Ch. 501..510

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 501

“Mrs. Norton isn’t ugly. The ugly one here is you!” Noah retorted. “Furthermore, her personality is way better than yours. You could never be able to match her kindness in a million years.”

Evelyn chuckled before taunting him, “Well, well. Who would’ve thought that you had a thing for Evelyn too? Does Finnick know about this?”

“Only someone as despicable as you would think that way.” Noah seemed apathetic to her taunt. “Those who have a good taste in women would definitely choose Mrs. Norton over you!”

“Shut up!” Evelyn’s voice was sharp enough to rupture a person’s eardrum. Noah’s statement reminded her of the choices that Benedict and Finnick made before. “What’s so great about Vivian? I don’t get why each and everyone of you are always fawning over her!”

“At least she won’t plot against Mr. Norton and those who love him.”

Evelyn sneered at him and responded, “Noah, you think you have the right to judge me? Don’t forget that you’re an accomplice too. You’ve also played a part in this.”

“I would advise you to abstain from talking to me like this ever again. I’m not sure what I’ll end up doing to you in the heat of the moment.”

Noah was speechless after hearing what she said. She’s right, I don’t have the right to act all high and mighty. I’m also taking advantage of Finnick and Evelyn’s trust in me to hurt them even more.

After bringing Vivian with him to A Nation, Benedict was quick to arrange a new place for her to live. The Morrison Group was quite a lot of business in A Nation, so living there wouldn’t be a problem for them.

Having sorted everything out, Vivian wanted to do a pregnancy check-up at the hospital. She was worried that something bad might happen to her baby since she was moving around so much.

“You haven’t fully recovered from the injuries yet. I’ll contact the doctor later and have them come to the house to do the check-up. You don’t need to bother going to the hospital.” Benedict was very attentive and thoughtful.

“Okay.” Vivian nodded her head in gratitude. “Thank you, and sorry for troubling you in these past few days.”

In the last few days, Benedict was scrupulous at taking care of Vivian. He provided a sense of security for her and gave her a place to go to. It made her understand the warmth and joy of having a brother who genuinely cared for her.

“Don’t say that.” Benedict deliberately put on an angry face and gently tapped on her forehead with his finger. “As your brother, it is my responsibility to take care of you. You don’t need to treat me like a stranger.”

“Okay.” Vivian smiled and rubbed her forehead before glancing at Benedict. “Ben,” uttered Vivian in a serious tone.

She felt loved again. Yes, she had a brother. From that day onward, she would have someone to rely on. Someone she could whine at, as well as someone she could quibble and have a fight with. However, based on her personality, the probability of her doing these things was rather low.

Benedict was touched to see the loving look on Vivian’s face. He reached out his hands and hugged Vivian. “Vivian, I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore. I’ll pay my dues to you from now on.”

“Okay.” Vivian hugged him back, with tears in her eyes.

In the afternoon, Benedict invited a Chinese doctor over to the house. After a series of check-ups, the doctor informed Vivian that her body was weak and advised her to take good care of herself.

“So the child is fine, right?” Vivian queried nervously.

“Don’t worry, the baby is in pink of health.” The doctor assured her. “Since you’re an expectant mother now, you’ll need to get more rest. Besides that, you’ll also need to pay more attention to your diet. Try not to be picky with your food and make sure that you have a balanced diet,” the doctor added on.

Knowing that her child was fine, Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, I understand. Thank you, doctor. I’ll take good care of myself.”

“Oh, I almost forgot…”

The doctor continued exhorting her about all sorts of things. Perplexed by the surge of information into her head, Vivian realized that nurturing a baby was not an easy feat. Meanwhile, Benedict was paying more attention to the doctor than her, memorizing each and every word said by the doctor.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 502

After the doctor was done mentioning the important details, Benedict thanked him and saw him off.

Sitting on the couch, Vivian was feeling her stomach. I wonder if my future baby would look like me. Or… will the baby resemble him more?

Evelyn’s heart started aching as she thought of Finnick. He must be acting all lovey-dovey with Evelyn right now. With me out of the way, they can finally be together.

As Benedict walked into the room, he saw that Vivian was staring blankly at the ground looking sad and dejected.

“What’s the matter?” asked Benedict in a tender voice as he was caressing her head.

“Ben, the divorce agreement…” Vivian gave out a mild cough and feigned a smile before continuing, “Did Finnick sign it?”

“Yes, I’ve received it from him this morning.” Benedict didn’t know how he should break it to her. He was caught off guard when Vivian mentioned it to him first.

Glaring at her contrived smile, Benedict felt distressed. “Vivian, you don’t need to fake a smile when you’re sad.”

“I’m not sad.” Vivian’s smile was getting brighter. “It was me who wanted the divorce. Now that it’s done, why would I be sad?”

Usually, Benedict’s mood would be ameliorated whenever he saw Vivian’s contagious smile. However, the smile that Vivian had on her face right now, was too dazzling for his eyes.

“Vivian, I’m your bother. You don’t need to put up a front when you’re with me. You can cry if you feel like it.”

Upon hearing Benedict’s words, tears started flowing out of her eyes before she could even wipe the smile off her face.

“Ben…” Vivian was sobbing in his arms. She felt like she was suffocating. After breathing in a big gush of air, she continued wailing in pain. She seemed like she was letting out all her built-up frustrations and suffering that she had been enduring all this time.

This is the last time that I’ll be crying because of him. Vivian made a promise to herself. I’ll forget about him, Evelyn and everything in the past. I have to move on with my life. Everything that happened between us is in the past now. It’s time to move on to a new chapter of my life.

Benedict remained taciturn beside Vivian while gently patting her on the back, comforting her in silence. He knew that Vivian needed to bawl her eyes out just so she could finally let go of the past.

After her eyes were all dried out, Vivian ceased crying.

“Are you feeling better now?” Benedict wiped the tears off her face with a tissue. He then gave her a concerned look.

“Yes.” Vivian’s voice was hoarse. She felt like her strength was depleted after crying so much.

Taking a few deep breaths, Vivian slowly calmed herself down. That being said, she felt more comfortable and relaxed now that she had released her emotions.

Vivian then glanced at Benedict with a determined look on her face.

“Ben, you won’t have to worry about me anymore. I’ll move on with my life and I’ll forget whatever happened in the past now. After all, I still have you and the baby. I will live happily together with you and my baby.”

What happened with Finnick was just like a nightmare. Now that I’ve awoken from my dream, I’ll forget about it soon enough.

Seeing that Vivian was brave to face her past, Benedict was rather proud of her. That’s my little sister!

“Vivian, now that you’ve decided to start over, you should just ensconce yourself here in A Nation,” suggested Benedict in a serious tone. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay here with you too.”

“But what about the family business?” Vivian was afraid that she would disrupt Benedict’s work.

“To be honest with you, the Morrison Group has been doing better overseas in the last few years as there are more antiques being found overseas. So, I’ve decided to continue the family business here.”

Having pondered about it for a sec, Vivian nodded. “Okay.”

After hearing her response, Benedict smiled in relief.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 503

“Alright then, I’ll go and settle the paperwork while you get settled. Regarding this file,” Benedict handed over the divorce agreement to Vivian. “I think it’s better for you to keep it.”

Benedict gave Vivian a gentle hug before leaving the house. He knew that she needed some personal space.

Glancing at the divorce agreement in her hand, Vivian had flashbacks of that day when she saw Finnick and Evelyn hateful at Finnick the more she thought about it.

Let’s end it all here. We’ll be strangers if we do meet again.

Five years later, at the airport of Sunshine City, an attractive-looking girl was walking toward the exit. She had lustrous hair and was wearing big sunglasses, which were covering about one-third of her face. The facial features left uncovered on her face were her dainty nose and her red lips.

She was wearing a white shirt paired with black baggy pants. The combination of the two complemented very well with her slim figure. Although it was just a common style of clothing, the girl still looked fancy wearing them.

Besides that, her high heels, which were dark blue in color, further illustrated her sense of style. She was giving off the vibes of a cool and classy beauty.

That being said, the people passing by were let down when they noticed that she was walking with a little boy beside her, so they assumed that she was already taken.

Unlike the cool beauty, the little boy was really cute.

His fair white skin, in addition to his exquisite facial features, made him look adorable. With his big eyes, the little boy was scanning his surroundings curiously. His eyes were very clean and clear as if he had never been corrupted before.

If someone were to meet his eyes, the little boy would give out a bright smile, exposing his pearl white, enviable teeth. A few of the travellers there had fallen prey to that bright smile of his.

“Mom, are they staring at me because of my good looks?” The little boy queried smugly while still maintaining that lovable smile of his.

The woman was left speechless for a moment. Although her son was good in every other aspect, his only foible was that he was a bit narcissistic. I wonder who he got that from. It definitely couldn’t have been from me. I don’t hold myself in high regard.

As for him… The woman paused her thoughts as she was disappointed in herself for thinking about him again.

Having not yet heard a response from the woman, the little boy lifted his head up to glance at her; only to see that she was pondering about something with a sad look on her face.

“Mom, are you okay? Mom?” Worried, the little boy shook her arm.

After recovering her train of thought, the woman gazed down on her son. “Yes, they’re looking at you because you’re handsome. My cute little pumpkin is so lovable.”

The little boy thought that he must’ve been hallucinating just now as his mother’s expression had reverted back to her beautiful and heart-warming smile.

“Of course!” The little boy lifted his head up proudly as if he was the most handsome boy in the world.

The woman shook her head as she was amused by his action. Then, she exited the airport with the little boy.

After leaving the airport, the woman was stupefied by the familiar yet strange sight she saw in front of her. It had been five years since she last set foot in this city of sorrow.

The girl was none other than Vivian William who had left the city five years ago. She had now changed her name to Vivian Morrison.

The little boy beside her was her child, Larry Morrison and his nickname was ‘little pumpkin’. He was very imaginative and crafty ever since he was little. The IQ and EQ of the kid didn’t match his age at all.

Vivian initially had no intention whatsoever to return to this city. However, since the Morrison family had encountered some issues within its shares in one of the companies, she had no choice but to return with Benedict to this city and help him with the problem.

As the problem was very urgent, Benedict had sent her back to the city first.

The city had changed a lot in the last five years. Except for some of the main buildings, Vivian barely recognized the buildings around her as most of them had been renovated.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 504

Before they returned, Benedict asked her if she had thought it through about going home. If she really did not want to see them, he would work something out regarding the problem with the shares.

But it wasn’t like she didn’t know how difficult this problem would be. If it was not handled properly, Benedict’s position within Morrison Group would be seriously threatened.

Over the years, Benedict has fulfilled the role of an older brother to the best of his ability. He had even spoiled Larry like he was his own son. But now that he’s in trouble, how could I turn a blind eye?

It’s been five years. She had been away long enough. To begin with, it wasn’t her fault. She did not wrong anyone, so her conscience was clear.

Furthermore, these five years had turned her into a strong and independent woman. She was no longer the ‘Vivian Williams’ who had to escape the country with Benedict. She now proudly went by her new identity, Vivian Morrison.

She glanced down at her son. Her heart softened for a moment, and then quickly hardening again in determination. She was now a mother. Nobody would ever harm me and my child again!

“Mom, look at him!” Larry shouted, pointing excitedly at the screen opposite the airport.

Vivian turned to look at where he was pointing. Momentarily startled, she laughed bitterly to herself. Why does this have to be her first encounter with him upon landing? Is this some twisted fate between both of us?

The screen broadcasted Finnick being interviewed by reporters.

He didn’t look much different compared to five years ago. He was still handsome and exuded the charm of a mature man with every gesture. With that look of his, girls were frantically nudging their friends and pointing at the screen.

“Wow, he’s so handsome! I wonder if he’s married?”

“You might not know this. He is a famous icon in our city. Mature and stable, excelling in his career, and looking like a movie star too. This is what a successful man looks like,” said one of the girls to her companion. “You’ve skip a trip to our city back then, and now look at how many hot guys you’ve missed. Are you regretting now?”

“Yes!” The friend nodded frantically. “I wonder if he’s still attached?”

Her little friend sighed. “I heard he got married five years ago, but I think they got divorced. I am not sure about now.”

“A man like that will be more irresistible after a divorce.”

The pair wandered off as they gossiped. Vivian could hardly hear them, but she had a vague idea.

She smiled to herself. I wonder if they knew what he did, would they still worship him like that?

Vivian examined Finnick’s magnified face on the screen. She was surprised to notice upon close examination of his brows, eyes, nose, and lips that there was shockingly little difference compared to five years ago. Every detail of that handsome face was still crystal clear in her memory, to the point where she felt nothing but a sweet sense of familiarity.

If she had to pick out something different from five years ago, she would have to admit that he had become more mature. Five years ago, Vivian was able to read Finnick through his eyes. But now, they’ve become more distant, detached, like he’d built walls around them. She could not see what was within these eyes anymore like she used to be able to.

“Mom! Mom!” Larry stared at the screen a little longer and confirmed his notion.

“What is it?” Vivian was surprised by how her son was drawn to Finnick’s presence on the screen. Could this be explained by the bond between father and son? Even though they’d never met, Larry was able to recognize Finnick right away from a crowd.

“Mom, do you think the man on the TV looks a lot like me?” Larry studied Finnick’s face closely. There’s somebody in the world who looks so much like me!

Vivian felt a squirm of anxiety at his question. Has he noticed something?

No, it’s not possible, Vivian reassured herself. Even if he was bright, he was just a five-year-old boy. She and Benedict definitely had not told him anything about Finnick before. Vivian told her son that his father had passed away before he was born. He shouldn’t think much more about it.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 505

Vivian forced a smile. “Little pumpkin, you are young and he is old. How do you look like him?”

Actually, Larry’s features resembled hers, but the expressions he displayed reminded Vivian of Finnick sometimes. They were father and son after all.

“I don’t know,” replied Larry, frustrated. “It feels like I’ve met him somewhere before, but I can’t remember.”

Larry looked as though he was trying to extract information on Finnick from the depths of his memory, but this was of course impossible.

Feels like? Vivian was amused yet nervous at her son’s remark. This is Larry’s first encounter with Finnick through the television, and he could feel the connection. If he met his father one day… Or if his father met him one day, would he feel that same kind of connection toward his son?

Vivian clutched her son’s hand tightly at that thought, suddenly feeling afraid. Not in a million years, Larry is mine!

“Mom, it hurts.” Larry frowned in pain and tried to wrench his hand away.

“Huh?” Vivian regained her senses and loosened her grip. “I’m sorry my darling, I was too rough with you, wasn’t I? Let me make it all better.” Vivian knelt before him and blew gently on his hand.

Larry secretly rolled his eyes. Mom still treats me like a child.

“Mom, do you think that man on the TV looks like me?” Larry persisted.

“Does he?” Vivian looked on with a solemn expression. “I don’t see any resemblance.”

She massaged his hands a little more, then stood up and led him out of the airport. “Alright, Larry. Uncle Benedict is still waiting for us at home. Didn’t you say you miss him? Let’s get home, shall we?”

“Okay!” At the mention of his favorite uncle, Larry forgot about his question and ran joyfully towards the gate. “Mom, hurry up! We’re going to Uncle Benedict!”

“Coming!” Vivian felt better after seeing how happy her son was. “Slow down and watch out for traffic, will you?”

Soon after, they pulled up at the Morrison residence.

“Uncle!” Larry broke of his mother’s grip and ran towards Benedict as quickly as his short legs could carry him.

Benedict was startled but knelt down with his arms opened wide as he missed his nephew as well. Larry leaped into his arms joyfully.

In Benedict’s embrace, Larry rubbed his face against his chest. Looking up at his uncle with tears in his eyes, he whispered, “I miss you, Uncle Benedict.”

Aside from his mother, the person who loved Larry the most in this world was his uncle. He hadn’t been away from Benedict for this long before, so he missed him dearly.

Benedict’s heart wrenched as he heard the little fellow telling him that he missed him. “Well, I miss you too. Have you been a good boy and listen to your mother?”

Larry was feeling warm and fuzzy with his uncle until he said that. Larry pursed his lips with indignation. Why is everybody treating me like a child today? I am a big boy now!

Larry looked up from Benedict’s chest and surveyed the house. “Uncle, is this our other house?”

“That’s right.” Benedict tousled Larry’s hair. “Do you like it? I’ll send someone to show you your room, okay? If there’s anything you don’t like, we can have it replaced for you.”

“Okay!” Larry said, running out of Benedict’s arms. “Uncle, where is my room?” He took his room as his private sanctuary, so he was rather particular about the place.

Benedict shook his head in amusement at the child who went from secretly shedding tears in his arms to being excited at the prospect of having his own bedroom. Kids being kids.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 506

Benedict instructed a servant to show Larry his room, and reminded her to care for his safety.

“You really spoil him.” Vivian watched the servant lead Larry up the stairs carefully, then turned and looked at Benedict helplessly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t go too far. I definitely won’t spoil your precious son,” Benedict said jokingly as he grabbed Vivian’s purse and hung it on a rack for her.

Vivian just shook her head. She sat down on the couch with Benedict across from her.

“Why didn’t you let me know that you’re coming back?” asked Benedict. “I could have picked you up from the airport. Didn’t you say that you were going to come back a few days later?”

“Yes, I did but Larry was very insistent about seeing his uncle again, so I have no choice but to return earlier,” she said, laughing. “I was afraid that you’d be busy, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“I would always make time for my sister and nephew, no matter how busy I get.” Benedict looked at her sternly. “Do you think of me as your brother?”

“Okay, okay,” Vivian said, waving a hand. After all these years, she still felt awful whenever he said something like that. “Ben, we’re a family. There’s no need to be so gracious all the time. Besides, Larry and I got here safely, don’t we? You’re not going to pull a long face with us as soon as we’re here, are you?”

Finally, Benedict’s expression softened and he smiled. Vivian was getting better and better at being coy with him. How could I remain angry after she said that?

With Vivian full of smiles before him, a hint of worry arose in his eyes. Is this the right decision to make?

“What’s wrong, Ben?” Vivian asked, as she noticed the change in his gaze.

Benedict became stern again. “How does it feel to be back? If you do not wish to remain here, I can arrange for both of you to be sent back.”

“It’s nothing,” Vivian replied casually. She looked at him seriously and said, “Ben, I didn’t do anything wrong back then. There’s nothing to run away from anyway. What’s more, I don’t want to have to escape like I did five years ago. This time, I want to face everything head-on.”

Benedict observed the determination and seriousness in his sister’s eyes. He knew in his heart that Vivian intended to get some closure on that chapter of her life.

Though she appeared to be happy living abroad all those years, Benedict couldn’t help but notice that she sometimes got lost in thought when she looked at Larry with grief in her eyes. Almost as though she looked through him and saw someone else. Benedict understood perfectly. That incident was like a knot in her heart. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have shut herself out of any relationship in the past five years.

The only person to resolve this would be the person who had caused it in the first place. It’s a good thing that she decided to come back after all. Only by getting closure will she be able to get a fresh start in life.

“Since you’ve decided, I will always be by your side to support you.”

“Thanks, Ben.” Vivian felt very touched. For the past five years, Benedict had always had her back in every decision she made. He was the source of all her strength and determination.

He patted Vivian’s shoulder lightly. “There’s an auction for antique tomorrow,” Benedict said. “We are the organizer, so I would like you to attend it.”

“Hmm, is it appropriate for me to do that?” Vivian looked doubtful.

“Of course,” Benedict replied matter-of-factly. “Everybody is curious to meet the infamous Ms. Morrison. It’s time for them to learn the truth about your identity.”

“Alright then.” Vivian nodded cautiously. She must present herself at her absolute best, so as to not embarrass Benedict and Morrison Group.

After five years, this was the first time that Morrison Group had organized an auction in Sunshine City. It was a highly anticipated event.

The auction was set to take place in one of the well-known hotels in Sunshine City. At this moment, there was cautious tape all around the hotel’s perimeter. Admission for the general public was not permitted, which meant that the only people allowed in were the elites of Sunshine City.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 507

On the second floor of the hotel, the banquet hall had been transformed into an exhibition hall. Shelves made of glass proudly displayed antiques of various eras in history. As the light shone from the top four corners of the shelves, the exhibits shimmered in extravagance.

Though the auction had not officially begun, the guests were already crowding the hall. At this moment, their conversational topics only revolved around exhibits they had their eye on, estimation of the prices, and the unveiling of the infamous Ms. Morrison.

They have met Evelyn, of course. She was a stunner of fair and bright complexion, but also a rose with very sharp thorns. Evelyn had rejected more than her fair share of eligible suitors back in the day.

However, the Morrison family revealed some startling news around five years ago. Evelyn was not actually a Morrison but somebody else.

Though the Morrison family was not what it once was, their influence was still strong within the fabric of society. They were a large clan within their homestead of Sunshine City, with many sharp eyes scrutinizing each and every move they made. As soon as the news of the return of the real Ms. Morrison was leaked, the media promptly circulated it and caused a frenzy within the city.

Many wanted a glimpse of this famous young woman given her status and the mystery behind her identity. However, the Morrison family did not make any official announcement on her then. After all these years, the matter almost vanished from public memory but was once again jolted back by the news that Ms. Morrison would be attending the auction.

That was why aside from the ones who were truly interested in the auction, there were a lot of attendees who were just there to get a glimpse of Ms. Morrison. Especially those rich old ladies who were looking for a wife for their sons.

“Tell me, what does this Ms. Morrison look like? Evelyn Morrison was not bad looking, but it was her attitude that I couldn’t stand.”

This tasteful comment was passed by Mrs. Litt of Dash Technologies. She once intended to be in-laws with the Morrisons through her son. But Evelyn rudely left her aside without even completing two sentences of conversation.

The lady next to her scoffed inwardly. Not a good enough match for you? You were the one who went up to her and tried to gain favors, and she ignored you. Now the tables have turned when you heard that Evelyn isn’t a Morrison,!

Though she had these thoughts, she kept them to herself. Instead, she smiled and said, “Yes, according to my observations, this young lady wouldn’t be too bad looking too. We’ve met Benedict Morrison, haven’t we? This girl is his sibling; she would share his good looks too. If she’s to your satisfaction, she would be a good match for your son.”

She didn’t intend to contradict herself in this manner, but her husband had reminded her repeatedly to be on Mrs. Litt’s good side before she came to the auction. He was hoping to secure better opportunities to do business with Dash Technologies through her connection.

“We shall wait and see,” Mrs. Litt said. These words have struck a chord in her. She still has not gotten over the slight by Evelyn. It ate her up for days. Even worse, she wasn’t able to confide to anyone about it.

As these two ladies were predicting what the new Ms. Morrison would be like, the entrance to the exhibition hall swung open with a commotion. The attendees turned to look towards the door.

Amidst stupefied stares, a young lady emerged and walked slowly into the hall.

A long skirt of pearl gray adorned her waist. There was a deep V design that flaunted her slender arms and exquisite collarbones. From the waist down to her heels, the dress flowed like liquid mercury. The back of her attire was bare, which partially exposed her pale back with every step she took and the rhythmic sway of her hip.

Vivian’s outfit was elegant, and it brought out the best in her as she had hoped.

Vivian clutched Benedict’s arm tightly as they walked. Her heart was thumping wildly with all eyes fixed on her.

She had come prepared, but she could not suppress the mild shiver that came involuntarily. After all, her identity was made public knowledge. After today, perhaps her old friends would have gotten the news of her return. What would they think if they saw her in the present?

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 508

“Is this dress appropriate?” Vivian whispered to Benedict while keeping her eyes directly to the front.

“It’s very beautiful,” Benedict said confidently with a slight smile. To be honest, he was overwhelmed when Vivian emerged from the fitting room dressed in that. When he regained his senses, he realized that Vivian William was merely a faded memory now. Vivian Morrison was a completely new person.

Vivian William was beautiful, yes, but she was insecure; it took a long time of being around her to realize the beauty within her that she had trouble expressing. But now, she was able to grab and hold the attention of an entire crowd with the way she held herself. The pain that she had endured all this time had been turned to her advantage after all. It was now the strength that bore her confidence, and that confidence made her shine like a star.

“So this is the true Ms. Morrison. My God, she is beautiful.” The men in the crowd were transfixed.

“Yes. Look at the way she carries herself. Wow”

“Mrs. Litt, I think that she’s a good match for your son,” the woman who was flattering Mrs. Litt said. “If they ended up together, it would be a match made in heaven.”

Mrs. Litt looked on and nodded in approval.

There was another attendee, a young lady, who stood studying Vivian’s silhouette with doubt in her heart. This Ms. Morrison looks awfully familiar. Where have I seen her before? But that was impossible. She was sure that she had never met Ms. Morrison before today.

The longer she stared, the more she felt certain that she had seen her before. She searched hard in her memory. Got it! “I remember now!” the girl yelled.

The crowd had their attention fully fixed on Vivian. At the sound of her voice, everybody jumped and turned to look at her accusatorily. What if Ms. Morrison gets offended at the interruption?

At the realization of her volume and the disturbance she had caused, the girl frantically apologized to those who stood nearest to her. However, she was still excited as she said, “I know where I’ve seen Ms. Morrison before. Wasn’t she Finnick Norton’s wife, Vivian William?”

Though she had never met Vivian William, but she had seen photos of her on Twitter. As she was infatuated with Finnick at that time, she paid special attention to what his wife looked like. She thought that Finnick had poor taste in women, that he had selected such a plain-looking woman to be his wife.

But as she gazed at the woman standing in front of her, she had to admit that her features had not changed much. Why is she breathtakingly beautiful today to be able to capture the attention of an entire hall?

At her declaration, the crowd turned to stare at Vivian in surprise.

“Finnick Norton’s wife? How is it possible that she is the Morrison girl?”

“I don’t know. What’s going on?”

“I heard that she had divorced Finnick five years ago, and then vanished. How did she suddenly become Ms. Morrison?”

“What an unexpected plot twist. She switched identities with Evelyn Morrison,” someone in the crowd said as they scoffed.

“What do you mean?” The people around the speaker turned to look at him.

“You mean you don’t know?” The man looked surprised, then excited when he realized that he had gossip that no one was aware of. “I’ll tell you. I had a friend who knew Finnick. Turns out that Evelyn is currently living with him. What do you think their relationship is?” He looked around smugly as if to say ‘if you know what I mean’.

“Are they married?”

“Not as far as I know of, but they’ve been living together for several years. The wedding should happen any time now.”

“I see.”

The crowd looked astonished. They glanced over at Vivian again. Though they were still captivated by her beauty, they had the malicious glint of gossip in their eyes.

Vivian and Benedict listened to all that had transpired. He tugged lightly at Vivian’s arm. “Vivian,” he whispered. “Don’t take this personally.”

“It’s nothing, Ben,” she replied as she turned to return his smile. Since she was already here, it meant that she had made the preparations to endure the gossip about her past. If she was not capable of handling even this, then she wouldn’t even have considered returning.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 509

Turns out, they were living together for a long time and were just only considering marriage.

With a supreme effort to push her doubts aside, she straightened up, raised her head, and walked forwards. She had promised herself once before. She will never back off again!

The guests have mostly arrived. The auction was due to begin shortly.

As everybody was settling down, a voice said, “Isn’t that the president of Finnor Group, Finnick Norton? Why is he here?”

Vivian’s heart clenched. She betrayed a look of terror. It doesn’t take long to run into him!

Benedict felt his sister’s grip on his arm tighten. Patting her arm encouragingly, he said, “Vivian, I’m here with you. Don’t be nervous.”

“Hmm.” She nodded and regained some calmness. She was not afraid, but this happened much earlier than she had expected. Well, it’s not a big deal.

Vivian took two deep breaths and entered the exhibition hall.

Finnick wore a plain black suit. As always, it looked superb in both the quality and the cutting. It was obvious that it was tailored for his frame.

Though she had seen him on screen at the airport, she was forced to admit that after seeing him in person, his charm had only increased over these years.

Finnick’s features were as sharp as ever. His broad frame combined with his cold demeanor had commanded respect from the crowd so naturally.

He was also different from his on-screen appearance. There, he smiled easily and navigated the reporter’s tricky questions with ease. Here, however, she shuddered at the glum and intimidating air that seemed to follow him around, infecting all who came in contact with him.

If Finnick was considered cold and kept others hesitant from approaching him five years ago, his current persona struck fear in them to the point that it kept them completely at bay.

Finnick scanned the crowd and spotted Vivian and froze as soon as he recognized her.

Finnick ignored her beautiful dress, her exquisitely applied makeup, and even the man whose arm she was clutching. The truth was, he did not even notice the person next to her.

All Finnick saw were Vivian’s eyes. The sight that had haunted him in his dreams for five years.

They were still beautiful. Bright and misty, just like the first time they met, without any impurities. He saw right through her eyes into her soul. Vivian stood rigid and observed Finnick too. There was no escaping it; fear was not an option today. She was all calm.

No, calmness was merely for show. Beneath its tranquil overcoat, there was something else…

It was hatred.

Deep-set hatred and patience to hold back the hatred that made Finnick feel deeply uneasy.

They just stared at each other like no one else mattered. It was as if they were the only two people left on earth.

The crowd stayed quiet, glancing at both of them in turn. They could hardly believe that the subjects of their gossip had now turned up in front of their very eyes.

After a long silence, they began whispering again. Soon after that, the regular hubbub of chatter filled the hall once more.

“What is going on? The way they’re looking at each other, do they still have the flame?”

“Hey, you tell us.” Somebody shoved the man who gossiped about Evelyn earlier. “Didn’t you say that Evelyn is now living with Finnick? What’s going on then?”

“I’m not sure,” he replied, puzzled. “I heard it from a friend. He said that Evelyn is paralyzed in both legs. All these years, it was Finnick who cared for her, but he never intended on marrying her. I’ve always thought that he cared for her health, and would marry her in two years. Turns out he might still miss his ex-wife?”

“I think, from the way he’s looking into Ms. Morrison’s eyes, he is able to read her inside out *

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 510

“This isn’t right too. Even if he was willing to care for Evelyn, it shows that she has a place in his heart. But why would he look at your ex-wife like that? If he really cared for her, why would he divorce her?”

The crowd stood in uncomfortable silence following his words. Then, one after another, they shook their heads. “Who knows, maybe Finnick loves both of them?”

Vivian couldn’t hear much over the commotion. She only managed to catch snatches of Evelyn being disabled, and Finnick caring for her.

She was surprised to hear of Evelyn’s disability. That thought was followed by a dilemma in her heart. Turns out that Finnick loves Evelyn this much. He still cares for her for so many years even after she became a cripple.

Vivian thought of that year when he ordered Noah to take her for an abortion. She sighed sadly to herself. To Finnick, one of them was the one that got away, the other was now his ball and chain. They were a world of difference.

Vivian dropped her gaze first. She turned and marched off to the auction with Benedict on her arm, without sparing Finnick another glance.

Finnick however kept his eyes on Vivian’s back. As he watched her back sway with the motion of her stride, he was suddenly aware of her change. She wouldn’t be wearing something as sexy as this in the past.

He received the news today that Benedict was back in the country, and that the Morrison family was going to organize an auction, of which Ms. Morrison would also be in attendance.

When Finnick heard that, he became aware that his heart that had quelled for five years had begun beating wildly again. Five years ago, Benedict said that Vivian William was his sister. Could the long-awaited Ms. Morrison actually be Vivian William?

After pulling several strings, he managed to secure an invitation for himself and made his way over to the hotel. She’s finally back!

His heart that was beating wildly suddenly stopped at the very moment when he set eyes on her. It’s been five years. I have finally seen her again, but…

Finnick recalled the way she looked at him earlier and felt anxious. It was as though he couldn’t see his reflection in her eyes anymore. Did she learn to shield her emotions, or did he cease to exist in her heart now?

Hands balled into fists, Finnick’s eyes gleamed with determination. Now that she’s back again, I won’t let her go again!

Finnick followed the Morrisons into the auction venue. The crowd dispersed after the subjects of their gossip left. One after another, they made their way into the auction hall.

As soon as everybody was seated, the host announced that the auction was about to begin.

The first item was a set of very common porcelain. The only bidders for those were some amateur collectors, most likely for practice. They cost between thirty to a hundred thousand.

The bidders after the big-ticket items remained silent because they understood that the valuables would be saved for later.

At this point, the auctioneer pointed at a newly delivered item and said, “Alright, next up is the most interesting item of the day. Does anyone care to venture a guess?”

The auctioneer let slip a mysterious smile. “I think none of you would be able to deduce what it is.”

The crowd was hanging on to every word the auctioneer said. Their eyes were mad with curiosity. An antique auction like this would usually showcase porcelain and art by various historical figures. What else could be described as “interesting”?

The crowd started gossiping among themselves as to what the red box contained. Some of the bidders were visibly irritated by the antics of the auctioneer’s and made no effort to hide their impatience.

As a man who employed theatrics modestly, he knew when he had captured the absolute attention of his audience. Without tormenting them any longer, he announced, “This very special item is a ring.”

At his words, the crowd started hissing. What’s so special about this ring? It has no origin story. They don’t even know which time period it came from.