《A Touch of Sweetness (Finnick Norton and Vivian William)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Arriving at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Vivian William was utterly dismayed to discover that the man whom she was supposed to get her marriage certificate with had yet to arrive. It was already more than half an hour past their agreed-upon time. Just as she was about to contact him, he called her instead. As soon as she picked up, his furious voice red out through the phone, ¡°Vivian William, you liar! Have you forgotten about the sort of shameful things you''d done back in university? How dare you even think about marrying me now? Let me tell you something. That will only ever happen in your dreams! It has be rather clear to me now, seeing as you were quick to bring up marriage despite us only knowing each other for three days! If it weren''t for my ex-girlfriend having studied in the same university as you, | would¡¯ve gotten tricked by you! You shameless woman!¡± With that, he hung up. Vivian did not even get a chance to exin herself. The fingers clenching her phone were turning white while her lips moved soundlessly. The man had not bother to tone down his voice at all, which meant that a tot of people had overheard her phone call. The gazes that everyone else had shot her were ones filled with scorn and disgust, stabbing into her like thousands of needles. It was exactly like that nightmarish night two years ago. She felt as though she was being swallowed in the darkness. No matter how hard she tried, there was simply no escape... Beads of sweat formed upon her forehead as she paled dramatically. Without realizing, her whole body had begun to tremble uncontrobly. Off to the side, a pair of dark, fathomless eyes watched the shivering woman thoughtfully while his slender fingers tapped on the armrests of his wheelchair. ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± At that moment, a young man hurried over to Finnick Norton¡¯s side. Leaning down, he whispered, ¡°Ms. Lopez has informed me that she¡¯s still stuck in traffic. She has said that it might take her at least an hour to get here.¡± ¡°You can tell her to go back home. Tell her not to bother toe anymore.¡± Finnick did not even bother to turn his head. His sharp gaze was fixated on Vivian as he added cidly, ¡°I don''t like pretentious women.¡± ¡°But...¡± The young man, his assistant had an upset took upon his face. ¡°Your grandfather is pushing really hard for you to get married...¡± As though he had not heard his assistant¡¯s words, Finnick pushed the button on his wheelchair to move towards Vivian. ¡°Excuse me, miss? Would you please marry me?¡± Acrisp voice rang out, dragging Vivian out of the darkness that was threatening to swallow her whole. Raising her head, she was slightly surprised at what had met her eyes. She did not know when it happened, but a wheelchair-bound man seemed toe to a stop in front of her. His features were so perfect that they would take anyone''s breath away. Sharply defined brows that rested on a chiseled face, it looked as though his face was sculpted out of marble. He emerged resembling wless masterpiece. Despite the simplicity of his white dress shirt, the design entuated his lean, yet powerful build. Being seated in a wheelchair did not take anything away from his noble and proud air at all. On the contrary, it only seemed to make him appear more aloof and unapproachable. It was not until the man repeated his question that Vivian snapped out of the daze that she had fallen into. ¡°what?¡± ¡°I could not help but overhear your conversation earlier. You''re in a hurry to get married, aren''t you?¡± Her breath was stuck in her lungs at his words, as humiliation and distress swept through her. Not waiting for her to reply, the man continued in an indifferent tone. ¡°What a coincidence. I''m in the same boat. Since our goals are alike, why don¡¯t we tend each other a hand?¡± The way he said it made it sound as though he was talking about a business deal, not one of the most important events of life itself. At this point, Vivian finally understood that this man was being serious about them getting married.Nheless, we''ve only just met! Getting married right off the bat is far too outrageous! ¡°Mister, we don¡¯t even know each other! Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re being a little too hasty and impulsive?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know those men whom you went on blind dates with either.¡± His reply was calm and straightforward, catching Vivian off guard, leaving her speechless. ¡°Oh, | get it now. You''re looking down on me because I¡¯m a cripple, aren''t you?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± - was her automatic response. When she caught sight of the small glimmer of amusement in his dark orbs, she realized that she was doing exactly what he had wanted her to. ¡°Miss.¡± He folded his hands on hisp neatly before he fixed her a burning gaze. ¡°I''m pretty certain that you need this marriage very badly. If you miss out on this chance now, what makes you think that you''ll get another?¡± She had to admit that he was very convincing.He¡¯s right. | desperately need this marriage. Truthfully, it¡¯s probably more urate to say that | need to be registered in a household ount here in this city. Only then will | be eligible to apply for health insurance here, to pay for Mom''s expensive medical bills. Seconds ticked by as she stared at the man for a very long while. At longst, she squeezed out, ¡°Are you a permanent resident here, in Sunshine City?¡± His lips curled up into a small smirk. ¡°Yes.¡± Once again, Vivian fell silent. Her fingers tightened on her household register. Although he was crippled, the man before her possessed the mannerism and looks that were certainly leagues ahead of those horrible men that she had been blind dating recently.Oh Vivian, hasn''t your Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. sole aim for the past three months been to get married to a local resident as fast as you can? Now, the opportunity to do so is practically leaping into your arms!Why are you stil hesitating? Conflicting emotions swirled within her. In the end, she bit her lip and firmed her resolve. The woman nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, | agree.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 One hourter, Vivian walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau with the red marriage certificate clutched in her hands. She felt as though she was floating on air as if everything had been nothing but a dream. Never had she ever thought that she would one day suddenly marry a man that she had only met by chance.Perhaps this is fate? Lowering her eyes, she gazed at the photo of them sitting side by side. The man¡¯s expression was nk, while hers evidently disyed her unease and reservations. Beneath that photo were both of their names.How absurd is it that I¡¯ve only juste to learn of my new husband¡¯s name? From a marriage certificate, of all things!Finnick Norton. A simple but fitting name for a man like him. ¡°Vivian William?¡± The man- Finnick, was also staring at his marriage certificate. He pronounced her name slowly, the low timbre of his voice causing it to roll off his tongue smoothly. The way he uttered it sent shivers running down her spine. She was still reeling from her change in marital status when a hand suddenly appeared right before her. A card was pinched between its two fingers. ¡°Ms. William, I¡¯m aware that having a wedding and getting a wedding ring are some of the most anticipated events for a woman. Unfortunately, I¡¯m sorry to say that | don¡¯t have the time to deal with all that. If you¡¯d really like a ring, you can choose one yourself.¡± Tilting her head backwards, Vivian met Finnick¡¯s unreadable gaze. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± She hurriedly waved her hands in refusal at him. ¡°I don¡¯t care for such formalities.¡± She was long past the age where she would care for such romantic gestures. More importantly, she did not want to feel like she had owed him anything, even though he waswfully her husband. ¡°At the very least, get a ring.¡± With that said, he grabbed her wrist, as he stuffed his card into her hand. The moment their hands brushed against each other, the slight difference in their temperature sent a jolt, rushing through Vivian. She was rather surprised by his warmth. ¡°Fine then.¡± Since they were newlyweds, so to speak, she did not want to get into an argument with him over his good intentions. Hence, she epted the card and kept it aside in her bag. ¡°| have a meeting in the afternoon, so I''ll be leaving first. You''ll have to find your own transport.¡± His tone of voice was as neutral as ever. ¡°Okay.¡± She had not held any hope that he would actually treat her like a real wife, someone who he would love and spoil. That was why she was not disappointed at all that he was leaving her there. Abruptly remembering something, he spoke up again, ¡°By the way, I''ll send you my home addresster today. Just move in when it¡¯s convenient for you.¡± They had exchanged their phone numbers earlier when they were getting their marriage certificates. ¡°Im not in any hurry!¡± she quickly responded. Although it made sense that they would need to stay together after marrying, the truth was that she was simply not prepared to live under the same roof as a stranger just yet. Perhaps the rejection in her tone was too obvious, as Finnick soon lifted his head to nce at her. Vivian flushed a little, in embarrassment. However, he did not respond to that. All he did was push a button on his wheelchair to turn it in another direction. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I''ll be taking my leave now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She waited for him to get into a ck car before she soon took to depart as well. After that, she immediately called herpany¡¯s Human Resource Department. She told them that she was going to be registered in Sunshine City very soon. She heaved a deep sigh of relief once it was confirmed that they would apply for the local health insurance for both her and her family. While getting married today was quite a rash decision on her part, at the very least, she had finally managed to resolve the matter that had been guing her with worry for a while now. Atst, she would not need to agonize over her mother¡¯s medical bills. Upon arriving at mour Magazine, her workce, Vivian found that the time for their afternoon interview had yet to arrive. Using her remaining free time, she headed over to the shopping mall next door, to buy a pair of wedding rings with the card that Finnick had given her. Thereafter, she returned to her desk and sat down, nning on going through the information on this afternoon¡¯s interview onest time. Just then, Sarah slid her office chair over. Her eyes were gleaming as she asked, ¡°Vivian, what¡¯s up with the ring?¡± ¡°Quite the observant one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Vivian had no intention of hiding anything. After all, the Human Resource Department already knew that she had transferred her household register. Everyone in thepany would soone to know of her change in marital status. ¡°I¡¯ve recently gotten married.¡± ¡°Congrattions, Vivian!¡± Sarah scrutinized the ring,menting, ¡°Did your husband gift you this? It¡¯s not a very big diamond, is it? How much did it cost?¡± ¡°A little over one thousand.¡± Vivian did not know anything about Finnick¡¯s financial background so she had chosen a pair of the cheapest and simplest rings that she could find. Sarah¡¯s brows furrowed and she stated with a solemn expression on her face, ¡°Vivian, that simply won''t do at all! A wedding ring is a symbol of your marriage. How dependable can a man be, if he won¡¯t even buy you a better ring?¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s just doing the best that he can,¡± Vivian answered. Noting the sympathetic look in the other woman¡¯s eyes, she realized that Sarah probably thought that her new husband was not very well-off. ¡°That''s enough. Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± She swiftly changed the subject, unwilling to linger on it any longer. ¡°Are you ready for the interviewter?¡± ¡°Hahaha, most definitely!¡± Vivian¡¯s distraction tactic had been sessful, as Sarah soon gestured towards her attire. ¡°Vivian, what do you think? Am | beautiful?¡± It was only then Vivian noticed that her colleague was dressed in a pink and white skirt dress set. Her hair had also been styled carefully. ¡°You look amazing!¡± Vivianplimented. Tickled pink by her words of praise, Sarah¡¯s eyes soon lit up in delight. ¡°Then, do you suppose that I¡¯ll have a chance with the wealthy, bachelor president of Finnor Group?¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Vivian blinked in surprise, as an understanding dawned upon her as to why Sarah had gone through so much trouble to doll herself up. The person that they would be interviewingter this afternoon was the president of Finnor Group. In Sunshine City, Finnor Group was akin to that of a legend. Three years ago, thepany suddenly popped up out of nowhere. Rapidly, it managed to make a name for itself in the finance industry, using extremely aggressive methods. Within the next three years, it managed to be one of the financial magnates of Sunshine City, as it was on par with the top three families in the city. Yet, what had caught everyone¡¯s attention more, was the president of thepany. Even now, nobody knew what his name was, or how he looked like. His entire identity was a mystery, a fact that only added more to his allure. There was no better example to use, than Sarah, who specifically took time to dress up, when she found out they were going to interview the elusive president. Amusement glinted in Vivian¡¯s eyes as she teased, ¡°Sarah, are you sure that you¡¯d want to leave such a good impression on him? Aren''t you worried that the president might be a bald, old man?¡± ¡°Pfft! | don¡¯t believe that!¡± Sarah stomped her foot in annoyance. ¡°Rumor has it that he¡¯s supposed to be really young!¡± In contrast to Sarah¡¯s hopeful expression, Jenny was entirely serious as she stated, ¡°This interview is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so we need to be fully prepared for it. This is the first time that the president actually epted a media interview. Our sales will definitely reach an all-time high if we managed to get a photo of him.¡± Vivian nodded in understanding. It was true that the president of Finnor Group had never once epted an interview before. When mour Magazine first sent an invite over, he had initially refused, as per usual. Inexplicably, a call came in yesterday, saying that he had agreed to it. Needless to say, the sudden good news had shocked the chief editors. Upon running through the contents of the interview onest time, Vivian, Sarah, and Jenny headed over to Finnor Group with a photographer. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Finnor Group was located in the financial district of Sunshine City. They greeted the receptionist on the first floor, stating the reason for their visit. Then, they took the elevator all the way up to the top floor. ¡°Are you from mour Magazine?¡± The secretary came over to wee them the moment they stepped out of the elevator. ¡°Mr. Norton is already waiting inside for you.¡± With that said, she led them into the president''s office. Vivian paused slightly when she heard the secretary''s words. Mr. Norton? Who would have thought that the president of Finnor Group would share the same surname as my new husband? Right before they entered, the nervous Sarah tugged on Vivian''s sleeve, whispering, ¡°Is my hair alright? Is it messy? Oh, it better not be messed up...¡± Snickering softly, Vivian murmured in return, ¡°You¡¯re fine. Not a single hair is out of ce. It¡¯s-¡± At that moment, she happened to nce into the office as she spoke. Upon spotting the figure by the windows, she stiffened in surprise and trailed off. All thoughts about reassuring Sarah soon vanished. Just then, Sarah¡¯s gazended on the man as well. Soon enough, she forgot all about her appearance. The shock was evident in her voice as she muttered, ¡°Oh my god, the president of Finnor Group... He¡¯s actually sitting in a wheelchair?¡± Before Vivian could say anything, the wheelchair slowly whirled around to face them. Sarah gasped. ¡°Woah! H-he¡¯s so handsome! He¡¯s more handsome than a celebrity!¡± The fact that he was sitting in a wheelchair waspletely overshadowed by his attractiveness. Hence, Sarah could not contain her awed whispers. Vivian did not hear a single word that she had uttered. Her attention was focused on the man too, but for entirely different reasons than her colleague. At that moment, her brain felt as though it had stopped working, as she stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. The rays of light pouring in from the window had cast the sharp angles of his face in the shadows, while his dark orbs were as cold as ever. It was Finnick. The president of Finnor Group is Finnick? Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The revtion stunned Vivian. Before she could react, Finnick shot them a small smile. ¡°You are from mour Magazine, right? Please take a seat.¡± ¡°Vivian, what are you still standing around for?¡± The reminder from Sarah snapped Vivian out of her daze, as she soon followed them to the couch. Finnick glided over and stopped in front of them. Sarah''s face was full of excitement as she asked, ¡°Mr. Norton, may we begin?" ¡°Sure.¡± Finnick¡¯s expression was rather cid. Up till now, he had not even given Vivian a second nce. It was almost like they wereplete strangers. His distant attitude had even caused Vivian to wonder if this man was just a random person who had a striking resemnce to her new husband. ¡°Well... Mr. Norton, since you''ve been very mysterious so far, everyone is dying to know what your full name is.¡± Blushing a bright red, Sarah began the interview. ¡°Do you mind telling us your name?¡± ¡°Finnick Norton,¡± he replied sinctly. The moment the words left his thin lips, Vivian¡¯s hopes were dashed. Finnick Norton. He really is my new husband! ¡°Finnick Norton. What a pleasant name!¡± Jenny ttered with a smile. ¡°Next, we would like to ask you a series of questions.¡± With that, Jenny tured to shoot Vivian a pointed look. Upon noticing that Vivian was still staring at Finnick stupidly, she surreptitiously pinched the daydreaming woman. ¡°Ouch!¡± Vivian eximed in pain as she returned to her senses. Beforeing here, they had all agreed that Vivian would do the interview, while Sarah and Jenny jotted down the notes. Faced with Jenny¡¯s reproving re, Vivian quickly calmed her raging emotions as she put on a professional air. ¡°Mr. Norton, are you a local of Sunshine City?¡± ¡°Il guess you could say that I¡¯m half a local.¡± In stark contrast to Vivian''s earlier panic, Finnick was as cool as a cucumber. ¡°| was born here but I''d left for A Nation when | was really young.¡± At his words, Vivian suddenly felt like she had wanted to burst out inughter. The man sitting across from her was supposed to be her husband, yet she knew absolutely nothing about him. However, she was working now, so she pushed aside her random thoughts. She continued the interview, going down the list of questions that they had prepared beforehand. The interview went on smoothly after that. Finnick was rather cooperative, albeit a little cold. Still, he was nothing like the unreasonable and unkind man that the rumors said he was. Getting into the flow of things, Vivian temporarily forgot that she was actually interviewing her husband. However, when her eyesnded on the next question, her words got stuck in her throat. An awkward silence descended upon the office. ¡°Vivian, what are you doing?¡± Sarah nudged her. She stered an apologetic smile on her face. ¡°My apologies, Mr. Norton. This next question is rather personal and I''m sure that a lot of our female readers will be interested in your answer.¡± Squashing aside the strange feeling that was burning in her chest, Vivian forced herself to ask, ¡°Are you single, Mr. Norton?¡± Vivian could have bitten off her tongue at the stupid question that had escaped her lips. Ugh, if only Sarah and Jenny weren''t here right now. | wouldn''t have to ask this question that | already know the answer to! Nervous, she raised her head to nce into Finnick¡¯s eyes. She could have sworn that she had Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. glimpsed a slight hint of amusement, shing through his emotionless orbs. However, it was gone as fast as it hade, leaving her to wonder if she had merely imagined it. He opened his mouth and drawled, ¡°Well... what do you think, miss?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat at his response. What do | think? | don¡¯t even need to think about it! Despite her inner thoughts, she still managed to quirk her lips up in a small grin. ¡°Let me guess... A man with such outstanding achievements as yourself, I¡¯m certain that you¡¯re already married. Am | right, Mr. Norton?¡± Thereafter, she avoided his gaze, as guilt crept up on her. In the next instant, she berated herself for feeling so. Why should | feel guilty? He¡¯s the one who had concealed his real identity from me! He kept pretending that he didn¡¯t know me! I¡¯m not in the wrong here! Across from her, Finnick took note of the minor changes in her expressions, as her conflicting emotions yed out, all over her face. Almost imperceptibly, his lips twitched upwards. Even before this interview, he already knew that she would be the one who would be interviewing him. In all actuality, it was probably more urate to say that he had only agreed to it because he found out that she worked at mour Magazine. She thought that today was the first time that they had met. In truth, he had seen her three days ago when she was on a blind date. At that time, he was quite certain that he had never seen her before. Yet, somehow, she seemed incredibly familiar to him. Thus, he instructed his men to investigate her. It was pure coincidence that he had met her again, this morning, at the Civil Affairs Bureau. The man whom she was supposed to marry had not shown up. He had even called to humiliate her. Recalling the information that his men had found out, he had approached her and suggested that they marry each other instead. He had tossed the earlier question to her to answer because he wanted to tease her. He had not expected that she would be so nervous and shy about it. It did not match what he had known of her past at all. The serene look on his face was unchanging as he uttered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m already married. It only happened in the past few days actually.¡± As he said that, his eyes flicked over to Vivian, causing her heart to pound faster. Before she could respond, Sarah let out an exaggerated cry of dismay. ¡°Mr. Norton, you¡¯re already married? Aww, all our female readers are going to be heartbroken!¡± Sarah sighed mournfully before she perked up and prodded, ¡°I wonder what sort of woman Mr. Norton''s wife is? Is she a daughter from one of the influential families?¡± ¡°Sarah!¡± Vivian tugged at the nosy woman''s arm. That''s certainly not on the list of questions that we had prepared. It¡¯s way too personal and it¡¯s rather rude too! Thankfully, Finnick did not get upset. He smiled ndly as he chose to remain silent. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough of asking Mr. Norton about his private life. Let''s move on to the questions rted to thepany.¡± Not wanting to linger on the topic of marriage for too long, Vivian hurriedly brought the interview back on track. The next few questions were straight to the point, as they were entirely focused on his job. At longst, the interview ended on a safe note. ¡°I¡¯m very happy to have received this interview from mour Magazine.¡± Finnick shook each of their hands after the session had ended. When it was Vivian¡¯s turn, he paused for a second, his gaze fixed on the ring that she was wearing. His lips curled up into a smirk. ¡°What a beautiful ring.¡± Vivian¡¯s cheeks felt warm, as a blush bloomed upon her face. She snatched her hand back and followed the others out of the office. The tension running through her only diminished, once they had exited. Beside her, Sarah shrieked in joy, ¡°Oh my god! | actually shook hands with the president of Finnor Group! I¡¯m not going to wash my hand for a week!¡± Exasperated, Vivian was about to chastise the other woman, when she saw Finnick¡¯s secretary walking towards them. There were several small but intricate boxes in her hands. ¡°Hello, this is a small token of appreciation from our president to each of you. Please ept it.¡± epting one of the boxes, Sarah was increasingly ecstatic. ¡°Oh wow, we¡¯d even received a gift too! How thoughtful of Mr. Norton!¡± She eagerly opened the box, revealing a Chanel silk scarf inside. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s not surprising that he¡¯s the president! His generosity is really something!¡± she gushed. ¡°Look, we each have a different color too! Vivian, hurry up and open yours. | want to see what color yours is.¡± Vivian did not wish to open the box, but Sarah continued to wheedle her relentlessly. Unable to bear it any longer, she lifted the lid.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Upon catching a glimpse of what was inside, her face fell. She quickly mmed the lid shut, before the others could see what it was. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¡°I-lt''s nothing,¡± Vivian stammered out. Hiding the box behind her back, she added, ¡°It''s the same color as yours. Err... I''m having a terrible stomachache. | need to rush to the bathroom!¡± She did not wait for a response as she fled for the nearest bathroom. As soon as she was in the privacy of the cubicle, she perched on the toilet seat lid and carefully lifted the lid of the box once again. Unlike Sarah and the others¡¯ silk scarves, there was a bunch of keys in her box instead. She was still staring at it in dumbfounded shock when she received a message. Finnick had sent her his home address, which revealed that he was living in the most expensive vi neighborhood in Sunshine City. His address and a bunch of keys. He was serious about me moving in to live with him? | guess it''s not wrong of him to think as such; after all. we arewfully wedded fo one another. It''s normal for us to live together... Soon after that, she left the bathroom and headed back to the magazinepany with Sarah and the rest. They had managed to get several good shots of Finnick during this interview. However, they did not dare to publish his photo without his consent. Hence, the chief editor called to ask Finnick if they were allowed to do so. The chief editor had only done this because he had wanted to try his luck. He did not really expect a positive response. After all, the president of Finnor Group had always been hiding in the shadows. Agreeing to an interview was already a huge surprise on his end. To the utter amazement of everyone, Finnick had actually agreed! Immediately, the entire magazine ¡°Damn! The president of Finnor Group is allowing us to publish his photo? Looks like we''re going to be famous!" Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Quick, quick! Show us his photo! Is he really as handsome as Sarah ims?¡± Previously, Vivian and the others had not dared to show Finnick¡¯s photos without his consent. Now that he had given them permission to use his photos, they took them out for public viewing. All the women in the magazinepany squealed and shrieked when they saw his photos. ¡°Hot damn! He''s so gorgeous! Sarah, the way that you''d described him doesn¡¯t do him justice at alll¡± ¡°Yeah! None of the celebrities canpare to him! None at alll¡± ¡°Hey, why is Mr. Norton''s chair so weird? It kinda looks like... a wheelchair?" Someone had finally noticed the wheelchair that Finnick was sitting in, as a hush soon descended upon them. Sarah spoke up loudly, ¡°Yeah, Mr. Norton is wheelchair-bound. But so what? He''s handsome and filthy rich. To me, that still makes him Prince Charming!¡± All the other women fervently agreed, which sent jealousy shooting through their male colleagues. The men scoffed and made disparagingments. ¡°Who cares if he''s rich and handsome? Do you know that nearly eighty percent of men in wheelchairs can''t ¡®perform¡¯ anymore?¡± ¡°That''s right! Didn''t you say that he was already married? His poor wife is probably going to have to remain celibate for the rest of her life.¡± Cough, cough, cough! Vivian, who had been quietly listening to their chatter while drinking water, very nearly spat the liquid out. As it was, she choked and started to cough violently. One of her colleagues moved over to pat her back. ¡°Vivian, what¡¯s wrong with you? It seems as though Mr. Norton¡¯s charm is just too much for our perpetually calm Vivian too, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± Sarah piped up, ¡°You guys should have seen her just now at the interview. She was so nervous!¡± Grimacing slightly, Vivian protested, ¡°Hey, don''t speak of such lies! | wasn¡¯t the one swooning over him like a fangirl.¡± ¡°How could | not?" Sarah cradled her cheeks while admiration shone in her eyes. ¡°He''s simply too perfect! If it weren''t for his crippled legs, he would be the stereotypical president male lead, like in all those romance novels!¡± It was clear that the women werepletely ignoring their male colleagues¡¯ scornful remarks. For the next few days, the magazinepany was busy, working on the article about Finnick. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits as they threw themselves into their work with newfound gusto. At longst, it was the weekend. Vivian waspletely burned out from the hectic week. Nheless, she was still unable to rest, to her utter misfortune. First, she took the time to visit her mother in the hospital. After that, she went back home to pack her belongings, in preparation for moving into Finnick''s house. She was worried about dragging this on any longer. She did not want him to think she was being insincere in the ¡®rtionship¡¯ of theirs. As she had expected, Finnick¡¯s vi was massive, with a slight hint of a mid-century design in its architecture. He did not have a lot of servants in his vi, only an old couple named Liam and Molly. Liam helped Vivian in carrying her luggage to the master bedroom on the second floor. The interior was a simplistic but modern design. Opening the closet, she noted that half of it was filled with men¡¯s clothing, while the other half was empty. Understanding dawned upon her. She would be sleeping in the same room as Finnick. Not finding anything wrong with that, she put her own belongings in, neatly filling up the closet. By the time she had finished unpacking, it was already nighttime. Finnick was still not yet home though. Her dinner was a te of spaghetti, cooked by Molly. When she was done, she returned to the master bedroom to take a shower. Done with her shower, she reached out for a towel to dry herself, only to realize that she had forgotten to bring one in with her. Cursing herself for being so careless, she warred with herself for several long moments. In the end, she carefully cracked open the bathroom door and peeked out. Seeing that there was no one in the room, Vivian stepped outside fully and sprinted for the closet. Water dripped down her wet body,nding on the floor. Just as she was rummaging through the closet for a towel, she heard a loud click from behind her. She jumped a little in shock, as she whirled around to see Finnick entering the room in his wheelchair. The man was visibly astounded to see her as well, evidently not expecting his new wife to be so bold as to wee him home in such a... provoking manner. Vivian froze to the spot, as her mind went nk. When her brain kicked into gear again, she let out a shrill scream as she dashed towards the bathroom. Unfortunately for her, the floor was slippery from the water that she had shed, on her trek across the room. Her feet slid out from beneath her and she fell forward. ¡°Watch out!¡± Finnick''s expression scrunched up, as he swiftly moved his wheelchair over to catch her. Thankfully, he got there in time, so she tumbled right into hisp. As his fingers brushed against her soft and wet body. he stilled in surprise. Bowing his head, he took in the two spots of bright red on her cheeks. Although Vivian was not a typical world-ss beauty, her features were delicate and fine. She was the sort of woman that would appear increasingly beautiful, the more one had looked at her. This moment was one that was as such. Her face was free of all makeup, while her damp hair was tucked behind her ears. Beads of water trickled down her silky strands, trailing down, past her prominent corbones and along the curves of her petite figure. Finnick swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling as dry as parchment, as his eyes darkened considerably. Finally righting herself, Vivian lifted her head and met the man''s heated gaze. She was no innocent child. She knew what the look in his eyes had meant. Oh no! ¡°S-sorry...¡± She instantly tried to get back on her feet. While scrambling to stand, her handsnded on Finnick¡¯s legs as she paused briefly. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 However, there was no time to think over what she had felt. Not daring to look Finnick in the eyes again, she rushed for the bathroom. mming the door shut, she leaned back against it, with her heart thumping in her chest rapidly. That was too close! Just a little bit more and... Just the thought of what could have happened scared her. At the same time, she was a little puzzled. We''re officially married, so technically us doing ¡®that¡¯ is normal and within reason. {s it mean of me to run off like that? Even as she wondered this, the dangerous look in his eyes shed past her mind again. She could not help the shiver that had run down her spine. This was only the third time that she and Finnick had seen each other. She could not ept them having sexual rtions, after only knowing each other for such a short period of time. Nevertheless, taking into ount his earlier reaction, did that mean that her male colleagues had been wrong? Finnick had been affected, just like any other normal man. So, did that mean that he was not affected at all in ¡®that¡¯ way, despite being crippled? Realizing where her thoughts were heading, she mentally pped herself. Vivian William, what are you thinking! Why do you care about whether those functions of his are normal? The only reason that you''d married him was to get in the household register of Sunshine City! Stop thinking about all this other nonsense! Though, there was one thing that was very strange. When she had fallen into Finnick''sp earlier, she had identally touched his legs. She had always thought that wheelchair-bound people would have thin, weak legs, from not being able to use their muscles. Oddly enough, his legs were actually quite firm. They were nothing at all like how a crippled man¡¯s legs should be... Knock, knock. The sudden rapping on the bathroom door had cut through her chaotic thought processes. Nearty jumping out of her skin, Vivian lifted her head to stare at the door. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Open the door.¡± Finnick''s deep voice called out from the other side. Her heart leaped to her throat as it threatened to crawl out of her mouth. Open the door? Why? Recalling the lustful look in his eyes earlier, her fingers gripped the countertop harder, as her imagination ran wild. Since Finnick did not get a reply from her, he spoke up again, ¡°You''d dropped something.¡± At such words, her thoughts screeched to a halt, as she soon hesitated. Several momentster, she approached the door and opened it up a tiny sliver. A fine-boned hand appeared, with a fluffy white towel. Vivian was taken aback. ¡°You were looking for this earlier, weren''t you? That''s why you hade out.¡± There was a barely noticeable note ofughter in his tone, causing her to blush brightly. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured while epting the towel. She hastily closed the door after that. When she was done drying and dressing, she exited the bathroom to see Finnick already dressed in navy blue silk pajamas. He was sitting on the bed, with hisptop on his legs. His fingers flew across his keyboard rapidly, as he seemed engrossed with whatever he was doing. This scene had Vivian''s curiosity rearing its head again. She had thought that with him having difficulties getting around, he would have had a lot more servants to care for him. Yet, there were only Molly and Liam in this entire house to look after his needs. ¡®t is strange that he does not have a personal caretaker. How did he get on the bed himself? Doesn''t he have to shower? Unable to restrain herself anymore, she asked, ¡°Hey... Do you need to take a shower?¡± ¡°I''ve already showered,¡± was his simple reply. And here | was, worried that he would have trouble cleaning himself. Yet he¡¯s already showered? Wait a minute, he has bathed somewhere else. other than here? Does that mean that he has another woman on the side? The random, ridiculous thought had her scoffing at herself mentally. Truthfully enough, she would not have minded it if he really did have someone else. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She made her way towards the desk, nning on packing the things that she would need for work tomorrow. A glint caught her eye and she saw that it was the ring that she had taken off before she had gone into the bathroom. She paused, having forgotten about the pair of rings that she had bought earlier today. Back then, she had not known that her husband was a billionaire and president of such a powerful Now, it would seem as though the ring was absolutely unbefitting of a man of his stature. With this thought in mind, she snuck a nce at the man on the bed. Satisfied that he was focused on his work, she quickly stuffed her own ring into her bag. She then dug out the ring that was meant for him and stuffed it into one of the dressing table''s drawers. Only after that did she crawl into bed. To her immense relief, the bed was rather spacious, with two sets of bedding and pillows. Sitting on her side of the bed, there was still half a meter between them. ¡°You''re done?¡± Finnick questioned when he sensed her settling down. He did not even look away from his screen. ¡°Yeah.¡± She eyed his screen inquisitively. She knew that hispany had mainly dealt with financial bonds. The red and green graphs dominating the screen made absolutely no sense to her, so she gave up trying to understand. ¡°Shall we sleep?" The man¡¯s head abruptly tilted slightly, so that he could nce at her from theer of his eyes. ¡°Sure.¡± Less than a minuteter, Finnick shut down hisptop and turned off the bedsidemps. As darkness epassed the room, Vivian grew nervous. Even now, she had no idea why he had wanted to marry her. Thus, she did not know if he would be engaging in sexual rtions with her. She continued to lie there stiffly, as the minutes ticked by. Eventually, Finnick''s breathing evened out and she could finally rx. Within seconds, she had fallen into a deep slumber. The next morning. Vivian''s phone rm rang on time and she woke up. Finnick was already gone, the space beside her empty and cold. It did not take her long to go through her morning routine. Putting on a lightyer of makeup, she headed downstairs. She was only at the staircase when she smelled the delicious aroma of breakfast. Molly was bustling around the kitchen when she noticed Vivian. A warm smile bloomed on her face as she greeted, ¡°Mrs. Norton, you''re awake! Come,e, have some breakfast!" ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Finnick was already seated at the dining table. One hand held up a newspaper while the other lifted up his mug to take a sip. When Vivian''s gazended on his slender fingers, her eyes brightened in shock. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 There, on his ring finger, was a simple and in ring. It was the one that she had bought yesterday. Utterly stunned by the revtion, she temporarily forgot to sit down at the table. In the end, Finnick raised his head to nce at her. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± His eyes moved to nce at her empty finger before his brow rose up in question. ¡°Where''s your ring?¡± Embarrassment coursed through Vivian. She had felt like the rings that she had bought were not worthy of his status. Hence, she had not wom her own. What | had not expected was for him to find the nng and actually put it on! Left with no other choice, Vivian fished her ring out from her bag and slipped it onto her finger. She murmured lowly, ¡°Sorry, | picked this design at random.¡± Finnick''s lips curled upward. ¡°It''s fine. It looks very nice.¡± Not sure what to say to that, the woman soon sat down and focused on eating her breakfast. After they were done, Finnick set his newspaper aside and stated, ¡®I''ll take you to work.¡± ¡°There''s no need for that,¡± Vivian answered swiftly. ¡°I can hail a taxi or take the subway.¡± Heck no! If anyone at the magazinepany recognizes you, the women are going to tear me to pieces! ¡°There aren''t any subway stations near here and you won''t be able to catch a taxi either.¡± His brows furrowed slightly. it was true. On her way here yesterday, Vivian had noticed that this was a neighborhood for the filthy rich. All the residents here had their own cars. Naturally, there would not be any taxis or subway stations around. She checked the time only to see that it was getting a bitte. Resigned, she uttered, ¡°Then I''ll have to trouble you. Could you drop me off at a subway station on the way to yourpany?¡± He leveled her with a nk gaze for several long moments, causing her to panic internally. At longst, he gave her a nod. By the time they exited the vi, a ck Bentley was already waiting for them. A young man was standing beside the car. He introduced himself as Noah Lotte, Finnick''s personal assistant. Noah opened the car door but made no move to help Finnick. Just as Vivian was wondering how he would get in, a ramp descended from the vehicle. Soon, his wheelchair rolled up smoothly. She entered the car, whereupon she discovered that the interior had been modified as well. There was a specific area for Finnick''s wheelchair. Sitting down on a seat, the car soon started up and they were off to the nearest subway station. The car rolled to a stop before the subway station. Through the windows, Finnick took in the crowded ce with a small frown. ¡®It''s rather inconvenient for you to go to work like this. If you don''t want me to take you to work, | can get you a car.¡± Astonished at his words, she instantly refused, ¡°There¡¯s really no need for that.¡± Of course, she knew that buying a car was nothing to him. However, she still did not feelfortable spending his money. Her immediate rejection of his offer had Finnick''s eyes darkening as he rumbled, ¡°I''m not always at the vi. How will you get to work then?¡± That was something that she had been pondering, ever since she had gotten into the car. She took out her phone and waved it at him, replying, ¡®It''s really easy and convenient to hail a taxi now. I''ll have to wake up a little earlier to book one. Erm... I''m going to bete soon, so | have to go. Bye.¡± She did not wait for his response as she practically fled from the car. From his position inside the vehicle, Finnick stared at the rapidly retreating back, with an indecipherable look in his eyes. Noah had noticed where his boss''s attention was ced and he could not help butment, ¡°Mr. Norton, is it just me, or is Mrs. Norton rather different from what our investigation has suggested?¡± Finnick''s tone was thoughtful as he murmured, ¡°She really is quite different.¡± He had honestly never expected that she would so swiftly and thoroughly reject his offer of buying her a car. Based on what Noah had managed to find out of her past, she was a shallow woman, who would do anything just for a bit of money. That was the exact reason why he had chosen her. A woman who could be satisfied with a small amount of money was infinitely safer and easier to control, aspared to the young daughters from influential families. After all. they only ever had one thing in mind- obtaining all of his fortunes. There was another reason for his choice. He could admit that she did not irk him as much as the other women. Nheless, she was acting on the contrary, to his expectations. /t was almost as if she had not cared for his wealth at ail. Or maybe she was a lot smarter than he had thought and was merely ying hard to get? Perhaps she had some other long-term n? Eyes darkening, he finally turned his gaze away from the direction that she had left. ¡°Drive.¡± At the financial district of Sunshine City, on the top floor of Finnor Group. Finnick was sitting at his desk, his fingers darting across his keyboard. In response to his actions, the images and data on his screen changed. Ring. ring. Suddenly, his phone rang and he reached out to answer it. Noah''s voice came through the other end of the line, ¡°Mr. Norton, Mr. Lawson is here.¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± A few secondster, his office door swung open and a man in a mboyant, pink dress shirt flounced inside. ¡°Finnick, why are you still working?¡± The other man cried out in an exaggerated manner, ¡°You''ve finally married someone! Even if you refuse to have a wedding ceremony, the least you could do is go on a honeymoon or something!¡± Finnick''s eyes never left his screen as he retorted shortly, ¡°I''ve got no time for that.¡± The other man sat down in front of his desk, not at all angry at Finnick¡¯s cold attitude. His eyes crinkled in a smile as he chortled, ¡°Your poor wife! How could she have married such a boring man, like yourself? At longst, Finnick lifted his head to pin the other man down with a nk stare. ¡°Stiles, just what are you trying to imply?¡± ¡°I''m just feeling kind of bored. | want to meet your wife.¡± The grin stretching Stiles¡¯ lips widened. ¡°Forget it,¡± Finnick did not even hesitate in refusing. ¡°You know why I''ve married her.¡± ¡°Yes, | do.¡± Stiles pouted before the amusement left him and he continued seriously, ¡°Whatever the case, you have a family now. It''s about time that you let go of what had happened in the Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. past.¡± Hisst sentence had Finnick''s fingers tensing imperceptibly. He was silent for a while before he uttered, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as letting go when ites to this. Dead people don''te back to life.¡± Stiles¡¯ mouth opened and he seemed like he had wanted to say something. However, the words got stuck in his throat, as they refused to leave his mouth. In the end, he swallowed them back down. After a few seconds, he queried, ¡°What about the little girl from all those years ago? Have you found anything yet?" Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°We''ve found some clues,¡± Finnick stated simply. ¡°That''s great!¡± Another grin appeared on Stiles¡¯ face. ¡°And here | was, wondering how you were going to repay her for what she had done. | had hoped that you would offer yourself up to her, but it turns out that you''ve already given yourself to another woman.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Finnickpletely ignored his friend''s shameless teasing. Stiles pouted a little, seeing as he was unable to get a rise out of the other man. Then, his gaze shifted to Finnick''s wheelchair as his eyes gleamed. ¡°Finnick, have you told your wife about your legs yet?¡± Finnick, who had been scrolling through the finance department reports, stopped moving his mouse. A few beatster, he muttered, ¡°No.¡± Stiles furrowed his brows. ¡°Finnick, it¡¯s not that | want to be a nag, but it really doesn''t matter what reason you''ve martied her for. Since you''re already husband and wife, are you sure that you still want to keep the truth from her? Maybe...¡± Here he paused for several seconds, debating on whether or not he should continue. At longst, he gritted his teeth and forged on, ¡°Maybe you should try to ept your new wife. You can''t always live in the shadows of the past.¡± He was all too familiar with Finnick¡¯''s personality. Although Finnick had insisted that the only reason that he had married the woman was to deal with his grandfather, there was no way that he would ept marriage and living together with her, unless he had truly liked her. Finnick did not speak. A short whileter, he was done reading through the reports. Only then did he respond in a soft voice. ¡°| can''t forget about her. Stiles was rather stunned. He took a closer look at Finnick¡¯s face, noticing the calm indifference on it. Pity shed in his eyes. The car ident that had happened ten years ago was a nightmare for everyone. Everybody thought that Finnick had lost the use of his legs in that car crash. It turned out that they were all wrong. What Finnick had lost in that car crash was not his legs. Rather, it was his heart. When Vivian returned home after work, Molly and Liam came into the living room with their luggage. ¡°Molly, Liam, what are you...¡± ¡°Mrs. Norton, our son is getting married tomorrow, so we''re going to his wedding!¡± Liam rified with a delighted grin. ¡°Really? Congrattions! How many days will you be gone for?" ¡°The wedding will take ce here in Sunshine City, so we''ll be back tomorrow night.¡± Molly smiled pleasantly. However, a worried expression crossed her face when she turned to look at Finnick. ¡°However, with nobody at home, Mr. Norton would have no one to prepare breakfast for him.¡± Vivian was speechless. Is this how the rich live? It''s merely breakfast! Do they really need to hire someone to specifically cook for them? ¡°It''s fine.¡± Finnick¡¯s deep voice interrupted her thoughts. ¡°Vivian, you know how to cook, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± was her eloquent response. Locking gazes with his dark orbs, she stuttered out, ¡°I-I do...¡± Then, remembering the hearty breakfast that Molly had cooked in the morning, she could not help but add, ¡°Just a little...¡± There was a brief flicker of amusement in Finnick¡¯s eyes before it was gone. ¡°That''s enough then,¡± he intoned. The next morning. Vivian woke up an hour earlier than normal tobor over breakfast. She was just about to head upstairs to call Finnick down when he had appeared out of the elevator. ¡°Do you have batteries?¡± Bewildered at the question, it took her a moment to realize that he was holding an electric shaver in his hands. Taking the shaver from him, she checked the battery slot. ¡°You need a button cell for this. Are there any in the house?¡± ¡°No¡± She eyed the stubble lining his jaw, confirming that he really did need a shave. ¡°Are there any supermarkets or convenience stores nearby?¡± ¡°No¡± Exasperated, she pressed, ¡°There''s nothing around here?¡± He shook his head. Vivian could have wept at the way that these rich people had lived. ¡°Now what shall we do?" she huffed in frustration. ¡°Maybe you could get that assistant of yours to buy one and bring it over?" ¡°He¡¯s already on his way here. | have a very important meetingter that | can''t afford to bete to.¡± Finnick¡¯s brows furrowed and he added, ¡°I asked Liam and he''d said that he has a new razor. However, it¡¯s not electric so | don''t really know how to use it.¡± She stared at him for a while until it clicked in her brain. She soon understood the reason that he was here. He had wanted her to help him shave! ¡°Where is it?¡± She could not help but find him rather adorable at the moment. Pursing her lips, she continued, ¡°I know how to use one and | can do it for you.¡± ¡°It''s in the storage closet.¡± Rummaging around in the aforementioned closet, it did not take her long to find the razor. It was a traditional razor, the kind that had needed to be used together with shaving foam. She thered a thickyer of foam on his jaw before she began to carefully shave his stubble. Their faces were so close to one another that her breaths had puffed against his cheeks lightly. All Finnick had to do was lift his gaze a little and he would be able to get an up-close look at her face. He could even see the tiny hairs on her smooth, pale skin. They reminded him of peach fuzz. As though she had sensed his gaze, her already tensed nerves tightened further. ¡°What''s wrong? Did | nick you?¡± ¡°No.¡± His voice was as cold as ever. ¡°I was just thinking about how much you''re really acting like my wife right now.¡± Taken aback by his statement, Vivian''s cheeks warmed in a blush. We are husband and wife. yet he used the word ¡°acting like.¡± Does this mean that, like me, he feels that this abrupt marriage of ours is too surreal? ¡°Alright, I''m done.¡± In little to no time at all, she was finished. Wiping away the remaining foam, she eyed her handiwork and smiled. ¡°I''ve done a good job.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured before wheeling over to the dining table to eat. Due to their earlier intimate actions, breakfast was a rather awkward ordeal. Vivian had even forgotten to ask him if he was satisfied with her cooking. Noah arrived soon after they had finished eating. Since Finnick was in a hurry today, he would not be able to drop her off at the subway station. Hence, Vivian called a taxi to take her directly to the magazinepany. The moment she stepped inside, she discovered that the pleasant atmosphere from yesterday was gone. In its ce was a tense and nervous air. Grabbing Sarah''s arm, she whispered, ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Vivian, didn''t you read your email this moming?¡± Sarah''s eyes were wide as she answered. ¡°Yesterday, someone bought over ourpany! All the higher-ups have been switched out!¡± Vivian was dumbfounded at the news. Their magazinepany was not very big, but it had still been around for quite a while. Why would it suddenly be sold off? She did not get a chance to reply as there was a disturbance near the doors. ¡°He''sing! The new Chief Editor ising!¡± ncing over, she saw a tall figure striding into thepany, with a cluster of people following behind him. When she got a closer look at the man¡¯s face, she felt as though a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over her head. Her blood froze in her veins. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 He was almost as she had remembered him, albeit the angles of his face were sharper, and had lost the youthfulness that he had during his university years. The way that he carried himself was also a lot more mature and steady. However, what had changed the most was the expression on his face. Gone was the warmth that she recalled seeing on his face every day. All that was left was a harsh and hard took. Currently, he was listening to his subordinates¡¯ reports. Every now and then, he would nod and utter out a fewmands. Not once had his gaze evernded on her, as the group swept past her and entered the Chief Editor''s office. The color drained from Vivian''s face. Fabian Norton... Why is he back here? Two years ago, he had suddenly left, without even saying goodbye. Why has he returned now? It had been two years. She had more or less given up on their broken rtionship by now. However, his abrupt reappearance in her life still had waves of emotions crashing against her relentlessly, threatening to drown her entirely. She did not even know if he had recognized her as she had him, at first nce. At this, a self-deprecating smirk curled her lips. Does it matter if he recognizes me or not? He and |... We¡¯re fated to be apart. There¡¯s no way that we can go back to how we''d used Io be... The rest of the day passed in a haze of unease and worry. She was worried that Fabian would recognize her. Reality would soon prove that her worries were unfounded. Being new to his position, Fabian was kept busy in meetings with the various departments. There would be changes happening around the magazinepany. In one of the meetings, he listened intently, as the senior editors made their reports, giving ament or order here and there. He never once paid any attention to Vivian, who was sitting at the far end of the table. Seems like he¡¯s forgotten me... But | guess that¡¯s expected of him. if | had been anything of worth to him, he would not have left without a word two years ago. I''ve never heard from him ever since either. The hours passed by agonizingly slow to Vivian. At longst, it was time to get off of work. Not wanting to stay in the office a second longer, she hurriedly snatched up her bag and prepared to leave. Unfortunately, her senior editor suddenly called out to her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Hold on, Vivian. Could you take this document to Mr. Norton for me, please? Give him a verbal report as well.¡± Vivian stiffened before she slowly turned around to face the other woman. Her voice was slightly pleading as she uttered, ¡°Lesley, | have something urgent to attend to at home. Could you-¡± Her senior editor, Lesley Jenson, was already in a foul mood from a meeting earlier where she had been rebuked. At hearing Vivian''s refusal, a terrible scowl twisted her face. ¡°So, you think that you''re all that just because you got to interview the president of Finnor Group, is that it?* Paling at the sharp words that had escaped Lesley, Vivian had no choice but to reply, ¡°Don''t be silly, Lesley. I''ll get right to it.¡± She took the document from Lesley and walked toward Fabian¡¯s office. Standing in front of the door, she took several deep breaths to calm herself before raising her hand to rap on it. Knock, knock. Just that one simple motion seemed to have drained all the energy out of her. ¡°Come in.¡± Upon hearing his familiar voice invite her in, she pushed the door open and entered. Although Fabian¡¯s office was not asvish as Finnick¡¯s, it was still quite luxuriously furnished. The man was sitting behind his desk, flipping through the magazine that had featured the interview with Finnick. ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± Vivian struggled to make her voicee out steadily. ¡°Senior editor Jenson wants me to give you a simple report on the interview with the president of Finnor Group.¡± Fabian hummed in acknowledgment, not bothering to lift his head. Thus, Vivian steeled herself and began her report. Even after she was done, he did not make a single sound. At this point, she was at her wit¡¯s end. Her voice tremored a little despite her best efforts, ¡°Err... Sir, if there''s nothing else that you need, I''ll be taking my leave.¡± With that said, she spun around and made her way towards the door. Just as her handnded on the handle of the door, arge hand seized hers tightly. Fabian¡¯s eyes were narrowed, as he zeroed in on the ring on her finger. ¡°You''re married?¡± Not having the courage to look him in the eyes, she turned her head away and nodded. She did not see the way that his emotions had coiled, in his dark orbs, as he red at the ring on her finger. Abruptly, a mocking smirk curved his lips. ¡°Vivian William, in the end, the man you¡¯d chosen could only afford to buy you this in, simple crushed diamond ring?¡¯ As though something had only just urred to him, a disdainful and disgusted look crossed his face. ¡°Then again, a woman who would be willing to sell her body for the sake of money can be easily bought off. It wouldn¡¯t have been hard for a man to obtain you.¡± Vivian was thunderstruck at his words. Her face paled dramatically and she was as pale as a sheet. ¡°Y-you... You Know about what happened two years ago?" she was barely able to choke out, while her lips trembled. Fabian grunted in reply. For some reason, his chest ached dully, seeing that her first response was not to deny it. He squeezed her wrist tighter, his voiceing out frosty, ¡°Yes, | do. In fact, I''d already known about it two years ago. You know, | really have to thank you, Vivian. I''m grateful that you¡¯ve shown me just how dirty a woman I''d loved for three years was. Because of you, I''d firmed my resolve to further my studies in A Nation.¡± Thest shred of color left in her cheeks had soon drained away. Two years... In the past two years, she had constantly wondered why he would suddenly leave the country when she was at her weakest. He had /eft her alone just when she had needed him the most. Now, she was finally aware of the truth. ft was all because of that incident. In spite of that, however, another thought soon arose in her mind. Two years ago, Fabian had gone out of the country before that incident had evene to light. Could it be that he had known about it before it had even happened? No way, that''s impossible... However, it was painfully evident that this was not the right time to think about that. Hence, she struggled to set herself free as she tried to exin, ¡°Fabian, what had happened two years ago was merely a misunderstanding! What actually happened was that I-¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± Vivian¡¯s words had merely served to infuriate Fabian. His voice soared, as he soon pinched her chin. He was exerting so much force upon it that Vivian¡¯s face had started to contort in pain. ¡°What misunderstanding? In my opinion, you¡¯d seen that the broke bloke from two years ago had suddenly struck his pot of gold, bing a Chief Editor. Hence, since you¡¯vee to regret your decision, you¡¯ve decided to im that this was all merely a misunderstanding, right?¡± Upon uttering such words, a vicious glint shed across Fabian¡¯s eyes. He jerked Vivian¡¯s face towards him as he warned her, ¡°Vivian, let me tell you this. | am no longer the gullible man that | had used to be.¡± Gazing at his familiar face, which was currently full of resentment and hatred, all Vivian could feel was She had wanted to exin herself. However, she found that she could not bear to utter a single word in her defense. What else is there to exin? If he were truly willing to believe me, why would he have left back then, without even informing me as much?¡± Before all else, he has alreadye to believe that | am merely a gold-digger; someone who is ready to betray him for money, at any given point in time. Also, even if he were to believe my exnation, so what? | am someone else¡¯s wife now. Furthermore, | am no longer my past self. We¡¯ll never be able to return to the past... At such a thought, Vivian tried her utmost best to suppress the tears that had threatened to escape her. In doing so, she took a deep breath as she abruptly raised her head. ¡°Fabian,¡± she uttered softly, her tone surprisingly calm. ¡°You are right. What happened that year is exactly as you¡¯ve thought it to be. However, you¡¯ve got something wrong. Currently, | don¡¯t want to be in a rtionship with you. Having a position as the Chief Editor, or even a CEO, this has nothing to do with me.¡± Upon uttering herst sentence, Vivian soon felt a sharp sensation across her chin. Evidently, Fabian was pinching her forcefully, his grip strengthening. However, to her utter surprise, he decided to fling her away in the next instance. Staggering backward, Vivian was quick to steady herself against the wall with an arm. Raising her head to nce at him, she caught sight of Fabian ring at her coldly. The disdain and hatred in his eyes were like daggers, piercing through her heart. ! should allow it to hurt. It''ll certainly be a better alternative than getting myself entangled with him. Hence, she justifiably suppressed her tears as she quickly announced, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I''ll be taking my leave now.¡± With that, she made a brief departure from the office, without even daring to steal another glimpse at Fabian. Bolting out of the magazinepany, Vivian soon reached its ground level. However, she soon came to realize that it was pouring heavily outside. To her utter misfortune, she discovered that she had left her umbre in the office. Even while faced with such a circumstance, Vivian found that she was simply not courageous enough to go back, to retrieve her umbre. As she was aware that Fabian might have still been in his office, she did not dare to return. fam such a coward. Watching as the rain poured from the sky, Vivian sought to hail a cab. Unfortunately, with the Vivian found that it was nearly impossible to find a cab. The cab-hailing application was malfunctioning as well. Ultimately, she had no choice but to harden her resolve, as she covered her head with her bag and sprinted towards the train station. Completely drenched, she had to squeeze herself in, with the othermuters on the train. She was hoping that the rain would have stopped by then, but it seemed as though God was trying to torment her too. The thunderstorm outside red on, showing no signs of stopping. Still unsessful in her futile attempt to hail a cab, Vivian had no choice but to wait by the train station. She soon recalled a past memory, from two years ago, on a night that had a simr thunderstorm. /t was a night where she had lost the thing that was the most precious to her... Soon after, she lost Fabian, the man whom she thought would apany her for a lifetime. The sense of despair that she had felt two years ago was like a parasite, invading her initially numb heart. Vivian could not help but wrap her arms around her body, squatting down as she curled herself into a ball. Cold... It¡¯s so cold... She was so cold that her body had begun to shiver uncontrobly, just as it had throughout the night, two years ago... On the verge of being engulfed by such memories and painful emotions, Vivian soon caught a glimpse of a wheelchair and a pair of long legs, suddenly appearing before her very two eyes. Stunned, Vivian¡¯s head snapped up. She saw Finnick in front of her, while Noah held an umbre up beside him. Due to the pouring rain, his handsome face became a blurred image. Nheless, his cold aura was still evidently noticeable. Although he was wheelchair- bound, his current appearance was like an angel¡¯s descent to Earth. The sadness that Vivian had felt suddenly dissipated. Vivian¡¯s eyshes fluttered. Finnick? ¡°Why are you here?¡± Finnick lowered his head and stared at Vivian, who was squatting down on the ground. For a reason unbeknownst, a hint of fury soon crept into his voice. ¡°Were you drenched by the rain?¡± It was at that moment when Vivian finally returned to her senses. Flustered, she attempted to stand up. However, her vision suddenly went ck, as she soon lost consciousness. In a panic, Finnick quickly grabbed hold of Vivian, as he tried to steady her. When he felt that the woman in his arms was abnormally warm, his gaze turned solemn. As his stare a murderous glint shed across his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s return home.¡± The brief change in his expression was fleeting. Finnick soon resumed his usual indifferent expression. Hugging Vivian, he wheeled his wheelchair towards the ck Bentley that was parked at the side. Finnick¡¯s car was parked at a hidden corner beside the train station. Due to thebined weight of both himself and Vivian, Finnick discovered that the Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. wheelchair could not move as smoothly as it had before. ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± Noah could not help but offer, ¡°Allow me to provide you some assistance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Without a moment of hesitation, Finnick instantly refused his offer. He then adjusted Vivian¡¯s position in his arms, carrying her, as he directly rose from the wheelchair... The room was pitch-ck. Hot... So hot... It¡¯s so hot that | feel as though | am burning... Moaning in utter difort, Vivian suddenly found that she was being ced down, as something cold was soon pressed against her skin. Vivian greedily tried to hug the cold object. However, she suddenly heard a man¡¯s heavy panting. Something is amiss! Only then did Vivian¡¯s muddled mind be clearer. As she tried her best to open her eyes, the blurry image of a man entered her vision. She struggled hard, to push the man who was looming above her. Unfortunately, he would not budge at all, as if he was a massive mountain. ¡°Ouch!¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Momentarily, a sharp pang of pain struck her, causing her to shriek out in pain. Just then, the man forced himself upon her aggressively, time and time again. Pain, hatred, and humiliation threatened to tear Vivian apart. She had wanted to resist him, but she was far too weak to defend herself from his advances. Hence, her only choice was to endure it ail... After going through what had seemed like a limitless expanse of darkness and pain, Vivian¡¯s surroundings suddenly shifted. Now, she was surrounded by a thunderstorm, as a distant thunder boomed. Her bodypletely bruised, Vivian dragged herself along the streets. She wrapped her tattered clothes tightly around herself as she staggered around in the rain. Holding her phone, she frantically dialed a number, over and over again. Fabes... Fabes, where are you? l¡¯m so scared. Come and save me quickly... Unfortunately, no matter how many times she had called him, all she could hear was a cold, mechanical voice, ¡°Sorry, the number that you have dialed is busy. Please try againter.¡± At longst, unable to endure her suffering any longer, Vivian copsed in the rain... Looking at Vivian, who was currently breaking out in a cold sweat, Finnick could not help but frown. He turned his gaze to the doctor, who was by his side, and asked, ¡°Is she truly alright?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Norton. She has merely caught a fever because of the cold. As of now, she¡¯s probably having a nightmare.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing his reassuring words, Finnick soon appeared relieved. As soon as the doctor made his leave, Finnick turned his gaze towards Vivian, who was extremely pale. About to touch her forehead, Finnick was surprised, when he saw that her body had started to quiver, ¡°Vivian?¡± Finnick could not help but furrow his brows again. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Evidently, Vivian was still in an unconscious daze. Her cracked lips parted slightly, as a string of words escaped her lips. A slight frown soon made its way to Finnick¡¯s face. Bending down to some extent, he soon heard the words that Vivian was mumbling. ¡°Fabes... Save me... Where are you? Fabes... Please believe me...¡± Fabes? Finnick sat up straight, as a dangerous glint shed in his eyes. it¡¯s that man¡¯s name again. He stared at Vivian who was on the bed. Although her face was ashen and sickly, it did nothing to conceal her beauty. This was especially apparent, as he gazed at her fluttering eyes. Finnick had never seen her disy such vulnerability before. He mulled over it for a while. Now that he had thought about it, this woman had always acted in a rather careful manner. She was distant, right from the beginning, when he had first met her. She had never once depended on him. In fact, she probably never intended to do so. Yet, she seemed as if she was filled with fondness and trust, for the man called Fabes. He had given Noah instructions to investigate Vivian''s past. As Noah was a man of great efficiency, he soon summarized the y of events of everything that had happened to Vivian. For instance, Finnick knew that she had a memorable first love. However, even as such, she had still broken up with her first love, two years ago. Although he had never checked her first love''s name and background, it appeared as though the person was named Fabes. Finnick began to feel extremely gloomy, upon that thought, for reasons unbeknownst to him. At that moment, Vivian abruptly opened her eyes. Suppressing his emotions, Finnick lowered his head and stared at her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Vivian blinked. Only then did she realize that she was lying in a room in the vi, with an IV drip attached to her hand. ¡°Were you the one who had fetched me back home?¡± asked Vivian, her throat feeling parched. ¡°Yeah,¡± Finnick replied nonchntly as he handed a cup of warm water over to her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Vivian epted it as she soon began to sip on the water. When Finnick took note of the usual distant and polite expression that had returned to Vivian''s face, he inexplicably felt a sense of frustration. ¡°Vivian.¡± Finnick abruptly asked, ¡°Who is Fabes?¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Vivian had never expected Finnick to suddenly ask her such a question. Hence, she began choking on her water as she coughed violently. ¡°Be careful.¡± Inparison to how flustered Vivian was, Finnick remained calm, as he patted her back. Panicking, Vivian looked up and saw Finnick gazing at her. She could sense that his gaze hadnded on her bruised chin. It¡¯s rather ring. Finnick quickly took out an ointment from the medical kit on the bedside table. He squeezed some out onto his hand and applied it to Vivian''s bruised chin. Vivian felt a cool sensation on her chin. However, she soon nced at Finnick warily as she asked hesitatingly, ¡°How do you know Fabes?¡± ¡°You had yelled his name while you were dreaming.¡± Vivian was stunned. Only then did she remember that she had dreamt about the incident that had happened two years ago, all while in her sleep. A despondent look crept into her eyes. Before Vivian could think of an answer, Finnick slowly interrupted her. ¡°Vivian, | don¡¯t care about your past. Nevertheless, | do hope that you¡¯ll understand that you are my wife now. | don¡¯t like my woman yelling another man¡¯s name.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 When Finnick announced that, his tone was still rtively indifferent. However, when Vivian heard his words, she felt an indescribable sense of pressure being weighed upon her. His obsidian eyes were seemingly calm, yet brooding and unfathomable. Vivian found that she could make sense of his emotions at all. By then, Finnick had already finished applying the ointment on her chin. Lowering her gaze, Vivian soon muttered aloud, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You''re wee.¡± Finnick calmly ced the ointment aside. ¡°I don¡¯t like it wnen someone else leaves a mark on you.¡± Vivian''s body stiffened again. Although she had merely kept silent, it felt as though Finnick was aware of everything that was going on. Upon feeling the sudden, cool sensation on her chin, Vivian came to realize that Finnick was far more domineering and indecipherable than she had initially expected. ¡°Okay,¡± responded Vivian as she lowered her head. Unknowingly, her palms had already started to perspire. ¡°Rest early.¡± Finnick wheeled his wheelchair around. ¡°I''ll sleep in the guest room today.¡± With that said, he left the room immediately, without stopping to wait for Vivian''s reply. In the room, Vivian slumped against the soft bed, not feeling the slightest hint of drowsiness. Upon receiving the IV drip the next morning, Vivian was increasingly energized. Hence, she decided to go to work. However, when she stood up to pack her C bag, she realized that her bag was gone. Instead, a branded bag stood in its ce. ¡°Molly.¡± When she saw Mollying up to clean the room, she queried, ¡°Where is my bag?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, your bag was drenched by the rain yesterday. Hence, Mr. Norton had instructed someone to buy you a new one.¡± Vivian felt guilty almost immediately. She could recognize the bag that Finnick had bought her¡ª it was a Chanel bag that was probably worth tens of thousands. With her sry, she would have certainly not been able to afford it. However, her old bag had already been discarded. Without any other bag, she could only steel her resolve, as she epted his gift. She then headed downstairs to have her breakfast. Just as she was about to hail a cab, Finnick offered, ¡°Since you¡¯re not fully recovered yet, I''ll send you to the office today.¡± ¡°It''s okay.¡± Vivian was slightly flustered. ¡°I can do it on my own ord...¡± However, Finnick had already turned the wheelchair around. Soon, he was headed for the door, not giving her any room for refusal. Defeated, Vivian could only follow him to the car. Fortunately, Finnick headed off to work earlier than her. When the Bentley arrived at the office, there were not many people downstairs. Upon bidding Finnick farewell, Vivian alighted the car swiftly. Gazing at her back, a solemn look appeared in Finnick¡¯s eyes. Why is she reacting in such a manner? Is she really that afraid that someone wille to learn about our rtionship? Vivian soon entered the building. Fortunately, sne had managed to catch a lift before its doors had closed. However, when she entered, she realized that there was only Fabian inside. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Instinctively, Vivian wanted to leave the lift. However, Fabian was quick to close the lift''s doors. ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± Fabian smirked coldly. ¡°We''re from the same department. Do you really think that you''ll be able to avoid me?¡± Biting her lip, Vivian chose to remain silent. Fabian lowered his gaze towards Vivian. As she was still sick, her face was rather pale. He soon came to the observation that sne had been letting out continuous, soft coughs. He could not help but feel a tug at his heart. Damn it. Even though I¡¯ve already found out about this woman¡¯s true self, my emotions are still influenced by her. ¡°Have you caught a cold?¡± Came Fabian¡¯s icy question. ¡°Yeah.¡± Vivian did not intend on exining herself further either. Upon acknowledging him curtly, she walked out immediately, after the lift doors had opened. As Fabian headed to his office, he felt extremely gloomy. In the end, he could not help but call his secretary. ¡°Please buy some cold medicine for me.¡± His secretary sent the medicine to him quickly. Fabian fidgeted with it for a long time before he soon stepped out of his office. Upon walking past the office pantry, Fabian came to overhear some gossip, amongst his female colleagues. ¡°Huh? Are you serious? Vivian came to work today in a ck Bentley?¡± ¡°Of course! Even Sarah witnessed it!¡± ¡°Oh my God! That means that her husband is rich, doesn¡¯t it? Otherwise, why would he own such a luxurious car?¡± ¡°Are you stupid? How could that have been her husband''s car? The diamond ring that her husband had given her was rather cheap. In my opinion, it¡¯s definitely another man¡¯s car...¡± ¡°Also, did you see her bag today? It''s a Chanel bag! In the past, she merely used those cheap bags that she had bought online. Now that she suddenly owns a Chanel, I¡¯m certain that the man had bought it for her.¡± Standing outside the pantry, Fabian had unknowingly tightened his grip on the medicine. He suddenly realized that it was utterly foolish of him to have bought her the medicine. Crumpling the box of medicine in his fist, he tossed it into the dustbin, before returning to his office. On the other side, Vivian¡¯s phone rang when she reached her desk. Upon seeing the number that was disyed on her phone screen, her gaze turned cold. She walked to an empty corridor as she epted the call and asked frostily, ¡°Why have you called me?¡± ¡°Vivian, what''s up with your tone?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± A hint of impatience crept into Vivian''s voice. ¡°I know that you wouldn''t have called me for nothing. Tell me, what''s happened this time?¡± ¡°Your little sister is going to get married soon.¡± Indeed, the man from the other end of the line went straight to the point, as he soon revealed his objective in calling her. ¡°If you''re free,e home and have a meal with us. You can meet your future brother-in- ¡°Home?¡± Vivian¡¯s tone sounded mocking. ¡°Dad, you must have gotten something wrong. That is not my home.¡± ¡®Vivian, be careful of how you speak to me!¡± The man¡¯s tone grew irate. ¡°Your sister isn''t just marrying anyone. She is marrying the grandson of the Norton family! Your sister had said that it would be better if the family were to reunite. Hence, it is innerent that youe over tomorrow night!¡± With that, he hung up the call. Vivian frowned as she gripped her phone. Ashley is marrying someone from the Norton famity? No wonder she insists on making me go. It would have been weird if she didn¡¯t brag to me about having such an impressive fianc¨¦. Although Vivian was aware of what her family was nning to do, she knew her father¡¯s personality all too well. If she were to refuse him, he would definitely get enraged. it¡¯s just a meal, anyway. I''ll just go.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Ever since Fabian became the Chief Editor, Vivian, who had always liked to work overtime, left exactly on the dot. Today was not an exception either. She took a cab home to the vi. Slumping against the soft sofa, she realized that her cold had not fully recovered yet as her muscles had ached terribly. When Vivian heard someone approaching her, she sat up in a fluster. She soon caught sight of Finnick¡¯s wheelchair beside her. Instead of wearing his formal, white shirt, Finnick was wearing a casual grey cardigan, outlining his perfectly sculptured body. ¡°Why are you back so early today?¡± She was surprised to see Finnick at this time of the day. Finnick threw a returning nce at Vivian. Her face was still slightly pale while her eyes were red, which meant that she had cried in the morning. ¡°Well,¡± mused Finnick, his expression still calm, ¡°The food is ready. Come and eat.¡± When Vivian arrived at the dining room, her gaze fell upon the dishes on the table. She was momentarily stunned. Most of the dishes were soup-based and vegetarian, with many nutritional ingredients in them. Although they had not stayed together for long, Vivian noticed that Finnick had a love for spicy food. Why are today¡¯s dishes so nd? Feeling suspicious, Vivian sat down. Finnick poured her a bowl of chicken soup and ced it in front of her. ¡°This is to warm your body.¡± Vivian was astonished. Were these dishes specially cooked, to tend to my cold? Vivian felt an indescribable feeling, flooding within her heart. Her initial exhaustion and sadness had slowly disappeared as it was soon reced by a heartwarming feeling. So, it feels so good to have been cared for by someone. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Finnick¡¯s mellow voice sounded out from beside her. Jolted back to her senses, Vivian smiled and murmured, ¡°It''s nothing.¡± Suddenly remembering something, she added, ¡°Oh, right. I''m going to eat at my father¡¯s ce tomorrow night. Seeing as such, you won''t need to prepare dinner for me.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay,¡± replied Finnick. After a while, he added, ¡°When |¡¯''m free, I''ll visit your parents too.¡± Stunned, Vivian blurted out, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Finnick raised his eyebrows in question. Vivian realized that her reaction seemed slightly inappropriate. Feeling embarrassed, she exined, ¡°My parents... Don¡¯t have a good rtionship... My Mom¡¯s health is quite bad too, so...¡± Looking at how flustered Vivian had seemed, a small smirk yed upon Finnick¡¯s lips. Vivian was unaware of the fact that he had already investigated her family¡¯s background. ¡°Really?¡± Instead of exposing her lie, he responded calmly, ¡°When you''re free, | would want to bring you along to meet my family.¡± Vivian was taken aback, for it was the first time that Finnick had mentioned his family. ¡°Your parents?¡± asked Vivian carefully. ¡°My parents have long passed away.¡± Embarrassed, Vivian muttered, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It''s okay.¡± Finnick remained asposed as ever. ¡°I''ll bring you to visit my grandfather and elder brother when your schedule is freed up. Coincidentally, my brother''s son is going to get married recently.¡± Someone¡¯s getting married again? Vivian smiled bitterly. Has it been auspicious recently? Why is everyone rushing to get married? ¡°Okay, then.¡± Since she was Finnick¡¯s wife, it was a basic courtesy to visit each other¡¯s families. Hence, she did not refuse. The next day, Vivian managed to survive until her dismissal time from work. She hailed a cab to the Miller Residence. Upon stepping out of the cab, she took notice of a woman wearing a bright yellow dress, happily rushing towards her. ¡°Vivian, you have finally arrived!¡± The woman grabbed Vivian''s hands in hers. shing a bright smile at Vivian, she urged in an intimate manner, ¡°Come in quickly. | want to introduce my fianc¨¦ to you!¡± Staring at Ashley, who appeared rather beautiful, Vivian pursed her lips. ¡°The grandson of the Norton family, huh?¡± Appearing astonished, Ashley smiled shyly. ¡°So Daddy has already let you in on everything. Nheless, when you see himter, don¡¯t mention anything of the Norton family! He hates it when others discuss his family background.¡± Although Ashley had uttered such words, the proud look in her eyes could not be concealed. Vivian merely smiled at her words. Since young, she had known that Ashley was a materialistic person. Now that she managed to cling to someone from the Norton family, it must have been really hard for her to stop herself from bragging. However, it was certainly a proud achievement to be engaged to a member of the Norton family. In Sunshine City, the top three families were the Nortons, the Morrisons, and the Jacksons. They were powerful families who had risen to power ages ago, unlike the Millers who had only recently shot up to riches. If she was not mistaken, Ashley''s fianc¨¦ was the son of the eldest son of the Norton family. He had studied abroad for a long time, so many outsiders did not know his name. While Vivian mulled over it, Ashley was already eagerly dragging her to the vi. In the living room, a tall and lean figure was sitting on the sofa, his back facing them. Ashley dragged Vivian over, her face full of excitement. ¡°Fabes, let me introduce her to you. She¡¯s my sister. Although we don''t share the same mother, she¡¯s my biological sister!¡± Fabes? Vivian''s body stiffened. When she raised her head, she saw the man smiling at her. ¡°Oh! | didn¡¯t expect your sister to be someone that I¡¯m acquainted with.¡± it was Fabian. Vivian was utterly stunned, feeling as though she had just been struck by lightning. Never in a million years would she have imagined Ashley¡¯s fianc¨¦ to be Fabian! He¡¯s the grandson of the Norton family? Chapter 15 Chapter 15 At that moment, Ashley, who was hugging Vivian¡¯s arm, revealed a surprised expression. Suddenly, she smiled. ¡°Oh, right! I''d almost forgotten that Fabes used to go to the same university as you. He¡¯s also in the journalism department, so he¡¯s your senior.¡± ¡°Yeah, | know him.¡± Suppressing the bitter feeling that was arising in her heart, Vivian pretended to be calm. ¡°It¡¯s just that | haven¡¯t seen him in a long time.¡± When Fabian noticed Vivian''s indifference, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Ashley, can | speak to your sister for a while?¡± The look in Ashley''s eyes changed. However, she still maintained her gentle demeanor. ¡°Okay, I''ll see if | can help out in the kitchen.¡± At that, only Vivian and Fabian were left in the living room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vivian? Why didn¡¯t you react to the fact that I¡¯m now your brother-inw now?¡± asked Fabian mockingly, as he lowered his head and stared at Vivian. ¡°What kind of reaction would you have liked me to have? Should | have called you my brother-inw?¡± Vivian eyed Fabian coldly. ¡°Or perhaps, you''d like me to call you the grandson of the Norton family?¡± Fabian¡¯s expression fell. He hated it when others called him that. In fact, he despised it even more when others had tried to get closer to him because of his family background. Hence, when he was studying in college, he refused his father¡¯s offer to send him abroad to the United Kingdom. Instead, he went to Z College in the adjacent city, as he pretended to be a poor man. It was then when he had met Vivian. When he had first met her, he treasured her a lot because she loved him for being ¡°Fabian¡±, rather than for being the ¡°grandson of the Norton family¡±. However, the harsh reality dealt a p to him. Vivian had dumped him, a supposedly ¡°broke bloke.¡± For the sake of money, she had even... When Fabian recalled those photos from the past, he felt heartbroken. He grabbed Vivian''s wrist tightly and mocked, ¡°Vivian, now that you know that I¡¯m not only the Chief Editor of mour Magazine but also a member of the Norton family, do you regret it now? However, | can give you a chance to make amends...¡± Vivian raised her head slowly and gazed at Fabian¡¯s furious expression. Before she could respond, he continued viciously, ¡°Since you''re willing to sell anything for money, why don¡¯t you be my mistress?¡± Vivian''s eyes widened in shock, unable to fathom that Fabian could utter something like that. ¡°Ha! Are you tempted by my offer?¡± The mocking look on Fabian¡¯s face intensified. ¡°It''s not surprising, though. Although you''re married, you''ve continued to engage in such indecent affairs, right? Instead of remaining with a disgusting old man, it''ll better to be with me, wouldn''t it? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m from the Norton family. | can give you anything that you desire.¡± Vivian was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of disgust. She had never thought that Fabian, whom she had once deeply loved, would disgust her so much. ¡°Oh, right. Vivian, Mom says that she needs to get some wine. Would you like to apany me?¡± Fortunately, Ashley appeared at that moment, interrupting Vivian¡¯s urge to p Fabian¡¯s face harshly. ¡°Okay, I''ll go with you.¡± Shooting a nce at the man, who quickly resumed his gentle demeanor, Vivian followed Ashley Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. towards the wine cer. ¡°Truthfully, Fabes doesn¡¯t like to drink red wine.¡± When they were picking the wine, Ashley suddenly spoke up, ¡°Haha! A lot of his habits are unlike those of wealthy men.¡± Unaware of why Ashley was suddenly bringing this up, Vivian merely muttered an acknowledgement. ¡°So, it''s normal that you didn¡¯t recognize him to be the grandson of the Norton family,¡± drawled Ashley. Vivian''s expression suddenly stiffened. Her head snapped up, as she looked at Ashley, who had a bright smile upon her face. ¡°However, Vivian, no matter how much you regret it now, Fabes is already mine.¡± Vivian was astonished. Ashley is aware of my past with Fabian? ¡°You want to ask me how I¡¯vee to know about it?¡± Ashley¡¯s smile became more coquettish. ¡°Naturally, Fabes had told me about it himself.¡± Vivian felt a sense of unease, rising within her. Did Fabian narrate our past to Ashley as if it were all a joke? ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t appear too happy, Vivian.¡± Holding the wine bottle, Ashley inched closer to her. Unable to tolerate it any longer, Vivian''s expression turned cold. ¡°Ashley, what are you trying to say?¡± Only then did the hypocritical smile fade from Ashley''s face. A hostile glint appeared in her eyes as she warned, ¡°Vivian, you Know what I¡¯m trying to tell you. | know that you¡¯re working in the samepany as Fabes. However, I¡¯m warning you now. Don¡¯t covet something that doesn¡¯t belong to you!¡± Gazing at Ashley¡¯s threatening look, Vivian finally found that all of this hriously ridiculous. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± She raised her hand. ¡°I am already married. | ampletely uninterested in your fianc¨¦.¡± When Ashley saw the wedding ring that was on Vivian''s finger, she was momentarily stunned. Notwithstanding, she quickly burst outughing. ¡°Vivian, you''re already married? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± She took a closer look at her ring and inw is an honest man. He must be really nice to you, right?¡± To Ashley, an ¡°honest man¡± was synonymous with a poor man. Without denying it, Vivian coolly replied, ¡°You''re not worried anymore, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been worried.¡± Ashley feigned an innocent and harmless look again. Blinking her eyes, she drawled, ¡°After all, after what had happened two years ago... Even if you¡¯d wanted to reconcile with Fabes, he wouldn''t be willing to do so either, right?¡± Vivian''s body shuddered, as she red at Ashley. Ashley¡¯s grin grew wider. She abruptly moved closer to Vivian and lowered her voice. ¡°After all, who''ll ept a woman who has been ravaged by a stinky, old man?¡± Ashley¡¯s words were like daggers to Vivian¡¯s heart, causing her to feel extremely distressed. Her body started to quiver uncontrobly as she soon yelled, ¡°That¡¯s enough! Stop talking...¡± However, Ashley moved even closer to her ears. With a mocking tone, she scorned, ¡°Vivian, does your current husband know that your virginity was stolen by an old man, two years ago? And... It was only for a price of ten thousand...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± shrieked Vivian, wno was unable to bear it any longer. She shoved Ashley aside forcefully. ¡°Argh!¡± Ashley fell onto the floor, causing the wine bottle to be smashed into smithereens. ¡°Ashley!¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Before Vivian could react, she heard a scream of surprise. When she raised her head, she saw Emma rushing over. Emma was her father¡¯s wife and Ashley''s mother. However, she was not Vivian''s biological mother. Her mother was still lying in the hospital, surviving on medicine and pills alone. Emma quickly helped Ashley up from the floor. Fabian had also rushed over. When he saw her pathetic look and reddened eyes, his gaze was soon filled with fury. ¡°Vivian, what are you doing?¡± Unlike how fragile Ashley had appeared, Vivian maintained a stubborn look of defiance, despite being drenched in red wine. ¡°She had continuously irked me with her words, so | identally pushed her. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°identally?¡± Emma raised her voice as she red at Vivian resentfully. ¡°What do you mean by it being an ident? It''s evident that you''ve done it on purpose! You''re simply jealous that Ashley is able to marry someone great, hence, you''d wanted to sabotage her before her wedding! Why does she have such a ruthless sister?¡± ¡°Emma, you''re overthinking this. Why would | be jealous of Ashley?¡± ¡°You''ve been jealous of her since young. Don''t think that I''m oblivious to it!¡± Emma¡¯s voice became sharper. ¡°You refuse to admit your mistake! You and your mother are cut from the same cloth. You''re just like your mother¡ªa shameless seductress!¡± Vivian waspletely enraged. ¡°Emma!¡± Her tone became frosty. ¡°I¡¯m warning you now. Because you''re older than me, I''ll let it go, even if you insult me. However, if you insult my mom, I''ll definitely refuse to show you any form of courtesy!¡± Vivian''s bloodshot eyes frightened Emma. Unable to utter a single word, she shot a pleading look at Harvey, who was beside her. Harvey''s expression was hostile too. ring at Vivian, he chided angrily, ¡°Vivian! What are you saying? Apologize right now!¡± Next chapter Vivian¡¯s body shuddered in anger. She was about to rebuke when Fabian scorned coldly, ¡°Mr. Miller, you should really settle your domestic affairs properly. She''s all but an illegitimate daughter, yet she dares to raise her voice against the actual family? Where''s the order in this house?¡± Vivian froze as she red at Fabian in disbelief. Fabian met her gaze. However, his eyes were filled with disdain. Initially, he thought that Vivian was unlike her mother, who was a mere mistress. Yet, they turned out to be simrly shameless! He uttered such horrible words in response. However, it was not to stand up for Ashley. Instead, he was merely maddened by his blindness and foolishness in the past. ¡°I''m sorry that you have to witness this, Mr. Norton.¡± Only then did the dumbfounded Vivian return to her senses. Shooting a furious re at Harvey, she rebuked, ¡°Dad, what are you talking about? Others don''t know what had happened, but you clearly do! Back then, Mom¡ª¡± Before Vivian could finish her sentence, Harvey glowered at her. He yelled, ¡°Vivian, shut up! Remember that yourst name is William, not Miller. So, don¡¯t act all high and mighty in the Miller Residence!¡± Yourst name is William, not Miller. Harvey''s words were like sharp daggers to Vivian, piercing her heart as it caused it to ache terribly. All of her words of defense morphed into an utter sense of helplessness. Suddenly, she found everything to bepletely meaningless. When she saw how the three people in front of her were warily staring at her, she scoffed mockingly. They are a family. They love each other and they possess amon enemy. Since the beginning, I''ve been nothing but an outsider to them. Why should | stay here and humiliate myself further? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± apologized Vivian indifferently. ¡°Since | made all of you unhappy, | won''t stay here anymore. |¡¯ll only serve to ruin your mood.¡± With that, she left the wine cer, without sparing any of them a second nce. When she brushed past Ashley, she spotted the gloating look on Ashley''s face, as though she had won the match. ¡°Hey, sis.¡± Vivian stopped in her tracks. It was rare for her to address Ashley as her sister. ¡°My best wishes to both you and Fabian. Have a blessed engagement and | hope that you''ll stay happy forever.¡± Upon herst sentence, she left without any hesitation. When she left the Miller Residence, she realized that it was already nighttime. The Miller Residence was just like Finnick¡¯s vi. There were no avable cabs or bus stops in its Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. vicinity. Hence, Vivian could only whip out her phone, to use a cab-hailing application. At that moment, her phone suddenly rang. When she saw that the call was from Finnick, Vivian was stunned for a moment, before she finally answered it. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello, it''s me.¡± Finnick¡¯s mellow voice sounded out from the other end of the line. ¡°Are you eating at your father¡¯s ce?¡± For some reason, when Vivian heard Finnick''s voice, she felt a sudden urge to cry. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Vivian cleared her throat and tried to sound as casual as she could. She did not want Finnick to find out about what happened. ¡°Oh, | didn¡¯t manage to have a meal with them in the end. | caught a cold so | excused myself.¡± Over on the other end, Finnick did not reply immediately. He felt something was off but was contemting if he should pursue the matter. ¡°Where are you now?¡± He decided to drop the matter and give her some space in the end. ¡°Well, I''m at Yves Mansion. Why don¡¯t you grab something to eat first? And could you ask Molly to Original content from N?velDrama.Org. prepare some soup? I''ll have it when | reach home.¡± Again, there was silence on the other side. Vivian looked at her phone and found out that it had switched off automatically because it ran out of battery. Damn it! Now of all times? How am | supposed to go back now? She tried switching it back on but it just did not work. She stomped her foot in frustration and looked around desperately as she tried to recall the location of the nearest bus stop. But it was not long before she felt a sharp pain in her ankle. Her high feels were giving her blisters and it hurt badly. Vivian groaned and shook her head weakly. It was really an unlucky day for her. The Yves Mansion¡¯s neighborhood was huge and she found herself wandering in the same ce even after walking for a few minutes. The night was getting colder and the frosty breeze blew right through her body. A shiver went down Vivian¡¯s spine and she pulled her cardigan tighter around her thin body as she continued walking. Just as she was about to take a turn into another road, a ring light shone right into her eyes. She tilted her head aside and squinted to see if it was a cab. To her dismay, it was a private car¡ªa ck one. Right, what was | even expecting? A cab in a posh neighborhood like this one? Vivian frowned and took a closer look at the car as it slowed down toward her. Wait... This car looks familiar... It came closer and finally stopped right in front of her. The door opened and down from the car ramp came an attractive young man in a wheelchair. It was none other than Finnick. The car light shone so brightly in the dark that Vivian could not see him clearly. But from the outline of his body and his chiseled jaw, Vivian could tell with just one nce it was definitely him. He was the one who had always found her during the hardest moments in her life, even if she was not expecting him toe over this time around. His wheelchair stopped right in front of Vivian and a smile broke out on his face as he looked up at her. She looked startled, but cute nheless. ¡°Why? Are you not happy to see me?¡± Finnick teased with a gentle smile. Vivian raised her eyebrows and grinned. ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy to see you.¡± It was true. She was happy to see him. Finnick was there for her whenever she was stranded. He had always been the light at the end of the tunnel for her. Seeing the contented smile on her face, Finnick beamed with pleasure. ¡°Let''s go.¡± He beckoned. Vivian nodded cheerfully and followed him toward the car. She had totally forgotten about the pain in her ankle as she walked toward him. But the blister burst and she halted her steps all of a sudden, trying to gulp back her tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Finnick realized she was jerking in pain and saw her checking out her feet. His gaze followed hers and finally stopped at her ankle. Finnick¡¯s brows furrowed as he spotted red stains of blood. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just the heels. | just need to put on a ster after | get home.¡± But before Vivian could continue walking, he bent over and held her ankle with his hands. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Finnick...¡± Vivian suddenly felt uneasy as a hot sensation spread across her pink cheeks. His fingers brushed against her skin as he lifted her left leg to get a closer look. Finnick checked her wound carefully and his brows drew together in a worried frown. ¡°It¡¯s bleeding.¡± Vivian gasped as his touch tingled her skin. She was not sure if she was having goosebumps because of the pain or his electrifying touch. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really,¡± she mumbled. Vivian could not seem to pronounce her words clearly. Her blood was boiling and her heart was beating faster. But Finnick did not realize this at all¡ªhe was too worried about her. He took off her heels decisively and pulled her along her waist in a strong tug. Everything happened so quickly that Vivian did not even have time to react. She let out a cry and the next thing she knew she was already in Finnick¡¯s arms, sitting on hisp. In fact, she was so close to him she could feel the heat radiating off his body in the chilly night. ¡°Finnick!¡± She stared at him, bewildered. Their eyes met and she quickly looked away nervously. But Finnick was unperturbed. He turned his wheelchair toward the car and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Go home? Vivian stopped struggling and her eyes widened in surprise, but sadness seeped inter on. Home? ! don¡¯t have a home anymore... Although she had moved in with Finnick, she had never taken his vi as her real home. To her, it was just a roof over her head when she had nowhere else to go. It was never her home. But for the first time, Vivian felt a warm feeling blossoming in her heart like the first spring after a long cold winter. Her startled eyes surveyed Finnick¡¯s face as he reciprocated her gaze quietly. Their marriage had happened out of the blue. Yet looking at him, Vivian thought it was not a bad idea to have someone by her side after alll. Her face rxed and she finally gave in, wrapping her arms around his neck. Now that she caved, Finnick¡¯s eyes glimmered subtly with joy. His brows curved into a smile and he moved toward the car proudly. Not long after they got in, the car sped off, moving further away from Yves Mansion. As the ck Bentley gradually went out of sight, a lurking shadow emerged from a dark corner along the empty road. Under the lonely street light, Fabian stood as he watched the couple depart. After Vivian left the Miller family, although Fabian did not run after her, he still felt uneasy. The night had fallen and he worried about her safety. So Fabian gave a random reason and excused himself not long after she left alone. He saw her walking strenuously in the dark but he could not bring himself to send her home after everything that happened between them. So Fabian decided to just watch her from afar¡ªuntil the man in the wheelchair appeared. Although Fabian could not see the man clearly from a distance, he knew instantly it was Finnick the very moment he saw his car and his iconic wheelchair. His fists clenched so tight red marks grew under his pale skin. Why? Why must it be him? Vivian, you''re already married, so why do you have to get involved with this man? His anger burned within him as he bit his lip. ¡°Fabes?¡± A soft voice echoed carefully from behind. Fabian suddenly came around and turned toward the voice in rm. It was Ashley. ¡°Ashley, you''re here.¡± He moved toward her, then held her cold hands and rubbed them against his as he tried to warm her up. ¡°You need to put on more clothes. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried, so | came to check on you,¡± Ashley said tenderly as Fabian held her in his arms. But her shaky voice betrayed her. Ashley had seen everything earlier on. She saw someone picked Vivian up, and she saw the hatred and fury in Fabian¡¯s eyes. Vivian William, why can¡¯t he just get over you? I¡¯ve taken your ce, but why does he still only have eyes for you? She bit her lip and her face turned pale in bitter jealousy. Vivian William, you¡¯d better stay away from Fabes. Don¡¯t forget | still have some dirt on you. | can make you lose everything you have overnight! By the time Vivian got home, her body was already shivering uncontrobly. Sne had been out in the cold for too long and it was not helping her health. She dashed to the bathroom and took a hot shower to warm herself up. When she came out of the bathroom, Finnick was already done showering and was blow-drying his hair. When Finnick saw her, he quickly switched off the hairdryer and ruffled his hair. ¡°Come dry your hair,¡± he said, waving the hairdryer at her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It''ll dry on its own,¡± Vivian replied, waving her hand back dismissively. She was already tired from a long day. Besides, she still had to wash her clothes. But just as she was about to leave, Finnick grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her back. ¡°You''re having a cold. It''ll get worse if you don¡¯t dry your hair.¡± Without waiting for her to agree, Finnick pulled her over with a strong tug and sat her on the chair in front of the dressing table. He positioned his wheelchair behind her and switched the hairdryer back on. Vivian sat in the chair as she stole a surprising look at Finnick from the mirror. He was rustling her hair gently as he held the hairdryer in another hand. Strands of her hair beat against her face ticklishly and Vivian sneezed. ¡°See, | told you. Your cold is gonna get worse. You need to stop being a kid and learn to take care of yourself.¡± His words brought back fond memories. It had been a long time since someone nagged her like that. Tears started welling in her eyes as waves of emotion overwhelmed her. Gosh, why am | crying because of those stupid peopie? They are not even my family. Vivian blinked her eyes hard as she looked at Finnick¡¯s sculpted and charming face while he dried her hair. ¡°Finnick, may | ask you something?¡± Vivian blurted out a question before she could even stop herself. ¡°What is it?¡± It was already toote for her to remedy the situation. She bit her lip and asked anyway, ¡°Will you hate me if | did something shameful? | mean, hypothetically speaking.¡± Finnick¡¯s brows twitched a little as he heard her timid voiceing through the noise of the hairdryer. He cocked his head and looked at Vivian in the mirror. Herplexion was pale and her eyes wandered aimlessly through the cosmetics on the dressing table. He could tell she was anxiously waiting for an answer, but she was afraid of hearing it at the same time. Finnick knew full well what she was referring to. He already did a background check on her, but he chose not to bring it up. In fact, he would never bring it up¡ª not until she was ready to open up to him. His mind raced rapidly as he thought about her question and his lips curved up in a tacit smile. Does this mean she¡¯s finally opening up to me? ¡°It doesn''t matter what you''ve done in the past. You''re my wife, and this will never change,¡± Finnick said slowly but surely. it doesn¡¯t matter what you¡¯ve done in the past. You''re my wife, and this will never change. Those words came out so effortlessly from his mouth. But to Vivian, they meant the world to her. She lowered her head like a guilty child with her gaze locked on her fidgeting fingers. ¡°Thank you, Finnick.¡± Her voice broke as she pronounced every word. Thank you for holding out your hand to me when there was no hope for me. Thank you for being here when | need you the most. Thank you for giving me a home when | had none. Finnick¡¯s assuring words reverberated in her mind and she heaved a sigh of relief. She could finally sleep with a full heart after such a long day. After Finnick was done drying her hair, Vivian hit the hay immediately and fell into a deep sleep. Finnick sat at the corner of the bed as he watched her sleeping sweetly. He reflected on everything that happened thus far. Things took an unexpected turn but something had been bugging him. He could not exin the burning sensation he felt when he saw her utterly helpless and alone back at Yves Mansion. The feeling pierced through him like a thorn and it Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. made his heart ached. What¡¯s wrong with me? Vivian was merely someone he married to shut his grandpa up, but Finnick felt she meant more than that to him now. Otherwise, he would not care so much about her. Finnick drummed his fingers in an exasperated manner as he tried to make sense of how he actually felt toward Vivian. He finally reached for his phone and called Noah. ¡°Noah, I need you to do something. Gather everything you can about Vivian¡¯s past. I want a detailed ount this time around.¡± Hismanding voice rang deep and apathetic in the quiet room. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Morning broke and Vivian arose after a good night¡¯s rest. She was up earlier by half an hour. After washing up, she switched on herptop and started penning a resignation letter right away. She did not care if people would take her as a coward who was simply running away from the situation ¡ªshe just could not work under Fabian anymore. Just as she was typing away furiously on the keyboard, her phone rang and the hospital¡¯s number appeared on the screen. ¡°Ms. William? The patient''s brain waves fluctuated this morning. She could wake up anytime soon.¡± Vivian widened her eyes with a huge smile on a face. ¡°My mother may regain consciousness?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a possibility. But we don''t want to be overconfident,¡± the doctor said. ¡°| understand. I''ll wait even if it takes years!¡± Vivian eximed, leaping to her feet. ¡°We will assist her in every way possible. We are giving her a different treatment now that her situation is looking good. But you will need to brace yourself for the cost of the treatment.¡± The doctor''s voice deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got her covered under health insurance. I''ll pay for any expenses not covered by the insurance.¡± After assuring the doctor that she would figure out a way to manage the medical expenses, Vivian hung up. She sat back down and looked at her half-written resignation letter. Pursing her lips, she deleted everything in one go. She could not afford to lose her job right now. It was not just because she had to pay for her mother¡¯s medical bill, but it would also take some time before she could find another job. Vivian scrambled to get ready and headed for work immediately. She would face whatever came her way. Since Finnick had not been home since early in the morning, she finished up breakfast in a hurry and hailed a cab right after. Her magazinepany had recentlynded a huge long-term project with another magazinepany in Q City. Thepany took this deal very seriously and Fabian was even going on a business trip to the city to sort out the details of the contract. Thinking of this, Vivian could not help but heave a sigh of relief. She hope Fabian would leave for the trip soon, then she would not have to face him at thepany. But things did not turn out the way she expected. Not long after she arrived at the office, Lesley Jenson, the senior editor, rushed over to her. ¡°Vivian, you need to get ready now. You''re going on a business trip to Q City with the Chief Editor.¡± Vivian sprang up from her chair and stared at her in bewilderment. ¡°Ms. Jenson, doesn¡¯t the Chief Editor have his own personal assistant? | shouldn''t be the one going on the trip with him!¡± The senior editor looked at her and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Well, if you have an objection, you should go talk to the Chief Editor himself. He was the one who asked you to go.¡± Vivian rolled her eyes and clenched her fists. What is he trying to do? He¡¯s about to get married soon! What does he still want with me? Vivian strode toward Fabian¡¯s office without losing a moment. She had to talk to him. But before she could even knock on the door, the office door opened before her and there Fabian stood right in front of her. He was stunned at first, but he quicklyposed himself and looked at her coldly. ¡°Vivian William, what are you waiting for? We are leaving now.¡± Vivian red at him and replied, ¡°Mr. Norton, I''m not going to Q City with you.¡± Sensing the determination in her voice, Fabian was furious. ¡°I''m the one who gets to decide things here. You can resign anytime you like if you disagree.¡± Vivian gritted her teeth, trying to swallow her anger back in. She would have handed in her resignation letter if sne could. Then she would not have to stand Fabian Norton any longer. But since the hospital called this morning, she simply could not give up at this point. She still needed the money. Fabian scoffed as he looked at her at a loss for words. ¡°Since you can¡¯t leave as you like, I''d advise you to start getting ready right now. The flight is at 3 o''clock. Miss the flight and you''ll lose your job.¡± He turned and left without waiting for her to give her consent. But it was not like Vivian had a choice. She had to do as he said. Vivian grunted as she took out her phone and called Molly to pack her luggage. After getting her call, Molly rushed to pack Vivian''s stuff. She got everything ready within an hour and even brought Vivian¡¯s luggage to her office. ¡°Thanks so much, Molly. Sorry for bothering you. | really didn''t have time to go home and pack myself,¡± Vivian said apologetically as she took her suitcase from Molly. Molly smiled politely at Vivian. The servants adored their master¡¯s wife tremendously. She was always courteous, understanding, and down-to-earth when talking to the servants. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Ms. William. This is what I''m supposed to do. Have you told Mr. Norton that you''ll be away on a business trip?¡± Vivian gasped. It suddenly urred to her that she had totally forgotten to inform Finnick about her business trip. She was so overwhelmed by anger because of Fabian¡¯s ridiculous demand she totally forgot to let Finnick know. ¡°I''ll tell him,¡± Vivian said as she waved goodbye to Molly. She reached for her phone once she got back to her table and called Finnick. But he did not pick up. Maybe he¡¯s at a meeting. Since Vivian thought it was not a big deal, she decided to just text him instead of calling him again. After sending Finnick a message, she left for the airport with Fabian. Over at Finnor Group, Finnick rolled his wheelchair into the president''s office as he talked to Noah. ¡°Regarding the Q City project, | think we should just cancel it. The other party doesn''t seem to be very keen about the project.¡± Noah nodded and scribbled something on his notebook. ¡°Noted. Also, Mr. Norton, Ms. William called during the meeting just now.¡± Finnick¡¯s hands stopped and he turned around. ¡°Vivian called?¡± He was not caught by surprise per se, but something urgent must havee up for Vivian to call him herself. Finnick took his phone from Noah and saw her WhatsApp message. Something came up at thepany and | need to go on a business trip for a few days in Q City with the Chief Editor. Finnick was upset after reading her text. It was not because she gave him ate notice, but rather, it Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. was because her goodbye message sounded so mechanical. He locked his phone and let out a disappointed sigh. Noah sensed something was wrong, so he quickly handed over a pile of documents to Finnick. ¡°Mr. Norton, this is all the information I¡¯ve gathered about Ms. William.¡± Finnick took the thick folder from him and flipped it open. His color changed and his face hardened after reading just a few lines into the first page. He mmed the folder closed and his eyes shone with anger. ¡°We''re going to Q City. Now!¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 By the time Finnick left for Q City, Vivian and Fabian were already on their way. Over in the business ss cabin, Vivian sat beside Fabian uneasily. The cabin crew just served an in-flight meal and it was pae. Vivian hated seafood so much she did not even touch the food. ¡°Still don¡¯t fancy seafood?¡± Fabian asked with a smirk on his face. ¡°I can tell the Chief Editor¡¯s memory is still functioning alright,¡± Vivian replied nastily. She had had enough of Fabian today. ¡°Of course. I remember everything about my first love,¡± Fabian said slowly after taking a sip of coffee. Vivian closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She did not want to get into a fight with him on the ne. But Fabian did not seem to realize her reaction. ¡°Besides, how can I ever forget the feeling of being yed for a fool by my first love?¡± he added. Vivian¡¯s face turned pale as bad memories came flooding back. ¡°Mr. Norton, I¡¯m not sure who¡¯s being yed for a fool here. I¡¯m not the one who hid my real identity on purpose.¡± Fabian¡¯s expression changed slightly before he chuckled. He was not expecting her to retaliate. ¡°Of course. I should¡¯ve told you earlier, shouldn¡¯t I? Then you probably wouldn¡¯t have betrayed me and thrown yourself on a sixty- year-old saggy old man.¡± Fabian was not even trying to lower his voice. Other passengers and flight attendants widened their eyes in astonishment. ¡°Fabian Norton, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Vivian finally snapped. Fabian leaned closer and looked at her. Her face was pale with shame and anger. For a moment, he felt sorry for putting her in a tight position. But he really could not get over what he saw yesterday night. ¡°Vivian William, are you afraid of people judging you after all the brazen things you¡¯ve done?¡± Vivian red at him unreservedly. Fabian had been hurling vexing insults ever since they got on the ne. ¡°What I do has nothing to do with you!¡± she shouted. But Fabian did not raise his voice this time. He eyed her and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not the one who gets the say here. I¡¯m never going to forgive you for what you¡¯ve done.¡± Vivian red at him and her heart pounded intensely. She finally understood why Fabian insisted she came with him on a business trip. He wanted to shame her and torture her for the pain she had inflicted on him. All he wanted was revenge. True enough, after they arrived in Q City, Fabian made Vivian attend a business meal with him, knowing full well that Vivian hated formal gatherings like this. Since Vivian was the onlydy around the table, she naturally became the center of attention. Each of the business partners took turns to toast to Vivian, but Fabian did nothing about it. Even Vivian herself lost count of how many shots she took after toasting to every man around the table. ¡°Mr. Norton, I didn¡¯t know you have such a cute secretary!¡± Mr. Hark eximed as he eyed Vivian from top to toe. He was in his forties and was a chief editor from anotherpany. Vivian lowered her head awkwardly, not knowing what to do. She had always felt out of ce during social gatherings like this. ¡°She¡¯s yours if you like,¡± Fabian replied with an easyugh, without even exining that Vivian was not actually his secretary. Upon hearing this, Vivian looked up in shock and stared at Fabian. She could not believe he would insult her publicly in front of a group of strangers. ¡°Come on, Mr. Norton. You must be kidding!¡± Mr. Hark burst intoughter. ¡°I¡¯m serious. You can take her if you want. Just take this as a token of appreciation from ourpany!¡± Fabian repeated. Vivian¡¯s face grew hot and red from the alcohol and shame. She could not believe Fabian used to be the young man she loved. He used to be a timid young man who would shy away from strangers. But he had changed so much after two years. Vivian even wondered if she knew the real Fabian to begin with. Fabian looked at her from the corner of his eyes and tilted his head. ¡°What are you waiting for? Pour Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Hark a drink!¡± Her hands trembled when she saw Mr. Hark smiling creepily at her. She was utterly disgusted but she did as Fabian demanded nheless. ¡°Mr. Hark, here¡¯s to our sessful coboration,¡± Vivian said coldly. Forcing a smile on her face, she stole a quick look at him as she handed him a ss of wine. But instead of taking the ss from her, Mr. Hark grabbed and rubbed his coarse fingers against her hand. ¡°Come on, youngdy, you don¡¯t have to be this polite. We¡¯ll definitely be working together on a lot of other things in the future!¡± Mr. Hark grinned lewdly as he emphasized his words to make sure she understood what he actually meant. Vivian struggled to retract her hand but Mr. Hark refused to let her go. Beside her, Fabian¡¯s grip tightened around his ss as he saw Mr. Hark harassing Vivian. Anger suffocated his chest and he finally stood up. ¡°Mr. Hark! Here¡¯s to our working together!¡± Fabian spoke up. Mr. Hark finally let go of Vivian reluctantly and toasted to Fabian. Realizing it was her chance to free herself, Vivian scrambled to leave for the washroom. But she felt nauseous as she held on to the wall and made her way slowly toward the washroom. I must be drunk. When she finally reached the washroom, she quickly turned on the tap at the sink and washed her face. Her stomach churned ufortably and her head was throbbing in pain. Darn it! Vivian really did not know what was Fabian up to. She knew he hated her all this while. But she did not know why he would channel all his fury toward her all of a sudden. Vivian rubbed her temples, hoping it would help her feel better. She really hated the meeting today. Fabian was being annoyingly unpredictable; Mr. Hark was checking her out like an old pervert. Vivian had a feeling things would go haywire as soon as she walked out of the washroom, so she sent Fabian a message saying that she would go back to the hotel first. But just as she was about to turn the corner, a familiar but annoying voice rang from behind her. It was Mr. Hark. ¡°Ms. William! What took you so long? I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± She turned around nervously and saw Mr. Hark leaning against the wall. He must have been waiting for her all this while. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Vivian forced herself to stay calm as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re going to the bathroom too, Mr. Hark?¡± ¡°Of course not...¡± Mr. Hark slurred, scooting over to her. Vivian recoiled at the alcoholic stench that his body emitted. ¡°I¡¯m here for you...¡± Vivian almost puked at the sound of that. You¡¯re here for me? You could almost be my father at this age! ¡°That¡¯s really funny, Mr. Hark,¡± Vivian said, giving him a strained smile. She put a hand against the wall and tried to walk towards thedies¡¯ bathroom, only for him to grab her by the arm. ¡°Hey, Ms. William... Don¡¯t you like me?¡± Mr. Hark drawled. Of course not! Vivian resisted the urge to snap at him for the sake of her job. ¡°Mr. Hark, you¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°Haha! It doesn¡¯t matter! I can still have my way with you!¡± Mr. Hark sneered, moving over to pin Vivian against the wall with hisrge belly. ¡°I¡¯ll show you just how good I am in bed!¡± Vivian red at him and started to struggle against him. ¡°Hey! Watch your words, Mr. Hark!¡± Her struggling irritated Mr. Hark, and his smirk turned into a scowl. ¡°Stop resisting, Vivian William! The Chief Editor practically handed you over to me!¡± It was as though Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. an explosion had gone off in Vivian¡¯s head, and she could only stare at Mr. Hark in shock and disbelief. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Stop pretending you don¡¯t know!¡± Mr. Hark growled, pressing his face against hers. ¡°The Chief Editor agreed to all of this, so you¡¯re just a gift from the magazinepany. You¡¯re mine now!¡± Vivian¡¯s mind went nk, and her arms rxed out of grief, drooping to her sides. Fabian probably despises me for what happened two years ago, but why would he do something as despicable as this? Am I just a prostitute to him? Suddenly, Vivian looked up to see a familiar figure at the other end of the corridor. It¡¯s Fabian! Fabian hade after her as he was concerned for her safety. He had been suspicious of Mr. Hark since he caught thetter eyeing Vivian throughout their meal, and his anxiety only mounted when Mr. Hark followed Vivian out just shortly after she left to go to the bathroom. The scene before him caught him off guard. Mr. Hark was practically squashing Vivian¡¯s tiny frame against the wall, yet Vivian stayed still, as though she had given Mr. Hark permission to treat her as such. Fabian could feel his blood boil. Why the hell are you not resisting, Vivian William? Are you really the sl*t that I think you are? Do you have a fetish for old, slimy men like Mr. Hark? Fabian considered pulling Mr. Hark away from her, but herck of resistance disappointed him. What¡¯s the point of helping you out? What if she does have a thing for those old geezers? Won¡¯t I be ruining her fun if I intervened now? With that, Fabian turned around and left the scene without hesitating for even a second. As for Vivian, a glimmer of hope appeared when she caught sight of Fabian. There¡¯s no way he would give his female subordinates to other people as gifts, even if he hates me! However, before she could open her mouth to scream for help, Fabian had already turned around and walked away. Boom! Thest sliver of hope Vivian had crumbled into a heap the moment she saw Fabian turn his back on her. Why would you do that, Fabian? Didn¡¯t you see me just now? Why did you just walk away? Vivian shuddered. Maybe Mr. Hark is right... Maybe Fabian was the one who suggested this... She began to shake uncontrobly. How could you, Fabian? How could you? Suddenly, a revolting stench filled her nostrils, and she raised her head to see Mr. Hark pressing his lips against her face. ¡°Ew! Get away from me!¡± she yelled, smacking him on the face with her hand and leaving a red handprint on his cheek. Unfortunately, it only angered him even further. ¡°Vivian William!¡± he yelled, grabbing her by her hair roughly. ¡°Do you still want your job in this industry?¡± Vivian scrunched her face up in fear and pain. When she noticed Mr. Hark raising his hand to p her, she squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the pain. However, the stinging pain never came. In fact, the next thing she knew, Mr. Hark gave a frightening yelp and pulled away from her. ¡°M-Mr. Norton? Why are you here?¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Mr. Norton? Vivian¡¯s eyes flew open to see a familiar figure on a wheelchair. Her eyes widened immediately. ¡°F-Finnick?¡± Am I dreaming? Finnick studied her from head to toe, taking in her flushed face, sparkling eyes and body-hugging outfit that brought out her beautiful curves. Her beauty irritated him. Who would go to work in that outfit? No wonder she attracts so many perverts! Finnick ignored Vivianpletely and red at Mr. Hark. Mr. Hark had wanted to p Vivian, but Finnick popped out of nowhere and grabbed his wrist. Finnick was wheelchair-bound, but it did not hinder his movements at all. His height advantage made the maneuver as easy as if he had been able-bodied. Finnick was a prominent figure in the magazine industry, which was why Mr. Hark recognized him immediately. The fat on his cheeks trembled as he stared at Finnick in shock and forced a smile onto his lips. ¡°Mr. Norton? W-Why are you here?¡± Finnick¡¯s gaze was colder than ice, yet Mr. Hark was sweating as though he had been standing under the sun. Finnick shoved Mr. Hark¡¯s hand aside and took out a piece of tissue paper to wipe his hand down. With a disgusted look on his face, he spat, ¡°Scram!¡± Scared out of his drunken daze, Mr. Hark scurried off immediately. ... Fabian strode out of the restaurant, still brooding over what he saw in the corridor. His phone suddenly rang, jolting him out of Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. his trance. ¡°Hey! Fabian Norton! Are you trying to get me killed?¡± Mr. Hark yelled the moment he picked up the phone. ¡°Huh?¡± Fabian was caught off guard. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that Vivian William was attached to the president of Finnor Group?¡± Mr. Hark demanded. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯? Finnick Norton came just before I got what I wanted! Why didn¡¯t you tell me more about that woman? I would have avoided her at all costs!¡± Fabian skidded to a halt. Finnick¡¯s here? Since when did hee to Q City? ¡°Hey! Fabian! Are you listening?¡± Mr. Hark continued to bark at him, but he no longer had the patience to listen to him. He had not made his true identity as part of the Norton family public, hence he regrly got yelled at by insignificant people like Mr. Hark. After a while of staring into space, he finally took out his phone again and gave Vivian a call. A few long beepster, the call finally went through, but the voice that greeted him was that of a man¡¯s. ¡°Hello?¡± Fabian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he ended the call without hesitating for even a second. He stared at his phone for a long moment before bursting into maniacalughter. I know that voice! It¡¯s Finnick, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s him... Are they actually living together? Fabian could almost cry fromughing too much. Her contact in his phone suddenly felt like a needle to his eye. Oh... Vivian... What did I ever do to you? Why did you have to make me suffer so much? You¡¯re already married, and yet you¡¯re still eyeing other men? Why Finnick, of all people? On the other end of the line, Finnick gently set Vivian¡¯s phone down with a nk look on his face. ¡°Who is it?¡± Vivian asked weakly, already half-asleep from the alcohol. Finnick had helped her pick up the call just now, seeing how intoxicated she was. ¡°Just a spam call,¡± he answered. ¡°Oh...¡± Vivian answered as she nursed her throbbing head. ¡°Does you head hurt?¡± Finnick asked gently, noticing how much pain she seemed to be in. ¡°Yeah...¡± Vivian said. She almost jumped out of her skin when a pair of hands came to rest at her temples. ¡°How does this feel?¡± Finnick asked as he rubbed her temples gently. His fingers felt coarse and cold on her burning skin, and it made her heart race for a few seconds. She shifted away from him. ¡°T-Thanks. I feel better now.¡± However, she was pulled back by him immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± hemanded coldly. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Vivian froze and looked out of the window. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, she noticed how Finnick¡¯s expression seemed more stern than usual, as though something had been bothering him. She sobered up immediately. ¡°Are you angry, Finnick?¡± I¡¯m sure any man would be mad if they saw someone harassing their wife... ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked, making the temperature in the car drop by a few centigrade. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Vivian whispered. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Finnick said, raising an eyebrow. Vivian froze as something popped into her mind. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t overthink things!¡± she eximed. ¡°It was just a normal business meal... I didn¡¯t know Mr. Hark would do something like that...¡± She feared that Finnick would misunderstand things too, just like how Fabian did two years ago. In fact, she was gravely frightened by the very prospect of it. Finnick was her husband and the only person who cared about her, and thest thing she wanted was for him to hate her as well. Finnick stared at her with a strange glint in his eyes. ¡°I know,¡± he said, sounding rxed. Vivian heaved a sigh of relief, only to freeze when Finnick spoke again. ¡°Don¡¯t go to these business meals anymore.¡± Vivian nodded obediently. As Finnick continued to massage her temples, she found herself leaning into his touch. Finnick shivered when he felt something soft burrow into his shoulder. He looked down to see her resting her head against his shoulder, taking in her baby pink cheeks, long eyshes and lightly parted lips. His eyes widened for just a second. What is this I¡¯m feeling... ¡°Vivian...¡± he rasped. ¡°Hmm?¡± Vivian drawled as she looked up. She realized with a start that their faces were less than five centimeters apart. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry!¡± she eximed, pulling herself away from him out of shock. However, before she could react, Finnick¡¯s hand had already slid down her face and grabbed her chin. Without warning, he pressed his lips against hers. The coolness on her lips made her snap out of her drunken, confused state immediately. Finnick¡¯s kissing me? He¡¯s actually kissing me? By the time they reached the hotel, Vivian had already fallen asleep. Finnick ced her on hisp and took her to their room. When he lifted her onto the bed, he noticed that her wrists were still red from the scuffle with Mr. Hark. His gaze turned cold immediately, and he took out his phone to make a call. ¡°Hey, Finnick! I haven¡¯t heard from you in ages!¡± The person on the other end of the line drawled. ¡°I need your help,¡± Finnick said. Anyone who was familiar with him could feel the dangerous tone in his voice. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s rare! Just say it, and I¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°I need you to get rid of someone for me,¡± Finnick said, his voice a low growl. ¡°He hurt someone on my side, so I must make him suffer.¡± Vivian woke up the next morning with a splitting headache due to all the alcohol from the previous night. She struggled to get up from the bed, and a low voice made her freeze. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Vivian looked up to see a full course meal waiting for her on the table and Finnick sitting nearby. ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian eximed as the events of the previous night flooded into her mind. I almost got vited by Mr. Hark, and Finnick appeared just in time to save me... Wait, what did we do in the car afterwards? Oh my... Did we kiss? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Finnick asked when she did not get off the bed. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Vivian looked up at him with a start. Finnick¡¯s room was a presidential suite, and the sunlight pouring in from the gigantic windows bathed him in its golden glint. He looked like a literal deity, though the nk look on his face reminded her that he was just a mere handsome Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. mortal. It made her feel as though the kiss was just an illusion. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!¡± she stammered as she mbered off the bed, only to freeze when she saw what she was wearing. It was a white shirt that was obviously too big for her, considering how it reached all the way to her thighs. ¡°W-What are these clothes?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± Finnick asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You threw upst night after getting drunk. I asked a female hotel employee to change you out of your soiled clothes and dress you in one of my shirts.¡± Oh... So the hotel employee did it... Vivian sighed in relief, not noticing Finnick¡¯s gaze studying her from head to toe. Finnick grinned, only to freeze the moment Vivian got up from the bed. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 His shirt hung off her tiny frame like a gigantic curtain, exposing her corbones and slender legs every so often. Finnick looked away, his face heating up rapidly. He had always prided himself with his self- control, yet he had no choice but to take a few sips of ice-cold water to calm himself down. Vivian sat down at the table, not having noticed anything strange about him. ¡°I¡¯m going back this afternoon,¡± Finnick said halfway through their meal. ¡°Are youing along?¡± Vivian recalled the drama from the previous night and nodded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you.¡± She could not care less about her rtionship with Fabian, even if it would cost her job in the future. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Oh, before I forget,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Why are you in Q City?¡± Finnick¡¯s hands froze for a moment, but he regained hisposure just as quickly. ¡°I had ast-minute meeting.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Vivian said, stuffing another bite of food into her mouth. After they collected their clothes from the dry cleaning store, they set off for the airport to catch a flight back to Sunshine City. Noah had been waiting for them when they arrived at the lobby. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Vivian walking towards him. No wonder he was in such a rush toe to Q City! He¡¯s here to look for Mrs. Norton! ¡°Mr. Norton, here are some documents that require your signature,¡± Noah said, trying his very best to hide his shock. He managed to steal a nce at Vivian when he handed the documents over to Finnick. He had heard some spicy rumors regarding Mrs. Norton the previous day, and he didn¡¯t expect Mrs. Norton¡¯s first love to be... ¡°Ahem.¡± Noah shivered and turned around to Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. meet Finnick¡¯s cold re. He lowered his head immediately. Vivian did not notice a thing. When Finnick got into the car, she hurried over to follow him. Finnick nced at the documents in his hand before closing the folder abruptly and looking up at Vivian. ¡°Vivian, let¡¯s go and meet my family this weekend.¡± Vivian? Vivian froze for a few moments,pletely caught off guard by how he addressed her. She took a while to digest the situation before answering, ¡°Sure.¡± I¡¯m curious about his family anyway... Vivian did not think much about it, but her words almost made Noah jump out of his seat. He nced at the couple in the backseat through the rearview window. Oh my god! He¡¯s actually bringing her to meet his family? Could that mean... Noah did not dare to think any further. Vivian and Finnick arrived at Sunshine City after just a few hours, while Fabian was held back by some matters that he had to attend to. He had wanted to establish ties with Mr. Hark¡¯s magazinepany, only to wake up to reports of Mr. Harks¡¯pany getting sued and going bankrupt. What in the world? This is definitely not a coincidence. There¡¯s only one person who could destroy Mr. Hark¡¯s life overnight! Fabian could feel his blood pressure rising. Darn it! Why would he go to such lengths just for Vivian? Doesn¡¯t he know that Vivian is married? It took a while, but he managed to clear up the mess in Q City and return to Sunshine City. When he stepped out of the ne, he saw Ashley waiting for him at the gate. ¡°Fabes!¡± Ashley yelled, rushing over to him the moment she caught sight of him. ¡°You¡¯re finally back? Why didn¡¯t you pick up my calls?¡± Fabian nced at her, annoyed by how much she resembled Vivian. ¡°Nothing much. I was just busy,¡± Fabian said before turning around and leaving the airport. Ashely¡¯s face fell as she watched Fabian disappearing into distance. She recalled what his secretary told her a few days ago. ¡°Oh, the Chief Editor¡¯s going to Q City for a business trip with a journalist from thepany. Her name? Vivian William.¡± Ashley clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms painfully. Vivian William! It¡¯s you again! Who gave her the right topete with me? Ashley bit her lip and whipped out her phone. ¡°Hello?¡± she said into the phone, her voiceced with an icy malice. ¡°Do you still have the pictures fromst time? I need them. Everyst one of them.¡± Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Vivian was concerned that Fabian would be annoyed by her sudden departure from Q City, therefore she was surprised when all she heard from him was radio silence. Soon, the weekend came. That day, Vivian dressed herself in a wine-red gown that Finnick had prepared for her. She proceeded to put on a diamond ne and a pair of high-heel shoes to her outfit before walking downstairs slowly. Finnick had already been waiting for her downstairs, and the sound of her high-heels clicking against the wood of the stairs made him look up. His eyes widened the very next second. Vivian was prettier than the average girl, but she was never the type to put much effort into dressing up. In fact, she was used to hiding her beauty rather than unting it. As a result, she looked like a shimmering diamond in light makeup and the dress he picked out for her. Vivian walked over to Finnick and stared at him, wondering why he was being so silent. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do I look weird?¡± she asked bashfully, running a hand through her hair. That was the first time she wore something like that, and checking its price online did nothing to help with her anxiety. ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Finnick said, snapping out of his daze. ¡°You look beautiful.¡± Finnick was not one to be stingy with praises, particrly when the receiver was his wife. Vivian froze. Did he just praise me? ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Finnick said, pushing himself to the car on his wheelchair with Vivian following close behind. They picked a high-end restaurant for their gathering with Finnick¡¯s family. When they arrived at the restaurant, Vivian alighted from the car as Finnick held her hand. As they got onto the lift, Vivian¡¯s anxiety suddenly mounted. ¡°Finnick... Are your family members... Difficult people?¡± ¡°No,¡± Finnick said. He paused for a short while before continuing, ¡°Though... I¡¯d suggest that you get ready for it.¡± Vivian froze for a moment. Before she could ask him what he meant, the lift door opened at their floor. Vivian ran after him, and they soon arrived at the sitting at the table. That¡¯s his grandpa! Vivian gave him a polite smile and walked over to greet him, only to stop abruptly in her tracks when she took a good look at his face. The man before her had gotten on in his years, yet his eyes were bright and his back was straight. His gaze was stern as he Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. trained his eyes on her, and it made her recoil just a bit in fear. Vivian had seen that memorable face countless times before, be it in magazines or in the news. That¡¯s Samuel Norton, the Old Master of the Sunshine City Norton family! Vivian¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she stared at him in shock. He¡¯s Finnick¡¯s grandfather? Does this mean that Finnick is that mysterious, unknown son of the Norton family? As the most prominent family in Sunshine City, everyone knew every single detail about their family history. The elder Mr. Norton had one son, who in turn gave birth to two grandsons. However, both his son and daughter-inw passed away early, leaving their two sons in the care of the elder Mr. Norton. His grandsons had a huge age gap. The older one was almost forty years old, and his son Fabian Norton was known to the world as the ¡®grandson of the Norton family¡¯. His other grandson was only about thirty years old, but he got into an ident about a decade ago and ruined his health forever. His family sent him overseas and never spoke about him again. Could Finnick be that mysterious second grandson of Samuel Norton? Vivian¡¯s face turned pale as a sheet. She knew that Finnick¡¯sst name was Norton, but she had never put two and two together before. Everyone thought that Finnick got to where he was by his own hard work, and no one guessed that he had the entire Norton family backing him up. Does that mean that... Finnick is Fabian¡¯s uncle? Am I living in a drama? My first love became my brother-inw, and I¡¯m his aunt now? ¡°Vivian?¡± Finnick whispered into her ear as he pushed himself over to her. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I...¡± Vivian stammered. ¡°I-I... Finnick? I don¡¯t feel so good...¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes darkened before he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over and done with. Besides, my brother and nephew ising soon.¡± His nephew ising too? Vivian¡¯s face turned even paler at that statement. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 26 ¡°No, I-I can¡¯t do this¡­¡± she stammered, taking a few steps back on shaky legs. ¡°G-Grandpa? I¡¯m not feeling well¡­ I think I¡¯ll take my leave first. I¡¯ll definitelye back another time! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± With that, she rushed out of the private room without even looking back. The elder Mr. Norton sneered as he watched her disappear down the corridor. ¡°So that¡¯s the girl you married? She¡¯s so rude.¡± Finnick red at him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have even tried if you haven¡¯t been breathing down my neck the whole time.¡± The elder Mr. Norton widened his eyes in shock. ¡°Y-You¡¯re no better than her!¡± He loved his youngest grandson more than anything in the world, but everything changed after the ident ten years ago. Reading his grandson¡¯s mind became incredibly difficult. Finnick decided that he did not want to continue the conversation any further. Pushing the wheels of his wheelchair, he made a move to leave the room as well. ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± the elder Mr. Norton demanded. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite,¡± Finnick said without bothering to look back. ¡°You can eat with Mark and Fabian.¡± Upon reaching the vi, Finnick heard from Molly that Vivian had locked herself in her room ever since returning. Finnick eyes darkened, visibly annoyed. He pushed open the door to the bedroom and saw Vivian lying face-down on the bed, still d in her wine-red gown. Her gaze was empty and lifeless. That only irritated Finnick even further. He pushed himself over to the bed and stared at her with a nk expression. ¡°Vivian, get up.¡± Vivian simply ignored him, as though he was invisible. Finnick flew into a rage. ¡°Vivian!¡± he yelled. ¡°Talk to me! Why did youe back?¡± He paused as the air in the room grew colder by a few centigrade. ¡°Are you scared of meeting my nephew Fabian?¡± Vivian sat up immediately, the nk look on her face reced by a look of disbelief. Her face paled as she stared at him. ¡°H-How did you know about my rtionship with Fabian?¡± she asked, her voice trembling. Did I just get deceived by the men I trust twice in a row? ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Finnick said, not even bothering to make her think otherwise. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that I won¡¯t marry a random woman on the street. I know exactly what happened to you two years ago.¡± Vivian shivered as she continued to train her eyes on his face. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°So?¡± she asked, her throat throbbing painfully. ¡°Were you trying to embarrass me by taking me to that gathering?¡± ¡°Embarrass you?¡± Finnick growled indignantly. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it with all his might. ¡°He¡¯s just an ex-boyfriend! There¡¯s nothing to worry about if you¡¯ve already gotten over him!¡± Vivian red at the handsome man before her, her lips pursed into a thin line. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± she said after a long pause. ¡°You don¡¯t understand how much Fabian meant to me.¡± Fabian had been her life force and her reason to live, and the pain from two years ago still felt fresh and piercing. Can¡¯t he just understand how much Fabian meant to me? Finnick thought that he could not get any angrier, but he was wrong. This stupid woman! It¡¯s been ten years already! Just as I thought I wouldn¡¯t be distracted by another woman¡­ He knew that Fabian was her first love and her boss, and he had flown to Q City out of panic when he heard that she had gone for a business trip with Fabian. Thest thing he wanted to see was someone taking advantage of Vivian. I should have killed that jerk Hark! In fact, I haven¡¯t been so emotional in a while¡­ This woman is challenging my patience! How dare she confess her love for my nephew in front of me? What am I to you, Vivian William? ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t understand,¡± Finnick said, smirking. Without warning, he stood up from his wheelchair and shoved Vivian onto the bed. ¡°What I do understand is that you¡¯re my wife!¡± Vivian froze the moment Finnick stood up from his wheelchair. ¡°Y-You can stand?¡± She tried to break free of his grasp to no avail. Finnick had already straddled himself over her body and held her hands down, hovering over her menacingly and covering her in the darkness of his shadow. ¡°Vivian¡­¡± he growled, his voice colder than ice. ¡°I just remembered that we haven¡¯t done anything as husband and wife yet¡­¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 27 Boom! ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Vivian screamed as the shock from seeing Finnick stand up was long forgotten. Before she could finish her sentence, he had already ripped her dress into shreds. Finnick rested his body against hers, encasing her in a wall of muscle and masculine dominance. ¡°Finnick! What¡­¡± Vivian tried to say something, but was cut off abruptly when he pressed his lips against hers. It was as though he was punishing her for everything she had done, and it was something she would never be able to escape from. No! I don¡¯t want this! The events from two years ago popped into her mind, and the pain was so strong that it brought tears to her eyes. Finnick noticed her tears and froze in shock. He stopped what he was doing immediately and lowered his head. ¡°Are you scared of me, Vivian?¡± Instead of answering him, Vivian grabbed her exposed shoulders tightly and continued to weep. It was as though someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over him, dousing the angry me inside of him immediately. He let go of her and stared at her pale, tear-streaked face in bewilderment. His heart throbbed painfully at the sight before him. Sh*t! What the hell did I just do? ¡°Vivian¡­¡± he said, his voice much calmer now. He reached out to help her up, only for her to flinch away from him, as though he had electrocuted her. Seeing how natural her reaction was, the me within Finnick that had just been extinguished threatened toe back to life. ¡°Get some rest,¡± he said awkwardly before leaving the room. After he left, Vivian continued to sit on the bed in a daze. It¡¯s been two years¡­ I thought I¡¯ve gotten over it already, yet the memories of that incident keepsing back whenever a man gets close to me¡­ She never saw Finnick again that night. The next morning, Vivian took her own sweet time to go downstairs after waking up. To her surprise, Molly told her that Finnick took a midnight flight overseas for a business trip. Huh? Maybe he¡¯s troubled over this too¡­ As for the events of the previous night, Vivian struggled to figure out what Finnick had been thinking. She tried to convince herself that what Finnick was merely a show of power and dominance as a man, Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. rather than a deration of love. After all, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s very happy about my rtionship with Fabian¡­ How about his legs? Since when could he walk? Vivian sighed. She finished her breakfast in silence and set off for work afterwards. When she arrived at the office, she was greeted with a giant riot. She grabbed a person nearby by the arm and demanded to know what happened. ¡°The Q City Magazine Company is gone! Our coboration projects have gone down the drain¡­¡± the person wailed. Q City Magazine Company? Isn¡¯t that the magazinepany that Mr. Hark runs? Vivian whipped out her phone and was shocked to find various reports on the matter online. The Q City Magazine Company had deep roots in the magazine industry of Q City, yet someone managed to uproot it overnight! In fact, the owner of thepany, Mr. Hark, was thrown behind bars after he was found guilty of a long list of charges. This seems too sudden to be true¡­ Could someone be behind this? Could it be¡­ Finnick? Vivian shook her head vehemently to clear her head. Hey! Vivian William! Stop that! You¡¯re his wife, but you¡¯re not his friend! You can¡¯t count on him to save you when you¡¯re in trouble!¡± With that, Vivian smirked to herself. Haha! That¡¯s karma for you, Mr. Hark! Because of the copse of Q City Magazine Company, the next issue¡¯s cover had to bepletely redesigned. Vivian and her group mates finished their part of the redesigning process, after which she was tasked by Lesley to send the product over to Fabian. Vivian wanted to turn her down initially, since thest person she wanted to meet after the incident in Q City was Fabian. Fabian had let her down over and over again, and that particr incident was thest straw on the camel¡¯s back. Am I really that dirty and undesirable to him? I don¡¯t have even a sliver of respect for him anymore. I don¡¯t even want to see him anymore. Even so, I can¡¯t escape from him¡­ Hey! It¡¯s not like I did anything wrong in the first ce! Why am I the one running away? With that, she picked up the mock-up that her group came up with and walked towards Fabian¡¯s office with pursed lips. ¡°Chief Editor,¡± she said stiffly upon entering. ¡°Here is the mock-up that my group came up with. Please take a look at it. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± She turned around to leave the room, only to freeze when his cold voice rang from behind her. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 28 His voice sounded colder than ice when he spoke. Vivian did not turn back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chief Editor?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you owe me an exnation?¡± Fabian asked, louder this time. He must have gotten up and walked over to me¡­ Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°What exnation?¡± ¡°Everything. For example, why did you disappear from Q City all of a sudden?¡± he asked. She could feel his warm breath on her neck, and it made her shiver. ¡°Also, what¡¯s your rtionship with Uncle Finnick?¡± Vivian¡¯s body trembled violently. She turned around abruptly to look into his cold gaze. ¡°H-How did you know about¡­¡± Did he find out about our marriage? Did Finnick tell him about it? Vivian panicked all of a sudden. Their marriage had been a legitimate union, yet she still felt hesitant to talk to Fabian about it. Finnick¡¯s his uncle, and Fabian¡¯s my first love! ¡°How did I find out about¡­ What? Your rtionship with my uncle?¡± Fabian scoffed as he closed in on her. ¡°Of course I know! Besides, aren¡¯t you married? Didn¡¯t you know that my uncle is married too?¡± Vivian¡¯s panic turned to confusion the moment she heard that. What the hell is he trying to say? ¡°Talk to me, Vivian William!¡± Fabian yelled, angered by her stubborn silence. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently. ¡°Vivian William! Since when did you be a cheater and a home-wrecker? You¡¯re no longer the Vivian I knew!¡± Everything became crystal clear to Vivian at that moment. He doesn¡¯t know about our marriage¡­ In fact, he probably thinks that Finnick¡¯s my sugar daddy! Vivian could feel her already stone-cold heart freeze over into an ice cube. Huh¡­ Fabian Norton¡­ What am I to you? Just another one of those sugar babies that climb onto thep of another daddy once they¡¯ve sucked the previous one dry? Vivian could see through him like a ss window, and she could tell that she was nothing more than a prostitute to him. He would never believe her if she said that Finnick took her in as his legitimate wife. ¡°Vivian!¡± Fabian growled. ¡°Answer! My! Question!¡± Vivian raised her eyes slowly to meet his gaze. ¡°Whatever. Suit yourself.¡± With that, she shoved him aside and turned around to leave. I understand everything now¡­ The man I loved to the moon and back is no longer¡­ In fact, it¡¯s been two years since Ist saw the old him. For the next few days, Vivian threw herself into her work to distract herself from the drama between Finnick and Fabian. Finnick did not return even after a few days, and neither did he text nor call her. She would return to an empty house every night, feeling lonelier than ever. Getting used to things is a scary process¡­ It¡¯s only been a month ever since I got married to him, and I can¡¯t live without him already? One morning, Vivian stepped into the office to see several of her female colleagues huddled around a ¡°That¡¯s rare,¡± she said, walking over to them. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you all having your morning tea session in the pantry?¡± ¡°Morning!¡± Sarah said, cupping her flushed face. ¡°Who needs tea when you have an eye candy to look at?¡± ¡°Eye candy?¡± ¡°Finnick Norton, the president of Finnor Group! The one we interviewed! He¡¯s in M Nation attending some award ceremony, and they¡¯re broadcasting it live right now!¡± Vivian froze. Huh¡­ So they¡¯ve found my missing husband? Vivian scooted over out of curiosity. ¡°What award ceremony?¡± ¡°The Outstanding Youth Award! Also known as the battle of the wealthy bachelors!¡± Sarah said before burying her face in her hands. ¡°Unfortunately, I heard that Mr. Norton¡¯s already married¡­¡± Vivian looked at the screen. Sure enough, Finnick was slowly pushing himself onstage as the audience gave him a standing ovation. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 29 The suit hugged his lean body nicely, outlining the sculptured shape of his figure. Although he was sitting in a wheelchair, no one could ignore the intimidating aura he exuded. ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Norton.¡± The blonde hostess of the award ceremony excitedly passed the crystal trophy to him. ¡°Thank you,¡± rumbled Finnick as he received the trophy. His American ent was impable. ¡°I¡¯m very honored to receive this award.¡± When he took the trophy, the hostess¡¯ gazended on his finger. She instantly eximed in an exaggerated tone, ¡°Oh my God! Mr. Norton, is that a wedding ring?¡± The camera immediately zoomed in to Finnick¡¯s finger. The diamond ring which Vivian bought was disyed on the big screen. Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Sneakily, she hid her finger, which was wearing an identical ring, behind her back. On the screen, the hostess continued enthusing over it. ¡°Mr. Norton, so you¡¯re really married. I wonder how many women would be heartbroken. However, Mr. Norton, this ring is really economical, huh?¡± Everyone burst intoughter after hearing what she said. Vivian¡¯s face flushed. Ugh, Finnick. I already said that the ring doesn¡¯t suit his status, but he insists on wearing it. Despite everyone¡¯s surprise andughter, Finnick maintained a calmposure. He nced down at his finger and smiled. ¡°My wife chose it for me. She¡¯s never an advocate for unnecessary waste.¡± Although his words were simple, it was somehow filled with an affectionate tone. Everyone instantly fell silent. Vivian, who was watching him through herputer on the other side of the Earth, felt her heart skip a beat too. Although she kept convincing himself that Finnick was just saying that for show, a part of her was starting to be charmed by him. He had been wearing the ring all along, no matter how embarrassing it might be. Despite the entire world thinking that it¡¯s impossible between us, he still acknowledges me as a part of his life, right? Perhaps, Finnick was just being a little mean the previous times. Now, his affirmation managed to console Vivian. ¡°Mr. Norton, looks like you really dote on your wife,¡± said the hostess enviously. Despite being a man of such high status, Finnick wore a cheap ring just because his wife was ¡®frugal¡¯. This was a greater disy of love than if he gave his wife a humongous diamond ring. Finnick cracked a small smile at the hostess¡¯ praise and remained silent. The award ceremony ended soon. Everyone in front of theputer screen was still immersed in shock. ¡°Oh my God! Mrs. Norton is so lucky. God knows how many rich men refuse to admit that they¡¯re married! Yet, her husband is willing to wear such a cheap ring out!¡± A female colleague eximed. ¡°Forget it.¡± A male colleague could not help but rebuke jealously, ¡°Perhaps, he¡¯s just too stingy to buy a good ring and is merely using his wife as an excuse.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Pfft¡­ Finnick can buy an entire diamond mine if he wants to. It¡¯s impossible that he¡¯ll be unwilling to spend on a diamond ring!¡± Sarah scoffed. ¡°But, for some reason, Mr. Norton¡¯s ring looks a bit familiar.¡± Immediately afterward, someone replied, ¡°Me too! I think I¡¯ve seen it somewhere.¡± Having a bad feeling, Vivian was about to sneak away when Sarah reacted quicker. She pped her hands and cried out, ¡°Oh, I remember now! Mr. Norton¡¯s ring has the same design as Vivian¡¯s, right?¡± Vivian cursed under her breath. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, she could only stop in her tracks and turn around. At that moment, everyone was eagerly grabbing Vivian¡¯s hand and eximing, ¡°They¡¯re really the same! They definitely share the same design!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Vivian, why do you have the same wedding ring as Finnick?¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 30 As Vivian¡¯s head throbbed, she looked at the curious group of women in front of her. After mulling over it for a while, she had no choice but to exin, ¡°Well, I guess I have to confess now. Actually, I¡¯m Finnick¡¯s wife. That¡¯s why we have the same wedding rings.¡± The room became dead silent. No one uttered a single word. Soon, everyone suddenly burst into a fit ofughter. ¡°Haha! Vivian, you¡¯re so funny! You actually said that you¡¯re Finnick¡¯s wife!¡± Vivianughed alongside everyone else, but she secretly felt relieved. Indeed, instead of denying it, I should just admit it as a joke and evade this topic. Still, she still pretended to be unhappy. ¡°Why are youughing? Why aren¡¯t you believing me? Am I really that bad?¡± ¡°Vivian, of course, you¡¯re not bad.¡± Sarah wasughing so hard that she had already teared up. ¡°But he¡¯s Finnick Norton! He¡¯s like someone from another world. There¡¯s no way that he¡¯ll be involved with people like us.¡± Vivian chuckled softly. Yeah. Logically speaking, Finnick and I are like people from different worlds. Our rtionship only became so intimate because of an unexpected turn of events¡ªjust like how the ring looks so out of ce on Norton¡¯s finger. Yet, he still wears it. Upon that thought, Vivian¡¯s mood improved. Flicking Sarah¡¯s forehead with her fingers, she said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Go and do your work now!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already revised the draft. All that¡¯s left to do is for it to be printed. We have nothing to do now anyway.¡± Indeed, there was nothing much to do today. Hence, after Vivian sat down, she scrolled through Twitter out of boredom. However, once she went into Twitter, she spotted ¡®Finnick Norton¡¯s Wedding Ring¡¯ at the top of the trending list. What the heck? How can this piece of news even enter the trending list? People¡¯s yearning for gossip is really too strong. Curious, Vivian clicked on the search and saw a bunch of posts made by excited fangirls. Mr. Norton is really the best man in the world! I don¡¯t like any other men now. He¡¯s my only love! Who¡¯s Mrs. Norton? Appear right now and let¡¯s have a showdown! I just want to say that the wedding ring¡¯s design is XXX. I bought it too! Hahaha! Your ring has the same design as Mr. Norton¡¯s. I have a feeling that it¡¯ll be extremely popr. Amused, Vivian read the fangirls¡¯ posts. However, when her gazended on a certain post, she was stunned. Mr. Norton is so in love right now. However, while everyone rejoices over his current wife, his ex- girlfriend despairs. I wonder how she¡¯ll feel if she witnesses this from Heaven? Ex-girlfriend? In Heaven? Vivian immediately wanted to click on the ount and see who posted it. However, when she clicked on it, the person had already deleted the post. Feeling puzzled, she barely had time to mull over it before her phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp message from Finnick. Stunned, Vivian clicked on it immediately. [I¡¯ming home at six in the evening today. Let¡¯s eat dinner together.] Vivian could not even exin why her lips unknowingly curved into a grin when she read Finnick¡¯s Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. message. She even forgot the awkwardness between them before Finnick left. Now, all she could feel a sense of anticipation. She no longer needed to return to an empty house anymore. After making it till dismissal time, Vivian left work on the dot and hailed a cab. When she returned to the vi and entered, she saw a familiar figure sitting in a wheelchair. She suddenly felt like she had found the missing puzzle in her daily life. ¡°Finnick.¡± After taking off her shoes, she walked into the living room and called out to him. Finnick turned around. His face was as handsome as before. Although she had already seen him on theputer screen this morning, now that she was looking right at him, she suddenly felt like everything was a dream. On the other hand, when Finnick saw Vivian, he felt extremely relieved, as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. When she did not reply to his WhatsApp message, he thought that she was unwilling to eat dinner with him because of what happened that night. ¡°You¡¯re home.¡± Although Finnick felt relieved, he still maintained a nonchnt expression on his face. ¡°Molly has already prepared dinner. Let¡¯s go and eat.¡± Although she looked forward to meeting Finnick, when she finally saw him, the unhappy incident that happened before he left suddenly surfaced in her mind. Feeling awkward, she merely mumbled an acknowledgement before following Finnick to the dining room. Molly and Liam were tactful people. Knowing that Finnick and Vivian had not met for days, they left immediately after serving the dishes. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 31 In the dining room, it waspletely silent except for the nging of Vivian and Finnick¡¯s cutleries. ¡°Um¡­¡± Unable to bear such an awkward silence, Vivian took the initiative to speak, ¡°About that night¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± While Vivian was still hesitating on how to bring it up, Finnick unexpectedly interrupted her. ¡°What?¡± Vivian was still stunned. Is Finnick apologizing to me? ¡°I was too rash that night,¡± said Finnick softly. By then, Finnick had already finished his meal. He elegantly lifted the napkin and wiped his mouth. ¡°I was at fault too.¡± Since he had already apologized, Vivian naturally had to be gracious about it too. ¡°It was rude of me to leave the family dinner. When I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll apologize to your grandpa.¡± With regards to that night, Vivian had been thinking about it recently. It was indeed an act of discourtesy to leave the dinner just like that, especially in front of Finnick¡¯s grandpa. It was very unbing of her. As for Fabian, although it made her slightly uneasy that Finnick investigated her background, Finnick was right too. It was impossible for him to marry a woman with an unknown past. As for what happened afterward¡­ When Vivian recalled that night, the images of Finnick¡¯s muscr body and masculine scent caused her to blush. Vivian knew about what men and women did in bed. Since she was legally married to Finnick, she had the obligation to do it with him too. However, she just could not bring herself to do it. Due to her reluctance, Finnick did not continue either. Hence, there was nothing for her to be angry over. After hearing Vivian¡¯s apology, Finnick pursed his lips. Not wanting to dwell on this topic anymore, he asked, ¡°Vivian, is there nothing that you want to ask me?¡± Stunned, Vivian suddenly remembered something. Indeed, other than the unhappy incident that happened between her and Finnick a few days ago, many events also took ce. Gazing at Finnick, Vivian¡¯s mind was full of queries. Not knowing how to bring them up, she could only utter, ¡°Your leg?¡± That night, she personally witnessed Finnick standing up before her. Evidently, he was not crippled. ¡°Just like what you saw.¡± Finnick did not seem surprised to hear Vivian¡¯s question. ¡°My legs aren¡¯t crippled.¡± ¡°Then, why¡­¡± ¡°There are many reasons for it.¡± Finnick gave a vague reply. ¡°But remember, you must not tell anyone about this.¡± Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Naturally, she understood that Finnick had his own reasons for faking this. Although she did not know the details about it, she would certainly keep her lips sealed since Finnick told her to keep it a secret. Hence, she nodded. Finnick nced at Vivian, satisfied with her thoughtfulness. Suddenly, he recalled something and a dangerous glint shed across his eyes. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Other than that, is there anything else that you¡¯d like to ask me?¡± He paused before adding, ¡°Or rather, is there anything that you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± Vivian¡¯s body shuddered and her face paled. ¡°You know about what happened two years ago, right?¡± If Finnick really did investigate her background, it was impossible for him to be unaware of the incident two years ago. Looking at Vivian¡¯s ashen face, he replied, ¡°Vaguely.¡± Although he knew about what happened two years ago, it was the version that most people talked about. He never conducted a thorough investigation to find out the truth. Initially, it was because he did not care. Now, it was because he hoped that Vivian would tell him herself. The color drained from Vivian¡¯s cheeks. Forcing a smile, she said, ¡°Since you know about it, why did you still marry me?¡± ¡°At first, it was because I didn¡¯t mind at all.¡± Finnick stared straight into Vivian¡¯s eyes, looking like he Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. had no intention to hide anything. ¡°I just needed a wife in name. A gold-digger would be easy for me to manipte.¡± Hearing Finnick¡¯s brutally honest response, Vivian could not help but smile bitterly. So, right from the start, he had always thought that I was a woman who would sell my body for money? For some reason, when this thought surfaced in her mind, she felt extremely despondent. ¡°However.¡± Just when Vivian was biting on her lip, she suddenly heard Finnick speak again. ¡°I want to hear you tell me the truth behind what happened.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 32 Vivian¡¯s body quivered. ¡°The truth?¡± Finnick nodded. With a trembling voice, Vivian asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think that the version you¡¯ve found out is the truth?¡± Vivian gazed straight into Finnick¡¯s dark eyes as if she were seeking something in his unreadable gaze. Finnick also met her gaze. After a while, he said slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re a woman who will betray your body for money.¡± I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re a woman who¡¯ll betray your body for money. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Those simple words were like a magical spell, causing Vivian to freeze in shock. Observing Vivian¡¯s reaction, Finnick thought that her dazed look was quite adorable. A smile yed on his lips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Only then did Vivian realize her embarrassing reaction. Averting her gaze quickly, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a bit surprised.¡± As he stared at her, his voice became a few notches deeper. ¡°So? Are you willing to tell me, Vivian?¡± When she recalled what happened that year, Vivian¡¯s face paled. Noticing her ashen face and trembling eyebrows, Finnick¡¯s heart suddenly ached. He said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No, I want to tell you.¡± Vivian took a deep breath, raised her head and stared at him with bright eyes. ¡°Two years ago, I attended a banquet at thepany I was interning at. For some reason, I became drunk after just one ss of champagne. Someone then brought me to a hotel room and¡­ And¡­¡± When she reached that point, she could not utter a single word. Noticing her reaction, Finnick¡¯s gaze turned solemn. ¡°What happened?¡± A stern tone crept into Finnick¡¯s voice. Seeing how Vivian still kept her silence, he repeated seriously, ¡°Vivian, you must learn how to face it.¡± Vivian¡¯s body shuddered. Biting her lip, she managed to finish her story. ¡°Someone spiked the champagne. That was how an old man who was over sixty years old took my virginity.¡± After saying that, Vivian slumped on the sofa as if all the strength had left her body. Looking at her ashen face, Finnick could not bear it anymore. He stood up from his wheelchair, sat down beside her and gently pulled her into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s alright now.¡± His deep voice had its way of calming others down. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. If you want to cry, just cry.¡± When Vivian leaned against his warm and broad shoulders, she felt like her soul had left her. Instead of crying, she merely shook her head nkly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to cry about. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± However, Vivian¡¯s reaction caused Finnick¡¯s heart to ache even more than if she had burst into tears. Gazing at her pale face, he could not help but ask, ¡°How do you know that he was an old man who was over sixty years old?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyshes fluttered. ¡°As I was drugged, I don¡¯t really remember what happened that night, not even the man. When I woke up, he was already gone. There was ten thousand in cash left on the bedside table. I asked the concierge and they told me that the man who stayed there for the night was an old man who was over sixty years old. That wasn¡¯t the end yet. Someone then reported me to the school, using me of giving out sexual favors.¡± The scenes of having insults hurled at her by everyone returned to her. Even now, she still did not dare to meet her college ssmates as they would all scold her for being shameless. Vivian thought that she would not have any courage to talk about this incident again. However, for some reason, she had the strength to narrate everything when she was snugly in Finnick¡¯s arms. Listening to Vivian¡¯s words, a hostile look crept into Finnick¡¯s eyes. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Which hotel was it?¡± Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 33 ¡°Century Hotel,¡± replied Vivian instinctively. However, she immediately looked at Finnick in surprise. ¡°Why did you ask that?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Finnick¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°Have you never wondered who sabotaged you?¡± First, her drink was spiked. Then, she was sent to the hotel room, while the scandal was reported to the school. It was evident that someone had deliberately sabotaged her. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I tried investigating too, but I didn¡¯t discover anything,¡± said Vivian. Suddenly, she realized something and stared at Finnick. ¡°Finnick, do you truly believe what I say?¡± Finnick turned to the side to look at her. When he saw that she was leaning against his shoulder and looking dependent on him, his mood inexplicably improved. He replied in a deep voice, ¡°You¡¯re my wife. Why wouldn¡¯t I believe you?¡± He said those simple words so matter-of-factly. Yet, it struck Vivian like a sledgehammer. He believes me. Despite having spent so many years with Fabian, he had never believed her. Yet, Finnick did. ¡°So?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Are you disgusted by me?¡± This incident that happened two years ago was like a thorn in Vivian¡¯s heart. In the past, she had wallowed in despair, thinking that she would never marry. ¡°No.¡± Finnick frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault, so why should you me yourself?¡± Instead, you should let the true culprit pay the price. However, Finnick did not say that. He merely made a silent decision. After Vivian ryed the entire incident to him, she was so exhausted that she went to sleep. With Finnick staying by her side for the entire night, Vivian fell asleep faster than usual. In her sleep, she was still furrowing her pretty brows. Standing beside the bed, Finnick could not help but smoothen her brows out. As he listened to Vivian¡¯s steady breathing, he whipped out his phone and called Noah. ¡°Hello, Noah.¡± He lowered his volume, afraid of waking Vivian up. ¡°Help me thoroughly investigate what happened to Vivian two years ago.¡± After he hung up, he mulled over what Vivian told him. Suddenly, he frowned. Century Hotel? Why does the hotel sound so familiar? The next morning, Vivian was eating breakfast with Finnick in the dining room. ncing at her, he suddenly asked, ¡°How was your sleep yesterday?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Vivian raised her head. ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll not have a good sleep with me beside you.¡± Finnick sipped his coffee calmly. ¡°If you want, I can move to the guest room.¡± Vivian was slightly taken aback. Then, she realized that Finnick was referring to that particr night. Blushing, she said, ¡°Since we¡¯re married, we should sleep in the same room.¡± Finnick shot a nce at Vivian. ¡°So, you¡¯re not mad at me for what I did that night?¡± He still remembered how terrified Vivian was when he approached her that night. Her resistance made him very ufortable. Looking at Finnick embarrassedly, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t me you. What you did was reasonable, anyway.¡± ¡°Reasonable?¡± Finnick suddenly raised his eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Not expecting Finnick to persistently ask her, she became more embarrassed. However, under Finnick¡¯s intense gaze, she steeled herself and answered, ¡°It¡¯s because I made you feel humiliated that Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. night. There¡¯s also the matter about Fabian¡­ It¡¯s normal that you¡¯ll get angry. After all, I¡¯m your wife.¡± Finnick was even more surprised. Although Vivian¡¯s answer was vague, he still understood what she meant. So Vivian thinks that I did that to her because of my possessiveness? Finnick could not help but chuckle. ¡°Why? What¡¯s so funny?¡± asked Vivian embarrassedly, thinking that she had said something wrong. Finnick gazed at her thoughtfully. He was never a man who cared to deny things. Both his concern for Vivian and the jealousy he felt when he learned about Fabian led him to a realization. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 34 He was starting to developing feelings for this wife, whom he had married on a whim. For so many years, he thought that he would never fall in love with anyone again. However, the fated woman appeared just like that. Fortunately, that woman was his wife. Unfortunately, she was so obtuse that she had not noticed it yet. Should I directly tell her my feelings and conquer her, or should I slowly make her fall for me? Finnick smiled bitterly. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve liked a woman. Now, I even feel like Vivian is even harder to deal with than those business deals worth billions. I should just take things slow. Finnick stared at Vivian with a faint smile ying on his lips. ¡°Think about it that way, then.¡± Puzzled over what Finnick meant, Vivian could only nod nkly. Looking at her dazed look, Finnick¡¯s grin widened as he asked, ¡°Are you free tomorrow? A friend of mine is visiting us for a meal.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Vivian was stunned. ¡°Yeah.¡± Finnick nodded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Even if you¡¯re unwilling to meet my family, you can¡¯t possibly refuse to meet my friend too, right?¡± Vivian chuckled embarrassedly. ¡°Stop teasing me. I¡¯m free tomorrow.¡± The next day, Vivian and Molly spent the entire morning in the kitchen. The guest finally turned up at noon. ¡°Hey, Finnick! Your house looks much more homely after marrying a wife.¡± Before the person appeared, his voice rang out first. His tone was arrogant and proud. Vivian briskly walked into the living room just to see a man, who was wearing a pink shirt, enter. He was around the same age as Vivian. Although he was quite handsome, he did not share Finnick¡¯s calmposure. Undoubtedly, he was a mboyant man. ¡°Hi, Vivian. My sister-inw, huh?¡± When the man spotted Vivian, he quickly headed toward her. He even red at Finnick, who was sitting in the wheelchair at the side. ¡°Finnick, you rascal. You didn¡¯t even tell me that your wife is so pretty!¡± Still looking calm, Finnick ignored him and merely introduced them to each other. ¡°Xavier, this is Vivian William. Vivian, this is Xavier Jackson.¡± Xavier Jackson? Due to her journalism background, she was quite familiar with this name. After thinking for a while, she suddenly recalled. ¡°Oh! Xavier Jackson from the Jackson family?¡± There were three major families in Sunshine City. The most powerful was the Norton family, who ran thergest conglomerate. Next up was the Jackson family who was very influential in the entertainment industry. Lastly, there was the Morrison family, who was starting to go into a decline in these recent years. Xavier Jackson was the only son and heir of the Jackson family. ¡°Hello.¡± Vivian was a little nervous, but she still smiled politely. ¡°I¡¯m Vivian.¡± ¡°My pleasure to finally meet you.¡± Xavier had a pair of charming eyes. Holding Vivian¡¯s hand like a gentleman, he raised it to his lips, preparing to kiss it. However, Finnick suddenly raised his hand and snatched Vivian¡¯s hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her,¡± snapped Finnick expressionlessly. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Stunned, Xavier¡¯s eyes lit up. Oh my! Is Finnick being jealous right now? This is getting interesting. Feeling intrigued, Xavier smirked. He clung onto Vivian and whispered mysteriously, ¡°Vivian, Finnick is so thick sometimes. Don¡¯t worry about it. If you¡¯re bored,e and chat with me. I¡¯m a much more interesting person than him.¡± Shuddering, Vivianughed awkwardly. ¡°Xavier, you jest.¡± Finnick¡¯s expression waspletely dark now. He grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand and walked toward the dining room. After preparing the dishes, Molly and Liam went out due to familymitments. Only Vivian, Finnick and Xavier were left in the vi. Crossing one leg over the other, Xavier demanded, ¡°Hey, why aren¡¯t there any alcohol? Finnick, go get some. There are no outsiders here anyway. Why are you still sitting on that stupid wheelchair?¡± Vivian was shocked when she heard him. Finnick stood up from the wheelchair, poured a bowl of soup and passed it to her. He said in a nonchnt tone, ¡°Drink this.¡± Then, he turned and headed to the cer. Only then did Vivian realize how close Xavier was to Finnick. He even told Xavier that he was not actually crippled. Xavier¡¯s eyes followed Finnick as he left. Only then did he turn around and look at Vivian. The yful smirk on his lips was no longer there. ¡°Thank you, Vivian.¡± Vivian felt uneasy by his sudden formal attitude. ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± ¡°Thank you for marrying Finnick.¡± Xavier leaned against the chair and grinned. This time, it was a genuine smile. ¡°You¡¯re the second person who knows the truth about Finnick¡¯s legs. This proves that he really trusts you.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 35 When Vivian recalled why Finnick suddenly stood up that night, she blushed. Yet, she said with a smile, ¡°A couple should trust each other.¡± Xavier¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at Vivian. He asked, ¡°Vivian, did Finnick ever tell you why he pretends to be crippled?¡± Taken aback, Vivian shook her head. Finnick had said that it was better if she remained oblivious to certain things. Hence, she never pestered him for the answer. ¡°Ten years ago, a car ident happened to Finnick.¡± On the other hand, Xavier did not seem to have any reservations and told her outright. ¡°Everyone thought that Finnick became crippled due to that ident. In reality, he only got injured and was fully healed after going to A Nation.¡± Vivian searched her memories. She seemed to have read about his car ident in the news. Back then, at barely 20 years old, Finnick had just started college. However, someone kidnapped him and demanded an exorbitant ransom. This created a hugemotion then as the news dominated the headlines for a long time. ording to the news, after the kidnappers received the ransom, they wanted to leave with the second son of the Norton family as their hostage. Unexpectedly, they got into a car ident mid-way. The kidnappers died on the spot, while the son of the Norton family got severely injured. However, as most of the details were strictly withheld from the public, no one knew that his legs were injured. They only knew that he flew to A Nation for his medical treatment and he became really weak after the incident. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it vaguely,¡± muttered Vivian. ¡°So, after being healed at A Nation, he still pretends to be crippled?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xavier tilted his head to the side. ¡°But can you guess why?¡± Vivian was amused. Xavier ispletely different from Finnick. With a personality like that, he¡¯s probably very popr with thedies, right? ¡°I have to guess?¡± Vivian pretended to contemte it. ¡°Does he want the Norton family to drop their guard against him?¡± Actually, Vivian had wondered why Finnick pretended to be crippled. Hence, she had her own guesses already. After all, she worked in the journalism industry. Although she was not so knowledgeable about these elite families, she was notpletely clueless either. She could guess that the Norton family had a role to y in why Finnick went to such lengths to fake his condition. She had not seen Mark, Finnick¡¯s older brother and Fabian¡¯s father, before. However, the rumors said Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. that Mark was an extremely ambitious and ruthless man. Now that the elder Mr. Norton was getting old, Mark was the one running the family business. On the other hand, Finnick went down apletely different route that had nothing to do with the Norton family. He started a business on his own probably to avoid a conflict with his older brother. Hence, Vivian wondered if Finnick pretended to be crippled because he was wary about Mark. This was just Vivian¡¯s wild guess. However, after listening to her exnation, a hint of admiration crept into Xavier¡¯s eyes as he gazed at her. ¡°Not bad, Vivian. You¡¯re quite smart.¡± Vivian chuckled embarrassedly. ¡°I watch too many soap operas.¡± Xavier stifled augh. ¡°Actually, the Norton family¡¯s business is very huge. So the family drama is probably asplex as those soap operas. Anyway, although Finnick is a sessful man now, he has led a tough life.¡± Vivian was momentarily stunned before she returned to her senses and nodded. For ten years, he had to sit in a wheelchair despite being perfectly fine. He even had to guard against his own family. It must have been a tough feat. ¡°So,¡± continued Xavier. This time, his smile had faded and a serious expression took its ce. ¡°Vivian, you must make him happy.¡± Shocked, Vivian did not expect Xavier to suddenly say this. Make him happy? But what happiness can I give him? Before Vivian could reply, she suddenly heard the sound of steady footsteps approaching them. A cold voice rang out, ¡°What are both of you talking about?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 36 Vivian turned around and saw that Finnick had returned. Finnick was standing there. His figure was lean and his legs were long and slender. His light blue shirt outlined his perfectly sculpted body. A solemn look shed across Vivian¡¯s eyes. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. He¡¯s such an exceptional man, but he¡¯s forced to sit in a wheelchair. How does that even feel like? ¡°I¡¯m telling Vivian that I¡¯ve fallen in love with her at first sight and is nning to steal her away from you.¡± The moment Xavier saw Finnick, a frivolous smile appeared on his lips again. ¡°Finnick, you know how charming I am. I¡¯ve got so many women fawning over me. You must be careful!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think that Vivian¡¯s the same as those women around you,¡± rebuked Finnick calmly. He walked to the dining table and opened the bottle of red wine. ¡°She won¡¯t ever like you.¡± ¡°Hmph! How confident!¡± Xavier snorted in disdain. With the lively Xavier around, there was not a single moment of boredom during the meal. Vivian was and reluctantly stand up. ¡°Alright, Vivian. I have a date today, so I won¡¯t disturb you and Finnick anymore. I¡¯ll visit you again.¡± Vivian stood up with Finnick to send Xavier off. They only returned to the dining room after Xavier¡¯s ostentatiously red sports car sped away. Finnick was bringing the tes on the dining table back to the kitchen. ¡°Let me do it,¡± offered Vivian immediately, wanting to take the tes away from Finnick¡¯s hands. However, he raised his hand and stopped her. ¡°I can do simple things like this,¡± replied Finnick in a deep voice. Left with no choice, Vivian could only clear the table with him. As Finnick ced the tes in the dishwasher, he abruptly asked, ¡°What did Xavier tell you just now?¡± Vivian was taken aback. However, she still replied honestly, ¡°He told me why you¡¯re pretending to be crippled.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Finnick nodded, not surprised at all. Vivian expected it too. Since Finnick and Xavier shared so many years of friendship, Finnick definitely could guess what Xavier told her. ¡°Do you me me?¡± Finnick suddenly asked again as he shot a brooding nce at Vivian. Surprised, Vivian didn¡¯t understand what he meant. ¡°me you for what?¡± ¡°I should be the one telling all these things to you,¡± mumbled Finnick as he ced thest te into the dishwasher. Vivian burst outughing. ¡°There¡¯s no difference. Without your permission, Xavier wouldn¡¯t have dared to tell it to me, right?¡± Finnick could not help but steal another nce at her. Although she¡¯s never nosy, she¡¯s actually very observant. This is the woman I chose! ¡°Yeah.¡± Vivian and Finnick walked out of the kitchen, hand in hand. ¡°Xavier¡¯s better at talking than me.¡± In other words, he was saying that Xavier could probably exin it clearer than he could. ¡°As for the specific reason¡­¡± Finnick hesitated for a while before adding, ¡°I still can¡¯t tell you. The more you know, the more danger you¡¯ll be in. I hope that you¡¯ll understand.¡± Vivian nodded. ¡°I know. You¡¯re trying to protect me.¡± Vivian uttered those words very softly and light-heartedly. Yet, when Finnick heard her, he felt a flutter in his heart. He unknowingly tightened his grip on Vivian¡¯s soft hand. Sensing Finnick¡¯s grip on her hand, Vivian started to blush. She was about to say something when her phone in the living room rang. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll go pick up the call.¡± With her head lowered, Vivian mumbled, withdrew her hand and walked to the living room. When she grabbed the phone on the table and saw the iing call, her brows furrowed. She epted the call and asked expressionlessly, ¡°Ashley, why are you calling me?¡± Ashley and Vivian shared the same father, but different mothers. Although they were rted by blood, they grew up inpletely different environments and barely saw each other. Hence, there was no sisterly bond between them. Especially after what happened with Fabian, Vivian felt like there was no need for them to feign friendliness with each other anymore. Hence, she did not know why Ashley called her. ¡°Vivian.¡± Ashley¡¯s sickeningly sweet voice sounded on the phone. ¡°You seem unhappy to receive my call.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be happy about.¡± Vivian could not be bothered to keep up the act with her. With an impatient tone, she snapped, ¡°Cut the crap. What do you want?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m calling you to report good news,¡± said Ashley in a cutesy voice. ¡°I heard that Ms. William¡¯s condition is improving, right?¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 37 Vivian¡¯s heart sank. Why does she have such detailed information about my Mom? ¡°What about it?¡± Her voice became colder. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, darling sister. After all, I¡¯m very concerned about Ms. William too.¡± Ashley¡¯s friendly tone was as fake as ever. ¡°Hence, when I heard that Ms. William¡¯s hospital fees are going to increase, I was worried sick. I keep thinking about how I can help you.¡± Ashley wants to help me? Vivian coldly scoffed, ¡°How do you want to help me?¡± ¡°I know a friend who runs a magazinepany. They¡¯re in need of manpower now. Also, they have really attractive employee benefits.¡± Ashley finally revealed her objective in calling Vivian. ¡°Since you¡¯re so talented, you¡¯ll definitely be treated better if you join herpany instead.¡± Vivian finally understood. After beating around the bush, Ashley simply wanted her out of mour Magazine. The reason was obvious¡ªit was because of Fabian. Having figured out Ashley¡¯s intentions, Vivian could not help but mock, ¡°Ashley, are you so concerned about me and Fabian?¡± Vivian¡¯s words were so brutally straightforward that Ashley paled. Biting her rosy lip, she still replied in a sweet voice, ¡°What are you talking about, Vivian? Why should I be worried about you? You¡¯re just a married woman who has sold her body for money.¡± Vivian¡¯s face stiffened. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She¡¯s saying such cruel and harsh words in such a disgustingly sweet tone. This is totally like Ashley. Vivian¡¯s voice turned frosty. ¡°Ashley, regardless of what your intentions in introducing this job to me are, I will not ept the job.¡± She understood Ashley all too well. If she actually joined the new magazinepany, she would not be treated well at all. In fact, she would fall right into Ashley¡¯s grasp and be tormented by her. Upon hearing Vivian¡¯s firm rejection, Ashley started to feel humiliated. A hint of fury finally crept into her voice as she yelled, ¡°Vivian! You ungrateful and rude b*tch!¡± ¡°Oh my! Your embarrassment has morphed into anger so quickly!¡± scoffed Vivian. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not interested in Fabian at all, so you don¡¯t need to be so paranoid.¡± Ashley was so furious that she wanted to scream out loud! What do you mean you¡¯re not interested? Vivian, you b*tch! You¡¯re very skilled at ying hard to get, huh? ¡°Vivian!¡± Now that things hade to this, Ashley could not be bothered to put on an act anymore. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Leave the magazinepany! Otherwise, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Vivian scoffed in contempt. ¡°Teach me a lesson? Ashley, what can you even do to me?¡± What can I do to you? On the other side, Ashley¡¯s lips suddenly curved into a ruthless smirk. ¡°I can make you suffer so badly that you wish for death.¡± Ashley¡¯s voice was extremely sweet, yet there was a vicious note in it. Vivian could not help but feel a chill run down her spine. However, she impatiently snapped, ¡°Do what you want! Anyway, I need my job. Also, I ampletely uninterested in your fianc¨¦!¡± With that, she hung up the call, not wanting to entertain Ashley anymore. When Ashley heard the busy tone on the phone, her pretty face twisted in fury. Vivian! I gave you a chance to save yourself! Since it¡¯s your fault for not taking it, don¡¯t me me for this. Ashley quickly picked up her phone and dialed a number. ¡°Hi, it¡¯s me.¡± Ashley¡¯s voice wasced with menace. ¡°Send all the photos. Yes, send them to Fabian. Be careful. Don¡¯t let anyone find out where they¡¯re sent from.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 38 After hanging up the call, Ashley was still fuming as she painted her nails red. In her anger, she jammed the brush against her nail. Even till now, she could still remember the first time she met Fabian. Fabian always assumed that their first encounter was during the banquet half a year ago. Yet, he was oblivious to the fact that she had already met him three years ago. It was at Z College. Back then, she and her friends had visited H City for fun. Her father instructed her to bring some things for Vivian. Although she was reluctant to do so, she still obeyed him as she needed to seem like an obedient daughter. It was then that she coincidentally saw Vivian together with Fabian. She could recall clearly that it was a beautiful, sunny day. Fabian was riding a bicycle, while Vivian sat behind him. He was wearing a white blouse, looking like a prince who hade straight out of the fairy tales. The moment sheid eyes on him, she was attracted by him. Although that encounter was brief, and both Vivian and Fabian probably had no impression of it, but that was deeply engraved in her mind. After returning home, she specially hired someone to investigate her sister¡¯s boyfriend. Only then did she get a huge shock. Surprisingly, Vivian¡¯s boyfriend, whom she described as a poor student relying on financial aid to attend college, was actually the grandson of the Norton family! After discovering this, Ashley was over the moon! She knew that with her taste in men, it was impossible for her to fall in love with a poor bloke. Certainly, the person she liked must be an extraordinary man! From then on, she was determined to marry Fabian and no one else. Unfortunately, Fabian only had eyes for Vivian. She still recalled the asional times Vivian visited the Millers. When she received Fabian¡¯s call, there was always this sickeningly blissful expression on her face. Simrly, she had also snuck to Z College to steal a glimpse of Fabian. She could never forget Fabian¡¯s affectionate face whenever he looked at Vivian. Indeed, she must admit that she was ovee by jealousy. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She was actually jealous of Vivian¡ªthat crude, unrefined and illegitimate daughter of the Millers! Although she despised Vivian since young, it mostly stemmed out of disdain. It was because she never thought that Vivian couldpare up to her. Yet, never in a million years would she imagine herself being jealous of Vivian. This marked the start of her hatred for Vivian. Hence, she orchestrated the incident two years ago. Her aim was to force Fabian to never love this dirty, illegitimate daughter again. She always thought that she had seeded. Fabian broke up with Vivian, returned to the Norton family and went abroad to A Nation¡ªjust like what someone from a wealthy family should do. As nned, she met him there, started dating him and even got engaged. Everything was going ording to her n. However, when they returned to Sunshine City, everything changed. Fabian actually became Vivian¡¯s direct superior. Was it a coincidence or a deliberate move by Fabian? After the few encounters and the business trip, she was truly afraid. Hence, she had no choice but to unleash her trump card. Vivian, I¡¯ll make it impossible for you to ever be with Fabian! Monday arrived. After Vivian woke up and was prepared to go downstairs for breakfast, she received an unexpected call from the hospital. ¡°What?¡± Vivian stopped in the middle of the staircase. ¡°Ten thousand? Do you need it urgently? No, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t afford it. Just prescribe the medicine. I¡¯ll go retrieve the money today.¡± Vivian hung up the call and sighed. After her mom¡¯s health condition improved, she started to take imported medicine. Most of them were not covered by insurance, so Vivian was struggling to afford them. However, as it concerned her mom¡¯s life, she had no choice but to steel herself and call the Human Resource Department. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll need to collect my sry in advance.¡± Even Vivian felt embarrassed at her request. ¡°But my mother¡­ Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll wait for your update.¡± After hanging up the call, Vivian sighed again before heading to the dining room. Finnick was eating porridge there. When he spotted Vivian, he asked calmly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 39 Vivian guessed that he probably saw her calling at the staircase. However, as she could not think of an exnation on the spot, she merely replied, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just some stuff at work. It¡¯s not anything important.¡± Vivian was not deliberately trying to conceal her mother¡¯s condition from Finnick. It was because she really did not know how to bring it up. If she said that her mother was severely ill and she was in dire need of money for her treatment, it would sound like she was demanding money from Finnick. Although they were married and she was starting to develop some reliance on Finnick, she was still unwilling to reveal her vulnerabilities to others. Perhaps, this was a habit she had cultivated since young. Her mother always reminded her that even if everyone mocked her for not having a father and for being an illegitimate child, she must never disy any weaknesses. She must never let someone else make a joke out of her. When Finnick noticed that Vivian¡¯s gaze flitted, he pondered for a while and decided against asking further. Naturally, he knew about her mother¡¯s condition. However, he did not n on taking the initiative to offer her help. As he knew how sensitive and stubborn she was, he was afraid of affecting the fragile trust between them. Let¡¯s take it slow. I don¡¯t want to scare her. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Gazing at Vivian, who was preupied with her thoughts, Finnick silently mocked himself. He never imagined himself, who had always been so decisive during business negotiations, to be so hesitant just because of Vivian. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± In the end, he merely said, ¡°After the meal, I¡¯ll send you to the train station.¡± Vivian nodded, heaving a sigh of relief that Finnick did not insist on sending her to her office. Does this mean that he¡¯s starting to think from my perspective? Vivian took the train to the magazinepany. Before she could sit at her desk, the secretary informed her that Fabian had summoned her. Vivian¡¯s heart sank. After returning from Q City, Fabian stopped giving her a rough time. Why is he calling for me now? With that puzzling thought, she walked towards Fabian¡¯s office. ¡°Mr. Norton, how may I help you?¡± ¡°Vivian.¡± Fabian stared at Vivian coldly and went straight to the point. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re collecting your sry in advance for this month again?¡± Vivian¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Yes, I need money.¡± ¡°You need money?¡± Fabian scoffed coldly. ¡°What for?¡± Vivian could feel her fingertips trembling. Her voice turned frostily as well as she rebuked, ¡°That¡¯s the Finance Department¡¯s business. As the Chief Editor, aren¡¯t you being excessively concerned?¡± ¡°Why? Is it for something shady?¡± When Fabian saw that Vivian was avoiding the question, his mocking tone intensified. Vivian shot a re at him. She took a deep breath and smirked. ¡°I want to buy a bag that¡¯s just been released. It¡¯s a limited edition. If I don¡¯t collect my sry in advance, I won¡¯t be able to snatch it in time.¡± Since Fabian already thinks that I¡¯m a gold-digger, I¡¯ll just let it be. Anyway, I don¡¯t care anymore. When Fabian heard her nonchnt tone, he could not help but clench his fists. Smirking coldly, he scoffed, ¡°Huh? It¡¯s just a bag. Those men refused to buy it for you?¡± Those men? Vivian thought that she had already be immune to all these attacks. Even though Fabian insulted her like that, she didn¡¯t feel a thing at all. ¡°Vivian, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Fabian abruptly stood up and raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question. What about those men? Or did they dump you after getting what they want from you?¡± Frowning, Vivian was starting to lose her cool. Is Fabian nuts? Why is he acting up again? ¡°Mr. Norton, if I can¡¯t collect my sry in advance, forget it.¡± Vivian had lost her patience. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Vivian was about to leave when Fabian suddenly strode forward and flung something directly on her face. ¡°Vivian, can you exin to me what these are?¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 40 Stunned, Vivian lowered her head to take a closer look at what he just threw at her. Suddenly, all the color drained from her cheeks as her body shivered uncontrobly. They were photos. The images was blurry and unfocused, so it was evident that they had been taken in secret. However, the person in the photos was clearly recognizable. It was none other than herself! She was lying on the bed with her clothes disheveled and her cheeks flushed. Although the photos were blurry, it was evident what she was doing. Vivian¡¯s mind went nk. She quickly recognized when the photos were taken¡ªtwo years ago. ¡°Where did you get these photos from?¡± Clutching the photos, Vivian red at Fabian and demanded in a sharp voice. What happened two years ago was a nightmare to Vivian. However, after all this time, she was starting to put her past behind her. Never in a million years did she imagine that someone actually snapped photos of her! With that, the horrible incident would be an irremovable taint that would stay with her forever in her life. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vivian? Are you scared?¡± Staring at Vivian¡¯s ashen face, Fabian could not help but scoff coldly. ¡°If you¡¯re scared now, why did you even do such dirty things back then?¡± Vivian¡¯s emotions were getting out of control. Fabian¡¯s mockery only made her feel frustrated. ¡°Fabian, I have nothing to do with you! Stop poking your nose into my business!¡± Vivian¡¯s voice was extremely cold. ¡°Just tell me where you got those photos. Who took them? Who gave them to you?¡± When Fabian saw how pale Vivian was, his heart could not help but ache. However, when his gaze ¡°Don¡¯t you know very well who took them? Why are you asking me instead?¡± Fabian looked at Vivian mockingly, his eyes filled with disdain. ¡°Or did you mess around with so many different guys that you can¡¯t even remember when is this from, or which man took these photos?¡± Vivian¡¯s body shuddered uncontrobly. Evidently, Fabian could not tell that this was a photo from two years ago. Indeed, Vivian always had long hair for these two years. It was hard to see any difference. Hence, due to the deep misunderstanding he already harbored of Vivian, he naturally assumed that those photos had been recently taken by some random man. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Vivian bit her lips. Knowing that she would not be able to get any information from this madman, she turned around and left, not wanting to talk to him anymore. ¡°Vivian, stop right there!¡± Fabian¡¯s furious voice sounded behind Vivian. However, she dashed out of the office without looking back. After leaving the office, Vivian ignored everyone¡¯s curious stares and ran straight to the toilet. She closed the cubicle door, slumped on the toilet seat and panted heavily. Photos? Those photos? Who took those photos and sent them to Fabian? Is it the person who sabotaged me that year? What is the culprit¡¯s objective? It¡¯s already been two years. Is the person still not satisfied after ruining my reputation? Is that why he or she revealed these photos now? While Vivian was on the verge of breaking down, Fabian was not exactly feeling happy either. He sat on the sofa furiously and tugged on his tie which was suffocating him. He still remembered receiving a picture of Vivian on the bed two years ago. It was what forced him to believe that Vivian had really betrayed him. Two years had passed since then. He expected that he would have given uppletely on this shameless woman by now, but when he saw those pictures, he was still ovee with fury! Is this a new photo with another man? Who¡¯s the man this time? Finnick? Or someone else? Fabian was so frustrated that his chest felt like exploding. He must do something about this, otherwise he might go mad! He suddenly grabbed his phone and dialed a number. After the person picked it up, Fabian squeezed out a fake smile. ¡°Hello, Uncle Finnick. It¡¯s me, Fabian. I haven¡¯t met you after I returned, right? Yeah, you left during the family dinner because you had something on. I¡¯m going to pass by yourpany today. Why don¡¯t we grab a cup of coffee together?¡± After half an hour, he arrived at the caf¨¦ nearby Finnor Group. Finnick was sitting on a wheelchair beside the window. When he lowered his head and spotted the envelope on the table, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Fabian, what¡¯s this?¡± Fabian was sitting on the other side of the table. Although he was slightly intimidated by Finnick¡¯s overpowering aura, he said stoically, ¡°I think that you should know about some things, Uncle Finnick.¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 41 ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± Finnick was extremely calm. Not curious about what was in the envelope, he merely threw a question at Fabian. Not knowing how to exin, Fabian only gave a vague answer. ¡°I heard that you have a woman now?¡± He intended to say it in a light-hearted manner. In reality, when he first heard about it, he was shocked. He knew that Finnick never disyed any interest in women. His father, Mark, even suspected that the car ident ten years ago had not only robbed him of his legs, but also of his ability in bed. It was only until Finnick¡¯s marriage that they realized otherwise. What shocked Fabian more was that Finnick was actually involved with Vivian! When Finnick heard what Fabian said, he raised his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re very knowledgeable about my matters, huh?¡± Although it was just a casual statement, Finnick¡¯s voice lowered considerably. Feeling pressured, Fabian broke out into a cold sweat. ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence.¡± Fabian forced himself to smile. ¡°Previously, my business partner, Mr. Hark, offended your woman. He told me about it afterwards.¡± When Fabian mentioned what happened at Q City, a cold glint shed across Finnick¡¯s eyes. ¡°So?¡± Finnick already deduced that Fabian met him today to talk about Vivian. Although Finnick never deliberately concealed his rtionship from Fabian, he seemed to have misunderstood that Vivian was Finnick¡¯s mistress. ¡°Well¡­¡± Fabian was breaking out in cold sweat. However, he steeled himself and pressed on, ¡°That woman is working in my magazinepany. Coincidentally, I got my hands on some information on her which I think you ought to know.¡± As he spoke, his gazended on the envelope on the table. So the envelope contains something rted to Vivian. After a moment of contemtion, Finnick raised his hand and opened the envelope. However, when he saw what was inside the envelope, a murderous glint shed across Finnick¡¯s eyes. Fabian had been observing Finnick¡¯s face and he was not surprised when he captured that slight change in Finnick¡¯s expression. Although she¡¯s just Finnick¡¯s mistress, it¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s important to him. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have dealt with Mr. Hark like that. Speaking of which, Vivian is such an impressive woman, huh? She made me fall heads over heels for her back then. Now, she can even fool Uncle Finnick, who had no interest in women before. But, after I reveal her true colors today, she won¡¯t be able to pretend anymore! Fabian was filled with a desire for revenge. However, he was reluctant to admit that actually, he just did not want to see Vivian and Finnick being entangled in a rtionship. m! After seeing what was in the envelope, Finnick mmed it onto the table, whirled around and said to the waiter, ¡°Do have a lighter?¡± Fabian was stunned. A lighter? But Uncle Finnick doesn¡¯t smoke at all. The waiter quickly passed him a lighter. Before Fabian could react, Finnick flicked the lighter and burned the envelope. ¡°Uncle Finnick, what are you doing?¡± Shocked, Fabian tried to stop him. When he raised his head, his eyes met Finnick¡¯s cold gaze. Instantly, he felt shivers run down his spine. What a petrifying gaze. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you just want me to take a look at it?¡± A cold smirk yed on Finnick¡¯s lips, while his tone was as frosty as his expression. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve looked at it, there¡¯s no problem if I burn it, right?¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. What a joke. Although the photo didn¡¯t capture any sensitive body parts, she¡¯s still my woman. No one can just look at her like that. Staring at Finnick, Fabian could not help but swallow his saliva and lower his head. ¡°Nope.¡± With the photo enclosed inside, the envelope burnt into ashes. Finnick tossed the lighter aside and leaned against his wheelchair. His cold gazended on Fabian as he interrogated, ¡°Tell me, who gave you this photo?¡± Fabian raised his head in surprise. Staring at Finnick, he could barely believe what he just heard. ¡°Uncle Finnick, don¡¯t you want to know who she took the photo with and why such a photo exists?¡± Shooting Fabian a brooding look, Finnick replied in a deep voice, ¡°Why must I ask? I know very well what kind of person my woman is.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 42 Fabian¡¯s body froze. He never expected Finnick to react like this after seeing those pictures. Considering Finnick¡¯s personality, Fabian thought that he would definitely fly into a rage and cut off all connections with Vivian. However, he lookedpletely unbothered. Or rather, he hadplete faith in Vivian¡¯s morals. When this thought shed across Fabian¡¯s mind, he felt very frustrated. Why? Why does Finnick trust Vivian so much? Isn¡¯t their rtionship supposed to be a superficial and brief one? Even though I shared such an intimate rtionship with Vivian two years ago, I believed that Vivian is a promiscuous woman after seeing those photos. Is it because I don¡¯t trust her enough? This query emerged in Fabian¡¯s mind but he tried desperately to suppress his frustration. No. The photos are already there! What kind of misunderstanding can there be? The only exnation is that Finnick doesn¡¯t even care about Vivian. That¡¯s why he¡¯s unconcerned about what kind of person she is. ¡°Fabian, you seem very interested in my woman,¡± Finnick said, interrupting Fabian¡¯s thoughts. Fabian¡¯s body stiffened. When he raised his head, he saw Finnick¡¯s cold and calm expression. Fabian suddenly felt like a Although Finnick was sitting on a wheelchair, he exuded an innately dignified and elegant aura. His presence was so great that no one could tear their eyes away from him. Suddenly, Fabian recalled his father¡¯s asional remarks about his uncle. Even his father, who was a particrly choosy man, said that if Finnick was not crippled, he would not even stand a chance against Finnick. Suddenly, Fabian felt very upset. In the past, he always thought of himself as an exceptional man. Only now did he realize how unworthy he was inparison to Finnick. Although he did not understand why hepared himself to Finnick, this sudden discovery filled him with frustration. Seized with a sudden impulse, he smirked. ¡°Yeah. You might not know this, but we used to be in a rtionship when she was still studying.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Fabian said it in a light-hearted manner, as if he was deliberately trying to anger Finnick. Admittedly, his words fulfilled their purpose. Finnick silently tightened his grip on the wheelchair handles. However, soon afterward, he scoffed coldly. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Those two words were simple, yet intensely cold. The fury in his voice could send chills down one¡¯s spine. Fabian realized that he had gone overboard. With his face turning pale, he said in a gentler tone, ¡°Uncle Finnick, don¡¯t be so bothered by it. She¡¯s just a mere woman. I¡¯m asking all these questions because I¡¯m worried that my aunt might feel upset after knowing about it.¡± Finnick¡¯s wife was also very mysterious. ordingly, Fabian¡¯s grandpa wanted to find Finnick a wife from a wealthy family. Fabian¡¯s father, Mark, was initially worried that such a marriage might ord Finnick with some power. Unexpectedly, Finnick suddenly announced that he got married to an ordinary girl with an average family background. Despite having returned for a period of time, Fabian still had not seen the rumored wife of Finnick. Finnick merely eyed Fabian, not responding to him at all. Realizing that he was being too nosy, an awkward expression crossed his face. In the end, he answered the first question Finnick raised, ¡°I got the photo from an anonymous email.¡± ¡°Anonymous?¡± repeated Finnick, his tone unreadable. Fabian nodded. Still reluctant to give up, he could not help but add, ¡°Uncle Finnick, don¡¯t me me for being nosy. But Vivian¡¯s an indecent woman. She has a bad reputation in the office too. So you should¡­¡± ¡°Fabian.¡± Before Fabian could finish his sentence, Finnick interrupted him. A hint of irritation had already crept into his voice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sticking your nose too much in my business?¡± Only then did Fabian realize that he talked too much. Hence, he nced down and apologized, ¡°Sorry, Uncle Finnick.¡± ¡°Alright, Fabian. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back first.¡± Finnick adjusted his tie and added calmly, ¡°My wife is still waiting for me at home.¡± With that, he left the caf¨¦ without sparing Fabian a second nce. Finnick returned to the car. Noah, who was sitting beside the driver¡¯s seat, felt that the car was much colder than usual. ¡°Noah.¡± Finnick suddenly called out, ¡°I asked you to look into that matter the other day, right? How¡¯s it going?¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 43 Noah was stunned for a while before returning to his senses. ¡°Are you talking about what happened to Ms. William two years ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Because quite some time has passed since the incident, so it¡¯s taking a while to investigate.¡± ¡°Start the investigation from Fabian. He recently received an email that¡¯s rted to the incident.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Finnick tapped his slender fingers on the wheelchair handle as a thoughtful gaze appeared in his eyes. I¡¯ll definitely not spare anyone who dares to mess with my woman. Also¡­ When Finnick¡¯s gazended on Fabian, who was walking out of the caf¨¦, a cold glint shed across his eyes. From what he heard previously, Fabian had already given up on Vivian and was going to get married soon. However, it seemed like Fabian was excessively concerned about his rtionship with Vivian. Finnick smiled coldly. I can¡¯t believe that a day woulde when I¡¯dpete with my own nephew. Even Vivian did not know how she managed to sluggishly get through this day. With much difficulty, she survived until dismissal time before she eagerly left the office. When she returned home, she was surprised to see Finnick waiting in the living room. The man would usually reach home quitete. ¡°Where¡¯s Molly and Liam?¡± Vivian tried her best to conceal her emotions from Finnick. As she took off her shoes, she walked into the living room. ¡°I gave them a day off today.¡± As there was no one else in the house, Finnick directly stood up from his wheelchair and took the dishes out from the kitchen. ¡°But dinner¡¯s ready, so let¡¯s eat.¡± Rubbing her slightly reddened eyes, Vivian nodded and shuffled to the dining room. Throughout dinner, Vivian and Finnick were immersed in their own thoughts. Hence, they did not speak much. Finnick finished his meal first. After mulling over it for a while, he asked, ¡°Vivian, have you considered changing a job?¡± Not expecting Finnick to mention this, Vivian was stunned. ¡°Why should I change my job?¡± Finnick gazed at Vivian. ¡°Your workce is too far from home and the employee benefits are average. You can find a better job.¡± Actually, Vivian knew that regardless of which profession it was, her sry would rise if she jumped ship to anotherpany. If it were not for her Mom, she might have already done that. As her Mom¡¯s medical bills were quite high each month, she could not afford to change a job. However, as she could not tell that to Finnick, she merely pursed her lips and said, ¡°Never mind. I¡¯m enjoying my work a lot and I can¡¯t bear to leave.¡± Finnick gripped his spoon tighter. ¡°You can¡¯t bear to leave?¡± He looked at Vivian with an unreadable expression. When Fabian showed him those photos earlier, he looked indifferent on the outside. In reality, however, he was furious. Extremely furious. It was evident that the photos were taken by a hidden camera. If he was not wrong, they were taken two years ago. He knew some details about what happened two years ago and had heard Vivian exin it to him. As he understood that it was not Vivian¡¯s fault, he did not me her. However, Vivian¡¯s alluring look in the photos enraged him. When he thought about how another man had shared such a passionate night with Vivian two years ago, he was overwhelmed with such fury that he had an urge to kill someone. To be exact, if it were not for the immense self-control he developed over these few years, he might not even be able to calmly eat dinner with Vivian right now. Fabian was also the source for his anger. Finnick did not know if Fabian was trying to take revenge for Vivian¡¯s betrayal two years ago or break up his rtionship with Vivian. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Regardless of which one it was, it was still inappropriate for Vivian to work for Fabian anymore. There was a chance a simr incident at Q City might happen again. Hence, he suggested for Vivian to change a job. Unexpectedly, she refused without hesitation. Finnick could not think of any reason why Vivian could not bear to leave the job. Is she reluctant to part with Fabian? When that possibility crossed his mind, Finnick felt that he was being unbelievably immature. Yet, that thought made his fury rise even further. When Finnick remembered those photos, his expression turned frosty. cing his fork down, he asked, ¡°Are you reluctant to leave Fabian?¡± Vivian¡¯s face paled, not expecting Finnick to say that. Does he think that I¡¯m still longing for Fabian, and will cheat on him? Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 44 Although her marriage with Finnick started off on a weird note, Vivian still respected their marriage and would not do anything to betray Finnick. However, Finnick sounded like he was suspecting Vivian. This made her feel extremely hurt. ¡°What do you mean, Finnick?¡± Her tone turned cold. ¡°Are you suspecting that there¡¯s something going on between Fabian and I?¡± Vivian had to admit that she was being a little too sensitive now. However, she really could not stand it anymore. Fabian¡¯s recent mockery and insults, in addition to the photos from today, was pushing her to the verge of a break down. Initially, she thought that Finnick trusted her. Yet, he was treating her like a flirty woman now! Finnick did not expect Vivian to react so emotionally. He frowned slightly and reassured her, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Finnick was trying to end the conversation, but Vivian ced her cutlery down and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± With that, she prepared to stand up and leave the dining table. However, before she could stand up, Finnick abruptly rose to his feet. He propped his arms on the handles of her chair, trapping her there. ¡°You! What are you doing?¡± When Vivian raised her head in a fluster, she saw the man¡¯s handsome face barely inches away from her. Finnick¡¯s eyes were dark, his emotions unreadable. As he watched Vivian¡¯s panicked expression, he asked in a deep voice, ¡°Vivian, is there nothing that you want to tell me?¡± He understood his nephew, Fabian¡¯s personality. Fabian was an impulsive man. Hence, after receiving those photos, he would definitely seek Vivian out. In addition to how Vivian seemed so distracted throughout the day, Finnick guessed that she had probably seen those photos. Yet, she did not say anything about it. This infuriated Finnick further. Why didn¡¯t she tell me? I¡¯m her husband. Yet, even though she had been wronged, she did not say a single word. She even wants to continue working in that ursed magazinepany! Finnick did not know why exactly he was so furious. When he gazed at Vivian¡¯s fair face and watery eyes, he just could not suppress his anger. ¡°Vivian, I¡¯m asking you a question!¡± When he saw that Vivian remained silent, Finnick¡¯s anger increased. He pinched her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. Finnick¡¯s grip was starting to hurt her. Despite trying to hold her tears back, they still gushed out from her eyes. ring at Finnick, she yelled, ¡°Are you crazy, Finnick?¡± Even Finnick thought that he must be going mad. Gazing at Vivian¡¯s face, which was flushed in anger, and her teary eyes, he actually found her extremely alluring! Yet, when he remembered those photos and Fabian¡¯s words, he realized that not a trace of rationality was left within him. He abruptly lowered his head and pressed his lips against Vivian¡¯s pale lips, causing her exmations to fall silent. Initially, Finnick just wanted to kiss her as a warning. Yet, when his lips touched Vivian¡¯s, his mouth was filled with her sweet fragrance. He was stunned. Is this how Vivian tastes like? As if he had been possessed by the devil, he could not help but pry her lips open, greedily deepening the kiss. On the other side, Vivian widened her eyes in shock. This was Finnick¡¯s second time kissing her. Compared to the punishment kiss the previous time, this Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. kiss was obviously more passionate. Initially, Vivian wanted to resist and shove Finnick away. However, despite punching his muscr chest, he did not budge. After a while, Vivian felt breathless from the kiss. Her face waspletely red. Unable to resist anymore, she merely slumped in his arms. After a long time, Finnick noticed that Vivian¡¯s face was flushed. Only then did he reluctantly release her and stand up. The kiss just now allowed him to vent some of the jealousy that was burning within him. Gazing at Vivian¡¯s lips, which were swollen from the kiss, his heart ached. His fingers grazed across her lips as he apologized softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I hurt you?¡± Biting her lips, Vivian remained silent. ¡°What?¡± Finnick¡¯s tone turned cold when he noticed Vivian¡¯s distant attitude. ¡°Do you hate it so much when I touch you?¡± Remembering her resistance to him on the bed, a dangerous glint shed across Finnick¡¯s eyes. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 45 Vivian did not know how to reply him. All she could feel was an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. pping Finnick¡¯s hand away, she got up and left the dining room. Watching her back, Finnick did not chase after her. For the entire night, Finnick did not return to the master bedroom. Vivian was left alone in the room, sleepless for the entire night. Finnick left the house early the next morning. He was gone when Vivian woke up. After eating breakfast alone, she went to the office. However, she just sat down at her desk when she saw Fabian walking out of his office. Frowning, Vivian stood up, nning to hide at the toilet and avoid a direct confrontation with him. She did not want Fabian to scold her in front of everyone. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re free in the afternoon, right? Follow me to Finnor Group for an interview.¡± Finnor Group? Vivian¡¯s body froze. When she turned around, she saw Fabian staring at her expressionlessly. ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± She tried her best to seem calm. ¡°I don¡¯t feel too well today. Can you take another person?¡± ¡°No.¡± Fabian¡¯s tone was formal. ¡°This is the second interview with Finnor Group¡¯s CEO. You interviewed him the previous time, so at least you¡¯re acquainted. It¡¯s better if you apany me there.¡± Vivian frowned. Interview Finnick with Fabian? I¡¯d be mad if I did that! ¡°But I really don¡¯t feel well, so I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll affect the interview. Sarah and the rest were present at the previous interview too. It¡¯s the same if you ask them to tag along.¡± ¡°Vivian.¡± Losing his patience, Fabian¡¯s tone became frosty. ¡°Do you want to get fired?¡± In the magazinepany, other than the Chief Editor¡¯s office, everyone else worked in open cubicles. Hence, all the employees sat together. When they overheard Fabian¡¯s conversation with Vivian, they fell silent. They timidly watched on, sensing the strange atmosphere surrounding them. ring at Fabian, Vivian had no choice but to relent. ¡°Okay, Mr. Norton.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t dy anymore. We¡¯ll leave now,¡± ordered Fabian expressionlessly and left, while Vivian coldly trailed behind. After Vivian and Fabian left, the magazinepany erupted into a ruckus. ¡°Oh my God! What¡¯s going on? Vivian¡¯s rtionship with Mr. Norton seems quite bad. I initially thought that he quite liked Vivian.¡± ¡°Are you stupid? You must be blind to think that Mr. Norton doesn¡¯t like Vivian. If he doesn¡¯t like her, why would he ask her to tag along for such a major interview?¡± ¡°Huh? But they looked like they were about to start an argument.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not arguing! It¡¯s obvious that Vivian is throwing a tantrum at Mr. Norton.¡± Most of the employees in the magazinepany were women, who loved to gossip. Vivian had just joined the magazinepany two years ago, but her performance had been consistently good. In fact, she was much better than the other experienced journalists who had worked there for three to four years. Part of the reason was that Vivian dared to ept any news projects, regardless of how tiring they were. However, not everyone thought so. Previously, someone spread a rumor in thepany about how Vivian managed to get involved with a wealthy big-shot. Now that her rtionship with the Chief Editor was so vague, everyone was even more convinced now. However, Vivian did not realize that she had be the subject of everyone¡¯s gossip. She merely sat on Fabian¡¯s car solemnly and headed to Finnor Group. ¡°Fabian.¡± There was only the two of them in the car. Unable to bear it anymore, she asked, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°What? Are you scared?¡± scoffed Fabian coldly. ¡°Isn¡¯t he just your sugar daddy? If this already scares you, how did you find the courage to be a mistress who breaks up someone else¡¯s family?¡± Vivian found Fabian utterly unreasonable. Not wanting to converse with him anymore, she looked T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. outside the window. The car finally arrived at the Finnor Group¡¯s building. Vivian followed Fabian up the building. Then, the secretary led them to Finnick¡¯s office. The office was decorated in a modern style. The man was sitting on a wheelchair in front of the massive French windows. His body was enveloped by a golden simmer of sunlight, causing him to look dazzling. ¡°Uncle Finnick,¡± greeted Fabian as he walked forward with Vivian. ¡°Excuse me for the sudden interview. I didn¡¯t disturb your work, right?¡± Finnick turned around slowly with a calm expression on his handsome face. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a mere interview.¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 46 Finnick kept hisposure; even when heid eyes on Vivian, there was not a shred of emotion on his face. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s begin now.¡± Fabian smiled demurely and gestured at Vivian toy down on the sofa. Finnick pushed his wheelchair and moved toward them,pletely avoiding Vivian¡¯s gaze. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Finnick, for the visitst time.¡± Fabian feigned ignorance as if there was no pressing tension in the room. He uttered, ¡°We are very grateful for that interview as it greatly increased the sales of our magazines.¡± ¡°You are wee,¡± replied Finnick. ¡°The purpose of this interview is to find out more about your recent Youth Award,¡± said Fabian. ¡°How did you feel when you received this award?¡± ¡°It felt like an affirmation of my efforts,¡± responded Finnick. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The pair of uncle-nephew carried on their conversationposedly. This starkly contrasted to the turbulent feelings that Vivian who was sitting at the side was experiencing. She was too well versed with Fabian¡¯s character. The fact that the Chief Editor personally conducted this interview demonstrated that there must be some underlying motive. Could it be? Vivian suddenly recalled the photographs that she nced through yesterday and her face immediately turned pale. Does Fabian want to expose those pictures to Finnick? Little did Vivian know that Fabian had already shown Finnick all the photographs. The interview today was conducted solely because Fabian felt anguished. He was vexed by the fact that Vivian waspletely unmoved by his actions. Hence, when the magazinepany decided to re-interview Finnick, he decided to bring Vivian along personally. After a few uncontroversial questions, Fabian¡¯s eyes lit up and he inquired, ¡°Was the Inte abuzz with news about your wife after the award ceremony?¡± Finnick lowered his gaze and nodded his head. ¡°Yes, it was.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, could you please share more about your wife?¡± Fabian smiled politely and remarked, ¡°As you should know, the female readers love gossiping about this.¡± ¡°What about my wife? She is just a simpledy,¡± replied Finnick with a small smile. ¡°Can you describe her a little more?¡± Fabian queried as his gaze swept over Vivian who sat next to him. ¡°She must be a special and kinddy. Do you share a great rtionship with her?¡± After listening to Fabian¡¯s question, Vivian instantly understood why he brought her to conduct the interview. Fabian wanted Finnick to reveal his deep love for his wife in order to force Vivian to back down and feel guilt for her actions. Vivian suddenly found this hrious. Could it be that Fabian wants me to be jealous of myself? It would beical should he subsequently finds out that I¡¯m Finnick¡¯s wife all along. At the thought of that, Vivian involuntarily shivered. Never mind, that realization won¡¯t be happening right now anyway. On the other side, Finnick also came to the realization of the purpose of Fabian¡¯s line of questioning. His eyes lit up as he gazed at Vivian, who could not mask her grin. Involuntarily, the corner of Finnick¡¯s lips curved up. She must be enjoying this right? Since Vivian found this interesting, Finnick was happy to continue the facade. ¡°Indeed, my wife is naive and good-natured.¡± Finnick slowly continued, ¡°She is very bashful. Even after our marriage, she blushes easily and her behavior is extremely endearing.¡± Vivian was stunned by his words. She gazed at Finnick, who caught her gaze and smiled back at her. Vivian¡¯s face instantly turned bright red. Finnick was clearly describing her. After all, he wasn¡¯t that close to her. Every time they had any kind of intimate interaction, an internal furnace would burn through her face. After hearing what Finnick described, Fabian instantly nced arrogantly at Vivian who was sitting next to him. He thought that Vivian would feel ashamed after hearing Finnick¡¯s description of his wife. However, her face only tinged with slight redness as she awkwardly recorded down what Finnick recounted. Fabian furrowed his brows and continued his line of enquiry, ¡°So, you likedies who are kind-hearted and pure?¡± Finnick cracked a small smile and remained silent. Fabian was not satisfied with Finnick¡¯s answer and queried, ¡°I suppose so, right? Who wouldn¡¯t like someone who is innocent and endearing? We should be wary of those gold-digger women instead.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 47 Vivian was initially self-conscious when she heard Finnick¡¯s reply. However, after hearing Fabian¡¯s snark remarks, she furrowed her brows. Fabian¡¯s intent to ridicule and shame her was too obvious. Although he had kept making such snide remarks about her ever since they met up again, she suddenly felt a burst of anger when he did that in front of Finnick. ¡°What do you mean by that, Fabian?¡± asked Vivian, who could no longer stand Fabian¡¯s disparaging Fabian coldly smiled and rebuffed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vivian? Have you finally realized your mistake?¡± In all honesty, Vivian could notprehend why she suddenly felt so exasperated. Perhaps she just did not want Finnick to be misguided. She did not want him to presuppose that she was a money-loving gold digger. ¡°I just think that you should be responsible for the words you are uttering,¡± replied Vivian icily. ¡°Be responsible?¡± Fabian smirked and let out an icyugh. At that moment, he no longer felt like concealing his true emotions. ¡°Do you really think you could continue putting up your facade in front of my uncle? Let me say to you right now that I¡¯ve shown all your unsightly photographs to my uncle. Do you still think that¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Finnick abruptly raised his voice and cut off Fabian. Vivian¡¯s face immediately turned ghostly white. What? Finnick has already seen those photos? While Fabian felt sorry for Vivian upon seeing her face turn pale, he felt more satisfied. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Did you really think that you can continue with your disgusting facade in front of my uncle?¡± he continued to ask with a cruel smile etched on his face. ¡°Surely you must have told him you¡¯re married ¡ª¡± ¡°Fabian, I said that¡¯s enough,¡± warned Finnick again. It was then that Fabian¡¯s expression changed slightly as he turned to stare at Finnick. However, thetter¡¯s eyes were trained on Vivian, whose face was nched. ¡°Uncle Finnick, I¡ª¡± Fabian tried to say something as he was dissatisfied. However, at that moment, Finnick abruptly pivoted around and cast a menacing gaze on Fabian which sent chills down thetter¡¯s spine. ¡°Fabian Norton,¡± Finnick uttered slowly with a threatening tone, ¡°Do not go overboard.¡± The color drained from Fabian¡¯s face. However, he refused to reveal the fear that rushed through his heart. ¡°Uncle Finnick, we¡¯re family. Vivian is just an outsider¡ª¡± ¡°Fabian!¡± Finnick threateningly cut off Fabian again. ¡°You¡¯d better stop breaking my boundaries time and time again. In the Norton family, we are all enemies.¡± Fabian was stunned at the direct manner Finnick spoke. He shuddered and broke out in cold sweat when he met Finnick¡¯s sinister re. Father was right. Even when Uncle Finnick is bound to a wheelchair, he¡¯s still someone not to be easily reckoned with. Although Fabian was extremely dissatisfied with the overprotectiveness that Finnick showed for Vivian, he was powerless. He lowered his head and muttered, ¡°Sorry for my rudeness.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s interview is over,¡± stated Finnick indifferently. ¡°Go home, Fabian. I will send Vivian home myself.¡± Vivian? The intimate way Finnick addressed her was like a sharp dagger that pierced Fabian¡¯s heart. He¡¯s even going to send her home? Isn¡¯t he being too forward? Is he not worried that Vivian¡¯s husband will see them together? However, Fabian didn¡¯t dare say anything more. He bit his lip, turned around and retreated from Finnick¡¯s office. A deadly silence filled up the office as Finnick and Vivian stood there. ¡°Vivian.¡± Fabian narrowed his brows and walked toward her, uttering softly, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Vivian snapped out of her trance and shifted her gaze toward Finnick. ¡°Did you really see those photographs?¡± She finally realized why Finnick was acting so weird yesterday. He had forced her to change her job and then kissed her all because of those photographs. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 48 As she thought about those photos, Vivian felt nothing but shame and could not even face Finnick. She averted her gaze stubbornly. However, the moment she turned her head, Finnick grabbed her roughly and forced her to look into his eyes. ¡°Vivian.¡± His voice was stern. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare look away.¡± He paused, and then said, ¡°I did see those photos. Someone probably installed a pinhole camera in the hotel room where that incident happened two years ago.¡± Vivian thought the same. She nodded, kept quiet for a moment, and said while biting her lips, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Finnick growled. ¡°For how those photos might have made you feel,¡± Vivian whispered with her head low. Her face was white as a sheet, and tears welled up in her eyes. Finnick¡¯s heart ached. Damn it. What is this feeling? He had never felt this way about Vivian, be it now or ten years ago. He forcefully lifted her face again and locked gazes with her. ¡°Remember this, Vivian.¡± he stared straight at her. ¡°Never apologize for something you did not do.¡± Finnick¡¯s firm gaze had her momentarily dazed. She nodded. ¡°Alright then,¡± Finnick said, more light-heartedly this time, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go home.¡± In the elevator, Vivian asked after much hesitation, ¡°Finnick, when you saw those photos, did you not doubt that they weren¡¯t from the incident two years ago?¡± Just like how Fabian immediately assumed that those had been recent photos of her with other men. ¡°Why would I think of it that way?¡± Finnick said calmly, ¡°What had happened two years ago was the T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. only time you did it, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Vivian did not expect him to say that. She said with her face flushed, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I had a hunch,¡± he said. Vivian was stumped momentarily and then realized that he was talking about that night when things had gotten wild and steamy between them. Her face burned bright red in embarrassment. From the corner of her eyes, she could feel Finnick smirking at her. Her flush deepened. She clenched her teeth and said, ¡°What? So you¡¯re really experienced, huh? Then tell me how many times you have done it.¡± Finnick did not expect the shy Vivian to snap back at him like that. He was at a loss for words. At that very moment, the elevator arrived on the first floor. Finnick jolted and coughed awkwardly into his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car.¡± He got out of the elevator first, pushing his wheelchair out. Upon seeing Finnick¡¯s reaction to her question, Vivian became even more curious. She quickly caught up with him and asked, ¡°Finnick, you haven¡¯t answered me. How many times have you done it?¡± Vivian was a stubborn person who would try to get to the bottom of everything she set her mind on. Even in the car, she continued to bombard him with questions. ¡°Finnick, tell me. Are you keeping quiet because you have done it many times? Did you do it with one woman or multiple women?¡± she asked. Finnick felt his head throb in pain. I regret this so much. Why did I even bring that up? He would never have expected Vivian to have such a talkative side to her even in his wildest dreams. But it is pretty cute, I guess. Vivian leaned on his wheelchair as she pressed on with her questioning. Upon seeing her sparkly eyes and her cheeks puffed up in discontent, he could not help but kiss her on the forehead. The sudden kiss made Vivian a little flustered. The touch of his lips felt like a burning fire that spread to her entire face. She hastily got up before sitting down back on her seat. Amused at her reaction, Finnick snickered, ¡°So that¡¯s what makes you quieten down.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 49 Scowling, Vivian stopped bugging him. After that episode, Vivian¡¯s mood lightened up and she fell asleep leaning on the car window. Upon seeing that, Noah spoke softly from the front seat, ¡°Mr. Norton, I have concluded my investigations on that incident from two years ago.¡± Finnick turned around, his face cold and emotionless. ¡°Have you found him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°He has been arrested as per your request. Mr. Norton, what do you want us to do with him? Shall I get my men to teach him a lesson?¡± Noah replied. ¡°Teach him a lesson?¡± Finnick pursed his lips. ¡°That¡¯s way too light of a punishment. I will deal with him personally after sending Vivian back.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Noah said. Vivian woke up as just as they arrived at the Norton residence. ¡°Vivian, I have some matters to deal with at the moment. You should rest.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She was a little taken aback but nodded. ¡°Alright then. Come back early, okay?¡± After sending off Finnick, Vivian could not help but wonder what he was going off to do thatte. Finnick isn¡¯t seeing some other woman, is he? I mean he¡¯s a good kisser and good in bed too. He must be with many women. Vivian felt somewhat bitter about it. At the same time, she was shocked at her own inner turmoil. Why am I so bothered now? Why should I care if Finnick is dating someone else? Vivian¡¯s heart throbbed. She realized that something had changed within her. ¡­ Meanwhile, in the suburbs of the west district. In an abandoned factory, an old man was tied to a chair. He seemed to have been tortured till he passed out. As the gates of the warehouse opened, he struggled to raise his head. The old man was momentarily stunned when he saw the wheelchair that moved toward him. When he came to his senses, he pleaded desperately, ¡°Mr. Norton! It¡¯s Mr. Norton, isn¡¯t it? I have no idea what I¡¯ve done to deserve this! Please spare me!¡± All Finnick felt was anger as he studied the wrinkly, dirty old man before him. Damn it! How dare such a dirty old many a finger on Vivian! He cursed in his head. Finnick could feel his blood pressure rise as he thought about how Vivian got assaulted by the old man. He went even closer, then grabbed the old man by his neck, choking him. ¡°Tell me,¡± Finnick snarled, his voice cold as ice. ¡°Did you assault a girl two years ago at the Century Hotel?¡± Two years ago? Century Hotel? The old man trembled with fear as he recalled the past. He shivered violently as the incident in question came to mind. ¡°Mr. Norton, y-you are very much mistaken! Two years ago, I-I did not get my way with her in the end! I wasn¡¯t able to do a thing!¡± Wasn¡¯t able to do a thing? Finnick slowly rxed his grip around the old man¡¯s neck. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The old man felt as if he were about to pee his pants. He hurriedly confessed everything about the incident from two years ago. ¡°T-Two years ago, there was a middleman who did this kind of business. I was told that they found me a virgin girl, b-but before I could do anything, I was dragged out of the hotel room by some masked men!¡± he exined. ¡°Masked men?¡± Finnick narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yes, yes! I don¡¯t know who they were either. All I know is that they needed a woman urgently. They probably worked for some important figure, so I didn¡¯t want to provoke them.¡± Finnick clenched his fists, and stared coldly at the old man. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 50 ¡°Of course I¡¯m telling the truth! I swear to God I didn¡¯t touch that woman. I don¡¯t even know how she looks like!¡± Only then did Finnick release him, as he thought the old man would not dare to lie to himself either. ¡°Bring him down,¡± Finnick said coldly. ¡°Find out whether what he said is true, and interrogate him on who introduced him to Vivian.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Noah replied immediately, and only after signaling his subordinates to bring the old man down did he whisper to Finnick, ¡°Finnick, that disgusting old man wasn¡¯t the one who assaulted Mrs. Norton.¡± On the contrary, Finnick did not seem the least bit happy and only gave Noah a cold look. ¡°So, is it a good thing that she got assaulted by another man?¡± Noah¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Mr. Norton, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he said. Finnick did not feel like dealing with Noah anymore, so he turned his wheelchair around and left the warehouse. When he got home, Vivian had just gotten out of the shower and was wrapped in a towel. Never would she have thought that she would immediately run into Finnick. ¡°Ah,¡± Vivian cried out softly and tried to go back into the bathroom. However, Finnick said indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t need to hide. I¡¯ve already seen it all anyway.¡± Vivian froze. Indeed- a few nights ago, while nothing happened, Finnick did in fact see everything. Vivian¡¯s face burned red, but she could not continue her pretense. All she could do was walk out awkwardly, hurriedly put a nightgown over her towel, and yank the towel out from under. Finnick looked at Vivian, who was still a little wet with water droplets sliding down her pretty neck and a slight blush on her cheeks from the steam. She looked like a juicy peach. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes. Even if he knew something happened between Vivian and another man, his body still reacted primitively every time heid eyes upon her body. Damn, I used to be obsessed with purity, virginity and all that stuff. But it¡¯s as if Vivian is some kind of strange exception. After Vivian changed into her nightgown at lightning speeds, she hurriedly got into bed and asked Finnick, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to shower?¡± Only then did Finnicke to his senses. He nodded his head and walked to the bathroom. Vivian now understood why there was no one around to take care of Finnick. The reason was that, in the first ce, he had no need for that. If there was such a person, they would be more of a bother instead of afort to him. Finnick got into the bathroom quickly and the sound of the shower came slowly. Vivian was just about to go on social media when the sound suddenly stopped. Then, she heard Finnick¡¯s voice. ¡°Vivian?¡± His voice was pleasant- it was low and slightly hoarse. Her heart skipped a beat every time he called her name. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She hurriedly got up from the bed. ¡°I forgot to get my underwear.¡± Finnick¡¯s voice sounded from the bathroom. ¡°Could you get it for me?¡± Vivian froze and her face turned red immediately. Get his underwear? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Something that private? ¡°Is it inconvenient for you?¡± Having not heard a reply, Finnick¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Should I go out and get it myself then?¡± Vivian tried imagining the alluring sight of Finnick getting out of the shower. She hurriedly jumped out of bed and said, ¡°No need, I-I¡¯ll just get it for you. Where is it?¡± Finnick was standing at the door in the bathroom with the corners of his mouth slightly curved up. ¡°It¡¯s in the drawer at the bottom of the closet,¡± he said. Vivian opened the drawer and saw that it was filled with designer underwear. She haphazardly grabbed a pair with her eyes shut tight, then knocked on the bathroom door. Originally, she thought that Finnick would crack open the door just enough for her to hand the underwear over. Instead, he opened the door to its full width. The steam from the shower seeped out as the riveting sight of Finnick, who was in the middle of his shower, appeared before Vivian¡¯s eyes. Although they had been intimate before, this was the first time Vivian had properly looked at Finnick¡¯s body. Her eyes lingered on his broad shoulders, his sturdy chest, his angr abs like white marble, and his two distinct v-cut abs, all the way down to his private area that was hidden under a towel¡­ Bang! Vivian felt like smoke wasing out of her head! In stark contrast to Vivian¡¯s fluster, Finnick was as calm as he always was. ¡°Thanks.¡± He took his underwear from her hands and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you like such tight-fitting cuts.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 51 Vivian felt her face getting hot instantly. ¡°You? Showering?¡± Vivian dared not even look at him and quickly pushed the bathroom door close. Finnick lowered his head and nced at her flushed face. All he could think of was how cute she looked as he allowed her to close the door. Vivian returned to the bed and still felt as though her cheeks were extremely hot. She picked up her phone and browsed through Twitter to calm herself down. After a short moment, Finnick stepped out of the bathroom. Vivian still did not have the courage to make eye contact with him and continued scrolling her phone. ¡°Let¡¯s head to bed,¡± Finnick said in a low voice. He switched off the lights after seeing Vivian nod. That night, her embarrassing, sleepless thoughts engulfed her mind. She could not sleep at all. Whenever she shut her eyes, she would imagine Finnick¡¯s buff figure and the slight smile on his face. She prayed silently for her heart to stop beating so fast. Unbeknownst to her, Finnick¡¯s sleep was also disturbed by her tossing and turning. It was a sleepless night for him too. He heard the woman muttering to herself in the dark, and for a moment, he wanted to have her there and then. Nheless, he resisted the temptation after giving it thought. She¡¯s a delicacy. I have to control myself, and ravish her slowly after. The next morning, Vivian was awoken by her phone¡¯s ringtone. Finnick was missing from the bed when she woke up. She picked up the phone from the bedside table and immediately took the call as it was from the hospital. ¡°Ms. William, we are calling regarding the outstanding ten thousand hospital bill. May I know when you would be able to pay the outstanding sum?¡± Vivian instantly felt a headache as she heard this. She almost forgot about this outstanding amount. Fabian previously declined to advance my sry. Where am I going to get the money? After repeated assurances that she would pay up within the next three days, Vivian hung up and went downstairs, looking very depressed. Meanwhile, Finnick was having breakfast in the dining room. Noah stood beside him as he reported the findings of his investigation. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°ording to our investigation, the old man is not lying. Someone did try to pull some strings for him, but he didn¡¯t manage to connect with the other party. It seems like a third-party stepped in.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t find anything about them.¡± Noah cringed as he said this. ¡°Nothing?¡± Finnick raised a brow at his response. He knew Noah was apetent man. The third party must be extraordinarily powerful if he could not find anything on them. ¡°Continue with the investigation.¡± He said, ¡°Also, who was the person who tried to pull strings for the old man?¡± ¡°We have some leads on that. I believe this person was bribed. It should be easy to find out who he is.¡± Noah nodded. Suddenly, he thought of something and said to Finnick hesitantly, ¡°Mr. Norton, I forgot to mention something. We also found out that Ms. William¡¯s mother fell very sick two years ago during our investigations. She¡¯s still in aa.¡± Finnick¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he heard this. A dark expression loomed over his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Noah felt wronged. Well, boss, you didn¡¯t ask us to investigate this, did you? ¡°What about the hospital bills?¡± Finnick suddenly realized this. ¡°I suppose the bills are quite high if her mother is in a long-term hospitalization.¡± ¡°Yes. After Ms. William married you, she got her citizenship in Sunshine City and medical insurance too. However, while the insurance is of some help, she still has to pay quite a sum on her own.¡± Right, so she was in a rush to get married because of the insurance payout. Finnick instantly understood. He looked up to see Vivianing down the stairs and immediately waved his hand to signal Noah to stop. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re awake?¡± Vivian nced at Noah suspiciously. ¡°What were you guys talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Finnick calmly replied as he scooped a bowl of soup for her. ¡°Come and have breakfast.¡± She did not think much of it and sat down in the dining room. Nheless, her thoughts were still distracted by the outstanding hospital bills throughout breakfast. On the other hand, Finnick would steal nces in her direction from time to time. This time, he knew what she was worried about. He picked up a piece of sausage and ced it on her te. With a low voice, he said to her, ¡°Vivian, when we are both free, let¡¯s visit your mother.¡± Vivian was taken aback. She looked at him anxiously, only to realize that he was staring back at her in an assertive manner. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 52 ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­¡± She quickly avoided his gaze. ¡°My mom isn¡¯t feeling very well¡­ She needs time alone to rest¡­¡± Vivian kept her words vague and did not mention her mother¡¯s illness. Nor did she bring up the outstanding hospital bills. Finnick¡¯s eyes darkened. As an experienced businessman, he had definitely met girls who were fake or promiscuous. Those who came from prominent families always acted coquettishly and only knew how to rely on men on every trivial issue. They were always asking for his money or for his help. However, Vivian was different from the rest of them. Even though they were newlyweds, she never once asked for anything from him. To be specific, she intentionally avoided doing so. Her distant and cold demeanor somehow irked Finnick. ¡°Really?¡± The coldness in his voice revealed his unhappiness. ¡°Well, I hope she gets well soon then.¡± Vivian furrowed her brows slightly. Did I say anything wrong? Why does Finnick look upset? However, she did not continue the conversation and finished breakfast. Finnick then drove her to the Subway station, and she took the train to work. After arriving at the building, she headed to the Department of Finance instead of her office in an attempt to get a month¡¯s advance on her sry. However, she already got an advance previously. If they approved her request once more, it would be an advance for the month after. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Vivian, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to help you. We understand your difficulties, but we are not authorized to approve your request.¡± Zoe from the Department of Finance looked at Vivian in a helpless manner. Vivian¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. She was about to speak, but suddenly, a cold voice echoed from behind. ¡°Vivian, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s office hours? Why are you here at the Department of Finance? You should be preparing for this afternoon¡¯s interview!¡± Her heart skipped a beat as she heard the voice. Reluctantly, she turned her head to see Fabian standing behind her with a cold re. ¡°I have some matters to attend to.¡± She did not want to speak to Fabian at all. Hence, she stepped out of the office quickly without borating further. However, just as she turned the corner, Fabian caught up with her and grabbed onto her wrist before pinning her to the wall. ¡°Fabian, what are you doing!¡± Vivian lowered her voice and hissed as she was afraid that Zoe and the rest from the Department of Finance would overhear them. ¡°Nothing.¡± He still had that smirk on his face as he stared at her arrogantly. ¡°I¡¯m just showing concern to my fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister. Now, this is not your first time asking for an advance. What is going on, huh?¡± At that moment, Vivian knew that Fabian had overheard her conversation with Zoe earlier. She rubbed the sore spot on her wrists and replied casually, ¡°Mr. Norton, didn¡¯t I tell you this before? I want to buy a bag.¡± ¡°Vivian, do you take me for a fool?¡± Fabian chuckled. He did not believe that Finnick would not buy a bag for her if she really wanted it, considering how well he treated her. There was definitely something else going on. It must be an emergency since she¡¯s so desperate and probably a matter that she can¡¯t tell Finnick about. Upon these thoughts, the evil smirk on his face got wider. Suddenly, he pinned her to the wall once again with both hands and restrained her. ¡°Finnick, let go! What are you doing!¡± Vivian panicked. ¡°Vivian, it seems like you really need money, hmm?¡± He bent forward slightly and whispered into her ear, ¡°A month¡¯s sry¡­ Let me guess, that¡¯s about ten thousand, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± She furrowed her brows and struggled to escape. However, his next words made her entire body freeze. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll give you ten thousand for you to have a one-night stand with me. What do you think?¡± She red at him in disbelief, only to see him staring right at her with a mocking expression. ¡°So?¡± He lowered his head and locked his eyes onto her pale face. Deep down, he was annoyed. His blood slowly boiled as his mind shed back to the scene where Finnick and she flirted. ¡°Ten thousand for a night is way above market price. You only stand to gain here.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 53 As Fabian spoke, he thought of something once more and his face got smugger. ¡°Oh wait, I forgot that you were already priced like that two years ago. But that was your first time, wasn¡¯t it? Now, you are just a piece of trash that has been toyed with by dozens of men. You should be contented that¨C¨C¡± p! Before he could finish, Vivian unleashed her anger and sent her palms across his cheeks. She could no longer tolerate his attitude. The p was unexpected for Fabian. He was instantly dumbstruck as he held onto his red cheek and looked at the woman in shock and surprise. Her previously pale face was now flushed red with fury. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them roll down her cheeks and bit hard on her lips. Fabian felt a knife stab through his heart. Even though he intended to hurt Vivian, his heart ached when he saw her in that state. There was not a tinge of satisfaction he felt. She continued to re at him and controlled her tears. Gritting her teeth, she spat, ¡°Fabian, I f**king T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. regret falling in love with you.¡± Then, she pushed him away and walked down the corridor without turning back. Fabian was still glued to his spot, looking as though he lost his soul. After what seemed like an eternity, Zoe walked out of the Department of Finance to head to the restroom and saw him standing there like a statue. ¡°M-Mr. Norton?¡± Zoe jumped in surprise. Fabian finally recovered his senses and looked at her. ¡°Zoe, do you know why Vivian wants an advance on her sry?¡± Zoe was in a dilemma. However, Fabian was the Chief Editor and it would not be wise to lie to him. She blurted, ¡°Vivian¡¯s mom is very sick and the treatment is very costly, which is why she asked for an advance. Mr. Norton, please don¡¯t be angry with her.¡± Very sick? Hospital bills? Fabian did not expect such a response and was stunned. On the other hand, Vivian knew that she was too angry and upset to work. Hence, she swapped her duty with Jenny and took the rest of the day off. She hailed a cab and headed back to the Norton family¡¯s vi. After she arrived, she walked to the entrance and removed her shoes. However, she was too tired to step in and sat at the door instead, lost in her own thoughts. Fabian, Fabian¡­ You are just too good. Whenever I thought you couldn¡¯t hurt me deeper, you always find a more ruthless way to torment me. Previously, you presented me to another man like a gift! Now, you choose to humiliate with money? Just as the tears were about to roll down her cheeks, she was lifted into the air. When she recollected herself, she realized that someone was carrying her. ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian eximed in surprise. From her peripheral, she could make out Finnick¡¯s handsome and distinct features. ¡°Finnick? W-Why are you at home?¡± It¡¯s only in the afternoon. Shouldn¡¯t he be at the office? ¡°I came back to take some stuff,¡± Finnick stated. He noticed her reddened eyes and turned gloomy. ¡°What about you? Why are you home so early?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any interviews today. So I came home early¡­¡± Vivian tried to smooth over. All of a sudden, she realized that Finnick was standing up and carrying her. Her cheeks turned hot instantly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put me down¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be nice if other people saw us¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else at home,¡± he replied nonchntly as he walked into the house with her in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Don¡¯t sit at the door next time.¡± He ced her on the sofa in the living room and asked her, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Vivian remembered that she was too upset to eat earlier. Shaking her head, she returned the question, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Let me make lunch then.¡± Since Molly was not around, it was obviously Vivian¡¯s job as the wife to prepare lunch. However, just as she stood up, she realized something and said hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯ll just make spaghetti and meatballs, alright?¡± She knew that Finnick was picky when it came to food. For normal meals, Molly¡¯s dishes were always intricately prepared even though they were not exotic delicacies. Furthermore, she would always make a full spread, and Vivian was not confident of replicating that. Finnick noticed her slightly anxious expression and thought it was rather cute. He pursed his lips and replied, ¡°Sure.¡± Upon his words, Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. She ced her purse and phone on the coffee table and stepped into the kitchen. Just as she got busy, a notification popped up on her phone. It was a message sent to her mobile. She was upied with cooking and could not step out of the kitchen. Nheless, she was worried that it might be something important from work. Hence, she called out from the kitchen, ¡°Finnick, could you take a look and tell me whose message is it?¡± Finnick was reading The Business Times when he heard her. He lowered his head and looked at her phone. It was possible to see the sender and the contents of the message on her phone without unlocking it. Finnick immediately spotted the name which irked him the most ¨C Fabian. What upset him even more was the message itself. The message wrote: Vivian, I¡¯ll lend you the money if you really need it to pay your mom¡¯s hospital bills. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 54 His grip around the newspaper tightened immediately. Vivian? Huh. How affectionate. Also, how does he know that Vivian needs to pay her mom¡¯s hospital bills? Did Vivian tell him herself? Finnick somehow felt his blood boil as the thought shed past his mind. She didn¡¯t tell me about it, and yet she told Fabian? Meanwhile, Vivian was done with the spaghetti. She brought the dish out of the kitchen and announced, ¡°Time for lunch.¡± She did not notice the unhappiness on Finnick¡¯s face as she attempted to take off her apron. However, she struggled to do so as the knots were all tangled up behind her back. Finnick looked up and saw her struggling. He slowly got up from the sofa, walked towards her, and held onto her hands. ¡°Let me do it.¡± His presence was unmistakable. As he spoke, the hot air from his mouth blew past her neck and made her cheeks go red. She quickly retracted her hand and thanked him. Finnick kept quiet as he helped her untie the apron. Unfortunately, Vivian¡¯s attempt earlier turned it into a dead knot. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Vivian became nervous as the man stood close to her. She had to distract herself by speaking. ¡°Who was it earlier?¡± Finnick¡¯s hand froze for a moment, but he quickly responded, ¡°It was Fabian.¡± It was Vivian¡¯s turn to freeze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what he sent you?¡± Fabian continued, seeing that Vivian remained silent. She gulped down and chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Probably something to humiliate me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Finnick finally undid the knot and took the apron off for her. ¡°He said he could lend you the money you need to pay your mom¡¯s hospital bills.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened as she spun around. ¡°How did he know¡­¡± She wanted to ask how Fabian knew about her mother¡¯s hospitalization but she was met with Finnick¡¯s cold stare when she turned. Vivian paused for a brief moment. ¡°Finnick¡­¡± Based on his reaction, Vivian realized something. With a trembling voice, she asked him, ¡°So you know about my mom too?¡± He lowered his head and looked at her. She worked hard in the kitchen. Beads of sweat were trickling down her forehead, and her bangs fell slightly. Finnick raised his hand, pushed the loose strands of hair behind her ear, and replied casually, ¡°Yes, I know about her.¡± Vivian trembled. She should have expected this. Finnick was an incredible man who kept tabs on everything, including her. ¡°Are you angry?¡± Finnick frowned when he noticed that Vivian was still silent. ¡°No.¡± She shook her head, looking lethargic. ¡°I expected you to be wary of those around you since you It¡¯s just like how Fabian intentionally hid his identity back then. It is not out of the ordinary that Finnick would investigate me. Finnick was rather hurt by her tone. He never thought of guarding himself against her. In fact, he never looked into her apart from checking her background before their marriage. This time, the information coincidentally surfaced when he was looking into the incident from two years ago. ¡°Vivian.¡± Finnick was unreasonably bothered. He was about to continue when her phone rang. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Let me get that.¡± Vivian did not want to continue the conversation with him. The phone call was her saving grace, so she quickly moved away from him and ran to the living room. Upon seeing the caller ID, Vivian¡¯s heart immediately skipped a beat and she picked up the call. ¡°Hello? Dr. Jones? Well¡­ About the hospital bills¡­ I¡¯m going to pay for it soon. Could you please¨C¡± Before she could continue, the doctor¡¯s panicked voice could be heard on the other end of the call. ¡°Ms. William, your mom¡¯s condition worsened suddenly. She needs an operation immediately! Could you pleasee over and sign the papers, as well as pay for the operation? That way we can move her into the operating theatre as soon as possible!¡± Vivian felt her world copse, and the color drained from her face. The next second, she turned into a madwoman and dashed out of the vi. ¡°Vivian!¡± Finnick rushed up to her and held onto her arms. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 55 As he turned her around forcefully, he was astonished to see tears streaming down her cheeks. Vivian yelled at the top of her voice, ¡°Let go of me! My mom needs surgery! Let go!¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes darkened, but he did not let go of her. Instead, he pulled her into a tight embrace and get him to the hospital.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Vivian instinctively rejected his offer to help. However, she saw the shing anger in his eyes the moment she spoke. ¡°Vivian! How long more are you going to keep this up? Do you want your mother to recover?¡± he bellowed. The next moment, he noticed the slight wariness in her eyes and softened his tone. ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯m your husband? Please, let me help you during times like this.¡± Please, let me help you during times like this. Vivian¡¯s aggression subsided upon hearing this as she looked at him in a daze. She did not expect an arrogant man like him to speak like this. He wants to help. He even said ¡°please¡±. Seeing that Vivian is calmer, Finnick fished out his phone and called Noah. ¡°Hello? Noah, go to the hospital now and arrange for Vivian¡¯s mom to go for surgery. Yes, it¡¯s an emergency. Also, pay for the hospital bills.¡± He kept his eyes on Vivian as he spoke. Meanwhile, Vivian lowered her head like a child whomitted wrong. Atst, she chose to let him help. After the call, Finnick took her hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll drive you to the hospital.¡± He led her out of the house as he spoke. When they reached the entrance, Vivian remembered something and quickly stopped. ¡°Finnick, your wheelchair¡­¡± Xavier told her that Finnick faked being a cripple to guard himself against his brother. There might be uninvited trouble if someone saw him standing. Finnick paused in his tracks and nced sideways at her. With what seemed like a smile, he asked, ¡°Are you afraid that people will find out?¡± She nodded and rushed to take the wheelchair beside the entrance. ¡°Let me push you out.¡± He sat down in the wheelchair and let her push him out of the house. At that moment, his anger subsided and his mood got better. Seems like Vivian still cares about me. The driver sped to the hospital after they got in the car. While it was not a long journey, Vivian still felt like it was an eternity. She kept fidgeting in her seat on their way there. All of a sudden, she felt warmth on her hands. Blinking her eyes in surprise, she turned to see Finnick holding her hands. Her hands were ice-cold as she was nervous. In contrast, the warmth from his hands made her feel much more at ease. Gradually, she became less anxious and calmed down slightly. The car finally arrived at the hospital. Right after it parked itself at the entrance, Vivian jumped down from the vehicle and forgot about her husband. When she rushed to the entrance of the operating theatre, Noah immediately stood up and greeted her. ¡°Mrs. Norton.¡± Just then, a nurse rushed out from the operating theatre. Instantly, Vivian approached her and asked, ¡°Miss, how is my mom?¡± The nurse kept her reply simple. ¡°As this was a sudden decision, the risks are much higher as Then, she rushed off somewhere. Vivian copsed onto the ground upon hearing this. She always knew that her mom needed the surgery to live on. Unfortunately, the operation had little chance of sess because her mom was always in a weak condition. This was why Vivian let the doctors treat her mom using medication first, as she thought it would be a wiser choice to let her get better before heading for an operation. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She never thought they would have to rush into surgery due to a worsening of her mother¡¯s condition. The chances of sess would be even lower now. The more she thought about it, the more afraid she got. She recoiled in fear on the ground and trembled uncontrobly. If something happens to Mom¡­ W-What am I going to do? ¡°Vivian, it¡¯s cold on the ground. Don¡¯t sit there.¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 56 Just as Vivian was worried sick, she heard a low, coarse voice from behind. Then, she was lifted into the air and before she realized it, she was seated on Finnick¡¯sps. ¡°Finnick¡­¡± Vivian was shocked. As Finnick observed her pale and cold body, he felt as though a thousand needles were stabbing through his heart. He wiped away the tears from her cheeks and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will be here with you.¡± It was a simple but weighty statement that warmed Vivian¡¯s heart. Indeed, with his assurance, she gradually calmed down. All of a sudden, she felt extremely tired. This time, she did not fight back and just nodded in silence. With her remaining strength, she coiled up in his arms and stared at the ¡°Operation In Progress¡± sign at the top of the door. As shey in his arms, Finnick could discern a unique scent from her. All of a sudden, it was as though his cold heart melted slightly after being frozen for decades. After a long while, the lights above the door turned red. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Vivian, upon seeing this, jumped up from Finnick¡¯sp and dashed towards the door. The doctors and nurses exited the operating theatre looking drained. ¡°Doctor! M-My mother¡­¡± Vivian did not even know what to say at that point. The doctor looked at her and smiled as he informed her, ¡°Congrattions, Ms. William. The operation was a sess. Your mother will be awake by tomorrow.¡± Mom will be awake? At that very moment, her tensed body loosened up and she felt so relieved. She desperately wanted to thank the doctor, but suddenly, her legs went numb and she copsed. However, her skin did note into contact with the cold, hard floor. All she felt was a strong, sturdy chest. She lifted her chin to see Finnick¡¯s face. It was him who made his way over in the wheelchair just in time to catch her. His usual cold expression was gone too. There was a slight smile on his face as he stroked her hair gently. ¡°This is good news,¡± he echoed. Those simple words instantly made Vivian tear up. She had been holding it in for too long. It was cathartic for her as she released her emotions. She stretched out her arms and wrapped them around Finnick¡¯s neck as she sobbed in joy. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good news! Very good news!¡± Over dinner, Finnick got a few calls from work. Vivian knew that he had apanied her for the entire day and felt rather apologetic. She took the initiative and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you head back to work? I will apany Mom here.¡± Finnick turned to look at her. As she ate in a hurry earlier, there was spaghetti sauce at the corner of her lips. Instinctively, he wiped it away for her. ¡°I will head off first then. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± He continued in a low voice, ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± Vivian nodded. However, she frowned when Finnick did not get up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Thetter stared at her purposefully. Then, casually, he raised the finger which he used to wipe her mouth earlier and licked it clean. ¡°Nothing, I just think that you looked rather serious when you nodded.¡± Vivian looked on as he did this. Her mind went nk and she did not even hear what he said. I-Isn¡¯t that too much? If someone else did this, I might even say that it¡¯s unhygienic. But why did it look so¡­ so sexy when he did that? His slender fingers¡­ his thin lips¡­ ¡°Huh? What? Serious?¡± Her cheeks flushed hot red again as she looked away and shot random questions at him. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 57 ¡°Yes, I¡¯m wondering if you were serious about telling me if you need anything in the future.¡± Finnick noticed her avoiding his gaze and looked slightly unhappy. Using his index finger, he lifted her chin and forced her to make eye contact. ¡°Vivian, I hope you treat me like I am really your husband.¡± Treat you like a husband? Vivian stared into his dark eyes and was rather lost. ¡°Alright.¡± She lowered her gaze quickly after. ¡°I promise to tell you if I need anything next time. I swear.¡± Then, the corner of his lips upturned as he nodded. ¡°Good girl.¡± He let go of her chin, turned around, and left. When he reached the door, Vivian called out to him. ¡°Finnick!¡± He turned slightly and saw her flushed face. With a slightly awkward tone, she said, ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a simple ¡®thank you¡¯, but for some reason, Finnick¡¯s smile got wider. ¡°No problem.¡± Vivian stayed the entire night to apany her mother. It was fortunate that Finnick transferred her to a private ward as the hospital provided a small bed for visitors. At least she could get a good night¡¯s sleep in there. The next morning, Vivian was awoken by a series of coughs. She opened her eyes gradually and saw that her mother was awake. ¡°Mom!¡± Vivian immediately rushed up to the bed. ¡°How are you feeling? Do you feel sick? Should I get the doctor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Rachel William still looked pale. Her eyes were fixated on her daughter and they lit up with happiness. With trembling hands, she stroked her daughter¡¯s hair in an affectionate manner. ¡°Vivian¡­ Oh, my dear Vivian¡­ Let me take a good look at you. It¡¯s been s-such a long time¡­¡± Tears rolled down Vivian¡¯s cheeks. She gulped and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been two years¡­ Mom¡­ You¡¯ve been in aa for two years¡­¡± On that fateful night two years ago, she was robbed of a woman¡¯s most treasured possession. It was truly a nightmare for her. Not only that, but the two people she loved the most also abandoned her. One was the love of her life, Fabian, who went missing suddenly. The other was her only kin, her mother Rachel, who became ill and fell into aa. Rachel coughed a few times. Holding onto Vivian¡¯s hands, she said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Vivian. It¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s all because I¡¯ve been weak all this while. I haven¡¯t been able to take care of you for these two years. I even gave you so much trouble. You¨C¡± Rachel suddenly stopped because she spotted the diamond ring on Vivian¡¯s finger. ¡°Vivian.¡± She became a little excited. ¡°A-Are you married?¡± Vivian was stunned momentarily. She quickly smiled and replied, ¡°Yes, Mom. I¡¯m married now.¡± Vivian knew that her mom did not have the perfect marriage and had always hoped that she would marry a good man. Hence, she did not want to keep this from her. ¡°Good¡­ Very good¡­¡± Rachel teared up in joy. ¡°Is it Fabian? Did you guys marry after you graduated?¡± Vivian¡¯s body trembled upon hearing this. Sigh, Mom has been in aa for two years. She has no idea what happened two years ago. She managed a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not Fabian. We broke up.¡± Rachel was taken aback after she heard this. She hurriedly added, ¡°Vivian, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know about this¡­ Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all over now. I¡¯m sure you are happily married.¡± Vivian nodded with the same smile stered on her face, and she tried hard to cover up the bitterness in her eyes. Her mother examined the diamond ring on her finger and gave a wider smile. ¡°He seems like a good, honest man.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes shed slightly upon hearing this. She knew that her mother never hoped for her to marry a rich or powerful person. On the contrary, she always wanted her to marry an ordinary man. Hence, she was happy to see such a simple diamond ring.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 58 What would Mom think if she knew that I married Fabian¡¯s uncle and the son of the Norton family? Forget it. I shouldn¡¯t think about it for now. Vivian was about to head out to get lunch for her mother when suddenly, someone knocked on the door. She was a little stunned by this. Mom doesn¡¯t know a lot of people in Sunshine City. Who could it be? She opened the door to see Finnick and Noah standing outside. The former was still in a wheelchair, while thetter had a fruit basket and lunchbox in his hands. ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian asked in a dumbfounded manner. ¡°Vivian, who is it?¡± Rachel asked. With a slightly lost expression, she turned to look at her mother. She did not know how to respond to her question. On the other hand, Finnick raised his brow upon hearing the voice inside. He initiated the conversation and said, ¡°Hello Mrs. William, I¡¯m here to visit you.¡± For the umpteenth time, Vivian¡¯s face blushed bright red. She opened the door and let the two men in. Slowly, Finnick pushed himself to the front of the bed. When he noticed Rachel¡¯s shocked look, he gave her a smile and introduced himself. ¡°Mrs. William, I am Finnick Norton. I should have visited you earlier, but Vivian always said that you were unwell.¡± Rachel looked at Finnick, and then at Vivian whose face was blushed. She instantly understood. ¡°Ah, so you must be Vivian¡¯s husband. Well, you are quite different from what I imagined you to be¡­¡± The man just smiled faintly and signaled to Noah to ce the lunchbox and fruits on the desk. ¡°Mrs. William, have you eaten lunch? I prepared some home-cooked dishes.¡± Vivian hurriedly walked over and opened the lunchbox. Indeed, the dishes were all prepared by Molly and were healthy and nutritious. She began to feed her mother carefully. After being in aa for two years, Rachel did not have a big appetite. She only had a few mouthfuls before feeling full. However, her curiosity had no limits. She observed Finnick for a moment before asking, ¡°Finnick, right? What do you work as, may I ask?¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Vivian shot her mother a look as though she was chiding her. ¡°My dear girl, I am just concerned about you. After all, marriage is a major milestone in your life, and you got married before I woke up,¡± Rachelmented softly. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Vivian.¡± In contrast to her awkwardness, Finnick presented himself as a calm, confident Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. man. ¡°Mrs. William, this is my name card.¡± Rachel took the name card and saw the words ¡®Chief Executive Officer¡¯ and ¡®Shareholder¡¯. Immediately, she froze. ¡°Finnor Company¡­ I¡¯ve not heard of thispany before.¡± She continued hesitantly, ¡°What about your parents? What do they do?¡± By now, Vivian was panicking at the side. She desperately wanted to stop her mother, but Finnick already began to reply, ¡°My parents are no longer around. My grandfather is Samuel Norton.¡± ¡°Samuel Norton? You mean the head of the Norton family?¡± Rachel asked. She looked extremely startled. Finnor Group was a newpany that was set up in recent years, which was why she never heard of it before. But everybody in Sunshine City knew who Samuel Norton was. ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± It was apparent that he did not intend to keep this from her. ¡°So¡­ You are¡­ The son¡­ of the Norton family?¡± Rachel stuttered as she tried her best to recall. He nodded. The color drained very quickly from Rachel¡¯s face as she turned speechless. ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian obviously knew what her mother was thinking. She turned to her husband and said, ¡°Finnick, I want to go home and take a shower. Can you drive me home? Wait for me in the car.¡± He nodded and said to Rachel, ¡°Mrs. William, I wille again tomorrow. Please have a good rest.¡± Rachel nodded, still dumbfounded, as she watched Finnick leave the room. The moment he stepped out, she immediately looked back at her daughter. With a weak yet assertive voice, she said, ¡°Vivian, you can¡¯t be together with him. Get a divorce as soon as possible!¡± Vivian retreated slightly when she heard her mother. With a look of disbelief, she stared at her and asked, ¡°Mom, what are you even talking about?¡± ¡°I said you can¡¯t be together with him.¡± She held onto her daughter¡¯s hands and begged, ¡°Look at where I am today. Haven¡¯t you learned what¡¯s going to happen to you if you marry a rich man? How do you know if he is truly in love with you? He might just be another version of your father and toy with your feelings!¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 59 Vivian¡¯s face turned pale gradually. ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t do that. We already registered our marriage.¡± ¡°So what? Maybe he just needs a wife in name.¡± Rachel might have been in aa for two years but she was not muddleheaded at all. ¡°Otherwise, why would he marry an ordinary girl like you if he is such an eligible bachelor?¡± Vivian was rendered speechless. Her mother spoke the truth. Upon their marriage, Vivian knew immediately that Finnick only needed a wife in name. However, Rachel was oblivious that she married him to get citizenship in Sunshine City. The marriage was for mutual benefit, and no one had the right to criticize the other for their choices. ¡°Mom.¡± She told her the truth. ¡°Finnick treats me well.¡± She spoke from her heart. Even though they could not be counted as best friends, but Finnick indeed T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. treated her well. He always appeared whenever she needed help, just like how he stepped in this time when her mother required surgery. ¡°Vivian, how can you be so foolish! Men only treat you well because they want the fun.¡± Rachel was obviously very worried for her daughter. ¡°Am I not the living example? I just want you to live an ordinary and happy life¡­ I¡¯m really afraid that you will follow in my footsteps and be abandoned by a man for life.¡± She began to sob silently as she spoke. Vivian felt hurt on behalf of her mother. She pulled her into an embrace and said, ¡°Mom, you just had your surgery and can¡¯t be upset. Let me tell you the truth. I married him to get citizenship and medical insurance. I don¡¯t have any feelings for him.¡± ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Rachel stopped sobbing when she heard this and looked at her daughter. ¡°Of course.¡± Vivian looked at Rachel and continued, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you know me? Can¡¯t you tell when I dislike a person?¡± Indeed, Rachel brought her up singlehandedly, and they only had each other all this while. Needless to say, she knew her daughter the best. It was obvious if Vivian liked someone, just like when she was together with Fabian. Finally, Rachel looked less worried. However, she still instructed her daughter, ¡°Alright, but you have to promise that you will get a divorce when there¡¯s an opportunity.¡± The truth was, Vivian never once thought of divorcing Finnick. She did not care why they got married, nor was she bothered by his identity. Since they were married now, she would not initiate a divorce unless Finnick wanted it. Now that she saw her mother begging her, she changed her mind and gave in. ¡°Alright, I promise you, Mom.¡± Rachel breathed a sigh of relief, but she could not stop feeling sorry. ¡°Vivian, it¡¯s all my fault. Even if you divorce, it would still be hard for you to find a good man to marry next time¡­¡± Vivian blinked a few times before hugging her mother once more. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m happy as long as you are.¡± Later, she coaxed her mother to sleep. Just as she packed up and was ready to leave, she saw a file at the bedside table. I think Finnick brought it. Did he forget to take it back with him? She ced the file in her bag and left the ward. Meanwhile, Finnick¡¯s wheelchair was transported into the car. Noah, who sat at the passenger seat, asked him, ¡°Mr. Norton, why were you gone for so long? I thought you went back to get a file.¡± Finnick remained silent. Out of curiosity, Noah turned around to look at him. However, all he saw was Finnick¡¯s cold attitude, and instantly, he broke out in cold sweat. What is going on? Wasn¡¯t Mr. Norton in a good mood earlier? Why did he have a mood swing just after retrieving a document? Goodness, he looks like he¡¯s about to kill someone right now. After ten minutes, Vivian climbed into the car too. She held a file in her hand and asked, ¡°Finnick, did you forget this in the ward?¡± He did not take the file over from her. Instead, he turned to stare deep into her eyes. No one could tell what he was feeling. The hairs on her arm stood at their end. Cautiously, she asked, ¡°Finnick?¡± He continued to stare at the terrified woman in front of him. Her words rang in his ear once more. He had heard what she said when he returned for the file. I married him to get citizenship and medical insurance. I don¡¯t have any feelings for him. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 60 Huh. She is so honest to her mother. Even though he knew why the woman married him, he still felt irked and upset when he heard it for himself. Damn it. It seemed like this woman could now control how he felt. It was getting easier and easier to be affected by her words now. ¡°Vivian.¡± Finnick still did not take the file from her. He continued with a cold voice, ¡°Do you want a divorce?¡± Noah, upon hearing this, almost jumped in shock. In fact, he almost knocked the back of his head against the car window. Vivian was also startled. She looked at him in disbelief. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you marry me to get citizenship?¡± He spoke slowly and casually. ¡°Since you have already gotten what you want, we can get divorced. You won¡¯t lose your citizenship anyway.¡± Vivian¡¯s face turned pale. H-He knows why I married him. Well, I probably can¡¯t hide it from him. It is only natural for him toe to this conclusion since he found out about my mother. As she looked into his dark eyes, she bit her lips and said in a low voice, ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you marry me to get something from me too? Will you divorce me if I¡¯m useless to you one day?¡± Finnick did not expect her response and paused momentarily. Indeed, Vivian is not a foolish woman. She knows why I was in a hurry to get married. His eyes darkened and he spoke softly. ¡°No.¡± Simrly, Vivian did not expect such a clear-cut response. She was stupefied. Noticing her shocked expression, Finnick added, ¡°Since I married you, you will be my wife forever.¡± You will be my wife forever. Finnick spoke indifferently, but Vivian was so dumbstruck by his words that she could only stare at him in a daze. ¡°So, Vivian, don¡¯t ever think about leaving me.¡± He lowered his voice once more, and this time, he spoke to her in a more dominant and assertive tone. She never thought he would say this to her. A part of her was afraid of this man. Yet, another part of her felt butterflies in her stomach. She dared not look at his eyes and avoided his gaze. However, she still assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since I married you, I will not betray you as long as you don¡¯t divorce me. Nor will I divorce you too.¡± While her voice was soft, Finnick heard every word she said. Looking at her blushed cheeks, he felt the anger in him subside a little. Fine. He knew that the woman married him initially because of her mother¡¯s illness. It did not matter to him that she had no feelings for him now. Since they were married, he would conquer her one day. It was already evening when they reached home. Molly and Liam were not at home. Vivian did not know whether she over-thought it, but she always felt that Finnick did not like having them around even though he always acted politely towards them. ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡± She removed her jacket, rolled up her sleeves, and walked into the kitchen. ¡°Let me whip something up.¡± When she opened the refrigerator, she was stunned. She saw her spaghetti sitting on a te in the fridge, wrapped neatly using cling wrap. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Finnick also stood up from the wheelchair and positioned himself behind her. ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Vivian finally recollected herself. ¡°Let me make you some steak then.¡± She was about to reach down for the frozen steak when Finnick stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll just have the spaghetti from yesterday since I¡¯ll be eating alone.¡± Then, he reached for the te of leftover spaghetti and walked to the microwave. Vivian quickly caught up. ¡°No, these are leftovers.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Finnick was picky about food, and Vivian dared not imagine him having the leftovers. She snatched over the te of spaghetti, but Finnick stretched his hand upwards and raised his brows. ¡°Why can¡¯t I eat this? I ate this yesterday night.¡± Finnick was already much taller than her. Now that his hand was so high up, there was no way she could reach the te. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 61 Vivian only remembered now that she had left the spaghetti Bolognese she made for lunch at home as she left in a hurry yesterday. She figured that Finnick must have eaten one of them and kept the other in the fridge. Vivian felt embarrassed. She perched on her toes and tried to reach for the serving of spaghetti Bolognese in Finnick¡¯s hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat the leftovers from yesterday. Since I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll make you something fresh.¡± Seeing Vivian struggling to get ahold of the spaghetti, Finnick only writhed his lips. Instead of lowering the te of pasta in his hand, he bent down to face Vivian. Vivian was shocked by Finnick suddenly moving so close to her. She lost her bnce and tripped over. Fortunately, Finnick was quick to react. With one scoop around her waist, he pulled her back upright. ¡°Be careful,¡± Finnick muttered under his breath. ¡°No need to make me anything. I really like your spaghetti.¡± For some reason, Vivian blushed at Finnick¡¯s words even though they were nothing special. Perhaps it was because of his deep and husky voice. ¡°If you like my spaghetti then let me make you more.¡± Vivian was afraid that Finnick would notice her queasiness and lowered her head. ¡°Leftovers are not healthy to eat.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not like I eat leftovers all the time.¡± Finnick slowly let go of Vivian¡¯s waist and popped the spaghetti into the microwave. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste food, especially since you made it.¡± Vivian knew she wouldn¡¯t win Finnick in banter and backed off. She watched as Finnick remove the heated spaghetti from the microwave and ate it slowly. Finnick looked elegant while he was consuming the te of spaghetti. Even though it was just homemade food, he acted as if he was eating a Michelin three-star meal. ¡°Hey,¡± Vivian, who sat opposite Finnick, spoke hesitantly with her two hands sped together. ¡°I will try to pay you back the money for my Mom¡¯s surgery and medicine.¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes narrowed at Vivian¡¯s words. He was in the middle of twirling a few strands of spaghetti into a ball. ¡°Vivian.¡± Finnick swallowed the food inside his mouth and uttered with his deep voice, ¡°Did you forget the promise you made me yesterday?¡± ¡°Yesterday?¡± Vivian was stumped. Then, she suddenly recalled what Finnick was talking about. ¡°Oh, you mean the promise I made toe to you if I ever need help?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Finnick shifted his gaze to Vivian¡¯s face. ¡°I thought we are close enough for me to help you?¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes were like scalpels that could dissect Vivian¡¯s mind right away. At that moment, Vivian felt as if she was standing naked in front of him. She replied shyly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t think we aren¡¯t close enough. I just don¡¯t like owing others.¡± Vivian bit her lips determinedly as she tried to keep her head cool. At that moment, Finnick was a friend to her. Still, Vivian could not let herself be indebted to others. Finnick kept what he initially wanted to say to himself when he saw the conviction in Vivian¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you really want to repay me¡­¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes shifted to the spaghetti ahead and had an idea. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t pay me the money. I am in no need of it anyway. You can repay me in some other ways instead.¡± ¡°How else can I repay you then?¡± Vivian was flummoxed as she couldn¡¯t figure out what Finnick needed. He was a man who had everything. ¡°Food.¡± Finnick gave Vivian a terse answer. ¡°If you really want to repay me, just cook for me.¡± Vivian gaped her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe her own ears. ¡°Huh? That¡¯s all you want?¡± Vivian was dumbfounded. ¡°But my cooking isn¡¯t that great.¡± Vivian admitted that her cooking was only mediocre at best. Her cooking was a far cry from Molly¡¯s excellent cooking. Finnick is such a picky eater. Why will he want me to cook for him? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Finnick arched one brow. ¡°Do you not want to cook for me?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Vivian replied in a hurry. ¡°But my Mom¡¯s hospital bills cost sixty thousand. How many meals do I have to make to cover that?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Finnick threw the question back at Vivian. Vivian was at a loss for words. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 62 Even at a regr restaurant, a meal would only get as expensive as a few hundred. Vivian was pretty sure that she needed to make at least a hundred meals to repay her debt. ¡°Around a hundred?¡± Vivian replied warily. Finnick was entranced by the seriousness on Vivian¡¯s face as she mulled. Unwittingly, he smiled a little. ¡°Alright, a hundred meals it shall be.¡± ¡°Then what do you prefer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Finnick replied slowly. ¡°Just cook whatever you are best at.¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t be fair to you.¡± Vivian thought that she had to cater to her client¡¯s needs if each meal costed around six hundred as she had calcted. ¡°The number of dishes that I know how to make are very limited. How about I show you what recipes I have tomorrow? I¡¯ll let you have a tester of those recipes too.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Finnick¡¯s lips curled up even more. The next day, Finnick had a meeting early in the morning although it was the weekend. When he left home, the sun was barely visible in the sky. After waking up, Vivian got a few recipes from the inte and started to work on them. From her few days of observation, she noticed that Finnick liked his food spicy. Thus, she decided to try out the recipes for beef chili, buffalo wings, and sriracha grilled tofu. After working her sweat off for an entire afternoon, Vivian was finally done with the beef chili. She took a picture of it and sent it to Finnick on WhatsApp to see whether he liked it. Inside the meeting room of Finnor Group. The managers from each department were taking their turns to report their results. ¡°That sums up our oue for this quarter.¡± The middle-aged man wiped the sweat off his forehead as he spoke with his heart in his throat, ¡°Are you satisfied with it, Mr. Norton?¡± Finnick¡¯s slender fingers flipped through the documents in his hand. There was a bleak expression on his face. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll be satisfied with this kind of results?¡± Everyone was covered in cold sweat. ¡°M-May I know what is the problem?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Everything,¡± Finnick spat bluntly before tossing the document back at his employee. He uttered without an expression on his face, ¡°Redo.¡± The whole room fell silent. That was Finnick Horton. His disability did not impede his career ambitions. His sharp decision-making skills and urate judgment were what transformed into a powerhouse. ¡°Yes, Mr. Norton!¡± The middle-aged man trembled as he returned to his seat with the document. Just as the next manager was about to make his report, someone¡¯s phone sounded. Beep! The crisp notification ringtone broke the silence of the room. Everyone¡¯s face was as white as paper. They exchanged nces with each other in anxiety. Who¡¯s so daring to not put their phone on silent during a meeting? As everyone was still trying to read each other¡¯s expression, Finnick nonchntly looked at his phone screen that lit up. The WhatsApp message that came in seconds ago was from Vivian. She sent a few pictures. Finnick swiped across the screen to unlock his phone. He saw the few dishes Vivian made and also a message from her. Which one of this would you like? At the end of the sentence was a quirky emoji. Inside the meeting room, everyone realized that the phone that beeped earlier belonged to Finnick and not anyone else. They exchanged a nce with one another in disbelief. Finnick was a workaholic. He only used his phone for work purposes. Everyone was thrown off by the fact that such a man was checking his WhatsApp in a meeting. Before everyone could recover from the shock, something even unbelievable happened. Finnick¡¯s thin lips were curled upwards. Everyone caught Finnick¡¯s slight smile and felt as if they were struck by lightning. Their eyes widened in astonishment. Our tiger boss is smiling? Many of them in the room had been with Finnick since the day the Finnor Group was founded but never had they seen their boss smiling. Meanwhile, Vivian was still busy with her cooking in the kitchen. She waspletely oblivious about the explosive impact the pictures she sent had caused at Finnor Group. After flipping through a few recipe books, her phone beeped. She hurriedly checked her phone and saw that she received a message from Finnick: All of them. Vivian thought to herself, Tsk, how greedy! Vivian writhed her mouth and ate thest piece of buffalo wings she made earlier. She was going to make Finnick a fresh batchter. At night, when Finnick returned home, he was greeted by a tableful of scrumptious dishes. He peeped inside the kitchen and saw the dainty woman still busying herself. It was an ordinary scene in any household, but to Finnick, it was oddlyforting. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 63 ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Vivian noticed Finnick Norton and scurried out of the kitchen. ¡°Hurry up and clean your hands! I think I made too much. Just finish whatever you can. If you can¡¯t finish them, I¡¯ll pack them up into a bento for you to take to the office.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Finnick replied as he settled in his seat. ¡°I can finish it.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Vivian did not trust Finnick¡¯s words. The amount of food on the table could feed more than four people. There were only the two of them in the house. It was soon proven that Vivian had underestimated Finnick¡¯s capacity. For some reason, he seemed to have a voracious appetite that day. Finnick wolfed down everything Vivian prepared. Vivian was stupefied. She had had many meals with Finnick before but this was the first time she saw him eating so much as if he was a champion at an eatingpetition. The next day was Sunday. Vivian spent the whole day researching recipes and preparing food for Finnick. Soon, it was Monday, and Vivian had to go to work. Vivian used to enjoy going to work, but ever since Fabian became the Chief Editor, going to work was like jumping into the fierce waters of the Nile river, except that she was drowning in work instead of water. As soon as she sat down, Lesley Jenson, the senior editor at mour Magazine strode to her in a rush. ¡°Vivian, I have to interview someone this afternoon. Sort these documents out for me ASAP and send it to the Chief Editor¡¯s office.¡± Vivian received the documents and furrowed her brows. ¡°Hey Lesley, I have to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s interviewter in the afternoon. Is it okay if you pass this to someone else to work on?¡± Before Lesley could even reply, Shannon¡¯s voice came out of nowhere in an abrupt manner. ¡°Vivian, is it me or have you been acting funnytely? Pfft, don¡¯t act as if we don¡¯t know your rtionship with Mr. Norton. For whom are you putting on that act?¡± Vivian was taken aback by Shannon¡¯s sudden rebuke. She knitted her brows at the girl who was on the same rank as her in thepany. ¡°Shannon, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Huh, what am I talking about? Looks like someone here doesn¡¯t want to admit it.¡± Shannon sneered and nted her eyes at Vivian. ¡°You think all of us are blind?¡± Vivian wanted to defend herself, but she noticed her colleagues were peeking at her as she unwittingly swept her eyes across the room. Those eyes were filled with suspicion and derision. Vivian could feel herself stung by a million needles. She was very familiar with the res that she received. They reminded her of the unfriendly stares her lecturers and ssmates on campus gave her for an incident that happened two years ago. Vivian bit her lips. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Thus, she sat down and swiftly finished organizing the files she was tasked with. Then, with everyone¡¯s attention on her, she strode to Fabian¡¯s office and knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Fabian¡¯snguid voice came behind the door. Vivian pushed the door ajar and walked through it. Fabian zoned out for a few seconds when he saw Vivian. Thetter hurriedly ced the organized documents on his table. ¡°Mr. Norton, here are the documents you asked for. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± As soon as Vivian was done speaking, she turned around and headed for the exit. But before she could reach the door, Fabian¡¯s metallic voice rang out from behind. ¡°Vivian, stand where you are.¡± Vivian halted in her steps unwillingly. Without turning her head around to face Fabian, she asked monotonously, ¡°Mr. Norton, is there anything else I can help you with before I leave?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude?¡± Fabian¡¯s tone grew even colder. He sauntered to Vivian and questioned her, ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vivian answered straight to the point. For some reason, Vivian¡¯s frankness stirred up rage in Fabian. Yet, when Fabian saw theck of vigor on Vivian¡¯s face, his tone softened as he figured she must have been taking care of her mother. ¡°Vivian, how¡¯s your mother?¡± Fabian was not fond of Vivian¡¯s mother who was somebody else¡¯s mistress. Nheless, he still respected her as Vivian¡¯s mother, since he had met her a few times when he was dating Vivian. He only asked about her well-being out of courtesy. Fabian¡¯s question caught Vivian off guard. The light in her eyes wavered a bit, but she soon got back to herself. ¡°She¡¯s doing fine. Thank you.¡± Fabian noticed the tension in Vivian¡¯s expression and hesitated before he spoke, ¡°I heard that you are in need of money for your mother¡¯s medical bills. Have you seen the text I sent you¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Norton,¡± Vivian didn¡¯t wait for Fabian to finish his words before she interjected. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 64 Vivian marched out of Fabian¡¯s office before thetter could make a reply. Only when she reached the corridor outside did she pause to sigh. Vivian wondered what had gotten into the mind of Fabian. Not only did he stop shaming her, but he was asking about her mother¡¯s well-being. Vivian discovered that no matter how viciously Fabian talked her down, he still cared for her, and Vivian wasn¡¯t veryfortable with that. Vivian made up her mind that she was better off treating her ex-lover as stranger. Now that Vivian was done with Fabian, she went to Sarah to ask her out for lunch. Meanwhile, Fabian froze in his original spot as he watched Vivian leave his office. At that moment, he wasn¡¯t even sure how did he feel about Vivian. Fabian thought he despised that woman with an unreadable mind. Butst week, when he heard that she was only trying to get money for her mother¡¯s illness, he was overridden by remorse. Having dated Vivian for so long, Fabian knew how important was Rachel William to Vivian. It prompted him to send a message to Vivian on WhatsApp asking her whether she needed money. However, Vivian didn¡¯t reply to his text. Does she already have enough money? Did she get it from those boy toys of hers? Fabian felt like he was going to lose his mind. The thought of Vivian sleeping with other men for money infuriated him. He could feel a slow rage brewing within him. He loosened his tie in frustration and stomped to his desk. He dialed in a number on the phone. ¡°Help me look up which hospital is Rachel William in.¡± Fabian was enlisting the help of the Norton family¡¯s men who were incredibly efficient. A few hours Half an hour after the phone call, Fabian came to the First Hospital in S City with a bouquet of lilies. Fabian¡¯s eyes gleamed when he found the private ward Rachel was in. He knew that there was no way Vivian could afford to pay for a private room in the hospital with the Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. soaring medical fees nowadays. Which guy is helping him? Damn it! Fabian repressed the rampant thoughts in his mind and knocked on the door. A frail voice of a woman came from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± Fabian entered the room and was stunned by the sight of a pallid and skinny woman on the bed. ¡°Ms. William¡­¡± In his memory, Rachel was a gorgeous woman who attracted men wherever she went. She was so pretty that Fabian didn¡¯t find it a surprise that she was a mistress. But right now, he almost could not recognize the woman in front of himself. ¡°Fabian?¡± Rachel was also astounded by Fabian showing up at her door. The next instant, glee crept onto her face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since Ist met you, Fabian! You look even more charming than you were! Have a seat!¡± Fabian sat down next to Rachel and started a conversation with her. Rachel was always fond of Fabian whom she imed to have e from a humble background¡¯. As they chatted, Rachel unknowingly brought up the past. ¡°Oh, you were so nice to Vivian back then!¡± There was a hint of regret in Rachel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sigh, who knew the two of you couldn¡¯t make it till marriage. Imagine the surprise I had when I woke up from my two-yeara and found out that Vivian is married to¡­¡± Fabian¡¯s ears perched up right away when he heard Rachel¡¯s words. His face twisted as he intervened, ¡°Who did Vivian marry?¡± Rachel was dumbfounded by Fabian¡¯s question. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t know who married Vivian?¡± ¡°I have just returned from abroad not long ago,¡± Fabian slurred through his words. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about her marriage.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes lost their shine. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s so hard to believe that there¡¯s still someone who doesn¡¯t know about their marriage given how famous Vivian¡¯s husband is. Perhaps, he purposely tried to keep it low-key.¡± Rachel¡¯s words got Fabian worked up. He frowned and questioned, ¡°So who is Rachel¡¯s husband?¡± Rachel thought Fabian was just genuinely curious about Vivian¡¯s life. She answered tactlessly, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s Finnick, the president of the Finnor Group. He¡¯s also from the Norton family. Howe you don¡¯t know anything about it? Honestly, I am kind of worried.¡± Rachel bbered on,pletely unaware of how pale Fabian¡¯s face was at the moment. Finnick? Vivian¡¯s husband is Finnick? ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Fabian blurted out loud. He jumped up from his seat. ¡°You must have mistaken! How could Vivian have married Finnick?¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 65 Rachel didn¡¯t expect such a dramatic reaction from Fabian and was taken aback. Still, she continued as if she could rte to Fabian, ¡°Yeah, I was equally as shocked when I heard about Vivian¡¯s marriage to Finnick. Sigh, what were you doing back then, Fabian?¡± Fabian could no longer continue the conversation with Rachel. He ran out of the room and sped all the way back to his office. Meanwhile, at the magazinepany, Vivian and Sarah were eating the sandwiches they bought in the pantry. While Vivian ate, she was scrolling her phone for recipes to make for Finnick. Her friend Sarah nced at her from time to time as she munched on her sandwich with a nk expression. ¡°Shoot your questions, Sarah,¡± Vivian said with her eyes still on her phone. She already noticed earlier that Sarah had something on her mind. Sarah¡¯s face flushed red at once. She replied gingerly, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing big. It¡¯s just that there have been these rumors going on in the office about¡­¡± ¡°About me and Fabian?¡± Vivian raised one brow. ¡°It¡¯s more than that.¡± Sarah bit her lips and mustered her courage to continue, ¡°Okay, so Shannon and I saw you getting off a luxury car just a few days ago. That time, everyone was already saying that you have a special thing going on with the Chief Editor. Then, Shannon also added that she has a few friends from Z College who said that¡­¡± Vivian felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the word ¡®Z College¡¯. It was the reason why she left H City for the bustling Sunshine City. She really needed to leave her bad rap behind to start a new life. But to her mishap, no matter where Vivian went, her past would be brought up. Vivian finished thest bite of her sandwich andughed light-heartedly. ¡°What did they say about me? That I pimped myself out for cash? Or that I was dating Fabian back on campus?¡± Sarah was surprised by Vivian¡¯s bluntness. Her expression became even more awkward as she hurried on to answer, ¡°Vivian, never will I think that you are that kind of person!¡± Vivian was touched by Sarah¡¯s kind words. ¡°Thank you so much for believing in me, Sarah.¡± After lunch, Vivian headed back to her office. Right away, she could spot a few of her colleagues talking about her. Vivian merely put on a carefree smile. Two years ago, she could never have survived such nders and insults. But now, she was bulletproof. She knew that she couldn¡¯t do anything about it and decided to just ignore them. Vivian was aware that she did nothing wrong. At this thought, Vivian sunk into her seat and started to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s interview. Out of the blue, a loud bang came from the office door as a silhouette bolted past. Vivian raised her head in puzzlement and saw Fabian¡¯s contorted face as he strode in her direction. He growled, ¡°Vivian, see me in my office now.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Vivian furrowed her brows. She wanted to reject his request, but she didn¡¯t want to blow up the ticking timebomb in Fabian. Everyone in the office was now staring at Vivian with an even muddled expression dawned on their faces. A reckless Shannon showed up and snorted, ¡°Wow, what was that? Is Mr. Norton trying to rekindle his old me with you? Pfft, leave that poor man alone. You were the one who cheated on him back then. Don¡¯t toy with his feelings anymore.¡± Vivian red at Shannon before striding off to Fabian¡¯s office. Upon entering Fabian¡¯s office, Vivian could see Fabian pacing in front of his desk. It was a familiar scene to Vivian. Back in college, Fabian would always pace in his room whenever a stressful situation wasing up. ¡°Mr. Norton,¡± Vivian took the initiative to speak after reading the mood in the room. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Fabian halted in his steps and glowered at Vivian. He uttered through his teeth, ¡°Vivian William. Oh, pardon me. Perhaps I should call you Vivian Norton instead, now that you are married to Finnick.¡± Vivian could feel the world around her fade out as blood drained from her face. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 66 ¡°H-How did you¡­¡± Vivian William stammered as her lips trembled. Before she could finish her sentence, Fabian Norton stomped up to her and held her by her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not important at all how I found out about it!¡± Fabian was even more incensed as Vivian did not deny her marriage to Finnick, which meant that it was not fake news. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it? What will you get from hiding your marriage from me?¡± Fabian recalled the time he brought Vivian to meet Finnick and introduced Vivian to his uncle. Fabian figured they must have had a goodugh about his ignorance about their current rtionship. Vivian couldn¡¯t stand the crushing grip of Fabian on her shoulders anymore. She howled, ¡°Fabian Norton! Please chill the hell down! I didn¡¯t intend to hide my marriage from you. It¡¯s you who have never asked me about it in the first ce!¡± Fabian noticed the grimace on Vivian¡¯s face and realized he was hurting her. Immediately, his steam died down. He let go of Vivian in an instant and staggered as he fell onto the sofa. He dug his fingers into his hair and hugged his head while he muttered, ¡°Why did you marry Finnick? Why did you cheat on me two years ago?¡± Vivian could feel her heart ache seeing Fabian in that wretched state. Until now, she could still remember the young man in a white T-shirt who would deliver breakfast to her doorsteps every day with a big grin and two shallow dimples on his cheeks. In front of her dorm, the boy would shout out loud, ¡°Good morning, Vivian William!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Vivian wondered how did her rtionship with that cheerful boy came to this. Vivian bit her lips as she tried to hold back her tears. She thought her hatred for Fabian was deep-rooted, but seeing his misery now, she could not bring herself to loathe him anymore. Fabian did not live an easy life. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he suffered from a lot of humiliation and heartache. He had a lot of inner demons to deal with. At that moment, Vivian wanted to console Fabian and tell him the truth about how she didn¡¯t cheat on him. However, what Fabian said next shattered that kind intention of hers. ¡°Vivian William!¡± Fabian raised his head and revealed his bloodshot eyes. ¡°Why do you love money so f**king much! For money, you are willing to marry Finnick even though he¡¯s crippled?¡± The color on Vivian¡¯s face faded away. She stared at Fabian in disbelief and responded with a shaky voice, ¡°W-What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Is there anything you won¡¯t do for money?¡± Fabian rose from the sofa and walked closer to Vivian with a threatening aura. ¡°You cheated on me because of money, right? You did whatever you could to hook yourself up with my uncle because of his fortune, right? How impressive, Vivian!¡± Vivian looked daggers at the man in front of her as if she had never seen him before. ¡°Say something, Vivian!¡± Fabian edged in closer to Vivian as she remained silent. ¡°If you knew I am also from the Norton family, would you have married me too?¡± For some reason, Fabian could feel an unquenchable ball of fire churning in him every time the thought of Vivian marrying Finnick struck him. ¡°Do you regret it now that you know I am also from the Norton family? I¡¯m physically fine, unlike that crippled uncle of mine.¡± The rage in Fabian took control of his mind and made him insult his uncle. ¡°Also, my Dad said, after Finnick got into the ident, not only was his legs crippled, but he has also lost what made him a man. Vivian, I am truly impressed by how determined you are to get your hands on his money! So you¡¯re willing to live a life without sex as long as you have¡­¡± ¡°Fabian shut the f**k up!¡± Vivian screamed at the top of her lungs. It was thest straw. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 67 She could not understand her calm reaction when Fabian hurled insults at her. In contrast, she was furious when Fabian insulted Finnick. Whenever Vivian thought of Finnick, the perfect man, sitting in a wheelchair and how his eyes revealed the sense of loneliness subconsciously; she could not help herself but loathe Fabian. Finnick was forced to hide his talents and pretended to be disabled for ten years because of his terrible family. Fabian was stunned as he did not expect Vivian to react this way. Vivian no longer wanted to spare him another nce when he paused. ¡°Fabian, I know this is weird for you because you thought Finnick and I had a forbidden rtionship. But the truth is, we¡¯re awfully wedded couple, and I¡¯d know better if he¡¯s able to perform behind closed doors, so mind your business,¡± she spoke coldly. With that, she mmed Fabian¡¯s office door heavily as she left without looking at him once more. Fabian was alone in office when she left. He stood there nkly as if his soul left his body. He was only brought back to reality when his cellphone rang. He picked up the phone and saw the caller ID; it was Ashley. A sense of irritation slowly crept to him unknowingly. ¡°Hello, what is it?¡± he asked impatiently. ¡°Fabian, are you busy right now?¡± Ashley responded sweetly. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing important. I just realized that our wedding has been decided, yet I haven¡¯t met your grandfather¡­ Don¡¯t you think I should meet him since he is the head of the Norton family?¡± Fabian was impatient and intended to reply ¡°Some other time, okay?¡±, but his eyes shone at a sudden thought. ¡°You¡¯re right. Not only my grandfather, but you should also meet my aunt, my uncle, and the rest of the Norton family members,¡± he replied in a calmer manner. ¡°Really? When?¡± Ashley asked joyfully. ¡°Soon, I guess. I¡¯ll arrange a family dinner and invite everyone, and I¡¯ll formally introduce you to them,¡± he replied as the corners of his mouth rose into an icy arc. ¡­ Once the clock struck six, Vivian could not wait to leave the office. As she stood up, she noticed many people whispering among themselves while ncing at her with a look of disdain. Vivian was irritated by Fabian and the people who loved to gossip. She wondered if it was time for her to switch job as her mother¡¯s condition had stabilized. Vivian was lost in her thoughts the entire way home. When she arrived, she realized Finnick was Original content from N?velDrama.Org. already home. He was not seated in the wheelchair, instead, he was standing in the living room. ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± Finnick asked inly. Vivian looked around the house while taking off her shoes and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Molly and Liam?¡± ¡°Oh, I gave them a break.¡± ¡°I see. Let me prepare dinner for you. What would you like to have?¡± Vivian asked as she walked into the kitchen. ¡°Anything,¡± Vivian was exhausted after a day at work. She would have made a simple meal if it were just for herself. However, Vivian remembered her promise to pay off her debt with Finnick by cooking, so she dared not neglect him. Hence, she opted for a fancy dish of beef stew as her dinner menu. Her mind drifted to the annoying matters in the magazinepany while she was chopping vegetables. She lost focus for a split second, and suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her fingers. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± She yelped as she retrieved her hand and noticed that she had identally cut her finger. ¡°What happened?¡± Finnick¡¯s voice rang behind her. Vivian turned and saw Finnick entered the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I have identally cut my finger. I¡¯ll be fine once I put on a band-aid,¡± Vivian squeezed a smile. It was a small and shallow cut; hence there was not much blood. ¡°Let me see.¡± Finnick ignored Vivian¡¯s words as he grabbed her hand and began to examine her finger. She was slightly embarrassed to see Finnick with a stern look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a small cut, I can handle it myself¡­ Ahh, Finnick. What¡¯re you doing?¡± she asked softly. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 68 Finnick ignored Vivian as he quickly sucked on her finger. Vivian instantly felt a wave of electric current ran through her finger as a warm and moist sensation hit her. A tingling sensation had also spread all over her body within seconds. She could feel her cheeks heating up, yet she could not bring herself to look at Finnick¡¯s handsome face. She was flustered and shifted her gaze before saying, ¡°Finnick, it¡¯s- it¡¯s okay¡­¡± She was so nervous that she stammered upon her words. Then, Finnick let go of her hands and lowered his gaze to see her face as red as an apple. ¡°Give me a second. I¡¯ll go grab a band-aid.¡± Heughed lightly and left the kitchen. When Finnick left, Vivian felt that she could breathe again and quickly took a few deep breaths. Soon enough, Finnick returned with a band-aid in hand. He tore open the band-aid and carefully wrapped it around Vivian¡¯s finger. His eyes shone brightly like obsidian stones that were filled with seriousness. It seemed like he was looking at some precious item instead of a wounded finger. When he had carefully put on the band-aid, he eyed the kitchen and frowned. ¡°There you go. Maybe we should save cooking for another time. Why don¡¯t we order some takeout tonight?¡± Vivian could not think straight as she was filled with embarrassment. Hence, she agreed with everything Finnick had said. The couple entered the living room as Finnick began scrolling through the takeout website. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, ¡°What would you like to have?¡± ¡°Anything will do.¡± Finnick nodded as he typed away on hisptop. At this moment, Finnick¡¯s cellphone rang on the coffee table. Finnick did not lift his head, but asked casually, ¡°Who is it?¡± Vivian nced at the caller ID and answered, ¡°It¡¯s Noah.¡± ¡°Could you please turn on the speaker?¡± Vivian did as she was told, and momentster, Noah¡¯s voice rang from the phone. ¡°Mr. Norton,¡± Noah called. For some reason, he sounded a little excited. ¡°Speak,¡± ¡°I found a lead about the little girl from the past!¡± Vivian was stunned. The little girl from the past? Finnick¡¯s expression changed slightly when he heard Noah¡¯s words. He quickly asked, ¡°What lead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a photo that was taken around the ce where the ident happened. Shall I send it to you?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± After Noah hung up, Finnick resumed ordering the takeout. Vivian could not resist but asked with curiosity, ¡°Err¡­who is the little girl Noah mentioned?¡± Finnick nced sideways at Vivian. He disliked others asking him questions about his personal matters and would have felt annoyed if it was someone else. However, he was a little happy as it was Vivian who asked. It seemed that this woman is curious about my matters? ¡°I was saved by a little girl during the kidnap incident back in the days. Hence, I¡¯ve been searching for her to repay her,¡± Finnick answered truthfully. The kidnap case? Vivian paused as she thought to herself. Was it the kidnap case that the public thought had led to Finnick¡¯s disability? This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Vivian was a little curious, yet she could also guess how the kidnap case had affected Finnick. It was just like the incident that happened to her two years ago; it was a nightmare. Therefore, she did not ask further. The doorbell rang thirty minutes after Finnick had ordered the takeout. Vivian opened the door and saw a delivery boy standing nervously by the door and asked, ¡°Hi, did you order pizza?¡± Vivian hesitated as she nced at the box in his hands. ¡°Someone ordered pizza?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± The delivery boy answered nervously. It was clear that he had not made deliveries to the upper- ss residential area before. Vivian quickly took the pizza, signed and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Vivian walked into the room with the pizza. She could not help but asked, ¡°Finnick, do you like pizza?¡± Finnick paused when he saw the box in her hands, ¡°That restaurant is a pizza ce?¡± ¡°Yea. Why do you think it was?¡± Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 69 Finnick¡¯s brow knitted as he turned hisptop towards Vivian. ¡°This restaurant is called vors of Italy. I expected the entire set of dishes to be Italian cuisine. Vivian was instantly embarrassed. He was indeed the son of a wealthy family. Who would take restaurant names and dishes seriously nowadays? She thought to herself. ¡°Most Italian restaurants that offer takeout would serve pizza like this,¡± Vivian said as she ced the pizza on the table, ¡°Have you ever had pizza?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve tried charcoal grilled pizza when I traveled to Europe.¡± Finnick lowered his gaze and added, ¡°But I haven¡¯t tried pizzas served in a takeaway paper box like this.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s always the first time to anything right.¡± Vivian grinned while she tore a piece of pizza and handed it to Finnick. Finnick stretched out his hand to take the pizza. He took a bite and frowned slightly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste like the ones I¡¯ve tried in the past.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not that bad to eat something like this asionally,¡± Vivian replied in amusement. She tore a piece of pizza as she talked and began eating. Inparison to the exquisite dishes Molly prepared every day, she preferred simple food that suited her taste. She recalled her university days when she would buy junk food like this at the snack street behind Z College with Fabian. Although those food were unhealthy, they enjoyed them. Finnick was dazed as he watched the woman before him devouring pizza with a big grin on her face. He suddenly realized, perhaps he didn¡¯t know Vivian that well. Noah arrived while the couple was eating pizza. As he entered the room, his eyes widened in surprise when his gaze fell onto the pizza ced on the coffee table. As his personal assistant, Noah knew how particr Finnick was with his diet. Yet, he was eating pizza? He tried to mask his shocked expression and handed the envelope to Finnick. ¡°Mr. Norton, these are the photos that I¡¯ve found,¡± he reported respectfully. Vivian had pizza in her mouth and was thinking if she should leave the room. However, Finnick did not seem to mind her presence as he opened the envelope right away and took out the photos. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Finnick frowned when he looked at the photos. ¡°They are so blur.¡± Indeed, the photo was simply taken by a tourist. The picture had willows tree by theke, and a girl in a red dress stood in the corner. Unfortunately, her face was muddled. ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Norton. The picture was taken by someone who was at the location of the incident coincidently. But the time and the girl¡¯s outfit matched your description. Hence, she should the girl you¡¯re looking for.¡± Finnick picked up the photo as he drifted into his thoughts. Vivian looked at the photo out of curiosity. Even though the girl¡¯s appearance was blurry, she could tell that the girl was approximately fifteen years old. The clothes she wore were the clearest in the picture. She wore a red tutu dress that had a unique design. Vivian furrowed her eyebrow and blurted, ¡°This skirt¡­¡± Finnick raised his eyebrows, ¡°You recognized this skirt?¡± ¡°It does look familiar,¡± Vivian bit her lip, thinking. ¡°Oh, this dress! A heroine wore this dress in a cartoon I watched back in junior high school. It was a Disney limited edition. At that time, every girl dreamed of having one.¡± Noah suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Oh yes, speaking of which, the girl that you¡¯re looking for is of simr age as you, Mrs. Norton?¡± Finnick¡¯s kidnap incident happened ten years ago. Coincidently, Vivian was indeed fifteen years old ten years ago. ¡°Do you have this dress too?¡± Finnick rose his eyebrows. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 70 Vivian smiled bitterly, ¡°This dress is limited-edition which costs a few thousand. I couldn¡¯t afford that.¡± Finnick nodded as he ced the photos back into the envelope and said to Noah, ¡°Considering it was a limited-edition dress, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find the authentic ones.¡± Noah nodded and left. Finnick and Vivian continued eating pizza. Vivian was unsure if she was overthinking, but she felt that Finnick had lost his appetite ever since Noah left. She nced at him inadvertently a few times and noticed a nk expression on his face. Was he¡­.thinking about the kidnap incident ten years ago? The media did not disclose many details as the Norton family intervened in the kidnapping case. It must have been a horrifying experience; if not, his legs would not have been severely injured. Vivian was staring at Finnick¡¯s handsome side profile. Suddenly, she heard Finnick asked, ¡°Do you like what you see?¡± Vivian was taken aback for a moment, only to realize that Finnick was referring to how she was staring at him. She quickly lowered her head as her face became hot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Finnick let out a smallugh and did not say anything. They finished the pizza and Vivian went to take a shower. Vivian exited the bathroom while drying her hair after a rxing shower. Yet, when she walked into the bedroom, she did not see Finnick. Instead, he stood by the balcony of the master bedroom, staring into something in a daze. Vivian paused slightly before she took a few steps forward. She noticed Finnick was staring at a pendant. The pendant was a very delicate crystal ne. Vivian could instantly tell that the beautiful ne was designed for women. Vivian was surprised. Finnick¡­was staring at another woman¡¯s ne? Who was the owner of this ne? Was it the woman that Finnick liked? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. For some reason, Vivian felt uneasy at the idea of Finnick liking another woman. She quickly shook her head and shrugged the weird feeling in her heart. Vivian, remember who you are and don¡¯t cross the line. You know why Finnick married you, it was only for the title of awfully wedded couple. What else do you expect? Never desire the things that aren¡¯t yours. As an illegitimate daughter, haven¡¯t you learned this lesson since you were young? Vivian was pulled back into reality andughed dryly before proceeding to dry her hair obediently. Finnick walked to her; the ne he had in his hands earlier was kept away. ¡°Fabian is organizing a party to introduce his fianc¨¦e to the family. Get yourself ready to attend the party with me,¡± he said calmly. Vivian¡¯s hand froze as she stared at Finnick, who stood behind her from the mirror. She asked hesitantly, ¡°Do I have to go?¡± She caught sight of Finnick¡¯s expression that went cold; she quickly responded, ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll go.¡± I can hide once, but I can¡¯t hide all my life. It¡¯s impossible for me to avoid Fabian and Ashley forever. Finnick¡¯s expression softened and he nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I¡¯ve hired someone to make a dress for you, so please remember to visit the boutique for a fitting tomorrow.¡± Vivian knew it was a big party with many guests. Although Ashley would be the star of the party, it was her first appearance as Finnick¡¯s wife in public. It was vital for her to be cautious and create a good impression. Therefore, she nodded in agreement. The next day, Vivian ended her interview early and went to the boutique Finnick told her for her fitting. Vivian was a little wary as she had never stepped foot into such a ce. Fortunately, Finnick sent Noah to apany her as he was busy. ¡°Mrs. Norton,¡± Noah called out. He waited by the entrance of the boutique beforehand. When he saw Vivian, he opened the door for her and said, ¡°This way, please.¡± Vivian followed Noah into the boutique that was filled with exquisite decorations. There were many sales assistants and a few customers in the boutique. Vivian proceeded to the second floor, and a couple of pretty girls approached her to take her measurements. She raised her hands awkwardly and hoped all of this would end quickly. Suddenly, she heard a voice full of surprise¡­ ¡°Vivian?¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 71 Surprised, she turned around and saw Ashley who had just walked up the stairs, looking at her with an Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. equally astounded face. Vivian¡¯s heart started thumping. What a small world! Must it meet Ashley here? This boutique provided the best tailoring service in the city. Ashley hade to custom-made her outfit for the party on the weekend but had she expected to see Vivian, the cheapskate here. ¡°Vivian.¡± In her pinkish-orange high heels, she click-cked over to Vivian and continued, ¡°Why are you here? Is this a ce a penny-pincher like you shoulde?¡± There was no one around so Ashley was even cockier than usual and every word she uttered to Vivian was as nasty as it could be. Vivian¡¯s eyes flickered with a cold glint and before she could even respond, Noah stepped in front and spoke in a nonchnt tone, ¡°Miss, please mind the way you¡¯re speaking to Mrs. Norton .¡± ¡°Mrs. Norton?¡± Ashley was utterly baffled but she was discerning enough to recognize that Noah was no ordinary man so she restrained herself fromshing out again. In the meantime, the salespersons working in the boutique had finished taking Vivian¡¯s measurements. To avoid having anything to do with Ashley, Vivian quickly spoke, ¡°Noah, let¡¯s go.¡± With a nod, Noah red at Ashley and escorted Vivian downstairs. Seeing how Vivian had ignored her, Ashley stomped on the ground in rage, frightening the salesperson next to her who could only ask in a jittery manner, ¡°Ms. Miller, are you ready to take the measurements?¡± It was only then Ashley came to her senses and turned to the salespersons and asked shrewdly, ¡°Hey, do you know who was the woman just now?¡± Ashley was a patron of the shop so the salespersons were aware of her overbearing personality and afraid she would be displeased if they don¡¯t tell her the truth. Plus, there was nothing to hide about Vivian¡¯s identity, hence they replied frankly, ¡°She¡¯s Mr. Norton¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Mr. Norton?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°Which Mr. Norton?¡± ¡°Mr. Finnick Norton of the Finnor Group.¡± Ashley was so shocked that she stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. Others might not know who Finnick was, but as Fabian¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Ashley knew who he was too well. Finnick was Fabian¡¯s uncle and the younger son of the Norton family. Ashley¡¯s face was drained of color and she could not believe what she just heard. Isn¡¯t Vivian married to a penniless pauper who couldn¡¯t even afford a diamond ring? How does it turn out to be Finnick? All at once, she could not care less about making any gown and rushed downstairs with her purse in her hand. She got in the car and bellowed, ¡°Send me to mour Magazine right now!¡± As soon as she reached her destination, Ashley dashed up to the floor where the magazinepany was, and when the receptionist asked who she was looking for in a panic, she blurted out impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m looking for your Chief Editor, I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e.¡± Upon hearing that, the receptionist immediately led the way for Ashley to Fabian. Just as Ashley went into Fabian¡¯s office, Vivian, under the escort of Noah, had also reached the ground floor of the building where the magazinepany was located in. Immediately after Vivian arrived at the magazinepany, she realized the atmosphere was unusually awkward. Everyone was not busy working on their assignments and instead, gathered in small groups around themselves, excitingly discussing about something, to which she had no idea. Seeing Vivian walked in, Shannon stood tall immediately and smirked, ¡°Oh my goodness, Vivian. I¡¯m surprised you still have the face toe back. Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting caught?¡± Perplexed, Vivian frowned at what Shannon just said, and before she knew it, she was pulled to a corner by Sarah who whispered to her, ¡°Vivian, do you know the Chief Editor¡¯s fianc¨¦e is here?¡± Vivian was puzzled. Ashley¡¯s here? What is she doing here? Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 72 Meanwhile, the air in the Chief Editor¡¯s office was exceedingly tensed. Ashley was standing in front of Fabian¡¯s desk with her pupils erged in fury as she shrieked, ¡°Fabian, why didn¡¯t you tell me that Vivian is your uncle¡¯s newly married wife?¡± It was very much to Fabian¡¯s surprise that Ashley had found out about Vivian¡¯s identity. He was befuddled for a while but when he looked at the egotistical way Ashley behaved, an impatient gleam shed across his eyes and he replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t keep you in the dark on purpose. It was just not something I¡¯d deliberately mention out of the blue. Besides, they¡¯d also attend the party on the weekend. Wouldn¡¯t you have found out by then?¡± Ashley got even more irritated when he mentioned the party. ¡°And you have the cheek to bring up the party on this weekend!¡± Ashley¡¯s pitch turned even more ear- piercing. ¡°Have you ever thought about how devastated I would be if I suddenly saw Vivian at the party? And how should I even address her?¡± Ashley had been spoiled by Harvey and Emma since young, as a result, she had always been very capricious. However, in order to get along well with Fabian, she had been trying to restrain her temper for the past six months. Yet, she was in a state of frenzy this time and could no longer suppress her wrath. All this was a result of her contempt for Vivian, especially when she realized how she thought she had shattered Vivian William, the person she despised the most in the world. Unfortunately, it turned out that Vivian had got on top of her and became Fabian¡¯s aunt; therefore, she needed to vent! ¡°Fabian!¡± She got angrier. ¡°Tell me the truth now! Did you knowingly hide this from me because you still care about Vivian? Are you waiting to see me get embarrassed on the weekend!¡± Fabian was extremely annoyed by Ashley but when he heard herst sentence, he regained his ¡°What are you talking about?¡± With a scornfulugh and a ruthless beam radiating from his eyes, he replied, ¡°It¡¯s still not time to tell who will be the one to feel embarrassed yet.¡± Though perplexed, Ashley had finally redeemed her cool. She furrowed her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Fabian, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is strange?¡± Fabian lighted a cigarette and started puffing on it. ¡°How could the Norton family ept a woman like Vivian who had such a murky past two years ago?¡± Ashley was still confused but right in the next instant, it suddenly dawned on her the implication behind Fabian¡¯s words and she was no longer irate. Instead, she became excited at once. ¡°Fabian, are you Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. saying that your uncle is still unaware of what happened two years ago?¡± ¡°He¡¯s aware.¡± Fabian¡¯s face darkened unwittingly. Again, Ashley was stunned. ¡°Then why did he still¡­¡± ¡°The point is not about Uncle Finnick.¡± Fabian was increasingly irritated and he interrupted Ashley hastily. ¡°It¡¯s about my grandpa. For a veteran like him, virtue is what he values most in people. There¡¯s no way for him to tolerate a woman with a stinking past like Vivian.¡± Ashley was instantly pleased. ¡°Well then, Fabian, what have you prepared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m preparing to spill the truth about Vivian to Grandpa at the party this weekend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± A little disappointment crept on Ashley¡¯s stunning face. Fabian frowned. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Under the pointy re of Fabian, Ashleyughed yfully. ¡°I was simply asking.¡± In spite of everything, Ashley was relieved after knowing that Fabian was going toe after Vivian as well. Doesn¡¯t that imply that Fabian has no more feelings for Vivian? Even though it¡¯s a shame Vivian managed to hook up with Finnick, but Finnick is just a cripple after all. And by disclosing that incident from two years ago, Vivian might just be chased out by the Norton family. Ashley felt a lot better thinking of that. Realizing that she had lost her self-control just then, Ashley was a little rueful and she went up to Fabian. She sat on hisp ingratiatingly, and said, ¡°Fabian, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have lost my temper. Are you mad at me?¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 73 A strong scent of perfume drifted into his nose and Fabian grimaced unknowingly. Ashley was undoubtedly adorable. Which was exactly why he had chosen her among so many other women. However, since he returned to the country, he had be increasingly irritable with Ashley¡¯s temper and it felt as though she had be more overbearing somehow. Even her perfume smelled unpleasantly strong. Unlike Vivian, regardless of whether it was when we were studying or now, there¡¯s always a faint fragrance on her. It was the shower cream she used, indistinctive, but always refreshing¡­ D*mn! Why am I thinking of this woman again! The more he looked at Ashley, the more peeved he got, so he pushed her away directly. ¡°I still have a meeting to attend to. If you¡¯re tired, you can rest here for a while. Just remember to close the door when you leave.¡± With that, he stood up and left the office,pletely disregarding the pale-faced Ashley. Ashley clenched her fist tightly as she watched Fabian walking out of his office, and the fiery red fingernails of hers almost poked through her palm. Was it an illusion? She felt that ever since Fabian met Vivian, he had be more distant from her. Could it be that he isn¡¯tpletely over her? No! It¡¯s impossible! He was even ready to mortify Vivian. How can he still have feelings for her? Wait a minute. Is it possible that it¡¯s actually Fabian¡¯s n to separate Finnick and Vivian so that she bes single again? When this thought emerged in Ashley¡¯s mind, her face turned even paler. Sh*t! No! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving Vivian with any chance of turning around! Biting her lips, Ashley came up with a plot in her mind. ¡­ When Ashley left Fabian¡¯s office, the staff in the magazinepany couldn¡¯t help but start another round of gossip. ¡°Oh my goodness! So that¡¯s the fianc¨¦e of our Chief Editor? She looks gorgeous and her fashion sense is fantastic as well.¡± Sarah was astonished and eximed in admiration. Vivian sat at her ce; her gaze swept over Ashley and the gleam in her eyes darkened. That¡¯s right. Ashley has always been very charming and her presence was just like a princess since young. She always looks stunning. Comparing to her, I am just a nobody, always buried under her dazzling halo. Shannon who was sitting on the side heard Sarah and sneered, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s the distance between the legitimate fianc¨¦e and the third wheel. If I were you, Vivian, I would definitely back away.¡± Vivian shot a re at Shannon and stood up abruptly. Shannon nearly jumped with fright and she took a step back. ¡°Vivian, wha-what are you doing?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Looking at the paper tiger¡¯s frightened expression, the scornful curve on Vivian¡¯s lips deepened. ¡°I¡¯m only preparing to clock out.¡± With that, she grabbed her purse on the desk and left the office. She was rather fortunate for when she came to the elevator, Ashley had already left, saving them from another awkward encounter. As soon as she reached home and stepped into the house, she could smell the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, and she knew at once that Liam and Molly had returned. She washed her hands before sitting down to have dinner together with Finnick. Not knowing why, Finnick seemed bothered and did not have much of an appetite even being served with a table full of Molly¡¯s sumptuous cooking. He took some food for Vivian absentmindedly while saying, ¡°I¡¯m free this weekend. Let me apany you to visit your mom at the hospital.¡± Startled, Vivian answered anxiously, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Lifting his eyebrows, Finnick turned to look at Vivian. ¡°Why?¡± Vivian realized that her response was too curt and with embarrassment creeping on her face, she exined mindlessly, ¡°My mom has just got a little better so she needs to rest well.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s some other reason than that.¡± It seemed to be crystal clear to Finnick. ¡°It¡¯s because your mom doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡± Vivian¡¯s hand which was holding the cutlery paused midair and she moved her lips. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Finnick was very calm. ¡°I could feel it. Your mom doesn¡¯t like me.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Vivian couldn¡¯t think of anything to refute his statement, so she replied clumsily, ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. It¡¯s mom being mom. She doesn¡¯t like wealthy men.¡± Finnick was even more surprised. He had certainly run a background check on Vivian¡¯s family and therefore, he was aware of the ¡°mistress¡± or ¡°third wheel¡± status of Rachel William. Finnick did not say anything but Vivian seemed to be able to read his mind. Sheughed bitterly and asked, ¡°You know I¡¯m an illegitimate daughter, right? You must be thinking how could my Mom dislike wealthy men after getting together with Harvey.¡± Finnick remained silent. ¡°The truth is, my Mom has never really been together with Harvey.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 74 Suddenly, Vivian¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°My mom and Harvey were studying in the same university. Harvey always fancied her but my mom didn¡¯t feel the same way about him. Nevertheless, Harvey¡¯s feelings for her never faded even after he got married. In fact, he even drugged and raped her. That¡¯s how I was conceived. Although my mom hated Harvey, she felt that I was innocent, so she decided to keep me.¡± Finnick looked at Vivian as he had never heard about this from his previous investigations. ¡°Emma was jealous of the feelings Harvey had for my mom, hence she spread rumors everywhere. She used my mom of seducing Harvey and dered that she was his mistress. As my mom didn¡¯t have any connections in high society, there was no way she could defend herself. All she could do was to bring me up by herself while enduring the smear on her reputation. As Vivian recounted the past, her fist clenched unwittingly while her eyes were filled with hatred. She absolutely despised Harvey. Unfortunately, there was no way she could change the fact that he was her biological father. Lowering his gaze toward Vivian, Finnick held up her clenched fist and gently pried open her fingers one by one. Vivian was caught by surprise. She raised her head to look at him as she smiled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I lose myposure?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± Despite his calm facade, Finnick¡¯s eye emitted a much gentler vibe than usual. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you are sharing all this with me.¡± It really meant a lot to him.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. In truth, it wasn¡¯t hard for him to find out about the matter if he really wanted to. But, when Vivian rted it to him personally, it carried a lot more weight. Giving Finnick a puzzled look, Vivian couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You really are one strange man.¡± Finnick responded with a faint smile withoutmenting. True to her words, he did find himself acting increasingly strange ever since he got to know Vivian. The next few days were calm and uneventful. Finally, the weekend arrived and it was time for the Norton family¡¯s dinner party. On that day, Vivian was up very early. However, the makeup artist and hairstylist had already arrived. After spending a whole day working on her, they finallypleted her makeover. As for Finnick, he was already prepared well ahead of time and waited quietly in the living hall. Soon, he heard the crisp footsteps of walking heels. Raising his gaze, he was stunned when he saw Vivian walking down the stairs gradually. Thest time she wore a gown to see the Norton family, she had already surprised him once. This time, he was even more astounded. Vivian was wearing a rose-gold-colored full-length dress. The tapered cut of her dress entuated all her curves while its bareback showcased the beautiful curvature of her back. Her hair was tied in a bun while her makeup looked natural instead of being ostentatious, allowing her exquisite features to outshine. Nevertheless, Vivian still wasn¡¯t used to walking in heels. Holding the edge of her skirt, she carefully descended the steps. There, she saw Finnick looking at her with glistening eyes. Blushing bashfully, she asked softly, ¡°How do I look?¡± Just a moment ago, she too was shocked when she saw herself in the mirror. She was a girl after all. Being dolled up and dressed in a beautiful gown was certainly something she looked forward to. However, ever since she was young, all she could do was watch Ashley enjoy this privilege. As for her, she could only wear a white T-shirt and jeans while watching Ashley mesmerize everyone else. However, today was different. Finally, she knew that she too had the opportunity to look gorgeous. Unable to peel his eyes off Vivian, Finnickughed softly and didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and gave her a gentle tug. ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian could hardly maintain her bnce in her heels. Hence, when Finnick pulled her into his embrace, she fell right onto hisp on the wheelchair. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 75 Both of them were so close to each other that a few strands of Vivian¡¯s stray hair touched Finnick¡¯s neck. Finnick circled his hands around her waist and whispered, ¡°You look so gorgeous that I don¡¯t even dare to take you out with me.¡± Vivian was surprised to hear Finnick flirt with her given that he was a man of few words. She was speechless as she blushed unwittingly. Finnick chuckled before wheeling both of them out of the vi and got into the car. Once they settled in, the driver drove them towards the Norton family¡¯s vi. Along the journey, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. After all, she will see Fabian and Ashleyter. Moreover, just the thought that there would be a lot of people at the party caused her to worry that she would embarrass herself. Detecting the tension in her smile, Finnick seemed to have guessed what was going through her mind. He asked softly, ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vivian admitted. ¡°I¡¯m worried about embarrassing you.¡± ¡°How can you embarrass me when you look so pretty?¡± Finnick let out a faint smile. ¡°Have you attended a party like this before?¡± ¡°No.¡± To calm her nerves, Vivian began to talk more. ¡°But, I did work as a waitress at such events during my university days to pay for my tuition. At that time, I was envious of all those girls dressed in beautiful gowns. I even wondered if I would ever get a chance to attend a party like that someday.¡± Finnick chuckled in response. ¡°So, I guess your dream hase true?¡± ¡°You can put it that way.¡± Vivianughed along with him. ¡°After work, I would practice the dance steps I saw thedies performed discreetly. So that when I have the opportunity to attend a party of my own, I could dance just as elegantly¡­¡± Suddenly, Vivian realized she had said something wrong and stopped abruptly. After which, she looked at Finnick anxiously. Damn it. I was being careless. I have forgotten that he is a cripple in front of others and can¡¯t dance. What I did simply rubbed salt into his wounds. In contrast to Vivian¡¯s anxiety, Finnick was calm and there wasn¡¯t the slightest change in his smile. He replied casually, ¡°Is that so?¡± Vivian no longer dared to say anything else and remained silent till they arrived at their destination. Finnick slid out of the car before offering his hand to help Vivian out. After carefully alighting, Vivian was astounded when she saw the vi in front of her. It was a huge vi and there were many luxury cars parked right in front. Numerous handsome young men and beautiful women streamed out from the cars and entered the building. Suddenly, Vivian was a little distracted. So, this is the sort of party they are having. It looks exactly like those I saw on TV. As she was dazed by the magnificence of the asion, she let Finnick lead her into the vi. Along the way, they met a lot of people who were mostly either members of the Norton family or their associates. As everyone was aware of his status, they were greeted politely with respectful smiles. ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± Despite their cordial attitude, Finnick could feel the curious staresing from everyone around them. As for Vivian, she tried her best to ignore the stares and followed Finnick closely as they entered the vi. Inside, the dining hall where the party was held was huge. Its decorations were luxurious yet tasteful. While Finnick led Vivian to the main table, she could see Fabian and Ashley from afar. Fabian was dressed in a tapered grey suit and looked dashing in it. Meanwhile, Ashley wore a bright yellow full-length dress which made her looked like a blooming flower. ¡°Hey, Finnick, you¡¯re here!¡± The first to see Finnick and Vivian was a man who sat beside Fabian. He appeared close to fifty years old and had well-defined features. However, his eyes looked as if they had seen too much which made Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. one feel ufortable. Immediately, Vivian could guess that he must be Mark, Finnick¡¯s brother and also Fabian¡¯s father. Mark quickly shifted his attention to Vivian and smiled knowingly at her. ¡°This must be Ms. William. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Come, please have a seat.¡± After Vivian settled down together with Finnick at the table, he began to introduce everyone there to her after which she greeted them one by one. The first was obviously his grandfather, the elder Mr. Norton. Although Vivian had met him before, she didn¡¯t leave a good impression then. Hence, she knew had to do better this time. The elder Mr. Norton snorted in response and hardly said a word. Next, Finnick introduced her to Mark who scrutinized Vivian from head to toe, causing her to feel ufortable. After that, it was Fabian and Ashley¡¯s turn. The moment Fabianid eyes on Vivian, he was briefly struck by how beautiful she was. However, he quickly collected himself and maintained his frosty appearance. As for Ashley, she was so overwhelmed by jealousy that she was unable to hide any of it from her face. She did not expect Vivian to turn into such a beautiful swan. Vivian was so gorgeous that she had outshone Ashley who was supposed to be the party¡¯s center of attention. Her jealousy didn¡¯t stop there. In fact, she was even more astounded by how dashing Finnick looked. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 76 Although she was already aware of how handsome and capable Finnick was, she looked down upon him due to the fact he was a cripple. But now, when she saw him with her own eyes, she finally realized just what an exceptional man he was. All along, she always assumed that Fabian was the most extraordinary man she had met. But Despite being dressed in a simple ck suit, Finnick emanated a unique vibe. One could feel the gravitas he possessed and the humility he carried. Beneath all that, was a hint of elegance and a touch of sexiness. Ashley was stupefied as she looked him. If not for the fact that Finnick was sitting in the wheelchair, Ashley would have felt that her efforts in finally getting together with Fabian were all for naught. Once the introductions werepleted, the servants proceeded to serve dinner. Despite being tempted by all the tantalizing dishes in front of her, Vivian kept herself in check and just took whatever dishes that were nearest to her. Noticing Vivian¡¯s restraint, Finnick picked out her favorites and ced them on her te. Even though this was a small action, it sent an emotional shockwave to most people sitting around the table. The elder Mr. Norton was so surprised that the look he gave Vivian changed after that. As for Mark, his expression darkened but no one knew what was going through his mind. Finally, Fabian was the one who was most agitated. When he saw how lovey-dovey Finnick and Vivian were, he could feel the fury within him burn like a raging inferno. As his eyes shed with anger, he suddenly sneered, ¡°It looks like Uncle Finnick loves to pamper Aunt Vivian.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Vivian¡¯s hand froze the moment she heard his words. What is Fabian up to now? Finnick casually gave Fabian the side-eye. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me pampering my wife?¡± In response, Fabian¡¯s eyes burned with greater intensity. The next time he spoke, his tone became visibly sarcastic. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with pampering her. I¡¯m just afraid Aunt Vivian¡¯s character does not deserve this treatment.¡± His words were just like lobbing a grenade to the center of the table. Everyone at the main table turned silent as their expressions turned grim. Vivian herself was pale in shock. As for Finnick, his expression couldn¡¯t be more frosty. ¡°Fabian, what are you trying to insinuate?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to insinuate anything.¡± Fabian mood appeared to improve when he saw that he had managed to infuriate Finnick. ¡°It¡¯s just that I happen to study in the same university as Aunt Vivian. Hence, I know a thing or two about what she did during those days.¡± When he heard Fabian trying to keep everyone in suspense, the elder Mr. Norton was the first to lose his patience. mming his cutlery onto the table, he demanded, ¡°If you have something to say, spit it out. Don¡¯t keep going in circles. You¡¯re just annoying the hell out of me.¡± Prior to this, Vivian had heard that the elder Mr. Norton was a soldier who did a lot for the country. After he left the army, he went into business. Armed with wisdom and tactfulness when doing business, he quickly gained a foothold in Sunshine City. In spite of that, he was still a soldier at heart. Therefore, he didn¡¯t like to sweat the small details and hated it when anyone tried to be sneaky. Fabian turned pale when he was admonished by his grandfather, so he quickly added, ¡°Grandpa, based on what I know, Vivian sold her dignity when she was studying. Therefore, I don¡¯t think someone with such questionable character deserves to be a member of the Norton family.¡± Thest bit of color left Vivian¡¯s face when she heard Fabian¡¯s words. She neither tried to give any exnation nor was she angry. All she did was re at Fabian who was sitting opposite her. Once he was done speaking, Fabian felt the fire raging within him a moment ago had dissipated. Right when he wanted to gloat at Vivian, he didn¡¯t expect to see an ashen face and a pair of glistening eyes ring at him. What¡¯s with that look? One might say it was a look of admonishment but in truth it was more of disbelief. At that moment, he felt her gaze pierce through his heart just like a needle, stunning him. In a blink of an eye, he immediately regretted his impulsive actions. Just when he was about to say something, he heard someone from the next table exim in shock. ¡°My God! What is that?¡± As the loud scream shifted everyone¡¯s attention away, they raised their heads and suddenly saw a What was even more shocking was what was showing on the screen. There were a few pictures that were ying on a slideshow. When she saw those pictures, Vivian froze as if she had been struck by lightning. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 77 They were all pictures of her. In the pictures, her face was drunk red, her hair messy and her clothes were strewn all over. She was lying in a provocative position with an arousing expression on her face. Although there wasn¡¯t any part of her body exposed, her flushed red face and steamy expression were telling enough that everyone could see what was going on. Vivian could recognize these pictures instantly. They were taken two years ago and were the same ones Fabian questioned her about. She immediately turned her head and red at Fabian. Her gaze was no longer one of disbelief. Instead, it had turned into deep-seated hatred. She knew Fabian hated her because he wrongly believed that she had betrayed him then. That was why he brought up her history during dinner in front of the Norton family. He simply wanted vengeance. However, she could have never expected him to expose the pictures, let alone yed them for everyone to see. He just wanted to destroy me! Even if I really betrayed him then, there was no need to go to such lengths. As for Fabian, the shock he was experiencing was no lesser than that of Vivian. He did bring up Vivian¡¯s disgraceful history but it never crossed his mind to do it in this manner. To do so would be too despicable and cruel, even for him. Therefore, he didn¡¯t know how those pictures were being yed on the screen. In the midst of his panic, his reflex was to exin himself to Vivian. But when he looked at her, his eyes were met with a gaze filled with animosity. In a blink of an eye, he felt as if his world had copsed. He never expected that a woman he had loved so deeply before would one day look at him with overwhelming hatred. Equally shocked were all the other guests present. There were many guests at the party. Other than the members of the Norton family, there were many others who were rtives and business associates. Therefore, the whole hall was filled with guests. When everyone saw the pictures, they were stupefied. Although they were well brought up members of high society, human nature was naturally nosy. Hence, all of them couldn¡¯t help but gossip softly. ¡°My God! What¡¯s happening? Why are such pictures shown during the Norton family¡¯s dinner party?¡± ¡°Are you stupid? Can¡¯t you see thedy in the picture is Mr. Norton¡¯s new wife?¡± ¡°Oh! It really is her! When were these pictures taken? I don¡¯t think they were taken by Finnick. Could it have been another man instead?¡± ¡°This is utterly disgraceful. I think the girl is going to be kicked out of the Norton family.¡± As most of the guests were respected members of society, no one said anything that was extreme. Nevertheless, they couldn¡¯t help gloat at the Norton family¡¯s misery andment in a mocking manner. When Vivian heard the guests¡¯ remarks, her face paled further. She clenched her fist so tightly under the table that it felt like she was going to punch her fingers through her palms. As for Finnick, his temper finally red the moment he saw the pictures. Damn it! How dare anyone touch my woman in front of me. The main table wasn¡¯t far from where the control panel was. Without giving it any thought, Finnick picked up the steak knife and stabbed it through the control switch of the screen. Crack! In a blink of an eye, the screen turned dark. No one expected Finnick to react that way. Shocked by how he responded, everyone stopped gossiping. The next moment, there wasplete silence across the room. No one dared to utter a single word as they looked towards the elder Mr. Norton. They were all curious as to how he was going to react. ¡°Ahem.¡± Despite being someone that had gone through a lot in life, he was still appalled by what he saw. However, he managed to regain hisposure quickly. Turning his attention towards Finnick, he sneered, ¡°Finnick, is this true?¡± Finnick didn¡¯t answer his grandfather¡¯s question immediately. In fact, his attention wasn¡¯t even on the elder Mr. Norton but his gaze fell upon Vivian instead. When he saw her shockingly pale expression, his eyes turned icy cold.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 78 ¡°Finnick!¡± When Finnick didn¡¯t answer him, the elder Mr. Norton was infuriated. He stamped his walking stick on the floor and glowered. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question!¡± Only then did Finnick turned to face him with a cold expression. ¡°If I tell you that it¡¯s fake, will you believe me?¡± As the elder Mr. Norton was his grandfather, Finnick remained respectful but didn¡¯t fear him at all. The elder Mr. Norton was so infuriated that wrinkles filled his face. ¡°Finnick! Do you really think that a woman with such low moral standards can be a part of the Norton family?¡± The elder Mr. Norton¡¯s words send a shockwave through the room. His statement couldn¡¯t have been clearer. He was denouncing Vivian¡¯s ce as a daughter-inw of the Norton family outright. Vivian¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble in response. For some reason, she felt as if her heart was smashed when she heard what the elder Mr. Norton said. Initially, the main reason she got married was so that she could have her name registered in Sunshine City. Since it¡¯s now done, I shouldn¡¯t care much whether the marriagests? However, for some inexplicable reason, the thought of divorcing Finnic and not being able to return to his vi, or even growing distant from each other caused a sense of disappointment in her. When he noticed the change in Vivian¡¯s expression, the only thing Finnick felt was his heart squeezing tightly onto itself. Without any hesitation, he grabbed Vivian¡¯s clenched hands under the table. Amidst the elder Mr. Norton¡¯s wrath, everyone present was frightened and kept quiet. However, there was only one person who was desperately trying to keep her head down. She didn¡¯t want anyone to notice that she was gleefully gloating. That person was no other than Ashley. She was the mastermind behind those pictures. When she heard Fabian wanted to expose Vivian¡¯s true colors during the party, Ashley was thrilled but felt he didn¡¯t go far enough. Since they were going to harm Vivian, they might as go all out. She wanted to destroy Vivian¡¯s reputation to the extent that she would not dare to show her face in the high society of the city. Therefore, she secretly bribed the Norton family¡¯s servant to broadcast the photos she had so that everyone could see the darkest side of Vivian. That way, even if Vivian and Finnick divorced, Fabian would never get back with her given how egoistic he was. While Ashley was counting her chickens before they hatched and waiting for the Norton family to kicked Vivian out, she did not anticipate what Finnick was about to say. He was going to wipe that smirk of hers off her face. ¡°Grandpa, you are right. Perhaps, Vivian does not deserve to be a member of the Norton family.¡± When Finnick finished the first part of his sentence, Vivian¡¯s face turned further pale. However, he quickly added, ¡°But, my wife doesn¡¯t need the acknowledgment of the Norton family.¡± Looking up in disbelief, Vivian¡¯s eyes met Finnick¡¯s gaze. Within the calmness in those eyes, she could see the determination behind it. The warmth in his hand permeated through her skin gradually, as if it would melt the coldness in her heart. Suddenly, Vivian could feel a burning sensation in her nose. Even the elder Mr. Norton was stunned. Meanwhile, Mark could no longer hold back his anger and reprimanded, ¡°Finnick, how can you speak to Grandpa like that? After marrying such a loose girl and disgracing our family, you still refuse to repent!¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Only then did Finnick shift his attention away from Vivian and gazed coldly at Mark. Despite just being a nce, it was more than enough to send a shiver down Mark¡¯s spine. ¡°Mark,¡± Finnick called out to him in an icy tone. ¡°Don¡¯t throw wild usations at my wife.¡± Mark¡¯s face turned pale and was about to say something when elder Mr. Norton cleared his throat abruptly. At that moment, Mark held his tongue and looked towards his grandfather. ¡°This matter requires further investigation. After all, she is Finnick¡¯swfully wedded wife,¡± elder Mr. Norton remarked with a tone that was hard to discern. ¡°Do not let thements of unscrupulous people trigger a feud among us.¡± Vivian was stunned when she heard those words. Although she didn¡¯t know the elder Mr. Norton well, she was aware that he had a reputation for being ruthless and cold-blooded in the city. Without such a relentless attitude, the Norton family wouldn¡¯t have be what they are today. Hence, she didn¡¯t expect him to be so reasonable. I have disgraced the Norton family and yet he is not holding me ountable? Both Mark and Finnick were also caught by surprise by their grandfather¡¯s reaction. Since Grandpa always had the say, both of them didn¡¯t dare say anything further. The only person who was most upset with the turn of events was Ashley. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She had assumed she could annihte Vivian this time and shatter her reputation. Unexpectedly, none of her desired oues came about. Finnick didn¡¯t mind Vivian¡¯s history while the elder Mr. Norton chose not to press the matter. What is going on? Peeved with the oue, Ashley let her tongue loose without thinking. ¡°Great Grandpa, these aren¡¯t just baseless spections. They¡¯re the truth¡­¡± Before Ashley could finish, the elder Mr. Norton turned and red fiercely in her direction. Ashley was seized by fear and rendered speechless. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 79 ¡°Who is this ignorant girl and where does shee from?¡± the elder Mr. Norton reprimanded her sternly, ¡°Know your ce! You are not qualified to address me as Great Grandpa as you have yet to marry into the Norton family. Hence, stopmenting about our family matters.¡± Ashley was dumbfounded after being admonished and regretted her impulsive decision to speak out. She had not expected that the scheme she painstakingly put in ce didn¡¯t hurt Vivian at all. Instead, she ended up leaving a bad impression on the elder Mr. Norton. That very instant, she didn¡¯t dare utter another word. All she did was keep her head down as her teeth dug into her lower lip. Why? Why did he do that? Why is Vivian always so lucky to escape whatever I throw at her? I just can¡¯t beat her! When the next dish was served, everyone ate in silence. After dinner was finally finished, everyone proceeded to a hall in the next room to dance. As the band performed on stage, melodious music filled the room. There were a lot of couples dancing in each other¡¯s arms. Amidst the music, waiters weaved in and out of the crowd serving champagne and wine. The guests who didn¡¯t dance crowded together and chatted merrily. The scene looked like what she had always seen on TV. However, Vivian had the niggling feeling that she didn¡¯t fit it. Standing behind Finnick¡¯s wheelchair, she could sense the asional condescending stare and mocking gazes. ¡°Finnick.¡± Vivian was watching Ashley and Fabian dancing in the center of the room and how they T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. captured everyone¡¯s attention. It simply made her feel awkward. ¡°Shall we go home now?¡± After all, they couldn¡¯t dance and there was nothing much left to do. ¡°We will be staying the night here,¡± Finnick replied without hesitation. Despite feeling perplexed, Vivian nodded without protest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feelingfortable?¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Is it because of what happened just now?¡± Vivian was caught off guard and didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. When that incident happened two years ago, I had endured much worse than this inparison. I-I¡¯m just worried that you wouldn¡¯t be happy staying here,¡± Vivian answered sincerely. Finnick was her husband. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, they might misconstrue that she had cheated on him. For a man, this was extremely damaging to his ego. Vivian really didn¡¯t want Finnick, who had an exceptional reputation, to end up bing aughing stock because of her. Surprised by Vivian¡¯s answer, Finnick gave it some thought. He then turned his wheelchair in Vivian¡¯s direction. When he saw her nervous and awkward expression, his heart couldn¡¯t help but melt. ¡°Vivian William,¡± he suddenly asked, ¡°would you like to dance?¡± ¡°Dance?¡± Vivian was stunned. ¡°With whom?¡± Given Finnick was in the wheelchair, he definitely couldn¡¯t dance. However, other than him, she didn¡¯t know anyone else there. When he saw Vivian¡¯s puzzled expression, Finnick smiled unwittingly. ¡°With me,¡± he quipped and grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand out of the blue. With him? Vivian became even more confused. Before she could react, Finnick was already rolling his wheelchair to the center of the hall with Vivian in tow. Being pulled along, Vivian followed him in acquiescence. ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian was stunned. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Dancing.¡± Finnick¡¯s usually indifferent gaze was now filled with glee. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you made an effort to learn the dance steps? Do you still remember them?¡± Only then did Vivianprehend that Finnick wanted to dance with her. She blushed at his question. ¡°I¡­ I just spoke without thinking. I can¡¯t even follow the rhythm properly.¡± Finnick¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Is that so? That will only make things easier.¡± Vivian was surprised. Before she could ask why, Finnick held her hand and gave it a forceful tug. The next moment, Vivian lost her bnce and fell into Finnick¡¯s arms. ¡°Finnick! What are you¡­¡± She panicked and scrambled to stand back up. However, Finnick hugged her waist so tightly that she was unable to move at all. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Read online Never Late, Never Away free Chapter 80 ¡°Hang on tight.¡± Finnick lowered his gaze at her and beamed. ¡°We are dancing!¡± Just as he spoke, Finnick moved his wheelchair along with the music, gently rocking back and forth to its rhythm. As for Vivian, she leaned into his embrace as both of them rolled together under the bright lights and gaping stares of the guests. She was mesmerized by the moment. Staring at Finnick¡¯s handsome face, she couldn¡¯t find a single w on his chiseled features. His usually cold gaze was now draped in gentleness. It caused his expression to sparkle just like a sparkling. This handsome man is actually my husband. As Finnick¡¯s wheelchair gently swayed to the music, all the other guests gawked in astonishment. Even Ashley who was the center of attention a moment ago couldn¡¯t help but stop to watch. ¡°Dancing in a wheelchair?¡± she eximed. But, jealousy soon filled her eyes as she sneered, ¡°A cripple will always be a cripple. That¡¯s the sad reality.¡± Ashley had nned to mock Finnick and Vivian. But when she saw how exceptionally dashing Finnick was and how he gracefully waltzed his wheelchair to the music, she suddenly felt her mockery had lost all its basis. Furthermore, she wasn¡¯t alone. All the other watching guests who were astonished at first were now filled with envy. ¡°My God! This is the first time I see someone emit so much charm dancing in a wheelchair.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really envious of that girl called Vivian for how much her husband loves her. Furthermore, he is such a romantic and a capable man too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the second son of the Norton family for you.¡± A few elderly guests recollected what happened a long time ago. With a regretful tone in their voice, they remarked, ¡°He was such an exceptional child since he was young. If only the kidnapping didn¡¯t happen. Sigh.¡± Meanwhile, Vivian, who was sitting on Finnick¡¯sp, could faintly hear the remarks of the other guests though she couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying. Not able to resist, she looked towards them. Without any hesitation, Finnick raised his hands and held onto her chin to stop her. ¡°Do you care about what they say?¡± Finnick obviously knew fully well what was on Vivian¡¯s mind. Vivian smiled awkwardly in return. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t,¡± Finnick murmured. After letting go of her chin, he gently caressed her. ¡°All you need to do is to relish this current moment.¡± Finnick¡¯s voice deepened and seemed to have some devilish charm in it. Completely bewitched, Vivian nodded obediently. Reaching her hands around his neck, she swayed her body gently to match his movements. When he saw Vivian moving along with him, Finnick¡¯s grin widened faintly. Meanwhile, at the staircase on the second floor. The elder Mr. Norton was standing there, looking down upon the dancefloor and taking in everything that had happened. When he watched Vivian and Finnick rolling around the dancefloor, he clearly saw herughing joyously and the beam on Finnick¡¯s face. The scene caused his lips to widen slightly. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw that child smile. ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± At that moment, an old butler approached. ¡°It¡¯s almost time. Do you want me to usher the guests out and arrange for Finnick and Mrs. Norton amodation?¡± ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s about time.¡± Regaining his senses, the elder Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°By the way, please get Vivian to see me in my study.¡± Just as he spoke, the elder Mr. Norton turned and headed there. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Finally, the ball started to wind down. The star of the night didn¡¯t turn out to be Ashley who was supposedly the guest of honor. Instead, it was Vivian who sat on Finnick¡¯sp the whole night. When the final song was done, Vivian stood up. While she was still blushing, she saw an elderly- looking butler approach her. He politely informed her, ¡°Mrs. Norton, the elder Mr. Norton wants to see you in the study.¡± Vivian was shocked. What does the elder Mr. Norton want with me? Is it because of the pictures just now? When she recalled how sharp the elder Mr. Norton¡¯s gaze was, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous and looked towards Finnick subconsciously. However, Finnick nodded lightly at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although Grandpa is an entric, he isn¡¯t an unreasonable man.¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 81 After hearing Finnick¡¯s reassurances, Vivian managed to calm her nerves. She then followed the butler to the study on the second floor. The elder Mr. Norton¡¯s study was decorated with a lot of antiques. The moment she entered, she could smell the scent of lighted sandalwood and felt as if she had stepped into another world. He was sitting at his desk dressed in a long robe. From the very first second she entered, his gaze was fixated upon her. Vivian tried her best to keep her nerves together and walked towards the front of the desk. She greeted politely, ¡°Mr. Norton.¡± ¡°What did you just call me?¡± He questioned her sternly. Stunned, Vivian was uncertain as to what was going on. ¡°Since you are now married to Finnick, you should address me as Grandpa, just like how Finnick,¡± the elder Mr. Norton exined patiently when he realized that she was clueless. Moreover, he didn¡¯t forget to sneer, ¡°You and your sister, Ashley, are two prizing extremes. One just can¡¯t wait to address me as Great Grandpa while the other doesn¡¯t do so when she should.¡± Vivian turned pale when she realized the elder Mr. Norton knew that Ashley and she were sisters. After giving it some thought, she realized it wasn¡¯t unexpected. After all, she had been married to Finnick for quite a while now so he would definitely have done a background check on her. Anyway, since the elder Mr. Norton allowed her to address him as Grandpa, it meant that he acknowledged her as his granddaughter-inw. Realizing that, Vivian heaved a sigh of relief and greeted softly, ¡°Grandpa.¡± Only then did he gave her a satisfied nod and motioned her by thrusting his chin forward. ¡°Have a seat.¡± After settling down obediently, Vivian heard him question her sternly, ¡°What do you think I call you in here for?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the pictures that were screened at the dinner just now.¡± Gathering her courage, Vivian raised her head as she wanted to seize upon the opportunity to exin. ¡°Grandpa, those pictures are actually¡­¡± Before she could begin to exin, the elder Mr. Norton raised his hand to cut her off. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin.¡± His tone was impatient. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I would have investigated the matter thoroughly? After all, you have been married to Finnick for a long time.¡± He chose his words carefully. By using the words ¡®investigated thoroughly ¡®, he had conveyed his inner thoughts. Not only had he checked what happened two years ago, but he also found out the truth and knew that Vivian was set up. That was when Vivian understood why he wasn¡¯t surprised when he saw the pictures. In fact, he didn¡¯t even me her for them. So he was aware of the incident. Feeling relieved, Vivian replied sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me,¡± The elder Mr. Norton snorted. ¡°I hope you are not under the impression that I didn¡¯t mind just because you¡¯re innocent?¡± Vivian was stunned again. She couldn¡¯t deny Finnick¡¯s words when he mentioned that his grandfather was an entric. Indeed, the way he spoke was just like a roller coaster, full of twists and turns. ¡°For a family like ours, we would typically not allow someone with a scandal like yours to be one of us. It doesn¡¯t matter if it was your fault,¡± he exined indifferently. The thought had crossed Vivian¡¯s mind before as her face turned pale. ¡°In that case Grandpa, why did you ept me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, it was Finnick.¡± The elder Mr. Norton¡¯s expression was suddenly filled with regret. ¡°Since Evelyn¡¯s death ten years ago, I thought Finnick would not love another woman again, let alone get married.¡± Vivian was shocked. Evelyn? Who is she? Is she someone Finnick had loved before? Despite the questions whirling in her head, Vivian didn¡¯t dare to ask him about it. ¡°However, I didn¡¯t expect him to marry you.¡± He stared at Vivian with sharp eyes. ¡°In the beginning, I thought that you were just some puppet wife that he was using to defy me. But, after thest meeting and tonight¡¯s party, I realize that his feelings for you are real.¡± Finnick has feelings for me? His words caused Vivian¡¯s heart to skip a beat. However, she remained unconvinced. Despite how well Finnick treated her, Vivian simply felt that he was too exceptionalpared to her and that they were worlds apart. She couldn¡¯t fathom how someone like him would even have romantic feelings for her. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t disagree with the elder Mr. Norton outright but continued to listen quietly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°That¡¯s the reason why I am able to ept you.¡± He continued with a tone that reflected the resignation he felt. ¡°That¡¯s because I will acknowledge whoever he loves.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 82 Looking at the elderly Mr. Norton in front of her, Vivian suddenly realized he was no longer the ruthless and powerful head of the Norton family. Instead, he seemed to be an ordinary old man who just wanted his grandson to be happy. ¡°But,¡± He added abruptly in a serious tone. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what your greatest responsibility is.¡± By now, Vivian was lost and could hardly follow his train of thought. ¡°What responsibility?¡± ¡°Help him continue his legacy, of course.¡± the old man red at Vivian with his eyes widened as if he was angry at her ignorance. ¡°Look, Mark¡¯s children are already so big but Finnick has yet to have any despite his age.¡± Vivian almost choked on her own saliva. After beating around the bush, he just wants to remind me about having children with Finnick? Although Finnick and Mark were brothers, their age gap was quite big. Mark was almost fifty while Finnick hadn¡¯t even reached thirty yet. Nevertheless, it wasmon in reputable families to marry early and have many children by the time they were thirty. Vivian felt so awkward that she was lost for words. However, the elder Mr. Norton squinted his eyes and murmured, ¡°Girl, don¡¯t think I¡¯m not aware of the fact that you and Finnick have not consummated your marriage.¡± By now, Vivian felt utterly embarrassed. How did he even find out about this? ¡°Girl, tell me the truth.¡± His eyes suddenly shed as he asked hesitantly. ¡°Finnick¡­ does he have trouble getting it up?¡± Vivian had not recovered from the earlier shock. After hearing the elder Mr. Norton¡¯s question, her face blushed like a tomato. Wh-what? What kind of a grandfather is this? Isn¡¯t he being too intrusive? When Vivian didn¡¯t respond, he became more desperate and probed further, ¡°I¡¯m sure you are aware of what happened ten years ago, which caused Finnick to lose control of his legs. Since then, I have always been worried about the state of his ¡®vitality¡¯ in that aspect. All this while, I wanted to get a doctor to help him but he has always refused me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so concerned.¡± When Vivian saw how worried he was, her heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. It appeared that Finnick had even hidden the truth about his legs from his grandfather. That¡¯s why he was so frustrated. As Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to see him worry, she gritted her teeth and thickened her skin, ¡°I-I think Finnick d-doesn¡¯t have any problems with that.¡± Mr. Norton was surprised. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°That? Although we have yet to consummate our marriage, we do live together.¡± By now, Vivian just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. ¡°There are times when¡­ you know. I can¡­ erm¡­ see his ¡®reaction¡¯?¡± Vivian could feel her cheeks burning. Anyway, she was telling the truth as she was absolutely sure there was nothing wrong with Finnick. Putting aside the sightings of his morning wood, there were a few other asions when she ¡®personally¡¯ felt his ¡®vitality¡¯. Once was when they had a close call and another time was when she walked out of the bathroom. Ahem, to be honest, it was more than doing just alright. In fact, it looks to be really ¡®powerful¡¯? The elder Mr. Norton was puzzled for a brief moment before quickly getting what Vivian was hinting at. His face lit up in joy. ¡°Really? Haha, that¡¯s wonderful news. Really wonderful!¡± He was so excited that he jumped up from his chair and waved his walking stick in the air. ¡°Since he is doing fine, what else are you people waiting for?¡± Vivian was dumbfounded. All she could manage to say was, ¡°Erm, we don¡¯t really know each other well enough yet since we just met.¡± ¡°What f***ing nonsense is that?¡± he swore as he became worked up. ¡°My wife and I were part of an arranged marriage and yet we slept with each other the very first night of the wedding. Aren¡¯t you younger ones supposed to be more liberal? Why are you being more rigid than us?¡± By now, Vivian was blushing like a tomato. In the meantime, the old man wielded his walking stick in the air and ordered, ¡°Ms. William, I am not someone that¡¯s unreasonable. I know what you have been through wasn¡¯t your fault and I don¡¯t me you for it. However, I now need you to give your best. Time Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. waits for no man. So, both of you will consummate your marriage in the vi tonight!¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 83 Vivian was dumbfounded. Consummate our marriage tonight? Before she could recover from her shock, Mr. Norton barked, ¡°Mr. Zane!¡± The study¡¯s door opened and an elderly butler hurried in. ¡°Mr. Zane, bring Ms. William and Finnick to the bedroom at once.¡± Mr. Norton couldn¡¯t contain his What? There¡¯s even a specially prepared bedroom? Before she could even ask what sort of room it was, Vivian was led out of the study by Mr. Zane. Right after they left, they could still hear the elder Mr. Norton¡¯s heartyughter from the corridor. Mr. Zane brought her to a bedroom on the third floor. Upon entering, Mr. Zane softly reassured her, ¡°Both of you have the whole floor to yourselves. Hence, you can do whatever you please and not have to worry that someone can hear you or even disturb you.¡± When Vivian understood what Mr. Zane was trying to say, her face flushed red. Before she could even reply, Mr. Zane had pushed her into the room. By the time she managed to collect herself, the butler had closed the door. Ka-chak! She could hear it being locked from outside. Given a fright, Vivian banged on the door, ¡°Mr. Zane, why did you lock the door?¡± No one answered from outside. Vivian grew anxious and tried to pry it open. But, it was locked tightly from the outside and wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡®You can stop banging on the door. They did it on purpose.¡± Just when Vivian began to worry, she heard a cold voice emanate from behind her. Caught by surprise, she turned around and saw Finnick sitting behind her. Under the dim yellow light, Finnick was sitting in his wheelchair. He had taken off his jacket and only had his white shirt on. The top two buttons were already loose, exposing his sexy corbone. ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian regained her senses and scanned the room. When her gaze fell upon the bed in the center, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Is this the room we will be spending the night in? Isn¡¯t the bed too small?¡± The bed in front of her looked just like a super single bed. It could barely fit two people and even then, both people would have stick closely together. ¡°Mmm.¡± It was obvious to Finnick from the beginning. ¡°They must be part of their n.¡± Vivian finally understood what the elder Mr. Norton meant when he said ¡®specially prepared¡¯. Just thinking about it caused her to blush. Vivian and Finnick did sleep together at home. But, given the bed was big enough, they seldom made physical contact. However, the bed in front of them was so different. ¡°Just now,¡± Finnick asked out of a sudden as he turned towards Vivian, ¡°what did Grandpa talk to you about?¡± When Vivian recalled the topic that the elder Mr. Norton and her discussed, her cheeks burned with greater intensity. ¡°Erm, n-nothing much.¡± Vivian was too embarrassed to recount what they discussed. But, as she wasn¡¯t ustomed to lying, her words came out extremely stiff. Raising his eyebrow curiously, Finnick stood up and approached Vivian. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can easily guess what Grandpa spoke to you about.¡± Vivian¡¯s cheeks felt like a raging inferno now. ¡°R-really?¡± Finnick was standing right in front of Vivian now. When he saw how bashful she was, he simply found her extremely adorable. At that very moment, he couldn¡¯t help but tease her. ¡°Of course I do.¡± Finnick had lowered his voice on purpose to make it sound more alluring. Furthermore, he even put his hands on the door beside Vivian¡¯s cheek before leaning in to bring himself closer. ¡°I suppose he wants you to have children with me?¡± Vivian lowered her gaze as she could no longer feel her cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s right. Erm, they¡¯re our elders after all. It¡¯s normal for them to worry about you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice gradually softened as Finnick was lowering his face towards her. They were now so close to each other that their cheeks were about to touch. When she felt his masculine breath envelope her whole body, she got all nervous that her heart began to race. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 84 Originally, Finnick had just wanted to joke around with Vivian. However, as he approached her, he caught a whiff of her faint fragrance. Right at that moment, he could feel his heart started to pound. For some reason, Vivian was especially attractive that day. Her tight skirt outlined her graceful figure in full view. From his height, he could clearly see her soft curvature and snow-white skin. Her small, pretty, up-close face was rosy red. It resembled an apple, cute and round, tender and juicy, tempting everyone to approach and take a bite. Finnick entertained that thought for a while. Her attractiveness was soon too much for him to bear, thus he gave in to the temptation. Bending down, he leaned close and gently nipped Vivian¡¯s blushing cheek, startling her in the process. She was taken aback and could only whisper a syble, ¡°Ah?¡± The tiny yelp made his heart flutter like a feather, instantly igniting the passion within him. Throwing caution to the wind, he suddenly raised his hands and grasped Vivian¡¯s waist. Lifting her up with a hug, their two bodies touched in a sweet embrace. Feeling the warmth of his body flowing onto her, Vivian became flustered and managed only to stammer, ¡°F-Finnick? You¡­¡± She did not realize that every word she said only made him felt more aroused. He could barely hold onto hisst thread of reason. The temptation was just too strong. Lowering his head, he gently caressed her reddening earlobe with his lips as he whispered in a low voice, ¡°Dear Vivian, why don¡¯t we carry out what grandpa wants? Let¡¯s get on with it, shall we?¡± The warm and sensual touch to her earlobe sent currents of electrifying sensation through her body. It was so pleasantly numb that she could not help but shudder with pleasure. Truth be told, she was mentally prepared for this. After all, they were already married. Finnick would only have to ask, and as his wife, she would dly offer herself to him without refusing. Moreover, when elder Mr. Norton had said those things to her just now, she had thought in her heart about consummating their marriage. She was surprised that she was not resisting the idea. As such, upon hearing Finnick¡¯s request, she nodded shyly as she felt her ears burning up and her face getting hotter. Feeling the coy consent of thedy currently in his arms, the me of passion within Finnick burned brighter, and he instantly let go of hisst thread of restraint which was holding him back. Abruptly, he bowed his head and instantly locked his lips with Vivian¡¯s. The soft and sweet scent filled his senses. His tongue, tasting the intoxicating sweetness of the kiss, was instantly addicted as he craved for her more and more. Such a sensation¡­ Have I been drugged by this woman? Just a mere kiss is enough to make me lose all my self-control and awakened the carnal instinct within me. Finnick pinned Vivian to the door. He slid his hand down her smooth curvy back, before finally arriving at the edge of her skirt. The gown that she was dressed in was very cumbersome to undress. Finnick found himself groping in search of the zipper. But as his lust burned hotter, he lost his patience and decided to rip the dress off her. Rip! The gown was quickly torn apart and slid off Vivian¡¯s milky white shoulders. Under the dim light, with Vivian¡¯s full figure in front of him in in sight, Finnick felt his throat tightened in excitement. With his status and wealth, there was never a shortage of women willing to offer themselves to him. In fact, there had been countlessdies who had tried to seduce him, to arouse him, and to get him into their beds. Yet he managed to resist them all and remained calm andposed through it all. However, that also led elder Mr. Norton and Mark to question whether the kidnapping case ten years ago had affected him physically and mentally. Nheless, with him facing Vivian currently, he felt that his body was no longer his own. His primitive, carnal instinct was taking over, making the me of lust burned wildly within him, tempting him to just pounce and possess her outright. Since Vivian had already given her consent, Finnick threw caution to the wind and unleash his inner desire to the fullest this time. Immediately, his hot lips left Vivian¡¯s and started traveling down, first stopping on her neck before moving closer to his intended destination. But at that moment¡­ ¡°No!¡± Vivian gave a sudden squeal and shoved Finnick away. He did not expect her to resist him in such a way. Caught off-guard, he staggered a few steps backward. Looking at her in surprise, he saw her red face and watery eyes, exhibiting a look of unease. That instant, he felt as if a bucket of icy water was dumped over him, extinguishing the ming fire of This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. carnal passion burning inside him. A look of guilt was stered all over Vivian¡¯s face as she realized that she might have gone overboard. Cautiously approaching Finnick, she stammered apologetically, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I-It¡¯s just¡­ I-I just suddenly remembered something from two years ago¡­¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 85 The incident that happened two years ago still haunted Vivian to this day. It was her worst nightmare. Not because she had lost her most precious possession overnight. But rather, in that one night, her reputation was ruined. For a long time after that, she could not even bear to be in close proximity to a man, much less fear. Now that she had recovered, she had thought that she could ept being with Finnick. Unexpectedly, her body still instinctively rejected any form of intimacy with a man. Seeing how disappointed Finnick had be, she was filled with a pang of unspoken guilt. What if Finnick thinks that I¡¯m ying hard to get on purpose? Or that I¡¯m being pretentious? After all, they were married. Besides, she had also given her consent. So, for her to reject him at the eleventh hour in such an abrupt way when the going was getting good¡­ No man would be able to bear such a humiliating rejection. With that thought in mind, she gritted her teeth and cautiously approached Finnick. Putting her arms around his neck, she made the move to kiss him, wanting to reignite the lust within him. Just as sudden as she was, Finnick picked her up gently andid her on the bed. Thinking that he was going to continue where he had left off, Vivian tensed her body in preparation. This time, she wanted to make sure her body would obey and not instinctively push him away again. She waited in anticipation of what wasing. However, Finnick did not make any sensual move. On the contrary, he took the nket next to him and covered her body. Stunned, Vivian braced herself to ask, ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± As Finnick sat down on the side of the bed, he looked at her with a pair of calm, soothing eyes and replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I continue?¡± Cutting her off by finishing her question, he brushed her cheeks tenderly with his fingers before whispering softly to her, ¡°Because I hope you will enjoy it too, instead of merely putting up with me.¡± Truthfully, he was aroused by her body. As a matter of fact, he wanted her there and then. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. If he had not cared for her in the first ce, he would have persisted or even forced himself on her. After all, as a man, holding oneself back after one¡¯s carnal desire had been awakened was a difficult feat to pull off. However, he cherished Vivian too much to give in to his selfish desire. And because he cared, he did not want their first time to turn into a dreadful memory for her. If he had been selfish, how different would it be between him and the man who had hurt her two years ago? Vivian did not expect such tender admission from Finnick. At that moment, she felt her heart was deeply touched by his sincerity. The feeling of love blossomed in her. Men and women are different. For a woman, caring for a person meant giving herself to him. For a man, caring for a person meant being patient for her. Her eyes flickered as she curled up under the soft nket, her uptight body finally rxing. ¡°Thank you, Finnick.¡± He chuckled, stood up, and walked to the chair next to the table before sitting down. ¡°Today, you¡¯ll be the one sleeping on the bed.¡± Feeling aghast, she asked with concern, ¡°Then what about you? Don¡¯t you have to sleep?¡± ¡°The bed is too small, and there¡¯s only one set of nket anyway. Forget it.¡± Vivian frowned and reasoned, ¡°Although the bed is small, it is wide enough to amodate the two of us. Come, squeeze in. You should sleep with me tonight.¡± Finnick suddenly gave her a knowing look, ¡°Vivian, are you challenging my self-control?¡± She froze immediately. She almost forgot that she had tempted Finnick to his limit today. Maybe even past that. Yet she had not given herself to him. He must have been holding his carnal desire back earnestly, and for me to even ask him to sleep with me¡­ She was too disregardful of his needs. Not daring to speak anymore, Vivian obediently covered herself with the nket tightly andid still. ¡­ Meanwhile, in the study, elder Mr. Norton was busily pacing back and forth anxiously. Just as Mr. Zane walked in, elder Mr. Norton hurried over and nervously asked, ¡°How is it? How¡¯s the two of them?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve retreated into their room. As for what happened next, I don¡¯t know exactly,¡± answered Mr. Zane honestly. After all, he did not dare to eavesdrop. Nodding, elder Mr. Norton sighed, ¡°How I wish those two would be more considerate of this geezer here and just bear me a great-grandchild sooner.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about that, sir,¡± consoled Mr. Zane with a look of concern on his face. ¡°I nearly forgot,¡± eximed elder Mr. Norton as a thought suddenly hit him. His face turned cold right at that moment as he requested, ¡°Have you managed to find out more about that photo today?¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 86 It was supposed to be a grand party that day, yet it was ruined by someone putting up such a photo. Whether the purpose was to humiliate the Norton family or Vivian, the act itself was preposterous. Mr. Zane nodded, ¡°Yes. The culprit is the fianc¨¦e of your grandson, Ms. Miller.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hearing the name of the culprit did not surprise elder Mr. Norton. Rather, he scoffed upon hearing that name, ¡°As I¡¯ve expected. I¡¯ve suspected it since the beginning. That girl ain¡¯t no saint. She¡¯s a troublemaker.¡± Mr. Zane chipped in nkly, ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the rtionship between Ms. William and your grandson back in their university days.¡± Nodding in admission, elder Mr. Norton sighed, ¡°Both nephew and uncle ended up falling for the same woman. Us Norton family are to be med too for instigating such a thing.¡± ¡°But Ms. William is the onlydy that has attracted the attention of your second son. No matter what, I¡¯m sure you will continue to support their rtionship.¡± Mr. Zane had been the confidant of elder Mr. Norton for many years and could obviously understand thetter¡¯s thoughts well. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Rubbing his tired eyes, elder Mr. Norton continued, ¡°As for that nuisance surnamed Miller, go and inform Fabian about her nefarious deed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to personally dal with her?¡± ¡°Meh, a mere wildling? She¡¯s not worthy for me to personally make a move.¡± Sneering, elder Mr. Norton pointed out, ¡°If Fabian can¡¯t even manage his own woman, then he is not worthy to be a part of the Norton family.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Acknowledging his orders, Mr. Zane left the study. As elder Mr. Norton walked to his bedside, he looked out the window at the moon. His mind suddenly remembered the scene on the dance floor, where Finnick was actually smiling happily while dancing with Vivian. His wrinkled, frowning face softened. How many years has it been¡­ Since Ist saw Finnick smiling like that? I guess God answered my prayers to let Finnick meet a woman who can finally make himugh again. Right now, his only wish was for both of them to produce an offspring soon. As elder Mr. Norton was worrying about them both, the amorous, fiery passion in the room upstairs had cooled off. Finnick was sitting on his chair. Propping his head against his hand, his eyes were closed as he rested. Even though it waste into the night, Vivian kept tossing and turning on the bed, unable to sleep. After a long silence, she meekly voiced out, ¡°Finnick, I can¡¯t seem to sleep. Shall we have a chat?¡± Finnick did not open his eyes, but replied nonchntly, ¡°What shall we talk about?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Vivian paused for a thought, then continued, ¡°How does your grandpa¡­ Know that both of us have not consummated our marriage?¡± ¡°Molly and Liam told him that,¡± exined Finnick matter-of-factly. ¡°After all, both of them are grandpa¡¯s people. Even though they said that they were sent by grandpa to take care of me, they¡¯re actually grandpa¡¯s informants.¡± Only then did Vivian understood why Finnick would always send Molly and them all away. It turned out that he knew of their purpose from the beginning. Even though elder Mr. Norton simply wanted to keep an eye on him out of genuine concern, no one would like to be put under such constant surveince, more so for Finnick who was trying to fool everyone that he was wheelchair-bound. ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± Vivian hesitated for a moment before venturing, ¡°Why don¡¯t you be honest with your grandpa and tell him that you¡¯re not disabled? I can feel that he cares for you very much.¡± Finnick opened his eyes and affirmed, ¡°I know he cares for me a lot. After all, he is well advanced in age and is looking forward to enjoying quiet family life. However, because of that, there are some problems with his judgments.¡± Cocking her head in confusion, she asked curiously, ¡°What judgments?¡± ¡°Judgments towards each member of the family.¡± Finnick exined, ¡°For example, he has always wanted Mark and I to get along well. Hence, if he finds out the truth about my legs, he may unwittingly disclose it to Mark.¡± Vivian was taken aback for a moment before she finally understood. The reason why Finnick faked his disability is to fool Mark. The rtionships in a reputable and prominent family like the Nortons were just tooplicated. Feeling a headacheing up, she groggily closed her eyes and tried to sleep. While in that sleepy daze, she could vaguely see Finnick sitting at his desk, gazing at something in his hand. Under the dim light, she saw the thing in his hand was shining and shimmering, just like a crystal pendant. Is that the pendant fromst time? Amidst her state of semi-consciousness, she felt a little disturbed in her heart for no reason. That pendant. Who does it belong to? Who is it that made him care so much for? Whilst thinking in such a disoriented daze, she drifted off to sleep eventually. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 87 Compared with the peaceful silence in Vivian¡¯s room, the atmosphere on the other side of the Norton family¡¯s old mansion was much palpably tense. Fabian walked into the room with a grim look. Ashley, who had already changed into her nightgown, went up to him in a hurry and hugged his arm. ¡°Fabian, where have you been? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time after taking my shower.¡± She was d specially in her silkcy gown. Under the dim light, she appeared to be even more sensually seductive as she brushed her chest against his arm constantly. Even with a beauty in his arms, Fabian stood there stoically unmoving as he stared at her gloomily, ¡°Ashley, do you have anything you want to exin to me?¡± Blinking with feigned innocence, she was perturbed by his straightforwardness. ¡°Exin what? What¡¯s up with you, Fabian?¡± ¡°Those photos today.¡± Seeing her pretending not to know what he was referring to, Fabian began to lose his patience. ¡°Who allowed you to release thosepromising photos of Vivian?¡± Ashley turned pale immediately. Does he know that I¡¯m the culprit? ¡°Fabian¡­ You¡­ Perhaps you have misunderstood something?¡± She started to panic as she bbered, ¡°I don¡¯t know how those indecent photos of my sister suddenlye about, but you must believe¡­¡± ¡°Ashley Miler! How dare you! Still pretending at a time like this?¡± Cutting her off, Fabian could feel nothing but annoyance at the person currently in front of him. As his anger burned, he shoved her away and revealed, ¡°Great Grandpa has already found out the truth! What do you think Great Grandpa would think about me after causing such a fiasco?¡± What? Even elder Mr. Norton knows? Ashley¡¯s expression turned deathly pale. She did not anticipate that in her fervor to frame Vivian, she had instead shot herself in the foot. Gazing at Fabian in front of her, she knew then that he was her only bargaining chip. Her eyes quickly reddened as she pitifully tugged at his sleeves. ¡°Fabian, I¡¯m sorry. I truly am. I¡¯ve been blinded by my own emotions, which led me tomit such an act. You won¡¯t leave me because of this, will you?¡± As she pleaded, she let loose a few tears. Undeniably, Ashley was indeed beautiful. The sight of her sobbing in sorrow, albeit feigned, was enough to invoke sympathy. In the end, she was still his girlfriend. Fabian felt his heart softened at the sight and toned down his anger. ¡°Ashley, tell me. Why did you feel the need to do what you just did?¡± Continuing with her act, she bit her lips and whispered, ¡°Because I¡¯m so afraid¡­¡± ¡°Afraid of what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you still have feelings for my sister. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll rekindle your rtionship with her, and then¡­ You¡¯ll abandon me¡­¡± Fabian did not expect such a reply from her. Stunned for a while, he was at a loss. However, upon looking at her tear-stained smiling face, his heart ached. He reached out his arms and caught her in a tight embrace. ¡°What a fool,¡± whispered Fabian to her ears. ¡°After Vivian¡¯s repugnant scandal two years ago, do you think I¡¯ll still have anything to do with her?¡± Upon hearing that, Ashley still felt conflicted, perhaps it was due to the many unsatisfactory things that had happened that day, even hearing Fabian¡¯s promise did not make her feel relieved, instead, it only aggravated what was within her heart. ¡°Fabian.¡± Nestling in his arms, she could not help but asked, ¡°If you had known that two years earlier¡­ My sister¡­ She did not actually do those things. Would you have reconciled with her? Deep inside her heart, this issue had always been the thorn in her flesh. She had expected that as long as Fabian and Vivian were separated, the two of them would have nothing to do with one another and would move on as strangers. Life, after all, was not some TV drama This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. where the protagonists would still long for one another. However, that thought no longer gave her the confidence it used to. She had not expected that Fabian would end up as Vivian¡¯s workce superior. In some sort of twisted fate, Vivian ended up bing Finnick¡¯s wife, making her Fabian¡¯s aunt. Since discovering that Vivian was working under Fabian, she had been worried that Vivian would take the initiative to rify what had actually transpired back then. Yet for some unknown reason, Vivian never made the move to exin. As puzzled as she was, Ashley was relieved as well. However, this matter still nagged her so much that she was still worried. Witnessing Fabian¡¯s attitude towards Vivian recently, Ashley could not shake the feeling that she had underestimated the rtionship between those two. She was struck with panic, wondering if Fabian would seek to reunite with Vivian once more if he had learned of the truth about that particr incident years ago. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 88 Meanwhile, Fabian was momentarily stunned. He had not expected Ashley to utter those words, much less cared to question his feelings towards her. However, he quickly recovered and a cold look shed across his face. ¡°I¡¯ve seen all the photos. What else can I misunderstand? What other exnations are there?¡± Seeing his tense expression, she dared not say anything more. Fabian observed the pitiful-looking woman in his arms, then suddenly remembered something. He frowned and questioned, ¡°By the way, why and how did you end up with those photos?¡± After all, those photos were sent to him by an anonymous contact through email. He had not shown them to anyone except for Finnick and Vivian. How did Ashley end up with those photos in the first ce? The question caught Ashley by surprise. She had been immersed in her worries, and initially thought that she had seeded in changing the subject. Hearing his inquiry, her face paled once more. Oh no! I almost forgot. I have yet to exin the origin of those sted photos! Noticing Ashley¡¯s face had turned white suddenly, something in Fabian clicked. Realizing slowly the suspected truth, he gently pulled her away from his arms. With his stern expression and his raised eyebrows, Fabian interrogated with a frown, ¡°Ashley, are you the one who sent me those photos?¡± Ashley could not help but clench her fingers tightly. She knew that she was now in hot waters. In fact, just a few days ago, when she first learned that Vivian was married to Finnick, her mind was so full of unjustified anger that she made up the n on the spot to sabotage her without any careful nning nor afterthought.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Moreover, she was originally so confident in her n. She even bribed a servant of the Norton family to help out in her plot. After the grand party, she arranged for the servant to resign and leave, hence tying up any loose ends and made sure that her whole plot was air-tight from being exposed. Despite doing all that, she had undoubtedly underestimated the influence of the illustrious Norton family. With their power and efficiency, the investigation had proceeded much faster than she anticipated. That very night, she had been exposed. As such, she had note up with an excuse in time to exin the origin of those photos. The moment she heard Fabian¡¯s question, it made her bbergasted. Her mind plunged into a state of disarray and she wished she were anywhere but here right now. Indeed, whether it was the incident from two years ago or the recent case, the photos in Fabian¡¯s possession were sent by her personally. Because the scheme two years ago was all nned by her. Even the pinhole camera which snapped those photos was ced by her in the hotel as well. Of course, Fabian must never know about all these. While trying to calm herself down in the fastest possible time, an idea suddenly hit her. Her spirit was lit up with inspiration, along with her confidence. Deliberately pretending to be frightened, she quivered, ¡°Fabian, if I reveal to you how I have gotten hold of these photos, will you me me?¡± Eyeing her suspiciously with narrowing eyes, he frowned, ¡°Just tell me first, where do you get the photos?¡± Ashley purposely avoided his piercing stare and with a stuttering voice, she whispered, ¡°A-Actually¡­ I found them in your phone while browsing through it secretly.¡± With a sullen face, he stared at her warily, trying to spot any tell-tale signs of lying. After all, he had not expected such an exnation from her and could not help but be stunned by it. ¡°You looked through my phone?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Gaining momentum, she plucked up her courage and continued, ¡°Do you remember that we were in a restaurant that day? I remembered that you were acting very abnormally. I suspected you might have another lover out there. I was scared, you know. Hence, when the chance arose, I flipped through your phone and saw your email app. Inside your inbox, there was an anonymous email. I clicked on it and saw its content¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to see such a thing. Perhaps I was too ovee with shock that I instinctively forwarded the email to my own cell phone.¡± Meanwhile, Fabian¡¯s face was furrowed, trying hard to recall the event. He remembered in the few days after he had received the anonymous email, he had indeed had a meal with Ashley. He had been preupied and worried the whole time because of Vivian¡¯s scandalous photos. Could things be so straightforward after all? Looking down at Ashley beside him, he saw that her eyes were red. She looked pitiful like a helpless little rabbit. The sight of her in such a state triggered a sudden feeling of sympathy in him. Deciding to trust her, he gave in, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Further patting her on her shoulder reassuringly, he joked, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that kind of look anymore as if I¡¯m the one bullying you.¡± Ashley bit her lips in anticipation and nced at him cautiously, ¡°Fabian, you don¡¯t me me anymore?¡± me you? Of course I me you. Especially when I remember the look in Vivian¡¯s eyes the moment thepromising photos are released. In fact, he was so outraged back then that he wanted to break off the engagement with Ashley there and then. And yet, seeing Ashley¡¯s eyes which bore much resemnce to Vivian¡¯s, he could not bring himself to do it. Indeed, since his return, he had been too concerned with Vivian¡¯s affairs and had outright neglected Ashley. It was no wonder that thetter had felt no sense of security regarding their rtionship. In the end, he could sense that Ashley had done this due to her love for him. Fabian¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly. If only¡­ Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 89 If only Vivian would have loved me as madly as Ashley does, to the point where she¡¯s willing to do anything and everything for me¡­ How great would that be¡­ Sighing to himself, Fabian quickly shook his head to snap off from his daydreaming. ¡°I¡¯ll let it pass this time. In the future, don¡¯t do anything reckless without discussing with me first, okay?¡± Hearing that he had let her off the hook, an expression of relief and joy shed over Ashley¡¯s face. Hugging him, she promised, ¡°Of course! I won¡¯t do it again! I promise! Fabian dear, you¡¯re really good to me.¡± As she gazed at the man in front of her, a flicker red in her eyes as she straightened up suddenly. Looking at him alluringly, coupled with a seductive voice, she spoke bewitchingly, ¡°Fabian, ever since you¡¯ve returned, it¡¯s been a long while since west had that¡­¡± Fabian was rendered speechless. With the bedroom only lit by the bedsidemps, the surrounding was dim and the atmosphere was beginning to be filled with a certain anticipation. In the dimness, Ashley¡¯s face involuntarily ovepped with a familiar face in his memory. Just then, Ashley took the initiative to close the gap between them. Her red lips pressed closer as her body slowly rubbed enchantingly against him. He could feel her soft curves against his skin as she moaned, ¡°Fabian¡­ I really want you¡­¡± The moment Ashley approached, the strong scent of her body whiffed past his nose. Such bodily fragrance, however, woke him up from a trance, as if a pail of cold water were sshed onto him. ¡°No.¡± Sternly, he mouthed that single word and pushed Ashley away. Staggering back after being pushed, she looked at him in disbelief. Her feelings were clearly hurt as she called out, ¡°Fabian¡­¡± Surprised at what he had just done while simultaneously at a loss of how to face her, he could only manage to utter, ¡°I¡¯m too tired today. What about another day?¡± Ashley became upset. Not able to find any words to say, she resorted to biting her lips in frustration and nodded in resignation. Fabian quickly got himself ready for a shower. Yet before he entered the bathroom, he could not help but turn towards the stupefied woman. Seeing Ashley in her disconcerted daze, he could not resist adding more salt to the wound, ¡°Ashley dear, the perfume you wear is too pungent. Don¡¯t use it anymore. I don¡¯t like it.¡± The moment he finished uttering those words, he entered the bathroom without waiting for her response or a look back. Ashley was left rooted to her spot, her pale face palpable in the dim light as if her body were devoid of any soul. She was rejected by Fabian. Again. Ever since his return, she had taken the initiative countless times, trying to push herself onto him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, every attempt had fallen t as each time Fabian would shot her down. Not only that, but he had also not spent much time with her. Instead, most of the time, he was at his magazinepany. That magazinepany with Vivian in it. And now, he still dared to remark that my perfume was too pungent? Such obvious spite. Such a condescending attitude! When they had first gotten together, he clearly stated that he liked this perfume scent the most. Due to that, she had always painstakingly put it on ¨C be it daytime or nighttime after a bath. Yet now he admitted that it would be best for me not to wear any perfume? In this day and age, how many girls would not wear perfumes? Except for that poor, unstylish Vivian perhaps! Vivian William¡­ As the name popped into her mind, Ashley suddenly turned pale and shuddered. Am I thinking too much again? That Fabian¡­ Perhaps he was still unable to forget and let go of Vivian! Her anger suddenly boiled once again and almost exploded. She thrashed the pillows and nket on the bed, making a mess. Vivian! You shameless b*tch! You¡¯re just a mere peon from a poor, menial family. What gives you the right to wrest my man away from me! You¡¯re the one who forced me little by little, step by step into this predicament! So don¡¯t me me for being merciless from now on! Taking out her phone in anger after making sure Fabian was still in the bathroom, she dialed a number only she knew. ¡°Hey.¡± As soon as the phone was connected, she spoke with a low, cold tone. ¡°Find me that old man from back then. Tell him that I need a favor from him. If he¡¯s willing to help, I¡¯ll find him several beautiful, blooming girls to entertain him. Complimentary of course, courtesy of yours truly.¡± Early next morning. When Vivian woke up, Finnick had already freshened up and was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror, buttoning his shirt. Most of the buttons were still unbuttoned, revealing his solid, stony chest with distinct muscle lines. It was a truly chiseled masterpiece sight to behold, achieved through hard hustling and diligent discipline. Vivian had not expected her eyes to be blessed at such early hours in the morning. She could not help but gawk at such a fine specimen of a husband. Noticing her nk stare reflected by the mirror, Finnick tried his best to hide his grin. With a hidden smirk and a low, manly voice, he growled gently, ¡°So¡­ Are you satisfied with this body?¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 90 Hearing his remark, Vivian was jolted out from her trance. Blinking in confusion, she remembered his question regarding his body. She blushed immediately and looked away quickly. Seeing hisdy in difort and closing her eyes, Finnick raised his brows and wondered about his next move. Leaving his shirt unbuttoned, he walked over to Vivian who was averting her gaze. He leaned down and squeezed her chin, forcing her eyes to focus on him again. ¡°Vivian,¡± he whispered in a low, manly voice. ¡°Just watch all you want. I promise I won¡¯t charge you.¡± She widened her eyes in disbelief. Is it my imagination? Or is Finnick getting more and more shameless with each passing minute? Such a thick-skinned man. She could never hope to match that level of shameless confidence in her lifetime. With her face turning redder, she was forced to gaze at his exposed firm chest in front of her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Fearing Finnick would see her nervousness, she hastily changed the subject. ¡°Um¡­ What do you think? Will your grandpa know that we did not do ¡®that¡¯st night?¡± Raising his eyebrows, Finnick leaned back a little and shrugged, ¡°Maybe. But so what?¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Being so close with him made Vivian more flustered. Words just came out of her mouth without going through her brain, ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be scolded for not¡­¡± Finnick raised his eyebrows even higher, ¡°Vivian, what are you trying to imply, hmm?¡± Realization dawned on Vivian on what her words sounded like and she felt likemitting suicide. I¡¯m such a fool for mentioning that! I¡¯ve just trapped myself! ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t mean that¡­¡± She stuttered as she tried to exin away, fearing that Finnick would misunderstand. Chuckling lightly, he ventured, ¡°Then pray tell what you mean? Perhaps you can enlighten me?¡± As he enunciated every word naughtily, his breath blew onto the tip of Vivian¡¯s nose. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that men have certain needs upon waking up in the mornings?¡± Vivian¡¯s face was now red as a tomato as she stammered even more. ¡°I-I, I¡¯m really not¡­¡± Initially, Finnick meant it all as a joke, but he did not expect his littledy in front of him to take it seriously. Seeing her flustered, bbergasted face, a corner of his lips curved upward into a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding,¡± whispered Finnick into her ears. She heard him, but before she could heave a sigh of relief, the second part of his sentence made her break into a nervous sweat. ¡°However, your valid concern is duly noted. Since there¡¯s a truth to your matter, we¡¯d better do something about it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Vivian was at a loss for words. Before she could ask what Finnick was thinking of doing, he suddenly leaned down and buried his head between her beautiful neck. ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian was taken aback and tried to struggle, but Finnick had foreseen that, hence he sped both her hands together and pressed her whole body into the bed. Unable to move, she faltered, ¡°F- Finnick¡­ What are you¡­ What are you doing?¡± A moist and itchy sensation crept between her neck. She could feel his lips working their way around, nibbling and sucking, while his warm breath was brushing her neck. Vivian was frightened and wanted to yell out, but as the tingling, sensual sensation spread all over her body, she could not help but shudder slightly in a weird state of confused pleasure. After a long while, Finnick straightened up slowly, a corner of his mouth raised up in a satisfied smirk. He could not take his eyes away from the red mark on Vivian¡¯s beautiful neck. Feeling none of the embarrassment the blushingdy in front of him was experiencing, he whispered, ¡°This will suffice, I guess.¡± As part of her reaction, she quickly pushed Finnick away, jumped out from the bed, and rushed to the mirror next to her. Scrutinizing herself in the mirror, she was stunned by what she saw. She could see that her face was flushed, and her eyes were sparkling. There was something unfamiliar yet charming in her gaze. Is this¡­ Is this really me? However all these were not the most important. The one thing that caught her eyes was the obvious hickey on her neck. ¡°Finnick Norton!¡± She could not help but feel annoyed. ¡°You¡­ How do you expect me to go out and meet other people looking like this!¡± Calmly pacing up to her, Finnick wrapped his strong arms around her lovingly from behind and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m merely leaving my mark on you.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 91 Still ring at Finnick, Vivian had no choice but to change into her clothes. When she arrivedst night, Molly had prepared some clothes for her to wear upon leaving. Upon marrying Finnick, he had actuallymanded his servants to prepare her lots of clothes, but as those outfits were too expensive, she dared not wear them too much for fear of appearing too high- profiled. The clothes that Molly had prepared to go out were one of them. A seemingly ordinary spaghetti strap dress, it was actually made out of finely tailored exquisite materials, adorning its wearer with impable elegance when worn. The only w with the dress was that since it was a strap-type, the hickey on her neck was in in sight. Since Vivian had not brought any makeup concealer, she made do with just some dabbing of her foundation to cover it. After doing all that she could, she forced herself to go downstairs with Finnick. In the dining room, elder Mr. Norton was nked on both sides by Mark and Fabian, as well as Ashley. All those present were in the midst of chowing down on their breakfast. Seeing Finnick arrivedte, Mark stared sternly and said, ¡°Finnick, you¡¯rete. How could you let your grandpa wait for you?¡± Finnick retorted sarcastically, ¡°Isn¡¯t grandpa eating now?¡± As his wheelchair slowly slid to the table side, he continued coyly, ¡°I was a little busyst night, hence I went to bedte.¡± Hearing the phrase ¡°a bit busyst night¡±, everyone on the table seemed to get the same idea. Almost simultaneously, they turned towards Vivian who was beside him. From his angle on the side of his table, elder Mr. Norton saw the distinctive mark on Vivian¡¯s neck. His eyes lit up immediately as he tedlymanded Mr. Zane who was next to him, ¡°Mr. Zane, help me get the bird¡¯s nest that I brought back from overseas a while ago. brew it well and give Ms. William a bowl of it.¡± Feeling ttered, Vivian quickly replied, ¡°Thank you, grandpa.¡± Seeing how elder Mr. Norton cared so much for Vivian, Mark showed a slight dissatisfaction. Perhaps the most obvious one would be Ashley. Jealousy was evident in her eyes as the me of envy was burning brightly within her. Fabian could not help but stare at Vivian as well. He too saw the obvious red mark on her neck. That instant, his hands under the table were involuntarily squeezed tightly and his body tensed up. Although he had long suspected that something must have happened between Finnick and Vivian, seeing both of them with his own eyes now made him felt unsettled. It was as if there was a monster within him that was roaring with rage. Not only that, when he looked at Vivian¡¯s blushing face and her content look, he could not stop himself from imagining what she could be doing with Finnickst night. With that, the mealtime was spent surrounded by an awkward atmosphere. Fabian was in a bad mood throughout. He and Ashley left the table right after eating. Vivian obediently drank the specially-prepared bird¡¯s nest soup before taking her leave alongside Finnick. Elder Mr. Norton was in a jovial mood and announced that he would like to take a walk after the meal. As such, he apanied them both to the main door. Finnick¡¯s wheelchair slid into the car. Turning to follow, Vivian suddenly felt a hand grabbing her shoulder. ¡°Ms. William.¡± Elder Mr. Norton had a mysterious look on his face as he hinted, ¡°You did well yesterday. However, as an experienced person, allow me to point out that merely doing it once doesn¡¯t amount to much. The chances are just too small. When you both get back, remember to work hard.¡± Initially, Vivian was confused as to what elder Mr. Norton was referring to. As realization struck, her This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. face turned beetroot red immediately. Seriously! Both the grandfather and the grandson are so thick-skinned! Both are of the same Norton mold indeed! Mumbling something incoherent, Vivian hurriedly got into the car. The grand party hosted by the Norton family was finally over without a further hitch. In the following days, with the printing deadline for the new issue of the magazine fast approaching, Vivian found herself incredibly busy working closely together with the entire office staff of her magazine Even Fabian did not have the time to mind Vivian anymore, as he was too caught up with his work. Since the failure of the previous cooperation with Q City, the magazinepany had found itself short on capital to keep up. This was regarded as the biggest crisis since its establishment. Fortunately, the featured and much-anticipated second interview with Finnick helped boost its sales. In fact, that particr issue was selling like hotcakes, even setting a new sales record, thus bringing a much- needed relief to the staff. That being said, the magazinepany can¡¯t very well keep relying on Finnick to boost their magazine¡¯s sales. As such, the shortsting relief was soon reced with a headache about the content for the next publication. Just when everybody was racking their tired brain, a ze of hope came in the form of Shannon. Her motivation led her to personally interview and investigate an illegal food processing factory, leading to tons of secret photos and insider stories unknown to the public. It just so happened that recently, the domestic issue of food safety had attracted much public attention. Everyone in the office agreed that this was a worthwhile scoop that would sensationally shake the journalism world. Therefore, everyone was united and rushed to work overnight to leave no stones unturned about the illegal food factory. They were hell-bent on producing the best expos¨¦ ever written. Even Vivian, who was not in charge of the report, was also working overtime. As the clock struck twelve midnight, Vivian was still in the office typesetting. Shannon suddenly appeared out of nowhere and with an air of arrogance, chucked a file of documents on Vivian¡¯s desk and said, ¡°This is a list of workers in the illegal factory that I¡¯ve recorded. Many of them did not even possess legal qualifications nor proper documentations. I want you to organize the details in the file.¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 92 Vivian was already busy with typesetting. Seeing Shannon¡¯s file, she frowned and remarked, ¡°Shannon, I¡¯m really busy right now. I¡¯ve been trying to catch up with my work. Can¡¯t you do it on your own?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Shannon widened her eyes in disbelief as if she had just heard a tantly bad joke. ¡°Do you know how busy I am? For your information, I did this investigative interview all by myself! I still have to sort out all the interview transcripts. Yet you expect me to do these chores by myself?¡± Vivian frowned deeper, ¡°But I¡¯m really busy here as well. Why don¡¯t you¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, Shannon interrupted impatiently, ¡°Vivian, I know you¡¯re just a back- line staff. You¡¯re not as busy as us front-liners. Cut down some of your arrogance, will you? Or do you n to ask the Chief Editor to help you with your job so you can sit back, do nothing, and get paid?¡± Shannon¡¯s voice was sharp, for she had deliberately raised her tone as she spoke. That sudden outburst caught the attention of most people in the magazinepany. Feeling tired of the drama, Vivian¡¯s face turned cold and unflinching. She took a deep breath, nonchntly grabbed the documents Shannon had put on her desk, and said indifferently, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you organize it.¡± A smug expression of victory appeared on Shannon¡¯s face. Just as she was about toe up with a witty retort, Vivian spoke again coolly. ¡°However, please do not think of yourself as the benefactor of this magazinepany after just one sessful interview. Get off from your high horse and realize that this is the first time, after being in this Although Vivian¡¯s words sounded mean and hurtful, they were also the truth. She had joined the magazinepany with Shannon at the same time. She was promoted to personally take charge of a separate magazine section starting justst year, whereas Shannon had been stuck with the same chores such as proofreading. ¡°You¡­¡± Shannon had not anticipated Vivian to turn against her suddenly. Her face turned pale as she also overheard many chuckles from colleagues around her. Reeling with anger, she swiftly gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. She then turned to leave, helpless to retaliate. After Shannon stormed off, Sarah slid her chair over and gave Vivian a thumbs-up. ¡°Vivian, well done! What a splendid disy to knock that pompousdy down a few pegs! I¡¯ve been annoyed with Shannon these few days. It was just an interview, and yet she was already putting on airs and acting in such a high-and-mighty way.¡± Vivian smiled silently, refusing toment further. She started to sort out the documents left by Shannon on her desk. Scrutinizing the documents in her hand, she could not help but frown deeply. The factory mentioned was really evil-hearted. The employees hired were all from the countryside. They were merely simple people who did not know much, tricked into bing obedient work ves to the factory. Looking at the documents, she hesitated and could not help but mumbled, ¡°If the factory was exposed, what would happen to those poor workers?¡± ¡°All of them would be unemployed,¡± chipped in Sarah as she shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m responsible for investigating the capital flow of this factory. Recently, they¡¯ve received a lot ofrge orders. However, they were unable to keep up financially. Seems like the worker wages had been in arrears for a long time. If we go ahead and expose this factory, all its assets would be frozen. Needless to say, the workers would definitely be affected.¡± Vivian could not bear to hear such cruel reality. Nheless, she knew that action must be taken. After all, to continue allowing the food produced by such an irresponsible factory to circte in the market would burden the consumers as well. It may be a tough topic to side with, but all she could do now was to continue organizing the information on hand. As the clock struck eleven o¡¯clock in the morning, Vivian felt a slight cramp in her stomach. She rubbed and massaged her tummy with a frown on her face. She had a weak stomach, and it would start to hurt the moment she felt even a little hungry. To prepare for overtime, she had munched on a few biscuits beforehand. But time seemed to fly by without her realizing it, and now she could not hold it anymore. Realizing that the shop downstairs must have closed at this point, she had no choice but to walk to the pantry to see what was in the refrigerator. Since there were too many people working overtime, the snacks in the fridge had long been gone. Left with no choice, Vivian decided to warm up some milk to fill her tummy. Just as she was sipping her hot piping milk, she heard footsteps approaching behind her suddenly. She turned her head in time to see someone she had no intention of ever meeting nor hoped to bump into. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 93 Fabian took his lunchbox to the pantry to heat it up. However, he did not expect to bump right into Vivian and was stumped. Vivian¡¯s face turned impassive. She turned around to leave but Fabian called out to her. ¡°Vivian!¡± Vivian did not stop in her tracks and continued to head outside. She felt Fabian clutching her wrist, and she had to halt her steps. Vivian turned around and was greeted by Fabian¡¯s exasperated look. ¡°Vivian.¡± Fabian¡¯s face sank. ¡°I was calling you. Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Her tone was cold. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to answer you.¡± Vivian¡¯s indifference pained Fabian. He unconsciously tightened his grip on her. ¡°Are you still mad about the thing that happened at the party?¡± Fabian tried to suppress his frustration. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that. I really have no idea about the photos. You have to trust me. I won¡¯t resort to such despicable acts.¡± Vivian did not want to take heed of him. However, when she heard him say ¡°you have to trust me,¡± derision fleeted across her face. ¡°Trust you? Trust you how? Trust that you will destroy my reputation? Or trust that you will stop at nothing to torment me?¡± Fabian paled at hershing out at him. Furious, he demanded, ¡°Vivian, don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am, given that we¡¯ve known each other for so long? I wouldn¡¯t resort to such deplorable acts even if I hate you!¡± Fabian¡¯s words made her snicker. Her mocking smile had a hint of helplessness. ¡°Fabian, you asked me to trust you. But have you ever trusted me?¡± Fabian was stumped. He did not expect her to say that. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for such a long time. And we¡¯ve been together for three whole years. Don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am?¡± Vivian was parroting his words back at him. Her eyes went red as she continued, ¡°In spite of it all, you chose to forget who I am with just a few photos and some baseless rumors back then. You have always chosen to trust others.¡± Fabian was shook. What is she saying? Is she using me of not trusting her back then? ¡°These are two unrted matters!¡± Fabian got inexplicably irritated. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s assume that I¡¯ve misunderstood you in the past. Then would you mind exining how you¡ªa menial reporter¡ªmarried my uncle? Isn¡¯t that the best evidence that you would stop at nothing to marry into a rich family? Besides, I¡¯ve seen how you¡¯re all meek in front of Mr. Hark the other day. I just didn¡¯t want to mention this to uncle. I¡¯m afraid that he has no idea what kind of woman you are out there!¡± Vivian came to a startling realization when she looked at Fabian. I just wasted my time and energy talking to this jerk. I am a slut in his eyes. Why should I bother discussing trust with him? Hah. I¡¯m an idiot. Fabian thought Vivian had lost her words when she kept mum. He nced at the red marks still apparent on her neck. The monster in him awakened at the sight. ¡°You say that I should have known better, but I don¡¯t think that I¡¯ve seen the true Vivian over the three years that we¡¯ve been together!¡± Fabian growled at her, ¡°The Vivian William that I knew would blush even when I¡¯m holding her hands, but what about the true Vivian William? You could still parade around with those red marks on your neck. Have you no shame, Vivian?¡± Fabian knew his words were harsh. Going back to a few years back, he wouldn¡¯t have believed that he could utter words that cut so deep. However, he felt himself going mad in the face of Vivian. He did not feel like himself anymore. Vivian was oddly calm when Fabian threw insults at her. She did not even feel the urge to refute him. Her gaze went icy cold. ¡°Fabian Norton,¡± Vivian muttered softly, her tone impassive. ¡°One day, when you realize that all these are just your assumptions, I will never forgive you even if youe begging at me.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 94 Vivian shrugged Fabian off after she was done talking. She did not cast a second nce at him and turned around to leave. She only realized that she was gasping for air after she was out of the pantry. Her phone rang at this moment. She was stumped for a moment when she saw the caller ID. The next moment, she answered the call right away, as if her life depended on it. ¡°Finnick¡­¡± She spoke first. Finnick¡¯s deep voice could be heard on the other end. ¡°Vivian, where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the office.¡± Vivian tried her best to reply calmly. ¡°I¡¯m doing overtime, and I¡¯ve sent you a text telling you to have dinner without me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Finnick¡¯s voice was cid as usual. Having said that, Vivian held on to it like it was a tranquilizer. ¡°Come down.¡± ¡°Down? Where?¡± Vivian was puzzled. ¡°Downstairs. I¡¯m at your office.¡± Vivian regained herposure and ran toward the elevator despite having heels on. Her heart was thumping in the elevator. She was counting down the numbers along with the disy in the elevator to herself. Faster, faster¡­ This was the first time that she wished she could see Finnick as soon as possible. Ding. The elevator stopped at the first floor, and Vivian hurriedly stepped outside. She ran toward the entrance, and there was the familiar ck Bentley. Vivian straightened out her slightly disoriented clothes before heading toward the entrance. At this moment, she was not afraid of being seen by the others in the office anymore. In the car, Finnick took in her every move through the window. A flicker of smile fleeted across his deep-set eyes. The door was open for Vivian to enter. She climbed into the car straight away. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She looked at the man before her. He was dressed in an emerald, green knitted top,plementing his handsome features. ¡°To bring food to you,¡± Finnick replied impassively as he passed the lunch box in his hand to her. Vivian was taken aback. She opened the lunch box, and it was full of Molly¡¯s thoughtfully prepared dishes. Vivian lifted her head and stared at Finnick nkly. ¡°You came all the way just to bring me some food?¡± Finnick averted his gaze, ufortable at Vivian¡¯s puzzled expression. He coughed slightly. ¡°No, I¡¯m heading for a meeting at the office, and so I thought I¡¯d pop over to hand you lunch on the way.¡± Vivian chuckled. As smart as Finnick is, he still makes mistakes¡­ Her office was at the west, their house was at the east. Finnick¡¯s office was right at the center. How is Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. this ¡°on the way?¡± However, Vivian knew he was too full of pride to admit it. Hence, she let it slide. Taking over the lunch box, she muttered, ¡°Thank you, Finnick.¡± Finnick had only nced at her then. His deep-set gaze glimmered in the dimly lit car. ¡°You¡¯re most wee,¡± he said in a low voice. There was a hint of tenderness which even himself did not expect when he spoke. ¡°You may eat it upstairs. I don¡¯t suppose you could be away for a long period of time during overtime hours?¡± Vivian nodded and was about to leave the car. She suddenly hoped that she could pause the time. Vivian turned around to look at Finnick. Noticing her hesitation to get off the car, Finnick frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Looking at the picturesque man before her, Vivian felt herself going weak. She whispered, without an inkling of thought, ¡°Finnick, can I hug you?¡± Finnick was stumped. It was thest thing that he would expect her to say. Silence stretched between the two. Vivian realized that she had gone over the line. She blushed crimson red as her lips curved into a thin smile. ¡°I was just joking. I¡¯ll get going then.¡± She hurriedly got off the car. Her wrist was grabbed by Finnick before she could leave. The next moment, she was pulled into a warm embrace. There was a light hint of cigar emanating from Finnick. His masculinity enveloped her, making her feel safe and sound in his embrace. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 95 ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivian said softly. Her eyes gleamed with delight as she lifted her head to see Finnick in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to work now.¡± Finnick¡¯s lips curved into a smile as he felt her rxing in his arms. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you at home.¡± Vivian nodded and got off the car. She did not rush back upstairs after getting off the car. Instead, she saw them off before going back upstairs. Vivian clutched the lunch box close to her body, its warmth spread from her clothes, and into her heart. Just like¡­ Finnick¡¯s hug. She could still detect Finnick¡¯s scent from the hug just now, and her cheeks went red. Okay, I should stop. Vivian tapped on her cheeks and went back upstairs. Her bad mood caused by Fabian earlier had disappeared into thin air because of Finnick. After working overtime for the whole day, the final draft of the magazine was finally sent on time to the printingpany. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When Vivian got home that day, she was utterly exhausted that she spent two nights in bed. The magazine had already been published when she woke up. She had to admit that their effort was well worth it. They exposed a sweatshop factory and managed to garner a lot of attention from the public. Even though the sales did not break Finnick¡¯s previous record, the publicity had managed to attract a number of advertisers. The magazinepany could finally ovee its crisis this time. Vivian was d that the magazinepany could make it through. She had formed a certain emotional attachment to thepany, especially since she had been working here for two years. There was only one downside to all of this. They would have to suffer Shannon¡¯s obnoxious attitude. In spite of it all, they were still overjoyed. Even Fabian, who was usually standoffish, announced that he would treat everyone to a meal that day. They cheered at the announcement and vowed to eat to their heart¡¯s content. Sarah approached Vivian excitedly. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re going too, right?¡± Vivian shook her head as she nced at Fabian amongst the crowd. ¡°No, I have to rush home. Have fun!¡± Disappointment was apparent in Sarah¡¯s eyes. However, she knew things were kind of awkward between Vivian and Fabian. So, she nodded in response. Vivian followed them all to the lobby. When they were discussing where to head for dinner tonight, Vivian announced, ¡°Mr. Norton, I won¡¯t be joining you guys because I have some things to settle at home. So, I¡¯ll get going first.¡± Fabian¡¯s eyes flickered at her announcement. However, he merely nodded in response. All eyes were on Fabian and Vivian¡¯s interaction. However, they kept quiet since Fabian was still here. Vivian ignored their curious nces and turned around to leave. When she was about to exit the entrance, Vivian bumped into someone. ¡°Ouch.¡± She retracted a few steps back. She lifted her head and saw that she bumped into a dirty man in his thirties. His skin was rough and dark. Vivian was taken aback. He did not seem like a staff working in her building. Not only that, her instincts as a told her that this man had his guards up and was acting nervously. He did not stop to apologize even after bumping into her and rushed to leave instead. Vivian felt a premonition looming and turned around to trace the man. She noticed that the man fished out a shiny object. Her face paled at the sight of the shiny object. It¡¯s a knife! Vivian wanted to call the security right away. However, she noticed the man was approaching Fabian amongst the crowd. She unconsciously rushed toward the man and shouted, ¡°Fabian, watch out!¡± Everything happened in an instance, and she subconsciously called his name. Fabian was stumped to hear Vivian and turned around. Then, he noticed a gruesome-looking man rushing toward him with a knife in his hands. ¡°Ah!¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 96 The others from the magazinepany had also noticed the man and shrieked as they dispersed. The man was clearly aiming for Fabian. He elerated as the crowd dispersed in fear. The man uttered, ¡°Fabian Norton! You bastard! You caused me to lose my job! Die!¡± Fabian was born with a silver spoon, and he had never experienced anything like this before. He was frozen on the ground,pletely stunned as the knife was edging closer to him. Vivian rushed over to the man without hesitation. She clutched at the man¡¯s arm in an attempt to stop him from harming Fabian. The man did not expect that he was going to be stopped by Vivian, and retracted a few steps back. He turned around to face Vivian as he grimaced. ¡°B*tch! How dare you stop me? I¡¯m going to kill you first!¡± Then, he aimed his knife at Vivian. Vivian was grabbing on the man¡¯s arm. As he turned around, she fell a few steps back. Before she could steady herself, the knife was already aiming for her. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. All colors drained from her face, and there was no time for her to escape. Fabian finally regainedposure after seeing that the man went for Vivian instead. ¡°Vivian!¡± He shouted as he rushed to her side. However, it was toote. The knife had stabbed right into Vivian¡¯s arms. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A searing pain coursed through her body. She shivered from the pain and fell to the ground. At the same time, Fabian rushed toward the man and punched him in the face. His grandfather, Mr. Norton, was an ex-army. Hence, he had high regard for his offspring in this matter. Fabian had learned the art of self-defense and karate from a young age. He was just stunned from the man¡¯s sudden attack. However, this time, he sent the man rolling on the floor with just a punch. ¡°Vivian!¡± Fabian did not give a damn about the man on the floor. He rushed toward Vivian and helped her up. His heart sank at the sight of her pale face, and her bloodstained shirt. The next moment, he growled at the befuddled crowd. ¡°What are you guys waiting for? Call the ambnce!¡± They finally snapped out of it and hurriedly called for an ambnce. Vivian was ufortable from him getting so close to her and said in a soft voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just my arms. Let me go. Everyone is watching.¡± Fabian was oblivious to her words and gripped tightly on her bleeding wound. He scowled at her, with a somehow shaky voice, ¡°Vivian William! Are you an idiot? Did you know how dangerous it was just now? Why did you rush to my side?¡± He seemed to have forgotten that people from the magazinepany were watching them and had forgotten the fact that he was detesting Vivian just a few days ago. Fabian also threw Vivian¡¯s betrayal two years ago to the back of his mind. Vivian¡¯s pale face and bleeding wound were all that he could see. He kept reying Vivian calling out to him just now in his mind. Vivian¡¯s mind went nk as she looked at Fabian. She felt as if Fabian was again the Fabian whom she used to know. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 97 Vivian felt like she had gone back in time. Before her was not the Fabian in suits, nor the Fabian who mocked her. It was the Fabian who was in a white T-shirt and jeans; the Fabian who rode around the campus and smiled like a boy at her. Fabian did not notice the slight change in her gaze. He was still scowling at her, ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re a girl. Why are you pretending like you¡¯re a hero?¡± Vivian was stumped for a moment. Then, she burst into a chuckle. Her lips curved into a bittersweet smile. She still remembered that this was the very line that Fabian used to say to her when they were studying together. He would say this to her whenever she was pulling all-nighters for her schrship; whenever she spoke up for fellow female ssmates; whenever she would register for a marathon when she was on her period¡­ He would hold her in his embrace and sulk. ¡°Vivian, have you forgotten that you¡¯re a girl?¡± Then, the sirens of the ambnce could be heard. Fabian picked her up and took no heed of the crowd¡¯s curious nces. He rushed toward the ambnce. Vivian was in a turmoil of emotions as sheid in Fabian¡¯s arms. It felt so familiar, yet so distant. She took a trail down the memoryne again. Three years ago, she had registered for run even thought she was on her period. She fainted from the pain at the finish line. Fabian also picked her up and dashed toward the clinic¡­ She was afraid of reliving those moments again. The past is a nice ce to visit, but not the right ce to stay. Vivian reached the hospital in no time. She wanted to leave right after tending to her wounds. However, Fabian made a mountain out of a molehill and used his identity to secure her a private ward. Vivian¡¯s protests fell to deaf ears. Vivianid on the hospital bed while Fabian headed out to settle the bill. When she wasing up with an escape n, her phone rang. She shivered at the sight of the caller ID. It was Finnick. She did not dare to tell him about herself getting hurt. However, it was not an option to ignore his call too. So, she could only begrudgingly answer the call. ¡°Hello¡­¡± ¡°Vivian, where are you?¡± Finnick asked. ¡°I¡­¡± Her voice went weak. ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital.¡± ¡°The hospital? What are you doing at the hospital?¡± Finnick¡¯s voice sank. ¡°I-I hurt myself earlier.¡± Vivian did not want to lie to him, and the bandage would be a dead giveaway anyway. So, she could only tell him the truth. ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡± There was a hint of anxiety in his voice. ¡°Which hospital are you at?¡± ¡°First Hospital.¡± Finnick¡¯s wheelchair appeared at Vivian¡¯s ward just ten minutes after their phone call. He must have rushed here. Vivian was even worried that he might have run all the way here instead. Finnick¡¯s face sank when he saw the bandage wrapped around Vivian¡¯s arms. He hurriedly wheeled to her side and said coolly, ¡°Vivian, you consider this minor?¡± She recoiled a little and looked at him warily. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Finnick was angry. He was angry at this woman for not taking good care of herself! However, he felt for her when he saw her petite pale face. ¡°Forget it.¡± Finnick¡¯s tone warmed up. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± Vivian tensed up. She was at a loss for words. It¡¯s not like I could say that I took the knife for Fabian, right? I think he¡¯s going to explode if I tell him the truth. When she wasing up with a viable exnation, the ward¡¯s door was pushed open and Fabian entered. It was obvious that he was still worried about Vivian, so he did not notice Finnick at the side and said, ¡°Vivian, I¡¯ve done all the hospitalization paperwork for you. The man who attacked me has been remanded by the police. You should¡­¡± Halfway through, he finally noticed Finnick at the side. Stumped, he bit his tongue. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 98 The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. ¡°Fabian?¡± Finnick arched his brows at the sight of him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Fabian was not as skilled as Finnick in concealing his feelings. When he saw Finnick, he flinched and replied, ¡°A thug tried to attack me at the magazinepany. Vivian was hurt because she tried to protect me. So I sent her here.¡± Vivian¡¯s heart sank. Is he doing it on purpose? Why did he have to detail everything out? Isn¡¯t he afraid of Finnick misunderstanding things? Vivian cast a nervous nce at Finnick as she tried to observe his reaction. However, Finnick¡¯s deep- set gaze did not give anything away. Her attempt to read him was in vain. Vivian¡­ Tried to protect me¡­ Finnick¡¯s breathing became rapid as he reyed Fabian¡¯s words in his head. Fabian seemed like he was showing off. Usually, Finnick paid no heed to such provocation. However, even Finnick had to admit that Fabian¡¯s words had hit the bull¡¯s eye. The wound on Vivian¡¯s arms seemed especially jarring at this moment. He took in a few deep breaths to suppress his anger. ¡°Is it?¡± When he spoke again, his tone was already calm andposed. ¡°Vivian is your aunt after all. It¡¯s only normal that she saved you.¡± Fabian paled at Finnick¡¯s remark. ¡°However,¡± Finnick parted his lips to speak again, ncing at Vivian who was all jittery. ¡°I hope that she would not be so rash again in the future.¡± Vivian fidgeted under his scrutinizing gaze. She did not contemte the meaning behind his words and nodded right away. Fabian¡¯s face sank further. ¡°Okay.¡± Finnick broke the silence stretching between the three of them. ¡°Fabian, thank you for sending Vivian to the hospital. I will ask Noah to settle the bills with you.¡± Fabian gritted his teeth. ¡°Uncle Finnick, there¡¯s no need to pay me back.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do. Our Vivian here does not like to feel indebted to outsiders.¡± Our Vivian¡­ Outsiders¡­ Fabian felt the monster in him bellowing at Finnick¡¯s words. However, he held himself in because of Vivian. She¡¯s still looking very weak. On the other hand, Vivian was visibly rxed after hearing Finnick. Actually, she had been in a dilemma just now when Fabian went to settle the hospital bill. Fabian was thest person that she would want to be indebted to. She would much rather for Finnick to help her settle the hospital bill. After all, she was already indebted to Finnick. ¡°Very well.¡± Fabian took in a deep breath. ¡°Then I shall not disturb Uncle Finnick and Aunt Vivian further.¡± Finnick was pleased with Fabian¡¯s sense. He nodded and saw Fabian off. Vivian breathed a sigh of relief after Fabian left. However, Finnick turned around to face her in no time with a cold, hard face. He said in a low voice, ¡°Vivian William, do you think you owe me an exnation?¡± Vivian felt goosebumps on her back. ¡°I¡­ My arm hurts¡­¡± Vivian just did not have the courage to face him so she resorted to such a terrible excuse. Sheplemented her acting with a pitiful face. Initially, Vivian thought Finnick would see right through her. However, he furrowed his brows and wheeled closer to her. He reached out to lightly touch the bandage around her arms and asked softly, ¡°Does your wound hurt? Is it infected? Do you want me to call the doctor to have a look?¡± Finnick¡¯s voice was still calm andposed. However, he was obviously concerned. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Vivian did not expect him to take her so seriously and was contrite over her acting. She chuckled nervously. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m fine¡­ It¡¯s hurting a little. I guess this is quite normal.¡± Finnick lifted his head. The two of them were in close proximity when Finnick was inspecting her wound. Vivian could even see her flustered face reflected in his deep-set gaze. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 99 Deafening silence ensued. Finnick parted his lips, and Vivian thought he was about to question her again. She was fumbling for an exnation in her head. However, he merely said, ¡°Take a good rest. I¡¯ll ask Molly to send over some chicken soup.¡± Vivian was stumped. She lifted her head to look at Finnick. Just when she was perplexed about Finnick letting her off the hook, he covered her eyes with his palms. ¡°Sleep. We¡¯ll talk when you wake up.¡± Finnick¡¯s voice was deep, and it brushed past her ears like a feather. Vivian just took some painkillers, and it made her feel quite drowsy. She nodded and dozed off into sleep. Strangely, she found that it was much easier to fall asleep with Finnick by her side. When Vivian was about to fall asleep, she felt a soft touch on her forehead. Then, she heard a low sigh. ¡°Vivian William, what am I going to do with you?¡± ¡­ Noah reached the hospital after Vivian had fallen asleep. He brought along Molly¡¯s chicken soup as well. ¡°Mr. Norton, this is¡­¡± Noah spoke as he entered the ward and was shushed by Finnick. Clueless, he turned around and noticed that Vivian was fast asleep. He shut his mouth instantly and followed Finnick out of the ward. ¡°Okay, speak,¡± Finnick spoke after they were in the corridor. ¡°Have you investigated how Vivian got hurt?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve asked the security guard. A lot of people saw it too.¡± ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°Their magazinepany just did a piece to expose a food processing factory. The factory went bankrupt and did not pay the wages of their workers. A derailed worker sought revenge from Fabian. And then¡­¡± Noah paused, unsure whether if he should continue. Finnick¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°The man was actually going after Fabian, but Mrs. Norton dashed over to protect Fabian. The derailed worker was enraged and stabbed Mrs. Norton.¡± Noah was carefully observing Finnick¡¯s every expression when he was reporting. However, Finnick seemed quite calm. Noah was stymied. He thought Mr. Norton cared a lot about Mrs. Norton. Am I mistaken about it? ¡°What else?¡± Finnick said. ¡°Um¡­ Onlookers mentioned that Fabian was especially nervous about Mrs. Norton getting hurt,¡± Noah added. ¡°He hugged Mrs. Norton all the way here to the hospital¡­¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Finnick¡¯s deep-set gaze darkened further. ¡°Okay, you may go,¡± Finnick seemed unfazed by Noah¡¯s report. Noah wiped his nervous sweat. He nodded and prepared to leave. He identally caught a nce at Finnick¡¯s wheelchair handle. Finnick was clutching on his wheelchair handle previously, and now he had rxed his grip. To Noah¡¯s surprise, the rubber grip had actually sunken in from Finnick¡¯s tight grip. When Vivian woke up, Finnick was still staying by her side. He poured some chicken soup from the thermal sk beside the hospital bed. ¡°Drink this.¡± Vivian supported herself with one hand and got up. Her right hand was hurt. So, she tried to take the chicken soup with her left hand. She was quite clumsy since she was right-handed. Finnick noticed it and furrowed his brows slightly. Then, he took over the spoon in her hands. ¡°Allow me to help.¡± He took a spoonful and lightly blew on it to cool it down before edging it close to her mouth. Vivian was taken aback. Is he feeding me? She did not expect that she would be able to enjoy this kind of treatment. However, she parted her lips and drank it meekly. She was inexplicably nervous as she stole nces at Finnick. It was hard to read Finnick since he always seemed impassive. She was not sure if he was still mad at her. When she was contemting whether to talk about how she got hurt, Finnick broke the silence. ¡°Do you have something you want to tell me?¡± Vivian smiled awkwardly. I can¡¯t hide anything from this man. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 100 ¡°I was just thinking if you were unhappy,¡± Vivian replied honestly. ¡°Unhappy about what?¡± She hesitated for a moment. ¡°Unhappy because I got hurt from saving Fabian.¡± Vivian deliberately replied in a soft voice. It was akin to a fluttering feather on his heart. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Yes, I am mad.¡± Finnick¡¯s deep-set gaze warmed up at her admission of guilt. Vivian did not expect Finnick to be so straightforward. She lifted her head and met his gaze. He titled his brows slightly at the woman¡¯s adorably puzzled expression. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask why I¡¯m mad?¡± ¡°I-I think I know why you¡¯re mad,¡± Vivian stuttered. ¡°Enlighten me.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m your wife.¡± Vivian blinked her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think any man could bear with the fact that his wife got hurt because of an ex-boyfriend¡­¡± The dim in Finnick¡¯s gaze was undetectable to unheeding eyes. He did not know whether to feel angry or helpless at her reply. Does this stupid woman still think that I¡¯m only feeling possessive over her? How obtuse could she get? ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian broke the silence when she noticed that he wasn¡¯t answering her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was inconsiderate of your feelings this time. I will be extra careful next time.¡± Finnick put down the chicken soup in his hand. The sound of the spoon touching the bowl was crisp amidst the pin-drop silence between them. Vivian was taken aback by the sudden move. ¡°Vivian, so this is why you think I¡¯m mad?¡± Finnick looked at her in the eyes. She nodded in response nkly. In return, his gaze darkened further. ¡°What if I say I¡¯m mad not only because you¡¯re my wife?¡± Vivian was stumped. Not only because I¡¯m his wife? What else could it be? Our marriage is contractual after all. Is he¡­ jealous of Fabian? The thought fleeted across her mind for only a fraction of a second before she dismissed it. A bitter smile crept her face as she shook her head to clear her head. That¡¯s impossible. Finnick is no ordinary man. If I were not his wife, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered himself with me. It¡¯s ridiculous to think that he¡¯s jealous. I¡¯m being delusional. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She looked at Fabian helplessly. Baffled, she asked, ¡°Why are you mad then?¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes shed with fury at her question. The next moment, he grabbed her chin and brought her face close to his own. He said in a low voice, almost like a threat, ¡°Vivian, are you really unaware of it? Or are you ying games with me?¡± She was a little shocked, especially because he inched himself close to her. The hint of fear in her eyes did not go unnoticed. It prompted him to be cool-headed right then and there. He let go of the woman when he noticed that she was getting frightened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for losing my cool,¡± Finnick said as he set his back straight on his wheelchair. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Vivian felt like something was off with Finnick today. However, she did not divulge further since he was still mad at her. Finnick¡¯s gaze darkened as he regarded Vivian. When is this stupid woman going to realize that my feelings toward her are not just the possessiveness of a contractual husband toward his wife? Finnick did not have much experience in this matter. Besides, women were always flocking to him. He had not actually pursued a woman before. Hence, he did not know how to express his feelings. He suppressed the boiling anger and frustration inside himself after looking at her pale face and the wound on her arm. He was back to his usual calm self. ¡°Vivian, why did you save Fabian?¡± Even though the woman did not understand his feelings, he still felt the need to make certain things clear. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 101 Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Vivian did not expect Finnick¡¯s question. She froze for a second before answering, ¡°I didn¡¯t think so much at that time. I just wanted to stop that man. I never thought he¡¯d be that crazy to do something to me as well.¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes darted away but he kept silent. ¡°But it¡¯s good that I¡¯ve saved Fabian this time.¡± As though she had thought of something, an indecipherable glimmer showed up in her eyes. ¡°At least I no longer feel like I still owe him something.¡± It was only then Finnick looked at her. ¡°Owe him something?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vivian nodded. ¡°I had financial issues when I was studying. I kept working and applying for schrships, and Fabian secretly helped me a lot.¡± Rachel raised Vivian by herself; the former never had the best of health. By the time Vivian entered university, Rachel could no longer afford her daughter¡¯s tuition fees and living expenses. That was why Vivian had always applied for schrships and worked as she studied. However, Z College was full of talented students. It was difficult for her toe across the opportunity to apply for schrships or seek work. Yet, despite having mediocre results, she always managed to clinch the best schrships. Furthermore, she always ¡°coincidentally¡± found convenient yet good-paying jobs. Back then, she thought it was God favoring her. However, ever since she found out Fabian was the son of the Norton family, she realized the truth¡ª Fabian had been the one helping her behind the scene all along. Vivian did not like to owe other people favors, especially when she was now in an awkward rtionship with Fabian. Therefore, by saving him this time, she considered herself having returned his favor. From now on, both the favors she had owed him in her younger days and the pain he had brought her would be wiped off the ledger. Vivian was lost in her thoughts. She did not notice that Finnick was looking at her with dim eyes. She owed Fabian back then? Finnick could not find the words to describe the feelings in him. Did Ie into her life toote? The Vivian he knew was an independent woman who always bore her own burdens. He never knew she used to be an ordinary student. He also never knew about her past or the financial status of her family, for which she had suffered great humiliation. However, Fabian had known her all this while and had been the one to quietly give her love and support. Finnick abruptly raised his hand to hold Vivian¡¯s. She jumped when the warmth of his hand seeped into hers. Looking up at him, she asked, ¡°Finnick, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Finnick stared at her, his expression hard to fathom. He murmured, ¡°Nothing. I was just hoping I could¡¯ve met you earlier.¡± Even if he had not met her in her college days, he would be d to have met her two years ago. That was her weakest moment, and he wanted to be the one to save her. Vivian was dumbfounded by Finnick¡¯s abrupt words. She nodded slowly. Thinking that Finnick was still angry, she added, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Finnick. If you were the one in his ce yesterday, I¡¯ll go to you, too.¡± Vivian only said those words to appease Finnick; she never thought her simple words would stun him. Right away, his anger faded away. In fact, the corner of his lips even turned upwards. He raised a brow and gazed at Vivian. ¡°Do you mean it?¡± Vivian nodded fervently. Looking at the obedient woman, even Finnick himself could not believe the frustration he had been feeling could dissipate so quickly. Damn it. Are my feelings already so easily swayed by Vivian William? He tried his best to maintain his calmness. After carefully feeding her the chicken soup, he moved, about to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the office. Rest well here.¡± When he turned to leave, Vivian suddenly grabbed the edge of his shirt. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 102 Finnick froze before turning around. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to stay in the hospital.¡± Vivian looked at him with a slight frown. ¡°I¡¯ve always hated being in the hospital. Also, look at me: it¡¯s just a minor injury so there¡¯s no need for me to stay here. Can I go home?¡± Finnick frowned. ¡°It¡¯s safer to stay in the hospital. What if your wound gets infected? What if that man¡¯s dagger has some virus or bacteria on it?¡± Vivian was speechless. He¡¯s just a working-ss man. He won¡¯t think that much. Knowing that Finnick could not be persuaded by force, she tried to feign pity. ¡°Finnick, I¡¯m really fine. Moreover, you¡¯ll be there. If my wound gets infected, you can call the doctor for me, right?¡± Indeed, Finnick¡¯s furrowed brows rxed. She swiftly added, ¡°Furthermore, the hospital is having a shortage of beds now. It¡¯s not right for me to use a room when I¡¯mpletely fine, is it?¡± A part of Finnick¡¯s heart softened seeing the way she tried to convince him. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll send you home before I go to the office.¡± Vivian cheered in her mind as she watched Finnick arrange for her discharge. Soon, she was in Finnick¡¯s ck Bentley. On their way back, Vivian thought of something. ¡°Right. Finnick, what happened to the person who hurt me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for awyer to take up the case.¡± When he thought about that person, Finnick¡¯s expression turned colder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let him off easily.¡± If not for that idiotic Fabian getting the cops involved with this, I¡¯d definitely have made that man¡¯s life a living hell. Vivian frowned. ¡°Finnick, don¡¯t cross the line. Scaring him is more than enough.¡± Finnick turned to look at Vivian. ¡°He hurt you. Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Vivian muttered, ¡°But at the end of the day, they¡¯re pitiful people. They¡¯ve left everything behind to work in the city but they still have nothing in the end. That¡¯s why they tried to take revenge on us. It¡¯s frustration that they¡¯re feeling. Of course, they¡¯re doing it the wrong way, but the truly evil ones is that senior manager. I only want to teach him a lesson so he knows what he¡¯s done wrong.¡± Finnick peeked at Vivian, but he neither agreed with nor refused her. He only said, ¡°I understand. We¡¯ve arrived. Rest first.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. It was then that Vivian realized they had arrived at the vi. She stepped out of the car. After Vivian got out, Noah, seated in the front passenger seat, turned and queried, ¡°Mr. Norton, so what do we do with the man who hurt Ms. William?¡± ¡°Tell thewyer to bail him out. Once he¡¯s out, teach him a lesson,¡± Finnick ordered. Leaving this man, who hurt my woman, to the police is too easy of a way out for him. Not surprised by Finnick¡¯s answer, Noah nodded, but what Finnick said next was out of his expectation. ¡°After teaching him a lesson, let him go. You should then look for those at the management level, find evidence of their corruption, and make them pay off thepany¡¯s debts with their private assets. Make them pay the employees, too.¡± Noah was stunned. He stared in disbelief at Finnick. Since when did Mr. Norton be so nice? I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s actually concerned about the employees¡¯ wages. Finnick ignored him. He simply watched Mollye to the door and anxiously help Vivian into the house. Finnick was not a benevolent busybody. However, this was different: it was Vivian¡¯s request. The man who hurt Vivian had to pay his price. However, Vivian pitied him, so Finnick would do as she wished and help those employees. As long it was something she wanted, he would do it for her. ¡­¡­ At the Norton residence. Fabian was calcting the sales of the current magazine issue. However, no matter how many times he did the sum, the figures were wrong. In the end, he pushed away hisptop in frustration and leaned back in the chair. Damn it. It had been days. Ever since Vivian was hurt because of him, his mind had been wandering. No matter what he did, the anxious look Vivian had when she ran toward him kept appearing in his mind. He had thought she was no longer the Vivian he knew, but she had saved him. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 103 If she were a woman who worshipped the rich and gave up everything for money, she would not have saved him when he was in danger. Have I misunderstood something about her these two years? Frustration was overwhelming Fabian. Whenever he thought about the possibility of him having misunderstood Vivian, he became agitated. Yet, he felt it was impossible that he had been mistaken. After a long while of feeling conflicted, he finally took his phone and made a call. ¡°Hello? It¡¯s me,¡± Fabian uttered when the call was picked up, ¡°Check something for me. Investigate it. I want the truth.¡± After reaching home, Vivian took a long shower and finally got rid of the disinfectant smell of the hospital. Sleep took control over her soon after shey on her bed. She did not like being in hospitals, so she had not slept well the few nights she had spent there. Now, she was finally back. She subconsciously turned toward Finnick¡¯s side of the bed. When her head sank into the soft pillow, Vivian suddenly smelled Finnick¡¯s scent. It was the smell of his shampoo, along with a tinge of cigar fragrance. Vivian felt a wave of calmness washing over her as she breathed in the blended scent. She suddenly felt greedy, not wanting to turn back to her spot. She ended up falling asleep on Finnick¡¯s pillow. In the evening, when Finnick entered the bedroom, he saw Vivian lying on his side of the bed like a kitten. He stood transfixed for a second before curling his lips upward in the next. Closing the door, he silently stood up from the wheelchair and walked toward the bed. Vivian was in deep sleep and did not notice himing closer. Finnick had wanted to tuck her into the nket, but when he lifted the nket he saw the wound on her arm. He could not help but furrow his brows. Vivian had showered earlier. Although she made sure to keep her wound away from water, some water had still made its way there. The bandage was slightly damp, and as she fell asleep so quickly, she had forgotten to change her bandage. Dissatisfaction swirled in Finnick¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s an adult. Why can¡¯t she take better care of herself? Finnick had wanted to wake Vivian up to change her bandage, but when he looked at her deep in slumber¡ªshe was even drooling on his pillow¡ªhe could not bring himself to do so. With a sigh, he picked up the medication on the table that Vivian brought back from the hospital and ced it on the bed. He then slowly unwrapped her bandage. Vivian was sound asleep when she sensed someone touching the bandage on her hand. In the beginning, she took no notice of it, but pain abruptly exploded at the site of her wound. It was then she jerked awake. ¡°Ouch!¡± The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Finnick sitting by her bed with a cotton swab in his hand. The bandage on her arm waspletely unwrapped, exposing her wound to the air. ¡°Finnick?¡± She stiffened. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Finnick did not look at her but continued to focus on his task at hand. Immediately, Vivian gritted her teeth from the pain. She could not help but curl up. ¡°B-Be gentler.¡± Finnick lifted a brow. ¡°I¡¯m not being rough. You forgot to change your bandage in time, so the wound is a little infected. I have to clear the pus before I can apply medication.¡± Vivian suddenly recalled the doctor informing her to change her bandage twice a day. However, she had fallen asleep since she came home, so she had not done that. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten about it,¡± she murmured. Finnick shot her a disgruntled look. As if he was punishing her, he pressed the swab harder than he should. ¡°How can you forget about something as important as this? Should I let you stay in the hospital? That¡¯s safer.¡± Pain traveled up her arm from her wound, and Vivian¡¯s face paled. She begged, ¡°I know I¡¯m wrong, but I¡¯m too tired this time. Tell Molly about it and let her remind me.¡± When he saw sweat beading on Vivian¡¯s forehead, Finnick immediately stopped pressing as hard. He frowned and asked, ¡°Does it hurt that much?¡± ¡°Obviously. Try getting stabbed with a knife,¡± Vivian grumbled. It was just some words ofint, but Finnick lowered his eyes and whispered, ¡°I have been stabbed before.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 104 Vivian froze. She turned to look at Finnick. ¡°Was it when you were kidnapped ten years ago? Finnick was raised in a rich family. Other than the kidnapping ten years ago, Vivian could not think of any way he could have been seriously injured. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Finnick lowered his head as he applied medication to her wound, so she could not see his expression. ¡°Three blows, all on my leg. If I weren¡¯t treated in time back then, I would really have Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. been crippled.¡± Vivian¡¯s arm shuddered. She then realized how irresponsible her words were. She lowered her gaze and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± ¡°I mentioned something upsetting.¡± Vivian suddenly felt that she hadined too much about her injury. It was minor inparison to what Finnick had gone through. She was sounding like she was made of ss. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Finnick replied. However, Vivian could not help but ask, ¡°Do you have scars? Were there any repercussions?¡± Although Vivian had nced at Finnick¡¯s body in the bathroom previously, he had a towel wrapped around his waist so she never saw his lower body. That was why she did not know about the wounds on this leg. ¡°My physical therapy was quite the sess, so there aren¡¯t any major issues. That spot only hurts when it rains,¡± Finnick answered. Right then, a thought entered his mind and he looked up at Vivian with a raised brow. ¡°Why, do you want to take a look?¡± ¡°At the scar?¡± Vivian froze. The injury was at such a sensitive spot; how am I supposed to look at it? Hurriedly, she muttered, ¡°No, no. Ah!¡± She was in the middle of rejecting him when pain once again radiated from her injured arm, making her scream aloud. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s out.¡± Inparison with Vivian¡¯s pallid face, Finnick looked calm as he threw the cotton swab onto a piece of tissue. Dumbfounded for a few seconds, she only realized what had happened after seeing the scab with pus at the tip of the cotton swab. Finnick only made the suggestion of looking at his scar to divert her attention so that he could do a thorough cleaning of her injured spot. ¡°We¡¯ll be done once the medication is applied.¡± Looking at Vivian¡¯s colorless face, Finnick softened his tone. He took a new cotton swab and dabbed on her wound. ¡°Hold on for a little longer.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­ Be gentler. Ah! Not here¡­ Gentler.¡± Vivian focused all her attention on the pain she felt while Finnick applied medication for her. She did not know that outside her room, Molly had heard a part of their conversation and was blushing bright red. Molly hade to ask Vivian and Finnick to go downstairs for food. She never thought that she would hear Vivian screaming and mumbling words like ¡°no¡± and ¡°gentler.¡± One must forgive Molly for having thought of the wrong things. Molly was excited by what she had heard. She abandoned her original thought of asking the two to eat and rushed back downstairs. ¡°Molly, where are Mr. and Mrs. Norton?¡± When Liam saw Mollying downstairs alone, he furrowed his brows. ¡°Come and eat. The food¡¯s getting cold.¡± ¡°Who cares about the food?¡± Molly walked over with a reddened face. ¡°They¡¯re busy in their room. Don¡¯t interrupt them.¡± Liam was clueless for a second before he realized what Molly was talking about. He, too, had a look of joy on his face. ¡°Do you mean they¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Hush, old man. Aren¡¯t you ashamed to say those things out loud?¡± Molly shot a re at Liam but she could not hide the smile on her face. ¡°This is great news!¡± Liam was exceptionally happy as well. He promptly stood up. ¡°I have to tell the good news to the elder Mr. Norton.¡± Upstairs, Vivian had no idea her shouts of pain had been misinterpreted by Molly and Liam. After changing her bandage, she noticed her growling stomach and went downstairs with Finnick. When Molly saw them, she was taken aback. ¡°Oh, why are you so quick? I mean, I just finished preparing dinner. Come and eat quickly, Mr. and Mrs. Norton.¡± Vivian sat down on the chair, but her arm movements were restricted. Molly moved over and was about to feed her when Finnick had already wheeled himself next to her. He picked up the bowl and asked quietly, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 105 By now, Vivian was more used to being fed by Finnick as he had done it for her once back at the hospital. She obediently replied, ¡°I want the broli and eggnts.¡± Finnick immediately took the food and fed them to Vivian. Beside them, both Molly and Liam were astounded by the scene. Mr. Norton is feeding someone? This is unbelievable. I never thought I¡¯d live to see this with my own eyes! Vivian took a long time to finish dinner. She was beyond embarrassed when she saw Finnick busily feeding her. Awkwardly, she mumbled, ¡°Finnick, I can eat with my left hand. Please just eat your dinner.¡± Finnick ignored her. He only started eating when she was done with her meal. Soon, Finnick was done as well. When he saw Molly clearing the dishes, he said, ¡°Molly, Vivian needs to change her bandage every day. Do remind her in the future.¡± Molly nodded. The tes were in her hands, but she did not head to the kitchen. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Realizing the woman seemed to have something to say to him, he raised his head and queried, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°About that¡­ Mr. Norton¡­¡± Molly hesitated, but looking at the pallor of Vivian¡¯s face she continued, ¡°Although it¡¯s good that you¡¯re loving with Mrs. Norton, she is still injured. Shouldn¡¯t you¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you be gentler?¡± Molly only had good intentions when she said those words. She had heard Vivian¡¯s scream earlier and then noticed she was quite pale when she came downstairs for a meal. Molly¡¯s heart ached for the younger woman. Both Finnick and Vivian were dumbfounded. However, they were adults and they soon realized what was going on with the reddened faces and suggestive looks on Molly and Liam. Vivian¡¯s face flushed red. Oh no. Did Molly misunderstand my shouts of pain when he was applying medication for me earlier? ¡°Molly, actually-¡± Vivian was easily embarrassed and was about to exin to Molly when Finnick interrupted, ¡°Molly, don¡¯t worry.¡± Finnick had a tranquil look on his face. ¡°I know Vivian¡¯s hurt so I was being careful with her. I was the one who did everything.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes grew wide as saucers. What do you mean you did everything? Not only is he not blushing from this, but he even made such an embarrassing lie! Both Molly and Liam had not expected the usually cold Finnick to say something as tant as this. They were stunned by his words but soon recollected themselves. With a smile, they nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. You are considerate after all.¡± The hell you are considerate! By now, Vivian was as red as a tomato. She was about to open her mouth to exin, but Finnick squeezed her hand under the table. Evidently, he did not want her to say anything. Thus, with a flushed face, she could only quietly let Finnick hold her hand as they went upstairs. Vivian finally exploded when they retreated to their room. She grabbed a pillow with her uninjured hand and threw it at Finnick. ¡°Finnick, what nonsense were you talking about just now? What do you mean by you did everything? You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re ridiculous!¡± Finnick caught the pillow easily before it hit him. He could not help but burst intoughter when he saw her huffing in anger. I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t even realize that she¡¯s getting more and more unruly in front of me. She even dares to hit me now! However, the way Vivian was acting actually lifted his mood. A barely discernible smile grew on his lips as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t like it? But we¡¯re husband and wife and it¡¯s normal for us to do such things in bed. Otherwise, how will Molly report to Grandpa?¡± Vivian tensed up. Her senses slowly came back to her as she recalled Finnick telling her that Molly and Liam were sent by his grandfather to monitor Finnick and her. It was then she realized Finnick had meant for Molly and Liam¡ªand therefore the elder Mr. Norton¡ªto misunderstand them. ¡°But¡­¡± Vivian still felt her face heating up when she thought about what Finnick had said earlier. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to¡­ say things that way¡­¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 106 A sense of adoration swelled in Finnick¡¯s heart when he looked at the blush on Vivian¡¯s face. His eyebrows rose. ¡°What things?¡± ¡°The ones like ¡®I did all the work¡¯¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s voice trailed off as her head hung lower and lower. Finnick let out a soft chuckle as he raised Vivian¡¯s chin with his thumb. ¡°I¡¯m serious about what I said. I¡¯m supposed to be the one taking lead. Unless¡­ you¡¯re interested to give it a try?¡± ¡°N-No need.¡± Like a mouse whose tail was stepped on, she jumped and ran toward the wardrobe. ¡°I-I¡¯m going to take a shower now. Bye!¡± With that said, she hurriedly grabbed her towel with her left hand and rushed into the bathroom. Inside the bathroom, Vivian stared at her bright red face in the mirror. Damn it. She covered her face with her hands. Vivian William, why are you so useless? All Finnick did was joke with you a little. Why are you so dramatic with your reactions? Idiot. Although Vivian¡¯s arm was injured, Finnick¡¯s bathroom was well-equipped with a high-tech showerhead; she could adjust the range for the water to flow down. Carefully, she showered without wetting the wound. When she walked out of the bathroom after her shower, she saw Finnick sitting still on the balcony. Vivian dried her hair with her towel. She was about to tell him it was his turn but stopped after taking a few steps closer. She saw an item in Finnick¡¯s hands, and he was staring at it in a daze. Shining brilliantly under the moonlight, Vivian immediately recognized the item. That ne again. Vivian had seen this ne multiple times. Every time, Finnick would hold it like it was something precious and stare at it in a daze. Vivian swallowed the words that were at the tip of her tongue; she looked at Finnick silently instead. The moon was bright tonight. The expression on Finnick¡¯s face was vastly different from the one he often wore, as if he were someone else. His expression was a blend of longing, regret, and helplessness. Vivian did not know why she was feeling ufortably upset, as if a porcupine had pricked her heart. Right then, seemingly sensing Vivian¡¯s presence, Finnick turned around. ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± In a blink of an eye, the expression on his face had returned to its usual indifference. His hand had closed around the ne, hiding it away from view. ¡°Mm.¡± As quickly as possible, Vivian calmed herself down. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Finnick replied, then went back into the room. Instead of heading straight to the bathroom, he went to his desk. He carefully ced the ne into the first drawer before entering the bathroom with his towel. Vivian remained in the room. When she heard the sounds of running watering from the bathroom, her eyes flitted toward the desk. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She grew curious. What is the history of that ne? Why does he always look so sad when he sees that ne? Vivian did not know what was wrong with her. She had never been a nosy person, but now she felt an invisible hand was pushing her in the direction of the desk. Just one look. It should be fine, right? After making sure Finnick was still showering inside the bathroom, Vivian held her breath and sneakily opened his drawer. She did not know what was wrong with her. That ne felt like a thorn in her heart, and she could not get it out of her mind. She had never felt like this, not even when she was with Fabian back then. Finnick¡¯s drawer was not locked and she could easily open it. Vivian saw several documents inside. On top of the documents were several photos as well as that ne. She carefully took out the ne and rested it on her palm. It was a beautiful crystal ne. Although it was not as luxurious as one made of diamonds, it gave off a sense of innocence. It was apparent from the workmanship that this was no cheap ne. Vivian turned the ne in her hands. When she saw the back of it, she stopped in her tracks. The front of the ne showed a heart, and at the back of it was a word. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 107 While the rest of the ne was carved delicately, it was obvious that this word was carved by someone unfamiliar with jewelry. It was slightly rough but readable¡ªEve. Eve¡­ The elder Mr. Norton¡¯s words suddenly echoed in her mind. it¡¯s been ten years. Ever since Evelyn died, I thought Finnick won¡¯t fall in love with anyone else anymore. Does this ne belong to that woman named Evelyn? Who is she? Is she Finnick¡¯s ex-girlfriend? What happened to her? Driven by curiosity, Vivian could not help but take the photos out of the drawer as well. When she saw the photos, her hands stiffened. In the photos were a young man and woman in theirte teens. Vivian easily recognized the young man as Finnick. It was Finnick when he was much younger; he did not look like the mature man he was now. In the photos, he looked just as handsome but more youthful and exuberant. If today¡¯s Finnick were a cup of aromatic and gentle white tea, the Finnick back then must have been a ss of whiskey, intense and proud. But just as good-looking to attract anybody with one nce. However, what Vivian was more concerned with was the girl in the photo. She was beautiful, so pretty to the point even Vivian could not tear her eyes away from her. She had always thought Ashley was beautiful, but inparison with this girl, who was like a rose, Ashley was a mere carnation. There was something the girl had that Ashley did not. Is this pretty girl¡­ Evelyn? The owner of this ne? A sense of misery surged in Vivian¡¯s heart. It was the same feeling as she had felt back in elementary school when Harvey finally grew a conscience and transferred her to a private school. The first time she saw Ashley, thetter was wearing a pretty dress while she herself was in hand-me-downs that had belonged to a neighbor¡¯s son. Vivian now felt the same anxiety. Vivian was lost in her thoughts. She did not even notice that the sound of running water from the bathroom had ceased. Not until a cold and furious voice traveled into her ears. ¡°Vivian, what are you doing?¡± By the time Vivian snapped back to her senses, a cold bucket of water had metaphorically poured onto her. She swiftly stood up to see that Finnick hade out of the bathroom. He was in pajamas and his hair was still damp. His cold, dark eyes were fixed on her. Still holding onto the ne, Vivian panicked, feeling like a thief caught in action. ¡°Finnick, I- Ah!¡± She frantically tried to exin herself while putting the ne back into the drawer. In the midst of her nervousness, she dropped the ne. The color on her face drained. It was a crystal ne! It would shatter when it fell onto the floor! She instantly crouched down to catch it, without caring that her arm was injured. Vivian could feel her wound tear, but the thought of her injury was at the very back of her mind. Yet, Finnick was faster than she. He crouched after a quick step over and caught the ne before it coulde into contact with the floor. As such, Vivian only grasped the air instead of the ne. She heaved a relieved sigh when she saw that the ne was safe. Before she could finish sighing, she heard Finnick¡¯s frigid voice above her head. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Vivian, can you exin to me what you¡¯re doing?¡± Her heart skipped a beat. When she lifted her head, she could see Finnick staring at her coldly while holding onto the ne. When she locked eyes with him, her heart ached as though a hammer had struck it. She never thought that Finnick would ever look at her in this way. Even when they were unfamiliar with each other back then and Finnick had been indifferent to her, he had never given her a look like this. His frigid look embodied disgust and hatred. Vivian¡¯s lips trembled before she finally whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I keep seeing you lost in your thoughts while looking at the ne. I couldn¡¯t help but feel curious¡­¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 108 Her voice grew soft, so soft that it could barely be heard. Even Vivian knew how terrible her excuse was. She had been snooping around. She could barely believe that she had done something so horrible. When Finnick saw how pale Vivian was, he felt a blunt ache in his heart. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Damn it. Was I too harsh with her? Did I scare her? Finnick did not want to sound mad at her, but when the ne was nearly dropped on the ground, wrath had exploded in his chest. The ne meant too many things to him. If it had shattered¡­ Finnick dared not imagine it. Knowing that he would not be able to speak with Vivian calmly now, he turned and went toward the wardrobe. He took out his shirt and muttered, ¡°I have some things to attend to in the office. I¡¯ll go out for a while. Rest early.¡± Vivian¡¯sshes fluttered. Does Finnick not want to see me? She could not say anything but bite on her lower lip and nod. Finnick was quick to change. Without drying his hair, he sat in his wheelchair and left the room. Molly was cleaning the house when she saw Finnicke downstairs. She stared at him with wide eyes. ¡°Mr. Norton, it¡¯s already sote in the night. Where are you going?¡± She hurried over. ¡°And your hair! Why is it wet? Dry it quickly!¡± Finnick paused in his tracks. Although his expression remained cold, he calmly uttered, ¡°Molly, I have things to attend to in the office. Remember to remind Vivian to change her bandage.¡± ¡°Sure, but¡­¡± Before Molly could finish her sentence, Finnick had wheeled away without sparing another nce at her. In the room. As if she had lost her soul, Vivian copsed onto the bed. Pangs of sharp pain came from her arm. She carefully unwrapped the bandage to look at it and found that her wound had indeed ruptured. Vivian knew she had to clean the wound again, so she picked up a new cotton swab. Unfortunately, her left hand was not as nimble and she stabbed her wound a few times, causing more bleeding. Tears fell from her eyes. She did not know if it was from the pain or from Finnick¡¯s reprimand earlier. Seems like the ne means a great deal to Finnick. All she did was to hold it in her hands, and Finnick lost his temper. But¡­ How cruel. I¡¯m a person, but I¡¯m no match for a ne. ¡®m just a speck of dust in Finnick¡¯s heart. The unpleasant thought reared its ugly head in her mind, so much so that it even surprised Vivian herself. The next second, she shed a bitter smile. Vivian, Vivian. Why should Finnick think that you¡¯re more important than that ne? That ne should be a gift from his ex-girlfriend, Evelyn. She¡¯s such a pretty girl. Even a strand of her hair is prettier than your entire being. Naturally, her ne matters much more than you. Besides, aren¡¯t you too carried away recently? Just because Finnick is now slightly nicer to you, you¡¯ve forgotten who you are. How dare you rummage through his things! You think too highly of yourself. Vivian should have known that other than her mother, no one else would truly care about her in this world. Her biological father, Harvey, and Fabian, who had promised to stay by her side forever, were only passersby in her life. How can I possibly hope Finnick will treat me differently? Vivian understood this better than anyone. But¡­ Why does my chest feel so tight? Vivian reached out to put her hand on her chest. It was painful and ufortable as if it were squeezed by an invisible force. Is it because¡­ A thought shed across her mind. She suddenly felt there was something in her heart she could no longer ignore. Is it because¡­ I¡¯m falling in love with Finnick? ¡­¡­ That night, Finnick did not return. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 109 Molly wanted to help Vivian clean her wound but thetter rejected her offer. Vivian did not want Molly to see her reddened eyes, so she decided to clean it herself. Vivian woke up early the next morning and felt instantly lonely when she realized there was no one around her. Damn it. She patted her cheeks to wake herself up. Vivian did not like how she looked at this point; she needed to pull herself together. After breaking up with Fabian two years ago, she swore to never fall in love with anyone again, even though she would still get married and have children. Am I going to lose myself again? No. No way. Vivian made a swift decision. She got out of the bed and dragged a few luggage bags downstairs with her left hand. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Where are you going, Mrs. Norton?¡± Molly was taken aback. ¡°My mom was recently discharged from the hospital, so I n to go home and take care of her.¡± Vivian pursed her lips and looked at Molly. ¡°I miss her.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still injured. How are you going to take care of someone else?¡± Molly panicked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring your mom over? I can take care of her as well.¡± Vivian rejected. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Molly. My mom wouldn¡¯t feelfortable staying here. I¡¯ll tell Finnick about this, so don¡¯t worry.¡± After finishing her breakfast, Vivian called a car and left the residence. Upon arriving at her own home, Vivian spent some time cleaning the space. After all, she had been away for quite some time. She took a nce at her watch and decided to go to work since it was still early. By right, she should have returned to work since her injury was just a minor one. She was, however, still given a week off, and no one from the magazinepany questioned her. It must be because of Fabian. When she arrived at the office, Sarah and Jenny went up to her to genuinely inquire about her health. Though Shannon and a few other colleagues made fun of her from afar, Vivian did not let that bother her. Just as she was about to start working, she heard some fast-paced footstepsing in her direction. She turned around and saw Fabian¡¯s tensed expression. ¡°Mr. Norton?¡± Vivian stood up from her chair right away. She looked at Fabian and knitted her brows. ¡°Yes?¡± She was not sure if her mind was ying tricks on her but felt Fabian looked strange today. It was as if a demon had possessed him. He disregarded the people around, went up to Vivian, and grabbed her by her shoulder. Fabian growled in a deep voice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were innocent? Someone framed you two years ago, am I right?¡± Vivian was thunderstruck; she became as white as a sheet. Her lips began to twitch. She red at Fabian and was at a loss for words. Fabian got even more teary-eyed as he continued to shake her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you exin yourself? Why did you allow me to humiliate you and insult you?¡± Fabian had reached his breaking point. It was clear that someone had set Vivian up when Fabian investigated her two years ago. He could not describe his feelings at this moment after learning that she had been wrongly used. He could not imagine the pain and struggle she had gone through over the years. Not only did he not offer her the help she needed, but he also even rubbed salt into her wound by humiliating her. At the same time, he was also mad at her for suffering in silence ever since they reunited. He was mad at her for not clearing things up. Fabian could not control his emotions, and this was why he wanted to seek Vivian¡¯s confirmation today. Even if she¡¯s at Finnick¡¯s ce, he would still make a trip there to hear what she had to say! But as he was about to leave his office, he realized Vivian had returned to work. Fabian did not care what the people around would think of him; he just wanted Vivian to tell him the truth. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 110 Fabian was so emotional that he had forgotten Vivian was injured. The way he shook her shoulders gave her excruciating pain, and her face turned even paler. Upon seeing her ashen face, Fabian finally calmed down a little. He immediately released her from his grip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I forgot you¡¯re injured.¡± Vivian, too, regained herposure. She took a sidelong nce at the crowd and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the office.¡± Fabian realized he had gone overboard. He nodded and walked into the office with Vivian following right behind. The minute the two of them entered Fabian¡¯s office, the crowd started discussing the unexpected turn of events. ¡°Oh my, what was that? So the rumors are real? They used to be a couple?¡± ¡°Yes, they were. I heard they broke up when he learned that Vivian sold herself, but it seems he¡¯s now realized it was all a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°So Vivian is innocent? I knew it! We all have known her for two years now, and she¡¯s a great girl! She can¡¯t be involved in that kind of filthy business!¡± Upon seeing everyone started taking Vivian¡¯s side, Shannon could not help but grit her teeth and stand up. ¡°Shannon, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯m taking a day off!¡± ¡­ In Fabian¡¯s office, Vivian sat on the couch, and her face still looked as pallid as ever. She looked at Fabian pacing back and forth in front of her and did not know what to say. In the end, Vivian let out a sigh and said, ¡°Calm down, Fabian.¡± She knew Fabian would act like this when he was emotionally unstable. He stopped walking and stared at her while his expression remained unchanged. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me the truth?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°So you now know?¡± ¡°Yes! I know everything now!¡± He stood in front of her and let out a low grunt, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you exin yourself? Despite all the things I¡¯ve done and said, you just¡­ how could you stay silent?¡± ¡°Did I not exin myself?¡± Vivian finally spoke in a louder voice. She lifted her head and looked into his Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. eyes. ¡°Even if I exined myself clearly, would you have believed me?¡± Fabian trembled. He wanted to answer ¡°yes¡±, but the moment he thought of how cruel he had treated her over the years, he could not bring himself to spew out the answer. Vivian looked at him and put on a wry smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know who fed with you that false information, but I knew you left me at the most vulnerable point in my life, when I needed you the most. You said you would believe me, but did youe looking for me to listen to my exnation? No. You left without a goodbye because you believed what people said. After all these years, you expect me toe up to you and say I don¡¯t hate you?¡± Vivian maintained eye contact with Fabian when she made her point. Her eyes were so crystal clear that Fabian did not know how to face her. He looked away from her and defended himself. ¡°Someone showed me some photos. I thought since the evidence was clear, there was no way you could deny it.¡± Photos? Vivian finally understood it was all because of those scandalous photos he saw two years ago. She smiled wryly. ¡°I see. Just a couple of photos were enough for you to lose faith in me.¡± She continued with a gentle voice, ¡°Perhaps you never had faith in me, after all. If you did, you would have told me you¡¯re from the Norton family.¡± ¡°They¡¯re two different things, for goodness sake!¡± Fabian panicked once again. ¡°I hid my identity because¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± Vivian interrupted him before he could exin himself. ¡°You never really trusted me. Not two years ago, and not now. You only believe in yourself.¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 111 A corner of Vivian¡¯s mouth quirked up. ¡°Why are we even talking about this? It¡¯s all history now. There¡¯s no point for us to have this discussion anymore.¡± She stood up and was ready to leave as she did not want to talk to Fabian anymore. Yet, Fabian was not ready to let her go. He went up and grabbed her by the wrist. ¡°You and I still have a lot to talk about.¡± Fabian stared at her, and this time he did not look away. ¡°You protected me from the attack. This shows you still have feelings for me!¡± Vivian¡¯s body could not help but shudder ever so slightly, but she quickly managed to calm herself down. She looked at Fabian, who was standing beside her. She saw from his beautiful eyes remorse and saudade. The feelings were so intense that Vivian dared not look at them directly. ¡°I think you¡¯ve mistaken,¡± she said in a suppressed voice, ¡°All I did was to pull the man away from you, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference? You still care about me, don¡¯t you?¡± Fabian growled. ¡°I saved you because I¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s eyshes fluttered, but she tried to exin it in a steady voice, ¡°Because I want to repay your kindness.¡± Fabian froze momentarily. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who helped me secure the schrship and job opportunities, right?¡± Vivian said softly. Upon seeing Fabian¡¯s sudden change of expression, she knew her guess was right. ¡°This is why I¡¯m still grateful to you, though you didn¡¯t trust me and even lied to me. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to Had she not graduated from university, it would be impossible for her tond a job in any magazine Despite all that had happened, Vivian was sincerely grateful to Fabian. ¡°What do you mean?¡± It was Fabian¡¯s face going pale this time. ¡°You rescued me just because I¡¯ve helped you in the past?¡± It hurt Vivian to see the disappointment in Fabian¡¯s eyes. She did not rescue Fabian just because she wanted to repay his kindness. At that critical moment, she did not even have the time to think; she simply stepped forth and rescued him. It was an instinctive act. After all, Fabian was the man she had once loved, and she could not bear to see him in danger. But he doesn¡¯t need to know all this. Instead of exining herself, she answered in a nonchnt manner, ¡°Yes.¡± Fabian turned ashen-facedpletely, but he was not willing to ept her exnation. He tightened T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. his grip on Vivian. ¡°You don¡¯t have any feelings for me? I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Vivian could no longer contain her frustration as she was in so much pain, and she bellowed, ¡°Who are you to question me?¡± Fabian was taken aback and released her from his grip at once. She¡¯s right. Who am I to question her? I shamed her and made her aughing stock. Who am I to ask her for forgiveness, or force her to admit she still has feelings for me? Vivian massaged her wrist and said aloofly, ¡°Remember what I told you two years ago? I said I¡¯ll never forgive you even if you find out the truth and apologize to me.¡± Fabian trembled. He did recall what Vivian said to him when he humiliated her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡± He wanted to apologize to her, but Vivian interrupted him. ¡°Save your apologies. I¡¯ll never forgive you.¡± She looked into Fabian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Whether you¡¯re sorry that you¡¯ve lied to me about your family, for not having faith in me, or even for insulting me, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Vivian meant every word she said. She did not want Fabian to get hurt and she truly wanted to repay his kindness, but this did not mean she would let bygones be bygones and forget about how badly he had treated her. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 112 No one had hurt Vivian¡¯s feelings the way Fabian did. She refused to forgive him and did not want to be associated with him anymore. She just wanted him to stay away from her. Upon hearing those words, Fabian froze. Meanwhile, Vivian walked out of the office without hesitation. ¡­ Over at Ringsby Mall, thergest shopping mall in the city, Shannon carried her purse and stormed past all the branded outlets in anger. Damn you, Vivian! How can everyone believe you and sympathize with you? Are they blind? B*tch! She was so mad that she wished she could splurge on some luxury handbags. Yet, with her sry, she could never afford them. This made her angrier! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It¡¯s not fair! I have to save money for months to buy myself an expensive handbag, but Vivian can get what she wants by winking at those rich b*stards! When Shannon¡¯s resentment was still clouding her thoughts, all of a sudden she heard a few girls giggling right behind. ¡°You look great in that dress, Ashley. Fabian is so lucky to marry someone as pretty as you.¡± Fabian? Shannon was stunned for a bit. She gradually turned around and saw a young and gorgeous woman trying on an expensive dress. A group ofdies surrounded her andplimented her looks. With her striking appearance, Shannon instantly recognized her as Fabian¡¯s fianc¨¦e because she had visited him in his office before. Her name is Ashley? Upon seeing all the luxurious essories Ashley carried with her, Shannon got a little jealous. Instead of letting her envy get the better of her, Shannon had a better idea. Since I can¡¯t take Vivian down myself, perhaps Ashley can! She mustered up her courage and approached her. ¡°Hi there, are you Mr. Norton¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± Ashley, who was admiring her own look in the mirror, turned around and looked at her. The moment she saw Shannon¡¯s counterfeit handbag, she immediately lost interest in the person. Nheless, she still answered politely, ¡°You mean Fabian Norton? Yes, I am his fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I thought you look familiar.¡± Shannon acted as if she was pleased to meet her. ¡°I¡¯m an employee from mour Magazine and I remember seeing you in the office.¡± Though Ashley had no clue why Shannon came up to her, she still nodded out of politeness. ¡°I know this is a little awkward, but¡­ there¡¯s something I wish to tell you because I think you deserve to know the truth,¡± Shannon said sheepishly. Ashley knitted her brows. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Mr. Norton and Vivian William.¡± Ashley¡¯s expression immediately changed. She gave Shannon a sullen stare and turned to her female friends. ¡°Wait for me at the caf¨¦. I¡¯lle and meet you after this.¡± Thesedies were Ashley¡¯s entourage. They immediately nodded and walked away. Once they had left, Ashley put on a deadpan expression and looked at Shannon. ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± ¡­ Vivian finally punched out after spending a long day in the office. At the subway station, she instinctively boarded the train to the Norton residence, but halfway through the journey, she remembered she was supposed to pick her mother up from the hospital. She immediately switched trains and went to the hospital. Once they got home, Vivian clumsily tidied up the house and ordered some in dishes for takeaway from a restaurant downstairs. It was already 9 p.m. by the time she settled everything, and it was at this point that she remembered she had forgotten to inform Finnick that she would be staying with her mom tonight. She decided to text him anyway, even though Finnick might not even care to know where she was. After that, Vivian helped her mother up to the dining table. Vivian did not know her text message had affected Finnick, who was attending a meeting. Upon receiving her text, his mood instantly changed for the worse. The financial department director, who was conducting a briefing on thepany¡¯s quarterly earnings, broke into a cold sweat after seeing a drastic change on Finnick¡¯s face. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 113 Is there something wrong with my numbers? But ourpany did exceptionally well in this quarter! As the director continued to reveal the details of the financial report, he could not help but start wiping droplets of sweat off his face. ¡°Mr. Norton, is there a problem with the report?¡± He did not get a response. Finnick just nodded randomly and did not even pay attention to his report. All this while, his attention was on the screen of his phone. Or more precisely, he was staring at Vivian¡¯s text message on his phone: Hi, I¡¯ll be staying with my mom in my house since she has just been discharged from the hospital. The text message was so formally written that a vortex of anger swirled inside him. Her house? Is she trying to draw a line between us? This woman is absolutely capable of provoking me! Finnick¡¯s silent treatment made everyone in the meeting room nervous. Even the most experienced members of senior management began to tremble because they were afraid that he was not pleased with the results. Minutes ticked by, and everyone was already sweating buckets. All of a sudden, Finnick raised his head. Just as thepany executives thought he was about toment on thepany¡¯s performance, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow.¡± Finnick did not notice how shocked everyone was, and left the meeting room in his wheelchair. Noah, who was just as dumbfounded, picked up his pace and ran after Finnick. ¡°Is everything alright, Mr. Norton?¡± Noah finally caught up with him. ¡°Did an earthquake happen in J Nation and affect our nuclear nt? Or did a tornado hit our power nt in A Nation?¡± Noah believed something disastrous must have happened; otherwise, Finnick would not have ended the meeting so abruptly. Finnick stopped his wheelchair, tilted his head, and gave Noah a cold stare. ¡°Go and find out where Vivian lives. I mean, where her mother lives.¡± ¡°Ms. William¡¯s mother?¡± Noah was confused for a moment. Finnick ignored his question and wheeled himself away. ¡°Let¡¯s go and pay them a visit when you find out where she lives.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, Vivian was in her house, cautiously feeding Rachel dinner. She still had no idea her text message had enraged Finnick. She bought in porridge and soup for Rachel, but they were so cold and tasteless that Rachel refused to eat them. Vivian immediately wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. ¡°I¡¯ll go and buy something else for you.¡± She then put on a coat and was ready to leave. Rachel frowned. ¡°It¡¯s almost 10 p.m. now. Where are you going to get food at this hour?¡± ¡°I still have to get something for you to eat. If I can¡¯t find a restaurant, I¡¯ll just grab something from the supermarket.¡± With that, she walked out of the house. Vivian headed downstairs and started counting the money she had in her pouch. All of a sudden, a car with a pair of bright spotlights appeared. She lifted her hands to protect her eyes from the light. A few secondster, she saw a ck Bentley approaching her. Vivian froze. Isn¡¯t this¡­ The house Vivian rented was located in an ordinary neighborhood in Sunshine City. Hence, it was highly unusual to see a Bentley here. Before she could react, the car door suddenly opened automatically and a familiar wheelchair appeared before her eyes. Vivian could not believe her eyes when she saw Finnick came up to her in his wheelchair. She stuttered, ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here?¡± Finnick took a nce at her from her head to her feet. Vivian wore her pajamas on the inside and covered herself with a jacket. She had a pair of flip-flops on, and she tied her hair into a messy bun. Though she might appear a little sloppy, Finnick thought she still looked adorable. But the moment he remembered her text message, he immediately put on a serious look and asked, ¡°Why did youe back?¡± Vivian did not expect Finnick toe all the way just to ask her this question. She decided to tell him T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. her half-truth. ¡°My mom was discharged from the hospital today, so I came back to take care of her.¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 114 A line formed between Finnick¡¯s brows but he decided not to pursue the matter. ¡°Where are you going at this hour?¡± ¡°To buy dinner for my mom.¡± ¡°Dinner? At this hour?¡± Finnick frowned. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to find a restaurant at this time.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to buy something from the supermarket then.¡± Since there¡¯s nothing at home, I¡¯ll buy some ingredients and cook something simple for her. Finnick looked at Vivian and did not know what to say. At times, she presented herself as a tough woman, but more often than not she¡¯s just a girl who has no clue about anything in the world. She can¡¯t even take care of herself; how can she look after her mom? ¡°Noah.¡± Finnick suddenly called. ¡°Go to a nearby hotel and ask their kitchen to cook something.¡± Vivian was taken aback and immediately stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll cook myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s past 10 o¡¯clock. You want your mom to wait for you to cook?¡± Finnick raised his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t forget she is still unwell.¡± Vivian was at a loss for words after hearing what he said. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. She knew it waste, but since she was all alone by herself, she could only do one thing at a time. Instead of putting on a tough front, she decided to give in for the sake of her mother. She epted his offer in a soft voice, ¡°Thanks.¡± Finnick¡¯s expression finally lightened up a little. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get back to your house.¡± ¡°You want toe to my ce?¡± Once again, Vivian hesitated. ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want me to?¡± Finnick looked at the woman who got nervous all of sudden. ¡°You expect me to stand here and wait for Noah?¡± Vivian¡¯s face blushed right away and ushered him into the building. After stepping out of the elevator, Vivian opened the door for Finnick to enter. He was surprised to see how disorganized the house was. ¡°So sorry for the mess. I just came back and didn¡¯t have time to clean the house.¡± Vivian was thoroughly embarrassed that she started putting things away. Yet, every time she tried picking something up with her hand, she would feel pain in her wound. ¡°Ouch.¡± Upon noticing Vivian¡¯s grimace, Finnick frowned and stood up from his wheelchair. ¡°Let me.¡± How can I ask him to clean my house for me? Vivian stopped him by waving her hand in the air. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I might be a little slow, but I can do this myself.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Finnick grabbed her by the wrist and made her sit on the couch. Don¡¯t you dare act tough in front of me. Vivian froze at his order. She sat still on the couch and watched him clean up the house. It was clear that the man before her had never done house chores before. Whether it was cleaning up the rubbish or doing the dishes, he was like a bull in a china shop. His expensive branded shirt was all wet. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Vivian could not bear to see how disheveled he had be. ¡°Just let me do it, okay?¡± ¡°No.¡± Finnick mumbled while wiping the coffee table. She could not help but press her lips after seeing how clumsy he was. Though Finnick was not adept at doing house chores, Vivian still found him to be rather attractive. After all, he was a tall and good-looking man. Initially, she was very touched by his thoughtfulness, but soon, she remembered something that made her feeling vanish into thin air. She remembered why she left the Norton residence. All because of his ne. And also how messed up her heart was. She instantly looked away and decided not to focus on Finnick anymore. Enough with your nonsense, Vivian William. This prince charming will never be yours. Stop dreaming. While Finnick was tidying up the house, a frail voice emerged from the room, ¡°Someone¡¯s here?¡± Vivian was taken aback at first but soon realized it was Rachel who had woken up from her nap. To prevent Rachel from seeing Finnick walking around the house, she immediately went to her room. ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Vivian saw that Rachel was already sitting upright on her bed, and walked over. ¡°I¡¯ve asked someone to buy food for you. You can have your dinner soon.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 115 Rachel heard noises in the living room and frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± Vivian replied in an awkward manner, ¡°Finnick¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Your husband?¡± Rachel¡¯s expression changed. ¡°He came here to look for you? What is he doing outside?¡± Vivian did not know how to answer her. ¡°He is cleaning the house for me.¡± Rachel was dumbfounded. Her eyes glistened for a second, and then whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to nag anymore, but you¡¯d better make sure you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Of course, Vivian knew what Rachel was talking about. She inched closer and held her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± She did not just say that to appease Rachel. She said that as a reminder for herself. I cannot fall in love with him. I won¡¯t allow that to happen. Rachel gazed into her eyes and said sincerely, ¡°I believe you.¡± Vivian responded with a grin and left the room. She noticed Finnick had finished cleaning the house. He stood there with a wet cloth in his hand and a smug smile on his face. ¡°What do you think? Not bad, huh?¡± Vivian could not help but chuckle at how confident he was. Who would expect Mr. Finnick Norton to be so proud of his little achievement here? He was the same man who would not even bother to celebrate after closing the business deal of the year! ¡°You did great,¡± she praised, ¡°Thank you.¡± While they were having this conversation, Noah arrived. Vivian then opened the door for him toe in. Noah got the shock of his life when he saw Finnick holding a wet cloth in his hand. Instead of making any remarks that might offend him, he decided to keep mum and ce the food on the table. After helping Rachel finish her dinner, Vivian also ate something simple to stop her hunger pangs. It was already 11 p.m. Vivian looked at Finnick and Noah after she cleaned up the table. ¡°Thank you so much for today. It¡¯s gettingte now. Drive safe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Noah responded with a smile and was ready to leave. But it seems that Finnick, who was sitting on a chair beside Noah, had no intention of getting back into This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. his wheelchair. Noah was confused. ¡°Mr. Norton?¡± ¡°You go back first,¡± Finnick said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here tonight.¡± Stay here? Vivian¡¯s eyes widened; she looked at him in disbelief. Noah was equally shocked, but like what a professional personal assistant would do, he regained his for you to change into as well.¡± Noah then left the house. ¡°Wait a second, Noah!¡± Vivian panicked, but Noah was already nowhere to be seen. She then turned her attention to Finnick. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to sleep here?¡± The man raised his brows and questioned her, ¡°Do you have a problem?¡± ¡°I mean, you¡¯re wee to stay, but¡­¡± Vivian got even more anxious upon seeing how serious he was. ¡°But we only have two rooms in this house.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in your room,¡± Finnick said without hesitation, ¡°You have a problem with that?¡± Vivian¡¯s face flushed red instantly. Back in the vi, the bed she shared with Finnick was muchrger. The bed in her room here, however, was tiny. If we were to sleep on that small bed¡­ She dared not think further. If he¡¯s going to be here for the night, why did I leave the vi in the first ce? ¡°But my house is so shabby. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t sleep well.¡± Vivian continued to find an excuse to get rid of him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Finnick¡¯s forehead furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s not an issue for me.¡± By now Vivian had run out of ideas. She stared at him for a bit and eventually gave in. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll go and take a shower now.¡± Finnick responded a baffling smile, ¡°Okay.¡± Vivian excused herself and went into the bathroom. As she was about to turn on the shower, she suddenly thought of another problem. Her house only had a very simple shower but not a bathtub. This had be a problem for her because her right hand was injured. Using a shower would cause her to wet her wound. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 116 Despite having a headache, she took her clothes off and turned on the tap. Turning her body, she carefully showered. However, she was never great with motor skills or bnce, and her face ended up scrunching up in pain when she identally wet her wound. Lifting her arm higher, she mmed into the bathroom door instead and immense pain shot through her arm. ¡°Ouch!¡± she yelped, and within seconds she heard a flurry of footsteps outside. Worried, Finnick called out to her, ¡°Vivian, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Vivian tried to reply in a hurry, but she was in too much pain that her voice shook. She did not sound fine at all. As a result, Finnick anxiously responded, ¡°Give me a minute. I¡¯lle in.¡± Vivian panicked and insisted, ¡°I¡¯m alright, and you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Bang! Before she couldplete her sentence, she heard the bathroom door open. The lock on the bathroom door had long been out of order, so it could easily be opened when Finnick gave it a push. Once he entered the bathroom, he saw Vivian raising one arm while frantically trying to pull up her bath towel to cover herself with her other arm. In her hurry, she even forgot to turn off the showerhead, and water was about to cascade on her wound. This woman is so careless! Looking at how she seemed to be tormenting herself, Finnick could not help but feel angry. Instantly, he went forward to embrace her before turning the showerhead off. ¡°You are so stupid, Vivian,¡± he chided. Then, he grabbed her arm and scanned her wound. As expected, it was inmed, making him more frustrated. ¡°With a showerhead like this at your house, how can you bathe alone?¡± Vivian failed to pay attention to his scolding. His thin shirt was the only thing between them, and all she could think about was how close they were. Besides, his shirt was now drenched because of her, and it clung to their bodies. She could even feel his chest muscles and washboard abs against her¡­ Her brain felt like exploding. Noticing that Vivian was quiet even after he spoke, Finnick frowned and looked at her. With a nce, he finally noticed her standing stiffly in his arms while her face was as red as a tomato. He was dumbfounded. He was so worried for her previously that he did not notice the position they were standing in. Her fair skin was slightly red from the elevated temperature in the bathroom, and there were still water droplets dripping off her body. Although it was not the first time he had seen her naked, he felt more attracted to her each time he saw her like this. Not only so, but since her body was so close to his, it was also a greater hurdle for him this time. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Without looking down, he could already feel all her curves. In that instant, he felt his body burning up. Vivian, who was already flustered, blushed more when she felt the changes in Finnick¡¯s body. Instinctively, she struggled. ¡°Finnick, let go of me¡­¡± Little did she know that her movements were nothing to Finnick. It was as though she was tickling him instead of refusing him, which tempted him even more. Without thinking, he pushed Vivian against the wall. The distance between them instantly disappeared, and they could even feel each other¡¯s chests as they breathed. ¡°Finnick, what¡­do you want¡­¡± Unable to get out of his grasp, Vivian whimpered as she looked at him with a panic expression on her face. Finnick did not know what got over him, but her whimpers almost took away all his willpower. Abruptly, he bowed his head as his fingers slowly traced across her waist. Feeling goosebumps, she shuddered. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing?¡± he groaned. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 117 His low voice sounded sexier than usual, causing Vivian¡¯s body to heat up, too. She stuttered, ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Finnick lowered himself to nibble on her earlobe and whispered, ¡°You said okay thest time.¡± His breath tickled Vivian¡¯s ear and his teasing almost seeded in persuading her. However, herst shred of rationality still told her not to do it. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. No way. Nothing can happen between us. Previously in the Norton residence, she did give Finnick permission. Despite so, she felt differently about it now. She agreed then since they were already married, she did not mind having a child with him even though it was a loveless marriage. After all, that was also her duty as his wife. Now, she could no longer make a calm decision without being influenced by her emotions. She realized now that she might have feelings for him¡ª¡ªfeelings she shouldn¡¯t have. Vivian did not dare to give herself to him in light of this revtion, lest she fell in love with him and would not bear to leave him in the future. With that thought, she desperately pushed him aside and reasoned, ¡°My mom is at home, too, so it isn¡¯t a good idea¡­¡± Finnick lowered his gaze and hazily nced into Vivian¡¯s clear eyes. It was like a wake-up call to him. Nothing was more disappointing than having one person lost in his lustful desires while the other remaining logical and rejecting his moves. Thinking Vivian was still not ready as a result of what happened two years ago, Finnick stepped back to give her some space. He never expected he would be so deprived to this point, having to endure and control his lust time and time again. Especially when it came to this woman, whom he always found so attractive. Forget it. Since she is injured, I will let it go. That did not mean that he was going to let her go physically. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her waist again. While she stared at him in surprise, he assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am not going to force you. I only want to help you shower.¡± With that kind of showerhead, how can she keep her wound dry alone? Blushing, Vivian rejected, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I will wipe myself instead.¡± Having said that, she turned to escape, but Finnick held onto her, refusing to let her leave. ¡°Why are you so shy? After all, I have already seen you naked,¡± he casually stated as he took down the showerhead. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about me because I still have some self-control.¡± In the next moment, he started helping her to shower. Knowing how stubborn he was, Vivian was sure there was no use rejecting him. She could only stand stiffly in ce while he helped her wash up. Much to her dismay, as Finnick¡¯s hand grazed along her skin, that warm and slightly rough sensation sent countless electric currents through her body. She used everything in her power to hold herself back and not tremble. Speaking of endurance, Finnick had it even tougher. Although he had told her that he could control himself, he realized that self-restraint was almost impossible before Vivian. He already gave her his word, however, so he could only grit his teeth and keep holding himself back. After painfully helping her bathe, it was finally time to dry her. Sensing his seriousness in performing the task at hand, Vivian fell into a daze. She could not remember thest time someone gave her a bath like that. I was probably very young when Mom used to shower me. As I grew older, she became busier with work and I started to take care of myself. Who would have thought that after so many years of being independent, someone else would appear in my life when I¡¯m injured, feeding me, cleaning me, and even bathing me? She felt like she was beingpensated for all the love she had long been deprived of. More significantly, this person was someone with high social status who had never cared for others before. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 118 Vivian¡¯s heart softened, and she was touched. She closed her eyes so that her emotion could not be read. Finnick¡­ Why are you so nice to me? I¡¯m afraid¡­I might end up falling for you¡­ After her shower, Vivian and Finnick returned to the living room. Feeling bad that Finnick was soaked from head to toe, she went to her closet and picked out somerger-sized sports clothes for him. But before she gave him the clothes she cautiously asked again, ¡°Are you sure you want to stay here with me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Finnick replied casually and took the clothes from Vivian¡¯s hands, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to take care of your mother? How are you supposed to do that when you are injured? Given so, I think I should stay here to take care of both of you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Vivian insisted as she did not want him to stay. ¡°I can do it alone.¡± ¡°You can do it alone?¡± Finnick raised his brows. ¡°You needed my help to bathe. Are you sure you can do it alone?¡± His words only made Vivian think about the incident in the bathroom. Instantly, she turned red and forgot to rebut his words. Soon after, she heard Finnick¡¯s soft chuckle as he headed to the bathroom with her clothes. Vivian suddenly grew frustrated. She felt like he had led her on, and that she seemed to have given him her silent consent to stay for the night. Before stepping into the bathroom, Finnick suddenly thought of an idea and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to stay here, you can simply follow me home instead.¡± With that, he went in. Finnick had to take a cold bath to ovee the urge burning within him. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. When he returned to the bedroom, he saw Vivian lying on the bed. It was small, and she was curled up in a corner. After entering the bedroom, Finnick could not stand it anymore and hugged Vivian by wrapping his arm around her waist. ¡°Why are you hiding?¡± he whispered beside her ear, ¡°Isn¡¯t it more spacious this way?¡± Not long after, he turned the lights off and closed his eyes to sleep. After being tortured for an entire day, he was exhausted. The fragrance of Vivian¡¯s hair gave him an inexplicable sense offort. Well, this is one good thing about a smaller bed. It did not take long for Finnick to fall asleep. While Vivian could hear his steady breathing, it took her ages to fall asleep in his arms. Turning around slightly, she took in Finnick¡¯s handsome features, down to the stubbles on his chin. At that moment, she felt her heart beating more vigorously than usual. Her eyes dimmed, and she closed her eyes in despair. Vivian, you might as well admit that you have fallen for him. I am hopelessly in love¡­ Although it was already midnight, many people in Sunshine City were still not asleep. After Fabian finished work, he dragged his lethargic body back to the ce he rented next to the magazinepany. He did not like to live at his family residence because he would have to face his father and grandpa. As such, he decided to rent an apartment instead. The elevator doors opened. He was just about to step out when he saw a petite figure squatting in front of his unit. He was taken aback and could not believe his eyes. ¡°Ashley, is that you?¡± It was indeed Ashley at his door. Hearing his voice, Ashley raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were red from crying earlier, and she looked especially pitiful. ¡°Fabian, you are back,¡± she said in a pitiful voice, ¡°I waited for you for a long time, and my calls to you never got through¡­¡± ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Fabian frowned and quickly helped her up. ¡°I worked overtime and my phone battery died. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± Upon entering the apartment, Ashley threw herself onto Fabian just after he closed the door. Fabian stiffened and asked, ¡°Ashley, what¡¯s going on?¡± With her tears already soaking his shirt, Ashley sobbed, ¡°Fabian, will you ever leave me?¡± She could not describe the panic she felt when she heard Shannon¡¯s words. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 119 Shannon told her that Fabian, in front of everyone at the magazinepany, questioned Vivian why she did not rify that she had been set up years ago. Ashley knew that Shannon said all these in hopes that she would teach Vivian a lesson. However, Shannon did not expect Ashley to turn white as a sheet. Fabian knew that Vivian was being set up in the incident two years ago? Does it mean that he¡¯s trying to rekindle his love for her? Did he find out what I did? In a moment of panic, Ashley could not be bothered with Shannon but immediately ran to Fabian¡¯s house while calling him multiple times. Not daring to raise the matter with Fabian, she tested the waters instead. Surprised by her sudden question, Fabian paused momentarily before he responded, ¡°Ashley, what on earth is going on?¡± His avoidance to answer the question made her tremble more. In an attempt to hide it from him, she released him and forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ I was a little afraid since our wedding date is drawing close.¡± That sentence reminded Fabian that they were getting married next month. All of a sudden, he felt a sense of resistance. His silence only made Ashley more frantic. She nced at him and probed, ¡°Fabian, you¡­you¡¯re not thinking about calling off our wedding, are you?¡± Snapping out of his daze, Fabian smiled and assured her, ¡°Ashley, you are overthinking. I will not do that. Look, your arms and legs are so cold. Why don¡¯t you take a shower first?¡± He pushed her into the bathroom as he spoke. Absentmindedly, Ashley went into the bathroom and plopped onto the toilet seat. I¡¯m doomed. Fabian is starting to doubt me after finding out what happened to Vivian. What other tricks could I still use against Vivian? In the midst of her thoughts, her phone rang. Looking down at the phone screen, she was surprised. ¡°Hello?¡± she answered the call immediately, ¡°You don¡¯t have to find that man I¡¯ve asked you about. I¡¯m already¡­¡± Before she couldplete her sentence, the words from the person on the other end of the call caused her expression to darken. ¡°What are you saying? How is it possible that the old man did not do it?¡± she screeched. While Ashley was in the bathroom taking her bath, Fabian stood on the balcony and smoked until he unknowingly filled up the ashtray. This is the first time in my life that I feel so much regret and sadness. I regret not saying goodbye two years ago and then getting engaged to Ashley. But most of all, I regret insulting Vivian time and time again. I am the one who pushed away the woman I love. Who am I to me? Now, Vivian has Finnick¡­ At that thought, he raised his cigarette and took arge puff. Subconsciously, he thought about the time he gave Vivian¡¯s photos to Finnick. Without thinking, Finnick chose to trust Vivian. Perhaps he already did his own research and had already made his decision. Regardless, at least he has never hurt Vivian. In contrast, I am so different from him. This frustrated Fabian even more. Thinking about the photographs, he recalled that he has kept several pictures of Vivian on his phone. Seeing those photos now would only make his heart ache, so he instantly pulled out his phone to delete them. However, after deleting a few, he realized something. Wait a minute. These pictures¡­why do they seem different from the ones shown at the Norton family party? Although he did not purposely try to remember everything about Vivian, everything about her was somehow vividly imprinted on his mind. He could even recall the photos from the party. Most of the photos were the same as those on his phone, but one of them was different¡ª¡ªin which Vivian was lying on a pillow with her hair spread across it. Fabian suddenly felt breathless. Why¡­ Ashley said that the photos were from my phone. Yet, why did she have one more photo on the screen that¡¯s not found on my phone?T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 120 Unless¡­ Fabian¡¯s heart tightened with that thought, but before he could piece together the puzzle in his mind he suddenly heard a soft voiceing from behind him. ¡°Fabian?¡± He was startled and turned to see Ashley looking at him timidly with her hair still wet. She had a beautiful face that resembled Vivian¡¯s, though she looked a little more seductive. For some This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. reason, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine looking at her. ¡°Well¡­ Ashley.¡± He subconsciously took a few steps back and said, ¡°The magazinepany just called. A situation popped up and I have to take care of it. You can go back to get some rest first.¡± He rushed out of his apartment without even waiting for Ashley to reply. ¡°Fabian¡­¡± Ashley was dumbfounded. She wanted to chase after him but he was already out of the door. Helplessly, she stood rooted to the ground. It is already past midnight. Is he going to find Vivian? At that thought, and recalling the news she had just heard on the phone, her face turned pale. Not long ago, Ashley ordered an investigation to find the old man from two years ago. Yet, he confessed that he did not touch her, but that a mysterious man did. What was even more shocking was that no one managed to find out who that man was. In other words, the mysterious man was much more powerful than she. Who¡¯s the man who took away Vivian¡¯s virginity two years ago? The next morning, when Vivian opened her eyes, she saw Finnick¡¯s handsome face right in front of her. Dazed, she stared at him for a while before realizing that they were this close because they were sleeping in the small bed in her house. rmed, she quickly wanted to get out of bed, but Finnick¡¯s arm weighed heavily over her. As though he felt her struggle, Finnick muttered without opening his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s only seven in the morning. Stop moving and go back to sleep.¡± Vivian did not expect Finnick to be awake. Shey stiffly and motionlessly in bed. No matter how hard she tried, she could not fall back asleep. Time passed slowly, and soon she broke out in a cold sweat from her nervousness. Finally, her rm rang, and Finnick¡¯s eyes opened. His gaze immediately fell on Vivian. ¡°Good morning, Vivian.¡± Finnick greeted her with his baritone voice which came with a bit of hoarseness, given it was the first thing he said after he woke up. Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She could not hide her blush as she stammered, ¡°M-Morning.¡± She then got up to prepare a clean towel and toothbrush for Finnick before helping her mom wash up. When she was done, Noah showed up with breakfast that Molly had prepared. Molly even made another portion just for Rachel. As they ate, Vivian looked at the spread and whispered, ¡°Actually, we don¡¯t have to bother Molly like that.¡± ¡°We are not bothering her; we are just using a little more of her time.¡± Taking a scoop of soup, he this every day.¡± Surprised, Vivian asked, ¡°Do you mean you are staying for another night?¡± ¡°I will, if you are,¡± Finnick replied casually, ¡°I will get Molly to bring my pajamas over. After all, your clothes are too small for me.¡± Vivian was speechless. She finally realized how stubborn and demanding Finnick could be. Although he never raised his voice nor forced her to do anything, he always had a way to make herpromise. I can never win against him. ¡°I get it.¡± She lowered her gaze and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go back tonight.¡± The corners of Finnick¡¯s lips lifted. ¡°You can bring your mother over, too.¡± ¡°Forget it. My mom will feel ufortable,¡± Vivian rejected his offer. ¡°Well, I can get you a caretaker and maid,¡± Finnick insisted. Knowing that she could not win the argument, Vivian could only nod in agreement. After the meal, Finnick drove Vivian to work. Only then did she recall she had a meeting to attend that morning. Thus, once she arrived at her office building she headed directly to the meeting room. She was surprised to find Fabian in the meeting room; he seemed to be preparing for the meeting alone. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 121 Fabian was slightly bewildered when he saw her. ¡°Vivian, didn¡¯t you receive the email with the notice saying that the meeting will be dyed for half an hour?¡± Damn it! Vivian cursed internally; she forgot to check her emails as Finnick¡¯s appearance yesterday threw her ns into disarray. ¡°I totally forgot.¡± She excused herself, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Fabian halted her. Frowning slightly, she asked, ¡°Mr. Norton, is there anything else?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± Fabian rose to his feet, asking softly, ¡°Do you love Finnick?¡± Unlike his usual spitefulness, at that moment, he sounded gentler like how he used to in his youth. Vivian¡¯s brows knotted as his direct question caught her by surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Norton. This has nothing to do with work, so I refuse to answer.¡± With that, she turned to leave. However, Fabian grabbed hold of her wrist and gabbled, ¡°I¡¯m not asking in the capacity of the Chief Editor but as your ex-boyfriend. Or maybe¡­ I¡¯m asking out of concern as your friend.¡± He didn¡¯t go home the other night as he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Vivian¡¯s marriage with Finnick. Before this, he thought that she married Finnick for his money; but now, it seemed like that was not the case. If she wasn¡¯t going after Finnick¡¯s wealth, there were only two possible reasons for her to marry him, which were either out of love or pressure. To Fabian, it seemed impossible that Vivian would fall in love with another man. He was not over her yet even though two years had passed since their breakup, and he believed she felt the same as him. As such, he would rather believe that she was forced to marry Finnick. When he asked his subordinates to look into their marriage, he found out that Vivian had gone on numerous blind dates just a month before marrying Finnick. Those men were all ineligible, but they had one thing inmon ¡ª all of them resided in Sunshine City. As he recalled about her mother, who was seriously ill, he seemed to have understood the true Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. reason behind her marriage. Even so, he felt that he needed an answer from Vivian herself to ount for the sudden end of their rtionship two years ago. Vivian¡¯s face turned pale when he tried to probe into her marriage, but she gripped herposure and retorted, ¡°Fabian, did you forget that Finnick is your uncle? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inappropriate to pry into your elder¡¯s private affairs?¡± Fabian never thought Vivian would use her identity as his elder to shut him up. He uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°Vivian William, aren¡¯t you saying that just so you could avoid my question? Is it because you don¡¯t love Finnick at all? You married him to get the status of permanent resident so that you could stay in Sunshine City, am I right?¡± A smidge of worry appeared on her face as she never thought Fabian could delve that deep into her marriage. My guess is right! Fabian¡¯s spirit lifted upon capturing the nuances of her expression. He gripped her shoulder and continued to grill her, ¡°Vivian William, is it true about what I said just now? You don¡¯t love Finnick at all, do you? Well, it makes sense¡­ It¡¯s impossible that someone would like a cold-hearted cripple!¡± He didn¡¯t know why he cared so much about Vivian and Fabian¡¯s rtionship, but jealousy was eating him up at the thought of Vivian sleeping by Finnick¡¯s bedside every night. It drove him crazy to think that the two might already have had intimacy with each other. He could only seek relief from the pain of envy by humiliating Finnick about his disability and cold personality, which seemed to be the only chinks on his armor. Initially, Vivian decided tough him off, but her fury sprang to life upon hearing him insulting Finnick. ¡°Fabian Norton, are you done?¡± With all her might, she shook his hand off and came back at him coldly, ¡°Who do you think you are to pour scorn at Finnick? Unlike you, he is always trustful of me! You are iparable to him! No matter why I marry him, I never regretted my decision!¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 122 Fabian¡¯s face turned pale as he looked at her face that was purple with rage. He never expected Vivian, who was an apathetic person, to take up the cudgel on Finnick¡¯s behalf by making such caustic remarks. Is she mad because I insulted Finnick? Seems like it¡¯s not just a paper marriage between them, and she genuinely regards Finnick as her husband. Fabian felt suffocated at the mere thought of it. The next moment, he gripped her arms with greater force and bellowed, ¡°Vivian William! Don¡¯t tell me that you have fallen in love with Finnick? Are you an idiot? You don¡¯t know that man at all!¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t even say a word. Her face was twisted with pain, but Fabian took no notice of it as he continued to spat out, ¡°Finnick is nothing but a heartless man. Do you know that he left his girlfriend to This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. die ten years ago in order to save his own life? I couldn¡¯t believe that you would have eyes for such a selfish prick!¡± Vivian, who was struggling to break from his grasp, was thunderstruck upon hearing his words. Her face was pale as she blurted out, ¡°You¡¯re lying! Don¡¯t you try to throw mud at Finnick!¡± Seeing her defending Finnick further roused his anger. Overwhelmed with fury, Fabian totally forgot that the incident from ten years ago was a taboo topic. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe in me, you can always look into the kidnap incident ten years ago. You will find out how Finnick managed to escape from the hands of the kidnappers and how Evelyn Morrison, his girlfriend, died because of him.¡± Thest bit of color left Vivian¡¯s face. She was at a loss for words as this revtion was too much for her to handle. Evelyn¡­ Is she the owner of the crystal ne? She¡¯s dead?! And she died in the kidnap incident ten years ago? Fabian loosened his grip on her arm. A hint of remorse shed across his face the moment he regainedposure. The Norton family had imposed an information ckout on the news rting to the kidnap incident. It was a tacit understanding between the Nortons to never bring it up again. But now, he spilled the beans because of his jealousy. Vivian doesn¡¯t know Finnick at all¡­ I am only telling her these so that she knows Finnick¡¯s true colors! Fabian justified himself that he was telling Vivian about the incident for her sake. With a calm expression, he uttered, ¡°Vivian, even though we are no longer a couple and we might never be one again, I don¡¯t want you to be deceived by Finnick.¡± Vivian could no longer hear anything he said because her mind was jumbled up. Just then, the workers swarmed into the meeting room. Upon seeing Vivian and Fabian alone in the meeting room, they exchanged meaningful nces with each other before settling down in their seats. Vivian, too, took her seat. She was absent-minded during the meeting as she was bothered by what Fabian said just now. It turned out that for the past few days, she was troubling her head over a woman who had passed away years ago. Is it true that Evelyn, that beautiful girl, died because of Finnick? Vivian dared not think further. She was back in her office when the meeting finally ended. During the lunch break, she hesitated but eventually made her steps toward Jenny¡¯s cubicle. ¡°Jenny, can I ask you something?¡± asked Vivian. Jenny was an experienced investigative journalist who had worked for more than ten years in the press. It was a demanding job for her, so she decided to jump ship to mour Magazine and became an editor for the interview column. The two got along rather well with each other. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Jenny cordially. Vivian bit her lips and said, ¡°I want to ask you about the kidnap incident that happened to the Norton family ten years ago.¡± Jenny was slightly bewildered as she never expected Vivian to ask about that incident. Inexplicably, she was visibly panicked. ¡°Vivian, why are you asking this?¡± A decade had passed since the incident. Vivian knew Jenny was the only one she could turn to because apart from the Nortons, only the journalists and the policemen in charge of the case could help clear her doubts. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 123 Therefore, she decided to try her luck by asking Jenny, the long-serving journalist. ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian steeled herself and replied, ¡°I am just asking out of curiosity.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking just to satisfy your curiosity, I advise that you better not pursue this matter any further.¡± Jenny put on a stern face as she continued, ¡°It is not our ce to inquire into the Norton family¡¯s affair.¡± With that, she resumed her work at hand. Jenny¡¯s unduly reticent attitude only further aroused Vivian¡¯s curiosity. I believe Jenny must know something¡­ ¡°Jenny.¡± She pulled a chair to sit next to her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you the reason, but I really need to know about the incident.¡± At that moment, Vivian and Jenny were the only ones left in the office as the other workers had gone for lunch. Jenny lifted her head and cast a meaningful nce at Vivian before she spoke, ¡°Vivian, I can tell you about it, but you need to be frank with me. Are you asking this because of your husband?¡± Vivian was taken aback by her words. ¡°Jenny, you actually know about¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I knew about it quite some time ago.¡± Jenny let out a sigh. ¡°Your husband is Finnick Norton, am I right? He is the second son of the Norton family, and the victim of the kidnap incident.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened. She had always tried to stay low-key, but Jenny still managed to discover her husband¡¯s identity and his rtionship with the Norton family. Although Vivian remained silent, her reaction made Jenny certain of her conjecture. ¡°Are you surprised that I actually know about your husband¡¯s background?¡± Jenny gave a resigned shrug and then exined, ¡°Actually, I already knew that Finnickes from the Norton family when I first interviewed him. I became suspicious that he was your husband when I saw your wedding ring, so that¡¯s why I tested you just now.¡± Being deeply impressed by Jenny¡¯s intuition and attention to detail, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but look at her with admiration. It would take at least ten years of working experience in the press to acquire those qualities. Since Jenny already had it all figured out, there was no need for Vivian to hide from her. After all, there was nothing for her to hide in the first ce. It was just that she disliked being the center of gossips, that was why she never mentioned her marriage with Finnick. ¡°Yes, Jenny, you¡¯ve guessed it right.¡± She lowered her voice and asked, ¡°So now, can you tell me what happened ten years ago?¡± Vivian thought Jenny would turn her down again, but to her surprise, she seemed to have gotten through to the other woman when Jenny looked deeply into her eyes and said, ¡°Vivian, I always know Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. that you¡¯re a nicedy. Even though rumors are circting in the magazinepany saying that you are a gold-digger, I will only believe in my own judgment.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Thank you, Jenny.¡± Since two years ago, she had been facing all sorts of misunderstandings and derision from her colleagues. Soon, she no longer bothered to dispel those rumors because no one would believe in her. She was touched when Jenny said she trusted her. ¡°I was shocked when I first heard that you were going to marry Finnick.¡± Jenny gave her a sympathetic look. ¡°I admit that he is an excellent man, but from what he did two years ago, I don¡¯t think he is husband material.¡± Vivian¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Jenny, what do you know?¡± Jenny let out a sigh. ¡°You sure are lucky because you¡¯ve asked the right person. I was still working in the press when that incident happened, and I was responsible for reporting the case. At that time, I had dug deep into the case, but I was threatened by the Norton family to not leak any information about it. I knew how powerful the Norton family is, that¡¯s why I stayed tight-lipped all these years.¡± Vivian finally understood why Jenny knew that Finnick came from the Norton family. If Jenny had investigated the kidnap case, she would definitely know about Finnick¡¯s name and how he looked. However, Vivian felt unsettled by Jenny¡¯s tone. ¡°So what happened at that time?¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 124 Jenny started spilling the story. ¡°At that time, Finnick was still a freshman in university. Initially, the Norton family nned to let him study abroad, but he decided to stay in the country because of his girlfriend. If I¡¯m not mistaken, her name was Eve¡­¡± ¡°Evelyn Morrison.¡± Vivian interjected. Jenny was slightly bewildered. ¡°You know about that girl? That¡¯s right! Her name was Evelyn Morrison. They made a sweet couple, and I guess they were each other¡¯s first love. Anyway, Finnick decided to stay for her.¡± Vivian suddenly recalled the photos in Finnick¡¯s drawer that pictured the two smiling broadly in their youth. They must have loved each other very much¡­ Just like Fabian and I in the past¡­ T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°In their first year at university, Finnick and Evelyn got rid of the bodyguards to have fun in a small town. That was the ce where they were kidnapped.¡± ¡°They?¡± Vivian interrupted Jenny, ¡°You mean Finnick was not the only one being kidnapped, but Evelyn as well?¡± With a solemn expression, Jenny nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. The Norton family has suppressed the news, so everyone thought Norton was the only victim. No one knows about this poordy being the other victim.¡± ¡°What happened next?¡± ¡°The kidnappers demanded a huge ransom. The elder Mr. Norton paid the ransom to save his grandson. However, maybe Finnick and Evelyn saw their faces, the kidnappers decided to kill them. They locked the two in a warehouse and set fire to it.¡± Vivian tensed up. ¡°So Evelyn was burned alive? Finnick was the only one who managed to escape?¡± ¡°It seemed to be so.¡± For some reason, Jenny¡¯s face looked grim. ¡°But ording to the crime report kept at the police department, I found out both Finnick and Evelyn were tied up by the kidnappers. Finnick managed to himself and escaped the burning warehouse with his legs injured. However, when Evelyn¡¯s body was found, she was being left in the warehouse, with her limbs all tied up.¡± Vivian¡¯s face became ashen. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jenny deepened her voice, ¡°Frankly speaking, Finnick left her behind in the burning warehouse to save himself.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Vivian blurted out, ¡°Finnick is not a selfish person¡­ He will never do something like that¡­¡± Although they had not been together for long and that he seems to be unapproachable, she could tell that Finnick was a warm-hearted person. He was not someone who would leave his girlfriend for dead. As if she already expected Vivian to defend Finnick, Jenny looked at her and sighed. ¡°Vivian, those who are born with a golden spoon are more fearful of death than usmon folks. It was normal for him to leave his girlfriend behind since he was injured, not to mention that he was still young when the incident happened.¡± Biting her lips, Vivian remained silent. ¡°This is all I know because the Norton family prohibited the media from following up on the case. I never intend to tell you all these, but I guess it doesn¡¯t matter since you are already married to Finnick. I might be a little extreme, but I honestly think that a man who doesn¡¯t even try to save his girlfriend from death is unworthy of your trust.¡± Jenny held Vivian¡¯s hand in hers as she continued, ¡°You are a nicedy, and I don¡¯t want you to get hurt. Don¡¯t have high hopes for Finnick, or else you might be disappointed. You can only count on yourself.¡± Vivian understood that Jenny¡¯s advice was straight from the heart, but she was still reluctant to think poorly of Finnick. She forced a smile and said, ¡°Jenny, thank you for telling me all these, but I don¡¯t believe Finnick would do something like that.¡± Jenny was worried as she looked at the stubborn Vivian. ¡°Are you blinded by Finnick already? Vivian, listen to me. Those wealthy men are all stand-offish prigs, and you can never count on them nor believe in them.¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 125 Vivian smiled and stopped talking. The initial shock had worn off as she gradually digested what Jenny and Fabian had just told her. She finally knew the identity of the woman she envied, which was none other than Finnick¡¯s first love. Not only that, but the woman was also already dead. No matter what the truth was, she had sacrificed her life for Finnick. It was an indisputable fact. Atst, Vivian understood the reason Finnick had such a sorrowful expression every time he looked at that crystal ne. He had once loved that woman deeply. She was burned to death because of him and perished at the age when she was at her prettiest and when he loved her most. Under such circumstances, how many people would be able to truly let go of the past? The emotions which Finnick was experiencing inside his heart was unimaginable to Vivian. Suffering severe injuries to his leg from the kidnapping incident was nothingpared to losing the love of his life, which was what really scarred him. As for what Fabian and the rest said about Finnick abandoning Evelyn for his own survival¡ª Vivian did not believe a single word of it. Even if that was indeed what happened, Vivian trusted that Finnick must have had his reasons for doing so. Perhaps that sounded a lot like trusting someone blindly, but the woman would always choose to believe Finnick. Finnick had done the same for her with regards to the incident that happened to her two years back. Trust and understanding were two important building blocks for every marriage. Besides, Finnick had already suffered too much from that ident ten years ago. How could Vivian bear to add on to his pain by using him of being heartless? When Vivian and Jenny ended their conversation, most of their co-workers from the magazine The two women did not dare to continue talking about it any further and went back to their own work stations, continuing with their tasks. After a long day, Vivian finally managed toplete all her work and was ready to knock off. She had received Molly¡¯s text in the afternoon, telling her that a caretaker had already been hired for her mom. However, Vivian decided to make a trip back personally as she was still a little worried. Only after she made sure that the caretaker was indeed professional and responsible did she feel assured enough to return to Finnick¡¯s vi. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Meanwhile, at Finnor Group, Finnick was studying the newest endowment model in his office. Just then, a knocking was heard at the door before Noah walked in. ¡°Mr. Norton,¡± Noah addressed his boss, while acting somewhat strange. ¡°You have tasked us to find out about the man who vited Mrs. Norton two years ago and we¡¯ve made some progress. We checked every surveince camera in the hotel and all the hotel records but did not discover anything out of the ordinary. The only noteworthy finding is an item which was left behind in the hotel room.¡± Finnick stopped typing on his keyboard and replied in a cold tone, ¡°How did your work efficiency deteriorate to such a level? You guys have been investigating for so long, yet you can¡¯t even find out who was the man who did it? Moreover, if you have found a suspicious item in the hotel room, why didn¡¯t you look further into it? Do you need me to do it myself?¡± Noah was already breaking out in cold sweat but bit the bullet and answered, ¡°Mr. Norton, I will definitely look into the item, but before that, I feel that it would be better for you to take a look at it first¡­ ¡° Only then did Finnick turn his attention away from hisputer screen. Noah quickly ced the item on the table and exined, ¡°Century Hotel is a five-star hotel, so everything left behind by guests, even if it¡¯s just a coin, would be properly kept by the hotel. They would then try to contact the guests to retrieve their items. However, they have not been able to get in touch with the owner of this item, as such, this item has been kept in the hotel¡¯s storeroom for the past two years.¡± Lying on Finnick¡¯s desk right then was a handkerchief. It was green in color and made from premium silk. It was a men¡¯s handkerchief which was thoughtfully designed. One look at it and anyone would be able to tell its exquisite workmanship. There were no prints on it, except for a cursive letter ¡°J¡± sewn at the corner of the handkerchief. Finnick¡¯s expression changed straight away when he saw the handkerchief. He then picked it up and scrutinized it, before suddenly looking up at Noah. With an ice cold gaze, he asked, ¡°Are you sure that this handkerchief was found in the hotel room?¡± Noah had taken out his own handkerchief to wipe off the beads of cold sweat which had formed on his forehead. ¡°Yes, Mr. Norton. That¡¯s why I brought it here for you to take a look,¡± the assistant replied. Finnick gripped tightly onto the handkerchief, so much so that the delicate piece of cloth was already crumpled. ¡°Get Xavier here!¡± The man ordered through gritted teeth. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 126 ¡°Errr¡­ When we found the handkerchief, I¡¯ve already tried contacting Mr. Jackson, but he¡¯s currently attending a design conference overseas and his phone has been switched off. As such, we haven¡¯t been able to reach him.¡± ¡°Then think of a way to contact him!¡± Finnick roared. ¡°Ask him toe here immediately after you manage to reach him!¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Norton,¡± Noah answered, his face as pale as sheet. Finnick was no longer able to focus on the endowment model disyed on hisputer screen. Instead, he proceeded to wheel himself out of the room swiftly. Noah followed behind hurriedly as he heard his boss ask, ¡°Has Vivian gotten back home?¡± ¡°Molly had just called to inform that Mrs. Norton is already at home.¡± Only then did Finnick¡¯s tensed expression soften. Just then, he suddenly noticed that he was still holding onto that handkerchief and threw it towards Noah with a look of disgust. ¡°Throw this thing away. Also, acquire the factory which manufactured this handkerchief and shut it down. I don¡¯t ever want to see a simr handkerchief appearing anywhere in this world again.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Noah felt like he was being ced in a tough spot as he asked, ¡°But how about Mr. Jackson¡­ ¡° ¡°Just do as I say!¡± Finnick yelled before Noah was able toplete his sentence. Vivian was already asleep when Finnick reached home. She did not sleep wellst night while sharing a bed with Finnick. As such, she had been feeling exhausted the whole day and went to bed immediately after finishing dinner and washing up. The moment Finnick entered the room, he saw Vivian curled up on the bed. She was hugging the nket tightly and wearing the silk camisole nightgown which Molly had bought for her. Her delicate shoulders and bony back were all exposed. Finnick couldn¡¯t help but frown at the sight. Vivian had a sleeping habit of hugging the nket instead of covering it over her properly. Often, the man would wake up in the middle of the night and ce the nket over her, for fear that she might catch a cold. Why did Molly buy her such a thin nightgown? Is she not aware that it¡¯s easier to catch a cold that way? After Finnick shut the door, he stood up from his wheelchair and walked to Vivian¡¯s bedside, wanting to cover her with the nket. However, right when he stood by the bed, the woman turned around and the nket slipped off her bodypletely. Finnick¡¯s throat tightened right then and halted his actions. The man finally understood why Molly had specially prepared that nightgown for Vivian. It was a ck nightgown with extremely beautiful patterns which were intricately woven together. The dress was stuck to Vivian¡¯s fair skin, which increased the woman¡¯s allure. In the first ce, the nightgown was designed to be fitting, which perfectly showcased Vivian¡¯s curves. In addition to her sleeping posture, it was really¡­ Finnick¡¯s deep-set gaze darkened. Just then, Vivian woke up and rubbed her eyes. ¡°Finnick?¡± She was momentarily stunned to see the man standing beside her bed, but recovered quickly. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± When Vivian got home, she was already worn out. As such, it did not take long for her to fall asleep. However, seeing Finnick right in front of her, the woman thought of what she heard from Jenny during the day and was instantly awake. Finnick did not answer Vivian immediately. Instead, he picked up the nket swiftly and covered Vivian with it. Only then did the ze in his eyes subside. ¡°Put on warmer clothes when you sleep next time, in case you catch a cold,¡± the man said softly. Vivian was stunned for a second before realizing that she was dressed in her new pajamas and blush of embarrassment spread across her cheeks. ¡°I was only away for a day and didn¡¯t expect Molly to throw away all my old pajamas when I came back. This is the only one left.¡± Vivian was suddenly regretting returning home the day before. Not only did it not benefit her in any way, but she had also even presented a window of opportunity for Molly to act. Indeed, she was no match for those people who had been working for the rich and powerful for a long time. ¡°Oh, how¡¯s your wound?¡± Finnick suddenly remembered something and grabbed Vivian¡¯s wrist. Pulling it out from underneath the nket, he saw the cotton gauze on her wound which was already shifted out of ce. ¡°You didn¡¯t change the dressing again? Vivian William, can you stop worrying others?¡± The man said with a frown. After getting reprimanded by Finnick, Vivian recoiled a little as she was slightly fearful. ¡°I¡¯ll change it immediately,¡± she replied. Just as Vivian was about to climb out of bed, Finnick pressed her back down. ¡°Let me do it. It won¡¯t be easy using only your left hand.¡± The man left and returned speedily with some cotton buds and medicine, and started changing the dressing for Vivian. Vivian had already lost count of the number of times Finnick helped to change her dressing since the day she got injured. However, whenever he did it, her cheeks never failed to heat up as she felt his warm breaths falling on her arm. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 127 Vivian couldn¡¯t help but turn her head towards the side. When she did that, Finnick¡¯s handsome face came into view, which startled her for a moment. From that angle, she could clearly see how long and dense the man¡¯s eyshes were. In addition to his obsidian-like dark eyes, Finnick¡¯s attractive features would put any girl, including Vivian, to shame. As she observed how attentive Finnick was at treating her wound, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Finnick, can I ask you something?¡± Finnick remained focused on applying medicine for Vivian and without lifting his head, he answered, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Regarding the owner of that ne¡­ Is she your ex-girlfriend?¡± Vivian took a deep breath before asking. Finnick froze for a moment before continuing with his actions and answered, ¡°Yup.¡± To Vivian¡¯s surprise, the man did not seem to be avoiding this topic. As much as she was slightly relieved, she couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°You like her a lot, right?¡± Finnick finally looked up and met Vivian¡¯s eyes. His pitch-ck eyes seemed to be bottomless and unfathomable to Vivian. She could only hear him say calmly, ¡°Vivian, why are you asking about this?¡± Vivian immediately regretted asking that question as she felt that she might have overstepped his boundaries. She replied softly, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just noticed that you always have a sad expression whenever you looked at that ne.¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes flickered before he quickly looked down again and continued dressing Vivian¡¯s wound. Just as Vivian thought that Finnick did not wish to continue talking about it anymore, the man spoke. ¡°I have let her down.¡± Vivian was stunned for a few seconds beforeing back to her senses. Did he mean that he had let Evelyn down? The woman felt a shiver down her spine. Could it be that¡­ he had really abandoned Evelyn ten years ago? Was that why he felt like he had let her down? No. That¡¯s impossible. Vivian shook her head to clear her mind and did not reply. As such, the conversation ended there. Meanwhile, over at the Norton residence, the elder Mr. Norton had already gone to bed a while back as the elderly needed more rest. However, Mark was still in his study with another person who stood hunched over in front of him. As that man was in the shadows, his face could not be seen clearly. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Mark¡¯s face darkened and looked extremely grim. ¡°You mean, that cripple Finnick has really done it with his new wife?¡± ¡°Absolutely sure,¡± the person in front of the study table answered seriously and added, ¡°The elder Mr. Norton has been really concerned about this matter. I have observed very carefully and I¡¯m certain that it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Mark hit his desk in fury. With his eyes burning in rage, he eximed, ¡°So that means, if everything goes smoothly, that woman called Vivian could be bearing that damned cripple Finnick¡¯s child?¡± ¡°Theoretically, that¡¯s the case,¡± the person in front of the study table answered respectfully. ¡°We can¡¯t let it happen!¡± Mark bellowed with a menacing look on his face. After analyzing the situation for a while, he said, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll try to dy Finnick tomorrow and you¡¯ll find a way to get rid of that woman, Vivian.¡± The other man frowned as he asked, ¡°Mr. Norton, why don¡¯t we just get rid of Finnick directly?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve not thought about that?¡± Mark sneered. ¡°But as you know, the old man treats Finnick like a treasure. When the kidnapping ident happened ten years ago, he hadbed the entire city to find him. That¡¯s why we are unable to take any action on Finnick at the moment. Vivian is not the same, she¡¯s just an outsider. Even if my dad finds out that we are the ones who did it, he wouldn¡¯t do anything to us.¡± ¡°Alright, understood.¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something else.¡± Mark suddenly thought of something as his face darkened. ¡°Fabian must not know about this.¡± There was a flicker in the other man¡¯s eye before he replied, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°You may leave now.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Norton.¡± The next day, Vivian received a text from Finnick shortly after she reached the magazinepany. He informed her that he was going away on a business trip and reminded her to change her dressing and take good care of herself. Vivian replied: I will. Then, she started getting busy at work. As the deadline for the new issue of the magazine was due soon, everyone in the office was in a frantic state and worked overtime in order to meet the due date. Vivian was among thest to leave office and it was already past midnight. Coincidentally, there was a concert going on at the stadium beside the magazinepany, which resulted in bad traffic conditions and it was almost impossible to get a cab. As such, everyone was discussing about the most efficient way to carpool. However, when Vivian¡¯s co- Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. workers asked for her address, she was at a loss for words. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 128 She couldn¡¯t possibly tell them that she was staying at the most expensive vi housing estate in the city. As such, the woman had no other choice but to tell the rest that her husband was already on his way to pick her up. She smiled and told them to leave first. Everyone was envious of Vivian for having such a doting husband and left one by one. Finally, Vivian was the only one left waiting at the entrance of the magazinepany. After twenty minutes, there was still no sign of any cabs. The woman tried to call for one using a ride- hailing app but did not have any luck as well. Since Finnick wasn¡¯t at Sunshine City at that point in time, there was no one Vivian could seek help from. As such, she could only continue waiting. Suddenly, a red Ferrari sports car stopped in front of her. When she saw who the driver was, Vivian¡¯s expression stiffened and she immediately turned to leave. However, the car door was swiftly pushed open and the driver stepped out, chasing after the woman. ¡°Vivian, why are you walking away!¡± The woman stopped in her tracks and turned around reluctantly. ¡°Mr. Norton,¡± she greeted. Fabian stood in front of Vivian, looking a little helpless. But still, he opened the car door and said, ¡°Hop in, I¡¯ll give you a lift home.¡± However, Vivian did not move and merely replied, ¡°Thanks, but my husband will being to fetch me.¡± She had intentionally emphasized on the words ¡®my husband¡¯ but Fabian seemed to look even more helpless as he said, ¡°Vivian, you don¡¯t have to spite me deliberately by saying that. I know that Uncle Finnick and my dad are both out of town.¡± Vivian did not expect that Finnick was out of town handling matters rted to the Norton family and felt awkward instantly. However, she still stood firmly rooted to the ground and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll get a cab myself.¡± ¡°Look at the time now. Do you really think you¡¯ll be able to get a cab at this hour? Don¡¯t worry, my intentions are pure. Even if it were another employee, I would have done the same.¡± After Fabian finished speaking, he saw that Vivian was still unwilling to budge. It was then that he felt a sh of irritation. Grabbing Vivian¡¯s wrists, he dragged her into the car. ¡°Fabian Norton, let go of me!¡± Vivian was extremely unwilling to be involved with Fabian in any sort of manner. Besides, there was already such an awkward rtionship between them. Just the fact alone that Vivian could feel Fabian¡¯s lingering feelings for her was enough for her to draw a clear line between them. However, she was no match for Fabian¡¯s strength and was being forced into his car. Fabian shut the door immediately and manually locked Vivian¡¯s side of the door with his car key, before getting into the car and driving away at the fastest speed possible. He left no chance for Vivian to get out of the car.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Vivian was simmering with anger as she red at Fabian. Since she was already in his car, the best option she had was to keep quiet and not say a single word. Fabian read the situation well and did not try to start a conversation with Vivian. He simply drove her back to the vi in silence. When they arrived at the vi, Vivian finally heaved a sigh of relief at the familiar sight. She managed to force a ¡®thanks¡¯ out of her mouth and was about to get out of the car. However, just then, Fabian, who had been keeping quiet all along, suddenly grabbed her wrists and pulled her back into the seat. Thinking that the man was going to do something crazy again, Vivian stared at him with wide eyes and asked warily, ¡°What do you want?¡± A pained look shed across Fabian¡¯s face when he observed Vivian¡¯s defensive, yet fearful expression. However, he recovered quickly and said softly, ¡°Vivian, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Vivian had not expected that from Fabian. She was momentarily stunned and unable to react. ¡°I¡¯ve misunderstood you two years ago and left you when you needed me the most,¡± Fabian said seriously while looking at the woman in the eye. ¡°I owe you an apology. I¡¯m really, really sorry.¡± Fabian was genuinely sorry and meant every single word of that. All these while, he had been caught up with misunderstanding Vivian and taking revenge. After knowing the truth, he got busy thinking about Vivian¡¯s rtionship with Finnick. However, just the night before, he suddenly remembered that he still owed her an apology. He had to take responsibility for his past misdeeds towards her. Vivian¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Fabian, who had a serious face. Her feelings at that moment was indescribable. Frankly, she was never expecting an apology from Fabian. No amount of ¡®sorry¡¯ could atone for the hurt that he had caused her. However, with Fabian looking so sincere in front of her, Vivian¡¯s ice-cold guarded heart seemed to have melted a little. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 129 At that instant, Vivian seemed to have recognized that mboyant, yet warm Fabian she once knew. Her eyes dimmed and avoided his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s already in the past, so there¡¯s no point bringing it up now.¡± Indeed, what¡¯s done was already done. An apology would not make anything better. However, on a simr note, Vivian knew that there was no use holding on to it and she should let bygones be bygones. It was still not easy for her to pretend that it did not matter at all and tell Fabian that she had forgiven him, but she also did not intend to take any revenge against him. After all, he was her first love whom she had once loved deeply. He was present during the most wonderful part of her youth and she did not want to ruin him nor their beautiful memories together. ¡°Vivian, I¡­¡± Fabian felt a stinging pain in his heart. Just when he wanted to say something in reply, Vivian had already looked up and said, ¡°Thanks for sending me back. I have to go now. Bye.¡± Not giving the man a chance to respond, Vivian struggled immediately after she finished speaking and got off the car. Fabian remained seated in the car as he looked at Vivian¡¯s back, feeling dejected. Is she not willing to give me a chance to apologize? Fabian continued to sit absentmindedly in the car without driving off. Before he realized, two hours had already gone by and it was already the darkest of the night. The man pped himself awake and was about to leave when he detected a burnt smelling from the direction of the vi. Meanwhile, after Vivian got out of Fabian¡¯s car, she returned to the vi and as usual, had dinner and washed up before going to bed. It could have been just her imagination, but Vivian felt especially sleepy that night. She was feeling so light-headed that she almost lost her bnce while showering and fell asleep once she hit the sack. It was a dreamless night for the woman. Vivian wasn¡¯t sure how long she had slept when she was woken up by a gush of smoke attacking her nostrils. Vivian let out bouts of coughs as she struggled to open her eyes, but smoke went into her eyes and Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. she felt a stinging pain. The woman quickly realized something was amiss and climbed out of bed. However, she only realized when she tried to stand up that she was aching all over and barely had the strength to support herself. What on earth is happening? Vivian couldn¡¯t bother to analyze the situation at that moment and quickly turned on her bedsidemp. With the room lit, she immediately saw that her entire room was filled with ck smoke. H-Has¡­ the house caught fire? Vivian was terrified. At the same time, her cough was worsened by the burnt stench that wafted into her nose continuously. However, she managed to calm herself down quickly and struggled to get down the bed as swiftly as she could with her aching body. After grabbing her jacket, Vivian dashed out of the bedroom. What greeted her next was an even more horrifying sight! The mes were burning with menace as harsh smoke spiraled towards the ceiling. The only reason the situation back in the room was not as bad was because of the closed room door which acted as a barricade. Vivian could clearly see that the entire corridor was up in mes once she opened the door. ¡°Molly! Liam!¡± Even when her own life was in danger, Vivian was still worried about the two elderly who were in their rooms. However, after calling out their names a few times, there was still no response. Instead, more smoke got into Vivian¡¯s throat. The woman decided that she was not in the position to worry about others and the most important thing right then was for her to get out safely. But there was no way she could charge out of the house with the fire burning so fiercely! Vivian forced herself to stayposed and ran back to her bedroom and locked the door. Then, she carried the nket into the bathroom and soaked it with water, before covering herself with it and dashed out of the room once again. With the wet nket as protection, Vivian felt a little braver and ventured towards the corridor. She tried to stay low in order not to breathe in too much smoke. When she finally made it to the end of the corridor and was about to go downstairs, she noticed that the situation at the stairs was even worse. A few of the steps were already burnt and crumbling, making it impossible for her to step on them! Just as Vivian was in aplete fluster and not knowing what to do, she suddenly saw white smoke whizzing towards her in bouts. She froze for a few seconds while staring at the white smoke when suddenly, she realized¡­ It¡¯s a fire extinguisher! The next moment, a familiar tall figure emerged through the smoke and was running towards her. ¡°Vivian! Vivian! Where are you!¡± Vivian was both shocked and ted to hear that familiar voice, as if herst lifeline had arrived. ¡°Fabian! Ahem! Fabian I¡¯m here!¡± She screamed. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 130 The white mist from the fire extinguisher restrained the fire on the stairs a little. At that instant, Vivian saw Fabian running towards her. In the next moment, the railing of the corridor next to her crashed down right between them and they were separated by surging mes. ¡°Damn it!¡± Vivian heard Fabian yelling while covering his mouth, ¡°Vivian, stay there! I¡¯lle and look for you!¡± Vivian was about to nod her head but suddenly she thought of something. Wait. Is Finnick¡¯s ne still in the bedroom? It should be. Finnick treasures that ne. He rarely takes it outside. It is always kept in the drawer at home when he goes to work or goes on duty. The fire is so strong. After the table burns down, the crystal ne will definitely be ruined. Wouldn¡¯t Finnick be very sad? She couldn¡¯t help but think about how Finnick always looked sad whenever he held that ne. Suddenly, she felt bad. Damn, wouldn¡¯t it be too selfish of me to disregard Finnick¡¯s most treasured ne? She knew that the ne was not a living thing but that was Finnick¡¯s only object of sentimental value and she could not bear to deprive him of thisst treasured memory! Thinking of this, she took a look at the nket covering her body. It was still quite wet. It might be able to hold it for a while as the fire had subsided a little for the time being. It would take some time for Fabian to reach her. So, she gritted her teeth, pinched her nose and yelled, ¡°Fabian! I¡¯ll go back and get something!¡± Fabian was struggling to put out the fire. Hearing Vivian¡¯s words, he was shocked and he scolded, ¡°Vivian, are you f***ing crazy? What can be more important than your life?¡± Vivian ignored Fabian¡¯s words. Instead, she raced back to the room. Her body felt strangely weak for some reason but she did not think twice about that. Gritting her teeth, Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. she rushed back to the room in one breath. She was coughing violently from inhaling too much smoke but that did not stop her. Once she got into the room, she rushed to the table. She had not closed the door when she left, so the fire had spread into the room and the table was on fire. Vivian opened the drawer with her hand wrapped inside the nket. She did not realize that by now, the nket had dried up and her hand was immediately scalded. ¡°Ouch!¡± She screamed in pain but she bore the agony and pulled out the drawer. Immediately, she found the crystal ne. As quickly as she could, she took out the ne and was thinking of taking out the photograph but it caught fire and was burnt up in no time. She had no choice but to give it up while just grabbing the ne carefully. Immediately, she tried to rush out of the room. However, when she reached the doorway, the bookcase next to the door copsed with a loud bang! The books on the bookcase was burned into ashes and the bookcase had fallen right across the doorway. Sparks were flying everywhere and Vivian was so frightened that she took a few steps back. What should I do¡­ In that moment, the door was blocked. How can I go out? She thought of wrapping herself in the nket and rushing out but the nket had already started to catch fire. At that point, she was annoyed by her impetuousness. It seems like I might end up losing the ne and my own life! She wondered if she really died, would Finnick be sadder over her death or the loss of the ne? He would be sadder over thetter I guess¡­ After all, aspared to Evelyn whom he had loved so much, I am just a stranger he had befriended for only a few months. Vivian was surprised by her thoughts. How could she, at this moment of life and death, think about these unessential things? The fire around her was getting bigger and warmer. She could hardly see the corridor and the smoke was getting thick. Then, she started coughing with teary eyes and her vision became blurred. Will I really lose my life here? As she was about to break down, she wore the ne around her neck to protect it. If her body were discovered together with the ne, hopefully, Finnick would understand her kind intention and for her sake, treat her mother well. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 131 As she wept and all sorts of nonsensical thoughts went through her mind, suddenly, she heard a shout. ¡°Vivian¡± Vivian was startled and when she raised her head, she saw a figure running outside the mes. ¡°Fabian!¡± She tried to yell but her throat was hoarse, ¡°I-I¡¯m here! H-Here!¡± Still, Fabian heard Vivian¡¯s voice and rushed over immediately. Nevertheless, the fire at the door was so strong that he could not get in at all. His tried to use his fire extinguisher but its contents had run out. Vivian felt desperate. Am I fated to die here, now? Suddenly, to her shock, she saw Fabian throw the fire extinguisher out of his hand and rushed into the mes! Vivian¡¯s mind was blown away as she screamed, ¡°No, Fabian!¡± She could not believe her eyes. The fire was zing at the doorway but Fabian just rushed inside as if he was crazy! Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Is he trying to get killed? Or¡­ did he only care about saving me? At this thought, she bit her lip fiercely and tears rolled down her cheeks only to be evaporated by the heat. Fool¡­ You are really a fool¡­ I¡¯m not your girlfriend anymore. Why are you going so far to try to save me? It¡¯s not worth it! At that instant, Fabian had rushed into the fire and in the next, he had reached Vivian. She could see that parts of his shirt had been burnt exposing his seared skin. She was frightened and quickly patted him with the nket on her body to put out the fire. However, Fabian just put on a determined face and without wasting a second, he quickly hid under the nket. Grabbing Vivian in his arms, the both quickly rushed out through the door again! Fabian was much bigger than Vivian and so in his embrace, she was totally protected from the mes. It was different for Fabian. Although he was covered by the nket, the fire still reached him and Vivian could hear him grunting over her head. Vivian could not help trembling all over but she knew that this moment was not a time to be emotional. Fabian had done all these just for her and it was only because of her stupidity and ignorance that there were facing this danger! Hence, she had to grit her teeth and rush out of there! Bearing these thoughts in her mind, she did her best to synchronize her steps with Fabian¡¯s and the two rushed out of the fire in the corridor. However, when they reached the entrance to the corridor, most of the stairs had been burned out. Without hesitation, Fabian embraced Vivian, turned around and jumped down! Vivian waspletely shielded from the impact as shended on Fabian¡¯s back because he had turned around when he jumped. Although the stairs were not high, there were burn wounds on his back. The moment theynded, Vivian heard his groans of pain even though he desperately held back his cries. She could imagine how much pain he was in! As she bit her lips, tears ran down her face uncontrobly. In spite of everything, Fabian staggered up as if he felt no pain, grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand and ran outside. He had barely run a few steps when he stumbled. ¡°Enough, Fabian, enough!¡± Vivian quickly steadied him and spoke hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯ll support you!¡± Vivian discovered thatpared to the second floor, the fire on the ground floor was less severe. Although it was difficult for her petite stature to support Fabian along, it was fortunate that there was no fire at all. Finally, she managed to help Fabian out of the door. As soon as they were outside, she discovered that the fire had attracted the attention of residents in other vis nearby. Someone had called a fire engine and an ambnce. When Vivian and Fabian came out, there were exmations of surprise from the crowd. At that moment, the firefighters were just about to enter the vi. Seeing the two of them, they too were surprised and hurried over to carry them up directly into the ambnce. Vivian felt extremely giddy as if she were seeing stars but she forced herself to keep going. She grabbed the sleeve of the closest fireman and asked, ¡°I-Is he okay¡­¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 132 Helping hime outside had exhausted her so much that she had no energy left to check his condition. The fireman sensed that she was asking about Fabian so he quickly took a look and replied, ¡°He is quite alright but he has fainted. Don¡¯t you worry!¡± Only after hearing that was Vivian relieved. She closed her eyes and fell unconscious. Moments passed. When Vivian woke up the next time, she was lying on a hospital bed inside a ward. At her bedside, sat Noah. ¡°Mrs. Norton, you¡¯re awake!¡± Noah stood up as soon as he saw that she had regained consciousness. ¡°How do you feel? Can you see clearly?¡± At his words, Vivian realized that indeed, her eyesight seemed blurry and she could not see very well. However, she was not concerned about that, instead, she grabbed Noah and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Where¡¯s Fabian?¡± As soon as she spoke, she realized that her voice sounded like a damaged musical instrument. A look of embarrassment shed across Noah¡¯s face but he replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s fine. His wounds are infected but he should be awake now.¡± Vivian heaved a sigh of relief. Then she coughed violently. Noah quickly poured her a cup of water. ¡°Mr. Norton is on the flight. He should bending in a few hours.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he in A Nation on a job?¡± ¡°The moment he heard about the fire at home, he booked the earliest flight back.¡± Noah continued in earnest, ¡°Mrs. Norton, Mr. Norton is very concerned about you.¡± Vivian¡¯s lips twitched. Perhaps, he¡¯s more concerned about the ne? At the thought of the ne, she quickly felt around her neck and said in a panic, ¡°Where is the ne?¡± Noah was stunned at first. Then he remembered and immediately picked up the crystal ne from the bedside nightstand. ¡°Are you referring to this?¡± Noah had no idea what the crystal ne was all about. He watched as Vivian held the ne in her hands and a wave of relief washed over her. ¡°This is great! The ne is still here¡­¡± Noah felt puzzled. Just as he was about to call the doctor to give Vivian an examination, she looked up suddenly and asked, ¡°Mr. Lotte, can you please take me to see Fabian?¡± She knew that when Finnick arrived, with his domineering temperament, she might not have the chance to visit Fabian at all. However, she was really worried about Fabian and more importantly, she really felt that she had been unjust to him. Noah looked ufortable as he replied, ¡°Mrs. Norton, this is not quite right¡­¡± I must be out of my mind to bring Mrs. Norton to see her ex-boyfriend¡­ Vivian frowned, saying, ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not willing to apany me, I will have to go on my own.¡± At that, she struggled to get off the bed. ¡°Oh, Mrs. Norton, please¡­¡± Noah was worried about her, and now he had no choice but to help her into the wheelchair and hang the intravenous bottle on the chair as well. ¡°It¡¯s better that I send you there.¡± Pushing Vivian on the wheelchair, Noah arrived at Fabian¡¯s ward. Before they could enter, they could hear Ashley crying and sobbing. ¡°Fabian, how did you get such serious injuries? Oh, what am I supposed to do?¡± Vivian was at a loss and instinctively, she wanted to leave. However, Fabian who was lying on the bed had already seen her. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he quickly spoke up, ¡°Vivian, since you¡¯re here, why not enter?¡± Vivian could only brace herself as she signal Noah to push her inside. The moment Ashley saw her, her tears stopped flowing and mes of jealousy and hatred filled her eyes. Quickly, Fabian turned to Ashley and said, ¡°Ashley, leave us for a while.¡± Unwillingness was written all over Ashley¡¯s face but since Fabian was insistent, she had no choice but to leave. Before that, she made sure to re at Vivian venomously. Noah left the room too. In the ward, Fabian was alone with Vivian. Vivian gazed at Fabian¡¯s pale face. His legs were in ster casts. On his face and shoulders were numerous burn injuries and she wondered how bad were the burns under his clothes. Spontaneously, her eyes turned a little red. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Nheless, she did her best to control her emotions and said softly, ¡°Fabian, I really want to thank you sincerely for this.¡± Fabian looked at Vivian and replied calmly, ¡°You really should thank me. Did you know how dangerous it was back there? You went back into the room to get that ne. If it weren¡¯t for me, I guess you would have died inside.¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 133 As a matter of fact, when he was saving Vivian, he had observed that she was risking her life to retrieve a crystal ne. Vivian¡¯s hands gripped her hospital gown as she spoke gently, ¡°In truth, you need not have gone that far to save me.¡± ¡°Need not have done that?¡± Fabian raised his eyebrows suddenly. ¡°Vivian, what are you talking about? Did you think that I would stand by and let you die?¡± Vivian could not meet Fabian¡¯s gaze and so she turned away, saying, ¡°Actually, you only needed to take care of yourself. I am not worthy of your effort.¡± Fabian had told himself not to lose his temper with Vivian but hearing her words, he lost his temper again. He got up, and with his bandaged hand, he held Vivian¡¯s chin and forced her to meet his gaze. Coldly, he spoke, ¡°Vivian, it is my decision to make, not yours!¡± As Vivian looked at Fabian, she could see that he was no longer able to conceal his emotions. She could not help feeling afraid. No! You can¡¯t do this. The person that she was now must never have an intimate rtionship with Fabian. With that in mind, she felt the need to do right. Quickly she broke away from Fabian¡¯s hold and said sharply, ¡°Fabian, please be mindful of your attitude. Remember that I am your aunt now!¡± Aunt Vivian. Those two words were like cold water pouring on Fabian¡¯s emotions. In that instant, she moved his hand away as she frowned and looked at him. ¡°Fabian, you will be married to Ashley soon. I hope today¡¯spse in self-control will never happen again.¡± With that, she did not look at Fabian again but rolled her wheelchair out of the ward. Fabian was left feeling lost, sitting on the hospital bed. Outside the ward, Vivian stopped for a while to take a few deep breaths. Fabian¡¯s reaction just now felt like a thorn pricking her heart¡ªarousing feelings she could not describe. Back then, when Fabian tried every means to torture and insult her, she had thought that he just hated her betrayal and so he wanted to revenge. But today, seeing the unbearable sentiment in Fabian¡¯s eyes and his desperation to control himself, she knew that she was wrong. He had never stopped loving her¡ªnot at all. He tried to torture her before because he had not stopped loving her. It was because of this that after he found out about the truth, he seemed to be expecting something that he should not expect. However, now there was nothing to expect anymore. She had be his aunt, and he was about to be her brother-inw. The two of them were destined to be strangers. The thorn in her heart seemed to be constantly stirring up unbearable feelings. At one point, they were certain that they would be partners for life. Yet, they had ended up this way. Fabian, you have realized the truth toote¡­ As soon as Vivian came out on her wheelchair, Ashley suddenly popped out of the corner and stopped her. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ashley¡¯s beguiling face was, at that time, full of tears as she bit her lips. ¡°Vivian, I want to talk with you.¡± Vivian knew Ashley too well. If she did not talk with her now, Ashley would keep on harassing her. She had no choice but to reign in her own sadness and spoke to Noah, ¡°You go back first.¡± Noah looked at Ashley in suspicion and said to Vivian in a low voice, ¡°Mrs. Norton, I¡¯ll be just round the corner. Call me if you need anything.¡± Vivian nodded her head. As soon as Noah left, Ashley gave up any trace of pretense. Immediately, she snarled at Vivian, ¡°Vivian! You shameless woman, when will you leave Fabian alone?¡± Vivian found her usation hrious. ¡°Ashley, since when am I not willing to leave?¡± ¡°You are trying to seduce him all the time! Otherwise he would not get burnt so badly just to save you.¡± She felt extremely jealous and angry just to think that he had injured himself so badly over saving Vivian. ¡°You shameless woman, from the time we were kids, you have been trying to snatch my things. What else are you good for?¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 134 Originally, Vivian didn¡¯t want to pay any attention to Ashley, but when she heard Ashley¡¯s words, her expression darkened and she hissed, ¡°Ashley Miller, ask your conscience, who was the one who always wanted things that weren¡¯t hers?¡± Vivian spent her primary and high school days in international schools together with Ashley, and Ashley had never made life easy for her. When Vivian had a crush on a senior, Ashley confessed to him first and dumped him after three days. Then, when Vivian wanted to be recognized as one of the model students in school, Ashley asked Emma to bribe the higher-ups and the title went to Ashley instead. Furthermore, when Vivian joined a club, Ashley asked the teacher to disband the club entirely. Vivian could never understand why Ashley would go to great lengths just to spite her since Ashley was already the favorite child ever since they were young. It wasn¡¯t until Vivian had enough of Ashley¡¯s bullying that she enrolled in a different high school to distance herself from Ashley and gained respite from her sister¡¯s harassment. Ashley red at Vivian and retorted, ¡°You of course! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you are jealous of me since we were young. You wanted to take away everything that belonged to me, the only reason you didn¡¯t was because you failed time and time again. But this time, you actually seeded! God knows what kind of underhanded methods you used to deal with Fabian!¡± Vivian was utterly shocked at how delusional Ashley was. ¡°Whatever.¡± Vivian was done dealing with Ashley. ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m married, so I¡¯m not interested in your man. Do whatever you want with that information.¡± With that, Vivian wheeled her wheelchair and left. As Vivian was leaving, Ashley bit her lip so hard it almost bled. In actuality, Ashley knew that Vivian was speaking the truth, because the problem lied with Fabian, not Vivian. Now that Fabian is injured, the wedding will definitely be postponed. I¡¯m so scared that the wedding will just be canceled after the postponement! How can I make Fabian stay? With a glimmer in her eyes, she suddenly looked down at her belly. Maybe that¡¯s the only way¡­ After Vivian went back to her ward, she could feel her eyelids bing heavier and heavier. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. Unbeknownst to her, while she was sound asleep, a man stepped into her ward. When Finnick saw how pale the woman before him was and how many wounds she bore, his expression contorted in rage. ¡°Mr. Norton, Mrs. Norton is doing fine,¡± Noah whispered. ¡°Did you find out who did this?¡± Finnick asked in a cold tone. ¡°The reports of what happened will be delivered to us soon.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Finnick retracted his gaze and dered, ¡°Before that happens, let¡¯s go visit the other victim.¡± It took a moment before Noah realized who Finnick was talking about. Sitting in his wheelchair, Finnick arrived at Fabian¡¯s ward. It took a lot of effort for Fabian to chase Ashley away earlier, and he was currently staring at his phone wondering if he should text Vivian to check on her. At that moment, he heard someone rapping on his door. ¡°Come in.¡± He was curious as to who would visit him, but when he saw the man in the wheelchair, he froze in shock. ¡°Uncle Finnick?¡± With a tone of surprise, he asked, ¡°What are you doing back so soon?¡± Wasn¡¯t Uncle Finnick handling the Norton family¡¯s business in A Nation? Why did hee back so soon? Could it be that he rushed back because he heard about what happened to Vivian? At that realization, Fabian felt a sense of displeasure. Even my biological father simply gave me a phone call after finding out about my injury. ¡°I heard you got injured because of Vivian, so I came to visit you,¡± Finnick said tly with a poker face on. Fabian frowned and replied, ¡°Thanks for your concern, Uncle Finnick. How is Vivian¡­ Aunt Vivian Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. doing?¡± Finnick¡¯s expression darkened instantly when he heard the obvious concern in Fabian¡¯s voice. Finnick opted to not answer the question causing an awkward silence to fill the entire room. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 135 ¡°It looks like you really are concerned about my wife,¡± Finnick slowly uttered after a long pause. His voice was calm, but the feeling it gave off was inexplicably ominous. When Fabian heard the possessiveness that Finnick had towards Vivian from Finnick¡¯s voice, a surge of anger bubbled within him. Since Finnick and Mark¡¯s rtionship wasn¡¯t great, Fabian didn¡¯t really have much respect for his uncle. He dropped his polite act and scoffed, ¡°Yeah. After all, she was my first love.¡± Fabian said that to get a reaction out of Finnick, but Finnick maintained his cold smile as he said slowly, ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± All of a sudden, the words died on Fabian¡¯s lips. He finally lost his temper when he saw the smugness on Finnick¡¯s expression. He sat up abruptly on the bed and yelled, ¡°Finnick, cut the crap and tell me why you came to me.¡± Finnick simply shed a cold smile in response when he saw how frustrated Fabian was. ¡°Of course I¡¯m here to thank you for saving my wife.¡± In fact, Finnick meant his words. Even though he was displeased at the fact that Fabian was the one who rescued Vivian from the fire, but if it wasn¡¯t for Fabian, Vivian might¡¯ve suffered even more injuries. Despite his sincerity, his words pricked Fabian¡¯s ears like needles. Enraged, Fabianughed, he stared mockingly at the wheelchair-ridden Finnick and scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s right. I was the one who saved Vivian from the fire, unlike a certain someone who would¡¯ve only burdened her even if they were there, right?¡± A dark haze loomed over Finnick¡¯s expression instantly and even Noah was angered by that statement. Noah stepped forward and hissed, ¡°Fabian Norton, what the hell do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I think I made myself very clear.¡± Fabian¡¯s smile faded as he looked at Finnick¡¯s legs. ¡°How can a Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. disabled person like you ever give Vivian the happiness she deserves? If someday Vivian and you faced some sort of danger, would you be able to save her? No! Because you¡¯re a crippled piece of sh*t! You can¡¯t even-¡± Before Fabian could finish, Finnick grabbed Fabian¡¯s knees that were covered under the nket. Surprised, Fabian demanded, ¡°What are you doing?¡± He then tried to shake Finnick¡¯s hands off, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t himself from the immensely powerful grip. ¡°I¡¯m just teaching you some manners as a family elder.¡± Finnick¡¯s expression was as ambiguous as ever. ¡°You crippled sh*t!¡± Fabian was a man of pride, so it was natural he couldn¡¯t stand Finnick¡¯s humiliating threats. He struggled even more as he roared, ¡°Let go of me!¡± However, Finnick¡¯s expression darkened further and he exerted more force with his palms. All of a sudden, Fabian felt a sharp pain radiating from his knee and he fell backward weakly on the bed. ¡°Stop using the word ¡®crippled¡¯ every chance you get.¡± Finnick¡¯s voice had a hint of menace in it as just like me.¡± Instinctively, Fabian wanted to rebuke him, but he was genuinely scared now because of the pain on his knees, so he held his tongue. He knew that even though Finnick was wheelchair-ridden, he had the ability to cripple him because Finnick learned all sorts of self-defense techniques since young. Fabian smirked coldly when he saw that Finnick finally kept quiet. He let go of his knee and left without saying a word. ¡°Finnick!¡± Before he left the room, however, Fabian yelled his name from behind. Even so, he didn¡¯t stop moving. ¡°I could¡¯ve rescued Vivian from the fire without her suffering any injuries. But, she fought tooth and nail to retrieve something and that caused us to be trapped in the fire!¡± Hearing this, Finnick finally stopped in his tracks. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 136 ¡°What was it?¡± Without turning around, Finnick asked in a cold voice. However, Fabian didn¡¯t answer because he recognized the ne that Vivian risked her life for trying to retrieve. One time when Mark was drunk, he mocked Finnick by saying that he was a useless piece of lovesick trash because he still cherished a cheap crystal ne even though Evelyn had been dead for ten years. That means that Vivian tried to retrieve the ne for Finnick¡¯s sake. Jealousy bubbled in him like an overflowing cauldron, so Fabian didn¡¯t want to answer Finnick¡¯s question. Instead, Fabian smirked and suggested, ¡°If you really want to know, why don¡¯t you ask her yourself?¡± When Finnick heard that, he finally left for real because he no longer wanted to waste his words on Fabian. Finnick returned to Vivian¡¯s ward and saw that she was still fast asleep. She looked pallid and her brows were furrowed as if the pain from her wounds was troubling her even in her sleep. Seeing that, Finnick felt a sharp tug in his heart. ¡°Tell thepany that I¡¯m not going back these few days. Arrange a video meeting if there¡¯s anything urgent or juste look for me directly,¡± Finnick instructed Noah softly. ¡°Mr. Norton¡­¡± Noah was absolutely stunned because he had never seen the responsible Finnick Norton shirk his work even after working under him for many years. Finnick ignored Noah¡¯s shocked expression and approached Vivian, he then caressed her face tenderly with his slender fingers. While Vivian was in dreand, she suddenly felt a hand gently stroking her cheeks. It was a familiar feeling, so she opened her eyes slightly and saw a superbly handsome face in her groggy state. She stiffened and tried to sit up. ¡°Finnick?¡± However, Finnick pressed her shoulders down. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Just lie down.¡± Vivian nodded and did as instructed. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Finnick tried to sound as calm as possible, but a faint hint of anger still slipped through his lips. Vivian could tell that something was amiss even though she couldn¡¯t figure out what. She frowned and asked, ¡°Finnick, are you angry?¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Finnick fell silent at that. Angry? More like scared. A wave of fear surged within his heart when he found out that the house caught on fire while he was in A Nation, just like ten years ago. But, he had no intention of telling Vivian that. Instead, he held her wrist and inspected the burn marks on the back of her hand with a sad expression. ¡°Fabian told me just now that you went back to the room to get something during the fire, right?¡± Finnick answered Vivian¡¯s question with a question of his own. Visibly taken aback, Vivian suddenly recalled something. ¡°Yeah. I went back to get this.¡± Her eyes were still blurry from her sleep, so she fumbled around as she tried to take the ne off her neck. ¡°You must be worried about this ne, right?¡± Finnick felt a sudden coldness in his palms, and he was shocked to realize that the crystal ne was already in his hands. His head snapped towards Vivian and he asked in a quizzical tone, ¡°Did you go back to the room just to get this ne?¡± Because everything looked blurry to her, she couldn¡¯t read his expressions, so she replied frankly, ¡°Yeah. I thought that you must be concerned about it.¡± Finnick grabbed onto the ne tightly and fell silent for a long while. Never would he have thought that the item Vivian risked her life for was this ne. Sensing the cold silence in the room, Vivian asked anxiously out of concern, ¡°Finnick, why aren¡¯t you speaking? Did something happen to the ne? Did it get damaged during the fire?¡± She then immediately inspected the ne closely, but it was too small, and her vision was blurry, so she couldn¡¯t notice anything significant. ¡°Vivian William, are you f*cking insane?¡± Just as she was squinting at the ne, a furious bellow rang in her ears. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 137 Vivian froze. Having known Finnick for so many years, she had never heard the man curse or speak in such an agitated manner. She frowned and asked, ¡°Finnick, what¡¯s-¡± But before she could finish, Finnick interrupted her with another yell. ¡°You went back to the room just for a ne? Do you know how lucky you were? You could¡¯ve died in there!¡± Finnick was absolutely livid at this point. She¡¯s such a moron! Is her life any less important than this stupid ne? I admit, this ne is really important to me because it¡¯s the only thing she left for me¡­ But how can a mere ne everpare to Vivian? From the moment he found out about the fire, the only thing he was worried about was Vivian, and the existence of the ne slipped through his mindpletely. For Vivian to confirmed that she put herself in danger just for that ne¡­ It was only natural that Finnick was furious. Finnick¡¯s tone was harsh, and it was very different from his usualposed and sophisticated manner. Because of her eyes, Vivian couldn¡¯t see Finnick¡¯s concern and fear. All she registered was his fury and disapproval. She never expected that all she got after risking her life for a ne was a scolding. The fear that she had been suppressing since the fire and the indignance she felt now culminated into tears in her eyes. That brought even more pain to her eyes, so she had to lower her head to rub it. On the other hand, Finnick was angry beyond belief, so he didn¡¯t even notice Vivian¡¯s expression. He simply clenched the ne until it bore into his palms as he looked down in frustration. For the first time in ten years, he felt fury instead of despair and guilt when he saw the ne. Vivian was in danger all because of this ne. If I continue to keep this ne, would that fool of a woman make the same stupid and dangerous mistake the next time something like this happens? He knew that he was being very irrational right now, which was a far cry from his usualposed manner, but he couldn¡¯t help himself from thinking that way. When he saw Vivian¡¯s paleplexion and the numerous burns on her body, rage surged within him and forced his hands to hurl the ne away. ng! The sound reverberated throughout the silent room and caused Vivian to look up abruptly. She couldn¡¯t really see what happened, but the sound still gave her an uneasy feeling. ¡°Finnick Norton, what did you do!¡± His anger not yet subsided, Finnick stared at Vivian and uttered coldly, ¡°I smashed the ne.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What! Are you crazy!¡± Vivian broke down when he said that. She sat up immediately and started searching for the ne¡¯s fragments in his hands because she couldn¡¯t see where it went. ¡°Did you really smash the ne? What were you thinking! Your ex-girlfriend left it behind for you!¡± That surprised Finnick because he never thought that Vivian would know about the ne¡¯s origins. Despite so, at that moment, he couldn¡¯t care less about it. He grabbed Vivian¡¯s wrist with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. In just a split second, the distance between them was so close it looked as if they had melded into one. He looked down at Vivian and spoke in a tone that was full of fury, ¡°Vivian, I¡¯m telling you now that if this ne is going to cause you any danger in the future, I¡¯d rather destroy it!¡± Vivian, who was still in a state of breakdown, suddenly froze when she heard that. What does he mean by that? Did he¡­ smash the ne because of me? How is that possible? Didn¡¯t his ex-girlfriend give him that? Isn¡¯t it very important to him? So why did he do it¡­ Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 138 Vivian felt realization budding within her like a germinating seed; she somewhat understood what was going on now, yet she didn¡¯t have the courage to face it. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Because of his fit of anger just now, he didn¡¯t notice that Vivian¡¯s eyes were reddened and her gaze was somewhat unfocused. Panic rose within him the moment he saw Vivian¡¯s state and he moved her back on the bed and waved his hands in front of her. Vivian frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m not blind. I can still see; it¡¯s just a bit blurry.¡± ¡°Blurry?¡± Finnick¡¯s voice became softer. ¡°Damn it. Why didn¡¯t you look for a doctor then?¡± As he said that, he pressed the bell to summon the doctor before Vivian could react. Meanwhile, Vivian noticed that Finnick was very jumpy and easily agitated that day, unlike his usual demeanor. ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t anything serious, but honestly, it actually hurts a little now.¡± The worry in his eyes grew even deeper when he heard that, and he momentarily forgot what happened before. He covered Vivian¡¯s eyes with his hands to force her to shut them. ¡°Close your eyes. Let¡¯s wait for the doctor.¡± Viviany down calmly on the bed and didn¡¯t resist his touch. She thought that everything was fine as long as Finnick wasn¡¯t angry. Soon, the doctor arrived. After inspecting Vivian, the doctor exined that her eyes were just exposed to smoke, and the usage of eye drops would alleviate her difort. The doctor also added that her eyes were drier than usual, so she was encouraged to not use her eyes for the next few days. Vivian understood the doctor¡¯s words as limiting her exposure to books, phones, and such, but the fastidious Finnick asked the doctor to prepare a blindfold for her. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but protest, ¡°It¡¯s not something serious anyway. I can¡¯t live a normal life like this!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Finnick¡¯s domineering personality was more obvious than usual. He put the blindfold on Vivian and said in a tone that left no room for discussion, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± ¡°But you need to work¡­¡± When Vivian¡¯s sight was reced by inky darkness, she felt uneasy. She tried to take it off only to be stopped by Finnick. ¡°I already told thepany that I¡¯ll be working from here for the next few days.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vivian gaped in shock and forgot all about the blindfold. ¡°You¡¯ll be working from here?¡± Isn¡¯t Finnick someone who would work overtime without batting an eye? Is he really staying here just so he can take care of me? ¡°It¡¯s fine, really,¡± she hastily said. ¡°You can just ask Molly to take care of me.¡± ¡°No. My decision is final. You should get some sleep now.¡± Finnick had already made up his mind. Vivian knew his antics quite well, so judging by his authoritative tone, she knew that her protests would fall on deaf ears. She had no choice but toy back down on the bed. Vivian had a lot of wounds, so she took some painkillers that made her feel sleepy. That,bined with her blindfold, made her fall asleep soon after shey down. Noah, who didn¡¯t dare to say anything just now, stepped forward and whispered, ¡°Mr. Norton, I already found out what happened during the fire.¡± Once Vivian fell asleep, Finnick returned to his calm and collected demeanor. He wheeled himself to the restroom beside the ward while keeping his eyes on Vivian and instructed, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°The fire started from the second floor and the site of ignition is probably the study next to the master bedroom.¡± Finnick¡¯s gaze turned sharp. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the perpetrator was targeting Vivian from the start.¡± Noah nodded and said with a solemn expression, ¡°Moreover, I sent some men to check every single entry point of the room and found out that none of the anti-theft equipment was damaged. There wasn¡¯t any footage of anyone stepping into the room as well.¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 139 Finnick narrowed his eyes. Noah knew what was on Finnick¡¯s mind and nodded in reply. The security system in Finnick¡¯s vi was top-notch. The fact that there were no signs of sabotage could only mean that the fire was¡­ It¡¯s caused by internal staff members¡­ Finnick tensed up, his voice was chilly when he ordered, ¡°Get Liam and Molly for me.¡± Half an hourter, Finnick arranged a few guards at Vivian¡¯s ward and headed to the hospital¡¯s underground storage room alone. Inside, a man and a woman were tied up on the floor. The door opened. A slender man in a wheelchair wheeled in slowly and stopped in front of them. Realizing who it was, the woman was astonished. ¡°Mr. Norton! Mr. Norton, what did we do to deserve this?¡± Molly never thought that there woulde a day like this. She had always taken care of Finnick with all her heart. Finnick ignored her and said tly, ¡°Liam, Molly, seeing that both of you are the seniors in the Norton family, please just confess. Do not force my hand.¡± Molly looked confused. ¡°Confess? Mr. Norton, is there some misunderstanding?¡± ¡°How about you, Liam? Anything you want to say?¡± Finnick continued without answering Molly. Ever since Finnick entered the room, Liam¡¯s expression had been grim. As he looked at Finnick, he suddenly let out a menacingugh. In response, Finnick simply sat there and let Liam have his time. He was in no hurry. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. As Liam¡¯sughter ended, he red at Finnick. ¡°What a pity. To think that that woman would survive such a huge fire.¡± As Liam spoke, Finnick remained as calm as ever. It was clear that thetter already knew what was going on. Molly on the other hand was stumped. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, old man?¡± ¡°Nonsense? I¡¯m just saying the truth¡± Liam continued. ¡°After all, Mr. Norton. You¡¯ve already found out about it, right? That I drugged Vivian¡¯s soup and started the fire. Do whatever you want with me. My wife knows nothing, so leave her out of this.¡± Molly¡¯s eyes widened and she screamed, ¡°Liam Zachary! Are you crazy? You dare harm Mrs. Norton? Have you forgotten what the Norton family had done for us?¡± ¡°Of course I remember!¡± Liam roared. ¡°But I¡¯m doing this precisely for the Nortons!¡± Compared to the agitated state that Liam and Molly were in, Finnick, on the other hand, showed almost no reaction. The only difference was that his gaze grew cold and gloomy. Liam had been around Finnick for a long time to know the murderous intent behind that look. Cold sweat started streaking down his face but he forced out a statement. ¡°Mr. Norton, let me be honest with you. There¡¯s only one person who can inherit the Norton family business. And logically speaking, that person should be the eldest of the family. On top of that, you¡¯re now a cripple. There¡¯s no reason for you to bepeting with your brother! This would only harm the family!¡± Finnick sneered after hearing Liam¡¯s justification. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you targeted Vivian just because of that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡± Liam¡¯s gritted his teeth. ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to have an heir that mightpete with Fabian. Everything I did was for the sake of the Norton family¡­¡± ¡°Excuses. All of it.¡± Finnick snapped with an icy tone. ¡°Tell me the truth. How much did Mark offer you?¡± Liam instantly went pale and his words died on his lips. Looking at Liam, Finnick felt nothing but disgust for the old man. This is human nature. On the surface, you kept insisting that everything you did is for the family. But deep down, you¡¯re just a puppet guided by your own greed. Finnick had no need for people like him ten years ago. That fact remained true even now. As the disgust that Finnick felt for Liam intensify by the second, he could no longer stand the sight of the old man. Finnick turned around and got ready to leave the room. At that moment, Liam shouted out behind him, ¡°Finnick! Even though I epted Mr. Mark¡¯s bribe, what I said is true! In the end, he chose to target Vivian instead of you. It¡¯s clear that he still values this rtionship. Please stop going against him! With Norton family¡¯s wealth, you won¡¯t have to worry about a thing until the day you die!¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 140 Finnick stopped in his tracks after hearing what Liam said. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. He snickered. Oh Liam. You really are loyal to Mark. ¡°He values our rtionship?¡± Finnick taunted. ¡°Liam oh Liam. Looks like Mark never trusted you. Did he not tell you the truth behind the kidnapping ten years ago?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Liam turned deathly pale. Finnick simply ignored him and proceeded to leave the storage room. Back in the hospital hallway, he finally gave Noah an order. ¡°Settle this for me.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Norton,¡± Noah noted and he raised an eyebrow. ¡°But don¡¯t you want to see this through personally?¡± Compared to when Finnick found out about Vivian getting hurt, his reaction this time was far more calmer. Noah had thought that the man would be furious. Finnick sneered, ¡°He¡¯s just a pawn in the grand scheme of things. There¡¯s no need to be too serious about it. Besides, the one that I¡¯m after is still out of my reach for now.¡± Noah immediately understood and said nothing further. ¡°One more thing.¡± Finnick suddenly thought of something as his gaze flickered. ¡°Send Molly and her son overseas and give them some cash.¡± Noah knew Finnick never med the innocent. He nodded and epted the request. By the time Finnick returned to the ward, night had fallen and the hallways were empty. ¡°Um. Mr. Norton. Would you like to head over to a hotel nearby? Or should I find an empty room for you?¡± Noah had no idea what Finnick wanted to do at the moment so he carefully probed. However, Finnick¡¯s answer left him in shock. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll sleep here in Vivian¡¯s room.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes almost popped out from its sockets when he heard that. It took quite a while for him to calm down. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll ask the nurse to prepare an extra bed for you then,¡± he replied. They arrived at Vivian¡¯s room door while they talked. Through the window on the door, Finnick¡¯s gaze fell upon the bed that Vivian was sleeping in. The bed¡¯s actually quite big. But I guess that¡¯s normal since this is a VIP room after all. ¡°Never mind that.¡± Finnick stopped Noah from looking for a nurse. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on Vivian¡¯s bed.¡± Noah gaped at Finnick in shock. I-Is this¡­ S-Still Mr. Norton? Mr. Norton, who always has high expectations for quality of life, is going to share a sickbed with a patient? Perhaps it was because Noah¡¯s reaction was too over the top, Finnick raised his head and looked at Noah. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Noah quickly closed his mouth and replied, ¡°No problem at all. I¡¯ll bring some toiletries and some clean clothes for you then. It only took a short while for Noah to send all the necessities over. Finnick washed up in the private toilet provided, got into his pajamas, and came to Vivian¡¯s bedside. The bed was indeed big. Coupled with the fact that Vivian always slept curled up on her side, there was even more space on it. Finnick easily found afortable spot andid down. Vivian, who was sound asleep, felt a sudden but familiar warmth behind her and her forehead creased. She instinctively turned around. Her nose bumped into something as she turned. Ouch. That hurt. She was instantly wide awake. Vivian tried to open her eyes but then she remembered that Finnick put a blindfold on her that obscured her vision. Vivian tried to take off the blindfold but her hands were held in ce before she could do anything. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± A soft voice whispered to her ear along with the warmth of the breath. ¡°I already told you. Other than when you need the eye drops, the blindfold stays on.¡± ¡°Finnick?¡± Vivian was stunned. She could not see a thing but she recognized the man¡¯s voice. Vivian felt something was amiss, but since Finnick prohibited her from taking off the blindfold, she had no choice but to fumble around in the darkness with her hands. Lo and behold, she could tell that what she was touching was Finnick¡¯s chest. Flustered, she blurted, ¡°Finnick?¡± Why¡­ Why are you on my bed? Wait! Are you in your pajamas?¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 141 Finnick always had a suit on but what Vivian touched was smooth and felt loose. It was clear that Finnick was wearing his usual silk pajamas. Why didn¡¯t he go home? Why is he here in his pajamas? The more Vivian thought about it, the more confused she got. She started feeling around Finnick¡¯s body. What she felt stumped her. Huh. Even though I¡¯ve seen his body with my own eyes, this feels really different from what I thought. She often heard that eight-packs felt like ice cubes but she always waved them off as exaggerations. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g That was, until now. Moreover, the lines and grooves of his V-cut is very apparent¡­ Vivian was in over her head as her hands slipped further below and touched¡­ At that moment, a grunt interrupted her followed by Finnick¡¯s voice. ¡°Vivian William. Are you tempting me?¡± Vivian came back to her senses. Realizing what she touched, she quickly retracted her hands. However, her hands were caught by Finnick and held in front of his chest. ¡°Fin-Finnick.¡± Vivian¡¯s mind was all over the ce, but she was able to confirm that Finnick was in his pajamas lying beside her. ¡°Why are you here? Why didn¡¯t you go home?¡± ¡°To apany you.¡± Finnick lowered his voice. ¡°Apany me?¡± Vivian was thoroughly in shock. In the dark, Finnick could see Vivian¡¯s astonishment even with her blindfold on. He pursed his lips. Something in him melted. Initially, he had a lot of anger pent up from all the worrying. But at that instance, he felt at peace. Finnick could not help his hand from wrapping around her slim waist, pulling her into his embrace. He buried his face into Vivian¡¯s silk-like hair and a faint fragrance wafted into his nose. Taking a deep breath, he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Vivian was already slow to react because of the blindfold. Hearing Finnick¡¯s sudden apology made her even more so. ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± ¡°I overreacted today.¡± Finnick thought back to how he roared at Vivian and even smashed the ne. It was all actions he regretted. Since when did my control over my emotions got so bad? Finnick had thought that after the incident ten years ago, he would have the presence of mind to face anything. He never would have thought that Vivian woulde along and stir him up again. Vivian recalled what happened that morning and hershes fluttered under the blindfold. Finnick¡­ So you really do regret breaking the ne? She did not know how to react to his words. In the end, she settled for a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. You were too reckless to smash that precious ne of yours just like that.¡± Even in the dark, Finnick could see that Vivian¡¯s smile was forced. He frowned as he pulled Vivian closer to him. ¡°What I regretted was not about smashing the ne,¡± he said softly at her ear. Confused, Vivian rebutted, ¡°Impossible. That ne was your ex-girlfriend¡¯s¡­¡± She immediately regretted the words that left her mouth. Oh no. Why did I have to mention Evelyn? Regardless, Vivian did not know how she should approach talking about Finnick¡¯s past rtionship. Not to mention, the girl had passed away, making the topic even harder to broach. But one thing that Vivian knew for sure was that what happened to Evelyn definitely left a scar in Finnick¡¯s heart and she really did not want to pry. However, Finnick was only slightly startled. ¡°You actually know quite a lot huh?¡± Vivian felt a little awkward since she could not determine how Finnick was feeling at the moment through his tone. Thus, she kept quiet. Compared to Vivian¡¯s tensed-up body, Finnick was more rxed. He was enjoying the scent of Vivian in his arms as he yed around with her hair. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 142 ¡°The ne was definitely special to me.¡± To Vivian¡¯s surprise, Finnick straight-up admitted to it. Her eyes darkened under the blindfold. ¡°But,¡± Finnick continued. ¡°If you¡¯re ever dumb enough to put yourself in danger for the ne again, I¡¯d rather break it into pieces.¡± Vivian was shocked. Finnick did say something simr in the morning, but she thought it was all on impulse and did not dwell on it. She never expected Finnick to repeat those same words to her again and in a serious tone. His words got her heart racing. ¡°So,¡± Finnick went on, his voice lower than before. ¡°From now on, no matter what it is, don¡¯t go throwing yourself in danger for it. If you care about me, keep yourself safe. Because you¡¯re all that matters to me right now.¡± Because you¡¯re all that matters to me right now. Hearing those words, Vivian felt as if her heart had stopped pumping blood into her system for a moment before sending all of it rushing to her head, making her feel as though her head was about to explode. She was suddenly relieved that she had a blindfold on and that it was dark, so Finnick would not be able to see her panicking gaze as well as her bright red face. Her relieve was short-lived, however, when she felt an unexpected coldness on her cheeks. She was surprised at first but immediately recognized that it was Finnick¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re burning up.¡± Vivian heard Finnick teasing her. Indeed, in contrast with Vivian¡¯s burning hot cheeks, Finnick¡¯s fingers felt like ice cubes. At that moment, Vivian wished with all her heart that the blindfold would meld itself to her face so that she would never have to face Finnick with the embarrassment that she felt. Vivian tried to calm herself down. Stop embarrassing yourself! But the blush on her face refused to subside. ¡°Vivian.¡± Finnick spoke. Finnick¡¯s voice was deep and hoarse and gave off a mystical vibe. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Vivian instinctively raised her head. Before she could say anything, something soft touched her lips. As Vivian was blindfolded, everything was pitch ck to her and she stiffened upon the unfamiliar sensation. What¡­ What¡¯s this? She was confused. In the next second, the answer was reveal to her. The chilly sensation began to explore her lips. At first, it was gentle, but then it became more forceful until finally, it invaded every inch of her lips. It was as though he was robbing away all the air she had in her. This was not the first kiss that Finnick and Vivian shared. But every time they kiss, Vivian would feel nervous and her whole body would tense up. This time was no exception. Because of her blindfold, Vivian lost her sense of sight making her even more sensitive to everything around her. It made the passionate caress of Finnick¡¯s lips feel intensified to the degree where her body actually started to tremble. After what felt like an eternity, Finnick noticed that the woman in his arms was panting out of breath from his loving kiss. Thus, he rxed his arms. Looking at Vivian with her blindfold and the flushed face under it, a sense of regret started to well up in Finnick. I shouldn¡¯t have given her the blindfold. He wanted to see Vivian¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s definitely embarrassed right now. But does she feel the joy and excitement that I feel? He could feel the warmth from Vivian¡¯s body and smell the fragranceing from her. Finnick felt like his self-control was being challenged once again. Through sheer determination, he was able to hold it in. Finnick knew full well that it was not the time for that, seeing that Vivian was hurt and the fact that she was recuperating. Not to mention, her trauma from two years ago was still a big hurdle that they hadn¡¯t crossed. As Viviany weakly in Finnick¡¯s arms, she was oblivious to the man¡¯s thoughts. She had no idea that she just barely escaped the big bad wolf. That was, until Finnick hugged her and held her earlobes between his lips. ¡°One day. I¡¯m going to eat you up,¡± he muttered. Vivian was confused for a few seconds before she realized what he meant. Her already blushed face instantly felt like it was about to burst once more. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 143 Finnick could feel Vivian¡¯s body temperature rising again in his arms and he grinned. He decided not to tease her any further and covered her with the nket. ¡°Just go to sleep.¡± Vivian leaned against Finnick¡¯s chest and she could hear his heartbeat. Oddly enough, the rhythm of his beating heart calmed her down and her drowsiness kicked in soon after. This is really amazing. Being with Finnick could make her heart run wild, but he could also calm her down to the point where she felt safe and peaceful. That night, she slept soundly. Surprisingly, Finnick was always in the ward with Vivian for the following days. Sometimes, there would be people in the ward to discusspany affairs with him. No matter what business it was, it was clear that he had no intention of leaving. Every night, Finnick would squeeze into her bed. That did not bother Vivian whatsoever. The only thing she was worried about was how it would affect Finnick¡¯spany. For that reason, she coaxed and pestered Finnick to get her discharged on the fifth day. While they were going through the procedures, Vivian secretly asked the nurse about Fabian. She was able to find out that he recovered rather quickly and was discharged a few days prior to her and was now back with the Norton family, currently under the care of a personal doctor. Thank God he¡¯s not hurt. Vivian was not very worried about Fabian, but the fact that she was the reason that he got hospitalized was undeniable. Thus, she would not be able to forgive herself if anything bad were to happen to him. Back at home, Vivian saw that Liam and Molly were gone. A new housemaid took their ce. She was about Molly¡¯s age and was good at cooking. The only difference was that she was quieter. Vivian did not probe any further regarding Liam and Molly¡¯s disappearance. On the day of the fire, she already had a hunch that the fire was started internally. Finnick did not seem to have a lot of servants, but Vivian knew that they had ample bodyguards outside. Moreover, the number of security guards around the neighborhood was not small and the vi itself had a state-of- the-art security system in ce. The only conclusion she could draw was that it was done by one of the internal staff. When she associated it with how she was unusually woozy that night, it was clear that Liam and Molly had something to do with it. Their disappearance now only confirmed her suspicion. As for the motive, Vivian knew they were definitely under orders. She initially thought that Liam and Molly were following orders from the elder Mr. Norton but he should not have any reasons to harm her. Could it be¡­ Mark? All that thinking gave Vivian a headache. These big families and their nuances are soplicated. It seemed that I was too rxed in the past. Now that I am Finnick¡¯s wife, I am considered one of the Nortons. I have to be more careful from now on. ¡­Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Meanwhile, at the Nortons¡¯ old vi. Mark had a nasty scowl on his face as he sat in the study. He looked worn out as he just got back from the airport. In front of him stood Fabian. His face was pale with bandages all over his body but his expression was as nasty as his father. ¡°Dad.¡± Fabian took the initiative and spoke in a cold tone. ¡°You¡¯re the one responsible for the fire at Finnick¡¯s house, right?¡± Even though Fabian was an impulsive man, he was not stupid. He grew up in the Norton family, after all. The schemes and backstabs were all toomon for him. During his stay at the hospital, he was able to figure out everything. ¡°Yes. So what?¡± Mark answered. There was no reason for him to hide anything from his son. Fabian¡¯s expression distorted. ¡°Dad! Why are you targeting Vivian? She¡¯s just an innocent woman! Why do you need to hurt her?¡± At the mention of Vivian¡¯s name, Mark¡¯s expression darkened even further. He mmed his palm on the desk and stood up in rage. ¡°Fabian! Is this how you¡¯re supposed to talk to your father?¡± Mark roared. ¡°You¡¯re going against me for a woman?¡± When Mark was in A Nation, he was notified of the n¡¯s failure. And the reason for the failure was none other than his precious son who risked his life to save the woman. Mark was so infuriated by the report that he smashed quite a few flower vases in the process. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 144 That stupid unfilial son! ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not trying to go against you!¡± Fabian eximed as his face turned pale. ¡°Vivian didn¡¯t do anything wrong. There¡¯s no need to involve her if you want to punish Finnick!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fool if that¡¯s what you think!¡± Mark roared. ¡°Finnick hasn¡¯t had any women in his life for thest few years, and people are saying he is infertile. He will not be a threat to us if he remains unattached. But now that he is involved with Vivian, we might have a big problem if she bears him a child!¡± Fabian was stunned. ¡°How is that possible? Finnick is just a cripple.¡± ¡°So what if he¡¯s a cripple? That doesn¡¯t mean he cannot start a family. The market value and annual profits of Finnor Group are way beyond that of the Norton family¡¯s business. That¡¯s basically telling the world that I am not as good even as a disabled person!¡± Mark yelled grouchily. Fabian¡¯s face turned as white as a ghost. He didn¡¯t expect Finnick to be capable to this extent. Mark¡¯s face sank as he looked at Fabian, then he said coldly, ¡°Fabian, I know why you¡¯re trying so hard to protect Vivian. You still have feelings for her, don¡¯t you?¡± Fabian nced at Mark in utter disbelief. How does Dad know about me and Vivian? He was in shock, but he managed to calm down quickly and let out a snort. Dad might act like he does not care about me because I was a rebel back then. But I¡¯m his only son. How could he not care about me? Every move I made during my four years in college was closely monitored by him. ¡°You knew about us?¡± Fabian asked in an icy tone. ¡°Of course,¡± Mark answered nonchntly. ¡°It was during Finnick¡¯s wedding that I realized his wife is your ex-girlfriend. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t be bothered. She¡¯s just an average woman after all, no different from any other woman. But I definitely will not let Finnick¡¯s partner go.¡± Fabian¡¯s expression changed drastically when he heard Mark¡¯s vicious remarks. He charged towards the desk and roared at his father, ¡°Dad, I won¡¯t allow you toy a finger on Vivian!¡± Mark was not angered by Fabian at all. Instead, he snickered, ¡°Alright, I promise you that I won¡¯t take the woman¡¯s life.¡± Fabian was stunned as he didn¡¯t expect Mark to agree to his demands so easily. He looked at Mark suspiciously and said, ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course. Why would I lie to you?¡± Mark replied calmly. ¡°Besides, I just thought of a better way to deal with Finnick.¡± Although Fabian remained skeptical, he nodded and said, ¡°Okay. As long as Vivian is left unharmed, you can deal with Finnick however you want to.¡± Mark nodded. ¡°You can leave now.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. As soon as Fabian stepped out of the room, Harry walked up to Mark with a gloomy face. ¡°Mr. Norton, do you really n on letting Vivian go?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Who said I was going to let the woman go?¡± Mark responded with a cold look on his face. ¡°But you just said¡­¡± Harry murmured. ¡°I only said I won¡¯t take her life. That doesn¡¯t mean I will let her gopletely,¡± said Mark as a cunning look shed across his face. ¡°It¡¯s rare for Finnick to fall in love, isn¡¯t it a pity if I just kill the person he loves in one strike? Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Mark had initially nned to kill Vivian. But when he was in M Nation, he was surprised to see how Finnick rushed to take the next flight home to attend to Vivian¡¯s ident. It was then that he realized how special Vivian was to Finnick. She wasn¡¯t the usual short-term fling that he expected her to be. Finnick actually cared about her deeply. This realization thrilled Mark as he finally found a way to hurt Finnick. Since he was young, he had hated Finnick¡¯s guts. Finnick was a lot younger than Mark, but he had always outperformed Mark in every aspect. Because of this, Mark developed a strong sense of jealousy over the years. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 145 When Finnick lost both his legs during the kidnapping incident ten years ago, Mark thought that his younger brother would no longer be a threat to him. However, when Finnick returned from M Nation on a wheelchair many yearster, he turned out to be an even bigger threat to Mark. Ever since Finnick established Finnor Group years ago, his capabilities slowly made him a threat to Mark. Mark had tried countless ways to get rid of his brother, but Finnick seemed to be made of steel. For many years, he had not managed to find any of Finnick¡¯s weaknesses, until Vivian came along. Finnick¡¯s love and care for Vivian was his Achilles¡¯s heel. What a good opportunity this is, Mark thought to himself. I definitely won¡¯t kill her so easily. A sinister smile appeared on his face as he thought about his n. For the following few days, Vivian remained cooped up in the house. She managed to persuade Finnick to return to work in his office, but he would get off work early to have dinner with her every day. Although Vivian did not explicitly express her appreciation, she was well aware of how much he cared for her. When they were having dinner together during the weekend, Finnick suddenly asked her, ¡°What are you up to tomorrow?¡± Vivian blinked and said, ¡°Do I look like I have much to dotely?¡± ¡°Okay. Can you go somewhere with me tomorrow then?¡± he replied. Vivian was tired of being cooped up at home for thest few days, so when she heard Finnick¡¯s words, she agreed without asking any further questions. Finnick chuckled, ¡°Great. Make sure you rest well tonight. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning.¡± The next day, Vivian was woken up by Finnick early in the morning. When she opened her eyes, she Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. saw that Finnick was dressed formally in a ck suit and ready to leave. She was stunned. Who could he be meeting today? ¡°Come on now, get yourself out of the bed and get dressed,¡± he said. Vivian felt that Finnick wasn¡¯t his usual self that day as he seemed a bit absent-minded. He even prepared a dress and put it on the bed for her. The little ck dress was elegant yet modest. Without thinking any further, Vivian freshened up and got dressed. After she had breakfast with him, the two of them left in his car. Along the way, Finnick was particrly quiet, and Vivian noticed there was a bouquet of lilies on the car seat. She was curious where they were heading towards, but she didn¡¯t dare to question Finnick, so she sat next to him quietly. One hourter, they arrived in the suburbs outside the city. Vivian, who had fallen asleep leaning on Finnick¡¯s shoulder, suddenly opened her eyes when she felt the car stop. She was startled to see the scenery outside the window. ¡°Where are we?¡± she looked at Finnick in surprise. With a hint of sadness in his voice, he replied softly, ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll take you to meet her.¡± Vivian was rendered speechless. Just then, Noah got out of the car and helped Finnick onto his wheelchair, prompting Vivian to follow them immediately. Upon getting out of the car, her expression turned somber as she stared at thendscape before her eyes. Finnick had brought her to a cemetery. She finally understood why he was behaving rather strangely that day. Finnick held her hand and led her to a grave in the middle of the cemetery. On the snow-white tombstone were several finely engraved words: Here lies Evelyn Morrison. There was also a ck and white photograph of a girl on the tombstone. The girl¡¯s smile was beaming, and her beauty was unrivaled. While Vivian was still mentally processing the tombstone in front of her, Finnick suddenly said with a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you upset that I brought you here without your prior consent?¡± Vivian was taken aback by his words, but she quickly shook her head. She wasn¡¯t upset at all. On the contrary, she felt rather pleased. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 146 Ever since Jenny told her about the kidnapping incident that happened years ago, Vivian had always Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. wanted to ask Finnick for more information. However, since it was a very personal and traumatic incident, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him about it. She did not expect him to open up about his past on his own ord. Does this mean that he is finally willing to open up to me? Finnick grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand, intertwining his hand with hers as he looked at the tombstone. He blinked and asked, ¡°I believe you know who she is, right?¡± Vivian hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. ¡°Yes, I know a bit about her.¡± ¡°Then I suppose you have also heard quite a bit about the rumors of the kidnapping incident that happened ten years ago,¡± said Finnick indifferently. ¡°Especially about how I abandoned her to save myself¡­¡± Vivian suddenly became nervous and was at a loss for words. Finnick, on the other hand, remained calmed and even let out a faint smile as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. You can be honest with me.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Vivian finally uttered, ¡°Someone did tell me that before, but I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Finnick¡¯s dark eyes flickered as he responded, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the kind of person who would abandon anyone just like that. Moreover, she was your girlfriend back then,¡± Vivian exined softly, then she looked at him with uncertainty and added, ¡°Am I right?¡± Finnick did not answer her immediately but looked at the tombstone and mumbled to himself instead, ¡°Would I really not abandon anyone? Even I am not sure about it myself¡­¡± Vivian was shocked. Not sure? What does he mean by he¡¯s not sure? Finnick changed the topic and said, ¡°Evelyn and I were childhood sweethearts. My family and the Morrison family have shared a good rtionship for generations.¡± Vivian was astonished. So Evelyn is part of the Morrison family? The Morrisons, the Jacksons, and the Nortons are known as the three prominent families of S City, and their reputation has been around for generations. So, it turns out Evelyn was an heiress. Vivian let out a wry smile as she felt uneasy about her own status. She was like a lowly peasantpared to Evelyn. She suppressed her uneasy feeling and said, ¡°What happened next?¡± ¡°I thought once we¡¯re of age, we would get married like a normal couple. No one expected that we would get kidnapped ten years ago,¡± Finnick continued in his usual mellow voice. Vivian already knew about this part of the story from Jenny. What she wanted to know was what happened after the kidnapping incident. ¡°We were locked up in a warehouse by our kidnappers, and they did not release us even after receiving our ransom. Instead, they drugged us and set the warehouse on fire.¡± Finnick sounded calm, but Vivian could hear the furious undertone in his voice. ¡°Drugged?¡± she asked in shock as Jenny had not told her anything about this. ¡°Did the kidnappers want to kill you because you saw their faces?¡± ¡°No,¡± Finnick replied with a frown. ¡°The kidnappers wore masks and gloves the whole time, and they left no evidence behind.¡± Vivian was dumbstruck by his answer. Earlier, she thought that Finnick and Evelyn had seen what their kidnappers looked like, prompting their kidnappers to kill them because they were afraid of being identified. But now that she heard Finnick¡¯s side of the story, she felt that the kidnappers had no reason to attempt murder. Even though kidnapping and homicide are both criminal acts, they have a very different degree. If the kidnappers were in it for the ransom, why didn¡¯t they just leave the country immediately after getting the money? Why did they try to kill Finnick and Evelyn instead? ¡°Why did they try to kill the two of you then?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t help asking out of curiosity. Finnick¡¯s eyes flickered as though he knew the reason, but he didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he continued where he left off earlier, ¡°I passed out immediately after being drugged but was awakened by the thick smoke.¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 147 Vivian was shell shocked by now as she felt that Finnick¡¯s incident sounded eerily simr to the fire that happened to herst time. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t ponder on this thought very much, and she focused on what he was about to say instead. How did Finnick manage to escape back then? Did he actually abandon Evelyn? As Finnick stared at the tombstone, he continued his ount, ¡°When I regained consciousness, I noticed my hands were untied. On top of that, Evelyn was nowhere to be found.¡± This development shocked Vivian. I always wondered how Finnick was able to himself, but it turns out he was untied by someone else? Most importantly, how did Evelyn disappear? Vivian was not expecting such a development, so she asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Finnick narrowed his eyes at Evelyn and questioned, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you,¡± she rushed to defend herself. Everything just sounded strange to her, and when she realized he had used the word ¡°too,¡± she continued, ¡°Wait, there are others who do not believe your ount?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Finnick said as he looked down. ¡°I told everyone about what happened after I managed to escape, but no one believed me. Even the police said I was making up stories, so they stopped investigating my case after a while.¡± Vivian was dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t expect this to be the ¡°truth¡± that she had been searching for all this while. She really wanted to believe what Finnick said, that he didn¡¯t abandon his then-girlfriend. As she racked her brains toe up with a reasonable exnation, she said, ¡°Could it be that Evelyn left on her own, or was taken away by someone?¡± Finnick answered, ¡°When I regained consciousness and realized that Evelyn wasn¡¯t around, I searched the entire warehouse but couldn¡¯t find her. Seeing that my hands were untied, the only two possibilities I thought of was that she had left or that someone had taken her away after untying my hands. Later on, the police in charge of this case told me that wasn¡¯t possible.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Vivian questioned. ¡°During her post-mortem, they found that she had indeed been tied up by a rope, and DNA analysis confirmed that it was indeed Evelyn. Moreover, the knife they found at the scene was the one used to Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g cut the rope around my hands, and there were knife cuts on my hands,¡± said Finnick. Vivian was utterly astounded. All evidence at the scene proved that Finnick himself cut the rope around his hands and escaped on his own, showing no concern for Evelyn. However, he recalled otherwise. Common sense would say that Finnick was lying to cover up the immoral things he had done. ¡°So, that was what happened back then,¡± Finnick concluded. He then turned to look at Vivian and said, ¡°There are two versions to the incident, one based on my memory and the other based on the investigation. Which one do you believe, Vivian?¡± Vivian was caught off guard as she did not expect Finnick to question her like this. She looked into his dark and mysterious eyes which seemed to be calling out for her empathy. Looking into his eyes, her heart ached for him, and she whispered, ¡°I believe you.¡± Finnick¡¯s eyes flickered in response, and his lips twitched, he then said, ¡°Regardless of whether you really mean what you said, I¡¯m happy to hear your answer.¡± Just then, Vivian suddenly knelt before him, bringing herself to his level on the wheelchair. She held his hands and said earnestly, ¡°I really mean it. I believe you like how you chose to believe me back then. No matter what the evidence points to, I choose to believe what you say.¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 148 Every word that Vivian said tugged at Finnick¡¯s heartstrings. He waspletely touched, and he held on to Vivian¡¯s hands tightly. For so many years, no one had really believed him, not even his grandfather. Even though he generally didn¡¯t care about how others viewed him, Vivian¡¯s opinion mattered a lot to him. He would be deeply hurt if she too believed he had abandoned his then-girlfriend. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. But to his relief, she put her trust in himpletely. Looking into Vivian¡¯s sparkling eyes, Finnick felt a sense of warmth in his heart. At the same time, a wry smile appeared on his face as he said, ¡°But Vivian, sometimes even I don¡¯t believe myself.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°When this case was being investigated ten years ago, I underwent hypnosis and psychological evaluation to prove that what I said was true. The experts concluded that I wasn¡¯t lying, but one of the psychologists mentioned that the trauma I experienced could have affected my memory. He said that my brain might have created a false memory because subconsciously, I did not dare to face the mistakes I made. Because of that, I somehow forgot how I cut the rope around my hands and abandoned Evelyn,¡± he exined. ¡°How is that possible?¡± she asked. Finnick has always been a confident and self-assured person. How could his brain possibly y tricks on him? Finnick smiled bitterly and touched Vivian¡¯s cheek, he then said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible either, but I was rather scared back then, to be honest. I was a lot younger then, after all.¡± Vivian was thunderstruck by his remarks. That¡¯s right. We¡¯re talking about an incident that happened ten years ago, Finnick was just a child then. Such a terrifying incident would definitely have traumatized him. But after a split second, she held onto Finnick¡¯s hands and said in an affirming tone, ¡°No, even if it were ten years ago, I know you wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Hearing how determined she sounded, Finnick looked at her and smiled. ¡°Vivian, you can be so silly sometimes.¡± He reached out to stroke her face and said affectionately, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t trust others so easily, or you might be deceived.¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, I know you wouldn¡¯t lie to me,¡± she responded. Right after she finished her sentence, she looked into his eyes and added, ¡°Right?¡± The corners of his lips curved upwards as he bent forward to kiss her forehead. He then moved his lips downwards along her nose and finally gave her a soft, feather-like kiss on her lips. ¡°I would never lie to you, Vivian. But promise me you will always protect yourself first,¡± he whispered. Dazed by Finnick¡¯s kiss, Vivian suddenly raised her head and asked, ¡°Protect myself?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Finnick¡¯s expression turned somber. ¡°Do you know how scared I was when I heard about the fire a few days ago?¡± Vivian froze for a second. She had known him for quite a while now, but this was the first time she heard him say that he was scared. Was he scared because he was worried about me? Finnick gazed at her and continued, ¡°Fire has taken the life of the woman I loved once. I do not wish for the same thing to happen a second time.¡± She looked at him in astonishment and disbelief. The woman he loves? Second time? What is he trying to say? Finnick¡¯s words were pretty straightforward, but Vivian felt that they sounded too good to be true. She didn¡¯t dare to ponder over it, let alone question him any further. All she did was stare nkly at Finnick with her mouth wide open like a goldfish that was out of water. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 149 Amused by Vivian¡¯s silliness, Finnick burst out inughter. It was only then that Vivian came to her senses and immediately buttoned up her lips, ready to get up. However, the moment she got to her feet, Finnick grabbed her hand and pulled her into his embrace. Vivian slumped onto hisp, and before she could exim aloud, Finnick gripped her chin and pressed his lips against hers, muffling her gasps. In contrast to their previous soft kiss, this was an imperious and possessive one. He quickly parted her lips, raiding and marking his territory while his grip tightened as if he was binding her to him. It seemed as though time had stopped. When he reluctantly let go of Vivian and looked at the woman who was flushing like a red apple in his arms, his heart melted. He whispered in her ear, ¡°Vivian, thank you for believing in me.¡± And thank you for appearing in my bleak and despairing life. ¡­ Vivian took half a month¡¯s leave to recuperate at home, and eventually, even she felt guilty herself and pestered to return to work in mour Magazine. After all, she had taken too much leave, so she was afraid of beingid off. With Vivian returning to the magazinepany after such a long while, everyone at work was very concerned about her health. Apparently, most of them had realized the past rumors about her were mainly misunderstandings. Therefore, they became excessively ardent toward her. But of course, there was one exception¡ªShannon. As soon as Shannon saw Vivian, she started with a twinge of jealousy, ¡°Oh dear, Vivian the princess hase back to work? I thought your backer is so powerful that you could just make money lying in bed all day.¡± There was only resentment in Shannon¡¯s eyes when she looked at Vivian. When she met Ashley at the mall the other day, she thought she could sabotage Vivian with help from Ashley. But it was unknown to her why Ashley left in a hurry after she tattled about Vivian and took no action afterward. These princesses are truly hopeless. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Nevertheless, she had no means to deal with Vivian herself, so she was only all bark and no bite. On the other hand, Vivian could not care less about Shannon, and neither did others. Sarah took Vivian by her arm and told her excitedly, ¡°Vivian, you know what? Legal action has been taken against the sweatshop we exposed earlier, and the workers have all gotten their wages back.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Vivian was delighted upon hearing the news. These days, the workers had be disadvantaged, and it happened very rarely that wages could be redeemed unless the issue boiled over. ¡°Yes! In addition to that, everyone isplimenting us, saying that we should take the credit for revealing the sweatshop, and so we got awarded!¡± Sarah was getting thrilled and took out her phone to show Vivian her search results. ¡°Something like a social contribution award. Even though it¡¯s not something grand, it¡¯s increasing the poprity of mour Magazine! Even theizens on Twitter are saying that we¡¯re the most conscientious media tform.¡± Vivian was astounded. Indeed, the magazinepany had very little to do with the workers getting their wages back. Despite that, increasing poprity would contribute to advertisement sponsorships as well as the sales of their magazine. ¡°That¡¯s really good,¡± replied Vivian with a smile. ¡°Right? Our Chief Editor said he¡¯d foot the bill for a drink tonight! You muste this time. We won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Sarah was grinning from ear to ear. Surprised, Vivian asked, ¡°He¡¯s back to work?¡± ¡°Oh yes, it so happened that the Chief Editor also took leave the same time you did.¡± Sarah seemed to have thought of something and continued, ¡°But he came back to work a week earlier than you.¡± A perplexed look crept on Vivian¡¯s face. Fabian was more severely injured than me. Howe he¡¯se back to work so soon? Before she could ponder on it, Sarah tugged at her arm and said, ¡°Vivian, you muste tonight.¡± Vivian knew very well that she seemed rather like a sore thumb in thepany for always skipping their group activities. Since it would be attended by arge group of people, there was nothing to worry about, so she agreed to go. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 150 After a day of work, Vivian finally saw Fabianing out of the Chief Editor¡¯s office with his face still covered with gauze. Fabian was also stunned when he saw Vivian in the office, but he quickly announced right after that, ¡°It¡¯s time to leave! Let¡¯s go to the karaoke club nearby.¡± Cheering, everyone left the office together for the karaoke club not far away from their office. Unexpectedly, when they went into the club, they saw a beautifully dressed girl waving at them at the door, calling, ¡°Fabian, over here!¡± Vivian was taken aback when she saw who it was. It was Ashley. Ashley looked very hot that day. She was dressed in a short waistcoat and a mini skirt, entuating her hourss figure, and all the male staff from the magazinepany had their eyes fixated on her. As soon as they walked in, Ashley came forward and took Fabian by his shoulder. Smiling brightly with her rosy lips, she said, ¡°Fabian, I¡¯ve reserved a private room. Let¡¯s go in with everyone.¡± However, Fabian furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Ashley. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who called and told me you would be gathering here? The more the merrier, so I thought I might as well join in the fun.¡± Ashley grinned alluringly while her eyes swept across everyone. ¡°I¡¯m not Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g unwee, am I?¡± Dazed, everyone quickly replied, ¡°Of course not! You¡¯re the fianc¨¦e of our Chief Editor. It¡¯s our pleasure that you could join us.¡± Ashley¡¯s smile widened as she turned to Fabian. ¡°See? They¡¯ve all agreed. You¡¯re not asking me to leave, are you?¡± Given that there were so many people around and Ashley was indeed his nominal fianc¨¦e, Fabian couldn¡¯t reject her. He stole a nervous nce at Vivian who appeared undisturbed before he bit the bullet and went in with Ashley and everyone else. All of them had been very busy at work. Since it was a rare chance to get together for entertainment, most of them were ecstatic, singing and drinking to their heart¡¯s content. However, Vivian was not interested in any of that, so she just sat quietly at a corner, drinking her juice and scrolling her Twitter. After a while, she needed to use the washroom, so she left the room. However, even before she reached the washroom, she noticed the smell of cigarette smoke. To her surprise, she found Fabian smoking in the corridor with a few cigarette butts lying on the ground around his feet. Vivian frowned. She clearly remembered that Fabian wasn¡¯t a smoker. So why is he smoking now? But it was also clear to her that it was none of her business, so she quickly turned the other way to get to the washroom. Nheless, Fabian had already seen her. He called out her name immediately, ¡°Vivian?¡± Vivian froze and had no choice but to turn around. ¡°Mr. Norton?¡± Right then, Fabian had paced near her, causing the cigarette smell to be even stronger. Vivian could not help but wrinkle her nose. For unknown reasons,paring to the faint cigar smell on Finnick, she found the cigarette smell on Fabian to be very displeasing. But she only frowned a little and asked, ¡°Mr. Norton, is there anything?¡± ¡°How have you been doing?¡± Fabian looked down at her and asked out of concern. ¡°Much better now.¡± Vivian took a few steps back, and only then did the cigarette smell fade a little. Fabian noticed her movement and smiled wryly. ¡°Why? Do you still despise the cigarette smell?¡± Before Vivian could answer, he added, ¡°Finnick smokes as well, but it seems you¡¯re not bothered.¡± Vivian did not intend to talk about Finnick with Fabian. She could tell that Fabian was already a little drunk, so it was all the more unnecessary to argue with him. Hence, she ignored his question and walked past him to enter thedies¡¯ room. This time, Fabian did not chase after her. Before Vivian went into the cubicle, she couldn¡¯t help turning back to take a look at Fabian. However, she found that he was leaning against the wall in despair, lighting up another cigarette and smoking even more heavily. A stinging sensation erupted within Vivian¡¯s heart. It was impossible for her not to feel anything seeing Fabian in such a downhearted state. Despite that, she knew very well that she no longer had the right to concern herself with his life. She went to the sink in a daze and was about to wash her face when suddenly, one of the cubicle doors opened behind her with a bang. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 151 Vivian raised her head with a frown, and from the mirror, she saw Ashley staring at her with a darkened face. How hapless can I get? Why am I running into so many people just bying to the washroom? She did not feel like talking to Ashley, so she quickly washed her hands and headed to the cubicle. But Ashley held her back and shouted at her, ¡°Vivian, stop right there!¡± Vivian furrowed her brows in annoyance. What¡¯s the matter with her again? ¡°What are you doing?¡± She stared coldly at Ashley. ¡°Ha! I should be the one asking that question!¡± Ashley seemed a little drunk as well and yelled at Vivian, ¡°What were you saying to Fabian outside? Are you trying to seduce him again?¡± Vivian frowned. So she heard Fabian talking to me outside. Indeed, she felt it was unfair for Fabian to treat Ashley, his fianc¨¦e, with such an ambiguous attitude. However, it was improbable for her to have sympathy for Ashley, so she pushed her hand away detachedly and said in an indifferent tone, ¡°Ashley, are you ming me for your own failure in keeping your man?¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After saying that, she did not even bother to take another look at Ashley and turned around to leave even though she hadn¡¯t used the washroom. Being pushed away by Vivian, Ashley stumbled in her high heels and almost fell, but she managed to grab onto the sink. Looking at Vivian¡¯s leaving figure, her eyes were instantly filled with jealousy. Vivian! How could you be so arrogant? I will definitely take you down! Just you wait! At that thought, she suddenly remembered something and reached into her pocket to take out a small bottle. The glint in her eyes turned icier. Since there¡¯s more than enough, why don¡¯t I leave some for Vivian? Ha! Although she¡¯s a filthy piece of trash, she¡¯s a married woman after all. If someone else sleeps with her again, regardless of how tolerant Finnick and Fabian are, they won¡¯t be able to ept it. That thought raised a cunning curl on Ashley¡¯s rosy lips. She was no longer sad nor indignant. Instead, she raised her head high and strutted out of the washroom like an arrogant peacock. Meanwhile, Vivian went to another washroom before returning to the private room. Some of her colleagues had run wild as a result of being intoxicated. Not long after Vivian sat down, the waiter came in with another round of beverages, which were all alcoholic drinks except for one ss of juice. Everyone grabbed their drinks while Vivian took the only ss of juice and started sipping from it. After some time, Vivian felt a little sleepy. She stood up and yelled amidst the loud music, ¡°I still need to Nheless, everyone was too upied with having fun, so no one noticed her. Helplessly, she shook her head and grabbed her purse before walking to Fabian¡¯s side. ¡°Mr. Norton, thanks for the fun tonight. I shall leave first.¡± At that moment, Ashley was sitting right next to Fabian, watching her warily. Fabian was probably drunk, looking all downcast and weary. Upon hearing Vivian¡¯s words, he only nodded while pressing his fingers against his temples. Vivian left the room too quickly and missed the evil smirk on Ashley¡¯s face. Vivian was nning to take a cab home, but before she knew it, she missed a few steps and stumbled. Fortunately, she held on to the wall of the corridor in time. D*mn it! What¡¯s happening to me? I didn¡¯t take any alcohol, did I? Why am I feeling so dizzy? Why are my limbs totally drained of strength? Other than that, she could feel an inexplicable heat burning in her. Although she was wearing a miniskirt and sitting in an air-conditioned room, she was still perspiring heavily. She raised her head in a fright, and from the door of the private room beside her, she saw her own reflection. Her face was oddly crimson, and her eyes bore an enticing glint. Something¡¯s off. Vivian could tell immediately that these unusual responses of her body were exactly like the ones she experienced two years ago! Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 152 Could it be¡­ Recalling that she had drunk the whole ss of juice just then, she shivered uncontrobly. She wanted to leave the ce at once, but her feet were too feeble to move at all. Panic-stricken, she hastily took out her phone and made a call. Very soon, it was picked up. ¡°Hello.¡± The moment Finnick¡¯s hoarse and deep voice sounded, Vivian felt as if she had found her savior, and she hurriedly said, ¡°Finnick, help!¡± Vivian was getting increasingly dependent on Finnick without even realizing it. Whenever she was in danger, he would be the first person to pop up in her mind, and she would plead for help from him right away without hesitation. At first, Finnick was overjoyed to get a call from Vivian, but to his surprise, it was a call for help. Instantly, the expression on his face altered. Without even questioning what had happened, he asked very quickly, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°The KTV club at Q Building!¡± When Vivian uttered those words, she felt herself slumping down even more. Sh*t! This drug is a bit too strong. She felt that she would blow up any moment from the scorching heat in her body. At that moment, she could not even grip the phone properly. As a result, it slipped out of her hand and crashed to the ground. With that, the phone hung up on its own. She tried to squat down, but she felt even dizzier and could no longer get up. Vivian remained on the spot for some time before she finally felt a little better. When she was about to pick up her phone, a foot in a mboyant leather shoe stepped on it. Before she could respond, an annoying voice spoke from above her, ¡°My dear beauty, who are you trying to tempt, squatting down in that seductive way?¡± Something snapped in Vivian¡¯s mind. She quickly lifted her head, only to find a man in a floral print shirt. He squinted his eyes and stared at her lustfully, looking like a womanizer. At that moment, Vivian could not care less about her phone and staggered to her feet in an attempt to leave. However, the man grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Oh dear, my prettydy, why are you running away? Your phone is still with me.¡± The man¡¯s touch on Vivian¡¯s body disgusted her immensely. But her body was shivering violently and getting more and more feverish. The man was a yboy who frequented red-light districts, so he instantly recognized the substance Vivian was drugged with. His eyes were beaming with a frenzied glow as he suggested excitedly, ¡°Ho ho, baby girl, you¡¯re drugged? How terrible it must feel. Why don¡¯t you let me help you with it?¡± Just as he said that, his hand slowly moved to Vivian¡¯s waist. Vivian had the strong urge to scream at the top of her lungs. No! Hell no! There was absolutely no way she would allow that terrible incident two years ago to happen again. Bearing that thought in mind, she struggled to push the man¡¯s hand off her, but she was no match for This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. the strong man, so she could only watch helplessly as his hand slowly reached for her bosoms. Smash! When she was close to breaking down, something was thrown at them from afar. The next second¡­ She heard the sound of something shattering right in front of her. That object had broken into pieces over the man¡¯s head. The next scene Vivian saw was his perverted smile zing all of a sudden while a stream of dark red liquid trickled down his forehead. Everything happened so fast that Vivian was totally caught off guard. She could only watch as the man in front of her slumped to the ground with broken pieces of a vase covered with blood beside him. Vivian looked up edgily and saw a slender figure standing at the end of the corridor with his hand reaching out, looking like he had just thrown something. With just one look, Vivian recognized the figure. In an instant, her sight was blurred by tears welling up in her eyes. It¡¯s Finnick¡­ Finnick hase to my rescue. Before she came back to her senses, Finnick had dashed to her. Instead of being pushed in his wheelchair, he was actually walking toward her in this karaoke club crowded with people from all walks of life. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 153 Soon, Finnick was standing in front of Vivian with a slightly pale face. As he took Vivian into his arms, he stared at her tear-stained face. In a soft tone, he asked, ¡°Vivian, are you okay?¡± It was only then that Vivian realized something was amiss. Looking at Finnick who was standing in front of her, she asked anxiously in a hushed voice, ¡°Finnick, why are you standing? Where¡¯s your wheelchair?¡± This is a karaoke club!There ¡¯re so many people watching. If someone recognizes Finnick and informs Mark, his efforts in hiding this secret all these years would be in vain! Having said that, she looked up to find Noah running anxiously from the end of the corridor while pushing a wheelchair. Clearly, Finnick had been running too fast that he failed to keep up. In contrast to Vivian¡¯s panic, Finnick could not care less about that. When he saw the crimson hue on Vivian¡¯s cheeks and felt the unusual heat in his arms, he came to a sudden realization. ¡°Vivian, have you been drugged?¡± Vivian had been so worried about Finnick that she forgot about her own difort momentarily. It was only when Finnick asked her the question that she realized her body temperature had risen even higher as he held her in his arms. It was as if a fire was spreading within her. Before she could say anything, a soft moan escaped her lips, and she was shocked at the allure in her voice. Just then, Noah was huffing and puffing as he pushed the wheelchair near Finnick and nced around restlessly, making sure that no one had noticed Finnick. Then, he lowered his voice and said, ¡°Mr. Norton, please sit down quickly.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g But it seemed like Finnick did not hear him as he bent down abruptly to scoop Vivian into his arms. ¡°Mr. Norton, you¡­¡± Overwhelmed with shock, Noah asked hurriedly but Finnick had already carried Vivian in his arms and sprinted out, instructing, ¡°Get me a room in the hotel next door immediately!¡± Finnick carried Vivian as quick as he could to a hotel suite, totally ignoring the passersby who pointed fingers at him on the way. Upon reaching the suite, he carried Vivian to the bathtub without any hesitation and turned on the cold water faucet. The water gushed out on Vivian while Finnick spoke sternly, ¡°Vivian, stay sober!¡± The cold water extinguished the fire on Vivian¡¯s skin, but not the one within her. In fact, the contrast between the external cold and the internal heat made her extremely ufortable. She curled up in the bathtub in agony and struggled to speak, ¡°I feel¡­ terrible¡­ It hurts¡­¡± Looking at how tormented Vivian was, Finnick felt like he had been stabbed in his heart. Meanwhile, he realized that the few wounds on Vivian¡¯s body hadn¡¯t recovered, and soaking them underwater detached the gauze. Other than that, Finnick noticed very soon that the substance Vivian consumed was very strong. No matter how much cold water he poured over Vivian, the red hue on her face would not fade. As time passed, the effect became even stronger, causing her face to turn sickly red and her body to coil in anguish. D*mn it! Who the hell did this! Using such a strong drug on her! Finnick could not bear to see her suffer any longer, so he carried her from the bathtub and took off her soaked clothes. Then, he dried her up quickly with the towels and carried her to the bed. But even after he adjusted the air conditioner setting to the lowest temperature, Vivian was still exceedingly feverish. The agony she felt became increasingly unbearable like numerous ants were biting at her bones. In her tormenting trance, the slender figure of Finnick looked like a ray of hope to her. Unable to think straight, she reached out her hand to grab his arm and pleaded softly, ¡°Finnick, please help me¡­ It¡¯s so ufortable¡­¡± Vivian had the least idea how her voice sounded like to Finnick. Husky yet sugary, it was definitely testing Finnick¡¯s limits. To make matters worse, the sight of her smooth bare body lying underneath the nket and her damp hair spreading out on her rosy cheeks was driving Finnick to the edge of his wit. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 154 Damn it! Seeing how Vivian¡¯s body was writhing in misery, Finnick made a decision at that moment as he lowered his head to fix his brooding eyes on her. ¡°Vivian,¡± he called out her name in a barely audible voice. In the meantime, he slowly removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t me me for doing this because it¡¯s what you¡¯re asking for.¡± There was no way Vivian could pay any attention to what he was saying because she was about to lose her mind as her entire body was on fire. In an agonized tone, she mumbled, ¡°H-Help me¡­¡± Instantly, Finnick¡¯s eyes darkened with desire in response. His throat was parched as he rested his entire weight on Vivian¡¯s body which was burning with heat. In a swift motion, he pressed his lips to hers and grazed it against the softness of her lips. It forced her to swallow back all herints. Before long, Finnick could feel the me that was burning in Vivian¡¯s body spreading to him. However, he preferred to take it slow because it was their first time. Although doing it with her when she was drugged was not exactly the ideal scenario he had in mind, he did not feel like holding himself back this time. In fact, he had desired her since a long time ago. Even though Vivian was drugged, he knew that she still had enough awareness to remember what happened that night. Therefore, he wanted to make it the best experience for her. With that thought in mind, he moved in on her with much gentleness. He nuzzled his lips against her earlobes and whispered endearingly to her, ¡°Vivian, are you scared?¡± She could sense his weight on top of her and the heat from his body. Because of the sensation, her Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g mind couldn¡¯t help but wander back to the miserable experience she had suffered two years ago¡­ Her body started cowering in fear in response. Finnick, who detected her terror and repulsion, decided not to back off this time. Instead, he grabbed both of her wrists and pressed them against the pillow on top of her head. At the same time, his lips edged closer to her ears so that she could feel the warm breath that came out from his mouth while he was talking to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± His deep voice sounded slightly husky. ¡°I know you¡¯re traumatized. This time, let me be the one to you from the shackle that¡¯s holding you back.¡± It was as though his words carried magic that made Vivian fall under his spell. Surprisingly, the muscles in her body, which had tensed up in fear, started to rx at that moment. Although the drug was tormenting her and leaving her with little sanity, she knew what was about to take ce next. She found it more eptable because the person was Finnick¡­ Sensing her rxation, a trace of delight flickered in his eyes. Finally, he let go of thest bit of resistance in him as he started iming and owning every part of her body¡­ It was a long and sleepless night for the two of them. After only God knew how long, the fear and jitters in her started to wear off as she slowly arched her body to match his movement. In fact, she had been having a hard time moving on from her traumatic experience two years ago. Therefore, it never urred to her that she could finally forget that ordeal for once and enjoy life as a normal woman. It was only after a long while that her body heat started to subside. In the end, she fell into a deep slumber, feeling weak and worn out. The next morning, she woke up zing in the room. It was because Finnick had adjusted the air conditioner to its lowest temperaturest night. Shuddering, she opened her eyes and was immediately greeted by Finnick¡¯s beautiful face next to her. Under the gentle sunlight that filtered through the window, his facial features looked as exquisite as sculptures. She was so absorbed in admiring his looks that she was stuck in a trance-like state. Her gaze remained fixed on his face until Finnick, whose eyes were still shut, spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Are you done staring at me?¡± Only then did her mind snap back to reality. Feeling embarrassed that Finnick was aware of her stare, she quickly tried to turn her back to him. But before she could do that, he seized her shoulder and from there, she was drawn into his embrace at once. Her face bumped against his well-toned chest, causing her heart to start pounding at a frenzied rate. Meanwhile, hended a peck on her forehead and asked her in an undertone, ¡°Are you satisfied with my performancest night?¡± Dumbfounded by his question, her face and ears flushed with embarrassment. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± she snapped in an annoyed tone, ¡°How dare you ask me that question when you clearly took advantage of mest night!¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Unfazed by her exasperation, Finnick chuckled. ¡°Why do I see myself as the hero who saved you, the damsel in distress,st night?¡± Vivian cursed through gritted teeth, ¡°You¡¯re so shameless.¡± ¡°I am shameless?¡± Finnick chortled. ¡°Will you give me more chances to be shameless again?¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 155 Vivian was so overwhelmed with embarrassment that she could not utter a word in response. She just realized that Finnick was definitely a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. While he might look like a gentleman, he was actually a jerk who couldn¡¯t wait to devour her at the first opportunity! Feeling too embarrassed to answer his question, she decided to keep her mouth shut. However, Finnick was not about to let her go that easily. Lifting her chin to force her to look right into his eyes, he urged in a low voice, ¡°Answer me, Vivian.¡± Two crimson patches emerged on her cheeks instantly. She averted her eyes away from him and snorted, ¡°It depends on my mood.¡± Finnick was stunned. Although she did not answer him in the affirmative, that was probably the second-best answer he could get from her, considering how shy and reserved a girl she was. ted, he pulled her in for a tighter hug and made a promise in a low voice, ¡°Very well, I hereby offer you a guarantee of satisfactory service from now on!¡± Vivian¡¯s face reddened immediately again. But at the same time, she felt a surge of sweetness seizing her heart. Finally¡­ Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She was able to move on from the traumatic experience which happened to her two years ago. There was a time before this that she thought she would not be able to get married and have a child like other women. Never could she imagine that she would finally meet a guy who could help her ovee her trauma. Although she had no idea who was the douchebag who had drugged herst night, she actually felt rather grateful for him. Feeling the warmth of Finnick¡¯s body and his powerful heartbeat, she couldn¡¯t help but wrap her arms around his slender waist. In a soft voice, she confessed, ¡°Finnick, I think I¡¯ve fallen in love with you.¡± In fact, she had realized her feelings for him way before this. However, she decided to keep her feelings to herself at that time, thinking that it was unlikely to be reciprocated. After they had gone through many ups and downs together, she finally started to notice his feelings for her. That was the reason why she decided to give both of them a chance. Finnick was taken aback by the sudden revtion of her feelings. He froze for a second before pulling her into an embrace so tight that it was as though he was trying to blend her body with his. ¡°Me too.¡± His tone was so soft that it did not sound like his usual voice at all. ¡°On top of that, I¡¯m sure I fell in love with you long before you fell in love with me.¡± She was stunned to hear that. Before she could figure out what he meant, he suddenly lowered his head and imed her lips to stop her from dwelling on her doubts. After a passionate kiss, he let go of her with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Vivian, how about we do another round without the effect of the drug?¡± Before she knew it, his lips were pressing hard on hers again. Just like that, the question in her mind was answered by his action. In the days that followed, Vivian would always me herself for sumbing to Finnick¡¯s trickery so easily every time she woke up feeling sore all over her body. In another room at the same hotel, Fabian struggled to open his eyes as his head felt extremely heavy. Slowly, the images of what took cest night started reying in his mind. He remembered having a great time at the clubst night, where he overindulged himself in alcohol. Unlike his usual self, his alcohol tolerance was abnormally low that night. On top of that, it was bizarre that he had been feeling so hot as though his whole body was on fire. Through his blurry vision, he could see Vivian staggering her way out of the club. As he was worried about her safety, he tried hard to stand up before following her out. Halfway along the journey, he felt someone holding him still to prevent him from falling. That was thest he saw of Vivian. Just as he was trying to recall what exactly happened the previous night as hey in bed, a woman extended her arm and caressed his hair gently. Frightened by her sudden action, he whirled around and spotted Ashley. The naked woman was gazing at him endearingly and coquettishly. Fabian immediately understood what exactly took cest night, judging from her condition as well as their clothes that were strewn all over the floor. A wave of despair washed over him at that instant. How could this happen? I¡¯ve pledged not to have anything to do with Ashley ever again. Why did something like this happen again¡­ At the same time, Ashley started twining her limbs around his body like a snake. Resting her weight on him, she locked eyes with him in a lusty and sensual manner. To be honest, she was second to none when it came to seducing men. As her touches slowly set his body on fire, Fabian almost sumbed to the temptation as he was still slightly intoxicated. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 156 However, he managed to shove her away with thest bit of rationality in him. He leaped out of bed, grabbed his clothes from the floor, and dashed toward the bathroom. As for Ashley, she ended up crashing onto the bed after being pushed by him. Dumbfounded by his action, her blood was boiling with rage. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She had been trying to seduce him countless times, but her attempts always ended in failure. He had shown nothing but disgust in response to her seduction. Would he turn Vivian down if she were the one seducing him? If I didn¡¯t drug his drinksst night, would he have spent the night with me? Ashley could remember vividly how their bodies tangled with each other in bedst night. However, what she could never forget was how he had been mumbling Vivian¡¯s name when they were having a good time in bed. With that thought in mind, she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost pierced through her palms. She couldn¡¯t believe that the woman was all he had been thinking about even when he was experiencing waves of ecstasy with her. How despicable! It¡¯s sickening! Despite finding it revolting, she had decided to put up with it, thinking that it would be a waste if she let slip the opportunity to be with him. In order to have Fabian to herself, she was willing to do anything! Inside the bathroom, Fabian turned on the faucet to its maximum while sshing cold water onto his face in an attempt to calm himself down. Everything that had taken cest night seemed perfectly normal, but then again, he could still detect the slight possibility that it was all premeditated. It was suspicious how Ashley had appeared right in front of the club entrance. Also, there was something fishy about his unusually low alcohol tolerance and the way they ended up in bed. As he recalled the photo Ashley revealed during the partyst time, he became all the more convinced that there could be more to the mischievous and adorable girl than met the eyes. At the same time, he was seized by a spasm of fear. Should I dig out more information on her? Hastily, he finished washing up and walked out of the bathroom. Ashley, who had already gotten changed, was staring at him with a wide grin on her face. He quickly turned his eyes away from her to avoid conversation. Although Ashley and her sister did look simr to each other, she could never replicate her sister¡¯s dazzling smile. He kept his eyes downcast as he frantically picked up his belongings from the floor. In a nonchnt tone, he said to her, ¡°I¡¯ve got to go as I have a busy schedule today.¡± ¡°Fabian!¡± Looking anxious, Ashley intended to have a talk with him, but to her dismay, Fabian did not even give her onest nce before he left. The door was shut mercilessly following his departure. She was left standing rooted to the spot with a long face. Stroking her belly with her right hand, tears started welling up in her eyes. Fabian, am I such a nuisance to you? It¡¯s alright if you feel that way. Hopefully, I¡¯ll get what I want with my effortst night. People always said how children could work wonders on the rtionship of a couple. As long as she was pregnant with his child, he would never be able to get rid of her for the rest of his life! After Fabian made a hurried exit from the hotel, he immediately called his assistant and asked him to begin an investigation on Ashley. He wanted to find out how Ashley had gotten her hands on that photo, especially that one which he didn¡¯t even have in his phone. What was the truth behind that horrid incident that happened two years ago? Who was the mastermind behind it? Before Fabian returned to the country, he had never expected to be involved in an incident that was shrouded in so much mystery. Ashley went to the hotel lobby after fixing her appearance. Coincidentally, she bumped into Vivian, who was lounging on the sofa there. Vivian, who was waiting for Finnick to do the checkout, was surprised to see Ashley. A triumphant smirk appeared on Ashley¡¯s face at the sight of her sister. Since Vivian is here at the hotel at this hour, does it mean my n to sabotage her by drugging her drinksst night had seeded? ¡°The great Ms. Vivian, howe you¡¯re sitting here? What could have happenedst night that made you look so tired? Could it be¡­¡± Ashley approached Vivian and drawled, ¡°I wonder who was the lucky guy who got to spend a good time with our Ms. Vivian herest night.¡± Ashley grabbed the opportunity to rub salt in Vivian¡¯s wound. The thought of watching her agonized expression after being rapedst night was a pleasure for her. However, Vivian only furrowed her brows at her in confusion. How did she know what happened between Finnick and mest night? ¡°Hey, why are you not answering me? Are you too shy to talk about it? Goodness gracious, will an easy girl like you even be shy about what you did with men? I really wonder how Mr. Norton would react once he finds out that you¡¯ve been screwing around!¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 157 Colors drained from Vivian¡¯s face at once. She knew that she was druggedst night, and she had been wondering who was the culprit ever since. Judging from the smirk on Ashley¡¯s face, it did not take her long to associate the incident with her. Despite feeling infuriated, she did not treat Ashley too harshly for the sake of their kinship. Atst, she only confronted her in an icy voice, ¡°Ashley Miller, you¡¯d bettere clean about the thing you didst night.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes wereden with hatred when she stared at Vivian. As she had always been enjoying a sense of superiority over Vivian, there was no way she could be overwhelmed by her. ¡°What did I dost night? I¡¯m speaking nothing but the truth, and you should know what you didst night. I can¡¯t believe you still have the audacity to criticize me after having a fling with some random guy as a married woman!¡± Ashley raised her voice, feeling agitated. She was making full use of the chance to vent her frustration after being ignored by Fabian that morning. To her utter surprise, a sonorous and powerful voice came at that juncture. ¡°Ashley, do you have any idea who you¡¯re speaking with?¡± She spun around to find an extremely good-looking man making his way over to her in a wheelchair. His presence immediately drew the attention of everyone else present at the hotel lobby. Ashley was stunned to see him there. Finnick? Why¡¯s he here? Instead of being terrorized by his presence, a smile broke out on her face as she greeted the handsome man. ¡°Mr. Norton, you¡¯re here just at the right time. You know what? Last night, Vivian and¡­¡± Finnick interrupted her right away by shooting her a prating and icy stare while saying, ¡°Ashley, do you really want to know what your sister and I didst night?¡± Upon hearing that, Ashley was stupefied as though she had just been struck by lightning. W-Was Finnick the one who was with Vivian at the hotelst night? Does it mean my n actually failed? Ashley felt a pressing urge to let out a shriek in exasperation. However, she had no choice but to watch her behavior in Finnick¡¯s presence. Clenching her fists tightly, she bit her lip and stormed away without giving Vivian another nce. ¡°Ashley, hold on!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She paused in her tracks when she heard Vivian¡¯s voice. With her arms crossed in front of her chest, she turned around and stared at Vivian. She kept her chin up to show that she was not intimidated by her. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯d better listen to me carefully. I¡¯ll let you off the hook this time and forget about what you did.¡± Fixing her with a cold stare, she continued, ¡°However, if you try to sabotage me with one of your dirty tricks again, I¡¯ll surely let you have a taste of your own medicine.¡± Ashley¡¯s body trembled in fear. However, she still tried to maintain her high and mighty demeanor when she strutted her way out of the hotel. After that, Vivian and Finnick left the hotel by car. Vivian remained silent throughout the entire journey, immersed in her own thoughts. There was no doubt that Ashley was the one who drugged herst night. It was disheartening to know that her own sister would actually drug her and allow a stranger to rape her. Thinking about all the wicked stuff Ashley had done to her before this, she couldn¡¯t help but shudder in terror. What happenedst night actually resembled that fateful night two years ago in many ways. Could Ashley be the culprit behind that too? Sensing that she was bothered by something, Finnick gave her a nudge on her shoulder. ¡°Vivian, are you feeling unwell? Is it because you¡¯re¡­ too tired?¡± Noah was focusing his attention on the road ahead when he heard the questionable choice of words that escaped Finnick¡¯s mouth. His face reddened instantly as his mind couldn¡¯t help but be filled with some obscene thoughts. Too tired? Vivian, who realized what Finnick was trying to imply, shot him a re as her face flushed with embarrassment. Immediately, he cleared his throat and responded, ¡°You really should take some food supplements if you¡¯re feeling too tired.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not tired at all!¡± Her face turned even redder as she desperately tried to exin her distracted look earlier. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m d to hear that. Why don¡¯t we¡­¡± She quickly stretched out her hand and ced her palm on his mouth to stop him from spouting nonsense. However, he made use of the chance to hold her hand. Looking solemn, he asked, ¡°Please share with me what was on your mind just now.¡± I must say, he really is an astute observer. Leaning back in the seat, she turned to look out the window at the heavy traffic as she took her time to figure out an answer. It was only after a while that she spoke slowly, ¡°I have a feeling that Ashley might have something to do with what happened to me two years ago.¡± ¡°Do you need my help to get to the bottom of it?¡± Vivian hesitated before responding to his offer. Back then, she had not been strong enough to face the traumatic experience alone. But now, with Finnick by her side, she seemed to have the courage to find out the culprit who had brought about the loss of her most precious thing! Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 158 ¡°Yes, I do need your help,¡± Vivian agreed. Just then, Finnick remembered something which he felt he should share with her now. He said tentatively, ¡°Actually, I already gathered some information on that incident.¡± The fact that he had started the investigation on his own showed that he was quite bothered by it too. Vivian¡¯s eyes fell pensive, but she did not condemn him for what he did. Instead, she ced emphasis on the oue. ¡°What information have you got?¡± He told her that the man who raped her two years ago was not an old man as per her assumption. However, the identity of the real perpetrator had yet toe to light. The one who did the horrendous thing to her was not an old man. To Vivian, that piece of information did not really matter. Knowing that the perpetrator was not an old man did not make things better in the least bit because the fact that she had been humiliated could never be changed. She sighed. ¡°Finnick, to be honest with you, the question of who did it doesn¡¯t matter that much to me at the moment. Right now, I just want to find out who was the one who drugged me and orchestrated the entire plot that night. That person even went to the extent of spreading that scandal at school in order to destroy me. Who could be the mastermind behind everything?¡± Without saying anything in response, he drew her toward his chest gently. Since what she wanted was the truth, he would go all out to get that for her. After all, he wanted to find out the truth too. Yet¡­ At the thought of that scarf, he grew reticent as his eyes turned icy. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it,¡± he promised her in a soft voice. Suddenly, a thought struck Vivian. ¡°By the way, did anyone find out about the condition of your legsst night?¡± she asked worriedly. Finnick broke into a faint smile, feeling pleased to see how much she cared about him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. All the necessary arrangements are in ce to make sure everything is alright.¡± The car pulled to a stop at that moment. As she looked out the window, she found herself staring at the apartment she was staying at instead of the vi. She couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Finnick in puzzlement. ¡°I¡¯d like to visit your mother,¡± he answered. Vivian had her reservations about his idea because it was obvious to her that Finnick was not her mother¡¯s favorite. That did not bother her during the time their marriage only existed in name. However, things were so much different at the moment. Should I tell Mom the truth? She nodded to herself before getting out of the car together with Finnick. Inside the apartment unit, Rachel was sitting on her bed reading a copy of mour Magazine. ¡°Mom!¡± Vivian stepped into the unit and was happy to see her mother¡¯s glowing face. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mrs. William.¡± Finnick entered at the same time in his wheelchair. Rachel¡¯s face stiffened for a split second before greeting him back politely. In the meantime, Noah put down the gift bags and was sensible enough to wait for his boss outside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry as I didn¡¯t have much time to prepare better gifts for you. Here are some food supplements which are good for your health. I hope they aren¡¯t too shabby for you, Mrs. William,¡± Finnick said in a level voice. Rachel, who did not fancy Finnick as her son-inw, deliberately pulled a long face. ¡°We are just some ordinary folks who don¡¯t deserve your expensive gifts. Please don¡¯t bring anything for us in the future.¡± Finnick¡¯s face was inscrutable in response to herment. ¡°Mom!¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t help but chime in. Sitting down at the edge of the bed beside her mother, she held her hands and tried to put in some good words for Finnick. ¡°He only brought those gifts for you as a kind gesture.¡± As someone who had never known how to get along with his mother-inw, Finnick was at a loss as he stood dazedly beside Vivian. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. It was her first time witnessing such a helpless expression on his face, and she found it hrious. ¡°Finnick, since it¡¯s lunchtime soon, why don¡¯t you go out and fetch us some takeaway food? Mom loves braised pork.¡± He nodded in agreement. After he left with Noah, Vivian started criticizing her mother, ¡°Mom, what you said to Finnick just now was too harsh. He¡¯s a kind-hearted person, and he¡¯s different from all the other rich guys.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care because I just don¡¯t like the idea of you and him being together. In fact, I prefer Fabian to be my son-inw.¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s time you forget about Fabian because Finnick is my husband.¡± Seeing how fervently her daughter was trying to defend Finnick, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°Vivian, just be honest with me. Have you fallen in love with him? Otherwise, why are you trying so hard to defend him?¡± Had she fallen in love with him? Of course! She was so in love with him that her life literally depended on his. She loved him so deeply that she cared about his every movement, and she couldn¡¯t wait to spend the rest of her life with him. Seeing the concern in her mother¡¯s eyes, Vivian finally made up her mind to tell her the truth. ¡°Mom, I really love him very much, so much so that I¡¯d like to spend the rest of my life with him.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 159 Rachel¡¯s eyes became dodgy when she learned that her daughter had developed feelings for Finnick. Knowing well that Vivian had gone through a fair share of ordeal in her past, all she wanted for her was a dependable man who knew her well, treated her nicely, and loved her with all his heart. However, is Finnick the right man who can bring her happiness in life? Trying to blend into the world of the rich is something easier said than done. Would Finnick turn out to be a fickle-minded man in rtionships? Could his rtionship with Vivian withstand all the challenges and obstacles that are looming ahead of them? Vivian knew the doubts her mother was having about their rtionship. In a soft voice, she tried to convince her mother, ¡°My beloved mother, Finnick risked his life on several asions before just to protect me from danger. I really love him, and I believe he¡¯s the right guy for me. So, please don¡¯t worry about me.¡± The moment Rachel saw the blissful smile on her daughter¡¯s face, she finally caved in. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re married to him, I guess the right thing to do is to make the most out of your life with him. I¡¯m happy as long as you are.¡± Wrapping her arms around her mother, Vivian said coyly, ¡°Mom, I know you¡¯re the one who loves me the most, and you should know that you¡¯re the most precious person in my life. Please don¡¯t worry about me because I know how to take care of myself.¡± ¡°You silly girl.¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes glistened with tears when she said that. Finnick bumped into the heartwarming scene when he made it back with food. He had the gumption to sit down by the door so as not to interrupt their moment. Satisfied with his sensible action, Rachel¡¯s attitude thawed substantially. Surprisingly, she extended her hand toward him and invited him for a talk, ¡°Finnick,e over here because I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Finnick.¡± She ced emphasis on every single word of her sentence to show how serious her speech N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. was. ¡°Vivian is my only daughter, and she¡¯s gone through quite a difficult time when she was staying with me. Therefore, all I want for her is a good guy who knows how to take care of her well, regardless of whether that guy has deep pockets or otherwise. Since she¡¯s told me that you¡¯re the love of her life, I have no choice but to entrust her happiness to you.¡± Finnick turned to look at Vivian with astonishment in his eyes. He knew Vivian must have told her mother something that led to the sudden change in her attitude. He could still remember the time Vivian assured her mother that she had no feelings for him and their marriage only existed in name. So, is Rachel treating me so amiably because Vivian has confessed to her how much she would like to spend the rest of her life with me? At the thought of that possibility, the tensed muscles in his face rxed a great deal. This is perfect. Is she finally willing to acknowledge me as her husband? With that thought in mind, he looked up at Rachel and dered in aposed tone that was tinged with a trace of solemnness, ¡°Mrs. William, please rest assured that I will take good care of Vivian in the future.¡± Although he was inarticte, he meant every word he said and would honor his promise for sure. Rachel, who was moved by his sincerity, nodded at him approvingly. At longst, the tension between the three eased up a great deal. Knowing that her mother was one who sought sce in solitude, Vivian left with Finnick after the meal. A smile slowly took over Rachel¡¯s face while watching Vivian¡¯s back as she left. In fact, she considered herself really lucky to have a daughter as filial as Vivian. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed of not being a good enough mother for her. She knew she had let her daughter down. The feeling of guilt toward her had been growing increasingly intense with the years. Would Vivian still acknowledge me as her mother after learning about the truth behind everything? Would she hate me for the rest of her life? Putting her hands together, she started praying to God for Vivian¡¯s happiness. At the same time, she begged for His mercy and pleaded for a chance to redeem her sins. Vivian, Mom¡¯s never done enough for you, but I really hope you can have a happy and blissful life. ¡­ After leaving the apartment, Finnick sent Vivian back to the magazinepany. Just as she was about to exit the car, he suddenly called after her, ¡°Vivian.¡± She turned around upon hearing his voice. Before she could even respond to him, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her toward his arms. Her pulse started racing as she was close enough to feel his warm breath on her. As for Noah, he had the gumption to bury his head into his shirt as much as he could. Mr. Norton has definitely be very unpredictabletely. Is he treating me like I am non-existent? Despite feeling awkward with Noah around, Vivian was not strong enough to break from his embrace. In the end, she could only plead for his mercy with her face flushed with embarrassment, ¡°Let go of me now. We should talk when we get back home.¡± ¡°Thank you, Vivian,¡± he spoke in a deep and husky tone. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 160 ¡°What¡¯re you thanking me for?¡± Vivian sounded baffled. With a smirk, he answered, ¡°Thanks for telling your mother how much you love me.¡± Vivian was taken aback by his words. All of a sudden, her heart was seized by a surge of warmth, and she couldn¡¯t resist hugging him back. In fact, I¡¯m the one who should be grateful for you. Thank you for appearing in my life. They engaged in the sweet embrace for quite a long while until Vivian realized that she was about to be Despite feeling reluctant to part ways with her, he gave her forehead a light peck before letting her go. ¡°Go ahead.¡± After bidding farewell to him, Vivian headed to the magazinepany. Before she could even settle down, Sarah made a hurried entrance to her room and started rambling on, ¡°Vivian, oh Vivian! You¡¯re finally back! You know what, something huge happened!¡± Frowning at Sarah¡¯s face which had astonishment written all over it, Vivian asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something rted to the president of Finnor Group!¡± Shocked, Sarah stared at her with widened eyes as she asked, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard about it? It¡¯s all over Twitter at the moment!¡± Something rted to Finnick? Vivian was dumbstruck for a moment to learn that the matter was rted to her own husband. Out of curiosity, she asked Sarah, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with Finnick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rumor about Finnick and Yasmin, which has gone viral on the inte! Everyone has been talking about how the popr celebrity, Yasmin, tried to seduce Finnick in order to dethrone his wife! Vivian, don¡¯t you think it is very shameless of her to pull off something like that? There¡¯s no way Mr. Norton would be tempted by a girl as mediocre as her! Hmph, she¡¯ll never be good enough for a guy like him!¡± As Sarah was talking about the rumor agitatedly, Vivian looked stunned. Yasmin? Oh, she¡¯s that celebrity who¡¯s got the most potential to make it big in the movie industry. Also, she¡¯s hailed as the dream girl by many guys. Yasmin had an alluring, well-toned body and full luscious lips. Her eyes always sparkled with charm, and her voice was so sweet that it could make one¡¯s knees go weak just by listening to her. No man in the world would be able to resist the seduction of a stunner like her. Why would Finnick have anything to do with a famous celebrity like her? A babble of voices was ongoing among her colleagues at the office. Obviously, everyone was talking about the rumor. ¡°s, I¡¯ve always thought of Yasmin as an aloof girl who¡¯s hard to approach. It really surprises me that she actually made the first move for Mr. Norton.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mainly because Mr. Norton is too much of a hottie that even Yasmin couldn¡¯t resist his charm. But then again, I don¡¯t think they really did anything out of bounds, did they? Mr. Norton should know better than getting involved with her since he¡¯s already a married man.¡± ¡°Who can be sure about that? Mind you, the woman who seduced him was not just any ordinary woman but Yasmin, the girl who has such a hot body and beautiful face. As we all know, men¡¯s minds Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g are mostly controlled by their junks. So, I highly doubt any one of them would be able to turn down a looker like her!¡± Although Vivian trusted Finnickpletely deep down, she couldn¡¯t help but be slightly bothered by some of the remarks made by her colleagues. Immediately, she whipped out her phone and checked her Twitter. Just like how Sarah had described it to her, both Yasmin and Finnick were the trending topics on Twitter. She did not find out about their rumor until now as she had been having too many things on her tetely. As it turned out, it all started with Yasmin expressing her admiration for Finnick on several asions how talented he was in doing business. Then, Vivian went on to check out her profile on Twitter. Her timeline was full of posts that were directly portraying her admiration for Finnick. Her infatuation with the man was very obvious, and it seemed like she deemed him as her dream man. Because of the rumor, her followers spiked to an all-time high, making her one of the top five most popr artists on Twitter. Comments below her posts were mushrooming too. You and Finnick will make a perfect couple! My goddess, I¡¯ll support you no matter what you do! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re shameless enough to express your intention of getting yourself a rich sugar daddy! You¡¯re really despicable! Are mistresses nowadays all so cocky and insolent? Yasmin, you¡¯d better beware whenever you¡¯re walking alone on the street because you might be ambushed by assassins sent by Finnick¡¯s wife. All of us should do our part to stop the mistresses out there from getting rampant! Mrs. Norton, it¡¯s about time you did something to banish her! None of you have the right to humiliate my Yasmin! Everyone has the right and dom to pursue their love. Yasmin, we¡¯ll always be your pirs of support! Vivian found thements amusing. She was d that she did not reveal her identity as Finnick¡¯s wife to the public. Otherwise, she might no longer be able to dine out without being recognized by people. At the same time, she was surprised to see how a mass condemnation against mistresses was making or breaking something. At that juncture, Lesley, the senior editor, visited her after walking out of Fabian¡¯s room. She was there just in time to catch Vivian poring over Yasmin¡¯s Twitter ount. Her eyes brightened up with inspiration at once. ¡°Vivian, I knew you would be paying attention to the topic as you always have such a good nose for juicy news. I just had a discussion with Mr. Norton, and we¡¯ve decided to pursue this topic and do a coverage on it. With a famous female celebrity and a handsome president of apany as the protagonists, I¡¯m sure the news would turn out to be a sensational one in no time! So, we¡¯ve decided to let you be in charge of this topic.¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 161 Open-mouthed, Vivian stared at Lesley in a daze. That was certainly by far the most absurd thing that had happened to her life. As Finnick¡¯s wife, she was going to cover the scandal involving her husband and a female celebrity. Apart from that, it was going to be published for everyone to read and be a piece of sensational news locally or even globally. Is this a joke? May I know how do you feel about being the crush of a female celebrity? How many dates have the two of you gone out on? How did the two of you meet each other? Who¡¯s more attractive to you? Your wife or Ms. Ziller? Some of the questions she might have to ask Finnick in the near future popped up in her mind. Was it Fabian¡¯s idea to let me be in charge of the coverage? Does he think it would destroy my rtionship with Finnick? At that moment, Vivian had a feeling that she no longer knew Fabian as well as she had thought anymore. At the same time, her colleagues shook their heads in sympathy when they learned that she was assigned with the demanding and arduous task. Not only was it nigh impossible to get an interview with Finnick who had never been cooperative with reporters, arranging one with Yasmin would be an uphill task too, considering her hectic schedule. To make matters worse, she was a snob who was difficult to deal with. Without pulling some strings and exchanging favors with people, getting an interview with the two of them would be a task as challenging as doing a moonnding. This time, Vivian knew it was destined to be a failure. In the meantime, Shannon was smiling slyly to herself. She did notpete with Vivian for the chance because she knew she only had to wait on the sideline and watch how Vivian made a fool out of herself. When Sarah volunteered to be Vivian¡¯s assistant, Vivian cast her an appreciative nce. Wait a minute. Won¡¯t the idea of me doing a coverage on the scandal involving my husband and a female celebrity be too bizarre? However, it was toote for her to turn it down as Lesley was already patting her shoulder, saying, ¡°Our magazine will be counting on you to get a shot at bing the best-selling magazine in the nation again! Vivian, just tell me if you need anything. We¡¯ll try our best to fulfill your needs.¡± It seemed like Lesley had made up her mind to entrust the mission to her. Nervously, Vivian swallowed hard. To make matters worse, Shannon started spouting sarcastic remarks, ¡°Vivian, it seems like you¡¯re the only one who has what it takes to tackle this mission. Since you did an interview with Mr. Norton from the Finnor Group before and both of you even own the same ring, you really are the best candidate for this job.¡± At first, Vivian thought of turning down the task. However, when she saw the persistence and determination in Lesley¡¯s eyes, she realized she would not be able to defy her order. Besides, she could not afford to quit the job as she still needed the money to pay for her mother¡¯s living expenses and medical fees. After all, she couldn¡¯t rely on financial support from Finnick. On top of that, it was about time she contributed something to thepany, considering thepany had been gracious enough to grant her requests for advance sry payment. Guess I won¡¯t be able to elude the trouble this time. She could not be bothered with Shannon¡¯s mockery because her priority at the moment was to glean some first-hand information on the rumor. Since she had already epted the mission, she was obligated to aplish it regardless of the means. After years of being involved in journalism, professionalism was ingrained in her blood. Let¡¯s look at the bright side. At least I¡¯ve got a head start over the others since I know Finnick personally. With that thought in mind, she gritted her teeth and braced herself to send Finnick a WhatsApp message. Finnick was reading a portfolio of an investment project when his phone buzzed with a notification. When he checked the screen and saw that it was a new message from Vivian, his curiosity was piqued instantly. It was rare for her to send him a message first. He picked up his phone and swiped the screen to unlock it. ording to some rumor, you¡¯re involved in a scandal with the celebrity, Yasmin? Eh? Finnick frowned at the screen in confusion. However, it didn¡¯t take long for him to break into a smile while typing a reply. Are you jealous? Am I jealous? Vivian chuckled at the sight of his reply. She had never been a petty woman. All the while, she had never been too attached to worldly possessions. In her opinion, those fated to be hers would stay by her side no matter what. As for those that were not, they could be taken away from her effortlessly, just like how easily her rtionship with Fabian was destroyed because of a mere photo. She sent him a reply: I¡¯m going to do a sensational coverage on this topic. You know what, you¡¯re the current prime target of our magazinepany! Mr. Norton, please tell me everything about it, and you aren¡¯t allowed to keep any secret from me. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The grin on Finnick¡¯s face grew even wider when he saw her message. Is she trying to get some leads from me for her coverage? Or is she trying to take revenge on me by using her work as an excuse? Finnick thought the idea was interesting. That would be a perfect chance for them to spend more time together as she would have to follow him everywhere in order to get information for her coverage. Sounds good to me! In fact, he had always felt that Yasmin was a great nuisance. Yet, he did not take it seriously before this because it was not the first time he got into trouble like this. But now¡­ Suddenly, he was consumed by curiosity as he wondered what Vivian would be like when she was jealous. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 162 Finnick edited his text: I can do you a favor, but I want you to behave yourself in return. Do we have a deal? Vivian was rendered speechless the moment she read his reply. Can you please put that aside for the time being? Let¡¯s talk about it in the evening, okay? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g In the end, she replied as she pursed her lips: Shall we cut the crap and get to the point? Are you doing something behind my back? Is that the reason you want me to stay away from you? She noticed she had gotten increasingly courageous. Perhaps she was the only one who dared to talk with Finnick in such a manner. Although Vivian¡¯s reply sounded provocative, Finnick didn¡¯t seem to be bothered at all. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t wait to figure out Vivian¡¯s response. Therefore, he checked his uing schedule before texting Vivian an address through WhatsApp. Vivian, who had received the address, brought herself up and showed her colleagues her phone in an arrogant manner. ¡°Everyone, I managed to figure out the whereabouts of Yasmin and Finnick!¡± Everyone was dumbfounded because they couldn¡¯t believe Vivian managed to get her hands on the duo¡¯s whereabouts. Sarah was the first one to return to her senses. She rushed over and held Vivian in between her arms firmly. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re awesome! I believe you¡¯re the most capable one in the industry!¡± On the other hand, Shannon scoffed as she tended to her task, ¡°I¡¯m sure she has gotten her hands on the intel through some means that¡¯s exclusive to the capable ones like her. Perhaps she has seduced a few of her informants again. Am I right, Vivian?¡± Actually, Shannon is right! Even the Senior Editor can¡¯t get their hands on Finnick and Yasmin¡¯s whereabouts! How did Vivian get her hands on it? Naturally, Vivian couldn¡¯t tell her colleagues the almighty Finnick, whom they looked up to, was her beloved husband. Otherwise, the news would make it to the headline and put the news of Finnick and Yasmin to shame. Sarah refused to give up just yet. She tilted her head and asked, ¡°Vivian, where are they? Are you sure it¡¯s from a reliable source?¡± Everyone in the office cast a skeptical gaze at Vivian, focusing intently as they couldn¡¯t wait to figure out the truth. The helpless Vivian tried to brush them off and told them, ¡°A-Actually, my husband is a staff of Finnor Group. Hence¡­¡± Oh! Her husband must be her informant! Her colleagues decided to let her off the hook upon hearing her seemingly logical reply. Vivian departed with Sarah after she found Ken, the photographer. They headed over to the location Finnick had texted her immediately because it was a race against time. The address Finnick had texted Vivian was an exhibition hall in Sunshine City. Usually, artists from various walks of life would gather around at the said exhibition hall. Yasmin was there for the production of Finnor Group¡¯s advertisement. Those from the Finnor Group ced great emphasis on the advertisement because it would y a major role in securing the deal with their fellow investors from F Nation. Therefore, Finnick was present to oversee the production. It was a lively scene inside a particr studio in the exhibition hall. Everyone was engaged with their respective tasks as deafening and rhymical music could be heard. Yasmin put on a sexy dress with curly hair drooping from her shoulders. Turning her busty figure and pouting her crimson lips from time to time, she would pose as the photographer¡¯s assistant instructed. asionally, she would shot seductive nces at Finnick. Ken had long lost himself as he stared at the sexy woman. Sarah narrowed her eyes and nudged Ken to stay focus. In return, Ken red at Sarah to express his frustration. ¡°I¡¯m working, okay?¡± Meanwhile, Vivian had her eyes glued to Finnick. He stared at Yasmin indifferently, neglecting the countless signal from her. That¡¯s more like it! You should stay away from her! Vivian gave it a thought and felt lightheaded all of a sudden because she wouldn¡¯t have anything for the headline if there wasn¡¯t anything going on between Finnick and Yasmin. If I¡¯m able to get my hands on photos of them interacting with each other intimately, the news will definitely go viral, right? That¡¯s going to boost our sales as well, isn¡¯t it? The idea she had in mind sounded as though something had gotten into her, but she had faith in her husband. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t wait to snap the photos of her husband with another woman. Once she made up her mind, she tapped on Ken¡¯s shoulder and instructed, ¡°We can¡¯t allow such a great opportunity to pass by our side! I want you to keep an eye on Yasmin and Finnick. Snap their photos as soon as they get close to one another.¡± Vivian got anxious because Yasmin didn¡¯t even have any chance to approach Finnick, let alone interact with him because she had been working until the intermission. What the heck! Where¡¯s the news for tomorrow¡¯s headline? If I can¡¯t get anything, doesn¡¯t that mean I have made the trip for nothing? Actually, Finnick had been anticipating Vivian¡¯s arrival all this while. Soon, he spotted Vivian¡¯s frustrated look as she had flushed impatiently. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 163 As soon as they exchanged nces, Vivian pursed her lips, signaling Finnick to do something with Yasmin. Finnick¡¯s expression turned gloomy all of a sudden. He couldn¡¯t believe his wife actually wanted him to mess around with another woman in front of her. Unaware of the changes in Finnick¡¯s expression, Vivian beckoned her husband over. It was evident she was up to no good, but Finnick refused to y along with his wife. Sarah and Ken felt equally dejected. One of them asked, ¡°Vivian, none of these photos are suitable since Mr. Norton is merely here to supervise Yasmin¡¯s work. What should we do when there¡¯s nothing going on between them?¡± ¡°Hold on! Let¡¯s wait until Yasmin gets off work!¡± Vivian replied after she gave it a thought. The production went on for another two hours. Finally, Yasmin got exhausted and decided to call it a day. Immediately after they wrapped up the session, Yasmin¡¯s assistant handed over a ss of fruit juice to her. Vivian¡¯s eyes gleamed as Yasmin headed over to Finnick¡¯s side once she had a mouthful of juice. Ken got himself ready and held on to his camera. ¡°Mr. Norton,¡± Yasmin greeted Finnick enthusiastically. Finnick could barely stand the acerbic odor of Yasmin¡¯s perfume as she approached him. Moreover, he got infuriated the moment he took note of Vivian¡¯s hint. He lost his cool due to the so- called attractive woman in front of him and immediately brought himself out of the hall. Yasmin was dumbfounded by Finnick¡¯s response. She was about to go after him, but her make-up artist got in her way and told her, ¡°Yasmin! It¡¯s a call from the representative of the production ¡°Alright!¡± Staring at Finnick¡¯s departing figure, Yasmin stomped her feet to vent her frustration. In the meantime, Vivian, who was aside, was equally frustrated because she was about to get her hands on their photos. However, since Finnick was no longer around, the upset trio had no choice but to leave the exhibition hall. By the time they returned to the office, Shannon ridiculed them repetitively. Lesley expressed her disappointment before dismissing Vivian. Finnick was already home before Vivian. He took a peek at her the moment she walked in. ¡°Why are you home so early today?¡± She replied as she changed into a pair of home slippers, ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡± In the end, she couldn¡¯t keep her frustration to herself anymore. Frowning her brows, she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you talk to Yasmin?¡± Vivian shouldn¡¯t have brought it up in front of Finnick because he lost his cool once again the moment he heard her words. Has she freaking lost her mind? Why the heck does she want me to mess around with another woman? Has she ever thought of my feelings? Does that mean she¡¯s willing to forsake our marriage for her sake? Is it because the foundation of our marriage isn¡¯t our affection for one another? ¡°Do you really want your husband to mess around with another woman?¡± Finnick asked with a grim expression. Vivian was dumbfounded for a few seconds. Immediately, she waved at Finnick because she caught the sight of his expression. She toned down her volume and exined herself, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, but Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. you could have approached Yasmin and behaved as though she was a close acquaintance of yours, so I could acquire the photos I needed.¡± After all, I only need a photo to create a buzz amongst theizens. This will let their imagination run based on the misleading photo. It isn¡¯t much to ask of, right? She delivered her statement in a righteous manner, unaware she had offended her husbands with her words. Finnick replied in a callous tone, ¡°Vivian, does that mean you don¡¯t really care about your husband? You¡¯re not even enraged when he¡¯s at another woman¡¯s side?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a photo, right? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything going on between both of you anyway,¡± Vivian stated casually. She couldn¡¯t figure out the reason Finnick was enraged. He stared at her in the eyes once he brought his wheelchair to a halt in front of her, probing with a grim expression, ¡°What do you want from me? Do you want me to hold Yasmin in between my arms and kiss her passionately?¡± Avoiding Finnick¡¯s gaze, Vivian looked elsewhere as she tried to please her husband. ¡°It¡¯s because I have faith in you! Apart from that, I¡¯m in desperate need of something to make the headline. Since it¡¯s merely a rumor, you can always clear things up in the future, right? I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want me to lose my job either, don¡¯t you?¡± No! That¡¯s not fine at all! Never would Finnick have thought there would be a day he would lose his cool due to the words of the woman in front of him. He had a hard time suppressing the urge to give in to Vivian¡¯s request as she had gotten down on her knees, pouting her lips and begging him to be merciful. Therefore, he held Vivian¡¯s hand firmly and asked indifferently, ¡°How would you like me to hold Yasmin¡¯s hand firmly in such a manner?¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 164 ¡°Is there anything wrong with it?¡± Vivian replied without a second thought since she deemed it to be fine. ¡°What about this?¡± Finnick grabbed Vivian¡¯s shoulder with all his might and brought her closer as he asked. Vivian nodded vigorously and told him, ¡°That¡¯s even better!¡± Finnick was at a loss of words with a grim expression on his face. This is better? Is she aware of the potential consequences of her wish? It seems like she has no idea what¡¯s in store for her at all! Finnick darted a stern gaze at Vivian. By the time she noticed something was wrong, it was already too Vivian realized what Finnick was up to and flushed embarrassedly. Yelling hysterically with all her might, she retaliated against him, ¡°Move away from me, Finnick! Don¡¯t you dare do this with Yasmin! Otherwise, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± Finally, Finnick felt a sense of relief when he heard Vivian¡¯s warning. Oh? It turns out she has a bottom line as well, huh? Am I not supposed to do this with Yasmin? Does that mean it¡¯s fine to do this with her? He held her firmly in between his arms. ¡°S-Stop it, Finnick¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s knees turned to jelly as she was about to yield herself up to temptation. As soon as Finnick sensed Vivian¡¯s reaction, he stopped holding back and started unzipping Finnick¡¯s dress. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but there isn¡¯t anyone avable to snap our photos.¡± Finnick ran his lips across Vivian¡¯s body in a seductive manner. She was about to let loose of herself because of how great it felt. He knew his way around her. Thus, he could easily arouse her and lure her into the session he had been longing for. Finally, Vivian stopped resisting and wrapped her arms around Finnick¡¯s back in return. She had never once shown others this side of hers. Finnick detected the arousing scent from Vivian¡¯s body. He had a great time, caressing her gently as they proceeded. Before long, the passionate duo merged as one on the spacious couch. Finnick was pleased. He had a great session with the timid Vivian who was in between his arms. He had been searching for intimacy with her all this while. In fact, Finnick wanted to keep Vivian by his side for the rest of his life. The next morning, Finnick was the first one to rouse from his sleep. As soon as he woke up, he ced a nket over Vivian since she was still sleeping soundly on the couch. After the exhaustive session they had over the night, she must have been worn out. Vivian seemed to be a delicate doll due to her ethereal facial features, including her wless side profile, her curvy eyshes, and her pointy nose. Finnick¡¯s eyes flickered as he thought about Vivian¡¯s seemingly absurd request. As absurd as it might sound, she brought it up in front of him because she had grown increasingly reliant on him. Hence, she had the audacity to ask him to get himself involved in a scandal with Yasmin for her sake. He tried his best to put himself in her shoes, but they couldn¡¯t see eye to eye. Finnick had a hard time fathoming the fact Vivian could tolerate Yasmin¡¯s presence by his side. Shouldn¡¯t she behave selfishly? Is she incapable of being jealous? It¡¯s our rtionship that¡¯s in the picture! If I were in her position, I will never allow others to get their hands on her! They¡¯re not even allowed to stare at her in the eyes! Previously, Finnick almost taught Mr. Hark from Q City a lesson when he tried to take advantage of Vivian. Up till now, he still held a grudge against Mr. Hark due to the incident back then. Meanwhile, Vivian was the exact opposite of him. She had gone overboard, making use of him over and over again in order to aplish the task that had been assigned by her supervisor. Nevertheless, he understood how tough it must have been on Vivian¡¯s side as well. He witnessed his hardworking wife¡¯s determination as she had been waiting for the right moment at the exhibition hall yesterday. She wanted to prove to others that she was worthy of respect and recognition. All she wanted was to prove them wrong and showed them she was a changed person. As soon as he sorted things out in his mind, he excused himself and made a call. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Suddenly, Vivian woke up and detected a racking sensationing from her back. Finnick returned to her side as soon as he wrapped up the conversation. He sat by her side and wrapped his arm around her waist, instructing her to ce her head on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to get into another fight with you, but I have no intention to get in touch with Yasmin unless it¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of the things you have in mind as well. I guess I got overly pumped up because I couldn¡¯t wait to finish the assigned task.¡± Finnick felt a sense of relief because Vivian behaved timidly, nodding as she had reflected upon her actions and found herself reckless. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t wait to figure out the way Vivian behave if she got jealous since she had always behaved herself whenever she was around him. ¡°You want to finish your task, right? I will definitely help you to aplish the task that has been assigned to you. I have just gotten in touch with Yasmin and asked her to join me for dinner tonight. I¡¯ll allow you to take all sorts of photos tonight,¡± Finnick told Vivian. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 165 ¡°Really? Where are you guys heading over tonight?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. The initially dejected woman got all excited when she heard that. Finnick¡¯s expression darkened as Vivian got overjoyed. She didn¡¯t even bother to conceal her joy as it was written all over her face. Oh, God! How can she get so excited when I¡¯m about to dine with another woman? She¡¯s going to drive me nuts one day! ¡°We¡¯ll head over to Granary at seven o¡¯clock in the evening. Can you remember the location of this restaurant?¡± ¡°Of course! I went there for a blind date with a jerk before!¡± Vivian got up from the couch and announced joyfully, ¡°Great! I¡¯m merely a step away from the headline I have been waiting for all this while! Thank you, Finnick!¡± Vivian expressed her gratitude before heading upstairs to carry out her morning routine. In return, Finnick stared at Vivian¡¯s departing figure with his abysmal pair of eyes. She is the only person in the world who can¡¯t wait for her husband to dine with another woman. I can¡¯t think of anyone else who will think like her. Usually, other women will definitely teach their husbands a lesson if they find out they are going to dine with other women. Perhaps they¡¯re going to make a scene out of it in an attempt to stop that. The extreme ones may even threaten their husbands and confront the women, but Vivian is the entire opposite of those ordinary women. If that¡¯s the case, I can¡¯t wait to see where does her limit lies. Finnick thought to himself before heading out for work. Simrly, the light-hearted Vivian returned to the magazinepany. As soon as she reached the office, Shannon started ridiculing her once more, ¡°Ms. William, why you¡¯re on cloud nine early in the morning? Did you have a fruitful day yesterday?¡± Vivian darted a nce at Shannon but decided to pay no heed to her words because she couldn¡¯t think of a better way to reply to her. She didn¡¯t want to ruin her day either. She cleared her throat and announced, ¡°Everyone! I have gotten news that Mr. Norton is going to dine with Yasmin tonight!¡± Sarah and Ken got pumped up and pped their hands the moment they heard Vivian¡¯s announcement. Meanwhile, Shannon was on the verge of losing her cool once more. Fabian, who was in his office, heard themotion and summoned Vivian to meet him in his office. He sized her up and had his eyes glued to her arm. Fabian asked concernedly, ¡°Are you alright? Have your injuries recovered?¡± Vivian shook her head in return and told him, ¡°Everything is fine. My injuries have recovered as well.¡± Once they greeted one another, silence fell in Fabian¡¯s office. She recalled the sort of conflicts they had in the office back in the days. Fabian was certain Vivian must have had been heartbroken since he used to torture her in his office due to the grudge he held against her back then. Eventually, he reflected upon his actions but found himself unpardonable for all the things he had done. Seeing that Vivian was on her guard as it was written all over her face. Fabian exined himself, ¡°Vivian, I wasn¡¯t the one who put you in charge of Finnick¡¯s article. Lesley was the one behind it. I swear on my name that I¡¯m not up to anything silly! I won¡¯t treat you in such a manner anymore! Can you please forgive me?¡± Initially, Vivian found Fabian¡¯s deeds unpardonable as well, but he rushed into the fire to rescue her, putting his life at stake when he could easily forsake her. Hence, the things he had done back then seemed to be rtively trivial aspared to his heroic deed. She had since stopped holding a grudge against him because the reason behind his actions was the affection he had for her. Fabian held a grudge against Vivian back then because he wasn¡¯t aware of the truth behind the incident. As a matter of fact, he had never once had faith in her. Vivian stated, ¡°Fabian, I think we should mind our own business. I don¡¯t hold any grudge against you anymore. I¡¯m willing to forgive you as well.¡± Although she was physically present in his office, he could feel the huge gap between them as though he could never reach her again. Fabian¡¯s eyes flickered. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to reply to Vivian. In the end, he switched the topic and diverted her attention. ¡°What were you guys talking about? Aren¡¯t you worried about Finnick and Yasmin¡¯s rtionship? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a baseless usation because it sounds impossible for a male and a woman to be mere friends.¡± Vivian was aware of the theory Fabian had brought up. It was only a matter of time before a single male and female fell in love with one another and got into a rtionship. Nevertheless, Vivian was certain Finnick wasn¡¯t one of them since he couldn¡¯t tolerate others apart Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. from the two beloved women in his mind. He had been keeping Evelyn close in his mind and taken great care of her all this while. Hence, Vivian was certain no other men could replicate Finnick¡¯s loyalty. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 166 Vivian stared at Fabian and asserted, ¡°I have faith in Finnick because he¡¯s my husband. I believe no one knows him better than I do. Yasmin is merely a celebrity. She¡¯s not even a match for thete Evelyn.¡± Fabian was shocked when he heard Evelyn¡¯s name because he thought Vivian wasn¡¯t aware of her existence. They¡¯re indeed inseparable, huh? Finnick seemed to have opened up to Vivian and told her everything Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. he had been keeping to himself. ¡°Evelyn is no longer around. I am talking about you, Vivian. How could you be so sure when you have merely known him in such a short time?¡± Fabian asked in return. Vivian avoided his gaze and looked out the window as she stated, ¡°It¡¯s love at first sight. Ever since the day I ran into him, I was certain he was the right one. Honesty is the best policy. I have faith in Finnick just as he has faith in me. After Vivian walked out of Fabian¡¯s office, he thought of her words repetitively because he recalled trust was never the foundation of their previous rtionship. Perhaps that was the gravest mistake he had made throughout his entire life. Due to his wealthy background, he decided to keep the innocent and kind-hearted Vivian in the dark as he was afraid she had gotten into a rtionship with him to achieve her ulterior goal. When he received the photos, he didn¡¯t even bother to figure out the truth behind them. He was determined that Vivian had turned her back against him. Things would have been different if only he would listen to her or allow her to exin herself. Their rtionship wouldn¡¯t have gone down the drain. Fabian regretted his action because he should have allowed Vivian to exin herself back then. Nevertheless, things had gotten to the point of no return; he had lost Vivian for good. Vivian and her team spent the entire day sorting out all sorts of things on their tes. In the evening, they got their equipment ready before heading over to Granary. By six-thirty in the evening, they had shown up at the restaurant. The waiter showed them the way to their reserved table. Sarah and Ken disguised themselves, pretending to be an affectionate pair. As soon as they took their seats, they hid the cameras they brought along in anticipation of Finnick and Yasmin¡¯s arrival. Finally, Yasmin and Finnick showed up once the clock struck seven. Yasmin followed behind Finnick as he brought himself into the restaurant. The trio got pumped up as they were merely a step away from the things they had been anticipating. Yasmin seemed exceptionally alluring. It was evident she had spent a lot of time dolling herself up. Vivian felt ashamed of herself because she was no match for Yasmin¡¯s perfect figure. Yasmin managed to highlight her busty figure through the evening gown with a huge opening on the front. Her smoky eyes and her overall makeup matched the ambiance of the restaurant perfectly. Sarah eximed, ¡°She¡¯s undeniably the most iconic female figure of the nation!¡± On the other hand, Ken had long lost himself while staring at Yasmin. ¡°Hey! I want both of you to keep the goals of our visit straight! We have to snap the photos today!¡± Vivian found her colleagues hrious and reminded them of the goal of their visit. After Yasmin ced her order, she had her eyes glued to Finnick all the time. She greeted Finnick with a smile, ¡°I believe it has been quite some time since west met, Mr. Norton. You¡¯re not exactly the easiest one could meet.¡± Finnick replied courteously, ¡°I believe we¡¯re going to run into one another in the near future since we¡¯re still coborating for the time being.¡± ¡°I have heard rumors of you are engaged, Mr. Norton. Is that true?¡± The observant Yasmin noticed the ring Finnick had on his finger. Finnick nodded with a bright grin in return. They started engaging themselves in pointless conversation before they had their meal served. Ken had his camera ready as the waiter finally served them their meal and a bottle of wine. Actually, Finnick spotted Vivian and her colleagues once he entered the restaurant. He decided to neglect them for the time being and invited Yasmin to drink a toast once the waiter served her a ss of wine. Ken finally started working as they finished their drinks. Two servings of piping hot steaks had been served. The waiter was about to slice the steak on Yasmin¡¯s behalf, but she stopped her and turned around, looking at Finnick in the eyes as she requested, ¡°Mr. Norton, can you please slice the steak on my behalf?¡± Finnick gave it a thought before giving in to Yasmin¡¯s request. He nodded and took over her serving of steak. After he sliced it into consumable portions, he handed the serving of steak over to Yasmin once again. In the meantime, Sarah and Ken had long lost themselves, indulging in the blissful scene. Vivian finally got her hands on the sort of news she had been longing for all along, but she had a rtively odd expression. Truth be told, Finnick had never helped to slice Vivian¡¯s steak for her, but he had the audacity to do it for someone else in front of her. Sarah had no idea Vivian was gradually losing her cool. She stated, ¡°It seems like there¡¯s something going on between them! I¡¯m afraid Mrs. Norton will be reced by Yasmin soon! After all, every man is a yboy.¡± Actually, the so-called Mrs. Norton was right in front of her. As a matter of fact, she was the mastermind behind the photoshoot. Meanwhile, Yasmin brought her ss of wine with her and approached Finnick. ¡°Mr. Norton, since everything is going well on our end. Don¡¯t you think this calls for a celebration?¡± Before Finnick could respond to Yasmin¡¯s words, she had staggered to his side, spilling her ss of wine over both of them. Chapter 167 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 167 Vivian¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. She didn¡¯t expect Yasmin to be such a shameless woman. Initially, Finnick was about to lose his cool, but he changed his mind because he spotted Vivian¡¯s grim expression. He supported Yasmin and helped her up immediately. Using his napkin, he wiped her dress dry and attempted to remove the stain on her chest. Sarah and Ken exchanged nces as they found it unbelievable. Their jaws dropped open; they had encountered an incident that would definitely make it to the headline. Mr. Norton¡¯s Shocking Encounter With A Female Celebrity! They started imagining all sorts of titles for the headline that would soon be published. Although Vivian was the one who had requested Finnick to ask Yasmin out for dinner, she felt irritated as Yasmin had gone overboard. She had crossed her bottom line while trying hard to win Finnick over. All of a sudden, she found herself to be the absurd one due to the conflicting thoughts in her mind. Since Yasmin has offered herself, as a man, Finnick definitely won¡¯t turn her down. He was a man, after all.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Vivian stopped denying her feelings because she felt jealous about it deep down. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore and reached for her phone, texting Finnick immediately: Please don¡¯t forget you are married to another woman! Finnick chuckled in front of Yasmin as soon as he picked up his phone and read the text from Vivian. ¡°Who is it? Is it a joke?¡± Curious, Yasmin leaned over in an attempt to read the text, but Finnick locked his phone immediately. Yasmin had been through all sorts of situations before. Therefore, she returned to her seat because Finnick had made himself clear; she should stay out of it. Fiddling with her curly hair, she attempted to charm Finnick once more with her alluring look. ¡°Mr. Norton, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t get married to anyone else since news of the affection I have for you is all over the inte. Are you going to bear the responsibility and take care of me?¡± Finnick stared at Yasmin with his prating gaze, causing her to flush timidly. ¡°Mr. Norton, can you please stop staring at me in such a manner? Why don¡¯t you tell me what you¡¯re up to? I¡¯ll definitely do my best to fulfill your needs.¡± Vivian, who was at the opposite table, couldn¡¯t bear Yasmin¡¯s seductive look anymore. Suddenly, Finnick warned Yasmin callously, ¡°Ms. Ziller, please keep in mind that I am a married man.¡± Yasmin was rendered speechless by Finnick¡¯s reply. Obviously, she didn¡¯t expect him to turn her down in such a blunt manner. Men from all walks of life had always longed for her presence by their side. Nheless, she had never once taken a liking to them because Finnick was the only one she had in her mind. Yet, he turned her down without a second thought, sending her into a vicious cycle of despair. Even though he made himself clear things would never work out between them, she wasn¡¯t going to give up just yet. What about it? I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re married because I will definitely win you over! You can always file for divorce with your wife! There are a lot of people out there who have filed for divorce with their loved ones! Sarah and Ken couldn¡¯t hold back their excitement anymore; they had obtained more than they sought. This news is going to be an explosion! This will definitely create a buzz amongst theizens! It¡¯s finally time for our magazinepany to shine! Sarah turned around and caught a glimpse of Vivian¡¯s odd expression. She asked, ¡°Vivian, are you okay? Are you not feeling well? Don¡¯t worry! We have gotten a lot of photos! I¡¯m sure everyone will be blown away by the news! Have you thought of any suitable title for the headline? What about the pair made in heaven?¡± In an attempt to brush her colleague off, Vivian nodded. She was in desperate need of some time alone to calm herself down. Therefore, she told Ken and Sarah before leaving, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little bit lightheaded. I need to head out to get some fresh air. Remember to keep an eye on them and get something to eat.¡± Finnick noticed Vivian left her table with an odd look. Hence, he could be sure she was infuriated. In fact, he was afraid she might have fallen ill. Therefore, Finnick wiped his mouth clean and put his napkin aside before bringing himself out of the restaurant. ¡°I need to use the washroom, but I¡¯ll be back. Please enjoy your meal.¡± In the meantime, Vivian took a seat on the toilet bowl, fanning herself using her hand. She had a hard time calming herself whenever she thought about Yasmin¡¯s seductive appearance. Are men such incapable beings? Can¡¯t they resist another woman¡¯s offer? It seems like they¡¯re not capable of upholding their promises, huh? Vivian suddenly recalled the intimate session they had on the couchst night. She felt a strong urge to reprimand Finnick, but she med herself the most because she was the one who had brought up the idea. In the end, she decided to call it a day since she had gotten the things they came for. She wouldn¡¯t have to stay around any longer because she hadpleted the assigned task. What¡¯s wrong with me? Am I jealous? Oh, God! It¡¯s unbelievable! Something must have gotten into me! If it weren¡¯t for Ken and Sarah¡¯s presence, Vivian might very well rush over to Yasmin¡¯s side and im her identity as Mrs. Norton. She wanted to tell everyone she was Finnick¡¯s legal spouse and the woman he loved the most. Once Vivian regained herposure, she made up her mind to leave the restaurant immediately because she had had enough of the duo being lovey-dovey in front of her. Vivian walked out of the washroom, nning to leave after retrieving her bag in the dining hall. However, the moment she passed by another powder room, a gigantic palm held on to her wrist, dragging her inside. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 168 Before she could grasp the situation, she had been dragged into the powder room. In a sh, the man closed and locked the door of the powder room. Vivian couldn¡¯t believe her eyes the moment she turned around and noticed Finnick was the one inside the powder room. ¡°F-Finnick? W-What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be having your meal with Yasmin? Y ¡ª¡± Finnick got up from the wheelchair and cornered Vivian before she could finish her sentence. She couldn¡¯t even retaliate against him because he was so swift. In the end, he pinned Vivian to the wall, rendering her incapable of any movement. W-What is he trying to do? Vivian thought to herself with her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Are you angry, Vivian? Isn¡¯t this the oue you have been searching for all this while?¡± The arrogant man asked rhetorically in a husky voice because he had achieved his goal of provoking his wife. Vivian clenched her teeth with all her might because she was at a loss for words. Actually, he¡¯s right. Why am I angry when this is the oue I have been longing for all this while? In fact, I was the one who has brought up such an absurd request. She turned around and avoided his gaze, sulking over his date with Yasmin. All of a sudden, she heard Finnick chuckling by her side. Raising her head, she saw a bright grin on Finnick¡¯s face. Finally, she linked the missing pieces of puzzles together and red at him in return. ¡°Finnick, it was all part of your n!¡± Finnick responded with a faint smile because she was right; it was indeed part of his part because he couldn¡¯t wait to figure out her reaction when she got jealous. He wanted his wife to feel the threat. As he stared at the frustrated woman in front of him, he got increasingly aroused. Vivian raised her hand in an attempt to throw a punch at Finnick, but he got ahead of her and grabbed her fist, bringing it over to his lips. ¡°It was merely part of my n. Actually, I have no intention to carry on with the meal. Let¡¯s go home, Vivian. I have no intention to stay around anymore because you¡¯re the only one I long for,¡± Finnick whispered. ¡°S-Stop it! Y¡ª¡± Vivian flushed and reprimanded her husband in return, but Finnick stopped her, kissing her on the lips before she could finish the sentence. He couldn¡¯t resist the urge to kiss her because there was something about her lips that seemed extremely alluring. Even though Vivian tried her best to move away from Finnick, her effort was to no avail as she wasn¡¯t a match for him in terms of strength. In the end, they indulged themselves in the session, entangling their tongues together as though they Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. had been isted in the confined space. Itsted for some time. Vivian couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She held on to Finnick¡¯s shoulder and supported herself, panting as she asked him to stop, ¡°F-Finnick, I-I think it¡¯s time for us to return to our respective tables. Otherwise, they¡¯re going to think we have been abducted. I¡¯m pretty sure you don¡¯t want them to find out our rtionship, right?¡± ¡°You know what? I don¡¯t really care.¡± Finnick had no intention to wrap up their session because he had yet to reach the best part. Therefore, he refused to let her off the hook just yet. Vivian reminded her husband, ¡°Calm down, Finnick! Think about it! Your rtionship with Yasmin has caused a serious uproar, let alone our rtionship. We should really return to our respective tables.¡± He took a deep breath and tried his best to resist the urge he felt deep down. After a few seconds, Finnick finally returned to his usual calm and collected self. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t mind others figuring out Vivian¡¯s identity as his spouse, but not through such a peculiar method. Finnick instructed, ¡°Let¡¯s go home at once.¡± To their surprise, as soon as they walked out of the powder room, they ran into Yasmin. Yasmin blinked in confusion because she thought she was seeing things. Simrly, Vivian shuddered and felt a chill running down her spine. Finnick has another woman by his side? Although Yasmin was taken aback, she managed to put on a calm front after a few seconds. She thought something must have had been wrong with Finnick because the woman in front of her was no match for her in terms of look and body. In short, Yasmin refused to believe Finnick would fall in love with Vivian as she deemed Vivian inferior to her. Smiling confidently, Yasmin walked over to Finnick¡¯s side and leaned over as she offered, ¡°Mr. Norton, how could you leave me behind and engage in a conversation with others? Do you know how long I have been waiting for you? Why don¡¯t you drop by my ce for a cup of coffee instead?¡± She sized up Vivian contemptuously and noticed herpetitor was in a set of office wear. Vivian couldn¡¯t bear the thought of them fighting over a man in public. Therefore, she scurried away immediately and told them, ¡°Please enjoy yourselves. I¡¯ll excuse myself immediately.¡± As soon as she finished her sentence and was about to turn and leave, Finnick grabbed her hand and stopped her in the nick of time. He had been irritated by Yasmin for some time since the beginning of their meal, yet she had the audacity to pick on Vivian in front of him. Since Finnick had figured out the sort of affection Vivian had for him, he couldn¡¯t tolerate the presence of those who would offend her anymore. He was determined to keep Vivian safe and sound from all sorts of harm. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 169 Finnick cast a stern gaze at Yasmin, sending a chill down her spine. Consequently, Yasmin shuddered and took a step back, moving away from the duo. ¡°Ms. Ziller, that¡¯s it for today. I¡¯ll see you when I see you,¡± Finnick stated indifferently with a poker face. Yasmin couldn¡¯t believe her ears because she had been forsaken by Finnick without a second thought. She red at Vivian and thought that the woman in front of her was to be med. If she didn¡¯t show up out of anywhere, I might have a perfect date with Finnick! I shouldn¡¯t have underestimated this woman! Yasmin felt aggrieved. She was clueless about Finnick¡¯s sudden change of behavior. Initially, things progressed the way she had wanted them to be. Soon, she would get Finnick to join her in bed, yet someone showed up out of the blue and brought her n to an abrupt halt. Finnick couldn¡¯t be bothered with Yasmin anymore. He told Vivian, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They ignored Yasmin and left the restaurant using the back door. Once Vivian got into the car, she texted Sarah and Ken, making up an excuse to cover the reason behind her abrupt departure. Throughout their way home, Vivian remained silent because she felt threatened by Yasmin¡¯s presence. She turned the idea repetitively in her mind and came to the realization that she had be over- reliant on Finnick. The truth was, she was afraid; she would feel uneasy whenever she recalled the way Yasmin tried to seduce Finnick. Although she had faith in Finnick, she was afraid fate would bring them apart once more. A sense of insecurity engulfed Vivian because Finnick might one day gave in to those seductive women out there. Perhaps he would get sick of her sometime in the future. If worse came to worst, Finnick might even leave her behind for another woman since she was merely an ordinary woman with aplicated past. Although Finnick assured her she should let bygones be bygones, Vivian was afraid things would take a drastic turn of events for the worse in the future. If the mastermind showed up, their rtionship might just end miserably. Due to her rtionship with Finnick, she would have to keep an eye out for Yasmin from now onwards. She was exhausted because she would have to deal with the mean and cruel Ashley as well. Vivian had a poker face throughout the entire journey. They remained silent as they made their way home. In fact, they didn¡¯t talk to each other even when they had reached home. She changed into a set of pajamas and nestled on the couch idly, losing herself in the process of thought. Finally, Finnick thought it was about time to break the silence. Yasmin was never a threat. In short, she was but of a trivial existence. He had merely been making use of her to affirm his thought. Hence, Finnick didn¡¯t want to have a fight with Vivian over Yasmin. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re exhausted. Why don¡¯t you go ahead and take a shower?¡± Finnick stood up and walked over to Vivian¡¯s side, caressing her hair as he suggested gently. Raising her head to look at him in return, Vivian moved her lips as though she had something to tell her husband, yet she changed her mind and decided to keep it to herself. Since Finnick was aware of what she had in mind, he decided to break the silence, asking in return, ¡°Are you angry? Why did you refuse to talk to me throughout our way home¡± Vivian shook her head and told him, ¡°No, but Yasmin has gone overboard. To be honest, I think she looked disgusting.¡± She refused to admit she was angry. Otherwise, her husband might deem her a petty woman. Nevertheless, she was in a foul mood because of Yasmin. Finnick chuckled and assured his wife, ¡°I have hired Yasmin to be thepany¡¯s spokesperson because she¡¯s the best candidate in terms ofpatibility with our targeted audience.¡± As Vivian couldn¡¯t figure out the rationale behind Finnick¡¯s exnation, she turned around and stared at him in confusion. Is he trying to exin the reason he¡¯s affiliated with Yasmintely? All of a sudden, Vivian felt great because Finnick had always been known as an indifferent and arrogant man. However, such a domineering man took the initiative to exin the rationale behind his action to sort out the misunderstanding between them. Hence, the infuriated Vivian felt a sense of relief. ¡°If she¡¯s merely a spokesperson, why did she go to great lengths to win you over?¡± Vivian asked in return as she couldn¡¯t keep the things she had in mind to herself anymore whenever she recalled Yasmin¡¯s seductive look. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you confront her instead? It seems like there¡¯s a slight misunderstanding going on, huh? Did you think I have hired her to be our spokesperson because I¡¯m up to something else?¡± Finnick finally figured out Vivian¡¯s concerns. After all, Yasmin had been in showbiz for years. She had never failed in getting the men she desired. Therefore, it would be normal for Vivian to perceive her as a formidable foe. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°As a matter of fact, I have never once enjoyed being around Yasmin, but a certain someone has been bringing up some absurd requests repetitively,¡± Finnick lowered his gaze, staring at Vivian in the eyes as he announced. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 170 Vivian flushed unwittingly because Finnick was merely a few inches away from her. Indeed, she was the one who insisted on Finnick having a meal with Yasmin. She had no rights to be jealous at all since she was the mastermind behind everything. Oh, God! This is so embarrassing! Consequently, her lips twitched involuntarily as she thought about it. Finnick held her in between his arms and asserted with a gentle smile, ¡°You look exceptionally gorgeous tonight.¡± She lowered her head with a sheepish grin, wrapping her arms around her husband¡¯s neck. Really? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything exceptional about me, right? I have the usual set of outfits I have put on for work every day. There¡¯s nothing special about my make-up either. Once she thought about it, she moved her hands away and brought the onest thing she had in her mind up. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not a match for Yasmin in terms of look. She¡¯s such a sexy and gorgeous woman who knows how to doll herself up perfectly. The dress she put on highlighted her busty figure to the maximum.¡± ¡°What about it? I have never taken a liking to ostentatious women like Yasmin before,¡± Finnick chuckled as he replied. He meant it. Aspared to Yasmin, Finnick had always deemed the innocent-looking Vivian to be far more attractive. Never had he appreciated the presence of those ostentatious women around him. Immediately after they wrapped up their conversation, he lifted her and brought her into the bathroom. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Vivian asked with reddened cheeks. Gently, Finnick replied in a husky voice, ¡°Let¡¯s take a shower together.¡± Vivian¡¯s already reddened cheek flushed even more. She was about to turn down his suggestion, but Finnick lowered his head and kissed her on the lips, rendering her incapable of speech. ¡°You¡¯re the one at fault today. Thus, you¡¯re not allowed to turn me down as you¡¯re being punished.¡± Upon hearing her husband¡¯s domineering statement, she had no choice but to follow him into the bathroom. Shortly, the tap started running in the bathroom. The entire bathroom had gotten warm and misty. Vivian¡¯s cheeks had the tone of a cherry tomato as the session began. The next morning, after Finnick dropped Vivian off, he returned to Finnor Group on his own. It was a rtively idle day. Hence, he leaned against the chair after the conference they had in the morning. He perused the report that had been delivered to him, but suddenly he heard amotion outside of his office. Noah yelled, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to enter the office!¡± Finnick sat upright immediately as the uproar had interrupted his process of thoughts. A woman had barged into Finnick¡¯s office. She was none other than Yasmin. Noah, who was outside, rushed into Finnick¡¯s office immediately. ¡°Mr. Norton, she doesn¡¯t have an appointment, but she insisted on making her way into your office.¡± Finnick frowned in return, but he beckoned Noah to return to his position and leave everything else to him. Yasmin had put on an entirely different outfit. Aspared to the usual exposing outfit she had, an oversized coat could be seen over her. She had a conservative look contrary to her usual thick make- up. She ran her fingers through her unkempt hair and put on an innocent front as she told Finnick, ¡°Mr. Norton, I¡¯m so sorry for showing up as an uninvited guest, but I can¡¯t resist the urge to drop by because I have been missing you!¡± ¡°Have I not made myself clearst night?¡± Finnick asked, knitting his eyebrows to express his frustration. He instructed, ¡°I want you to get out immediately. I don¡¯t have time for you.¡± Yasmin pursed her lips as she had no intention to leave. She stepped forward and took Finnick by surprise, removing the oversize coat she had, exposing her bare body beneath the coat. Finnick¡¯s face darkened as it was evident Yasmin was up to no good. Those who knew him well could tell that he had been provoked and about to explode or he wouldn¡¯t have remained silent in such a manner. Nevertheless, there were only a mere few who could read Finnick¡¯s mood. Therefore, Yasmin thought she managed to seduce Finnick and rushed over to his side, holding him in between her arms. ¡°Mr. Norton, I know you have a thing for me! I won¡¯t poke my nose into your business, but I want to be one of your many women! I really¡ª O-Ouch¡ª¡± Finnick pushed Yasmin aside before she could even finish her sentence. ¡°I want you to get dressed and get the heck out of my sight at once!¡± Finnick delivered his instruction indifferently with a poker face. Yasmin refused to give in just yet. She brought herself over coquettishly, exposing her wless and busty bosom in front of Finnick. ¡°Mr. Norton, I¡¯m willing to do anything for you! Please take me!¡± Finnick¡¯s face puckered in irritation. It was evident that he had lost his cool because Yasmin had crossed his bottom lines. Immediately, he called Noah and instructed, ¡°Send the security guards to my office immediately! I want them to chase the filthy woman out of my office at once!¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin¡¯s face turned pale. She wailed as she was on the verge of breaking down, ¡°Mr. Norton! Why? Since you are taking the ugly duckling seriously, why can¡¯t you take me seriously as well? Does that mean I¡¯m not a match for Vivian?¡± The moment Finnick heard Vivian¡¯s name from Yasmin, he furrowed his eyebrows. He asked in a serious tone, ¡°How did you figure out her name? Did you ask someone to check her background?¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 171 ¡°What¡¯s so great about her? Why do I have to investigate her?¡± Yasmin exined, ¡°I ran into her colleagues yesterday. They were the ones who told me about it.¡± Yasmin continued, ¡°Vivian looks in and has a coquettish face. I bet she must have approached you for your money and social status. Trust me, Mr. Norton, I¡¯ve seen tons of women like her! You mustn¡¯t let her deceive you!¡± Finnick shot her a cold re. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about Vivian with your filthy mouth again or that¡¯ll be thest thing you ever say.¡± Finnick¡¯s words sent a shiver down Yasmin¡¯s spine. She had not expected for Vivian to have such an important ce in Finnick¡¯s heart. Having no other special talents apart from crying, Yasmin turned on the waterworks immediately. ¡°Mr. Norton, I only said that for your own good! You¡¯re the only man who respects me as a woman. All the others simply want to take advantage of me¡­¡± She cried even louder as she spoke. However, Finnick was immune to her tears as Vivian was the only one he cared about. ¡°I promise you that I won¡¯t mention Vivian ever again! Please don¡¯t be mad at me, okay? Don¡¯t ignore me¡­¡± Yasmin said with tears rolling down her face. At that moment, the door to the office was opened. Noah came in with the security guards and was shocked by the sight before them. Despite being rather open about such things, Yasmin was still a star and couldn¡¯t show herself to others like that. She quickly got dressed and wiped her tears before strutting out of Finnick¡¯s office. Her face became twisted with hatred the moment she left his office. I hate you, Vivian! How dare you steal my man? I¡¯ll make you pay for this! Yasmin¡¯s ego had taken a huge blow from Finnick¡¯s response earlier. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. In the meantime, Vivian was writing an article at the magazinepany. The senior editor Lesley had put her in charge of this article as she believed that the person who was present at the scene would be able to write the most impactful content. The President of Finnor Group had a candlelight dinner with superstar Yasmin Ziller! Yasmin had expressed her adoration for Finnick many times, but there was a wedding ring on his right hand¡­ Vivian found it difficult to continue writing any further and felt a throbbing pain in her chest. I guess it does affect me, after all! She actually regretted epting that assignment as she found herself starting to overthink and getting jealous very easily. Vivian felt her back aching after not getting much sleep for a few nights for she had to watch Finnick from pouncing on her. Hence, she figured she should eat something nutritious for lunch. This is probably a good opportunity to make a name for myself. Since I¡¯ve already made use of my husband, I might as well go all the way with it! She pulled herself together at the thought of that. Vivian was very satisfied with the photographs taken as they showed Finnick and Yasmin sitting across each other in a very romantic and ssy environment, which helped her greatly with writing the article. Vivian tried her best to stick to the truth as much as possible while spicing things up a little here and there to make it entertaining, or the readers wouldin about it. Hehe, this is my chance to revenge! Sorry, Finnick! Think of this as a little punishment for bullying me every night! Right when Vivian was getting in the zone with her writing, her phone rang all of a sudden. She took a look at it and frowned when she saw that it was an unknown number. Who could it be? ¡°Hello, this is Vivian from mour Magazine.¡± It turned out to be Yasmin on the other line. She asked Vivian to meet her alone. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 172 The two met up at Ocean Caf¨¦, a very popr caf¨¦ frequented by famous people to discuss business as it was fairly dark which provided them with the privacy required. Yasmin had changed out of her overcoat and put on an expensive dress. She looked like a wealthy Vivian on the other hand, rarely wore anything fancy herself and only watched Ashley show off her expensive clothes. As such, she wasn¡¯t impressed by Yasmin¡¯s attire in the slightest way. A waiter saw Yasmin lighting up a cigarette and was about to stop her, but held his tongue when he realized that she was a superstar. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g It took Vivian every ounce of patience to keep her anger in check when Yasmin blew a mouthful of smoke in her face. ¡°Vivian, was it? I believe this is the second time we¡¯ve met. I didn¡¯t invite you here to befriend you though. On the contrary, you¡¯re currently my rival in love!¡± Vivian could tell that she was here to dere war with her over Finnick. I was writing an article trying to ship these two together just moments ago, and now I¡¯m sitting at the same table with the girl in the article! Vivian chuckled at the thought of that. ¡°What are youughing at? Are you looking down on me?¡± Yasmin was surprised by her response. Vivian waved at her. ¡°No, not at all! I was just spacing out for a bit. That¡¯s all.¡± What a strange woman¡­ Yasmin thought to herself. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re just an ordinary girl. A dime a dozen, in fact. Why don¡¯t you forget about your unrealistic dreams of winning the heart of Finnor Group¡¯s President, huh? You don¡¯t deserve to be with someone like Finnick!¡± Pfft! Does she even know that we¡¯re already married to each other? Oh, wait¡­ I forgot that she doesn¡¯t know anything about that! I guess I can¡¯t me her for what she said then. Still, do I really look like the kind of woman who would seduce others? I thought I had always behaved and dressed appropriately! Yasmin mistook Vivian¡¯s silence for a disy of her power as an experienced mistress and pressed on, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Norton? You two seem rather close. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s already sponsoring you financially?¡± Sponsoring me financially? Does she take me for a sugar baby of some sort? What a joke! She ims to like Finnick, and yet she doesn¡¯t even know a thing about us! Seeing no response from Vivian, Yasmin decided to boast about the moments she had spent with Finnick instead. Fortunately for Vivian, Finnick had already told her about their meetingst night, so Yasmin¡¯s words had no effect on her feelings whatsoever. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that Finnick was the one who approached me with the offer of being thepany¡¯s spokesperson! I know Finnick is into me, as he wouldn¡¯t have done that otherwise!¡± Yasmin said. Finnick told me all about that long ago. Looks like he was really being honest with me! Vivian thought to herself as she listened. At that moment, the waiter brought two cups of coffee over to their table. Yasmin had ordered a cappino, while Vivian simply ordered an espresso. Yasmin took a look at Vivian¡¯s cup and said, ¡°You have such a terrible taste!¡± She¡¯s calling my taste terrible? Vivian had written an article on coffee some time ago. She spent an entire week doing her research to gain aplete understanding on the origins of coffee, its production and manufacturing. Her dream was to start up a caf¨¦ of her own with her retirement funds. Fabian had brought her to all sorts of caf¨¦s and events in Sunshine City. He even jokingly said he was willing to be her coffee cup so she could hold him every day. Vivianughed at her and said, ¡°You think ordering a cappino makes you feel more superior?¡± After everything that happened, the couple that swore to be together forever then had each found their own spouse. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 173 Vivian collected herself and stared at Yasmin. ¡°I think I¡¯ve said enough for you to understand that backing out is your only option, so just give up! You can¡¯t beat me!¡± Yasmin said. She¡¯ll probably keep going on for an entire day if I don¡¯t say something. Unlike her, I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do! Arranging the sequence of their photos in the article, for example! Vivian took a sip of her espresso before slowly saying, ¡°You seem very confident, but I don¡¯t really see Mr. Norton being that close with you. Could you describe your rtionship in detail?¡± Just like that, the battle for dominance between the two had instantly be an interview session for Vivian. ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll never forget the look in Finnick¡¯s eyes when he first saw me. It was so full of passion that he probably would¡¯ve pounced on me if we weren¡¯t in public! That¡¯s love at first sight, got it?¡± Yasmin replied without a second thought. Although Finnick did look at her with admiration at first, it wasn¡¯t that passionate like what she had described. He simply felt that he had made a great decision, as Yasmin was indeed the best candidate to be their spokesperson. It was obvious that Yasmin had misinterpreted that admiration for passion, and Vivian felt the need to wake her up from her silly dream before things got worse for both Finnick and her. ¡°Is that so? You don¡¯t seem that close with Mr. Norton though, Vivian said. Yasmin let out a deliberate sigh and waved at her. ¡°Well, you know how men have an image to maintain in public! He¡¯s just shy, that¡¯s all! You know nothing about it!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You haven¡¯t been close enough with Mr. Norton to share a room with him, have you?¡± Vivian asked. Her words reminded Yasmin of the incident in Finnick¡¯s office earlier that morning, which made her really angry. ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re keeping our distance, got it? What, you think you¡¯re that great? You¡¯re nothing but a mistress! Heck, you¡¯re not even worthy of being a mistress! At the end of the day, N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. the only true winner is his wife!¡± Vivian choked on her coffee upon hearing that and nearly spat it out when she heard that. His wife? That¡¯s me! It seems there are lots of people who admire, envy, hate, and even question my position. It is surely tough being his wife! I¡¯m making so many enemies without even knowing it! Yasmin thought she had choked on her coffee out of fear and taunted her, ¡°Aww, are you scared? I¡¯m warning you now, you¡¯d better stay away from Finnick or I¡¯ll expose your little scandal and have his wife sort you out! Don¡¯t me me if you find yourself stripped naked and beaten to an inch of your life on the streets someday!¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t hold back herughter any longer. So Yasmin is really envious of me, huh? It¡¯s a shame she doesn¡¯t know that Mrs. Norton is staring her in the face right now! ording to her threat, I¡¯d be beating myself up! What a joke! Fate sure has a wicked sense of humor! Vivian had heard enough of her threats and saw no point in continuing that conversation any further. ¡°Right, I¡¯ve heard what you came here to say. I still have a lot of work to do, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave now. I already paid for my coffee, by the way,¡± she said while standing up. Yasmin wasn¡¯t quite satisfied as she had yet to get Vivian out of her way. ¡°Oh, one more thing,¡± Vivian looked Yasmin straight in the eye as she spoke, ¡°A rtionship isn¡¯t something you can just force yourself into.¡± Yasmin slumped back into her chair. Damn it! Why won¡¯t Vivian just know her ce and back off! Vivian quickly rushed back to her office and continued writing her article in silence. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 174 She showed no mercy to Yasmin in her article either. I¡¯m teaching her a lesson for her own good. As women, we both have it rough dealing with people. Although she has done all sorts of things to hurt me, I won¡¯t stoop so low to do the same. The day went by peacefully, and it was soon time to get off work. Everyone else hurried home, and Vivian was thest to leave her office. She noticed that the lights were still on in Fabian¡¯s office and decided to sneak away quietly. Finnick sent her a text: I¡¯ll being home for dinner tonight. Vivian texted him back: What would you like to have for dinner? He replied shamelessly: You. Vivian found herself blushing bright red when she recalled how they had shared a bathst night and hurried on home. Finnick stopped by a flower shop and bought Vivian a bouquet of flowers to cheer her up. He knew she liked gloveworts, as that was mentioned in her files when he investigated her earlier. The maid at home had cooked up a huge variety of nutritious dishes for dinner. If only I could cook as well as the maid. That way, I¡¯d be able to handle Finnick and his picky eating habits! Vivian thought to herself when she saw the dishes on the table. She liked the flowers he got her very much, and felt like whatever fatigue she had during the day had disappeared in an instant when she caught a whiff of its fragrance. He knows I like gloveworts? Finnick sure is attentive! ¡°How was your day? Did the people at the magazinepany give you any problems?¡± Finnick asked while munching on the food. Hearing that made Vivian feel awkward. ¡°No, of course not! In fact, they were too busy thanking me after my huge contribution!¡± Vivian added, ¡°That lovestruck idiot Yasmin on the other hand, came to see me today.¡± Finnick was displeased to hear that. I warned her to stay away from Vivian, and she went to see her right after? ¡°What did she say?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing much, really. She just tried to spite me and make me jealous in order to relieve some of the hatred in her,¡± Vivian replied truthfully. Finnick chuckled. ¡°You kinda brought that upon yourself, you know?¡± Hmph! Just you wait, Finnick! I¡¯ll have you stomping your feet in anger the moment the article gets released! Sure enough, the magazine containing that article sold like hot cakes a few dayster, and the inte went crazy over it. Netizens were even congratting Yasmin on Twitter. Nice job! Now, go for it and make him yours! Hehe, I bet those two have already been going at it! Finnick is so hot! He¡¯s mine! Shameless! Shameless! Shameless! Sarah sighed as she scrolled through thements online. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯ve really done it this time! Our I wonder if Finnick has read the article yet¡­ Vivian thought to herself. Meanwhile, Finnick had seen the article and was very unhappy about it. News about it had spread throughout the entire office, and he even received phone calls from major clients trying to find out more about it. Vivian sure is nasty¡­ N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Finnick grinned when he saw her name on the magazine. Looks like I¡¯ll have to punish her tonight! I won¡¯t let her off the hook until I make her beg for forgiveness! He was thinking about the things he would do to her when Noah knocked on the door and said he had brought Xavier Jackson over. ¡°Come on in!¡± Finnick said. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 175 Xavier was still in shock from being tied up by Noah. He stared at Finnick in confusion for quite a while before realizing what was going on. ¡°Finnick, what¡¯s the meaning of this? How could you do this to me? Have Noah untie me at once!¡± he shouted. Xavier was sleeping soundly with a woman in his arms earlier that morning when he was suddenly dragged to the floor by Noah. Xavier was about to curse at him, but held his tongue when he saw Noah Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. crack his knuckles. He was aware of how skilled Noah was inbat skills and knew better than to anger him. Noah allowed Xavier to get dressed before tying him up and bringing him over. He kept asking Noah what it was about along the way, but Noah simply refused to answer, much to his dismay. Now, he was sitting in front of Finnick like a prisoner of some sort. They didn¡¯t even bother to give him a ss of water. ¡°What the hell do you want with me, Finnick? You could¡¯ve just called me over!¡± Xavier shouted angrily. Finnick had a vicious look in his eyes as he questioned Xavier coldly, ¡°Xavier, tell me. Did youy your hands on a woman who was drugged in Century Hotel two years ago?¡± Since when did Finnick concern himself with my personal affairs? Xavier began pondering his question and seemed lost in thought. Noah gave him a push on the back and urged him to answer Finnick¡¯s question. That snapped him out of it, and he replied shortly after, ¡°A woman who was drugged? No way, I wouldn¡¯t touch someone like that! With my wealth, there are tons of women who would willingly throw themselves at me! I¡¯ll admit, I am frivolous and can¡¯t hold my liquor, but I am quite the connoisseur when ites to women!¡± With Xavier¡¯s wealth and good looks, there really is no need for him to drug a woman, nor is he the type of person to do such a thing. But what if he was drunk? What if he was so wasted that he didn¡¯t know what he was doing? He could¡¯ve entered the wrong room by mistake! ¡°I suggest you think twice before answering my questions. We both know you¡¯re quite the monster when you¡¯re drunk.¡± Finnick pressed on. Xavier realized the gravity of the issue when he saw how serious Finnick was, and Vivian was the only person he had ever taken so seriously. ¡°Are you talking about Vivian? What on earth happened?¡± Xavier asked. Finnick kept quiet as he didn¡¯t know what to say, and he didn¡¯t want to ruin Vivian¡¯s reputation either. On top of that, he didn¡¯t want to bring up Fabian. Noah noticed the look on Finnick¡¯s face and answered Xavier¡¯s question on his behalf. He gave Xavier a brief summary of what happened to Vivian during her time in university two years ago. Xavier was shocked by what he heard and sympathized greatly with her. Who on earth could¡¯ve done such a sick and heartless thing to her? That b*stard better pray I don¡¯t find him or he¡¯ll have hell to pay! Noah smiled and apologized, ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating that incident under Finnick¡¯s orders and managed to find out the date and room number with the help of the hotel staff. They found a scarf with the letter ¡°J¡± on it while cleaning the room the next morning and handed it over to me. It looked really simr to your custom-made scarf, so¡­ Well, I apologize for dragging you here like this. You were the most suspicious one on the list, after all.¡± Xavier nodded after hearing his exnation. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I understand that you were just doing your job. That scarf was indeed¡­¡± He paused all of a sudden and red angrily at Finnick. My scarf factory was acquired by someone and put out of business some time ago. Could Finnick be the one responsible for that? He is the only person capable of doing such a thing! Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 176 ¡°Is that why you shut down my scarf factory? Because you thought I did it and wanted to avenge Vivian? Well, you might as well go the whole nine yards and kill me off while you¡¯re at it!¡± Xavier shouted. Finnick motioned at Noah who then untied Xavier and poured him a ss of whisky. Finnick has gone too far! First he¡¯s protecting Vivian, and now he¡¯s be her private investigator? He is such a lovesick b*stard! Does he not care about his friends anymore now that he has a wife? I won¡¯t forgive him for this! Xavier cursed at him in his head. Finnick still had his doubts as all evidence pointed to Xavier, and he knew just how much of a yboy Xavier was. ¡°Try your best to recall, Xavier. Look, I won¡¯t kill you or do anything to you even if you were the one who did it. I just want to find out the truth and help Vivian seek the justice she deserves so she can be happy again. Think hard, Xavier, think! What happened at the Century Hotel two years ago?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Xavier downed the ss of whisky and tried his best to recall what had happened. ¡°I swear I have neverid a hand on Vivian, and I would definitely admit to it if I did! As for that scarf¡­ I don¡¯t know how it ended up being there either,¡± he replied. Finnick was still unconvinced and asked, ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve slept with so many women that you simply forgot about it?¡± Xavier buttoned up his shirt and tidied up his outfit. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You see, I keep a record of every woman I sleep with. With the amount of women I sleep with, I¡¯d go crazy trying to remember them all! I assure you I have never seen Vivian, let alone sleep with her!¡± Xavier flipped through his diary and checked his schedule from two years ago. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Century Hotel two years ago. See? It isn¡¯t recorded in my diary, and I don¡¯t remember ever going there either.¡± If it wasn¡¯t Xavier, then who else could the scarf belong to? Noah followed up with another question. ¡°What about the scarf, then? It was produced by your factory and has the initial of your family name on it.¡± What? Even Noah is questioning me now? I guess they really do see me as a suspect, huh? This is injustice! ¡°It¡¯s true that the scarf looks a lot like mines, but that letter ¡°J¡± doesn¡¯t necessarily stand for Jackson! It can also stand for Johnson, Jordon or even Jenkins!¡± Finnick threatened him. ¡°Don¡¯t try and worm your way out of this one, Xavier! You know I can do far more than just shutting your factory down, don¡¯t you? If that scarf isn¡¯t yours, then whose is it?¡± Man, it¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve seen Finnick care so much about a woman¡­ Back then, Finnick would do whatever he wanted without a care in the world. However, everything changed over time, and he even went as far as pretending to be wheelchair-bound to hide his capabilities. Now that he has Vivian in his life, I can see some life in his eyes once again. As his friend, I must do what I can to help him out! Xavier couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the thought of that. ¡°I have a lot of scarves which I give out to my close friends and major clients every year. As for the scarf you found from two years ago¡­ I¡¯ll need some time to recall and look into it. Rest assured, Finnick, I will do whatever I can to help you get to the bottom of this!¡± He quickly stormed out of the office after saying that, afraid that they would suspect him of lying again. Of course, he would still deliver his promise to Finnick and try his best to help him out. Finnick went into deep thought as he pondered over what Xavier had said. If what Xavier said is true, and he only gave the scarves out to his close friends and business clients, then¡­ Could it be that one of them was responsible for what happened to Vivian? Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 177 I wonder if I know any of them¡­ Although that incident was an ident, I had nned on teaching that man a lesson anyway. It¡¯d be awkward if it¡¯s someone I know, but I won¡¯t let him off the hook for what he did to Vivian! How dare he touch my woman before me? He deserves nothing but death! Finnick frowned at the thought of that. Noah didn¡¯t trust Xavier either. ¡°Mr. Norton, do you really believe what Xavier said?¡± he asked. ¡°Xavier and I go way back, so I know him very well. He isn¡¯t the kind who¡¯d do something he wouldn¡¯t admit to. I¡¯m not so sure about his efficiency though,¡± Finnick replied firmly. Noah nodded without saying a word. ¡°I just hope he can find us something useful. At least we¡¯d be a step closer to uncovering the truth.¡± Meanwhile, in the Norton family vi, Mark¡¯s assistant, Harry came by to report in on his work. He started off his report with the trivial stuff, all of which Mark noted down in his journal. ¡°Is there anything else you have to report?¡± Mark asked. Harry stood up straight as he felt what he had to say next was extremely important. ¡°Yes, Mr. Norton. I have big news for you, sir!¡± Mark¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Well? Go on, then!¡± Harry continued, ¡°A few days ago, I received word of a few people having a fight in the Century Hotel lobby. There was a drunk woman¡­¡± Mark almost lost his temper when he heard that. What nonsense is this? How is this big news? Is Harry trying to get himself fired or something? Harry noticed the impatient look on his face and said, ¡°Calm down, Mr. Norton. Please let me finish.¡± ¡°Hurry up then!¡± Mark couldn¡¯t stand how long Harry took to get to the point in his reports. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Now, under normal circumstances, there wouldn¡¯t be anything odd about that. However, in this case, all security camera footage in that hotel had been deleted! My genius brain tells me something isn¡¯t quite right here, because Finnick, Fabian, and Vivian were there,¡± Harry said with a chuckle. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this sooner?¡± Mark asked. ¡°What else did you find? Who deleted the footage? Was it Finnick?¡± Harry nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Norton. On top of that, there¡¯s something much stranger.¡± Mark waited silently for Harry to continue. There¡¯s definitely something going on here. Vivian, Fabian, Finnick, the security camera footage¡­ Finnick must¡¯ve been trying to hide something by deleting it¡­ ¡°A guest at the hotel saw someone who looked like Finnick that night, except he wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair. That man was walking and running about like any other man,¡± Harry said. Mark stood up from his chair in shock. What a surprise! He grabbed Harry by the cor and shouted, ¡°Are you sure? Is this true?¡± Harry could barely breathe and struggled to speak, ¡°T-This is just my spection¡­ Why else would he delete the security camera footage otherwise?¡± He coughed and wheezed when Mark let go of him. He wouldn¡¯t have done that if he didn¡¯t have anything to hide. The only people Finnick would delete the footage for is Vivian and himself. ¡°Harry, I want you to investigate this incident thoroughly! Leave no stone unturned!¡± Mark ordered. ¡°We¡¯re unable to find the witness, so we can¡¯t really prove anything now,¡± Harry replied. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 178 Mark was starting to worry and fear. If that really were Finnick, then wouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s pretending to be crippled? Why would he do that? I wonder if grandpa knows about it¡­ Harry noticed the frown on Mark¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Mr. Norton, shall we try using that method from ten years ago?¡± Finnick was just a little punk ten years ago, but he has be a monster after being severely hurt once. Now that he¡¯s being cautious with us, things won¡¯t be so easy. ¡°You idiot! Do you really think Finnick is that easy to catch now that he has Noah by his side? You could never hope to defeat that guy, and he¡¯s practically glued to Finnick except when he¡¯s sleeping!¡± Mark scolded him angrily. Harry felt ashamed of himself. It¡¯s true that my skills martial arts aren¡¯t as good as Noah¡¯s, but I¡¯m smarter than him! He came up with an idea and said, ¡°Mr. Norton, we could target Finnick¡¯s wife, Vivian. I can tell that he loves her very much and would probably have her by his side at all times if he could.¡± Vivian? I¡¯ve met her before. Grandpa seems to like her very much too. From that video, we can see that her background and identity are aplete mystery. She¡¯s definitely not as innocent and pure as she pretends to be, but there must be something special about her if she¡¯s able to win Finnick¡¯s heart. He nodded andplimented Harry, ¡°Vivian, eh? Yes, that¡¯s a very good idea. You¡¯ve finally said something smart, Harry!¡± Harry didn¡¯t know how to respond to thatpliment. Wait. Does he mean that everything I said before was stupid? That can¡¯t be right¡­ Mark realized what Harry truly meant a momentter and urged him, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and make the necessary preparations! There¡¯ll be a huge reward for you if you get this done well!¡± With that, Harry ran off and got to work. Heh¡­ I now know you¡¯re pretending to be a cripple, and that Vivian is your weakness! Once I strike you in both your soft spots, you¡¯ll be done for! Mark let out a sadistic smile at the thought of that. Despite the care vibes that Xavier gave off, he was very efficient at getting things done and had arranged for a meet-up with Benedict a day after his meeting with Finnick. Xavier was the first to arrive at Ocean Caf¨¦. After ordering atte and two desserts, he began observing the people around him to see if there were any pretty girls nearby. Benedict showed up momentster, and his wlessly handsome appearance caused quite a The waitresses wanted to hit on him, but were too shy to make a move because of how pretty he looked. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Benedict had crystal clear skin, an arched nose, beautiful ck pupils, and very charming lips. His fitting suit provided the perfectplement to his physique, and his overall appearance left all the women drooling over him. Benedict was the son of the schrly Morrison family as well as the older brother of Evelyn Morrison. The two had lost their parents at a very young age, and Benedict had to look after his sister all by himself. After meeting up with Xavier, Benedict sat down gracefully and began ordering from the menu. Xavier noticed that the girls were still staring at Benedict and teased him, ¡°Man, you sure are overpowered with that charm of yours. Even a handsome man like me has been defeated by your good looks! Heck, I think I¡¯m starting to fall in love with you!¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 179 Benedict ordered an espresso and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit, Xavier. Still the swinger surrounded by women, I see.¡± Xavier chuckled and nodded. ¡°Haha! Spare me the pleasantries, buddy!¡± ¡°So, what do you need from me?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Oh? What, a guy can¡¯t just catch up with his friend?¡± Benedict sure is a sharp one! Xavier thought to himself. ¡°I know you, Xavier. Now, how about you get on with it?¡± Xavier figured there was no point in hiding his intentions anymore, but he didn¡¯t want to confront Benedict directly either as he might not admit to doing it. ¡°Do you know about what happened to my scarf factory a while back?¡± he asked. Benedict nodded and waved as he said, ¡°Yeah, I heard it was shut down all of a sudden. You should¡¯ve put more effort into that factory of yours, you know? It was a real waste of potential!¡± ¡°I know, right? What a shame!¡± Xavier cursed at Finnick in his head. My scarves were selling great! If it hadn¡¯t been for Finnick, I¡¯d still be in business right now! It pisses me off just thinking about it! ¡°Say, what happened to that scarf I gave you two years ago? You didn¡¯t lose it, did you?¡± Xavier asked. Benedict wasn¡¯t sure what Xavier was ying at, but he could tell that he was hiding something. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember what I had for breakfast, and you expect me to remember what happened two years ago?¡± Xavier sighed. He knew he had no choice but to ask him directly instead. ¡°You¡¯ve always been the smarter one, Benedict. Fine, I¡¯ll cut straight to the chase with you. I gave you a scarf two years ago, didn¡¯t I?¡± Benedict admitted to having received a few scarves from him. Xavier pressed on, ¡°Do you remember being in Century Hotel, then? Did you sleep with a drugged woman there and lose your scarf?¡± Benedict realized how serious it was and quickly said, ¡°Hold up, what is this all about? Could you at least exin to me what happened? What drug? What woman?¡± Xavier didn¡¯t want to tell him everything about Vivian so as to not embarrass Finnick. ¡°Just answer the question. Have you been to Century Hotel two years ago?¡± Benedict recalled the important events that took ce two years ago and replied, ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Xavier went wide-eyed when he heard that. ¡°Did you see a woman that was drugged?¡± ¡°No. I did see plenty of women that were charmed by me, though.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°And you didn¡¯t sleep with any of them?¡± Benedict gave Xavier a strange look upon hearing that. What the hell is wrong with him today? ¡°Come on, you know me. I may like women, but I don¡¯t sleep around like you do.¡± Xavier agreed with what he said. Benedict is indeed well-known for keeping his distance with women. Being the sophisticated schr that he is, he always turned down invitations to parties and never had any scandals whatsoever. Heck, even Finnick is impressed by that! Benedict found Xavier¡¯s questions boring and didn¡¯t understand why he was asking about such things. He had other interests in mind, like Finnick for example. ¡°What has Finnick been up totely?¡± he asked. Xavier decided it was a good time to change the topic too as he didn¡¯t want Benedict to ask him about the incident. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Oh, that guy? He¡¯s enjoying life with his beautiful wife so much that he¡¯s forgotten about his friends! That guy has be a family man now!¡± Benedict frowned in concern. ¡°Finnick is married?¡± Xavier nodded. ¡°Yeah, his grandfather forced him into it.¡± Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 180 So he really has forgotten about Evelyn, huh? Finnick left her to die in the fire back then, and now he¡¯s gotten married ten yearster¡­ Benedict was displeased at the thought of that. ¡°Hmph! So he¡¯s forgotten about those who died for him now that he has a sessful career and found someone he likes. What a scumbag!¡± His tone was filled with hostility. That put Xavier in an awkward position, and he began to regret telling him about Finnick¡¯s marriage. The two of them continued to chat for a little while longer before going their separate ways. Vivian heard Sarah gossiping the moment she came in the office the next morning. ¡°We¡¯re in for a treat, people! I saw Mr. Norton¡¯s fianc¨¦ee by just now! She¡¯s dressed from head to toe in branded goods and looks really fashionable. She had a gloomy look on her face when she went in his office, so they probably had a fight or something. Be careful not to get caught in the crossfire!¡± Vivian sulked upon hearing that. What¡¯s Ashley doing here? Is she trying to pick a fight? I¡¯d better avoid her. Maybe I shoulde up with an excuse to be out of office. Shannon stared at Vivian from her desk with glee. Ha! Look who¡¯s cowering in fear now that the Chief Editor¡¯s wife is here! Serves you right! Meanwhile, Ashley was close to tears in Fabian¡¯s office as she questioned him, ¡°Fabian, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Why are you breaking up with me through a text message? What did I do wrong? Do you know how much that hurts me?¡± Fabian sneered when he saw her. Wow, the bold Ashley has the guts to show up here and act all pitiful¡­ I bet those who don¡¯t know the truth would easily be fooled by her! Oh, Ashley¡­ You don¡¯t know when to give up, do you? Fabian retrieved Vivian¡¯s photos from his drawer and tossed them in front of Ashley. ¡°Drop the act, will ya? How much longer do you n on pretending, huh? You¡¯re the one who did this to Vivian, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ashley went pale and took a few steps back when she heard that. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me! This is a misunderstanding, Fabian! Don¡¯t just jump to conclusions like that! Besides, what can these photos even prove anyway?¡± Ashley insisted that she was innocent, but that only made Fabian even more furious. I had someone investigate the incident, and we managed to track down the people involved in taking the photos and trading them. It was none other than Ashley herself, so she must have been the one behind it all! She was jealous of Vivian, so she used the photos to ruin her reputation! Rumors about her spread N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. throughout the entire campus, and everyone pointed fingers at her wherever she went! This is all Ashley¡¯s fault! She¡¯s the one who put Vivian through all that pain and suffering! Had it not been for these photos, I wouldn¡¯t have lost my trust in Vivian and broken up with her! She wouldn¡¯t have ended up with Finnick either! He hated her the very sight of her. ¡°A misunderstanding, you say? You may have the others fooled, but you can¡¯t fool me! She¡¯s your sister, Ashley! How could you do this to her?¡± Fabian shouted in both anger and disappointment. He waspletely shocked when he found out Ashley was the mastermind. He just couldn¡¯t believe that almost married such a cruel and heartless woman. She was so malicious! Beneath that angelic appearance of hersy the heart of a devil. He had always thought of Ashley as a kind and genuine girl, and yet she was the person who hired someone to take indecent pictures of her sister and spread rumors about her. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 181 Vivian had been pitifully kept in the dark all along and had even interacted with her as if they were a tight-knit family. Fabian would never allow such a woman to linger around him as it would inevitably cause peril to Vivian. Hence, Fabian ended his rtionship with Ashley. Although a break-up should be done personally via a face to face meeting, he did not want to witness Ashley¡¯s expression. Thus, he ended their rtionship with a text message. Who knew that she woulde straight to his house to ascertain the truth? But Fabian still resolved to end the rtionship with her. On the other hand, Ashley¡¯s feelings were in a flurry. When she received Fabian¡¯s text, she had felt anguished. She believed that Vivian was the reason for their breakup as that woman had seduced Fabian and entranced him when they were at the magazine To her horror, the true reason behind Fabian¡¯s request was because he had looked into her when he was investigating the photograph incident two years ago. I will never admit to that! If I do, Fabian will never forgive me and I will lose him forever! She had put in so much effort and time in pursuing Fabian. Thus, she could not give up now as she did not want to lose him. I will adopt all necessary methods to ensure that I will never lose him! At that moment, it was as if her resolve hardened. Shemented to him, ¡°I¡¯ve never done any of that. It wasn¡¯t me. You don¡¯t have any evidence to drag my name through the dirt! I won¡¯t allow you to break up with me.¡± What does she mean by not wanting us to break up? Fabian stared at her in utter confusion. She did not allow him to rebuff her as she had yet to finish speaking her mind. Coddling her belly, she said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant! I have your child! We have a child!¡± Pregnant! She is pregnant! Fabian instantly suspected that she was lying; it was too much of a coincidence! He could not ept such a reality. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Fabian shook his head and he uttered, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re lying! All your maniptive schemes will not work on me!¡± Ashley disyed her pertinacious personality to its fullest at that moment. She argued, ¡°How is it impossible? Have you forgotten what you did to me? Have you forgotten the night when we went for karaoke and the wonderful time we spent at the hotel after? I became pregnant on that fateful day. This is your child! You cannot abandon both of us irresponsibly!¡± She then grabbed his hands, ced them gently on her belly and said, ¡°This child belongs to the both of us. Do you want him to grow up without a father figure if you end things between us now? Our child is innocent and you shouldn¡¯t let any bias or prejudgment blind you from that! Please snap out of it!¡± Dear Fabian, you can never escape from my clutches. Surrender to your fate. Ashley smiled gently and whispered, ¡°After a few more months, we will be able to hear our baby¡¯s heartbeat. I¡¯m carrying your flesh and blood, Fabian. I¡¯m so happy to start a family with you and I love this child.¡± Boom! The thought of having a baby struck Fabian like a bolt of lightning. As part of her scheming n, she immediately embraced him and gazed at him lovingly as if the photograph incident had never urred. She sessfully patched things up with him and he agreed to never talk about the breakup with her again. Having achieved her motive, Ashley strutted out of Fabian¡¯s office. She was on cloud nine and even greeted his colleagues in the office happily. Everyone around her gossiped that she was a gold digger and had an egotistical mindset; she was someone that they could not afford to offend. Ashley swept her gaze around the office and realized that Vivian was nowhere to be seen. If she¡¯s here, I really will give her a piece of my mind. Just as she was feeling regretful of not having the chance to do that, she coincidentally bumped into Vivian who was carrying a load of folders in the corridor. Vivian also spotted her instantaneously. It seemed like such a situation was inevitable. At that moment, Ashley wanted to murder her. It is all because of her that Fabian grew suspicious of me. If I hadn¡¯t vehemently denied the situation in front of him and utilized my backup n, my rtionship with Fabian would have ended! Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 182 Vivian wanted to take the lift up. Just as she changed her mind and wanted to return to the office, she was blocked by Ashley. Ashley demanded, ¡°Don¡¯t leave in such a hurry, my dear Vivian. Let¡¯s have a chat. Aren¡¯t you concerned about my motives for being here looking for Fabian?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going back to work,¡± muttered Vivian. ¡°You¡¯d better stay away from Fabian! This is my final warning to you. If you dare to approach Fabian again, I will personally teach you a lesson!¡± threatened Ashley. Is this what sibling love is like? Vivian had always felt that her family situation was extremely abnormal and she could never get along well with her sister. She rebuked, ¡°I¡¯m already married to my own husband. Goodbye, Ashley.¡± Ashley fiercely red at Vivian¡¯s retreating figure. The more she tried to shrug it off, the more guilty she felt. She was convinced that Vivian was putting up a facade. Since I made such a great effort to travel all the way to the magazinepany, it would be too easy on her to let her just walk away! Therefore, Ashley thought of a scheming n on the spot. In the afternoon when Shannon was leaving work, she received a call from Ashley. Both of them agreed to meet at a cafe. Ashley passed Shannon a white envelope. When Shannon opened it, she discovered a huge amount of money. She had an inkling of what Ashley wanted her to do. It was obvious that this wad of cash had something to do with Vivian. Shannon smiled and stated, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. I¡¯ll do anything that you need me to do.¡± With a smug smile on her face, Vivian instructed, ¡°Actually, I need you to help me with a simple matter. You just need to keep a watchful eye over Vivian and my fianc¨¦. If you see anything, anything at all, you must immediately report it to me. As you know, Vivian that sl*t has her seductive gaze trained on my fianc¨¦! I cannot lose to this promiscuous woman.¡± Shannon meticulously ced the envelope into her leather bag and smiled at Ashley. She patted her chest and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I hate Vivian too! Her behavior is distasteful and she has been giving out unsolicited favors to the men in our magazinepany! Without such slutty behavior, she wouldn¡¯t havested in thepany for so long!¡± Ashley chuckled. She needed an ally just like Shannon to defeat Vivian. So, she responded, ¡°Thank you. I certainly look forward to working with you. The most pertinent issue is to keep this a secret from my fianc¨¦. Do you understand?¡± Shannon nodded her head and replied, ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry and just leave it to me!¡± ¡°That would be great,¡± said Ashley. Shannon sat at the cafe for a while after her discussion with Ashley and left after finishing her coffee. By helping her, I have a higher chance of getting a promotion and a sry raise right? After Shannon left, Ashley sat in the cafe alone. She caressed her t stomach and thought of the terrifying events that thankfully left her unscathed. At the thought of it, she felt a prick in her heart. I¡¯m indeed not pregnant and I¡¯m indeed lying to Fabian. I thought that by drugging him that fateful night, I could¡¯ve gotten pregnant. I failed again; I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m still not pregnant! Thinking back to the time when she was in Fabian¡¯s office, she genuinely had no choice but to fabricate her pregnancy. She hoped that Fabian would stop investigating the photographs of the drugs and focus on her and her child instead. Clearly, Fabian is still deeply in love with Vivian. I muste up with a n to remove Vivian from Fabian¡¯s life and then seduce and stop him from leaving me. Fabian sat at the corner of the bar counter all alone, drinking a ss of whisky on ice. Ashley is pregnant! He still could not ept this as the truth. His heart felt extremely heavy. All he desired was to get drunk and be numb. He was exhausted. Not only did he fail to win the heart of the love of his life, but he also could not escape from the clutches of the one he had no feelings toward.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 183 The child is innocent. Fabian knew he could not act irresponsibly and ruthlessly abandon the mother and child. However, he detested Ashley! Initially, he only wanted to exploit her to take revenge against Vivian who had cheated on him because Ashley¡¯s scar between her eyebrows reminded him of Vivian! To his disbelief, God had yed a big joke on him! Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Vivian did not cheat on him; she was just a victim! Thinking back to the past, he realized he had failed to be there for her when she needed hisfort and protection. Two yearster after meeting Vivian again, he made the same mistake once more! Fabian abhorred himself. In Fabian¡¯s drunken gaze, he vividly saw the Vivian he fell in love with. She was decked out in a blue dress and was running gracefully toward him as she excitedly shouted his name¡­ In the past, she loved to tie her hair in a high ponytail and enjoyed going to the cinema. She would always drag him to the cinema to catch thetest movie after ss ended. Moreover, she even told him that when they grew old, they could still sit in the cinema to watch their favorite movies! He remembered grinning at her and saying that it would be ridiculous for the cinema to still be here unchanged. Both of them then guffawed together. As his memory blurred, it suddenly morphed into Ashley¡¯s face. She was gazing at him seductively as she hooked him with her finger, calling out his name and their baby¡­ In his drunken state of mind, Fabian felt extremely anguished and tortured as enjoyable memories with Vivian morphed into the constant pestering by Ashley. Will you ever forgive me, Vivian? I miss you so much. He rambled softly, ¡°Vivian, Vivian¡­¡± Vivian was working an extra night shift. As her colleagues were leaving the office, Sarah reminded her not to burn the midnight oil and to go home earlier. Finnick had a meeting tonight and was not at home as well. As the night fell, Vivian decided to go home and started packing up her belongings. Just as she was about to switch off the office lights, Fabian suddenly barged into the office reeking of alcohol and gave her a shock. She hurriedly went forward to assist Fabian and eximed, ¡°Have you been drinking? Why did you drink so much? Why are you here in the office? Let me send you home.¡± Fabian opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on her. It¡¯s Vivian. He was delighted and gushed, ¡°Vivian, it really is you! You haven¡¯t left.¡± Vivian was clueless as to how drunk he was but she noticed that he was slurring his speech. ¡°What do you want from me, Fabian? It¡¯ste, so let¡¯s talk tomorrow,¡± Vivian replied hurriedly. She wanted to get out of here. However, he was extremely inebriated and she felt uneasy leaving him here. Fabian grinned. He joked, ¡°Are you avoiding me? I know you detest it when I get drunk. You said I have a poor alcohol tolerance and a bad taste in alcohol. Everything you said in the past is firmly etched in my memory.¡± Vivian sighed and griped, ¡°What is the point of mentioning the past? Isn¡¯t it good that we are leading our own lives now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?¡± ranted Fabian with a wry smile. ¡°What is the point of living if it is without you?¡± he muttered. ¡°Stop saying that, Fabian¡­¡± Vivian pleaded as she felt a tinge of sympathy for him. To her surprise, he abruptly grabbed her shoulders tightly and bellowed, ¡°Why can¡¯t I say that? Although I didn¡¯t trust you in the past, have you really stopped loving me?¡± She was stunned and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Vivian, I know you still love me. Please, get back together with me. I know I was in the wrong. I¡¯m a jerk,¡± he pleaded. ¡°Fabian, stop with your drunken stupor. We should go. I will send you home. Get a good night¡¯s rest and you will wake up with a clear head,¡± Vivian told him. He took a step forward and cuddled her tightly with absolutely no intention of letting go. ¡°Let go of me, Fabian! You have had too much to drink!¡± Vivian shrieked. She attempted to struggle out of his tight embrace but he tightened his arms around her to the extent that she had difficulty breathing. He continued embracing her firmly and sputtered, ¡°It is better to get drunk because I can hug you as I did in the past! Vivian, I¡¯ve never forgotten about you. Please do not leave me, Vivian. Please forgive me and don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 184 For a moment, Vivian¡¯s heart softened. After all, Fabian was the lover with whom she spent the best moments of her life. However, nothing stayed the same; everything had changed. She met Finnick, and he¡­ Thinking of Ashley, she pushed herself away from Fabian¡¯s embrace. ¡°Fabian, you still have Ashley. Aren¡¯t you marrying her soon? I can see that she loves you. Both of you will be happy.¡± When Vivian mentioned Ashley, Fabian became exceptionally agitated. He seemed disgusted by her. He shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t mention her name! Do you know why I¡¯m marrying her? That¡¯s because the two of you look alike. I want to use her to take revenge on you. I¡¯ve never loved her; I only have you in my heart. Vivian, I¡¯m remorseful. I hated you so much back then because I love you. I love you, Vivian!¡± Vivian was surprised to hear Fabian¡¯s confession. His eyes were as sincere and passionate as they used to be. He had been hiding his love away from her in fear; he thought she was someone bad, and he could not believe in her. Only at that moment when he risked his life to save her from the fire, did Vivian think the old Fabian was back. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re mine. You¡¯re mine¡­ I want to go back to college. Let¡¯s go back together, shall we? Let¡¯s go back to the campus. We¡¯re the perfect match.¡± The way Fabian was looking at Vivian was intense and eager. Fabian realized Vivian looked extraordinarily beautiful tonight. He was lost in her beauty.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The two of them were the only ones in the office. The sky had darkened, and outside the window were the city lights. It was a perfect moment to do certain things. Anyone in a ce like this would have a rush of heat that surged in their veins. Whose youth was not wonderful? Regardless of how marvelous or tragic it was, every piece of memory would be a nostalgic moment of history after years. When the two became a couple, they were practically the talk of the college. He rode his bicycle to pick her up to college and sent her back home. They ate together, watched movies together, and did social work together. They were like twins, destined to be together forever. That bliss was frozen at that moment two years ago. After that, their happiness had shattered and faded away. Fabian¡¯s earlier ruthlessness and indifference had be a scar in Vivian¡¯s heart that was impossible to fix. Vivian said, ¡°Fabian, we¡¯re both adults. Let the past stay in the past. We can¡¯t do this again.¡± ¡°No, Vivian. Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t be so cruel to me¡­¡± Fabian took slow steps toward her. ¡°Give me a chance. Give me one more chance. I¡¯ll love you properly this time. I¡¯ll protect you. I¡¯ll give you everything Finnick can¡¯t give you.¡± Vivian took a few steps back, and she eventually hit the wall in the corner. A tinge of fear coated her heart, and she muttered, ¡°Fabian, don¡¯te any closer. You¡¯re drunk. I don¡¯t me you for this. Don¡¯t She fell in love with someone else! She¡¯s telling me she loves Finnick! Fabian broke down. She¡¯s not epting my pleads. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was Fabian¡¯s unwillingness to admit defeat. When he saw Vivian avoiding him, he rushed forward and forced her into a hug. His force was great, and his body was crushing hers. She could not move. ¡°Fabian, stop. Fab¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Vivian¡¯s lips were sealed by Fabian¡¯s. He was forcefully kissing her. He ruthlessly smashed his lips against her lips and face. Even if Vivian were struggling and begging, he could not stop kissing her. He wanted to kiss her for the rest of his life. The longing that was sealed in his heart for years made him unwilling to let Vivian go. He would do anything to get her back to his side. Fabian¡¯s kiss was so forceful yet passionate. She could not dodge them; she was unable to defend herself at all. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 185 Now, his hands were starting to wander. Vivian could sense a change in his body as he increased the force of his actions. Fabian was so obsessed with her that he wanted to do everything he could to her. Vivian sensed that she had to resist him. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. How will I tell Finnick? Mustering her strength and courage, Vivian managed to get one of her hands . p! She gave him a hard p. Then, she shoved him away from her. Fabian stumbled and nearly fell. Some sense returned to him, and he froze in his spot. It was then he realized what he had done. Hastily, he apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vivian. I-I was too agitated. Don¡¯t be angry. Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t leave.¡± Vivian¡¯s mind was in a mess. The Fabian in front of her was someone she could barely recognize. She shouted, ¡°Fabian, I hate you!¡± Grabbing her purse on the table, Vivian cried as she ran off. Fabian copsed onto the ground and buried his head in his knees as he curled on the ground. Remorse was swallowing him up. In a dark corner of the office, a woman took a photo of them kissing. That woman was Shannon. Ever since Ashley asked her to monitor Vivian and Fabian, she became a spy. She was always around whenever the two were in the same space, and she had finally gotten some evidence this time. Curling her lips, she thought, Very well, Vivian. You¡¯re dead meat this time. Fabian¡¯s wife is definitely going to get rid of you from thepany! You¡¯ll see. Ha. Hiding in the corner, Shannon promptly sent the photo she took to Ashley. Meanwhile, Ashley had just returned to the Miller Residence after shopping. She threw her heels aside before lying on her bed to rest. She let her hair strewn across the bed as she thought about what happened in the day. Fabian knows I¡¯m pregnant now. What will happen next? Will he propose to me? What kind of wedding gown should I wear? I must get my wedding gown from F Nation. I have to get a custom gown that catches the eyes of everyone. Right as Ashley was dreaming about her wedding with Fabian, she received the photo Shannon took. The photo could not record any sound, for it was not a video. In the photo, the two were kissing, seemingly passionately. Ashley trembled as the raw anger shot through her, and she threw her phone. Damn it! Have they rekindled their rtionship? Ashley wailed as she held her head. I hate Vivian! It¡¯s her. This is all her fault! Why is she always in my way? We¡¯re already sharing a dad, a house, and the same inheritance. Now, she¡¯s even trying to steal my man! Vivian shouldn¡¯t have been in this world. She should die. She should die right now! She¡¯s a home-wrecker. Her mother¡¯s a home-wrecker too. All they know how to do is to seduce men. Ashley jumped to her feet. She wanted to settle the score with Vivian immediately; she wanted Vivian to turn into dust right away. However, she had only reached the door when her footsteps faltered. No, no, no. I can¡¯t do this by force. It won¡¯t solve the problem. I made her life a living hell two years ago. I can do it again. I, Ashley Miller, am not one you should be messing with. She had to find a way to publicize this. It would end up favorable to her only if Finnick found out about this. He would break up with her the moment he found out about her true nature. If Vivian made Finnick a cuckold, with the man¡¯s family background and capability, he would not be able to take it silently; Finnick would definitely divorce Vivian before making her life miserable. By then, Vivian¡¯s life would be over without needing Ashley to do anything. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. With that thought in her mind, Ashley suddenly threw her head back and burst intoughter. Thest drop of tear fell from her eyes. Vivian, I¡¯m going to destroy you. I swear! That was what Ashley told herself. The next day, Finnick went to work as usual; he knew nothing about what happened. His work had been too hectictely that he had somewhat neglected Vivian. Both only spared a nce for each other before they hurried along with their schedules. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 186 Finnick nned to finish work earlier so that he could keep herpany at night. He enjoyed the feeling of seeing Vivian when he went home. Even if she were only sitting there, reading her book, he would feel a sense of peace wash over him when he looked at her. Noah entered the office and informed him that a woman was insistent in meeting him. At the start, Finnick thought it was Yasmin, so he rejected the meeting. However, Noah shook his head. He told him it was another woman. Finnick froze. Who else can it be? Is it Vivian? Finnick then asked Noah to invite the woman into the office. Indeed, the woman who entered was not Yasmin. However, it was not Vivian either; it was Vivian¡¯s younger sister, Ashley. Finnick never had a good impression of her. He was only polite to her because she was Vivian¡¯s sister. Finnick motioned to her to take a seat. It was then Finnick realized Ashley had an odd look on her face as she stared at him. He thought, Something must have happened for her toe to me. I have to be wary. She¡¯s here with malicious intents. Right then, Ashley voiced, ¡°Mr. Norton, I have something to show you today. Don¡¯t get angry when you see it.¡± Finnick did not reply to her. He only slightly knitted his brows. What is she trying to do? By now, Ashley had taken out a photo from her purse and ced it on top of Finnick¡¯s desk. Instead of looking at the photo, Finnick nced at Ashley. A photo again? Is this ever going to end? Ashley really shares a hobby with her fianc¨¦, Fabian. Ashley muttered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Norton? Are you afraid to look at the photo? Are you scared of seeing someone you don¡¯t want to see? For example, a photo of my sister with another man?¡± Finnick sat quietly in his wheelchair as he observed her. She looks a lot like Vivian. She¡¯s definitely her sister, but why is she trying to set her sister up all the time? She always see Vivian as her enemy. Is it because of Fabian? Finnick¡¯s expression darkened as he said, ¡°I know what kind of person Vivian is.¡± ¡°Ha. Mr. Norton, well, aren¡¯t you confident? But I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to repeat those words after you look at this photo,¡± Ashley chuckled. It was a wicked grin she had on her face as she gestured for Finnick to take a look at the photo. Finnick hesitated for a second before he took the photo. It was a blurry shot, but he could see the faces and the actions of the two in it. Yes. That¡¯s Fabian and Vivian in the photo. Moreover, Fabian was grabbing Vivian and kissing her. Immediately, Finnick tightened his grip on the photo and wrinkled it. Molten anger exploded in his chest. Raising his hand and looking at Ashley, he gritted out, ¡°What are you trying to do bying to me with this photo?¡± Finnick¡¯s abrupt fury frightened Ashley; she had not expected him to be as angry as this. She answered, ¡°Finnick, are you blind? Do you not see the affair Vivian is having with Fabian? The Vivian you love doesn¡¯t love you. My fianc¨¦, Fabian, is the one she loves. I just want to show you the true nature of this woman. Don¡¯t be fooled by her soft appearance. I¡¯m just showing you this out of Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g goodwill.¡± ¡°Goodwill?¡± Finnick sneered. His tone was frigid. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. If you will please, get lost.¡± The color drained from Ashley¡¯s face. Why did it turn out like this? This isn¡¯t the oue I was hoping for. Why is Finnick losing his temper at me instead? Ashley had shown him the photo, hoping to infuriate him into leaving Vivian. She wanted to torment her and destroy her. Why did Finnick threaten me instead? What a love-sick idiot he is for Vivian. He can¡¯t tell right from wrong! Ashley raised her voice. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to get lost? Vivian¡¯s making you a cuckold. Don¡¯t you care about that? Are you a man?¡± She paused before continuing, ¡°Finnick, I know you must be angry. I was too when I saw the photo. I wanted to chop her up into pieces at that time. She¡¯s married to you, but she¡¯s seducing someone else¡¯s man. What is this? This is betrayal!¡± Finnick stared at Ashley as thest bits of his patience faded away from his eyes. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 187 It was true that he was furious. However, that did not mean Ashley had the right to tell him what to do. If Ashley had not been a woman and Vivian¡¯s sister, he would not have been as nice as this to her; he would not have let her curse away in front of him. Not wanting to waste his time on her, he muttered in a spiteful tone, ¡°Ashley, you have no right to make you regret it.¡± Unexpectedly, Ashley huffed, ¡°I¡¯m protecting my marriage and my fianc¨¦! If Vivian seduces him again, I¡¯ll haunt her even after my death!¡± After the words left her mouth, Ashley finally felt a trace of fear when she saw the cold fury in Finnick¡¯s eyes. She quickly added, ¡°Forget it, Finnick. I¡¯ve said my piece. I hope the two of you will be happy. Goodbye.¡± Realizing that her n did not go as well as she thought it would, Ashley turned to leave. However, right before she walked out of the office, she stopped in her tracks. Quietly, she mumbled, ¡°Do you think Vivian really loves you, Finnick?¡± She then stepped out of office, leaving Finnick to wallow in his emotions. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. He pushed himself to the window and stared out at the streets. Outside the window was a busy scene. People were walking around, hurrying along in their lives. It was fate to meet someone in life. Moreover, he was not the only one she had encountered in life; there were others too. Do you think Vivian really loves you? Finnick ruminated on Ashley¡¯s words for a long while. He realized he could not give a definite nor confident reply to that question. Finnick had never been unsure about anything in his life. Yet Vivian was the one who made him feel unconfident. At night, when Finnick went home, he saw Vivian tidying up the wardrobe. She was putting all of her clothes on the bed and arranging them into categories. When she saw him, she muttered, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Finnick realized Vivian seemed to have many things in her mind. She sounded like she was in a daze, and a smile was not present on her face. Finnick¡¯s heart sank. Meanwhile, Vivian did have many things in her mind. The trauma of being forcefully kissed by Fabianst night had yet to fade away. She was trying to relieve herself from the overwhelming anxiety in her heart by tidying up her wardrobe. She thought, Should I tell Finnick about Fabian forcefully kissing me? What if he gets angry about it and leaves me? What then? It was already somewhat taboo to mention Fabian around Finnick. Men were petty creatures. He had not forgiven her for days after the fire incident. This time, Fabian had forcefully kissed her. Will he really let me off this? Vivian did not like Finnick being angry. She wanted him to smile happily all the time. As Vivian was lost in her thoughts, she did not realize how dark Finnick¡¯s expression was. Right then, Finnick slowly stood up from the wheelchair and walked over to her. He suddenly held Vivian down and questioned, ¡°Vivian, is there anything you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± ¡°N-No¡­¡± Vivian panicked even more. Has he found out about it? That¡¯s impossible. Did Fabian tell him? Furrowing his brows, Finnick stared into her eyes and inquired, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No¡­ Y-Yes.¡± Vivian hesitated. ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t you already know something?¡± Finnick¡¯s throat tightened. For a moment, he was at a loss for how to reply to her. He could not form the words. Vivian felt that she should be honest with Finnick since he had asked. Regardless of whether or not he knew about it, the two were living together, and they trusted each other. Therefore, she should tell Finnick the truth¡ªshe should tell him that Fabian had forcefully kissed her before she managed to escape from him. Vivian took in a deep breath and steeled herself before confessing, ¡°Finnick, I have something to tell you. Last night, at thepany¡­¡± Before Vivian could finish her words, Finnick pressed his lips against her and stopped them from leaving her lips. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 188 It was a tyrannical kiss. The moment Vivian spoke, Finnick realized he did not want to hear Fabian¡¯s name in her voice. He did not want to hear Fabian¡¯s name ever; he wanted to erase Fabian from Vivian¡¯s heart. Finnick did not want to let any man other than him appear in her heart. As Finnick attacked her with the kiss, Vivian¡¯s heart melted. Shey on the bed, pleasantly numb, as Finnick kissed her lovingly. Her body rxed, and she felt as if she would enter heaven at any time. It was a strong kiss, as though it was trying to root itself in her heart. Vivian was lost in it. She loved how he kissed her lips. It was like his heart was thumping against hers and sending sparks flying in her heart. The two kissed each other passionately. Vivian could feel Finnick¡¯s heart thumping faster and faster. She was prepared for him. He tugged her shirt up and revealed the fair skin under. Right when the two were about to lose themselves in their instincts, Vivian¡¯s phone rang. Her phone was on the table above Vivian¡¯s head. Finnick raised his head to nce at it. It was from Fabian. It¡¯s already sote, but Fabian is calling Vivian. Damn it. Finnick became more displeased. Vivian queried, ¡°Who¡¯s calling me thiste at night?¡± Finnick coldly replied, ¡°It¡¯s Fabian.¡± Like a child who had done something wrong, Vivian panicked. She wanted to take the call, but Finnick stopped her. Without hesitation, he epted Fabian¡¯s call. Vivian¡¯s eyes widened. Fabian did not know Finnick was right beside her. He just kept apologizing. ¡°Vivian, I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me. I¡¯m an animal. How can I hurt you like this? Don¡¯t be angry with me. I was drunk. But I was sincere with my words. Vivian, do you hear me? Vivian?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Hearing Fabian¡¯s voice, Vivian wanted to ask him to shut up. However, Finnick was swift in sealing her lips with his; she could not speak. Finnick continued pressing down on her lips as he slowly unbuttoned her clothes. One, two, three¡­ Eventually, her bra was exposed to the air. His hand wandered on her body as he continued kissing her passionately. Vivian smacked Finnick, wanting him to stop. However, he ignored her ps; he continued to kiss her fervently as he pressed his body onto hers. Fabian knew nothing of what was going on at the other end of the line. He thought Vivian was silent because she was angry. All he could do was continue begging. ¡°Vivian, I know you¡¯re angry. You don¡¯t talk and you sulk when you¡¯re angry. I was foolish to have done that that night. It¡¯s my fault. Don¡¯t punish yourself for that¡­¡± Vivian remained silent, but odd sounds came from the other end of the line. Finnick took off all of Vivian¡¯s clothes and threw them onto the floor, leaving them scattered. His two hands held down Vivian¡¯s, making her unable to break of him. He stared at her with such intensity as though he wanted to swallow her whole. A bright fire was burning in his eyes. The more Vivian wriggled, the more force Finnick used. The angrier Finnick became, the more he wanted to torment Fabian. Fabian leaned closer to the phone and asked, puzzled, ¡°Vivian, are you listening? Have you told Finnick about this? It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t. This is our secret that only we know. We¡¯ll deal with this ourselves, okay? Vivian, can you give me another chance?¡± Finnick did not care what Fabian was saying in the call. All he knew was that he could do anything he wanted as long as Vivian was by his side. She was his wife. Give up and get lost, you jerk! Afraid that Fabian would hear her, Vivian whispered, ¡°Finnick, aren¡¯t you crossing the line? You can¡¯t do this.¡± Finnick¡¯s gaze was fixed on Vivian¡¯s body. Doesn¡¯t she know what I¡¯m doing? Finnick wanted her to know who was her husband, and who was the one meant to be with her. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 189 He wanted Vivian to react to his teasing. It was even better if she could not help but let the sounds escape her. He was going to do everything he could to make Vivian submit to him. Vivian turned her head to the side, but Finnick¡¯s lips followed hers. Like a ma, his lips touched hers again, and his tongue wandered in. She could feel him acutely, and her entire body shuddered. She quietly clenched her jaw and tried to suppress the urge to cry out. Fabian seemed to have sensed something, but he could barely believe what he had heard. He anxiously yelled, ¡°Vivian, what¡¯s wrong? Vivian!¡± Vivian was embarrassed to let a third party hear her while Finnick and her were engaged in an act like this. What the hell is this? She gritted her teeth, not wanting herself to make those sounds. She was angry, but she could not stop Finnick¡¯s invasion. Instead of stopping, Finnick continued with even more vigor. Finnick¡¯s action was a disregard of her feelings. Vivian felt humiliated. She trusted Finnick, but he was doing this to her. She could not ept it. ¡°Finnick, stop. Y-You¡¯re being mean to me¡­¡± Vivian wondered if Finnick thought of her as an easy woman because of her incident two years ago. She wondered if he thought of her body as uncleaned and therefore her dignity no longer existed. At that moment, he was no different from that horrible man. The only difference was that Finnick was someone she loved while that man from two years ago was not. Regardless, this was not a good reason for Finnick to do this to her without her consent. ¡°Finnick, do you have to be like this? I beg you. Please don¡¯t¡­¡± Vivian pleaded. However, Finnick was unmoved by her words. He only uttered, ¡°Vivian, this is your punishment.¡± It seemed like Finnick had found out about Fabian forcefully kissing her. Vivian could understand his anger and jealousy. However, that did not mean that he could punish her in this awful way. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Her husband who protected and loved her like a guardian angel had turned into a demon that night. With that thought in her mind, Vivian could not stop the tears from escaping her eyes. Fabian was in a panic and shouting on the other end of the line. ¡°Finnick, you asshle! Let Vivian go! Come at me! I¡¯m waiting for you! What kind of man are you to hurt Vivian instead? Fcking talk, Finnick!¡± Finnick wanted Fabian to remember to noty a finger on his woman for the rest of his life. How dare he kiss Vivian forcefully? Who does he think he is? He¡¯s just Vivian¡¯s ex-boyfriend. Finnick wanted to remind Fabian that he was Vivian¡¯s husband. Fabian bellowed, ¡°Vivian! Finnick, how dare you! How dare you!¡± Vivian tried her best not to make overly loud sounds, but Fabian could still hear the quiet moans and Finnick¡¯s deep voice. Fabian was quivering with rage. He could not bear to listen anymore; his heart was already in pieces. Fabian threw his phone onto the ground and starting crying. The woman he loved was currently sleeping with another man. The other man had all of her. That was meant to be Fabian¡¯s right, yet he could do nothing now. The call finally ended. At the same time, Finnick stopped attacking her. Vivian shoved Finnick away from her as she hurriedly put on her clothes. Her face was tear-stricken. He had achieved his aim. But why don¡¯t I feel happy about it? Finnick asked himself. Standing up, Vivian looked at the man on the bed and roared, ¡°Finnick, you¡¯ve gone overboard!¡± With that said, she ran off. Vivian spent the night in the guest room while Finnicky awake until the sun came up. The next day, Vivian left the house early. The two never encountered. At night, when Finnick came back, Vivian was already at home. After dinner, she retreated to the bedroom. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 190 Finnick, too, did not wish to speak; he remained silent. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Viviany on the bed nearing the edge, leaving arge space for Finnick. Her eyes were shut, and it seemed like she was already asleep. After Finnick entered the room and nced at her, he sighed. He took the nket and pillow and ced them on hisp before he pushed himself to the study room to sleep; he left Vivian to sleep in the bedroom. In the morning, when the two were having their breakfast, both were equally indifferent to each other. The usual chat and intimacy they had were no longer present. It was as if they had be strangers overnight. The two gave each other the cold shoulder. Even the servants at home had noticed it. They thought, They¡¯re such a perfect pair. Why did they have a falling out? Shouldn¡¯t married couples make up quickly? It¡¯s been days, but they¡¯re still giving each other the cold shoulder. How worrisome. However, the servants did not dare to utter a word about the matter. Therefore, the house was quieter than it usually was. Neither wanted to speak with each other; the two of them were angry. Finnick thought Vivian was angry because she was embarrassed by how he had made Fabian hear the sounds she made when he was teasing her. Maybe she¡¯s concerned about what Fabian thinks of her. The thought of it infuriated Finnick further. Unbeknownst to him, Vivian was furious because he had not shown respect to her. An act like that was meant to be consensual, but Finnick had made it horrible. One day, Vivian was on her way to work when Finnick¡¯s car sped past her. He did not slow down nor In the past, Finnick would always stop by at the junction to wait for her. Then, he would send her to the entrance of the subway before he left. With a hung head, Vivian eventually reached her office. Fabian looked out of his office window and saw her when she arrived. He realized she looked pallid recently, and she seemed tired. However, he dared not ask her about it. Ever since that night, he had been avoiding her, fearing she would be angry or awkward with him. All he could do was feel anxious quietly. Everyone in the office was cheering, seemingly celebrating something. Sarah rushed forward to give Vivian a bear hug. Her smile was so wide that her eyes were crescents. She said, ¡°Vivian, do you know this? The news we had about Mr. Norton and Yasmin not only increased the sales of that issue, but it also became the highest monthly sales! Vivian, we won!¡± Everyone pped for Vivian¡¯s team and said that they had to learn from them. Just then, Lesley walked over. ¡°Another great news for all of you. Thepany has decided to reward us for our outstanding performance! Since it¡¯s almost time for ourpany trip, we can bring our family along this time!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°We¡¯re so lucky!¡± ¡°Ms. Jenson¡¯s the best!¡± Everyone was cheering. Affected by the merry atmosphere, a smile finally broke out on Vivian¡¯s face. Sarah muttered to Jenny, ¡°I don¡¯t need to ask. I know you¡¯re definitely bringing your husband along. I¡¯m a goner. I don¡¯t know which boyfriend to bring. I¡¯m scared whoever gets left behind will feel jealous. Ms. Jenson, can I bring both? Haha!¡± Amused by Sarah, Lesley replied, ¡°You silly girl!¡± Jenny knew Sarah well. She said, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s already a miracle for you to bring one along. Stop your nonsense! You¡¯re single despite your age. We¡¯re all anxious for you.¡± Sarah giggled. Shannon suddenly stood up from her chair. With ill intentions, she inquired, ¡°Vivian, I wonder which one you¡¯re bringing. Will you bring the husband you married so abruptly or some other men?¡± The noisy office fell silent right after the staff members heard Shannon¡¯s loud question. Everyone was curious about Vivian¡¯s husband. What does he look like? Who is he? It was then Sarah recalled the reason behind the news¡¯ sess. It was because Vivian¡¯s husband worked at Finnor Group. Without her husband¡¯s information, they could nevery their hands on a photo of Finnick and Yasmin. Sarah muttered, ¡°Shut up, Shannon. I won¡¯t let you say things like that to Vivian. If not for her husband providing her the information, how can ourpany be as glorious as it is now? Vivian, am I right?¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 191 Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. All she could do was agree with Sarah as she awkwardlyughed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. He didn¡¯t do much. It was something simple for him. Don¡¯t expect too much from him.¡± Sarah continued, ¡°I don¡¯t care. He¡¯s the savior of ourpany. Vivian, you have to bring your husband along to thepany trip this time. We have to thank him for what he¡¯s done. He¡¯s really our savior. Aren¡¯t I right, guys?¡± ¡°Obviously!¡± Everyone agreed with Sarah¡¯s suggestion. Shannon sat back down, upset and huffing. She thought, Yes, yes. Continue smiling. You¡¯ve already crossed the chief editor¡¯s wife. Ashley looks like someone you should never cross. Let¡¯s see how much longer you¡¯ll be happy, Vivian. Everyone in the office was keen to meet Vivian¡¯s husband. However, Vivian and Finnick were still giving each other the cold shoulder. She was stumped. She did not know what answer she should give them. She was conflicted. She was still angry with Finnick, and she did not want to bring him along on herpany trip. However, if she did not, everyone would start to doubt her. However, if she did, then everyone would find out that her husband was the popr president of Finnor Group, Finnick Norton. Thetter is worse! Pretending to have suddenly thought of something, Vivian said to Sarah, ¡°Sarah, I left my bag downstairs. Let me go and take it. Help me take the calls for a while.¡± At that, Vivian left the office with a reddened face. Her colleagues started discussing. They wondered if her husband was abnormally ugly, and if that was the reason she was embarrassed to bring him along. They even wondered if perhaps she did not even have a husband. Maybe it was an illicit lover or an old friend. Otherwise, why else would that person help her with this? That person would be doomed if Finnick found out about it. Their life would be over. Right then, Shannon added fuel to the fire. ¡°Look at that cheap ring on her finger, and you¡¯ll know what kind of husband she has. He must not be someone important; he must be a minor character working in Finnor Group. He¡¯s no one to brag about. Why do you even need to think about this?¡± Jenny could not bear to continue listening. She huffed, ¡°Shannon, what do you know? You only know how to talk rubbish. Can¡¯t you be someone nicer? Why are you talking bad about someone¡¯s husband?¡± Immediately, the group of people lost themselves in their thoughts as they tried to imagine what kind of person Vivian¡¯s husband was. At Finnor Group. Finnick looked at the invitation letter for a charity auction on the table with a frown. This was his grandfather¡¯s friend¡¯s charity auction, and his attendance waspulsory. However, he had to bring someone along with him. He was stumped. Will Vivian go with me? After work, when Vivian reached home, Finnick was already in the house. Vivian did not know what to say to Finnick when she saw him. She had been thinking about many things these few days. Maybe Finnick loves me too much. That¡¯s why his reaction was so intense. After all, it was her fault to have been forcefully kissed by Fabian. It was normal for Finnick to lose his temper. If he did not, that meant he was not jealous, and he did not care about her. His anger represented his love for her. During these few days of giving each other the cold shoulder, the two bore thoughts of making up to each other. Yet, they were too prideful to be the first to apologize. Finnick gripped the invitation letter as he thought, Maybe this is a good chance for me to fix our rtionship. Vivian had been ignoring him for days, and he had been lonely. The smile was absent from his face, and he kept frowning. It was obvious he was suffering from the cold shoulder. Finnick handed the invitation letter to Vivian and murmured, ¡°Vivian, this is an invitation letter to a charity auction. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Vivian took it, but she did not look at it. She could not bring herself to forgive him yet; she was still angry. She was angry that Finnick was pretending as if nothing had happened. He really doesn¡¯t care about my feelings. He doesn¡¯t realize Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. that the scar in my heart has yet to recover. She replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never attended a charity auction as high-end as this. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll embarrass both you and me.¡± Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 192 Hearing Vivian¡¯s rejection, Finnick¡¯s expression turned grim. He persuaded, ¡°This is Grandpa¡¯s friend¡¯s charity auction. If you don¡¯t attend it, Grandpa will be angry. He¡¯s nice to you.¡± Vivian could not possibly embarrass Finnick¡¯s grandfather. Moreover, she was afraid that he might Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g be angry after realizing something amiss about her rtionship with Finnick. Thus, Vivian nodded, agreeing to go with him. However, she did not own any pretty evening gown, nor did she know how to dress herself up. She felt conflicted. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her pursing her lips. She looked as cute as a baby when she was troubled. Finnick swiftly called Noah and told him to make the necessary arrangements. As Vivian refused to publicly announce her identity, he had to rely on Noah to make the arrangements for dressing her up. Vivian shot him a look of gratitude. However, she did not forgive him yet. The two were silent for a moment before Finnick suddenly said to Vivian, ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep in the study room tonight.¡± Vivian¡¯s heart softened. The study room was not asfortable as the bed. He had suffered in the past few days. Yet, she replied, ¡°This is your house and your bed. You¡¯re the owner of this house. You can do whatever you want.¡± Hence, Finnick returned to the bedroom, and the two slept on their side of the bed. The next day, as arranged by Noah, Vivian went to a high-end club. She first went to the spa. Her moodiness from the past few days had faded away as she breathed in the fragrance of the essential oils during her massage session. Her mood was now much better than it was. Vivian, who was a natural beauty, wore only light makeup. With an updo, she looked phenomenally outstanding. Vivian put on the dress that Finnick had prepared for her. A famous fashion designer, Alex, designed the minimalistic mint green dress. The wearer would look lively yet noble in it. Everyone present, including Noah, could not help but express their awe. Noah was shocked. Clothing does make the woman! Mrs. Norton¡¯s a beauty. Finnick hurried over to the lobby to wait for Vivian¡¯s arrival. He was in a suit, looking smart and handsome as usual. Although he was in a wheelchair, it did not affect his charm. He was like a witch who cast a spell over the women and made them look at him. When Vivian walked through the door, Finnick blinked in surprise. She¡¯s beautiful. She¡¯s like a real princess. Elegant and youthful. I can¡¯t tear my eyes away from the way she¡¯s moving. Although the two were still giving each other the cold shoulder, they were in Finnick¡¯s grandfather¡¯s friend¡¯s charity auction. Both had silently agreed to head to the auction together. The auction took ce in a five-star hotel. Finnick pushed himself in as the well-dressed Vivian walked beside him. The pair attracted the eyes of many. When they entered the auction hall, the first people they encountered were Fabian and Ashley. Ashley had a look of jealousy and envy in her eyes. Ever since Vivian met Finnick, she had gone from rags to riches. In the past, her clothes were all the cheapest kinds; she could never walk beside Ashley on the street. Strangers who saw them would think that Vivian was a maid of Ashley¡¯s family. Yet now, Vivian had appeared in an auction for the rich in a stunning dress. Fabian, too, could not tear his eyes away from her. Vivian was gorgeous. It was as if the woman in front of him was not her but the ssic princess of an old movie. Ashley stepped forward and mocked, ¡°Oh my, is this my sister? The ugly duckling has turned into the swan!¡± Finnick shot a re at Ashley. Ashley¡¯s heart shuddered, and she quickly shut her mouth and turned her head aside. Finnick pushed himself in front of Fabian and uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t think of getting what does not belong to you. It¡¯s different from an auction. The highest bidder won¡¯t be the winner; the winner is the one who wins over the heart.¡± Finnick¡¯s words exuded a sense of oppression. He and Vivian were legal husband and wife. No matter what Finnick said or did, Fabian had no words to refute. He could not intervene in their matters either. All he could do was to watch from aside. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Never Late, Never Away Chapter 193 Vivian ignored the two men¡¯s silent fight. She was preupied with the feeling of awkwardness when she thought about Fabian¡¯s forceful kiss and the call from a few days ago. Furthermore, she had a habit¡ªshe always needed to use the restroom whenever she felt awkward. She informed Finnick, ¡°You can go ahead. I need to use the restroom.¡± Before Finnick could reply to her, Vivian walked away with a lowered head. Rolling her eyes at Vivian, Ashley said to Fabian, ¡°Let¡¯s go in too.¡± With that said, she dragged Fabian into the inner hall. After washing her hands, she looked at herself in the mirror. Something about her looked different, yet parts of her remained the same. Am I Mrs. Norton or that miserable Vivian back then? Who am I? Vivian spaced out. On the way back to the hall, Vivian encountered someone, and the two nearly collided. She raised her head to look before zing. It was the celebrity, Yasmin. She¡¯s here too. Yasmin was dressed as morously as ever. She had a good figure, and naturally, she would want to show it off. That had always been her way of life. Moreover, she was dressed in this way to attract the attention of others, especially Finnick. Yasmin was puzzled and annoyed. Vivian is here in a ce like this? She¡¯s average-looking with an average figure. She doesn¡¯t evene from a rich or powerful family. Who invited her here? Could it be Finnick? Yasmin immediately shook off the thought. I heard Finnick came with his wife. She nced at Vivian¡¯s luxurious dress with jealousy. ¡°You¡¯re wearing especially well today. Which rich man are you nning to seduce? Vivian, you never change. How can someone like youe to an event like this? Grow a brain and scram!¡± Vivian was also sick of Yasmin. She did not want to waste her breath arguing with the woman. She took a step aside, nning to walk past Yasmin. She muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please move aside. I¡¯m going inside.¡± Yasmin stuck out her arm to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to leave. I¡¯m not done yet.¡± Yasmin blocked her way. ¡°You and Mr. Norton were in a rush to leave the restaurant thest time we met. I didn¡¯t get to see you that well yet. I want to take a good look at what kind of a person you are to bewitch Mr. Norton. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him so concerned about a woman.¡± Vivian tamped down the disgust that rose in her chest. She was also ming herself. If not for the Yasmin continued, ¡°Do you know who¡¯s here today? Finnick from Finnor Group and his wife. Although I¡¯ve never seen Mrs. Norton before, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s someone who has a high social status andes Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. from a respectable family. As for you, you¡¯re just a lowly peasant. How can you possibly bepared to her?¡± Vivian thought, I am Mrs. Norton. How do Ipare with myself? Childish. The more Yasmin said, the more excited she became. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you scared now? If you are, get lost quickly!¡± Vivian had the urge tough. Is she really that concerned about the title of Mrs. Norton? Does she really think she¡¯s his mistress? Even if others enjoyed being Mrs. Norton, Vivian did not. She was Vivian William, and she would not change herself for anyone. She said to Yasmin, ¡°I don¡¯t care about Mrs. Norton. I¡¯m here to attend the auction, not to fight with you. Ms. Ziller, please move aside.¡± Yasmin scrunched her nose. How infuriating! What Yasmin hated the most was Vivian¡¯s look of disinterest. We are both interested in Finnick, so what¡¯s the point of you pretending that you¡¯re not? To Yasmin, Vivian was ying innocent. She looks pitiful and obedient, but she¡¯s just a stepford smiler. Yasmin hade across plenty of people like her. Pushing Vivian, she voiced, ¡°So what if you look presentable today? When you¡¯re in front of the noble Mrs. Norton, you¡¯ll want the ground to swallow you up. When that happens, let¡¯s see what Mr. Norton does to you. He¡¯ll never talk to you in front of his wife. You¡¯re nothing but a joke to Mrs. Norton. I¡¯d suggest for you to leave now. You¡¯re only going to suffer when you embarrass yourself at the auction