Ch. 791..800
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 791
Along the way, all the passers-by couldn’t help but be distracted by this woman who was behaving very strangely. Some of the children even cast stones at her and beat her when they saw the way she looked.
And all those rude and crude behaviors weren’t stopped by the parents.
However, Evelyn couldn’t afford to act recklessly because she was one step from going overseas, and if she encountered any issues at this juncture, all her efforts would have gone to waste.
Thinking about the humiliation of being gang-raped last night and the misery of being despised by even the children, Evelyn put all the blame on Vivian.
If it wasn’t because of Vivian’s interference, I wouldn’t have ended up this way. I would have been living happily with Finnick now. It’s all because of Vivian, that worthless tr*mp.
Evelyn’s silent cursing caused Vivian, who was still soundly asleep in Finnick’s arms, to sneeze in her sleep.
And just as Evelyn was cursing Vivian, a piece of shocking news was aired on the huge screen at the airport—Wife of business mogul, Norton Corporation’s President returns with son!
Seeing the news, everyone at the scene froze on the spot.
Even though some of them might have heard it from others or read it in the newspapers, they had been keeping a flicker of hope within themselves that it wasn’t true.
However, now that the television had broadcasted Finnick’s acknowledgment of Vivian and Larry as his wife and son respectively, they had no other reason to not believe it.
That caused an abrupt commotion at the airport.
“Why do you think Mr. Norton got married so soon? He even has a son now!”
“How would I know? It’s said that his son was born five years ago.”
“Sigh. He’s my idol. How I wish he would take a look at me.”
“What in the world?”
Listening to the discussion among others, Evelyn was rooted to the ground.
Finnick has a son? When did that even happen? Why don’t I know about this? Vivian has just reconciled with Finnick. It’s impossible that they have a son.
Multiple questions emerged in Evelyn’s mind that couldn’t seem to go away.
In fact, Evelyn knew that they had resolved their conflicts and were together again a couple of days ago. It was also the reason why she had escaped from the hospital.
Nevertheless, she had totally no idea that they had a son.
Finnick was holding Vivian in his embrace and taking Larry’s hand in his. On the screen, they looked truly happy together as a family. That made Evelyn so mad that she bared her teeth in exasperation.
How could she bear Finnick’s child? What status does she have to be worthy of that? Only I am good enough for that! Go to hell!
The channel continued to broadcast the news that the kidnapping which happened then was planned by Mr. Norton’s son in order to make his parents reconcile with one another.
Seeing as such, all the attention of the onlookers shifted from Finnick to Larry. To their amazement, Larry looked even more handsome than Finnick.
However, they clearly didn’t expect Larry to be so smart. Many of the youthful hearts of the young girls around were melted by Larry.
Just as a commotion was stirred up by people’s reaction toward Larry, another staggering news was reported.
Larry would be Finnick’s successor for Norton Corporation!
Hearing that news, everyone was holding their breath in great astonishment. It was incredible.
That child of Finnick who suddenly emerged is actually made the successor for Norton Corporation? What happens if he has another child in the future? Also, is this child really Finnick’s biological son? If he is, then why didn’t anyone reveal such news previously?
Those people couldn’t really fathom the discovery. Fortunately, a plane was about to take off, and many passengers were rushing to the boarding gate. Thus, very soon, the scene was restored to its usual state again.
Evelyn knew the answers to half of the questions they were pondering.
That child was the one she tried to make Vivian abort several times a few years back. Never would she have expected that the child wasn’t actually aborted.
Evelyn was so incensed that her hands trembled in rage, and she had no idea how she should face these newly discovered facts at the moment.
It was her mistake back then, but it had become a scar in her heart by then.
Vivian had given birth to Finnick’s child, and he had even become Finnick’s successor for Norton Corporation.
Just this fact alone was difficult enough for Evelyn to compete against her.
Nevertheless, Evelyn had come this far and turned this way. She couldn’t really get any worse.
Damn, I’ll just take another chance. If I fail, I shall simply perish.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 792
This was the only way for Evelyn to prove that she loved Finnick the most in this world. She would also show Vivian she would have the last laugh.
When that day arrived, Evelyn would make sure to give her a taste of how it was like to be gang-raped. The thought of it made her break into a bone-chilling smile.
The surrounding passengers stood far away for fear of being embroiled in a dispute with her.
Not that any of their stares mattered. Evelyn simply could not contain her excitement knowing what was awaiting Vivian.
The boarding call announcement interrupted her thoughts. “Dear passengers, this is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 2B to F Nation. Passengers with small children or those who require special assistance may board at gate three now. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. We wish you a pleasant journey. Thank you.”
It was time for her to leave although not of her own will. As her vigor from before died down, she felt her nervousness creeping back. She wheeled herself slowly to the security clearance.
After receiving the go-ahead from security, she turned back one last time and looked at the wheel tracks she’d left behind. Tears welled up, and she forced it back in. No matter what, she did not want to cry at the place she went against Vivian. She was the winner.
It’s not a big deal, I’m just leaving my birth country for a while. The next time I’m back, it’ll be forever.
It was a mandatory trip for Evelyn. Only by improving herself could she amass the power to go against Vivian.
Just as she was about to board the plane, an air stewardess stopped her. “Excuse me, miss, there’s an issue with your plane ticket.”
“What is it?”
Because Evelyn could not afford to purchase a first-class seat, she had gotten her current ticket online at a discounted rate. Was I scammed?
Her stomach was in knots as she waited for the air stewardess to finish discussing with her colleagues. After what felt like hours, she returned. “Miss, I’m really sorry, but your ticket is not recognized in our system. We can’t allow you to board the plane.”
The blood drained out of her face. She was determined to leave. Staying would only mean she’d be a sitting duck for Vivian and Finnick. She hated to admit but with her current state, she stood no chance against them.
While panicking, she fumbled for her purse. With the amount she had left, besides F Nation, the other countries within Epea were out of the topic. Her remaining choices were the visa- countries nearby.
Evelyn eventually bought a one-way ticket to Tayhaven in Thymion. While making her way to her seat, she noticed how close they were. This was a first for her. Her pale face, the epitome of discomfort.
Despite being in a wheelchair, no one offered to assist her. After much difficulty, she finally got in her seat while holding in the strange stench coming off from the person next to her. Regardless, she forced herself to sleep.
Due to the high tension from the entire day, she was dead beat and fell asleep almost immediately.
In her dreams, Evelyn was a goddess revered by everyone around her. They were all vying for an opportunity to speak to her.
The next moment, she was transported to a red carpet. Her legs had healed. She was wearing a slick black dress, exuding an air of elegance. As she walked through a large atrium, everyone turned their gaze towards her in envy. She was the highlight of the event.
Her dream was a respite from the harsh reality. It had been a long while since she felt this confident being herself.
Soon, the plane landed, pulling Evelyn back to reality. Once she disembarked, it dawned on her that this was her first time here all by herself. During her previous trip to Thymion, she stayed in a five-star hotel with a dedicated chauffeur. But now, there were none of these luxuries.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 793
Right now, her immediate goal was to find a decent place to live. While wheeling herself on the streets, she was bombarded with signboards in Thymionese.
Not knowing the language well, she could only make a guess based on the building’s exterior. Thankfully, the environment seemed pleasant enough.
While navigating, the biggest problem for Evelyn was the language barrier. Besides Chanaease, she could only converse in English and Ferropenese. Although it was not worth mentioning, she could recognize very little Thymionese words.
If she encountered any issues, there was almost no way for her to get through to the other party.
Fortunately, lady luck was on her side. She met someone who spoke Chanaease. Although the man in front of her paled in comparison to Finnick, he looked decent enough to trust.
He asked politely, “Can I help you with anything?”
“You?” Evelyn pointed at the stranger in front of her.
“Call me Henry. I’m the only one here who knows how to speak Chanaease.”
If I turn him down, it’ll be hard for me to rent a house.
With her back to the wall, Henry was her only viable option left. Besides, he seemed like an honest man. Thus, she told him her problems and how all these were caused by her shrewd enemy, Vivian.
Evelyn’s story had him full of pity. “All right. I’ll help you find a house.” Having said that, he led her to a spare house in his own backyard.
Henry did not mind helping a fellow Chanaean. Being far from home, he could empathize with how scary it was to be alone in a foreign land.
Meanwhile, back in Sunshine City, Vivian and Finnick were shopping for household items to give their house a makeover.
For many years, Finnick’s house maintained the same old look. Now that Vivian was living with him, the first step was to refurbish that house so that it reflected her taste as well. Only then would it truly become a home.
At the thought of having someone to take charge of his house, Finnick broke into a smile. To make things better, this person was his beloved wife.
The both of them walked hand in hand, oozing with happiness. This drew the envious stares of many passers-by, of which they were blissfully oblivious about.
Vivian and Finnick bought quite a bit of home decorations. They also hired two housemaids to take care of their home and let Larry attend the same kindergarten from before.
While the boy was still in school, Vivian took the opportunity to spruce up his bedroom. She wanted to make the room more personable for a child of his age.
Back in Thymion, Evelyn was also tidying up her house. She was pretty happy with it, albeit feeling embarrassed and guilty since Henry was insistent on not accepting any rent.
When she asked for a reason, he only said that he was just doing a favor for a fellow countryman.
Despite so, Evelyn could not accept a meal. She understood the basic principle of working for one’s needs. Thus, she insisted on paying the rent.
“You’re reduced to this state all because of that woman, Vivian. Forget about the rent. Just focus on working on yourself here. Didn’t you just tell me? You’re going to get your revenge.” With that, Henry walked suavely out of her house.
His words made sense. Evelyn did not insist any further and watched as his back disappeared into a corner.
I’ve nothing to lose anyway. He’s probably only nice to me because of my looks.
Putting her thoughts aside, she wheeled herself around the fully-furnished house. All she needed to do was to empty her belongings into the closet.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 794
It did not take long for Evelyn to unpack. Then, she needed to solve her biggest crisis. Because her money was stolen, she had no capital on her.
Her head throbbed at the thought of having to work for a wage. A young lady from a reputable family should not have to be humiliated in this manner.
Yet, she could not think of any other ideas. The money she had left was only enough to sustain her for a week.
After pondering for a long time, she came to no conclusion. Nevertheless, she decided to take a look around the vicinity for potential jobs and money-making ventures.
Evelyn got her bags and wheeled herself out of the house. Immediately after she exited, she could see many eyes staring weirdly at her. They were whispering among themselves in Thymionese, which she could not understand.
Despite making one round on the street, nothing came to her. Instead, she decided to satisfy her growling stomach; she was famished. But the language barrier proved to be a hindrance. Eventually, she decided to head back home and seek Henry’s help.
At home, the latter was already digging into his meal. Seeing Evelyn, he knew immediately she was hungry. He got a set of utensils and a plate for her to join him at the table.
She was so ravaged by hunger that she forgot all her manners. Every ounce of her energy left was spent on eating.
After that satisfactory meal, she asked him, “Do you know of any ways to make money?”
“You could work for me. I just need you to do some paperwork. I’m confident you’ll earn much more than other jobs.” Since Henry had invited her here, he did not mind helping her all the way through.
“Are you for real?” Evelyn nodded happily. In the past, she had helped Finnick quite a bit with his work. She was confident that she would excel in this.
This was her first genuine smile in a long while. It was so dazzling, even Henry who was accustomed to seeing all sorts of women, could not help but stare.
In reality, Evelyn had a beautiful face, even more so than Vivian. Her fatal flaw was being overly obsessed with Finnick. Her love for him had led her astray.
If it wasn’t for her obsession, even with her previous identity, she could have easily led a happy life.
Yet, not everyone understood the concept of letting go. One would cast everything aside to get what they want. The harder to attain, the harder one struggled. Evelyn was a perfect example.
Back in Sunshine City, Vivian had finished decorating the house.
Larry, who came home from school, almost could not recognize his home. He asked chirpily, “Mommy, why did the house change?”
“Because we need to add a few touches to transform the house into a home. Is my little pumpkin happy with the changes?” Vivian noticed as the days went by, Larry was looking more and more like Finnick.
“I love it!” The boy jumped around excitedly.
“Shall we go see your room?” She held his hand as they made their way up.
Vivian opened the door slowly, creating the suspense. To her surprise, Finnick was standing inside. He intended to surprise Larry.
“Daddy!” Rather than surprise, the boy was brimming with joy. He sprinted over to hug his father.
“Larry, did you have fun at kindergarten?” While asking, Finnick carried him into his arms.
“I had fun. But, it’ll be more fun if Mommy and Daddy were there.”
“That’s good. Should I give you a tour of your room?” While saying, he led his son to the center of the room.
Both Finnick and Vivian understood that as Larry grew older, there would be more moments where they couldn’t be by his side. Due to his tender age, this was still a worry they could put off for some years. Even so, they believed their son would turn out to be a fine man.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 795
Larry’s comment cut into their thoughts. “Wow! It’s beautiful!”
Vivian knew her son loved Doraemon to pieces, and it was all because of her. The latter looked up to Doraemon for having the ability to cheer up his owner with his gadgets. Similarly, Larry wanted to be such a figure for his mommy. He was truly a sweet child.
Hence, Vivian took it upon herself to decorate his room using Doraemon as the theme. This included his bedsheets and pillow casings as well. There was even a Doraemon plushie sitting right in the middle of his bed.
Larry was over the moon with this new look. Both Vivian and Finnick felt equally happy as they watched him roll around happily on his new bedsheet.
This was the first time the family was laughing together without a care in the world.
Then Vivian turned to Finnick and left Larry to play on his own. She was excited to show him their bedroom.
Finnick was completely in the dark about this. He had not been in the room even once, while Vivian was redecorating it.
While walking, Vivian asked, “Finnick, what’s your ideal bedroom like?”
Instead of answering her question, he cautioned, “Watch out.”
That ended the topic. Vivian could only hold her anticipation as she struggled to imagine his reaction to the new bedroom.
Once they were at the door, Vivian covered his eyes from behind him. “Three, two, one!” She released her hands.
Finnick was stupefied.
Meanwhile, Vivian was giggling happily. “How’s the new look?”
She had been observing his expression. His initial bewilderment disappeared as soon as it arrived. He was back with his usual look.
The room was Finnick’s. Now it was covered in pink; a man’s worst nightmare. Vivian knew this. Yet, she couldn’t help but go through with her plan.
The cheeky part of her wanted to see how he would react to this. For the majority, she did it to add some warmth to the room.
“So, how is it?” she asked again. She could not detect anything from his expression.
“It’s passable.” Finnick cast her a complicated smile that she found unbearably adorable.
He noticed her staring at him. “Seen enough?” He inched his face closer to her.
Just a few centimeters and their lips would touch, and so he did. Finnick pulled her into a passionate kiss.
Halfway, a knock on their door interrupted them. It was Larry. “Mommy, Daddy, I’m hungry.”
His voice surprised Vivian, causing her to pull away abruptly. It would be an absolute embarrassment for Larry to see them like this.
Meanwhile, Finnick found her flustered expression endearing. “Embarrass?”
Hearing his taunt, her face turned beet red. This made him chuckled approvingly.
He walked out of the room, carrying Larry downstairs with him. “Let’s go fill your tummy.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 796
The housemaids they hired were amazing cooks. At the very least, it was to Larry’s liking.
“Mommy, Daddy, what were you doing in the bedroom?”
“I was telling Mommy a story. Do you want to listen?” Seeing Larry’s face lit up, Finnick felt a pang of guilt. Despite that, he couldn’t have told him the truth.
“I wanna know too!” The boy was confident his father would only tell the best stories.
“All right, here goes.” As Finnick began his spontaneous story, Vivian took a spot beside Larry.
Meanwhile, in Tayhaven, Evelyn was not having a good time. She was being harassed by Henry’s younger brother, Joshua.
“Stop it!” she shouted at Joshua, who was getting all handsy with her. Being wheelchair-bound, she found it difficult to evade his touch.
“What’re you making a fuss about? It’s just a light touch,” he claimed shamelessly.
Evelyn was lost for words. Her first thought was seeking help from Henry. She assumed that as the older brother, he could restrain Joshua.
“Don’t you dare find my brother. If you do, you’ll have to leave this place.”
Henry and Joshua were a close-knit family. The former treasured his brother immensely. Evelyn knew it. Hence, she swallowed her words back.
“As long as you do as I say, I’ll guarantee you’ll live a great life.” Tempted by her face, Joshua dived in for a kiss.
She was almost fully convinced by him. Right now, she needed someone to support her. Although she would’ve felt better if that someone was Henry.
Beggars couldn’t be choosers. At the very least, Evelyn was sure that both of them were influential figures in Thymion.
Before she could consider the possibility between Henry and her, Joshua was already all over her.
Despite using all her energy to push him away, her efforts proved futile. There was clearly a huge difference in their strength.
She decided to give in. It was a tactic. She knew that going against Joshua would only invite more trouble for herself. He was the type of man with a strong urge to discipline defiant women.
Evelyn knew it best. Just a week ago, she had been in the same situation. The only difference was, back then, she tried to put up a fight. As a result, she had invited far worse treatment on herself.
By being submissive, she might even gain more than what she needed. Especially money.
Henry doted on Joshua best. As long as the latter asked for money, he would be sure to give.
Basing on that assumption, Evelyn was determined to serve Joshua well and use him to amass more wealth. This was the only way for her to return home and go against Vivian.
She distracted herself with happy thoughts while Joshua had his way with her.
We’re both getting what we want.
Thinking of this as a transaction, Evelyn felt slightly enlightened.
The next morning, she felt sore from Joshua’s play the entire night. But this temporary suffering was nothing compared to the future she envisioned with Finnick.
Feeling her rustle, Joshua woke up. “Morning,” he greeted her chirpily.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 797
“Morning, Joshua.” Evelyn needed more money, so she could only suck up to Joshua and shamelessly cling to him like she was his woman.
Only then could she achieve her ultimate goal.
“Mm.” Joshua felt slightly irritated by Evelyn’s intimate way of calling him.
Despite that, he responded to her greeting.
“We should get up now.” Joshua rolled out of bed for fear that his brother might find out that he had slept with Evelyn. If that happened, he would never hear the end of it.
To his consternation, his fears came true.
Just when Evelyn was about to insist on staying, Henry’s voice reached her ears.
“Please, don’t trouble yourself with getting up. You had the guts to do this, yet, you’re too scared to let me know about it?” Henry barged into the room and glared at his younger brother.
“Henry.” Joshua was nonplussed as to how his brother found out about his shenanigans during the previous night.
Although he was curious, the most important thing at the moment was to disassociate himself from the matter altogether.
“It wasn’t me, Henry. She was the one who seduced me.” All of Joshua’s pocket money was given by Henry, and the former would be left with nothing if his brother decided to cut him off.
Hence, worried that Henry would get mad, he blamed everything on Evelyn instead.
But Evelyn was no pushover; she would never stand by and allow Joshua to slander her like this.
“No, Henry. I didn’t seduce him,” Evelyn contradicted.
Unfortunately, she failed to remember her place and the familial relationship between these two men.
Henry would never smear his brother’s reputation for the sake of an outsider.
Thus, he wrote Evelyn a cheque and told her to leave, but not before warning her against disclosing this incident.
Otherwise, he would make sure she couldn’t continue staying in Thymion.
Powerless against his threat, Evelyn took the cheque and wheeled herself out in a defeated manner.
At present, she didn’t have a penny on her. If she didn’t accept the cheque, she wouldn’t be able to survive in the days to follow.
The humiliation she suffered right then was for a future filled with riches.
All in all, it was better than watching Vivian show off her perfect life in the future.
With that thought fueling her, Evelyn packed her suitcase and left the place she had stayed for only a week.
Out on the streets, Evelyn was surrounded by Thymions and unfamiliar faces. All of a sudden, she felt the urge to cry in her wheelchair.
She was engulfed by a wave of homesickness. Back in her hometown, no place felt foreign to her, whether or not she had been there.
But since coming to Thymion, she felt as though she was going to lose her way at any moment.
She did not have a single friend in here, so no one could relate to how helpless she felt.
Her heart was in pain and there was no other way to describe her feelings.
She thought of returning to the city she knew like the back of her hand, but she dismissed that thought when looked down at her clothes.
They were the same ones she wore when she first came here. She did not have the confidence to show up in front of Vivian with a bare face and a shabby appearance.
Moreover, she did not have much money. Buying cosmetics would cost her a few months’ worths of daily expenses.
“Miss, would you like to come inside and have a look?” Just when Evelyn was caught in a bind, she heard a voice calling out to her in her mother tongue.
Evelyn raised her head and glanced at the sign which read “Intoxicated”.
The classical sign was a refreshing sight and the alphabets on it seemed to send a tingling sensation through her body.
Soon, she found herself nodding, expressing her willingness to go in.
Ironically, she didn’t even know what place this was, only that there was a voice in her head that kept whispering for her to go in.
As though in a trance, Evelyn allowed the woman to push her into the place, who then called over a few girls with light makeup on their faces.
The fragrance of cosmetics drifted into Evelyn’s nostrils, which she found solace in.
“Listen up, everyone. This is a newcomer. Who would like to get her acquainted?” The woman swept her gaze over the girls, planning to let one of them show Evelyn around.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 798
After a few seconds, it seemed like no one was willing to bring this random stranger around. They felt that Evelyn could become a potential hindrance to them in the future because even though she was in a wheelchair, her beauty outshined theirs. Women were jealous of those prettier than them; it just couldn’t be helped.
“Look at the lot of you. Are you all really that lazy?” chided the woman. In the end, she decided to personally tour Evelyn around.
The group of girls cast one last glance at Evelyn before going back to work.
Evelyn soon got to know that this was a restaurant specially for customers from powerful backgrounds to entertain their guests.
But there was no open area here, only private rooms. The money the customers paid determined how pretty the servers assigned to them were.
Of course, if the restaurant wished to surpass those dishonest establishments, merely serving food wasn’t going to cut it.
Evelyn did not intend to stay here any longer, but once she entered this place, there was no turning back.
Just like that, she was stuck in this restaurant.
But on second thought, she did not find it so bad. If she was lucky, she could rub elbows with some wealthy and influential figures.
Most importantly, both the restaurant owner and customers spoke her mother tongue.
Evelyn did not care about anything else as long as she had enough money and food.
What delighted her the most was that she could use the cosmetics as she pleased. After she was informed about this, she happily went through the products and applied them to her face which had stayed bare for too long.
After she was done with her makeup, she came out in her wheelchair and enthralled all the other girls with her beauty.
Even though she was wheelchair-bound, it did nothing to diminish her charm. In fact, she was the most alluring one among them all, and of course, the most expensive one as well. Customers had to pay a lump sum of money if they wanted Evelyn to personally serve them the food.
A wheelchair-bound beauty serving food had become Intoxicated’s specialty.
After three months, Evelyn was crowned Top Server in Intoxicated.
Very soon, she established a foothold here. Some customers even offered her a high price to visit their homes for a chat.
Evelyn had her own plans.
The first step she planned to take was to heal her legs.
Although her legs were previously said to be untreatable, recently, she realized that she was gradually regaining sensation in both legs.
When she visited the hospital, the doctor declared that a full recovery for her legs was possible.
She never thought that in the midst of her despair, a sliver of hope would abruptly appear.
But the doctor also told her that for her legs to recover, the medical fees would come up to at least half a million.
If it was in the past, half a million would be but a drop in a bucket. However, that amount currently seemed like an entire ocean to her.
Hence, she needed to earn more money to heal her legs and make a grand comeback.
…
Meanwhile, Vivian seemed to be in a jolly mood every day ever since moving in with Finnick.
Apart from going to work at the magazine company every day, she tidied up the house whenever she was and also played with Larry.
She was living a care life. Still, her thoughts would occasionally stray to Evelyn, wondering where she was and how she was doing.
Even so, those were random thoughts. After all, she wasn’t really all that interested in knowing where Evelyn was at that moment.
Sometimes, she wondered if Evelyn ever left the country at all, but these were only harmless thoughts that emerged when she was too idle.
At times when her mind wandered too far, she would stop thinking about it altogether. There was no point in wondering about Evelyn, after all, so there was no reason to waste her time.
After Vivian came to terms with this, she rarely thought about Evelyn again.
“Vivian, what are you doing?” It was already evening, but Finnick had only just gotten home from work.
Standing beside Vivian, he watched her use her finger to draw patterns on the water in the pond.
Wondering what was on her mind, Finnick hugged her from behind and buried his face into the crook of her neck to breathe in her pleasant scent.
Vivian’s neck felt slightly ticklish, but she allowed him to have his way.
“Nothing. I’m just bored.” Vivian’s gaze remained fixed on the pond even as she answered Finnick.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 799
“Oh? Bored? Then let’s do something fun, hmm?” Finnick whispered huskily before nibbling on her earlobe.
Vivian’s body trembled slightly from his tantalizing actions, but she remembered that they were currently out in the open and not in their room.
Hence, rationality prompted her to push him away, but of course, Finnick remained undeterred.
The air grew thick with sexual tension and things started to escalate between them, but when an innocent voice reached their ears, the spell was broken.
“Mommy, Daddy, are you going to give me a little brother?” Larry just came home from school and heard the housemaid say that his parents were here. Hence, he came looking for them.
What greeted him was the sight of his parents being intimate with each other. His curiosity was piqued and he couldn’t help but wonder if they were about to give him a little brother or little sister.
The boy deemed that there was no other reasonable explanation besides this.
When Larry’s innocent voice broke through the haze of desire cloaking him and Vivian, there was a split second where Finnick had the impulse to throw him out of the house.
However, reason told him that this was his son and he couldn’t do that. In the end, he sighed in defeat.
Just as the three of them were caught in an awkward moment, they heard the housemaid’s footsteps approaching along with the sound of the phone ringing.
“Mr. and Mrs. Norton,” she addressed them both, then directed her next words at Finnick, “It’s your grandfather, sir.” After informing him about the caller, she spun on her heels and left, giving them privacy.
Vivian was pleased with the housemaid’s polite manners and felt that her decision in choosing her was the right one.
She gave herself a mental pat on the back for being a good judge of character.
Suddenly recalling that it was her grandfather-in-law on the line, she turned her attention to Finnick, trying to make sense of their conversation.
However, the call was ended before she could make head or tail.
Vivian studied Finnick’s expression, trying to figure out his thoughts.
Regrettably, he was impossible to interpret most of the time. Hence, Vivian couldn’t tell what was running through his mind and finally gave up.
“What’s wrong?” She thought she might as well ask him directly.
“Grandpa wants us to go home for a meal.”
Grandpa probably knows that we’ve reconciled. That’s why he asked us to go home.
Vivian didn’t find anything odd about it, so she didn’t comment further.
But when she thought about meeting her grandfather-in-law, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. It was as though she was transported back to the first time she met him as the ugly granddaughter-in-law.
Despite being a bundle of nerves, all the things she experienced in life had strengthened her as a person. Hence, at present, she could remain calm and composed even under pressure.
“When are we going, then?” Vivian needed to mentally prepare herself and also buy an attire suited for the occasion.
“Tomorrow noon,” Finnick stated the agreed time.
Seeing his grandfather wasn’t a big deal to Finnick, but every time they were going to meet him, Vivian would dawdle for some reason.
But when he thought more about it, he realized that perhaps meeting the elders projected an insurmountable pressure on her.
That must be it.
“Mommy, Daddy, who are you going to meet?” Larry, who was still standing beside them, knew that they were going to see an important person.
“We’re going to meet your great-grandpa and you’re coming with us, little pumpkin,” Vivian explained and stroked Larry’s head lovingly.
Larry had never met his great-grandfather since he was born. Hence, this was a good opportunity to let Samuel meet his great-grandson.
“Great-grandpa? Okay.” Larry instantly perked up with excitement when he was told he had a great-grandfather.
Larry craved for family affection. I used to only have Mommy and Uncle Benedict, but now, I have a daddy and a great-grandpa too!
This news placed Larry in high spirits, but there was still one more question gnawing at his mind.
What were Mommy and Daddy doing just now?
Although he was curious, he did not vocalize it because he could clearly remember his father’s grim expression when he asked the question earlier.
Thus, Larry could only swallow back the words on the tip of his tongue and keep his lips sealed.
“Come. Let’s have dinner.”
Having just come home from school, Larry was probably hungry. Coincidently, their housemaids had just finished preparing dinner.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 800
Dinner that night was a quiet one. Finnick was thinking about his unfinished business from earlier.
Vivian was mulling over lunch with Samuel the next day.
Larry was recalling what he learned in school that day and all the events that had happened.
As they were lost in their own thoughts, it wasn’t all that strange that the dining table was quiet.
After dinner, the family of three sat together in the living room to watch TV before returning to their rooms to call it a night.
Just when Finnick was going to pick up where he left off, Larry knocked on their bedroom door.
Sighing helplessly, he rolled off the bed to open the door.
“Goodnight, Mommy, and Daddy.” Larry turned and left after bidding them goodnight.
Not just Finnick, but even Vivian was flummoxed. What’s wrong with little pumpkin? Why did he come here just to say goodnight and then leave?
Unknown to them, Larry’s teacher from school was the reason behind his odd behavior. His teacher taught them to say goodnight to their parents before going to bed at night because that would make them very happy.
Hence, Larry decided to test the theory out that night.
However, what he received in return wasn’t his parents’ smiling faces. Instead, he could vaguely sense their exasperation.
Did I get it wrong, or did the teacher teach us the wrong stuff? Larry honestly had no idea and could only ask his teacher in school the next day.
Due to Larry’s interruption, the flames of desire in Finnick were extinguished, so he took Vivian into his arms and decided to sleep.
“Goodnight, Honey.” Finnick planted a chaste kiss on Vivian’s cheek before closing his eyes.
Meanwhile, the corners of Vivian’s lips rose slightly because of this rather comical scene.
Before long, sleep came over her.
The next morning, Vivian called Finnick who was at work, telling him that she wanted to shop for appropriate attire.
After all, she needed to be in her best looks when meeting her grandfather-in-law for the very first time; it was a sign of respect too.
In recent years, she rarely went shopping because she was in a bad place.
She would either randomly buy clothes from street shops and make do with them or get Benedict to help her buy all of the new clothes of whatever season they were in.
Then, she would rotate between all of the clothes she had, not caring if she liked them or not.
Other girls would usually pamper themselves and go on shopping sprees after a bad breakup because they saw that as the only way to do right by themselves, but Vivian did not have any desire to go shopping. All she wanted to do was stay home and look after Larry.
Watching Larry grow up day by day gave Vivian’s life some meaning and also constantly reminded her that at least she had a son.
Of course, these were all in the past. Hence, there was no reason for her to dwell on them.
Finnick drove Vivian to the largest local shopping mall. After parking the car in the basement parking lot, he held Vivian’s hand and walked into the mall together.
Meanwhile, Noah was watching over Larry at home and was tasked with sending him to school later on.
After all, Noah had been with them for a long time, so they felt more at ease leaving Larry in his hands.
Vivian’s head spun when she saw all the clothes in the mall.
Fashion was a mystery to her. In the past, due to her poor and unassuming life, she did not develop a good fashion sense.
Hence, she was in a bit of a conundrum upon seeing the wide variety of clothes in the mall.
Fortunately, Finnick made up for where she lacked.
He brought her directly to the third floor.
The first floor was usually for the lesser well-off with a monthly salary below ten thousand. The second floor was for those from wealthier families who could afford to buy clothes that cost a fortune.
The third floor was the most luxurious place in the entire mall, and people without a certain social and financial standing were not allowed to enter.
Finnick stepped forward and showed his name card.
When the lady working the front desk saw it, she immediately led the two of them in and offered personalized customer service.
Many women on the second floor grew envious when they saw that.
“Look. I wonder who they are. How did they get in?”
“I don’t know either. This is the first time I’ve seen someone go up to the third floor.”
“That woman is so lucky. I don’t see anything special about her though.”