this man? His anger burned within him as he bit his lip. “Fabes?” A soft voice echoed carefully from behind. Fabian suddenly came around and turned toward the voice in alarm. It was Ashley. “Ashley, you're here.” He moved toward her, then held her cold hands and rubbed them against his as he tried to warm her up. “You need to put on more clothes. Let’s go.” “I’m worried, so | came to check on you,” Ashley said tenderly as Fabian held her in his arms. But her shaky voice betrayed her. Ashley had seen everything earlier on. She saw someone picked Vivian up, and she saw the hatred and fury in Fabian’s eyes. Vivian William, why can’t he just get over you? I’ve taken your place, but why does he still only have eyes for you? She bit her lip and her face turned pale in bitter jealousy. Vivian William, you’d better stay away from Fabes. Don’t forget | still have some dirt on you. | can make you lose everything you have overnight! By the time Vivian got home, her body was already shivering uncontrollably. Sne had been out in the cold for too long and it was not helping her health. She dashed to the bathroom and took a hot shower to warm herself up. When she came out of the bathroom, Finnick was already done showering and was blow-drying his hair. When Finnick saw her, he quickly switched off the hairdryer and ruffled his hair. “Come dry your hair,” he said, waving the hairdryer at her.
“It’s fine. It'll dry on its own,” Vivian replied, waving her hand back dismissively. She was already tired from a long day. Besides, she still had to wash her clothes. But just as she was about to leave, Finnick grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her back. “You're having a cold. It'll get worse if you don’t dry your hair.” Without waiting for her to agree, Finnick pulled her over with a strong tug and sat her on the chair in front of the dressing table. He positioned his wheelchair behind her and switched the hairdryer back on. Vivian sat in the chair as she stole a surprising look at Finnick from the mirror. He was rustling her hair gently as he held the hairdryer in another hand. Strands of her hair beat against her face ticklishly and Vivian sneezed. “See, | told you. Your cold is gonna get worse. You need to stop being a kid and learn to take care of yourself.” His words brought back fond memories. It had been a long time since someone nagged her like that. Tears started welling in her eyes as waves of emotion overwhelmed her. Gosh, why am | crying because of those stupid peopie? They are not even my family. Vivian blinked her eyes hard as she looked at Finnick’s sculpted and charming face while he dried her hair. “Finnick, may | ask you something?” Vivian blurted out a question before she could even stop herself. “What is it?” It was already too late for her to remedy the situation. She bit her lip and asked anyway, “Will you hate me if | did something shameful? | mean, hypothetically speaking.” Finnick’s brows twitched a little as he heard her timid voice coming through the noise of the hairdryer. He cocked his head and looked at Vivian in the mirror. Her complexion was pale and her eyes wandered aimlessly through the cosmetics on the dressing
table. He could tell she was anxiously waiting for an answer, but she was afraid of hearing it at the same time. Finnick knew full well what she was referring to. He already did a background check on her, but he chose not to bring it up. In fact, he would never bring it up— not until she was ready to open up to him. His mind raced rapidly as he thought about her question and his lips curved up in a tacit smile. Does this mean she’s finally opening up to me? “It doesn't matter what you've done in the past. You're my wife, and this will never change,” Finnick said slowly but surely. it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past. You're my wife, and this will never change. Those words came out so effortlessly from his mouth. But to Vivian, they meant the world to her. She lowered her head like a guilty child with her gaze locked on her fidgeting fingers. “Thank you, Finnick.” Her voice broke as she pronounced every word. Thank you for holding out your hand to me when there was no hope for me. Thank you for being here when | need you the most. Thank you for giving me a home when | had none. Finnick’s assuring words reverberated in her mind and she heaved a sigh of relief. She could finally sleep with a full heart after such a long day. After Finnick was done drying her hair, Vivian hit the hay
immediately and fell into a deep sleep. Finnick sat at the corner of the bed as he watched her sleeping
sweetly. He reflected on everything that happened thus far. Things took an unexpected turn but
something had been bugging him. He could not explain the burning sensation he felt when he saw her
utterly helpless and alone back at Yves Mansion. The feeling pierced through him like a thorn and it
made his heart ached. What’s wrong with me? Vivian was merely someone he married to shut his
grandpa up, but Finnick felt she meant more than that to him now. Otherwise, he would not care so
much about her. Finnick drummed his fingers in an exasperated manner as he tried to make sense of
how he actually felt toward Vivian. He finally reached for his phone and called Noah. “Noah, I need you
to do something. Gather everything you can about Vivian’s past. I want a detailed account this time
around.” His commanding voice rang deep and apathetic in the quiet room.
Chapter 19
Morning broke and Vivian arose after a good night’s rest. She was up earlier by half an hour. After
washing up, she switched on her laptop and started penning
a resignation letter right away.
She did not care if people would take her as a coward who was simply running away from the situation
—she just could not work under Fabian anymore.
Just as she was typing away furiously on the keyboard, her phone rang and the hospital’s number
appeared on the screen.
“Ms. William? The patient's brain waves fluctuated this morning. She could wake up anytime soon.”
Vivian widened her eyes with a huge smile on a face. “My mother may regain consciousness?”
“Yes, there is a possibility. But we don't want to be overconfident,” the doctor said.
“| understand. I'll wait even if it takes years!” Vivian exclaimed, leaping to her feet.
“We will assist her in every way possible. We are giving her a different treatment now that her situation
is looking good. But you will need to brace yourself for
the cost of the treatment.” The doctor's voice deepened.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got her covered under health insurance. I'll pay for any expenses not covered by the
insurance.” After assuring the doctor that she would
figure out a way to manage the medical expenses, Vivian hung up.
She sat back down and looked at her half-written resignation letter. Pursing her lips, she deleted
everything in one go.
She could not afford to lose her job right now. It was not just because she had to pay for her mother’s
medical bill, but it would also take some time before she
could find another job.
Vivian scrambled to get ready and headed for work immediately.
She would face whatever came her way.
Since Finnick had not been home since early in the morning, she finished up breakfast in a hurry and
hailed a cab right after.
Her magazine company had recently landed a huge long-term project with another magazine company
in Q City. The company took this deal very seriously and
Fabian was even going on a business trip to the city to sort out the details of the contract.
Thinking of this, Vivian could not help but heave a sigh of relief.
She hope Fabian would leave for the trip soon, then she would not have to face him at the company.
But things did not turn out the way she expected. Not long after she arrived at the office, Lesley
Jenson, the senior editor, rushed over to her. “Vivian, you need
to get ready now. You're going on a business trip to Q City with the Chief Editor.”
Vivian sprang up from her chair and stared at her in bewilderment. “Ms. Jenson, doesn’t the Chief
Editor have his own personal assistant? | shouldn't be the
one going on the trip with him!”
The senior editor looked at her and shrugged her shoulders. “Well, if you have an objection, you should
go talk to the Chief Editor himself. He was the one who
asked you to go.”
Vivian rolled her eyes and clenched her fists.
What is he trying to do?
He’s about to get married soon! What does he still want with me?
Vivian strode toward Fabian’s office without losing a moment. She had to talk to him.
But before she could even knock on the door, the office door opened before her and there Fabian stood
right in front of her.
He was stunned at first, but he quickly composed himself and looked at her coldly. “Vivian William,
what are you waiting for? We are leaving now.”
Vivian glared at him and replied, “Mr. Norton, I'm not going to Q City with you.”
Sensing the determination in her voice, Fabian was furious. “I'm the one who gets to decide things
here. You can resign anytime you like if you disagree.”
Vivian gritted her teeth, trying to swallow her anger back in.
She would have handed in her resignation letter if sne could. Then she would not have to stand Fabian
Norton any longer. But since the hospital called this
morning, she simply could not give up at this point. She still needed the money.
Fabian scoffed as he looked at her at a loss for words. “Since you can’t leave as you like, I'd advise you
to start getting ready right now. The flight is at 3
o'clock. Miss the flight and you'll lose your job.”
He turned and left without waiting for her to give her consent.
But it was not like Vivian had a choice. She had to do as he said. Vivian grunted as she took out her
phone and called Molly to pack her luggage.
After getting her call, Molly rushed to pack Vivian's stuff. She got everything ready within an hour and
even brought Vivian’s luggage to her office.
“Thanks so much, Molly. Sorry for bothering you. | really didn't have time to go home and pack myself,”
Vivian said apologetically as she took her suitcase from
Molly.
Molly smiled politely at Vivian. The servants adored their master’s wife tremendously. She was always
courteous, understanding, and down-to-earth when
talking to the servants. “Don’t mention it, Ms. William. This is what I'm supposed to do. Have you told
Mr. Norton that you'll be away on a business trip?”
Vivian gasped.
It suddenly occurred to her that she had totally forgotten to inform Finnick about her business trip. She
was so overwhelmed by anger because of Fabian’s
ridiculous demand she totally forgot to let Finnick know.
“I'll tell him,” Vivian said as she waved goodbye to Molly.
She reached for her phone once she got back to her table and called Finnick. But he did not pick up.
Maybe he’s at a meeting.
Since Vivian thought it was not a big deal, she decided to just text him instead of calling him again.
After sending Finnick a message, she left for the airport
with Fabian.
Over at Finnor Group, Finnick rolled his wheelchair into the president's office as he talked to Noah.
“Regarding the Q City project, | think we should just cancel it. The other party doesn't seem to be very
keen about the project.”
Noah nodded and scribbled something on his notebook. “Noted. Also, Mr. Norton, Ms. William called
during the meeting just now.”
Finnick’s hands stopped and he turned around. “Vivian called?”
He was not caught by surprise per se, but something urgent must have come up for Vivian to call him
herself. Finnick took his phone from Noah and saw her
WhatsApp message.
Something came up at the company and | need to go on a business trip for a few days in Q City with
the Chief Editor.
Finnick was upset after reading her text. It was not because she gave him a late notice, but rather, it
was because her goodbye message sounded so
mechanical.
He locked his phone and let out a disappointed sigh. Noah sensed something was wrong, so he quickly
handed over a pile of documents to Finnick. “Mr.
Norton, this is all the information I’ve gathered about Ms. William.”
Finnick took the thick folder from him and flipped it open. His color changed and his face hardened
after reading just a few lines into the first page.
He slammed the folder closed and his eyes shone with anger. “We're going to Q City. Now!”
Chapter 20
By the time Finnick left for Q City, Vivian and Fabian were already on their way. Over in the business
class cabin, Vivian sat beside Fabian uneasily. The cabin crew just served an in-flight meal and it was
paella. Vivian hated seafood so much she did not even touch the food. “Still don’t fancy seafood?”
Fabian asked with a smirk on his face. “I can tell the Chief Editor’s memory is still functioning alright,”
Vivian replied nastily. She had had enough of Fabian today. “Of course. I remember everything about
my first love,” Fabian said slowly after taking a sip of coffee. Vivian closed her eyes and took deep
breaths. She did not want to get into a fight with him on the plane. But Fabian did not seem to realize
her reaction. “Besides, how can I ever forget the feeling of being played for a fool by my first love?” he
added. Vivian’s face turned pale as bad memories came flooding back. “Mr. Norton, I’m not sure who’s
being played for a fool here. I’m not the one who hid my real identity on purpose.” Fabian’s expression
changed slightly before he chuckled. He was not expecting her to retaliate. “Of course. I should’ve told
you earlier, shouldn’t I? Then you probably wouldn’t have betrayed me and thrown yourself on a sixty-
year-old saggy old man.” Fabian was not even trying to lower his voice. Other passengers and flight
attendants widened their eyes in astonishment. “Fabian Norton, what do you think you’re doing?”
Vivian finally snapped. Fabian leaned closer and looked at her. Her face was pale with shame and
anger. For a moment, he felt sorry for putting her in a tight position. But he really could not get over
what he saw yesterday night. “Vivian William, are you afraid of people judging you after all the brazen
things you’ve done?” Vivian glared at him unreservedly. Fabian had been hurling vexing insults ever
since they got on the plane. “What I do has nothing to do with you!” she shouted. But Fabian did not
raise his voice this time. He eyed her and said coldly, “You’re not the one who gets the say here. I’m
never going to forgive you for what you’ve done.” Vivian glared at him and her heart pounded intensely.
She finally understood why Fabian insisted she came with him on a business trip. He wanted to shame
her and torture her for the pain she had inflicted on him. All he wanted was revenge. True enough, after
they arrived in Q City, Fabian made Vivian attend a business meal with him, knowing full well that
Vivian hated formal gatherings like this. Since Vivian was the only lady around the table, she naturally
became the center of attention. Each of the business partners took turns to toast to Vivian, but Fabian
did nothing about it. Even Vivian herself lost count of how many shots she took after toasting to every
man around the table. “Mr. Norton, I didn’t know you have such a cute secretary!” Mr. Hark exclaimed
as he eyed Vivian from top to toe. He was in his forties and was a chief editor from another company.
Vivian lowered her head awkwardly, not knowing what to do. She had always felt out of place during
social gatherings like this. “She’s yours if you like,” Fabian replied with an easy laugh, without even
explaining that Vivian was not actually his secretary. Upon hearing this, Vivian looked up in shock and
stared at Fabian. She could not believe he would insult her publicly in front of a group of strangers.
“Come on, Mr. Norton. You must be kidding!” Mr. Hark burst into laughter. “I’m serious. You can take
her if you want. Just take this as a token of appreciation from our company!” Fabian repeated. Vivian’s
face grew hot and red from the alcohol and shame. She could not believe Fabian used to be the young
man she loved. He used to be a timid young man who would shy away from strangers. But he had
changed so much after two years. Vivian even wondered if she knew the real Fabian to begin with.
Fabian looked at her from the corner of his eyes and tilted his head. “What are you waiting for? Pour
Mr. Hark a drink!” Her hands trembled when she saw Mr. Hark smiling creepily at her. She was utterly
disgusted but she did as Fabian demanded nonetheless. “Mr. Hark, here’s to our successful
collaboration,” Vivian said coldly. Forcing a smile on her face, she stole a quick look at him as she
handed him a glass of wine. But instead of taking the glass from her, Mr. Hark grabbed and rubbed his
coarse fingers against her hand. “Come on, young lady, you don’t have to be this polite. We’ll definitely
be working together on a lot of other things in the future!” Mr. Hark grinned lewdly as he emphasized
his words to make sure she understood what he actually meant. Vivian struggled to retract her hand
but Mr. Hark refused to let her go. Beside her, Fabian’s grip tightened around his glass as he saw Mr.
Hark harassing Vivian. Anger suffocated his chest and he finally stood up. “Mr. Hark! Here’s to our
working together!” Fabian spoke up. Mr. Hark finally let go of Vivian reluctantly and toasted to Fabian.
Realizing it was her chance to free herself, Vivian scrambled to leave for the washroom. But she felt
nauseous as she held on to the wall and made her way slowly toward the washroom. I must be drunk. When she finally reached the washroom, she quickly turned on the tap at the sink and washed her
face. Her stomach churned uncomfortably and her head was throbbing in pain. Darn it! Vivian really did
not know what was Fabian up to. She knew he hated her all this while. But she did not know why he
would channel all his fury toward her all of a sudden. Vivian rubbed her temples, hoping it would help
her feel better. She really hated the meeting today. Fabian was being annoyingly unpredictable; Mr.
Hark was checking her out like an old pervert. Vivian had a feeling things would go haywire as soon as
she walked out of the washroom, so she sent Fabian a message saying that she would go back to the
hotel first. But just as she was about to turn the corner, a familiar but annoying voice rang from behind
her. It was Mr. Hark. “Ms. William! What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you!” She turned
around nervously and saw Mr. Hark leaning against the wall. He must have been waiting for her all this
while.