VivianAs I approached Richard, I felt my cheeks redden, a subtle warmth spreading across my face. He gazed at me with an admiring expression, his eyes sparkling with genuine appreciation."Vivian, you look absolutely stunning tonight," Richard said, his British accent shining through as his voice sounded low and smooth. "Your hair is looking particularly healthy and luscious. I've never seen it shine like that before."I smiled, feeling a flutter in my chest at his kind words. "Thank you, Richard. That's very sweet of you."But he wasn't finished. "And your eyes, Vivian... they're like sapphires sparkling in the light. So bright, so beautiful. You really are a good sight for sore eyes tonight."I laughed out loud, my cheeks growing even hotter. "Richard, you're making me blush, stop teasing me."He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "But I'm just telling the truth, Vivian. You're a gorgeous woman, inside and out. This dress is perfect on you, accentuating all your lovely cu
VivianI stood there, frozen in shock, as the words cut through the room like a knife. I turned around and my eyes met hers and for a moment, we just stared at each other. It was no one other than the witch, Eve. I was taken aback by her presence, and I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here. Her stare was filled with a mix of anger and resentment as she continued spewing out her lies."You're a two-timer, Vivian," she spat, her voice venomous. "Playing Richard here for a fool, just like you played your husband, Nate. You're a master manipulator, using people for your own gain."The room fell silent, and I felt embarrassed as I glanced around taking in the expressions of the people in the crowd. I felt my face burn with anger and shame. Why was she lying about me in front of all these people? I tried to speak, but my words caught in my throat.Richard's grip on my arm tightened. It was a silent show of support. "That's enough," he said, his voice firm.But Eve wasn't fini
Vivian's POV"You really are something, Vivian," he spat, his voice venomous. "I can't believe you humiliated me like that at the party."I dropped everything and stood up straight, my brows furrowed in a frown as Nate's anger washed over me. "I didn't humiliate you, Nate," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “You can't come in here, yelling at me, after what you did at the party."His face turned redder, his eyes bulging with anger. "You ignored me, Vivian," he growled. "You ignored me and flirted with Richard, right in front of me."I shook my head, incredulous. "I didn't ignore you, Nate. And I wasn't flirting with Richard. We were just talking."Nate's sneer was venomous. "Talking? Is that what they're calling it these days? Because from where I was standing, it looked like a lot more than just talking."I took a deep breath, trying to keep my temper in check. "Nate, stop. You're being ridiculous. And besides, I was ta
VivianI sat slumped in my office chair, feeling relieved that I was away from all the tension and drama at home. The day had just started but I already had all my energy sucked out of me.Despite how I felt, it was just another normal day at work, and I needed to finish all my tasks. I couldn't allow my dampened mood affect my work delivery.The clacking of the keyboard resounded in the office as I tapped away, getting engrossed with work.My phone rang, interrupting the flow. I glanced at the screen, the thin line of my brow jumping in surprise at the name that flashed. It was Richard. I seriously didn't know how I would react when I saw him after yesterday's disaster. “Good morning Vivian.” He greeted, his cool voice coming through the phone.”How are you doing this morning?”I responded, hiding the trepidation in my voice, “Good morning sir. I'm doing quite well.” “Could you please come over to my office?” He asked, calmly. I nodded, forgetting he couldn't see me. “Okay sir, I'l
VivianI stood in the restroom, bent over the wash basin, collecting my thoughts. The door suddenly swung open and the same lady walked in. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the anger and resentment burning within them."You think you're so smart, don't you, Vivian?" she spat, her voice low and venomous. "But you're not. You're nothing but a fake, and a pretender. You do not belong here."I folded my arms across my chest in a defensive stance. "What's your problem, lady? Why are you so angry with me? You seem to have something against me."Her face twisted into a snarl. "You're my problem. You're always hovering around Richard, flirting with him, trying to steal him away from me."I shook my head, incredulous. “Steal him away from you?" Who the hell is she? Some mistress or something? I sighed tiredly because I wasn't ready for some extra drama. Especially not after escaping Nate's and Eve's successfully.She laughed, a cold, mirthless sound and took a few steps closer. “You
Chapter 67Vivian's POVI noticed how grave Richard's expression was, his eyes still fixed on mine with an intensity that made me shiver. This was not the Richard I thought I knew. I guess Nate was right after all. He was not who I thought him to be Without another word, he started the car and pulled out of the stopped position, continuing the drive. It was silent and tense as we drove, nearing our destination.As we drove into the parking lot, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I was glad to be back at the office, surrounded by familiar faces and places. The moment he pulled into the parking spot, I wasted no time as I quickly gathered my things, eager to escape the tense atmosphere and him. "Thanks for the ride, Richard," I said, my voice polite but distant.I walked away, I heard Richard call out behind me. "Vivian, please wait!" he gasped I turned to see him getting out of the car, a look of concern etched on his face. He walked towards me, his hands held up in a gesture o
VivianI looked up at her, directing a heated glare at her. She stood there, a smug expression on her face."Vivian, dear, I think it's time we had a little chat," she said, her voice dripping with condescension.I raised an eyebrow, wary of what she might say."You see, Vivian, I know all about your little situation with Richard," she said, her eyes glinting with malice. "And I must say, I'm shocked. Shocked that you would stoop so low leaving your husband to run after another man like that."I bristled at her tone, but she continued, undeterred."Let me make one thing clear, Vivian. If you don't quit this job and leave him alone, I will make your life a living hell. I will do everything in my power to destroy your reputation, to ruin your relationships, and to make sure you never work in this industry again."I smirked as I stood up from my seat. I could feel a headache coming in as I prepared a counter."I'm not afraid of you, Emily," I said, my voice steady.She laughed coldly as
VivianNate's frown only deepened. "What's going on, Vivian? Are you alright? I've been trying to reach you."I sighed, unsure of how to react. But Nate's concerned expression put me at ease.“I was just…working on something. I must have missed your calls or something,” I admitted vaguely, stepping aside to let him in.Nate's eyes narrowed as he entered. I shut the door and continued, "I'm fine by the way, thanks for asking. It's just been a long day."Nate stood, hands in pocket as he surveyed the room, his eyes staying on the laptop for a bit longer than necessary. As I looked closer at him, I noticed that something was off. He looked tired, his eyes sunken and his skin pale. I felt my concern reaching a filled out stage as I approached him worriedly."Nate, what's wrong?" I asked, my concern shifting to him. "You look exhausted."Nate sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't sleep well last night. I've been having some trouble with...some things."I sensed that there was more to it, but
Her hands trembled slightly. She was staring out the window of her office at the academy but her mind was somewhere else entirely. She had been transported back in time to the fateful day two weeks ago when the doctor had made the announcement with a wide grin on her face. "Congratulations, Miss Vivian. You're ten weeks pregnant." She had said, flashing Vivian a genuine smile that reached her crinkling eyes. At that moment, a cold sweat had broken out on Vivian’s forehead as the doctor’s words hit her like a bomb. The words had been so unprecedented, so out of left field that it took her a long time to understand the gravity of the doctor’s pronouncement. When she had finally digested her words, fear caused a knot to form in her stomach."The baby is in perfect condition." The doctor had said and Vivian had smiled at her, happy but at the same time, uncertain. "Your husband must be so proud." She had said. But would he? Nate had been so vehemently against a child and even though
VIVIANI opened my eyes. But I was in an unfamiliar place. The darkness that surrounded me was not only palpable, it was suffocating. I tried to breathe but my lungs seemed to be constricted with something. I stretched forth my hands to guide my path but something seemed to be on my way. I tore at the barrier but it only grew thicker. It was the darkness. Was there any way out of here? How could I fight something I could not even see? I opened my mouth to scream but no sound would come out. I was stuck in this deep, dark pit with nowhere to go but down. Below me, it seemed like there was quicksand and if I did not find a way to get out of here quickly, I would be swallowed whole. I clawed at the space in front of me, beside me and above me but the darkness was too dense, too restricting. Where was help when I needed it the most? My determination had started to wane. My resolve which I thought was stronger than steel bars had become considerably weakened the more it dawned on me t
NATEI felt overwhelmed. I had not felt this way in the longest of times, not even when dealing with Richard's stupidity. Why were things going haywire all of a sudden just when I thought the dust had settled down? I could not pretend not to know why. Gran's announcement yesterday had triggered a lot of suppressed resentment and I just had to deal tactfully with it or everything I held dear would be taken away right before my eyes. I had been called to the company the day before because Aston was making trouble. Word had spread that he had gone around contacting all the members of the board and having a secret meeting with them. I was not sure what the meeting had been about but I could guess. "Let's hurry." I said to my driver as I looked through Vivian's mail for the umpteenth time. I was about to send a message thanking her for her hard work when my phone started to vibrate. It was a call from my personal assistant. "They are holding an emergency extraordinary meeting of the
VIVIANI typed away feverishly. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins, fueling my fingers and propelling me to think. What had this not occurred to me before? Why had I glossed over Emily's statement back then like it was nothing at all. Had I been too overwhelmed at the time that I had been unable to put two and two together? Unable to see what was right in front of me? Emily had said three companies. Three companies, but only two were behind bars. So what happened to the last one? It was a question I should have been asking for sometime now. Would I be able to find a connection that would reveal which company was the third? Would I find enough proof? I started by digging into the two companies. Their CEOs had been well known in the business world for taking over small companies after leading them into debt. There were many comments online laying complaints against them and a third name kept popping up. Could it be?... I changed the direction of my research. It w
VIVIAN It all felt awkward. Gran had made the announcement of the century and the room was thrown into chaos. Aston looked like he could combust in anger at any time and stormed off. Gran was unwilling to listen to Nate's protests and Nate's mother just looked surprised. I, on the other hand was unsure how I was supposed to react. I was not very surprised, considering how much affinity Gran held for Nate, I was only a bit skeptical about the timing. But what did I care? I was no longer a part of the family. I was practically a stranger who happened to witness the Stuart family going at each other and it didn't matter what my thoughts were. I just wanted to escape before anyone looked in my direction and thought to rope me into it. Gran shuffled out of the room, leaning slightly on his cane and I saw my chance. Nate was still looking around, confused as ever and there was just a general tension in the air that I was sure no one would notice my silent disappearance. It felt good n
NATEI swore internally. How had Ashton found out? But then again, the same idiot that had the temerity to give out company information had probably babbled again. Vivian looked stricken standing there, staring numbly from Ashton to my mother to Gran. She tried to say something but it seemed like the words would not come out. I wanted to hold her and calm her down like I did yesterday in the hospital but this was not the place or time and I was pretty sure she would push me away. Guilt weighed down on me heavily. This was all my fault. I had brought this situation on her and I wanted to fix it badly but I felt control slipping out of my hands. Ashton was pushing, tearing down the walls of support around me, trying to strip me of my confidence and painting Vivian as the black sheep. I could not understand for the life of me why he had suddenly turned bad. Or perhaps he had always been this way, lurking silently in the shadows, waiting for this chance to ruin me. "Vivian did nothin
VIVIANI sighed for the thousandth time. Why on earth couldn't I be allowed to catch a break? Had all the universal forces aligned to ensure I did not have a single moment of peace? The whole situation seemed absurd to me. I did not yet know what Ethan was going on about but it couldn't be anything good, judging by the tone of his voice. Moreover, he was never one to impose, so if he was in front of my house, it must mean something quite severe was about to go down or was even going down. The taxi came to a stop in front of my apartment and I hurried up the path. I did not have to look for Ethan as his car was parked conspicuously on the driveway and he was sitting on it's hood tapping his phone impatiently. "What the hell, Ethan..." "There's no time for this." He looked worried, confused and most notably, tired. His tie had been drawn down, probably to enable him breathe properly while driving and his hair was tousled as if he had been in too much of a hurry to brush it properl
VIVIANI was elated.I flashed a wide smile back at the sea of smiling faces. I had not felt this way in a really long time, had not felt like what I had to say mattered, like I could dispense joy so freely, so abundantly and still have so much of it left to live on. I was not sad or angry or conflicted here, I just felt like I was wrapped in a bubble of peace, woven softly into a web of comfort and it scared me that this peace was fragile. That it could easily be broken if I didn't protect it. "Do you kids remember what we learnt yesterday?" I asked, leaning towards them and adopting a high pitched childlike voice. "Yes!" They chorused with enthusiasm. I smiled and turned to the board. "Today, we will learn something even more interesting. Are you ready to learn?" They answered with as much enthusiasm as earlier. Their innocence tugged at my heartstrings. Wouldn't my baby have grown to sound like this? To make mischievous jokes and play pranks on others? Maybe it was really not
VIVIANAnother emergency. But this one couldn't be a prank because Nate had delivered the news and we weren't exactly friendly enough to pull that type of joke on each other. Also, it involved my mother. Nate was a premium jerk but he wouldn't stoop so low. Right? I wished he would. I would swear at him and maybe even hit him but my mother would be fine and I would have worried in vain. "Oh God, oh God... Oh God." Night was falling fast but I didn't care. I rushed out of the house and flagged down the first taxi I saw. If anything happened to my mother, how would I cope with the pain, the guilt. If anything happened... Thoughts consumed me and filled my head with scenarios that were probably too far fetched but seemed feasible at that moment. Panic had taken over me and my hands shook terribly as I contemplated calling Nate. What would I say? What was I trying to find out? "No, no..." "Is there a problem?" The taxi driver was looking at me through the rearview mirror and I ave