Ch. 561..570
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 561
She was slightly amused when she saw the numbers on her screen. It was someone that gave her a lot of headaches back then. What a coincidence?
“How can I help you?” Vivian picked up after a moment of hesitation.
“Where are you now?” It was a man’s voice.
“I’m at an orphanage. What’s going on?”
“Send me the location. You stay there and wait for me. I need to talk to you about something.” The man sounded really anxious.
“Sure.” Vivian assumed that it was important since they agreed that they would not contact each other otherwise.
As soon as the call ended, Vivian sent Hunter the address of the orphanage.
“Vivian, who’s coming over to pick you up?” Evelyn asked because she noticed that Vivian was livelier after the call.
“It’s Hunter. He had something to discuss with me.”
“What a coincidence!” Evelyn was delighted to hear that Hunter was coming. “We just talked about him, and now he’s actually coming. Do you think he heard us? Or are you two connected telepathically?”
Before that, Evelyn was still worried that Hunter and Vivian’s relationship was not progressing as well as she wanted, but now, she felt relieved. It looks like Hunter did not disappoint me. I knew it! A b*tch like Vivian could never be able to resist Hunter’s seduction considering she might not have met many good men her whole life. She’s such a whore! How can she even be compared with me! What does Finnick see in her!
Vivian felt offended when she heard Evelyn joking about her, but she could not show it. So she only smiled and said nothing.
However, Evelyn thought that she was feeling embarrassed and got even more excited. “I told you he’s a thoughtful guy, right? He’s even coming here as soon as he found out you are here. A man like this is really hard to come by these days. Especially a handsome one.”
She kept going. “You should really listen to me and get together with Hunter. If you don’t treasure a man like this, you’d definitely regret it.”
As Vivian listened to Evelyn, she realized that Evelyn had incredible potential at being a matchmaker. I thought she only knew how to act pitiable. Who would have thought she had a knack for talking?
“Vivian, do you agree with what I’m saying?”
“Sure.” Vivian gave a simple response, but that was more than enough for Evelyn as it meant that Vivian did, in fact, had feelings for Hunter.
Evelyn was overjoyed, thinking that her prey was slowly walking towards the trap that she prepared. That feeling of slaying a prey after it had fallen into the trap was ecstatic.
She was certain that Vivian was getting closer and closer to her trap. The only thing she had to do now was to wait.
On the other hand, Vivian was not gullible enough to think that Evelyn was happy for her. She assumed Evelyn was celebrating the progression of her plan.
You can laugh for now. But we’ll see who gets the last laugh.
Evelyn continued to sing praises about Hunter while they waited, and Vivian kept brushing it aside with meaningless responses. From afar, they looked like two good friends chatting happily.
Hunter was astonished when he arrived to that scene. He had assumed that Vivian was alone, so he was surprised to see Evelyn there as well.
What’s going on here? Aren’t those two arch enemies? Why are they chatting like this?
This made Hunter think of a scene where he and Finnick were laughing happily over drinks. It gave him goosebumps as he shook his head violently, trying to get that image out of his head. That’s terrifying… I don’t think I’d ever get along with Finnick.
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Standing at the door and seeing everything unfold in front of him, Hunter felt amused. I mentioned Vivian in front of Evelyn before. I told her she was aloof and hard to pursue. What did Evelyn say the other day?
He remembered Evelyn’s expression when she said, “That woman? There’s nothing to worry about. She’s so simple-minded that it is easy to trick her.” Evelyn was obviously giving him a contemptuous gaze when her words dripped with disdain.
However, looking at how things are now, Vivian was the cat teasing the mouse instead of Evelyn.
After he had his fill of popcorn and drama, he left his spectator seat and walked into the orphanage.
Before he could greet both of them, Evelyn saw him and smiled. “You’re so fast to fetch the woman you love. I’ve never seen you so enthusiastic whenever you came to fetch me in the past.”
Hunter replied jokingly, “Ms. Morrison, I’m wrongly accused! When did I not show up whenever you call for me?”
“Alright. You have something to tell Vivian, right? I don’t want to disturb you guys, so I’ll take my leave.” Evelyn waved at Vivian and Hunter before turning her wheelchair as she headed toward the exit.
“Why are you leaving the moment I just arrived?” Hunter joked and helped Evelyn to push her wheelchair.
“Well, I don’t want to become the third wheel. You’re so heartless to say that, Hunter.” Evelyn chuckled before glancing at Vivian. “Finnick is still waiting at home to eat dinner with me. If I return late, he’ll starve.”
With that, Evelyn observed Vivian’s expression in secret. However, the latter was expressionless, as if she didn’t hear her words.
Does this mean Vivian had fallen for Hunter, so Finnick doesn’t matter to her anymore? Evelyn should be happy with this outcome, but she felt a tinge of disappointment in her heart.
After helping Evelyn into the car, Hunter looked at the car speeding away and bade farewell before walking to Vivian’s front. “Should we leave?”
“Yeah.” Vivian remained expressionless as she nodded and followed Hunter into his car.
“What do you wish to discuss?” She turned to Hunter after fastening her seatbelt.
The man turned to look at her with a serious expression. “I wish to see you, so I called and came to fetch you.”
“Are you joking?” Hearing his reply, fury flared in Vivian’s eyes.
Hunter could only smile bitterly. If I don’t put it this way, you won’t let me fetch you.
The woman looked outside the car window to calm her growing rage from within. How absurd is that reason! I tried so hard to make Sean leave.
Soon after, the woman turned to look at Hunter and announced, “I’ve told you before. We can’t be, so stop wasting your time on me.”
“Only I know if I’m wasting my time. To me, this is worth it.” Hunter wore a stern expression.
Back then, he only approached Vivian because of Evelyn’s request. However, the woman piqued his interest once he got to know her, and he wanted to get closer to her. Later on, the incident on the cruise ship changed his impression of Vivian completely.
He had many female friends, but they only approached him because of his wealth or looks. There was none that would volunteer to save his life if he was in danger, except Vivian.
And of course, he dated those women because of their looks. As for feeling connected with their souls, who still cared for such a thing in this day and age? They were not kids anymore.
That day, Vivian said, “Let Finnick go. If you want revenge, come at me!” Hearing the woman’s brave words, Hunter was mindblown and his heart started throbbing. That was the first time he found out such an intense love existed.
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Hunter was always envied by other men because of the number of female friends he had. However, the moment he heard Vivian’s words on the cruise ship, he finally knew how it felt to be jealous. That’s right. He was jealous of Finnick for having a woman who was willing to die for him.
“You’re wasting my time. I have other matters to attend to, so I don’t have time to fool around with you.” Unaware of Hunter’s thoughts, Vivian was ruthless with her words.
The man felt an excruciating pain in his heart when he heard the woman’s harsh words. So this is what heartbreak feels like. It seems spending time with me is a waste of her time.
He took in a deep breath and apologized sincerely, “Vivian, I’m sorry for helping Evelyn to pick on you. Please forgive me.”
“What do you mean?” Seeing how Hunter was sincere in his apology out of the blue, Vivian froze.
“I won’t do that again. Can we become… Friends?” Hunter was nervous as he looked at her. Will she forgive me?
He was anxious, as he didn’t have any confidence if the woman would forgive him.
Digesting his words repeatedly, Vivian wasn’t sure if she should believe him. What if this is also one of Evelyn’s new tricks?
“Alright.” The woman nodded in the end. Perhaps she was moved by Hunter’s sincerity. Or maybe she chose to trust in the good of humanity.
However, she couldn’t trust him fully, so she didn’t completely lower her guard.
Meanwhile, Finnick was handling the paperwork in his office, but his mind was in a complete mess as he couldn’t focus on his work. The image of Vivian and Hunter leaving side by side lingered in his mind.
Given how low his productivity was, he closed the files and leaned against the office chair while shutting his eyes to relax.
Ever since that time on the cruise ship, he didn’t meet Vivian and Hunter, but their figures kept on appearing in his mind. It was as if they were always by his side, be it at home, in the office, at the dining table, in the meeting room, in his dreams, and whatnot.
The sight of them together continued to show up in front of him. Even though he knew they were all illusions, he could feel pain in his heart.
They ate at the same table, and Hunter wiped her lips. There was some secret between them which I was oblivious to. Also, she behaved coldly toward me. Will they be more intimate when no one was around?
These thoughts made Finnick feel like he was on the brink of insanity. He dared not imagine their interactions, as he was scared they might become real. He was afraid of losing her to another man. All this would be too much for him to bear.
Opening his eyes, Finnick took in a few deep breaths to flush away those images in his mind.
No. I’ll have to know if they are just friends or a couple. If they are indeed couples, which step are they at? I must know. If I kept on guessing around, I’ll lose my mind one day.
Knock knock knock! Suddenly, someone was knocking on the door.
Sitting upright in his seat, Finnick flipped the files open.
“Come in.” He sounded calm like the man he was as if the fragile man suffering over heartbreak just now never existed.
The door was pushed open, and Noah walked into the office.
Stopping in his tracks, he informed, “Mr. Norton, Mr. Long of the Fortune Group agreed to give another two percent of profit to us, but under one condition: the Finnor Group will cover for the warranty of the products.”
A few days ago, Noah was sent overseas for work. Given how diligent he was, he rushed to the company to report to Finnick about the negotiation results once he got off the plane.
“Alright. Good work.” Finnick smiled faintly. Soon after, his smile disappeared and his expression turned cold as usual.
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Looking at Noah, Finnick said, “There’s one thing I would like you to look into.”
Noah replied, “What do you need, Mr. Norton?”
“Vivian’s back. Look into her relationship with a man called Hunter Yates and report back to me as soon as possible.” Finnick clenched his fists when he was saying his words.
It never crossed his mind that he would have to investigate the relationship between his wife and another man.
Although they were divorced, he still thought of Vivian as his wife, and no other man could mess with her.
“Mrs. Norton’s back?” Noah was shocked, as he never expected Vivian to come back.
Recalling the time he forced an abortion onto Vivian, he started sweating profusely. Drops of sweat were dripping down from his forehead toward his cheeks.
Did they find out about this?
Seeing Noah’s reaction, Finnick frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.” Overwhelmed by guilt, Noah wiped off his sweat with the back of his hand. “I was just shocked when I heard Mrs. Norton’s back. When did she return? Have you guys… met?”
If they did, will Mrs. Norton speak to Mr. Norton about the abortion? Does Mr. Norton know about that incident? If he does, what should I do? How do I explain it to him?
I had no choice but to obey Evelyn because my parents were held hostage by her. But if I tell the truth, will Mr. Norton forgive me? Will Mrs. Norton forgive me?
Worry and fear began piling up in Noah’s heart when he thought about it. However, he felt relieved after a different thought came to mind. It seems Mr. Norton didn’t know about it yet. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so calm. But how long can I conceal this from him?
“We met some time ago.” Finnick never doubted Noah’s loyalty. “Rest first before you proceed with the investigation. Also, she’s called Vivian Morrison now. Don’t mess up the names.” With that, Finnick continued reading through the documents.
“Understood. I’ll get on with it.” After responding to his boss’ orders, Noah turned around and left the office.
His steps were wobbly, but Finnick didn’t notice as he was focused on his work.
Exiting the president’s office in a daze, Noah felt his legs gave away. All he could think of was how he should explain the incident to Finnick and Vivian and beg for their forgiveness.
In fact, he was suffering from guilt all these years. It had been five years. However, whenever he saw children, the image of Vivian pleading to spare her unborn baby would always surface in his mind, while guilt would come raining down on him and fill his heart with remorse.
Noah had witnessed Finnick’s longing and tolerance for Vivian all these years. There were times he wanted to tell Finnick the truth so badly. This was so that the latter could see Evelyn’s true colors and get back together with Vivian.
However, he chickened out every time, as he had his worries.
“Noah!” Noah’s train of thoughts was disrupted by an ear-piercing yell. Glancing back, he saw Evelyn wheeling toward him.
Disgust settled itself deep in his heart, and he wanted to leave that place as soon as possible. He had been evading Evelyn all these years because he didn’t wish to see her.
Every time he saw her bringing up her leg injury to convince Finnick into agreeing with her unreasonable requests, he wanted to disclose everything she did so badly.
“Stop right there, Noah!” Evelyn turned her wheelchair quickly and blocked his path. “What’s wrong with you? Why do you seem so out of it? And you even dare to turn your back on me? Do you want to get fired?”
Listening to her threats, Noah felt like laughing. She thinks she can order Mr. Norton around? She had overestimated herself.
After snapping at Noah, Evelyn felt better. “Come with me. I have something to discuss.”
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“What do you want?” Noah immediately tensed up with wary in his eyes. This evil woman must be up to no good seeing how she came to find me.
“Why are you so worked up? Let’s go somewhere quiet and have a talk.” Evelyn frowned, as she was displeased with his reaction.
Noah hesitated to do as she said. Evelyn must be here to ask for my assistance in her schemes. I mustn’t help her with her evil deeds anymore.
Seeing the man standing still in the same place, Evelyn glanced back and snickered. “Why? Do you want me to tell Finnick about what you did that year? You betrayed him and caused his wife to leave him.”
“You promised you won’t bring up this matter!” Burning rage surged within Noah, and he growled out of frustration. How dare you threaten me with that incident? Despicable woman! You know why I did it.
“Really? I don’t remember promising you this.” Evelyn shrugged and smirked.
“Evelyn!” Noah was so enraged that he choked on his words.
“Hurry and find a place so we can talk. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee that incident will stay a secret.” Evelyn folded her arms with a smug on her face.
That incident was Noah’s Achilles heel. Now that Evelyn had him trapped in her palm, he could only agree to her demands and took her to an empty and slightly isolated meeting room.
“Speak. Why are you looking for me?” Noah asked impatiently as he was annoyed.
Evelyn ignored his rude attitude, as all she cared about was to destroy Vivian completely.
“Vivian’s back. Do you know about this?” Evelyn gritted her teeth when she spoke of the woman she hated to death. Argh! Thinking about that b*tch just makes me angry.
“You know about it too?” Hearing Vivian’s name coming out of her mouth, Noah began panicking and turned to her.
Evelyn glanced at him from the side of her eyes and snorted, “There’s nothing wrong with that. If I don’t know, do you plan to hide this from me?”
Noah didn’t have the effort to argue with her. “What should we do now? Mr. Norton will find out about what you did in no time.”
“Can you not be so timid? What are you so afraid of?” Evelyn glanced at the man fidgeting and rolled her eyes.
Why did I include someone as timid as him in my plan?
Glaring at the man, she threatened, “Plus, what do you mean by what I did? Don’t forget you have a part in this, so don’t try to push everything onto me. Otherwise, I’ll reveal what you did if Finnick found out about the incident five years ago.”
Noah snapped, “Is it time to argue about this?” How preposterous! We’re in a crisis now, but she’s still thinking of threatening me.
Slamming the table, he continued, “If you have the time to argue with me, why not think of some solutions to get us out of this mess? We’ll be doomed once Mr. Norton finds out about it.”
“Why are you so fierce?” Evelyn was never one to back down. “I’m here to discuss this, not to fight with you.”
“Then what should we do?” Taking in a deep breath, Noah closed his eyes and suppressed the anger in his heart. What’s important now is to come up with a solution.
Seeing how Noah had taken a step back, Evelyn calmed down, and they went straight to the point.
She gestured the number one with her finger as she gazed at the man standing in front of her. “I’ve given it some thought. There’s one way to conceal it forever.”
“That is?” Noah was anxious.
Evelyn’s eyes gleamed with viciousness as she smirked. “Make sure Vivian will never get back together with Finnick. We’ll have to make it so that she doesn’t have the chance to talk to him. As long as Vivian doesn’t tell, that incident will remain a secret.”
It’ll be better if she just dies. Then I can live the rest of my life with no worries and be happy with Finnick. This was what Evelyn truly wanted, but she didn’t express her intent to kill Vivian directly.
Hearing her vicious tone, Noah felt flustered. How is she so relentless? How much more suffering does she want to inflict upon Mrs. Norton?
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After pondering for a while, Noah agreed with the solution Evelyn proposed. As long as Mr. Norton and Mrs. Norton never meet again, they will never clear up the misunderstanding between them. It’s great that no one will find about that incident, but…
Thinking about Finnick suffering from his longing for Vivian, Noah wanted to punch himself in the face. I betrayed Mr. Norton before to ensure my parents’ safety. Now that I’ll have to cover up the mistakes I made, am I going to betray him again?
Finnick trusted Noah completely and hid nothing from the latter. With these thoughts in mind, Noah felt his conscience pricking at him. I’ll have to pay for my sins one day.
Also, Mrs. Norton believed me, so she never suspected anything from that incident.
And this is how I repay their trust for me?
Lowering his head, guilt was written all over Noah’s face. Evelyn could tell what he was thinking. He must feel sorry for them.
She let out a sneer in her heart. Eagles don’t catch flies. What can he achieve being so indecisive? No wonder he’s still an assistant after so many years.
“What do you think?” Evelyn snickered while trying to stop him from backing out. “Noah, do you think Finnick will spare your life if he found out about it?”
She paused for a moment and looked at the man’s tensed expression. Smirking, she continued, “You’ve been working for him for so many years. I bet you know the consequences. Not only will you lose your job, but you’ll also be blacklisted by the entire finance industry. Think about your parents. Do you want them to suffer with you?”
Noah gripped his fists tightly as he admitted Evelyn’s words had indeed hit the nail on the head. She had exposed every single worry I had buried deep in my heart.
That’s right. I don’t care whatever happens to me, but I can’t let my parents suffer.
“What are you trying to do to Mrs. Norton?” Noah glared at her with hostility.
Although Noah was worried about his parents, he couldn’t get himself to help Evelyn with heinous deeds. If she went overboard, he wouldn’t agree to help her.
Suddenly, the woman snapped, “She’s not Mrs. Norton! They were divorced, so you’re not allowed to address her that way!”
It had been five years. Why can’t I replace Vivian’s position in Finnick’s heart? Even Noah thought of her as Mrs. Norton. This title belongs to me!
Evelyn smiled viciously, as hatred filled her eyes. “I don’t care if you’re one of the Williams or Morrisons, Vivian. This time, you won’t be able to escape.”
In the meantime, Vivian was annoyed recently, and it was all because of Hunter.
Didn’t he say he’ll stop assisting Evelyn? Not only did he call me over and over again, he invited me out frequently.
The reasons he gave were of all sorts: Today, his friend opens a new restaurant and gives him a voucher; tomorrow, he asks me to help him pick out a present for his mother’s birthday; the day after tomorrow, he asks me to become his partner for a gathering…
What a joke! He has tons of women to choose from.
Slowly, Vivian felt something was wrong. Did I give him some wrong signals? Maybe he misunderstood there was something between us.
Later on, Vivian was firm in rejecting Hunter’s invitations, as she felt nothing toward him, so she wanted to put a line between them. However, the man never stopped calling.
Buzz! Buzz!
Hearing the vibration of her phone, Vivian turned her head impatiently with a frown on her face, reluctant to spare it any attention.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 567
Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…
Silent ensued for a while before the phone started to vibrate again.
Are you done? Vivian grabbed her phone and roared, “Didn’t I tell you I don’t have time for this? Can’t you understand human language? I said no, and no means no!”
“What’s wrong? Why are you so angry? I haven’t even said anything.” A familiar woman’s voice sounded from the phone, and this shocked Vivian.
Never did she think the one that called wasn’t Hunter but her best friend Peggy instead.
“I’m sorry, Peggy. I’m really sorry.” Vivian apologized hurriedly and explained, “I didn’t know it was you. I thought it was… I’m sorry.”
“Alright. I know you, so don’t worry.” Peggy chuckled and teased, “Who is the idiot that made you so angry?”
Vivian grumbled, “An annoying person. Let’s not talk about him. Is there something you need from me?”
Peggy explained, “Do you remember the journalist club we joined during college? The members are organizing a gathering. Do you have time?”
“Ah. I see, but I…” Vivian was conflicted.
When she was in college, she got along well with the club members initially. However, everyone started talking behind her back when Ashley framed her for working at a nightclub. The matter got worse when they boycotted her, and she quitted the club as she couldn’t endure the judgmental looks from the club members.
It was until now she still remembered the scoffs and mockery she suffered from her fellow schoolmates. The pain was carved into her heart.
With those painful memories in her mind, Vivian smiled bitterly. “Peggy, you know I don’t get along with them. I don’t feel like meeting them, so I’ll pass.”
Peggy tried to convince her into joining the gathering. “Oh, it’s okay. They found out about the truth and wanted to apologize to you. Come. Just do it for my sake. We haven’t seen each other for such a long time! Don’t you miss me?”
Being her friend for so many years, Vivian couldn’t reject her after hearing her whine. “Alright. I’ll go, but you must stay by my side. Otherwise, it’ll be awkward.”
Peggy’s delighted voice sounded from the phone. “No problem! I promise I’ll never leave your side.”
The image of Peggy’s cheeky expression surfaced in Vivian’s mind, and this made her smile.
After confirming the time and venue of the gathering, the women chatted away. Their conversation was endless as they had many topics to talk about, from Vivian’s experience of her life overseas to having children, to exchanging experiences between mothers. It went on for over two hours before they hung up reluctantly.
On the next day, Vivian arrived at the venue on time. The gathering was held at the Wonderlake Hotel located beside her college.
She called Peggy when she reached the hotel lobby. Soon, a woman in a red dress came downstairs.
When she saw Vivian, she was stunned for a while before giving Vivian a bear hug. “Vivian, I miss you so much!”
Vivian teared up and hugged her back tightly.
With tears in her eyes, Peggy let go of Vivian and smiled. “They said the food in A Nation is unhealthy, but you look so beautiful that I almost couldn’t recognize you. Did you lie to me? Did you go to Koandria instead?”
Pfft! Vivian couldn’t help but burst into laughter from Peggy’s words. Wiping her tears, she urged, “Alright. Let’s go upstairs now. Everyone’s waiting for us.”
“Sure.” Peggy nodded and dragged her to a private room upstairs.
Once Vivian stepped into the room, all eyes were on her.
Everyone was staring at her in awe and disbelief. Who is this beauty exuding a glamorous and noble aura? She was nothing more than a woman with delicate figures in the past!
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“What’s wrong? Have you all turn mute after seeing beautiful women?” Seeing the shock in everyone’s eyes, pride swelled in Peggy’s heart.
However, she knew Vivian was uncomfortable with the stares, so she hurriedly cooked up a joke to divert their attention.
When they heard Peggy’s words, they came back to their senses and greeted Vivian happily.
“Vivian, you’ve become such a beauty after these years.”
“That’s right. You got me shocked just now. I almost couldn’t recognize you. It seems like puberty did you well.”
“Vivian, I heard you are the heiress of the Morrison Group. What splendid news! Please give us support in the future.”
“Of course. Vivian always remembers her friends.”
Vivian had become more tactful over the years, so she could interact with them just well. At the same time, everyone’s impression of her changed.
However, some women disliked her. They hid in a corner and gave her scornful looks. “She’s just lucky. How dare she act all high and mighty!”
Someone chimed in softly, “Yeah. It’s so obvious that she’s trying to look good in front of us. Everyone knows what she did in the past.”
Although there were some hostile comments toward Vivian, the atmosphere in the private room was lively while Vivian behaved modestly.
However, she faltered when a man showed up.
“Oh? Fabian! I never expect you to come. Long time no see!”
Raising her head, Vivian saw a familiar yet strange face and was stunned.
Ever since she returned from overseas, this was the first time she met Fabian, and her emotions were in a complete mess.
The man’s features never changed, but he seemed much more mature as compared to the man he was five years ago. Wearing a navy suit, his upright figure looked even slender while he gave off an imposing aura, overwhelming others with his presence.
When Vivian saw Fabian, their memories of the past overwhelmed her.
She saw Fabian and herself from five years ago smiling happily at her. It was as if they were in the simplest and most beautiful relationship.
Then she thought of Fabian’s dilemma. However, everything ended along with Ashley’s death.
Is this the magic of time? It kept our identities unchanged but changes us from within. At least that’s the case for us.
Now that she thought about the past, she could face it with a smile.
The moment Fabian stepped into the room, he caught sight of Vivian. Awe flashed across his eyes and was soon replaced by his longing for the woman.
He couldn’t even keep track of the times he dreamt of her. When he woke up from his dreams, her figure was still imprinted in his mind, be it during their school days or when they started working.
Realization soon dawned on him. She’s not by my side and she doesn’t belong to me anymore.
He didn’t dare to ask for more than just seeing her.
It had been five years. After such a long time, she finally stood in front of him. It was no longer just illusions and this time, she wouldn’t fade away.
Fabian wanted to go to Vivian so badly that his heart pounded furiously against his chest, as if it was excited to see its owner reunite with her.
To his dismay, other schoolmates surrounded him and blocked his view. Due to etiquette, he could only exchange customary pleasantries with them to avoid being rude while he himself didn’t know what he was saying.
It was as if his body and soul were separated. He appeared talking to his schoolmates, but his soul had flown to Vivian’s front, looking at the woman he had longed for.
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He was aching to go over and ask her how she’d been these past few years and whether she was doing well.
After finishing up the business he had here, Fabian quickly walked over to give his heart what it wanted.
Vivian felt a little panicked at the sight of Fabian approaching. After all, she hadn’t prepared herself to meet him. Her eyes betrayed her uneasiness, but she chose to stand still.
It was going to happen sooner or later anyway.
Vivian was no longer the same weak girl from before. She was going to learn how to face her hardships.
“Long time no see,” Fabian said softly as he looked into Vivian’s eyes. His voice was pressed low as if he were terrified that speaking any louder might scare her off.
His heart had been racing at a mile a minute before, but it miraculously calmed down in front of her. He said those four words with ease as if they had only seen each other yesterday.
“Long time no see,” Vivian echoed with a faint smile. “How have you been?”
“What about you?” Fabian deflected, his eyes betraying his concern.
“I’m doing well. There’s a roof over my head and food on my plate, so I’m practically on cloud 9.” The atmosphere between them seemed to be relaxed, so Vivian felt comfortable enough to make a joke.
“Is that so?” Fabian forced a bitter smile. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to feel happy or sad about that. “That’s good.”
He decided to keep his own thoughts to himself. After all, there was no need to guilt trip her about his own issues.
“Thanks,” Vivian murmured with a nod. The conversation faded off since she didn’t know how to continue. Fabian wasn’t like those other classmates. She couldn’t exactly make small talk with him like she could with the others.
Fabian didn’t seem to be trying to continue the conversation either, so the two of them fell into silence. Luckily, once Fabian came to his senses, he finally broke the awkward silence.
“Should we go outside?” Fabian suggested. “It’s pretty noisy in here. I wanna go take a look around the school since it’s been awhile. I wonder if they made any changes.”
“I-” Vivian hesitated. After all, she and Fabian used to date. Going out alone with him was probably not a good idea. There were so many people here that rumors might start flying around.
“Aren’t we still friends?” Fabian said casually, managing to get rid of Vivian’s worries.
“Alright. Give me a second, I’ll let Peggy know.”
Vivian walked toward Peggy, who suddenly picked up Vivian’s hand in concern and shook her head subtly.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll be back soon,” Vivian consoled Peggy, patting her hand softly.
Vivian was so adamant that Peggy could only let her go.
She wasn’t exactly worried about Vivian’s safety. She knew Fabian wasn’t that kind of guy. However, everyone at the gathering knew about her and Fabian’s previous relationship. Who knew what they would start talking about if they saw the two of them going off alone.
As expected, after the two of them left, the surroundings started filling up with chatter.
“Isn’t Vivian married? Why’s she still heading off with her ex-boyfriend all alone? Could she be thinking of having an affair?”
“That’s old news. She got a divorce five years ago. Rather than having an affair, I think she’s relighting an old flame.”
“Fabian is still a bachelor right? Why would he be going after a once-married woman?”
“Enough! They’re just going out as friends. What’s with all the judgment? Also, is there a problem with being divorced or something? It’s not a crime!” Peggy finally said loudly, unable to bear the gossip everyone was spreading.
The gossips who had been clamoring around immediately shut up with reddening faces. They shot a glare at Peggy, but a sharp glare from her put them in their places.
Outside, Vivian and Fabian had reached the school field. The two of them felt a little nostalgic at the sight of their old hangout.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 570
“Do you remember this place? Last time when we came here for P.E, there was a girl who confessed to her crush here.”
Fabian started laughing halfway through telling the story. That had really been a legendary story back then.
Vivian giggled at the memory. “How could I forget? That girl was all dressed up in a wedding dress too, but she got so nervous after confessing that she didn’t realize that her skirt was lit on fire from the candles around her. I even remember how the guy reacted, too…”
The two of them looked at each other and laughed, trailing off.
After a moment of silence, Fabian suddenly asked, “Vivian, are you still in touch with Finnick?”
Vivian’s expression immediately darkened at the sound of Finnick’s name and her voice dropped a few degrees. “Not for a long time. Why are you asking?”
“I just couldn’t figure out why you two would break up. Could you tell me what happened?”
“Why do you want to know?” Vivian moved away slightly, starting to look much more cautious. Did Fabian ask me out alone for a different reason?
Also, why did he even start wondering about that stuff in the first place? Could he have known about Larry? He may not be on good terms with Finnick, but he is from the Norton family after all. Could it be…
She couldn’t help but start to worry. She wasn’t sensitive per se, but she automatically got worried whenever Larry was involved.
Fabian felt hurt at the sight of Vivian’s sudden caution. So we can’t even trust each other anymore? He simply asked because he was curious, but she had reacted so strongly. How ironic is this!
“Vivian, do you have no trust in me anymore? Am I just some manipulative, sly jerk to you?” Fabian said in a low, disappointed voice.
Vivian’s gaze immediately became apologetic at the sound of Fabian’s distress. He’s right. He was just asking out of concern since we haven’t met in such a long time. Why did I react so strongly? He’s not going to try and harm me like Evelyn did.
“That’s not what I meant. I just wanted to know why you asked me about Finnick. I wasn’t suspecting you- I mean-”
The more Vivian tried to explain herself, the worse it sounded. She decided to just apologize. “I’m sorry, Fabian. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I just-”
I just don’t want to be hurt again. Evelyn had set up so many traps for her and watched as Vivian fell into each one. It had taken forever for her to finally learn her lesson. Even though she was now more alert, it came with a large dose of paranoia.
Fabian relaxed at the sight of Vivian’s apologetic gaze. At the same time, he was thinking, She’s right to be cautious. If she wasn’t at least a little paranoid, who knows what she might have gone through all those years of being on her own.
“It’s alright,” Fabian said with a comforting glance at Vivian. “Relax. I no longer have any hope of us getting back together, so don’t worry about me plotting to ruin your relationship with Finnick either. In fact, I’d rather the two of you be happy together forever.”
At first, he had been under the impression that Finnick and Vivian weren’t dating out of love. That was why he tried time and time again to win Vivian back. He had seen how much Finnick was willing to do for Vivian five years ago and knew he was really in love with her.
Perhaps Finnick was the only one who could make her happy as her one true love. Since that was the case, he was more than willing to wish them well. As long as Vivian is happy.
Vivian lowered her head at the sound of Fabian’s words. She only spoke again after a long time in a low, discouraged tone. “Things aren’t going to get better for us anymore.”
“Why?” Fabian couldn’t understand why Vivian sounded so hopeless. “What exactly happened that year? How could you two just leave each other like that?”