Chapter 116


    Chapter 116


    Gwendolyn had stealthily spiked the punch with a dash of deer blood liquor, hoping for a bit of mischief.


    “Gwendolyn.” His voice was low and rumbly, like a predator homing in on its prey, hair slightly tousled


    on his forehead. “Next time you want something, just go blunt. No need


    for such theatrics.”


    His fingers deftly unbuckled his leather belt, sliding it halfway out.


    With her voice tinged with nervousness, Gwendolyn shot her hands to his, eximing “It wasn’t me…


    Why are you undoing your belt?”


    “It’s hot.”


    His lips found hers, brushed her nose, then the corner of her eye.


    With each of his movements, the metal buckle of his belt clinked against the chair, a crushing


    symphony filling the air.


    Gwendolyn clenched her eyes shut, unwilling to meet the raw desire in his gaze.


    Just as things were escting, the buzzing of a phone on the white kitchen table interrupted them.


    Howard reached out and silenced the call, but the caller was persistent.


    “Mr. Chadwick, maybe you should take that,” Gwendolyn whispered, pleadingly, her hands clutching


    the hem of her dress as she faintly copsed into the chair.


    With a restrained calmness, Howard stood up, his grip on the phone tight, and pressed his lips


    together. He stared at the number on the screen for a long moment before finally retreating into the


    bedroom to answer.


    “Hello?” His voice was icier than usual.


    From the patio, Gwendolyn watched him through the ss doors. The usually stoic man was now


    disheveling his shirt, his belt hanging loosely, revealing a sliver of his waist.


    How devastatingly sexy!


    She forced her eyes away, her cheeks burning, her throat dry.


    She could faintly hear the anger in his voice, a sign that whoever was on the other end had truly upset


    him.


    Once the call ended, Howard seemed to regain hisposure.


    “I’m going to take a shower,” he called out to Gwendolyn on the patio.


    “Okay,” she replied, her voice relieved but also tinged with an inexplicable sense of loss.


    11:22


    Meanwhile, it was chaos for the Sawyer family.


    Vivien was a mess, furiously pounding on her belly as if she held a grudge against the unborn child.


    “It’s a curse! Why won’t it go away!” she shrieked hysterically.


    “Vivien, stop hurting yourself! The baby is innocent,” Gemma pleaded to restrain her.


    Vivien shoved her away, eyes zing with hatred. “It’s all your fault. You suggested we bring that


    country bumpkin to take my ce! If I had married Howard, I’d be thedy of Summit Corp by now! Did


    you do this on purpose?”


    Her voice was shrill, her emotions raw,


    “No, I did everything for your good. No one could have known…” Gemma tried desperately to exin.


    Vivienshed out her hand, pping Gemma across the face not once but multiple times, “I hate you, I


    hate Gwendolyn! She needs to give me back my ce!”


    Her cries were anguished, her face contorted in pain.


    Herman was a mask of fury as he pped her hard across the cheek.


    “Have youe to


    your senses yet?” he shouted.


    Vivien, clutching her face, copsed to the ground, sobbing bitterly.


    “You’re already carrying the heir of Bainbridge. Forget those dreams. Besides, Howard’s legs are done


    for. What’s there to envy?” Herman scolded.


    “Why should some vige girl have a better life than me?” Vivien protested, her heart filled


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    with resentment.


    Herman was cold and final. “You have no choice but to ept it.”


    He turned to Gemma, her hair disheveled and cheeks swollen. For once, his expression


    softened.


    “Gemma, don’t hold this against Vivien. Tomorrow, you’ll go apologize to Gwendolyn. There are no


    grudges between families that can’t be resolved overnight. After that, our families can resume normal


    rtions.”


    His words were insincere, “She’s your daughter, which makes her my daughter too.”


    Gemma was clouded withplexity.


    Herman was asking her to bow down to Gwendolyn, yet she couldn’t refuse him.


    “Alright,” she agreed, her voice filled with reluctant eptance.


    Vivien sat on the ground, her eyes dark with cunning plots. She vowed to make


    Gwendolyn’s life miserable!


    Vivien couldn’t wait to see Gwendolyn’s dospair when she found out the truth!


    The next day.