Chapter 3 My Heart Is Torn

When Seraphine came into view, Charles froze for a moment, then his brow furrowed instantly.

Sean's eyes lit up: "Mom, you're eating here too?"

Seraphine's throat tightened as she forced out a smile.

"Then eat with us! Dad even ordered a cake for Vivian!"

Vivian looked at her face, a flash of jealous hatred in her eyes.

Seraphine was tall with striking, radiant features. Even in a simple white dress, she was so beautiful that people couldn't look away. Every time she stood next to Seraphine, she felt inferior.

"Sean, stop it. Your mom is having dinner with friends."

Vivian hid the dark look in her eyes and walked over to Seraphine.

"Seraphine, what a coincidence."

Seraphine looked at her without speaking.

Vivian said with some difficulty, "Please don't misunderstand. Charles and Sean just came to celebrate with me. I said it wasn't necessary, but Charles insisted..."

"Come to think of it, he really is someone who values rituals. When I was with him before, he prepared gifts and surprises for every holiday."

"Seraphine, don't you think so too? After all, you've been married for years. Charles must do the same for you."

Seraphine felt like laughing. Love and lack of love were so obvious. Charles had never prepared any surprises for her.

Her decision to leave couldn't be more right.

She pulled at the corner of her mouth: "That was how many years ago? You keep bringing up the past—is it because now, apart from being sick, there's nothing else that makes him worry about you?"

Vivian didn't expect her to say that and instantly looked like she'd suffered a huge injustice.

"Seraphine, how can you say that... Are you still mad that I won the gold prize?"

At the mention of this, Seraphine clenched her fists tightly.

Mason Fisher, standing nearby, disapproved: "Oh come on, Mrs. Stuart, Vivian's not well. It's only right that Charles takes care of her. And Vivian winning the prize shows her ability. You're just a housewife..."

Before he could finish, Nicole couldn't hold back.

"What do you mean by 'just a housewife'? Do you know who Seraphine was before she got married?"

Seraphine stopped her, shaking her head.

There was no point explaining to these people.

"If you ask me, Mason's right."

Vivian's friend joined in mocking: "When a woman becomes a stay-at-home wife, she loses touch with society. Spending every day revolving around the family—what knowledge or ability could she have?"

"Vivian is different. Even while sick, she kept creating and won such a big award. That's what an independent woman should be."

As she spoke, she deliberately looked at Charles, her tone somewhat flattering: "Mr. Stuart, wouldn't you say? A woman with talent and resilience like Vivian is truly worth admiring."

"As for those who can only stay at home and depend on their husbands—they're just lucky. Otherwise, with just their own means, they probably couldn't even get through this restaurant's door, right?"

The table fell silent.

Seraphine looked at Charles.

She was waiting—waiting for him to object, even if just with a frown to show disagreement.

But there was nothing.

Charles just silently cut the steak on his plate and placed it in front of Vivian.

Of course. He didn't care at all whether she was being bullied.

She laughed coldly. "Miss, it seems your understanding of value and ability is extremely narrow."

She said word by word: "Do you think managing a home and letting a hardworking husband have no worries doesn't count as contribution? Or do you think only standing on an awards stage, holding someone else's design and accepting applause, qualifies as being an independent woman?"

"What nonsense are you talking?" Vivian panicked: "I designed it myself."

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, you know in your heart."

Seraphine didn't bother looking at her and walked over.

"Charles, Sean has already eaten a whole crab. His constitution can't handle that much. If you still care about him, stop indulging him."

Charles already disapproved of what Seraphine had just said. His expression turned cold, and just as he was about to say something, Sean rebelled: "I don't want to! I want to eat crab!"

"Mom, you're so annoying! Dad works so hard to earn money, Vivian won a big prize, we're out here having a happy meal, and you have to forbid this and that! You can't do anything, you don't understand anything, you just ruin everything!"

Sean's eyes, so similar to Charles's, were full of disgust.

Seraphine's heart felt like it was being squeezed by a hand.

She looked at him and suddenly remembered when he was just born—so tiny, so soft, like a little kitten in her arms.

She didn't dare sleep night after night, afraid he'd get a fever, afraid he'd be uncomfortable.

Later, when he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, she cried all night.

From that day on, her life consisted of only two things.

Taking care of him and praying for his health.

But now, he said she couldn't do anything and only ruined things.

Nicole now understood why Seraphine wanted a divorce.

If she didn't leave now, was she waiting to be driven to death?

Just as she was about to speak, Vivian walked over holding a glass of wine.

"Seraphine, don't be angry. Sean's young and doesn't understand." Her voice was gentle.

But the next second, she suddenly threw herself backward on purpose.

The glass crashed to the floor.

As Vivian fell, her palm pressed right into the broken glass.

"Vivian!" Charles's face changed, and he rushed over.

Vivian looked up with teary eyes: "Seraphine, how could you push me?"

"Vivian, there are cameras in the restaurant. Using such a crude method to frame me—don't you think you're ridiculous?"

Seraphine frowned, instinctively wanting to refute Vivian, but before she could finish, Charles cut her off.

"Seraphine."

Charles looked up, those usually cold eyes churning with anger Seraphine had never seen before.

"I thought you were just being difficult, but I didn't expect you to be this vicious. I'm telling you, if anything happens to Vivian, you and I are not done."

With that, he scooped Vivian up and strode outside.

Seraphine watched his retreating figure, saw Vivian's triumphant expression, and felt completely disappointed.

He wouldn't even check the surveillance footage—he just assumed she was guilty.

This was the man she'd loved for seven years, waited for seven years.

Sean hurried after them, and as he passed Seraphine, he shoved her hard.

"Mom, you're bad! I hope you die! I don't like you anymore!"

Then he ran off too.

Seraphine stood there, as if she couldn't hear anything anymore.

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were completely clear.

She took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this the design competition production team? I want to file a formal complaint that Vivian is involved in plagiarism!"