Chapter 12
The incident was brushed aside casually, with an unspoken agreement among the friends not to mention Vivian. They were all just waiting for the moment she’d inevitably come back, so they could have a good laugh at her expense.
But as days turned into weeks–three days, a week, two weeks, even a month–she still hadn’t resurfaced.
Everyone watched as his demeanor grew darker with each passing day. They continuously brought up other topics to distract him, and Vanessa was by his side daily, attending to him with such care and attentiveness that others couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.
Yet, despite the devoted attention from the woman he’d longed for over the years, his mind was consumed with thoughts of Vivian. He showed no signs of happiness.
He went from being confident to hesitant as the days passed. Now, nearly a month later, with his discharge from the hospital approaching and no sign of Vivian, a seed of doubt had inexplicably taken root in his heart. Could it be that she really had given up on him? How was that even possible?
Just then, the long–silent ringtone of his phone pierced the room. His hand moved faster than his thoughts, snatching up the phone with a mix of hope and relief.
“Vivian, you finally remembered to call me?”
At the mention of her name, the attention of the group and Vanessa snapped to Sebastian, who was on the phone. They saw the fleeting joy on his face vanish instantly.
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what had transpired.
“Mr. Balfour,” came the timid voice of Assistant Waldon on the other end. Only then did they realize the call wasn’t from Vivian, causing Sebastian’s expression to sour.
Waldon, oblivious to the scene on the other side, proceeded to relay his findings in an orderly fashion. “Miss Delmont’s divorce papers are legitimate. According to the lawyers, you had given your consent at the time, allowing Mrs. Delmont to sign on your behalf.”
“That’s nonsense!” Sebastian erupted, enraged at the suggestion that he’d approved Vivian signing the divorce agreement. His outburst silenced Waldon. “When did I ever agree to that…?”
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