Chapter 7

Vivian

The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight squeezed through the gaps in Penny's orange curtains into the bedroom, I opened my eyes.

Out of habit, I reached for my phone by the pillow. The screen was clean, no missed calls, and the chat box was empty too. That guy Caden hadn't sent me a single message, let alone any cold sarcasm with questioning undertones.

My disappearance was perhaps completely insignificant in his eyes, or maybe he had been busy all night comforting that so-called secretary who had "suffered so much injustice," with no time to spare for me.

I expressionlessly swiped open the screen, then inexplicably clicked into my social media feed. Without having to deliberately scroll, Camille's high-profile post precisely stabbed into my field of vision.

Posted at 2 AM last night.

The image was a slightly blurry selfie. Camille had a glaring cooling patch on her forehead, her face pale but smiling sweetly. At the edge of the frame, there happened to be a hand by the bedside—that wrist wore a Patek Philippe limited to three pieces worldwide, with distinct knuckles and slender fingers, that silhouette so familiar I'd recognize it even if it turned to ash, belonging to Caden.

Camille's accompanying text was so sickeningly sweet: [Thank you for always being with me. As long as you're here, no amount of pain scares me.]

At 2 AM, my husband was in her room, staying by her side all night.

"What are you looking at so intently this early in the morning..."

Penny sat up rubbing her sleepy eyes, hair disheveled. When her gaze fell on my phone screen, her previously drowsy face instantly darkened.

"Fuck! That bitch Camille posting this shit in the middle of the night, who is she trying to disgust?!" Penny cursed directly in anger, snatched my phone away, and forcibly dragged me by the arm toward the door. "Let's go, darling. Today we're not mentioning this pair of scumbag and bitch. I'm taking you to eat at that restaurant you love most!"

I didn't speak, just obediently followed her to wash up, change clothes, and head out.

However, just as we sat down at the breakfast place, my phone in my palm suddenly vibrated violently.

The three characters jumping on the screen were exactly the culprit who had just ruined our appetite—Camille.

I frowned, paused for a moment, but still answered the call.

From the receiver, Camille's voice had completely changed from last night's malicious distortion in the parking garage, once again adopting that business-like yet somewhat fragile professional tone. "Vivian, are you free this afternoon? I'd like to ask you out to meet, just the two of us to talk."

My fingers holding the chopsticks tightened slightly as I coldly refused: "I don't think we have anything to talk about."

"Really?" Camille on the other end laughed softly. "It's about accompanying Caden back to Hampton Manor this weekend. He asked me to go over the schedule and rules with you separately, after all... you know their temperaments over there."

Mentioning the manor and Grandpa Harold, my hand holding the phone stiffened slightly.

Harold was the only person in the entire Lux family who genuinely treated me well. I really couldn't lose my composure at the manor.

I was silent for a moment, took a deep breath, "Time and location. Send them over."

Camille said nothing more and hung up directly.

At 11:30 noon, in an extremely hidden and expensive private restaurant in the city center.

When I arrived, Camille was already seated by the window. She had changed into a proper business outfit.

Seeing me sit down, she actually stood up proactively, her face bearing flawless apology. "Vivian, about what happened in the parking garage last night, I'm truly sorry. I know you were in a bad mood then too. I really didn't mean to bother you at that time."

I looked coldly at her masterful face-changing performance and got straight to the point: "Talk business. How is the manor arranged?"

A flash of gloom passed through Camille's eyes, but she immediately smiled as if nothing had happened, taking out a schedule from her bag and pushing it in front of me. "Take a look at this. It has Grandpa's schedule. In the morning he wants to watch a small classical performance first and doesn't want to be disturbed. Caden asked me to notify you that we'll leave at 11:30 Sunday morning, arriving by 2 PM is fine. The driver will pick you up on time."

I glanced at the schedule and put it in my bag. But Camille didn't leave immediately. She deliberately crossed her legs and sighed somewhat distressedly, her tone full of barely concealed showing off.

"Oh, there's one more thing I want to report to you in advance, don't misunderstand. Tomorrow there's an emergency situation with a multi-billion cross-border deal in Washington... oh sorry, you probably don't understand our work." Camille looked down and fiddled with the watch on her wrist, her tone as casual as discussing the weather. "Anyway, Caden needs to take me there personally, so he probably won't have time to go home or check his phone before Sunday. Vivian, I hope you won't mind this business matter—though Washington also has our friends, I might accompany him for a few extra days to look around."

A few extra days for a sweet date?

That same green tea tone of putting the big picture first.

"What if I said I minded? Would you not go?" I looked up, staring straight at her. Camille was instantly stunned, clearly not expecting this response from me.

"If not, then I think you don't need to tell me about such things." I continued.

Camille paused, then put on her usual wronged expression. "Sorry, Vivian. Actually, it wasn't necessary for me to go for so long originally, it's just that last night's incident made me very upset, I even got a fever... Caden also hopes that if I'm in Washington, my mood might improve. You know, he's always been caring."

Looking at her, I felt even my breathing was contaminated with disgust. "Do whatever you want." Then I grabbed my bag to get up. I didn't want to stay here for another second.

"Wait, Vivian."

Camille stopped my movement, and under my cold gaze, she took out an exquisite jewelry box from her bag and pushed it beside my hand.

"Look at my memory, I almost forgot the most important thing." Camille looked at me with a smile, saying extremely proper words, but her eyes revealed contempt. "This is what Caden specifically asked me to bring you this morning. He said his tone was a bit harsh when talking to you in the parking garage last night. This is an apology gift he specially chose for you, hope you like it."

The jewelry box was opened, revealing a delicate blue sapphire bracelet lying quietly inside. It looked nice, but... it didn't feel like the caliber Caden would usually buy.

The jewelry Caden had gotten me before was much larger than this.

Just as I frowned, Camille suddenly straightened up and raised her hand to tidy her long hair. With her movement, the silk scarf around her neck slipped slightly, revealing a necklace on her fair neck that reflected blinding brilliant light in the sunlight.

And in the middle of her neck was a blue sapphire visibly worth tens of millions.

I took a deep breath. The truth was crystal clear—this bracelet was a freebie that came with Camille's necklace.

The implication and humiliation were beyond obvious.

Looking at that shabby bracelet, I suddenly remembered myself from last night, secretly heartbroken over Caden's coldness.

Vivian, you were utterly foolish.

I didn't look at that box again. "No need." I pushed the box back.

"Vivian?"

"I said no need." I stood up, picking up my bag. "I'll be there on time this weekend. You don't need to worry about it."

"But Caden said—"

"Whatever Caden said, let him come tell me himself." I looked down at her, slightly tightening my fingers.

Dropping those words, I didn't give her any chance to continue disgusting me. I clicked away in my heels, leaving coldly without looking back.