Ch. 271..280
Chapter 271
Along the bustling streets, Vivian anxiously tried to flag a cab down. Sadly, none stopped for her.
Her panic grew – she was going to be late for her grandfather’s birthday party if this predicament
continued.
She tried calling Finnick, hoping that he could give her a ride. Unfortunately, the line just could not get
through.
What on earth is he doing? Does he not know that I’m going to the birthday party?
Finnick’s lack of response only compounded her misery.
While she was sulking along the walkway, Fabian walked out of the mall. A gift bag hung from his
fingers.
Vivian’s desperate figure quickly caught his eye. “Vivian? Why are you here?”
Observing the gift bag in her hands, Fabian guessed, “Where are you heading to? The Norton
Residence?”
Vivian likewise noticed Fabian’s gift bag and chuckled. “What a coincidence! You’re heading there too?
Is that a gift?”
“Yeah, the old man suddenly called and announced that he’s holding a birthday party. This sort of thing
only happens once in a blue moon.” Guessing that Vivian could not get a ride, he added, “Let’s go
together – I’ll bring you there.”
Vivian hesitated – it seemed a little unbecoming of her status to accept his offer. “It’s alright, I’ll get my
own cab.”
Glancing at his watch, Fabian replied teasingly, “You’re never going to get a cab at this hour. Just come
with me – it’s not like I’m going to bully you or anything.”
Giggling at his comment, Vivian figured that making the elder Mr. Norton unhappy by being late was a
much more undesirable scenario. “Okay then, let’s go.”
The two entered the car.
The peak hour was unforgiving. The roads were jammed and the pair found themselves stuck behind
multiple red lights. To lighten the mood, Fabian switched on the radio. Coincidentally, the station was
playing a song that was popular during their college years.
“Hey, do you remember this song? Back then, there was a guy from our course who sang this song
during a gala dinner to woo a girl. But his performance was horrendous – I’m not sure if he sang
anything in tune.”
Fond memories came rushing back to Vivian. Her lips curled naturally as she replied, “Ah yes, I
remember that whole fiasco. The best part of the story is that the girl was actually so touched by his act
that they got together! We always mused back then that fortune truly favored the fools.”
University life tended to be full of interesting and silly happenings. Some people had such a memorable
time that they had enough tales to retell for an entire lifetime.
These past memories threw Vivian into a trance. But she quickly snapped out of it, realizing that this
conversation was a little too inappropriate. Changing the topic, she asked, “Anyway, do you know why
Grandpa suddenly wanted to host a meal? It’s such short notice… I thought his birthday party would
have been in preparation since a few months back.”
Fabian explained, “Great Grandpa doesn’t really like anything that’s too extravagant. Moreover, his
birthday happens to be Great Grandma’s death anniversary too. Therefore, he’s usually reluctant to
celebrate his birthday. We assumed that this year would be the same, which was why we didn’t prepare
anything beforehand. But to our surprise, he said he wants a party all of a sudden. It threw all of us off
guard.”
This explanation clarified many things for Vivian.
But it also ended the conversation. Vivian fell into silence, and the pair carried on with the journey in
awkwardness.
After what seemed like forever, the Norton Residence came finally in sight. They alighted at the villa’s
entrance.
However, the massager Vivian was carrying was too bulky for her figure. Due to slight carelessness,
Vivian found herself losing her balance. Luckily, Fabian swiftly came to her aid and held her back from
falling.
“T-Thank you.” She muttered before pulling away from his arm wordlessly.
But to her surprise, Fabian suddenly tightened his hold on her.
Vivian furrowed her brows in confusion. Just when she was about to protest, a black Bentley pulled into
the driveway. The two froze as the car door opened.
From the vehicle, a wheelchair emerged. Beside it stood Ashley.
Vivian was struck dumb. Her face paled.
Finnick, who has been uncontactable for the whole day, is with Ashley?
The other three similarly had a look of disbelief. They never expected to meet each other in such a
manner.
The whole party stood rooted to their spots. Varying sentiments stirred amongst the four.
Chapter 272
The situation was at a standstill. They looked at each other in silence.
Vivian’s icy gaze did not escape Finnick.
Meanwhile, Ashley was green with jealousy upon seeing Vivian and Fabian together.
Why?
Why are they together again?
But she soon noticed a similar look of jealousy on Vivian’s face and felt a sense of accomplishment.
Ha.
Now you know how I feel when I see you and Fabian together. It’s your turn to suffer – let’s see how
you’re going tolerate the sight of me hanging out with Finnick. Weren’t you so proud to call him your
husband? Well, too bad.
Ashley put on the most enchanting smile she could and leaned closer to Finnick. With a purposefully
sweet voice, she said, “Ah Vivian, you’re here.”
Finnick was oblivious to Ashley’s intrusion into his personal space. Instead, all of his attention was
fixated on the pair before him.
What the hell?
Why is Vivian with her ex? And why do they look chummier than ever? How dare she!
Finnick was livid.
“Come over,” he instructed Vivian. Fury was discernible in his tone.
Vivian frowned and refused to budge.
Aren’t you with Ashley too? What right do you have to be angry at me?
Realizing that no one was paying attention to her, Ashley shot a glare at Vivian and strode to Fabian’s
side. Slotting her arm into her lover’s, she said to the man, “The gift’s ready? If so, then let’s go in.”
Fabian looked back worryingly at Vivian, but there was nothing he could do.
The duo disappeared into the house, leaving behind Vivian and Finnick.
“If you’re angry at me, just remember that I haven’t said anything about you being with Ashley yet.”
“Whatever. Just swear that you’ll never be with Fabian alone again.” Finnick insisted.
Vivian was not ready to concede. Seeing Finnick and Ashley together made her bitter enough. Worst
still, of all people he could be with, it had to be Ashley – the source of her emotional torment since
childhood.
Thus, although Vivian knew she was being stubborn, she could not agree to Finnick’s request. You
didn’t give me an explanation as to why you’re with Ashley either.
“Fabian and I met along the street by sheer coincidence today. In addition, we’re colleagues, so it’s
impossible for us to never meet each other. There’s absolutely nothing between us. If you can’t believe
that, it’s your problem.”
Finnick was already ticked off at how intimate Vivian and Fabian looked. Her argument only fueled his
anger.
The atmosphere was tense.
But on the account that it was the elder Mr. Norton’s birthday, Finnick decided to turn a blind eye for
now. “Let’s just head in first.”
Vivian nodded, and the two entered the villa.
The elder Mr. Norton stood out in his red outfit. The bright hues made him look particularly sprightly. His
exuberance grew upon seeing Finnick and Vivian.
“What took you two so long? Come over here and let me take a good look at you.”
The villa was full of life. The whole Norton family was here, filling every corner of the house.
Finnick was regarded with esteem the moment he entered. The same could not be said for Vivian,
however. Instead, she was greeted with unsolicited gossips about her and her younger sister. The
news was still fresh on everyone’s minds after all.
It did not matter whether the situation had been rectified, or that the commotion around Ashley had
already ceased. Seeing the two ladies appear at the same venue was still astonishing enough for it to
become a hot topic amongst the people present.
The elder Mr. Norton turned a blind eye to the ruckus. Instead, he looked dotingly at Vivian and
commented on how she looked a little frazzled. “Finnick, you ought to take better care of her.”
The couple forced a smile.
Mark, who had been listening to the conversation on the side, interjected with an empty laugh.
“Grandpa, don’t you dislike celebrating your birthday? What’s with the special occasion this year? You
seem very delighted today.”
The elder Mr. Norton was all smiles when he replied, “Well, I’m elated that our family has many new
members this year. I figured that having a party to celebrate that would be good.” After a slight pause,
he added, “Alright, I think it’s time to start the show.”
Chapter 273
The party went on smoothly. The big and gorgeous cake dazzled many when it made its appearance.
Everyone sang the birthday song in unison, and the elder Mr. Norton was grinning from ear to ear
throughout.
Overall, it was an happy occasion for all except for Mark. When the party settled down for a meal, he
watched Finnick and Vivian with hawk eyes throughout. It was as if he was trying to read into
something.
Meanwhile, Ashley was assigned to a prominent seat at the table. She also got showered with affection
from Mr. Norton, who personally fetched her food and asked if it suited her tastes. “Now that you’re
pregnant, it’s important to watch your diet.”
Ever since it was announced that Ashley was pregnant, the elder Mr. Norton’s attitude towards her
improved drastically.
After all, he was very protective of this future heir and grandchild. During the meal, Vivian’s thoughts
drifted to Mark, who continued to observe them.
It was finally clear to her why Mark targeted Finnick back then, and why Finnick had to pretend to be
handicapped. Finnick’s command of authority was simply too threatening for the man.
Now that Vivian knew Mark was the culprit, the sight of him deeply unnerved her.
The man had an air of wickedness, yet his mind was unreadable.
Following the meal came the time to offer presents.
Mark presented an expensive wristwatch to the elder Mr. Norton proudly. Its intricate design indicated
skilled craftsmanship.
Everyone looked on with awe, praising Mark for his generous gift. What a good son, they thought.
But the elder Mr. Norton was barely impressed. After taking a glance, he expressed nothing more but a
short word of thanks.
Finnick presented his gift next.
It was an elegant rosewood box with exquisite carvings – a prized artifact with hundreds of years of
history.
Finnick knew that Mr. Norton was a fan of antiques. As such, he specially procured the present through
an auction overseas. It was meant to be a New Year’s gift, but the sudden birthday occasion meant the
gift made it to the old man’s hands earlier than planned.
The elder Mr. Norton was more than pleased. Admiring the gift, he beamed. “You really know the way
to my heart. The price aside, the box’s elaborate design is one fit for royalty. This is a great gift.”
The disparity in Mr. Norton’s reactions aggrieved Mark. But being the master of disguise, none of his
resentment showed through externally.
The next gift was from Fabian and Ashley.
Brimming with joy, Mr. Norton thanked them for their efforts. “But I must say, the biggest gift you’ve
given me is this little life right here. Thank you for continuing the Norton family’s bloodline.” He eagerly
gestured toward Ashley’s belly.
His words unknowingly accelerated Ashley’s heartbeat.
Overall, everyone offered lavish gifts thus far.
Vivian could not help but feel ashamed of her own present. It was insignificantly inferior as compared to
all the other gifts.
Out of nowhere, she felt Finnick’s hand on her. She did not realize when the man had moved beside
her. His palm was colder than expected.
But she shrugged it off out of spite.
“Vivian, I look forward to your gift. What do you have for me?” The elder Mr. Norton enquired.
Vivian pursed her lips nervously. There was no wiggling out of this situation – she could only gather her
mental fortitude and present the gift. Oh well, I’m already used to snide remarks and judgmental stares
anyway.
A wave of disbelief from the onlookers followed after the gift box was opened.
“The great Mrs. Norton of the Finnor Group is offering such a pathetic gift?” Such was the general
sentiment amongst the crowd.
“Oh? A massager?” The elder Mr. Norton took the gift from her.
“Y-Yes, Grandpa. I know that your body aches sometimes, so I hope this will alleviate some of your
pain,” Vivian explained hesitantly.
Her voice was soft and lacked confidence.
After all, she genuinely admitted that her gift was far too inferior as compared to the others.
A wave of laughter echoed about the room upon her explanation. The crowd evidently concurred with
her sentiments.
Comments began to emerge. “Don’t mind me saying this, Mrs. Norton, but… A massager? Don’t you
think that’s way too lowly for such a grand occasion?”
“I mean… Considering her social standing, this sort of gift isn’t that surprising,” came another remark.
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“Remember those photos from the party last time? It seems like not only is she indecent, but she also
can’t act the part of Mrs. Norton properly either. What a disgrace to the family.”
“What on earth is Mr. Norton thinking? What exactly did he see in her? And all that talk about the V.M
Fund… Unbelievable.”
The ruthless comments flooded Vivian’s ears, leaving her hot with shame.
Never had Vivian felt so out of place until this moment. Indeed, the upper-class social circle never had
a place for her. She did not even know what gift would have been appropriate for such an occasion.
Vivian rationalized that she deserved to be shamed.
Finnick, enraged by the remarks, was all ready to defend Vivian. However, the elder Mr. Norton beat
him to it.
Evidently pleased with the gift in hand, he beamed at Vivian and said, “This is the best present I’ve
received thus far. In fact, it’s very much my favorite. You’re too lovely, Vivian. Please accept my
sincerest gratitude.”
The room instantly fell silent. Everyone was dumbfounded at the elder Mr. Norton’s high praise.
Exchanging incredulous looks, the indignant crowd sneered at the elder Mr. Norton’s explicit bias
toward Vivian.
Did the old man seriously praise the gift like it’s some priceless artifact?
Mark could not help but throw in a jibe. “Finnick, why don’t you consider sponsoring your wife a little?
Look at this sad massager that probably costs just a few thousand dollars – it’s rather unbefitting for a
company president’s wife, don’t you think?”
Finnick coolly replied, “Well, I prepared this gift with my wife. I’ve always trusted her judgement, and it
has evidently been the right choice – look at how happy Grandpa is. And also, a good gift isn’t just
about the value – the sincerity behind it matters too. Not sure if you can understand that though.”
“Oh, shut up!” Mark was ready to throw hands.
The elder Mr. Norton was not ready to deal with a fight today. “Oh come on, this reunion is so hard to
come by – don’t be at each other’s throats all the time, alright? You two are already grown-ups, so don’t
act the same way as you did when you were still kids. It’s embarrassing.”
The mention of the old days hushed the brothers up immediately.
The old man was right – the brothers were indeed at odds with each other ever since they were young.
When one became ranked first in school academically, the other wanted to dethrone him. When one
got into car racing, the other followed suit.
Amidst the commotion, Ashley fumed silently to the side. The elder Mr. Norton’s liking toward Vivian
was much to her chagrin. But since she was under the scrutiny of others, she kept her composure.
Meanwhile, she relished the joy of knowing that the old man really believed that her pregnancy was
real. Becoming a soon-to-be mother really granted her more tender loving care from the elder Mr.
Norton.
Amongst artful laugher and chatting, the seconds ticked away swiftly. In a blink of an eye, it was
already past eight.
The elder Mr. Norton addressed the crowd. “It’s getting late, so I suppose it’s time for everyone to
return to your own rooms. It was nice seeing all of you today. I’m getting old and tend to feel lonely
occasionally, so I do love to have company around at times. Thank you for being here today.”
With that, everyone bade farewell and returned to their individual rooms.
Vivian was about to slip away when the old man called her back.
“Vivian, stay and talk to me,” he said.
Hearing the exchange, Finnick wanted to stay behind too. But his request was turned down by the
elder Mr. Norton with a tease. “Tsk… You don’t feel safe leaving your wife with me?”
“Grandpa, that’s not what I mean,” Finnick replied.
“Ah, then perhaps I am obstructing you two from spending some alone time tonight?”
Vivian flushed at the innuendo. “Grandpa!”
“Vivian, let’s go to my study and ignore him.” The elder Mr. Norton then strode ahead and disappeared
into the room.
Vivian gave a reassuring look to Finnick and followed the old man.
Finnick knew that Mr. Norton would not do anything to Vivian, but his unease could not be quelled. Not
knowing what the conversation would be about unsettled him.
Mark observed the scene at the side and smirked.
He could sense that something was off between the two. There seemed to be a lack of affection in the
way they looked at each other. Looks like a talk with Vivian tonight would be good.
In the study, the elder Mr. Norton increased the temperature of the heater.
He then gestured for Vivian to come closer so that they could have a proper conversation.
As the air around them warmed, the old man began the conversation. “Having your past dug out
against your will, then getting framed by your sister… The past few days have truly been rough for you
and Finnick.”
Chapter 275
“I’m sorry for making you worry about me Grandpa,” muttered Vivian.
Although the elder Mr. Norton spent most of his time at home, he still paid close attention to Mark and
Finnick’s movements. Vivian felt like she had embarrassed the entire Norton family. Although it was all
a misunderstanding, it had caused Mr. Norton great distress.
Indeed, he was rather anxious about this matter.
He said, “The fact that Finnick undertook such a high-profile exposé to expose both of your identities
shows that he still loves you. However, it also caused great commotion and bad publicity for the Norton
family.”
Vivian felt extremely guilt-ridden after hearing what he said.
Mr. Norton had no intention of blaming her but wanted to remind both her and Finnick to act
appropriately in order to secure their jobs and prevent others from exploiting them.
Then, he suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “Why isn’t there any news from your side
yet given the fact that Ashley is pregnant?”
“I’m… Not sure,” stammered Vivian in embarrassment.
Although they had been married for quite some time, still, Vivian had yet to conceive.
“Sigh. If the both of you don’t put in more effort, I will have to keep waiting,” whined the elder Mr.
Norton.
He is rather endearing sometimes.
The elder Mr. Norton thought of something again and enquired secretly, “Is it because… Finnick isn’t
good in bed?”
“What?” Vivian asked in shock.
“Well… I…” Vivian was deeply perturbed by what he said. “How can you be so foolish!” He exclaimed.
Vivian suddenly understood what he was trying to say. She felt extremely awkward that her whole face
turned bright red.
Finnick is more than capable. She woke up with an aching back every single day from making love with
Finnick. He is more than capable.
Grandpa is too obsessed with having a grandkid. How can he ask me such a question?
The elder Mr. Norton noticed her blushing face and gathered that she had finally understood what he
meant. She is such an introvert. I shouldn’t ask so many questions.
“Anyway, you should put in more effort. You can’t let Mark and his son get all the attention,” he stated.
“I will work hard Grandpa,” she replied. I just have to agree with him for the time being. However, she
felt like she should have been more reserved and not make such a remark.
Mr. Norton did not think too much of it as Vivian was a polite, caring and dutiful granddaughter-in-law.
Mr. Norton had instructed his servants to prepare many tonics for Vivian.
“Grandpa, I don’t think I can finish all these,” she exclaimed as she looked at the huge bag of tonics. If I
finished all these tonics, I think I will not survive when making love to Finnick!
Mr. Norton replied, “Bring of all this home and remember to consume them everyday!” He then
instructed his servants, “Bring all of this to her room and to the car when they leave.”
Vivian wanted to wail out loud. I can’t believe how traditional and conservative wealthy families are in
terms of carrying on the family line.
Vivian walked out of his study room and wanted to head to her room upstairs. At that moment, Mark
suddenly appeared.
“What a coincidence, Mark,” she said cautiously.
Mark inched closer to her and whispered, “I was waiting for you.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
“You heard it right. I’m here to see you.” He grinned. “Come to my study. I want to have a chat with
you.”
Vivian furrowed her brows. She was unwilling to follow him. However, Mark was her elder brother and
she could not turn him down. As a result, she had no choice but to follow him into his study room.
His study room was well-designed and was filled with books regarding the commercial world. His study
table was well-organized and neat—not a speck of dust could be seen. Two large desktops were
placed on the table. He likes surfing the Internet.
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Mark was the reason why Finnick pretended to be a cripple. Finnick suspected Mark had something to
do with the accident which befell him ten years ago. Hence, she was also vigilant around Mark. I
wonder what he wants to talk about.
Mark, on the other hand, was completely at ease as he offered Vivian to sit. “Have a seat. Let’s have a
chat.”
He poured himself a glass of whiskey on ice and asked, “What do you want to drink? I have coffee, red
wine, whisky and fruit juice.”
Vivian replied, “Fruit juice is fine.”
Mark appeared warm and endearing while speaking to her in a friendly tone. If Finnick had not warned
her to be careful around him, she might have been cheated by Mark’s facade.
Mark suddenly changed the topic and asked, “Did you have a fight with Finnick today? You don’t seem
to be happy around him.”
“No, we are fine.” Vivian didn’t want to go into details about her relationship with Finnick.
Mark glanced at her. She is very reserved around me. I guess she doesn’t really like me.
Mark decided to change the subject again, and said, “Did you know that Finnick was very playful as a
child? He used to destroy Grandpa’s furniture and Grandpa would always chase him with a stick to
punish him. Finnick soon matured and did well in school. As a result, Grandpa doted on him. When he
and Evelyn were kidnapped, I was extremely anxious…”
“Sorry, I need to go now,” she interrupted. I don’t want to stay here any longer. He makes me feel
extremely on edge.
I don’t want to listen to his lies as well. She was disgusted by Mark’s behavior, especially when she
knew he was the mastermind behind Finnick’s kidnapping and the fact that he was blatantly lying to her
now.
Mark curved his lips into a thin smile and said, “Stop right there. We rarely get to see each other. I want
to talk to you.”
Talk? To me?
Vivian couldn’t tell what Mark was thinking—he was like a closed book. I don’t think he just wants to
have a simple chat with me.
Mark continued, “Sigh, Finnick has always been an aloof person. I know that he only married you
because Grandpa was nagging at him, which is why you don’t have a close relationship with him.
Finnick must have always enraged you…”
Vivian didn’t understand what he was hinting at. “What are you trying to say? You can give it to me
straight instead of going in circles,” she stated.
Mark was glad that she picked up on his hints.
He admitted, “Alright, I’m glad you are a smart person to converse with.”
Mark gulped down his glass of whiskey. She is actually rather intelligent despite her soft-spoken
personality. I can’t believe she caught on so quickly.
He remarked, “Finnick isn’t serious about your relationship. All he cares about is Evelyn and he has
always relied on her. I can assure you that Finnick doesn’t care about you at all. I hope you can
consider what I said and think about whether you can help me with something.”
“What do you need help with and how is it related to Finnick?” She enquired in confusion. “I don’t think I
can help you much. Why don’t you just ask Finnick for assistance?”
Mark poured himself another glass of whisky. He had great alcohol tolerance and enjoyed his hard
liquors. It could stimulate his brain, make him think quicker on the spot and calm him down during tricky
situations.
Vivian had not taken a sip of her fruit juice and it remained on the table.
He said, “As long as you work with me in defeating Finnick, I will treat you very well. I’m a generous
person.”
Vivian’s face instantly darkened.
He hasn’t changed at all—he still wants to take revenge upon Finnick. I can’t believe he would think
that I would lend him a helping hand.
Is he crazy? Does he really hate Finnick so much? Finnick is also a member of the Norton family. Mark
is somewhat alike to Ashley in this respect.
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Seeing as Vivian remained silent, Mark spoke again, “So what do you think? Money is the most
important thing to a woman.”
Vivian was disgusted by the fact that Mark wanted to defeat Finnick. He is like a poisonous snake. She
intentionally asked, “How do you plan to take revenge on Finnick?”
“There are many ways to do so. We do not need to rush to think of a solution.” He figured Vivian was
willing to cooperate with him by asking the question. “So, I’m assuming that you are willing to cooperate
with me?”
Work with you? What kind of person did he think I am?
Vivian suddenly felt like guffawing loudly.
“I would never work with you,” she retorted coldly. “Let me give you a piece of advice—stop trying to
exact revenge on Finnick. You guys are family.”
“A family?” he scoffed. “Our family is not a tight-knit one. All of us have our own motives and plans. If
you are willing to work for me, I promise you that I will let you and your mother live a lavish life.”
“I don’t need your help. I will not betray my husband nor my love for him just for money. You should
extinguish any ideas you have,” she asserted.
Mark’s face instantly turned icy.
I can’t believe Vivian is such a piece of work.
He added, “Stop being so stubborn. Finnick is a piece of trash. He will never trump my abilities. What
do you think will happen to you and your mother then?”
Vivian knew he was lying about Finnick. He wouldn’t be bragging if he knew how muscular and fit
Finnick was.
Vivian taunted, “You shouldn’t be so arrogant.”
“Looks like you are not going to work for me then. Are you really ready to give up such a promising
reward?” he asked. Did she think that I’m offering too little of a reward?
Vivian lost her last shred of patience.
“Mark, I’m done talking to you,” she informed him. She then stood up and said, “I’m going to take a rest
now. Goodbye.”
As soon as she finished her statement, she left the room.
Mark gazed at her retreating figure with an indifferent look on his face. He laughed coldly and
commented, “I can’t believe how troublesome she is. She is persistent and very different from
Evelyn…”
…
Finnick was alone in the room, waiting for Vivian. A million thoughts were running through his head.
He recalled her furious expression and realized that she was displeased with him.
Indeed, it was natural that she would be crossed with him as he was absent for the whole night.
Unfortunately, he was not good with putting his feelings into thoughts. Hence, he didn’t know how to
coax Vivian.
After mulling over this, he decided to phone Xavier.
Xavier was in the midst of an intimate affair when he picked up his phone. He asked, “It’s so late. Why
are you calling me and not cuddling Vivian?”
“I need your advice on something,” he said.
Xavier choked on his beer and end up coughing when he heard what Finnick said.
Finnick moved the phone away from his ears as if Xavier had spluttered beer all over his face.
Xavier started chortling and commented, “Oh my! Don’t scare me! When did you ever need my advice?
Are you crazy? This is the most hilarious thing I’ve heard all day.”
If Xavier were standing in front of him, Finnick would have given him a good beating.
“Enough!” exclaimed Finnick.
“Ok, fine. What do you want?” enquired Xavier.
“I found the person who saved my life. It’s Vivian’s younger sister,” Finnick replied.
“Ashley? Are you referring to the one who manipulated Vivian ruthlessly? She is now a popular social
media influencer,” he commented in disbelief.
“Yes. I couldn’t believe it initially as well,” Finnick replied.
Xavier felt that Finnick’s tone was abnormal. He questioned, “Why are you unhappy if you found her?
Did she threaten you or did she force you to marry her?”
Finnick recounted everything that had happened to Xavier, including the fact that Vivian was angry with
him.
Xavier finally understood why Finnick came to him for advice and why he was so miserable. It’s all
because of Vivian.
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“So that’s what happened,” Xavier mused. “I can’t believe you spent the whole day with Ashley after
what she did to Vivian. No wonder Vivian is annoyed with you. If I were Vivian, I would have given you
two tight slaps and given Ashley a good beating.”
Finnick threatened, “Do you want me to shut down your factory?”
“Alright, stop making false threats. I’m the one in the wrong,” he begged. “Mr. President is always right.
I’m not criticizing you but I’m just standing up for Vivian.”
Finnick sighed and lamented, “I don’t like Ashley as well. However, she saved my life and I promised
her that I would repay her favor.”
“Well, you are in a very tricky situation,” Xavier quipped. “I think you should have a nice talk with Vivian
to prevent any further misunderstanding. Women can be easily coaxed. That’s my solution.”
“How do you coax women?” he queried.
This is probably the first time Finnick had to coax a women. He had never done so before.
“How to coax a woman?” Xavier chuckled. “You have to be romantic. Every woman loves that. They
are very emotional. You should prepare a bouquet of flowers, perfume or jewelry… I’m sure she would
love that. Do I still need to teach you all of this?”
“But Vivian doesn’t like any of those,” Finnick muttered.
Finnick is right. Vivian was different from the type of women Xavier dated. Such cliché items will not
move her.
“Then think about it yourself,” Xavier replied and let out a loud yawn. “Anyway, no woman can resist
romantic gestures. It’s just that Vivian likes a different type of romantic things. I’ve never met someone
like her, so I can’t help you. Maybe you can try searching it up on the Internet?”
Finnick was irritated and the veins in his forehead were bulging.
Xavier felt Finnick’s annoyance and immediately continued, “Well… I’m very busy right now. Just try
searching it up on the Internet. I have to go!”
With that, Xavier’s phone line went dead.
Finnick hesitated for a moment but decided to take up his advice.
He typed in the search box: How to give your girlfriend a romantic surprise?
A bunch of unique search suggestions popped out.
A webpage wrote that romance could only be achieved through sincere gestures. There was no need
for inventive ideas, a once-in-a-lifetime scenery or luxurious gifts. If both parties were deeply in love,
anything would be romantic. Even a kiss on the lips could be extremely passionate.
Method 1—Combine your past and present. Travel to the places you visited together and write down
such memories.
Method 2—Wake her up with a lovely home-cooked breakfast and tell her you love her when she
wakes up from her sleep.
Method 3—Take a short video of yourself everyday or multiple videos expressing your love for her!
The suggestions he found were so corny that he couldn’t continue reading them. A layer of
goosebumps had even formed on his arms.
After browsing the Internet for a long while, he finally found the perfect solution.
Hmm, I think she will be able to accept this.
When Vivian entered the room, Finnick was talking to someone on the phone. However, when he saw
her, he immediately hung up his phone.
He must be helping the Miller family and doesn’t want me to find out. I think that’s the reason why he
hung up his phone so hurriedly.
She had wanted to inform Finnick what Mark had just told her. However, when she realized that Finnick
was hiding things behind her back, her heart immediately sank and she didn’t feel like talking to him.
Vivian sat on the sofa and started reading a magazine.
Finnick asked, “Why were you gone for so long? What did Grandpa say to you?”
“Nothing much. He just wants us to…” she trailed off. Vivian suddenly felt awkward in front of him and
she wasn’t in the mood to speak to him anymore.
Chapter 279
At the sight of Vivian’s hesitation, Finnick could tell that she must have misunderstood him and chose
to give him the cold shoulder.
If this went on unresolved, Vivian’s anger would boil over sooner or later.
“Vivian, I—” Finnick wanted to explain everything to Vivian, but the moment he opened his mouth, he
realized he couldn’t exactly tell her everything now. It was still a secret, after all. He couldn’t just ruin
the surprise.
He was forced to change the subject. “I was just settling some company stuff.”
After he finished his sentence, the two of them fell into an uncomfortable silence.
The air simmered with reproach.
Vivian started flipping the pages of a magazine, but it felt like she was reading a foreign language.
Deep down, she firmly believed that Finnick was calling to help Ashley and the Miller family. He had
once promised to protect her and always stand up for her. What is this all about, then? How could he
break his promise?
Finnick was thinking of telling Vivian about how Ashley had saved him when they were younger. After
all, the misunderstanding was caused by a lack of communication.
Besides that, he also wanted to apologize to Vivian. He had to admit that it was unfair to her.
Finnick coughed lightly, breaking the stiff silence. “Vivian, to be honest, I actually have been busy with
the Miller family’s matters for the few days.”
“I know. You don’t have to explain anything to me.” Suddenly, Vivian no longer felt like listening to him.
The moment she heard ‘the Miller family,’ she became nauseous.
She could already imagine how pleased Ashley looked. When they met at the door just now, she had
already spotted Ashley’s arrogant expression.
“Vivian, you don’t get it.” Finnick started panicking at Vivian’s indifference. “Actually, Ashley—”
Abruptly, Vivian put her magazine down and stood up. “Sorry, I have to use the bathroom.”
At this point, Finnick felt like giving up. He hadn’t expected Vivian to hate Ashley so much. Why can’t
she just let me explain?
It was already bad enough without Vivian knowing that Ashley was the mastermind behind everything
that happened two years ago. If she knew about it, she’d definitely hate Ashley even more.
Vivian locked herself in the bathroom, her eyes stinging with tears.
She felt that Finnick would never understand her point of view.
“Vivian,” Finnick called in a low voice. “Please hear me out. There’s a reason why I treated Ashley that
way.”
A reason?
What could the reason possibly be? It’ll just be a bunch of excuses.
Vivian chuckled bitterly.
He had simply let Ashley walk and even gotten back the money that the Miller family had lost. Those
were the facts.
If he really cared for Vivian and wanted to protect her, how could he let Ashley and the Miller family go
without teaching them a lesson? What if they came back and caused more trouble?
She was still hurt by what happened two years ago. Did he want to let her go through the same thing
again?
When she thought of that, her heart immediately filled up with resentment.
She wasn’t a vengeful person, but she could no longer forgive everything Ashley had done to her. The
latter had almost ruined her entire life.
How could Finnick, who always talked about how he would help her gain justice, help the culprit who
caused her problems?
It was bad enough that Finnick had let Ashley go, but now he was also clearly concerned about her and
even helped her.
Vivian felt sadder the more she thought about it.
“Vivian, please just open the door. We need to talk.” Finnick’s low voice piped up once again, this time
laced with a sense of urgency.
Vivian bit her lip.
She knew that this wasn’t the right way to deal with the issue. Right as she was thinking of opening the
door, she heard knocks coming from outside.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone was outside the room.
That person called, “Mr. Norton, please open the door. This is the butler.”
Finnick’s expression darkened, and he opened the door unhappily.
The butler looked inside but failed to see Vivian. With a smile, he said, “Mr. Norton, there are a lot of
people outside who’re here to celebrate elder Mr. Norton’s birthday, so he wants you and Mrs. Norton
to come downstairs.”
“Okay, I got it. We’ll be down in a second,” Finnick replied.
Vivian opened the door upon hearing the butler’s words and kept her head down, unwilling to look
Finnick in the eye.
“Vivian—” Finnick said as he reached out to grip her arm a little bit too tightly.
Chapter 280
Vivian’s eyes were reddened and her tone had already softened, but she still wouldn’t meet Finnick’s
gaze. “Let’s go downstairs. We shouldn’t keep Grandpa and the others waiting.”
Finnick felt bad seeing Vivian’s sorrow written all over her face.
Still, it wasn’t the time to talk about such things. They had to go downstairs since everyone was waiting
for them.
Once they got downstairs, Vivian noticed the sheer number of guests.
News of elder Mr. Norton’s birthday celebration had gotten out, and plenty of people had arrived to give
their blessings.
Everyone who was anyone in Sunshine City had made an appearance, much to Vivian’s surprise.
The crowd was full of smiles as they exchanged glasses of wine and chatted with each other.
The Norton Residence, which had always been rather quiet, was bustling with life after the arrival of
these guests.
Vivian wasn’t that used to such a lively atmosphere. Having to constantly put on a bright smile despite
her bitter mood drained her immensely.
As she watched Ashley chat happily with other guests, she felt even worse.
Occasionally, Ashley would glance at Vivian with eyes full of mockery and self-satisfaction.
However, Finnick’s gaze never left Vivian. Even while he was in a conversation with someone else, his
eyes were still fixated on Vivian.
He noticed how every single one of her expressions was laced with exhaustion and boredom.
Then, Finnick wheeled himself toward Vivian and asked her in a low voice, “Vivian, do you not like it
here?”
Vivian nodded. “Can I head home first? I’m not used to being here.”
Finnick’s eyes lit up as he thought about the phone call he just received whereby he was informed that
everything was ready. “Okay, we can go. I want to take you somewhere.”
Take me somewhere?
Vivian recalled all the places Finnick had ever brought her to. If it wasn’t an auction, then it was a cold
storage facility. Neither was that fun of a place.
“Let me go this once. Come on. Can I just go home for now—”
“Nope.” Finnick cut Vivian off.
What a bossy guy!
Still, Vivian liked the idea of staying here with all these phonies even less, so she ended up agreeing to
Finnick’s idea.
With that, Finnick told his grandpa that he had some business to carry out?
Before they left, elder Mr. Norton whispered to Finnick, “Good call! Make good use of this opportunity,
alright? I can’t wait to see my great-grandchildren! Go ahead. You don’t have any reason to stick
around anyway.”
After Finnick got his grandpa’s approval, he and Vivian left the party.
There wasn’t much conversation going on in the car, only casual talk but nothing practical.
While the car sped on steadily, the passersby slowly lessened.
Then, Finnick said, “We’re here. Let’s go.”
As the sky slowly darkened, the streets began to come alive with bright neon lights. The city was lit up
brightly as if it were telling its own story. The autumn night sky was still bright enough for them to spot
fluffy white clouds against a cerulean background.
The moment Vivian got out of the car, she was taken aback.
Why did Finnick bring me here?
They were in front of a theme park.
The lights were still on, but the park was completely devoid of tourists. It seemed as if only the two of
them were there at this hour.
Shouldn’t all theme parks be closed by now?
Vivian looked at Finnick in confusion, waiting for him to explain.
Finnick looked at her with dreamy eyes. “I’ve booked the whole place. It’s just the two of us now. Let’s
go in.”
Booked the whole place? Vivian didn’t understand why Finnick had to fork out so much money for this.
Is he trying to share his childhood memories with me or something? Vivian mused randomly.
Leading the way in his wheelchair, Finnick brought her to the largest Ferris wheel in Sunshine City.
The Ferris wheel looked exceptionally gorgeous amidst the dark night sky. It glowed with a mystical,
otherworldly halo.
The flashing lights blinked on and off, sending irregular waves of light over Finnick and Vivian’s faces.
They looked at each other, suddenly feeling a sense of calmness washing over them.
Vivian recalled the first time she met Finnick.
He was still in a wheelchair then, but when their eyes met, Vivian felt as if he were the one looking
down at her.