Chapter 17
“I thought you should be happy. You accuse me of having ulterior motives, but what about you? Can you honestly say you had no hidden agenda when you agreed to marry me? Did you truly love me then?” Vivian’s voice was steady but growing colder, each word slicing through the air like a blade.
“And during our marriage, did you ever genuinely see me as your wife? If you did, how could you let Mr. Balfour’s words and actions, under the guise of friendship, cloud your judgment, especially when ambiguous? Sebastian, anyone can question my intentions, but you have no right.”
With each sentence, Sebastian’s face grew paler. He searched for a rebuttal, desperate to defend himself, but the words eluded him. Still, he clung to hope, trying to win her over one last time.
“But you pursued me for four years, and we’ve been married for three… During those years, when you lay in my arms listening to my heartbeat while pining for someone else, did you never feel anything for me?” Sebastian’s voice cracked, a mixture of pleading and incredulity.
Vivian simply shook her head, refusing even the smallest comfort of a lie, “Never.”
“Sebastian, ask yourself honestly–back then, what about you was worth loving by anyone other than Vanessa? Isn’t my leaving exactly what you wanted? Now that Vanessa has agreed to be with you and we’re divorced, why come to me instead of her?”
Everyone knew of Sebastian’s love for Vanessa and his indifference towards Vivian. It was an open secret. His repeated betrayals, the single visit to his family’s estate where she saw the family heirloom given to another, Vanessa’s bold and mocking confrontations–these were all reminders.
Thankfully, she never loved him.
“I don’t want Vanessa. I want you! Vivian, Lucian is gone. Even if his heart was donated, it’s not him anymore! I know I wronged you before, but I’ve realized my mistakes. Please, give me another chance. I’ll change anything you want, just don’t leave me…”
Vivian had seldom seen Sebastian like this–vulnerable, aged, his pleading voice tinged with insecurity.
He was a man accustomed to getting his way, commanding the winds and the rains. In public, he was sharp and unyielding, and even with her, he was mostly composed and aloof. With Vanessa, he could be charming and considerate.
But this side of him was unfamiliar.
She hesitated, an unusual occurrence, but a glance at the time prompted her decision. She turned to leave, waving dismissively. “My affairs have nothing to do with Mr. Balfour. It’s best for Mr. Balfour to return early.”
Vivian pushed open the café door, her silhouette disappearing around the corner. Sebastian watched her go, his hand instinctively reaching for his chest, where an emptiness settled. It felt as if he had lost something irreplaceably valuable.
Four o’clock in the afternoon, Nollan Corporation, Mr. Balfour’s office on the twenty–third floor.
Alistair had just finished a two–hour video conference, rubbing his temples in weary resignation.
His long fingers pressed the call button on his desk, and two minutes later, Vivian entered carrying a cup of hot milk. She rotated the handle toward him before gently setting it down.
Without looking, he reached for the cup and took a sip, expecting the familiar bitterness of coffee. Instead, the smooth, slightly sweet taste of milk surprised him. He glanced down at the pure white liquid.
“Miss Delmont, I asked for coffee,” he said, placing the cup down with a raised eyebrow, ready to request a replacement. But she shook her head, lips pressed together firmly.
“Mr. Nollan, you’ve already had coffee today. For the sake of your health, it’s not suitable to drink more now.” Recalling his heart condition, Alistair paused, then chuckled softly
1/2
Chapter 1/
Secretaries before had mostly catered to his preferences, considering him the boss. Control wasn’t something subordinates typically exercised.
Yet Vivian, only–a month into the job, had already dared to defy him.
