Ch. 21..30
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 21
Vivian forced herself to stay calm as she asked, “You’re going to the bathroom too, Mr. Hark?”
“Of course not…” Mr. Hark slurred, scooting over to her. Vivian recoiled at the alcoholic stench that his body emitted. “I’m here for you…”
Vivian almost puked at the sound of that.
You’re here for me?
You could almost be my father at this age!
“That’s really funny, Mr. Hark,” Vivian said, giving him a strained smile. She put a hand against the wall and tried to walk towards the ladies’ bathroom, only for him to grab her by the arm.
“Hey, Ms. William… Don’t you like me?” Mr. Hark drawled.
Of course not!
Vivian resisted the urge to snap at him for the sake of her job. “Mr. Hark, you’re drunk.”
“Haha! It doesn’t matter! I can still have my way with you!” Mr. Hark sneered, moving over to pin Vivian against the wall with his large belly. “I’ll show you just how good I am in bed!”
Vivian glared at him and started to struggle against him. “Hey! Watch your words, Mr. Hark!”
Her struggling irritated Mr. Hark, and his smirk turned into a scowl. “Stop resisting, Vivian William! The Chief Editor practically handed you over to me!”
It was as though an explosion had gone off in Vivian’s head, and she could only stare at Mr. Hark in shock and disbelief. “What do you mean?”
“Stop pretending you don’t know!” Mr. Hark growled, pressing his face against hers. “The Chief Editor agreed to all of this, so you’re just a gift from the magazine company. You’re mine now!”
Vivian’s mind went blank, and her arms relaxed out of grief, drooping to her sides.
Fabian probably despises me for what happened two years ago, but why would he do something as despicable as this?
Am I just a prostitute to him?
Suddenly, Vivian looked up to see a familiar figure at the other end of the corridor.
It’s Fabian!
Fabian had come after her as he was concerned for her safety.
He had been suspicious of Mr. Hark since he caught the latter eyeing Vivian throughout their meal, and his anxiety only mounted when Mr. Hark followed Vivian out just shortly after she left to go to the bathroom.
The scene before him caught him off guard.
Mr. Hark was practically squashing Vivian’s tiny frame against the wall, yet Vivian stayed still, as though she had given Mr. Hark permission to treat her as such.
Fabian could feel his blood boil.
Why the hell are you not resisting, Vivian William?
Are you really the sl*t that I think you are? Do you have a fetish for old, slimy men like Mr. Hark?
Fabian considered pulling Mr. Hark away from her, but her lack of resistance disappointed him.
What’s the point of helping you out?
What if she does have a thing for those old geezers? Won’t I be ruining her fun if I intervened now?
With that, Fabian turned around and left the scene without hesitating for even a second.
As for Vivian, a glimmer of hope appeared when she caught sight of Fabian.
There’s no way he would give his female subordinates to other people as gifts, even if he hates me!
However, before she could open her mouth to scream for help, Fabian had already turned around and walked away.
Boom!
The last sliver of hope Vivian had crumbled into a heap the moment she saw Fabian turn his back on her.
Why would you do that, Fabian?
Didn’t you see me just now? Why did you just walk away?
Vivian shuddered. Maybe Mr. Hark is right… Maybe Fabian was the one who suggested this…
She began to shake uncontrollably.
How could you, Fabian? How could you?
Suddenly, a revolting stench filled her nostrils, and she raised her head to see Mr. Hark pressing his lips against her face.
“Ew! Get away from me!” she yelled, smacking him on the face with her hand and leaving a red handprint on his cheek.
Unfortunately, it only angered him even further.
“Vivian William!” he yelled, grabbing her by her hair roughly. “Do you still want your job in this industry?”
Vivian scrunched her face up in fear and pain. When she noticed Mr. Hark raising his hand to slap her, she squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the pain.
However, the stinging pain never came. In fact, the next thing she knew, Mr. Hark gave a frightening yelp and pulled away from her.
“M-Mr. Norton? Why are you here?”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 22
Mr. Norton?
Vivian’s eyes flew open to see a familiar figure on a wheelchair.
Her eyes widened immediately. “F-Finnick?”
Am I dreaming?
Finnick studied her from head to toe, taking in her flushed face, sparkling eyes and body-hugging outfit that brought out her beautiful curves.
Her beauty irritated him.
Who would go to work in that outfit? No wonder she attracts so many perverts!
Finnick ignored Vivian completely and glared at Mr. Hark.
Mr. Hark had wanted to slap Vivian, but Finnick popped out of nowhere and grabbed his wrist.
Finnick was wheelchair-bound, but it did not hinder his movements at all. His height advantage made the maneuver as easy as if he had been able-bodied.
Finnick was a prominent figure in the magazine industry, which was why Mr. Hark recognized him immediately. The fat on his cheeks trembled as he stared at Finnick in shock and forced a smile onto his lips. “Mr. Norton? W-Why are you here?”
Finnick’s gaze was colder than ice, yet Mr. Hark was sweating as though he had been standing under the sun.
Finnick shoved Mr. Hark’s hand aside and took out a piece of tissue paper to wipe his hand down. With a disgusted look on his face, he spat, “Scram!”
Scared out of his drunken daze, Mr. Hark scurried off immediately.
…
Fabian strode out of the restaurant, still brooding over what he saw in the corridor. His phone suddenly rang, jolting him out of his trance.
“Hey! Fabian Norton! Are you trying to get me killed?” Mr. Hark yelled the moment he picked up the phone.
“Huh?” Fabian was caught off guard.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Vivian William was attached to the president of Finnor Group?” Mr. Hark demanded.
“What?”
“What do you mean ‘what’? Finnick Norton came just before I got what I wanted! Why didn’t you tell me more about that woman? I would have avoided her at all costs!”
Fabian skidded to a halt.
Finnick’s here?
Since when did he come to Q City?
“Hey! Fabian! Are you listening?”
Mr. Hark continued to bark at him, but he no longer had the patience to listen to him.
He had not made his true identity as part of the Norton family public, hence he regularly got yelled at by insignificant people like Mr. Hark.
After a while of staring into space, he finally took out his phone again and gave Vivian a call.
A few long beeps later, the call finally went through, but the voice that greeted him was that of a man’s.
“Hello?”
Fabian’s heart skipped a beat, and he ended the call without hesitating for even a second.
He stared at his phone for a long moment before bursting into maniacal laughter.
I know that voice!
It’s Finnick, isn’t it?
Don’t tell me it’s him…
Are they actually living together?
Fabian could almost cry from laughing too much. Her contact in his phone suddenly felt like a needle to his eye.
Oh… Vivian… What did I ever do to you? Why did you have to make me suffer so much?
You’re already married, and yet you’re still eyeing other men? Why Finnick, of all people?
On the other end of the line, Finnick gently set Vivian’s phone down with a blank look on his face.
“Who is it?” Vivian asked weakly, already half-asleep from the alcohol. Finnick had helped her pick up the call just now, seeing how intoxicated she was.
“Just a spam call,” he answered.
“Oh…” Vivian answered as she nursed her throbbing head.
“Does you head hurt?” Finnick asked gently, noticing how much pain she seemed to be in.
“Yeah…” Vivian said. She almost jumped out of her skin when a pair of hands came to rest at her temples.
“How does this feel?” Finnick asked as he rubbed her temples gently.
His fingers felt coarse and cold on her burning skin, and it made her heart race for a few seconds.
She shifted away from him. “T-Thanks. I feel better now.”
However, she was pulled back by him immediately. “Don’t move!” he commanded coldly.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 23
Vivian froze and looked out of the window. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, she noticed how Finnick’s expression seemed more stern than usual, as though something had been bothering him.
She sobered up immediately. “Are you angry, Finnick?”
I’m sure any man would be mad if they saw someone harassing their wife…
“What do you think?” he asked, making the temperature in the car drop by a few centigrade.
“I’m sorry…” Vivian whispered.
“That’s it?” Finnick said, raising an eyebrow.
Vivian froze as something popped into her mind.
“Hey! Don’t overthink things!” she exclaimed. “It was just a normal business meal… I didn’t know Mr. Hark would do something like that…”
She feared that Finnick would misunderstand things too, just like how Fabian did two years ago.
In fact, she was gravely frightened by the very prospect of it.
Finnick was her husband and the only person who cared about her, and the last thing she wanted was for him to hate her as well.
Finnick stared at her with a strange glint in his eyes.
“I know,” he said, sounding relaxed.
Vivian heaved a sigh of relief, only to ze when Finnick spoke again.
“Don’t go to these business meals anymore.”
Vivian nodded obediently.
As Finnick continued to massage her temples, she found herself leaning into his touch.
Finnick shivered when he felt something soft burrow into his shoulder.
He looked down to see her resting her head against his shoulder, taking in her baby pink cheeks, long eyelashes and lightly parted lips.
His eyes widened for just a second.
What is this I’m feeling…
“Vivian…” he rasped.
“Hmm?” Vivian drawled as she looked up. She realized with a start that their faces were less than five centimeters apart.
“Ah! I’m sorry!” she exclaimed, pulling herself away from him out of shock.
However, before she could react, Finnick’s hand had already slid down her face and grabbed her chin.
Without warning, he pressed his lips against hers.
The coolness on her lips made her snap out of her drunken, confused state immediately.
Finnick’s kissing me? He’s actually kissing me?
By the time they reached the hotel, Vivian had already fallen asleep.
Finnick placed her on his lap and took her to their room.
When he lifted her onto the bed, he noticed that her wrists were still red from the scuffle with Mr. Hark.
His gaze turned cold immediately, and he took out his phone to make a call.
“Hey, Finnick! I haven’t heard from you in ages!” The person on the other end of the line drawled.
“I need your help,” Finnick said. Anyone who was familiar with him could feel the dangerous tone in his voice.
“Wow! That’s rare! Just say it, and I’ll do it!”
“I need you to get rid of someone for me,” Finnick said, his voice a low growl. “He hurt someone on my side, so I must make him suffer.”
Vivian woke up the next morning with a splitting headache due to all the alcohol from the previous night.
She struggled to get up from the bed, and a low voice made her ze.
“You’re awake?”
Vivian looked up to see a full course meal waiting for her on the table and Finnick sitting nearby.
“Finnick?” Vivian exclaimed as the events of the previous night flooded into her mind.
I almost got violated by Mr. Hark, and Finnick appeared just in time to save me… Wait, what did we do in the car afterwards?
Oh my… Did we kiss?
“What’s wrong?” Finnick asked when she did not get off the bed. “Are you alright?”
Vivian looked up at him with a start.
Finnick’s room was a presidential suite, and the sunlight pouring in from the gigantic windows bathed him in its golden glint. He looked like a literal deity, though the blank look on his face reminded her that he was just a mere handsome mortal.
It made her feel as though the kiss was just an illusion.
“I-I’m fine!” she stammered as she clambered off the bed, only to ze when she saw what she was wearing.
It was a white shirt that was obviously too big for her, considering how it reached all the way to her thighs.
“W-What are these clothes?”
“Have you forgotten?” Finnick asked, raising an eyebrow. “You threw up last night after getting drunk. I asked a female hotel employee to change you out of your soiled clothes and dress you in one of my shirts.”
Oh… So the hotel employee did it…
Vivian sighed in relief, not noticing Finnick’s gaze studying her from head to toe.
Finnick grinned, only to ze the moment Vivian got up from the bed.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 24
His shirt hung off her tiny frame like a gigantic curtain, exposing her collarbones and slender legs every so often.
Finnick looked away, his face heating up rapidly.
He had always prided himself with his self-control, yet he had no choice but to take a few sips of ice-cold water to calm himself down.
Vivian sat down at the table, not having noticed anything strange about him.
“I’m going back this afternoon,” Finnick said halfway through their meal. “Are you coming along?”
Vivian recalled the drama from the previous night and nodded solemnly. “I’ll follow you.”
She could not care less about her relationship with Fabian, even if it would cost her job in the future.
“Alright.”
“Oh, before I forget,” Vivian said. “Why are you in Q City?”
Finnick’s hands froze for a moment, but he regained his composure just as quickly. “I had a last-minute meeting.”
“I see,” Vivian said, stuffing another bite of food into her mouth.
After they collected their clothes from the dry cleaning store, they set off for the airport to catch a flight back to Sunshine City.
Noah had been waiting for them when they arrived at the lobby. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Vivian walking towards him.
No wonder he was in such a rush to come to Q City! He’s here to look for Mrs. Norton!
“Mr. Norton, here are some documents that require your signature,” Noah said, trying his very best to hide his shock. He managed to steal a glance at Vivian when he handed the documents over to Finnick.
He had heard some spicy rumors regarding Mrs. Norton the previous day, and he didn’t expect Mrs. Norton’s first love to be…
“Ahem.”
Noah shivered and turned around to meet Finnick’s cold glare.
He lowered his head immediately.
Vivian did not notice a thing. When Finnick got into the car, she hurried over to follow him.
Finnick glanced at the documents in his hand before closing the folder abruptly and looking up at Vivian. “Vivian, let’s go and meet my family this weekend.”
Vivian?
Vivian froze for a few moments, completely caught off guard by how he addressed her. She took a while to digest the situation before answering, “Sure.”
I’m curious about his family anyway…
Vivian did not think much about it, but her words almost made Noah jump out of his seat. He glanced at the couple in the backseat through the rearview window.
Oh my god! He’s actually bringing her to meet his family?
Could that mean…
Noah did not dare to think any further.
Vivian and Finnick arrived at Sunshine City after just a few hours, while Fabian was held back by some matters that he had to attend to.
He had wanted to establish ties with Mr. Hark’s magazine company, only to wake up to reports of Mr. Harks’ company getting sued and going bankrupt.
What in the world?
This is definitely not a coincidence.
There’s only one person who could destroy Mr. Hark’s life overnight!
Fabian could feel his blood pressure rising.
Darn it!
Why would he go to such lengths just for Vivian? Doesn’t he know that Vivian is married?
It took a while, but he managed to clear up the mess in Q City and return to Sunshine City. When he stepped out of the plane, he saw Ashley waiting for him at the gate.
“Fabes!” Ashley yelled, rushing over to him the moment she caught sight of him. “You’re finally back? Why didn’t you pick up my calls?”
Fabian glanced at her, annoyed by how much she resembled Vivian.
“Nothing much. I was just busy,” Fabian said before turning around and leaving the airport.
Ashely’s face fell as she watched Fabian disappearing into distance.
She recalled what his secretary told her a few days ago.
“Oh, the Chief Editor’s going to Q City for a business trip with a journalist from the company. Her name? Vivian William.”
Ashley clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms painfully.
Vivian William! It’s you again!
Who gave her the right to compete with me?
Ashley bit her lip and whipped out her phone.
“Hello?” she said into the phone, her voice laced with an icy malice. “Do you still have the pictures from last time? I need them. Every last one of them.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 25
Vivian was concerned that Fabian would be annoyed by her sudden departure from Q City, therefore she was surprised when all she heard from him was radio silence.
Soon, the weekend came.
That day, Vivian dressed herself in a wine-red gown that Finnick had prepared for her. She proceeded to put on a diamond necklace and a pair of high-heel shoes to her outfit before walking downstairs slowly.
Finnick had already been waiting for her downstairs, and the sound of her high-heels clicking against the wood of the stairs made him look up. His eyes widened the very next second.
Vivian was prettier than the average girl, but she was never the type to put much effort into dressing up. In fact, she was used to hiding her beauty rather than flaunting it.
As a result, she looked like a shimmering diamond in light makeup and the dress he picked out for her.
Vivian walked over to Finnick and stared at him, wondering why he was being so silent. “What’s wrong? Do I look weird?” she asked bashfully, running a hand through her hair.
That was the first time she wore something like that, and checking its price online did nothing to help with her anxiety.
“No, you don’t,” Finnick said, snapping out of his daze. “You look beautiful.”
Finnick was not one to be stingy with praises, particularly when the receiver was his wife.
Vivian froze.
Did he just praise me?
“Let’s go,” Finnick said, pushing himself to the car on his wheelchair with Vivian following close behind.
They picked a high-end restaurant for their gathering with Finnick’s family.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Vivian alighted from the car as Finnick held her hand. As they got onto the lift, Vivian’s anxiety suddenly mounted. “Finnick… Are your family members… Difficult people?”
“No,” Finnick said. He paused for a short while before continuing, “Though… I’d suggest that you get ready for it.”
Vivian froze for a moment. Before she could ask him what he meant, the lift door opened at their floor.
Vivian ran after him, and they soon arrived at the largest private room at the end of the corridor.
The moment they entered, Vivian noticed an old man sitting at the table. That’s his grandpa!
Vivian gave him a polite smile and walked over to greet him, only to stop abruptly in her tracks when she took a good look at his face.
The man before her had gotten on in his years, yet his eyes were bright and his back was straight. His gaze was stern as he trained his eyes on her, and it made her recoil just a bit in fear.
Vivian had seen that memorable face countless times before, be it in magazines or in the news.
That’s Samuel Norton, the Old Master of the Sunshine City Norton family!
Vivian’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she stared at him in shock.
He’s Finnick’s grandfather? Does this mean that Finnick is that mysterious, unknown son of the Norton family?
As the most prominent family in Sunshine City, everyone knew every single detail about their family history. The elder Mr. Norton had one son, who in turn gave birth to two grandsons. However, both his son and daughter-in-law passed away early, leaving their two sons in the care of the elder Mr. Norton.
His grandsons had a huge age gap. The older one was almost forty years old, and his son Fabian Norton was known to the world as the ‘grandson of the Norton family’.
His other grandson was only about thirty years old, but he got into an accident about a decade ago and ruined his health forever. His family sent him overseas and never spoke about him again.
Could Finnick be that mysterious second grandson of Samuel Norton?
Vivian’s face turned pale as a sheet.
She knew that Finnick’s last name was Norton, but she had never put two and two together before. Everyone thought that Finnick got to where he was by his own hard work, and no one guessed that he had the entire Norton family backing him up.
Does that mean that… Finnick is Fabian’s uncle?
Am I living in a drama?
My first love became my brother-in-law, and I’m his aunt now?
“Vivian?” Finnick whispered into her ear as he pushed himself over to her. “You alright?”
“I…” Vivian stammered. “I-I… Finnick? I don’t feel so good…”
Finnick’s eyes darkened before he spoke. “Let’s just get this over and done with. Besides, my brother and nephew is coming soon.”
His nephew is coming too?
Vivian’s face turned even paler at that statement.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 26
“No, I-I can’t do this…” she stammered, taking a few steps back on shaky legs. “G-Grandpa? I’m not feeling well… I think I’ll take my leave first. I’ll definitely come back another time! I’m so sorry!”
With that, she rushed out of the private room without even looking back.
The elder Mr. Norton sneered as he watched her disappear down the corridor. “So that’s the girl you married? She’s so rude.”
Finnick glared at him. “I wouldn’t have even tried if you haven’t been breathing down my neck the whole time.”
The elder Mr. Norton widened his eyes in shock. “Y-You’re no better than her!”
He loved his youngest grandson more than anything in the world, but everything changed after the accident ten years ago. Reading his grandson’s mind became incredibly difficult.
Finnick decided that he did not want to continue the conversation any further. Pushing the wheels of his wheelchair, he made a move to leave the room as well.
“Hey! Where are you going?” the elder Mr. Norton demanded.
“I’ve lost my appetite,” Finnick said without bothering to look back. “You can eat with Mark and Fabian.”
Upon reaching the villa, Finnick heard from Molly that Vivian had locked herself in her room ever since returning.
Finnick eyes darkened, visibly annoyed.
He pushed open the door to the bedroom and saw Vivian lying face-down on the bed, still clad in her wine-red gown. Her gaze was empty and lifeless.
That only irritated Finnick even further.
He pushed himself over to the bed and stared at her with a blank expression. “Vivian, get up.”
Vivian simply ignored him, as though he was invisible.
Finnick flew into a rage. “Vivian!” he yelled. “Talk to me! Why did you come back?”
He paused as the air in the room grew colder by a few centigrade. “Are you scared of meeting my nephew Fabian?”
Vivian sat up immediately, the blank look on her face replaced by a look of disbelief.
Her face paled as she stared at him. “H-How did you know about my relationship with Fabian?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Did I just get deceived by the men I trust twice in a row?
“That’s right,” Finnick said, not even bothering to make her think otherwise. “I’m sure you know that I won’t marry a random woman on the street. I know exactly what happened to you two years ago.”
Vivian shivered as she continued to train her eyes on his face.
“So?” she asked, her throat throbbing painfully. “Were you trying to embarrass me by taking me to that gathering?”
“Embarrass you?” Finnick growled indignantly. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it with all his might. “He’s just an ex-boyfriend! There’s nothing to worry about if you’ve already gotten over him!”
Vivian glared at the handsome man before her, her lips pursed into a thin line.
“You don’t understand,” she said after a long pause. “You don’t understand how much Fabian meant to me.”
Fabian had been her life force and her reason to live, and the pain from two years ago still felt fresh and piercing.
Can’t he just understand how much Fabian meant to me?
Finnick thought that he could not get any angrier, but he was wrong.
This stupid woman!
It’s been ten years already! Just as I thought I wouldn’t be distracted by another woman…
He knew that Fabian was her first love and her boss, and he had flown to Q City out of panic when he heard that she had gone for a business trip with Fabian.
The last thing he wanted to see was someone taking advantage of Vivian.
I should have killed that jerk Hark!
In fact, I haven’t been so emotional in a while…
This woman is challenging my patience!
How dare she confess her love for my nephew in front of me?
What am I to you, Vivian William?
“Fine. I don’t understand,” Finnick said, smirking. Without warning, he stood up from his wheelchair and shoved Vivian onto the bed. “What I do understand is that you’re my wife!”
Vivian froze the moment Finnick stood up from his wheelchair. “Y-You can stand?”
She tried to break of his grasp to no avail. Finnick had already straddled himself over her body and held her hands down, hovering over her menacingly and covering her in the darkness of his shadow.
“Vivian…” he growled, his voice colder than ice. “I just remembered that we haven’t done anything as husband and wife yet…”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 27
Boom!
“What the hell are you doing?” Vivian screamed as the shock from seeing Finnick stand up was long forgotten.
Before she could finish her sentence, he had already ripped her dress into shreds.
Finnick rested his body against hers, encasing her in a wall of muscle and masculine dominance.
“Finnick! What…”
Vivian tried to say something, but was cut off abruptly when he pressed his lips against hers.
It was as though he was punishing her for everything she had done, and it was something she would never be able to escape from.
No!
I don’t want this!
The events from two years ago popped into her mind, and the pain was so strong that it brought tears to her eyes.
Finnick noticed her tears and froze in shock.
He stopped what he was doing immediately and lowered his head. “Are you scared of me, Vivian?”
Instead of answering him, Vivian grabbed her exposed shoulders tightly and continued to weep.
It was as though someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over him, dousing the angry flame inside of him immediately.
He let go of her and stared at her pale, tear-streaked face in bewilderment. His heart throbbed painfully at the sight before him.
Sh*t!
What the hell did I just do?
“Vivian…” he said, his voice much calmer now. He reached out to help her up, only for her to flinch away from him, as though he had electrocuted her.
Seeing how natural her reaction was, the flame within Finnick that had just been extinguished threatened to come back to life.
“Get some rest,” he said awkwardly before leaving the room.
After he left, Vivian continued to sit on the bed in a daze.
It’s been two years…
I thought I’ve gotten over it already, yet the memories of that incident keeps coming back whenever a man gets close to me…
She never saw Finnick again that night.
The next morning, Vivian took her own sweet time to go downstairs after waking up. To her surprise, Molly told her that Finnick took a midnight flight overseas for a business trip.
Huh?
Maybe he’s troubled over this too…
As for the events of the previous night, Vivian struggled to figure out what Finnick had been thinking.
She tried to convince herself that what Finnick was merely a show of power and dominance as a man, rather than a declaration of love.
After all, I don’t think he’s very happy about my relationship with Fabian…
How about his legs? Since when could he walk?
Vivian sighed. She finished her breakfast in silence and set off for work afterwards.
When she arrived at the office, she was greeted with a giant riot. She grabbed a person nearby by the arm and demanded to know what happened. “The Q City Magazine Company is gone! Our collaboration projects have gone down the drain…” the person wailed.
Q City Magazine Company?
Isn’t that the magazine company that Mr. Hark runs?
Vivian whipped out her phone and was shocked to find various reports on the matter online.
The Q City Magazine Company had deep roots in the magazine industry of Q City, yet someone managed to uproot it overnight! In fact, the owner of the company, Mr. Hark, was thrown behind bars after he was found guilty of a long list of charges.
This seems too sudden to be true… Could someone be behind this?
Could it be… Finnick?
Vivian shook her head vehemently to clear her head.
Hey! Vivian William! Stop that! You’re his wife, but you’re not his friend! You can’t count on him to save you when you’re in trouble!”
With that, Vivian smirked to herself. Haha! That’s karma for you, Mr. Hark!
Because of the collapse of Q City Magazine Company, the next issue’s cover had to be completely redesigned. Vivian and her group mates finished their part of the redesigning process, after which she was tasked by Lesley to send the product over to Fabian.
Vivian wanted to turn her down initially, since the last person she wanted to meet after the incident in Q City was Fabian.
Fabian had let her down over and over again, and that particular incident was the last straw on the camel’s back.
Am I really that dirty and undesirable to him?
I don’t have even a sliver of respect for him anymore.
I don’t even want to see him anymore. Even so, I can’t escape from him…
Hey! It’s not like I did anything wrong in the first place! Why am I the one running away?
With that, she picked up the mock-up that her group came up with and walked towards Fabian’s office with pursed lips.
“Chief Editor,” she said stiffly upon entering. “Here is the mock-up that my group came up with. Please take a look at it. I’ll take my leave now.”
She turned around to leave the room, only to ze when his cold voice rang from behind her.
“Stop right there!”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 28
His voice sounded colder than ice when he spoke.
Vivian did not turn back. “What’s wrong, Chief Editor?”
“Don’t you owe me an explanation?” Fabian asked, louder this time. He must have gotten up and walked over to me…
“What explanation?”
“Everything. For example, why did you disappear from Q City all of a sudden?” he asked. She could feel his warm breath on her neck, and it made her shiver. “Also, what’s your relationship with Uncle Finnick?”
Vivian’s body trembled violently. She turned around abruptly to look into his cold gaze.
“H-How did you know about…”
Did he find out about our marriage? Did Finnick tell him about it?
Vivian panicked all of a sudden.
Their marriage had been a legitimate union, yet she still felt hesitant to talk to Fabian about it.
Finnick’s his uncle, and Fabian’s my first love!
“How did I find out about… What? Your relationship with my uncle?” Fabian scoffed as he closed in on her. “Of course I know! Besides, aren’t you married? Didn’t you know that my uncle is married too?”
Vivian’s panic turned to confusion the moment she heard that.
What the hell is he trying to say?
“Talk to me, Vivian William!” Fabian yelled, angered by her stubborn silence. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently. “Vivian William! Since when did you become a cheater and a home-wrecker? You’re no longer the Vivian I knew!”
Everything became crystal clear to Vivian at that moment.
He doesn’t know about our marriage… In fact, he probably thinks that Finnick’s my sugar daddy!
Vivian could feel her already stone-cold heart ze over into an ice cube.
Huh…
Fabian Norton… What am I to you? Just another one of those sugar babies that climb onto the lap of another daddy once they’ve sucked the previous one dry?
Vivian could see through him like a glass window, and she could tell that she was nothing more than a prostitute to him. He would never believe her if she said that Finnick took her in as his legitimate wife.
“Vivian!” Fabian growled. “Answer! My! Question!”
Vivian raised her eyes slowly to meet his gaze. “Whatever. Suit yourself.”
With that, she shoved him aside and turned around to leave.
I understand everything now…
The man I loved to the moon and back is no longer…
In fact, it’s been two years since I last saw the old him.
For the next few days, Vivian threw herself into her work to distract herself from the drama between Finnick and Fabian.
Finnick did not return even after a few days, and neither did he text nor call her. She would return to an empty house every night, feeling lonelier than ever.
Getting used to things is a scary process… It’s only been a month ever since I got married to him, and I can’t live without him already?
One morning, Vivian stepped into the office to see several of her female colleagues huddled around a computer.
“That’s rare,” she said, walking over to them. “Why aren’t you all having your morning tea session in the pantry?”
“Morning!” Sarah said, cupping her flushed face. “Who needs tea when you have an eye candy to look at?”
“Eye candy?”
“Finnick Norton, the president of Finnor Group! The one we interviewed! He’s in M Nation attending some award ceremony, and they’re broadcasting it live right now!”
Vivian froze.
Huh… So they’ve found my missing husband?
Vivian scooted over out of curiosity. “What award ceremony?”
“The Outstanding Youth Award! Also known as the battle of the wealthy bachelors!” Sarah said before burying her face in her hands. “Unfortunately, I heard that Mr. Norton’s already married…”
Vivian looked at the screen. Sure enough, Finnick was slowly pushing himself onstage as the audience gave him a standing ovation.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 29
The suit hugged his lean body nicely, outlining the sculptured shape of his figure. Although he was sitting in a wheelchair, no one could ignore the intimidating aura he exuded.
“Congratulations, Mr. Norton.” The blonde hostess of the award ceremony excitedly passed the crystal trophy to him.
“Thank you,” rumbled Finnick as he received the trophy. His American accent was impeccable. “I’m very honored to receive this award.”
When he took the trophy, the hostess’ gaze landed on his finger. She instantly exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, “Oh my God! Mr. Norton, is that a wedding ring?”
The camera immediately zoomed in to Finnick’s finger. The diamond ring which Vivian bought was displayed on the big screen.
Vivian’s heart skipped a beat. Sneakily, she hid her finger, which was wearing an identical ring, behind her back.
On the screen, the hostess continued enthusing over it. “Mr. Norton, so you’re really married. I wonder how many women would be heartbroken. However, Mr. Norton, this ring is really economical, huh?”
Everyone burst into laughter after hearing what she said.
Vivian’s face flushed.
Ugh, Finnick. I already said that the ring doesn’t suit his status, but he insists on wearing it.
Despite everyone’s surprise and laughter, Finnick maintained a calm composure. He glanced down at his finger and smiled. “My wife chose it for me. She’s never an advocate for unnecessary waste.”
Although his words were simple, it was somehow filled with an affectionate tone. Everyone instantly fell silent.
Vivian, who was watching him through her computer on the other side of the Earth, felt her heart skip a beat too.
Although she kept convincing himself that Finnick was just saying that for show, a part of her was starting to be charmed by him.
He had been wearing the ring all along, no matter how embarrassing it might be.
Despite the entire world thinking that it’s impossible between us, he still acknowledges me as a part of his life, right?
Perhaps, Finnick was just being a little mean the previous times. Now, his affirmation managed to console Vivian.
“Mr. Norton, looks like you really dote on your wife,” said the hostess enviously.
Despite being a man of such high status, Finnick wore a cheap ring just because his wife was ‘frugal’. This was a greater display of love than if he gave his wife a humongous diamond ring.
Finnick cracked a small smile at the hostess’ praise and remained silent.
The award ceremony ended soon. Everyone in front of the computer screen was still immersed in shock.
“Oh my God! Mrs. Norton is so lucky. God knows how many rich men refuse to admit that they’re married! Yet, her husband is willing to wear such a cheap ring out!” A female colleague exclaimed.
“Forget it.” A male colleague could not help but rebuke jealously, “Perhaps, he’s just too stingy to buy a good ring and is merely using his wife as an excuse.”
“Pfft… Finnick can buy an entire diamond mine if he wants to. It’s impossible that he’ll be unwilling to spend on a diamond ring!” Sarah scoffed. “But, for some reason, Mr. Norton’s ring looks a bit familiar.”
Immediately afterward, someone replied, “Me too! I think I’ve seen it somewhere.”
Having a bad feeling, Vivian was about to sneak away when Sarah reacted quicker. She clapped her hands and cried out, “Oh, I remember now! Mr. Norton’s ring has the same design as Vivian’s, right?”
Vivian cursed under her breath. Under everyone’s gaze, she could only stop in her tracks and turn around.
At that moment, everyone was eagerly grabbing Vivian’s hand and exclaiming, “They’re really the same! They definitely share the same design!”
“What’s going on? Vivian, why do you have the same wedding ring as Finnick?”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 30
As Vivian’s head throbbed, she looked at the curious group of women in front of her. After mulling over it for a while, she had no choice but to explain, “Well, I guess I have to confess now. Actually, I’m Finnick’s wife. That’s why we have the same wedding rings.”
The room became dead silent.
No one uttered a single word.
Soon, everyone suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.
“Haha! Vivian, you’re so funny! You actually said that you’re Finnick’s wife!”
Vivian laughed alongside everyone else, but she secretly felt relieved.
Indeed, instead of denying it, I should just admit it as a joke and evade this topic.
Still, she still pretended to be unhappy. “Why are you laughing? Why aren’t you believing me? Am I really that bad?”
“Vivian, of course, you’re not bad.” Sarah was laughing so hard that she had already teared up. “But he’s Finnick Norton! He’s like someone from another world. There’s no way that he’ll be involved with people like us.”
Vivian chuckled softly.
Yeah.
Logically speaking, Finnick and I are like people from different worlds. Our relationship only became so intimate because of an unexpected turn of events—just like how the ring looks so out of place on Norton’s finger.
Yet, he still wears it.
Upon that thought, Vivian’s mood improved. Flicking Sarah’s forehead with her fingers, she said, “That’s enough. Go and do your work now!”
“We’ve already revised the draft. All that’s left to do is for it to be printed. We have nothing to do now anyway.”
Indeed, there was nothing much to do today. Hence, after Vivian sat down, she scrolled through Twitter out of boredom.
However, once she went into Twitter, she spotted ‘Finnick Norton’s Wedding Ring’ at the top of the trending list.
What the heck? How can this piece of news even enter the trending list? People’s yearning for gossip is really too strong.
Curious, Vivian clicked on the search and saw a bunch of posts made by excited fangirls.
Mr. Norton is really the best man in the world! I don’t like any other men now. He’s my only love!
Who’s Mrs. Norton? Appear right now and let’s have a showdown!
I just want to say that the wedding ring’s design is XXX. I bought it too! Hahaha! Your ring has the same design as Mr. Norton’s. I have a feeling that it’ll become extremely popular.
Amused, Vivian read the fangirls’ posts. However, when her gaze landed on a certain post, she was stunned.
Mr. Norton is so in love right now. However, while everyone rejoices over his current wife, his ex-girlfriend despairs. I wonder how she’ll feel if she witnesses this from Heaven?
Ex-girlfriend? In Heaven?
Vivian immediately wanted to click on the account and see who posted it. However, when she clicked on it, the person had already deleted the post.
Feeling puzzled, she barely had time to mull over it before her phone buzzed.
It was a WhatsApp message from Finnick.
Stunned, Vivian clicked on it immediately.
[I’m coming home at six in the evening today. Let’s eat dinner together.]
Vivian could not even explain why her lips unknowingly curved into a grin when she read Finnick’s message.
She even forgot the awkwardness between them before Finnick left. Now, all she could feel a sense of anticipation. She no longer needed to return to an empty house anymore.
After making it till dismissal time, Vivian left work on the dot and hailed a cab.
When she returned to the villa and entered, she saw a familiar figure sitting in a wheelchair.
She suddenly felt like she had found the missing puzzle in her daily life.
“Finnick.” After taking off her shoes, she walked into the living room and called out to him. Finnick turned around.
His face was as handsome as before. Although she had already seen him on the computer screen this morning, now that she was looking right at him, she suddenly felt like everything was a dream.
On the other hand, when Finnick saw Vivian, he felt extremely relieved, as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders.
When she did not reply to his WhatsApp message, he thought that she was unwilling to eat dinner with him because of what happened that night.
“You’re home.” Although Finnick felt relieved, he still maintained a nonchalant expression on his face. “Molly has already prepared dinner. Let’s go and eat.”
Although she looked forward to meeting Finnick, when she finally saw him, the unhappy incident that happened before he left suddenly surfaced in her mind. Feeling awkward, she merely mumbled an acknowledgement before following Finnick to the dining room.
Molly and Liam were tactful people. Knowing that Finnick and Vivian had not met for days, they left immediately after serving the dishes.