I was feeling a bit frustrated. Ever since that day when I hazily drank the wedding wine, I hadn't had another chance to bring up divorce. Vivienne seemed to anticipate my intentions, and every time I wanted to speak, she would find some excuse to interrupt.
Actually, everyone here treated me very well, especially Mrs. Sinclair, who treated me like her own child. Being with her, I finally felt a mother's warmth again after so long.
Today, Mrs. Sinclair personally cooked many dishes and pulled Vivienne and me to eat together. The moment I sat down, she had already filled the bowl in front of me like a small mountain of food. Meanwhile, Vivienne's bowl on the other side was still empty. Vivienne maintained her usual cold, expressionless face, silently joining in Mrs. Sinclair's actions.
I was caught between laughing and crying, nearly grabbing my bowl and running away. "No more. This is really too much. I can't eat anymore."
Mrs. Sinclair pretended to scold me, giving me a look. "What do you mean too much? Young people nowadays only care about losing weight. Eat more. It's good for you."
Seeing my embarrassment, Vivienne quickly pushed her bowl forward. "Mom, I want some too."
Mrs. Sinclair nearly smacked Vivienne's head with her chopsticks, looking both angry and amused. "Blockhead."
Watching the two of them interact, I found it amusing and couldn't help but smile. Vivienne glanced over and for some reason quickly looked away, her hand on her knee tightening slightly.
Mrs. Sinclair started making conversation. "Julian, it seems your Langford family is having some problems. The company is about to go bankrupt. Vivienne was thinking of holding a meeting earlier to see if we could help."
I suddenly looked up, somewhat in disbelief. "My family is about to collapse? Who did this?"
Mrs. Sinclair grew more puzzled. "It was the Ashford family. You didn't know?"
Hearing the words "Ashford family," I still couldn't help my heart skipping a beat. It was shock. Why would the Ashford family suddenly move against the Langfords? Could it be because the Ashford elders didn't approve of the marriage between Dominic and Serena?
Lost in thought, the bowl in my hand tilted, and the hot soup inside immediately spilled out, making me furrow my brow and let out a small cry.
Vivienne quickly took the bowl from my hands, grabbed some tissues, and crouched before me, carefully wiping. "Does it hurt?" Vivienne's normally cold eyes now showed restrained worry. "It looks like you got burned. Bear with it. I'll get the first aid kit."
I was about to say it wasn't necessary when Mrs. Sinclair had already come over and patted my shoulder comfortingly. "Julian, don't worry too much. If the Ashford family is causing trouble, the Sinclair family isn't exactly a pushover either."
I didn't quite know how to describe my feelings and just lowered my head with a soft sigh. "Let me think about it."
Vivienne brought the first aid kit over. Mrs. Sinclair gave her daughter an encouraging look, then left the room on her own, giving the two of us time alone.
Vivienne lifted my hand with a serious expression, her look almost reverent. Her skin was very pale, almost like jade up close, though she always kept a cold face. I didn't know why, but being with her never felt uncomfortable.
I bit my lower lip and still couldn't help saying, "Did you know the person originally meant to marry you was Dominic, another son of the Langford family?"
Vivienne didn't look up, just gave a soft, "Mm. I know."
My other hand on my knee tightened slightly. "So, actually, I wasn't the person you originally wanted to marry. Now that he and the Langford family are in trouble, if you want to help them, I won't blame you."
But before I could finish, Vivienne suddenly looked up. Her amber eyes under the sunlight were beautiful, as if ice and snow were melting within them, almost making me freeze. Vivienne asked one question. "You seem to have a bad relationship with him and the Langford family."
I didn't deny it or explain. My eyes held unconcealed disgust. "Yes. I really hate him."
The warmth in Vivienne's eyes slowly faded. She released my hand and stood up.
Seeing this, my heart skipped a beat, and thinking of something, I couldn't help but smile bitterly, like a curse. It seemed everyone around me was destined to fall in love with Dominic. What Dominic said was true. If he wanted, he could take everyone and everything around me.
There was still some disappointment, but I was used to it, because now I knew clearly that for me, loving others wasn't as good as loving myself. I also lifted my head to calmly face Vivienne, waiting for fate's verdict.
I thought Vivienne seemed very angry and assumed she would explode with fury. But unexpectedly, Vivienne just said calmly, "You don't like them, so they must have done something wrong. I won't help them."
Then she added with some guilt, "This was entirely because I was trying to save face for you. So I asked my mother to say these things to you. I was afraid you'd be too polite to refuse help and would ignore your own feelings. I'm sorry."
When she apologized, her long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings, stirring a ripple in my heart. I was momentarily speechless, holding back for a long time before finally asking, "Wasn't the person you wanted to marry Dominic?"
Vivienne said nothing, just suddenly braced her hand beside me. That face that could only be called flawlessly perfect suddenly filled my entire vision. I instinctively tried to back away, but the sofa back blocked my escape.
Vivienne frowned slightly, and in those cold, dark eyes there seemed to be a few more emotions. She parted her thin lips slightly, as if sighing yet also questioning with reproach. "Julian, why would you think the person I wanted to marry was Dominic?"
My mind went blank for a moment, and I let out a small, "Ah."
The confused, bewildered look of the man before her reflected in Vivienne's eyes. Vivienne's heart suddenly beat faster. She quickly pushed herself up and away from me. Can't be too forward. What if I scare him? Vivienne silently repeated this to herself, and after a moment returned to her usual cool moonlight composure.
I also came back to my senses, my ears slightly warm, but I didn't think too much about it, just treating it as a misunderstanding. I had grown used to it long ago. Besides myself and my mother, no one would ever truly love me.
"In that case, just don't concern yourself with the Langford family's affairs," I answered as I stood up, but didn't realize my legs had gone numb. Before I could steady myself, Vivienne beside me quickly caught me with sharp eyes and quick hands. Her nose accidentally brushed against my chest, and her arms instinctively wrapped around my waist.
The first absurd thought that crossed my mind was, Vivienne is so soft.
"What are you two doing?"
A woman's angry voice suddenly sounded in my ear. I instinctively looked over and saw Serena, her face dark as thunder, so angry that both her hands were trembling. The happy mood in my heart instantly vanished the moment I saw her, disappearing completely.
Serena strode over quickly, intending to pull Vivienne away, but Vivienne moved faster, protectively pulling me aside, her expression immediately darkening, her dark eyes so gloomy they seemed about to drip water.
"Where did this crazy woman come from?" Vivienne opened her mouth to shout, her voice like shards of ice. "Why haven't you thrown her out yet?"
The butler cleared his throat and stepped forward to explain, "Miss, this is Miss Serena Ashford."
Vivienne's expression didn't soften at all. "So she's from the Ashford family. I wonder what purpose you have, suddenly barging in on me and my husband."
Hearing how Vivienne addressed me, Serena was so provoked her eyes turned red. She looked desperately toward me in Vivienne's arms and could only say one thing. "Come outside with me. I have something to tell you."
Hearing this, I curled my lips in a mocking smile. I draped my arm around Vivienne, eyes narrowing. "Vivienne, this person is mentally ill, ordering me around like that. What should we do?"
Vivienne looked at me with nothing but tenderness and indulgence. "Then give her a beating and throw her out."
I grew even more smug, lifting my chin slightly. "But she's an Ashford."
Vivienne's eyes couldn't bear to leave me. "She made you unhappy. Everyone is the same."
The color gradually drained from Serena's face. She clenched her fists at her sides, tears seeming to glisten in her eyes, adding a touch of fragility. She never expected to one day witness me sending another woman to humiliate her, especially seeing Vivienne's hand resting on my waist. It drove her nearly mad with jealousy.