“Lower your voice,” Simpson warned Luzia. “This is a secret, and no one else can know. Houston needs stability, Benoist can’t be in chaos yet.”


    Luzia took a sharp breath, then quickly calmed herself. “I, I understand.”


    So, Shelley also didn’t know the cause of Hanson’s death. Is that why she’s grieving for another brother’s departure? Luzia felt sorry for Shelley, the poor girl.


    “Alright, the auction is about to start. Hurry back to your seat,” Simpson gently nudged Luzia’s shoulder, bringing her back into the public eye.


    jos sat in his designated seat, his face dark and grim.


    “Hey, I just heard someone asking about Vivian,” Luzia said to Simpson in a hushed tone, shrinking under jos’s gaze. “jos looks really angry.”


    “That’s for sure. This charity event is significant. It’s a great opportunity for the first official introduction of the newdy.”


    “I hope Vivian is okay,” Luzia prayed for her good friend silently.


    …


    By the time the auction ended, it was already veryte. Luzia and jos took a car back together.


    In the dimly lit car, only the lights outside danced on the windows. Luzia nced at jos, sitting in the darkness. She couldn’t make out his expression, but her intuition told her that jos was not in a good mood.


    “Vivian didn’t intentionally skip the auction,” Luzia spoke up to exin for Vivian. “You should allow her to have bad moods, or feel unwell.”


    jos crossed his arms and looked at her expressionlessly.


    “She’s emotionally unstable. You should pay more attention to her,” Luzia said.


    Still expressionless, jos asked, “Are you telling me how to handle things, Luzia?”


    “I wouldn’t dare, dear Capo,” Luzia shrunk her neck and said, “I’m just worried about Vivian.”


    “Thank you for your concern for my wife, but I am her husband.”


    The car entered the underground garage and parked steadily in its space. jos got out first, then walked around to the other side to open the door for Luzia. “Good night, cousin.”


    Luzia blinked, watching jos stride quickly toward the elevator without a pause.


    “Is he in a hurry?” Luzia turned to the driver, Diego, and asked.


    Diego remained silent, his face impassive.


    Vivian had slept deeply, and by the time she woke up, it was already dark outside. The bedroom lights were bright. Vivian nced at the rm clock on the bedside table-it was already 2 a. m.


    Goodness, she had slept for ten hours straight, missing dinner and supper.


    Vivian couldn’t help but cover her face. Was she a pig?


    “I can tell that you’re not in a good mood. Are you feeling unwell?” jos came out from the bathroom, drying his hair.


    He must have just finished showering, his body still had droplets of water, and he was shirtless, revealing his strong and muscr six-pack abs.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian felt her face heat up. Unconsciously, her eyes moved down his abs. When her gaze reached the towel wrapped around his lower body, a sense of loss unexpectedly shed through her mind.


    Feeling ashamed of this momentary thought, she quickly lowered her head, staring at the patterns on the bedspread. “I’m fine.”


    “But your face tells me otherwise,” jos approached her.


    Perhaps men are naturally hot-tempered. Whenever he came close, Vivian felt the temperature rise around her.


    “Do you need me to call the family doctor for you?”


    “No, I’m not feeling unwell,” Vivian denied once again.


    jos stood by the bed, staring straight at her, his brows furrowed as if to ascertain whether she was truly okay and not feeling unwell.


    Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Vivian pulled the nket up, wrapping herself, “I’m not in a good mental state, I don’t want to move…”


    “So, are you lying? Why?” jos looked somewhat angry. “Just to avoid tonight’s banquet? Do you know how important tonight’s event is? All of Houston’s influential figures will be there. I should introduce you to them formally, and yet you’re here hiding, sleeping!”


    “I’m sorry, I didn’t know tonight’s event was so important. I thought it was just a regr gathering,” Vivian frowned. “And I don’t have a dress suitable for such an event in my closet.”


    “No, you do.” jos found her excuse ridiculous. “You should open your closet and take a good look. You have many beautiful and exquisite evening gowns that are suitable for any formal event.”


    “What if I told you they don’tfit me anymore?” Vivian didn’t want to argue with jos; it was pointless. But she couldn’t control her temper. The sense of grievance and sadness engulfed her, flooding over her like a tide.


    “Yes, I’ve gained weight. My figure isn’t as slim, and I even have some extra fat on my belly,” Vivian’s tears fell onto the bedspread, leaving dark marks. “I’m truly awful. I’m going to be ugly, and standing by your side will make you aughingstock in the circles of power.”


    jos clearly couldn’tprehend Vivian’s definition of being overweight. He scrutinized Vivian, and to the naked eye, there wasn’t much of a change, just a bit more flesh on her face, and her chest seemed fuller. Her posture, tightly wrapped in theforter, entuated her cleavage, which appeared deeper and more prominent than before.


    It was a sight that could excite any man. jos’s gaze couldn’t help but linger on her fair bosom, then continued downwards.


    jos’s fingers curled, a tingling sensation at his fingertips-a desire to uncover Vivian, to tear her nightgown. However, he was a man of strong self-control. He couldn’t control the heat in his body, the surge of desire, but he could control his hands from harming Vivian.


    Stepping back, he forcibly diverted his gaze from Vivian’s cleavage. “Listen, Vivian, stop these meaningless spections and negative emotions. The weather has been lovelytely, the sky is so blue, the sunshine is so bright, it’s neither too cold nor too hot. It’s perfect for going out shopping or for a leisurely walk. Why don’t you go?”


    “Take Luzia and Mare with you. Mare will look after you, and Luzia will help you select plenty of evening gowns that suit you. Don’t worry about whether you’ve gained weight, you’re not overweight at all,” jos’s tone tried to be gentle.


    “But I don’t want to go. Malls, supermarkets, shopping, beauty treatments-every day, I’m stuck in these things. You never cared about what I truly want. You’ve never even been willing to sit down and have a proper conversation with me!” Vivian’s emotions were getting the better of her as she yelled and screamed, feeling on the verge of a breakdown. “You don’t want to love me, you don’t even want to be my friend. Every time you speak to me, it’s always an order! An order! An order!”


    “I am the Capo!” jos frowned.


    “I am your wife!” Vivian shouted. “I’ve epted a husband who won’t love me. Why can’t you ept me as your friend, why can’t you sit down and talk to me?”