VIVIAN Nate's hand felt warm in mine. I wasn't sure why he was being so effusive but I played along with it. After all, all eyes were suddenly on us after my announcement that I would rather sit beside Nate than Gran. I'd just wanted to play the role of good wife, plus I felt uncomfortable being left alone with Gran but Nate was being too forward. He took my hand in his and led me towards the dinning room while making sure nobody collided into me. When we walked in, Gran who was already seated at the head of the table waved us over. "Sit here." he said nodding to the chairs closest to him on the right side. Some of Nate's aunties and uncles had already settled into the chairs on the left side. Nate pulled out a chair for me and took the one closest to Gran. I was grateful that I did not have to sit beside Gran and answer his invasive questions because I was certain I would slip up and it seemed that Nate's mother had irreparably ruined my mood. "Is this seat taken?"
VIVIAN The shock of Nate mother's statement stunned me into silence. Apart from my fitful coughing, the entire table was dead silent and I could feel their eyes locked on me. I tried to suppress my cough, to slink back into the shadows and let Nate handle this but I knew that this was my cross to carry. Nate's mother had addressed me and made sure the spotlight was on me. She was an attention seeker in her own right but she was deflecting all the attention towards me this time. I wasn't sure whether to be grateful or not. I felt my eyes water from the effort that it took to cough and reached for a glass of water but there were already two glasses being held out in front of me. In the seconds it took me to decide which one to grab, different thoughts ran through my mind. I loathed to receive help from Nate but it would be awkward to pick Ethan's own over his. All eyes were on me, watching every of my little action and I did not want to give them something to gossip about especial
VIVIANI stared back at Nate's mother. I had been certain that nothing she could say would catch me off balance but this one definitely did. How could she brazenly talk about an heir when I had just lost a baby? I wanted to ask if she understood what it meant to lose a child but I also knew she would find fault with that question and that nobody would take my side. Still, I needed to say something, anything that would deflect her atrocious question. "I..." "It's my fault." Nate sounded a bit irritated as he said the words. "Please don't speak to Vivian in that manner. I wanted her to heal properly, I still do." Nate's mother could barely contain a snort but she said nothing. "And even though an heir matters to me, she matters the most." He looked at me as he said the last part. Anyone that was watching us would never believe that we had just finalized the process of our divorce before attending this party. I smiled at him as if I was truly grateful before meeting his mother's e
NATEMy hands itched to touch her. I wanted to talk to her, to hold her and to laugh with her. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry and feel that she knew I truly meant it. I wanted her to look into my eyes and say that she had forgiven me, that nothing else mattered because we were here together. I wished she was affected that we were in the same space and she would just spare me a glance but she did not seem to care, didn't seem like it had even occurred to her to care. "Viv, I..." I called stretching a tentative hand towards her but she hardly noticed. "Nate, I'm exhausted." She said. The undertone suggested that it wasn't just physical exhaustion. She was tired of me and it hurt to see her this way. She probably thought we would go about in circles, just like in the past but I just wanted to apologize and listen to her. What words would convince her? Did I have to split open my belly for her to see my true intentions? "Let's talk." I tried again. "No." Her answer was shar
VIVIANI watched Ethan as he spoke. His voice was soft, calming, just as good as the fresh air I so desperately sought. It made me feel guilty that I had so obviously avoided all evening, instead favoring Nate who did not deserve it. "Dinner was awkward, wasn't it?" He pressed his lips together in an apologetic gesture as if anything had been his fault. "Nothing I wasn't expecting." I replied. I was grateful that he at least had the good sense to feel sorry as a member of the Stuart family. Nate had apologized too but I couldn't just take him seriously. "Viv, you shouldn't be so complacent. They'll keep stepping over you like that. I could see it in your face that you were uncomfortable." I was surprised at how he could read me so well. I nodded, casting my eyes to the floor and digging my toes into the earthy ground. "I was. Your mother doesn't seem to like me much. Many of them don't seem to." I was not sure why I was opening up to him but there was something about him that
VIVIANI waited for the chaos to follow. But it never came even after I'd snatched my hands out of his and he had locked the door behind us. I did not speak to him, did not want to because I was certain he had more than enough words for two. "Are you okay? Your clothes are thin, so you must have been cold out there." He said peering into my face as though he could extract the truth from there. I could not hide my surprise at the softness of his voice? What was his problem? Typical Nate should be ranting by now, asking why I'd been careless enough to talk with Ethan late at night when anyone could be watching or listening, so why was he acting out of character? It disconcerted me. "I'm tired and it's late. I'll like to sleep." I said carefully sidestepping him. His fingers brushed by arm lightly as I walked past him but he seemed to think better of holding onto me, so he used his words instead. "Let me tuck you in. The bedside lamp is not as big as the one you like, but it's mana
VIVIANCheckmate. Eve looked like I had just physically assaulted her. Her face had gotten redder than a sea of blood and her hands were balled up in fists beside her. She looked like she was ready to hit me but I couldn't be bothered. I was determined to thoroughly embarass her so she would avoid me the next time she happened to run into me. "Or maybe the only person you were capable of winning over was him? I mean, you couldn't get Nate and you realized your charm was limited to the likes of that deadbeat brother of his?" It was too much of a stretch to qualify Aston as deadbeat but it worked together anger her even more so it didn't matter."I'm disappointed and I feel sorry for you." I tutted and pressed my left palm to my lips to conceal a smile. I saw her movements out of the side of my eyes and quickly sidestepped her before her hand landed on my face. I felt heat rise from my belly but I held myself back. What could would it do to engage the moron in a physical fight now?
VIVIANMy mind raced through a thousand possibilities. Life would be easier if I just took Nate up on his offer. It sounded shameless but in reality, I deserved this much. I had put up with so much, cried so much and lost so much. The least he could do was take responsibility in this way. But even as the thought crossed my mind, I dismissed it. Nate was no longer responsible for me and if ever I needed his help, I would have to strike a reasonable deal with him. "I'm fine." His face fell when I spoke and he bit his lower lip. "Just consider..." He started to say but I cut in quickly because we had gotten to my bus stop and I was running late for my class. "I'm fine for now. But if I ever need your help, I'll let you know." I said. He still looked worried but he brightened up a bit after I had spoken. "Promise me." He said but I pretended not to hear him. "I'm off." I said and opened the door. He looked like he was about to say more but I did not wait around to listen. I watche