Chapter 69

“I can offer you this percentage–but only if she brings the contract to my hotel room tonight. What do you think?”

Richard narrowed his eyes menacingly and disdainfully brushed Peter’s hand away. Peter was incorrigible.

At his age, Peter was old enough to be Vivian’s father, yet he still harbored such dirty thoughts.

Richard had zero tolerance for guys who abused their power at his company, recklessly sacrificing employees and letting them be humiliated.

First, he was not some profit-hungry bastard who’d sell out his principles. Second, this scumbag couldn’t afford to lay a finger on Vivian.

“Peter, if there’s nothing else, I won’t keep you. This is a private company dinner for my staff, so please, take your leave,” Richard said, his tone cold.

Peter was boiling with rage at Richard’s ungrateful response. He spat, “Richard, I’m giving you one last chance. Did you even hear what I just said?

“Do you have any idea how big that is? Has your pathetic little company ever landed a deal this big?”

Peter jabbed a finger at Richard’s shoulder and said, “Listen here, Richard. Partnering with me means partnering with Hart Corporation. We’ve had a multi-year partnership with them.

You do know who they are, right? Ever since the company changed hands, they’ve skyrocketed and even acquired the well-known Junior Quinn Group.”

Richard suddenly remembered Vivian’s identity. ‘Isn’t she the second daughter of Hart Corporation?’ he thought to himself. Richard became nervous and felt a distinct chill run down his spine.

‘Oh my god, she’s practically a big shot. Hart Corporation has emerged as the fastest-growing company recently, backed by the industry giant SIE Corporation. Holy crap, Vivian’s sister is the boss of SIE Corporation,’ Richard wondered.

Richard kept gulping nervously, his heart pounding so hard he feared it might burst.

Seeing how nervous Richard was, Peter thought his words had intimidated him. He burst into a smug laugh and slapped Richard hard on the shoulder.

Flushed with alcohol and confidence, Peter winked suggestively at Vivian before waddling away, his big belly protruding as he carried his drink.

At the door, Peter turned back and called out loudly for everyone to hear, “Mr. Wood, I’ll give you some time to think it over. Don’t forget. Room 608 tonight. I’ll be waiting.”

The whole table looked at Richard in utter bafflement, as he sat there completely dazed.

Richard had been lost in his own thoughts, unable to snap out of it. But Peter’s voice jolted him back to reality. The implication behind those words hit him.

Richard quickly turned to Vivian and stammered, “It’s nothing, just some business between us, and that’s all. Everyone, please, keep eating. Don’t mind us.”

It dawned on everyone. ‘So Mr. Wood and Peter had some dirty little secret between them,’ they wondered.

Knowing better, no one asked any more questions.

After finishing her meal, Vivian sat in her seat, scrolling through her phone as she waited for Richard to wrap up the dinner.

[Everyone, don’t forget about tomorrow night’s class reunion, especially you, Vivian. You’ve skipped the last few years, always making excuses. No backing out this time. You must come.]

The group chat specifically tagged her.

Vivian didn’t bother explaining herself this time. She simply ignored the group chat. ‘Why should I go? I’m not close with any of them, and there’s no classmate bond to speak of,’ she thought dismissively.

Vivian quit the group chat without hesitation. The woman who’d just tagged her froze in shock.

The group chat instantly blew up. Everyone was asking what happened, and some even started calling Vivian out for being rude and disrespecting her classmates.

Someone in the group chat sneered: [She must be doing too poorly to show her face at the class reunion.]

Vivian had no idea what they said after that, and honestly, she couldn’t care less. She got her life to live, no need to care about what others thought.

Before, she lived entirely for others’ approval, so insecure and sensitive that she went out of her way to please everyone, always afraid of offending anyone, especially Mason and his family.

Now, she thought it was utterly ridiculous. Instead of wasting time overthinking and worrying about others’ opinions, she should focus on self-improvement.

Vivian had undergone a complete transformation ever since Sienna returned.

Vivian returned home to find all the lights on. A knowing smile graced her lips as warmth flooded her heart.

As Vivian reached the doorway, she came face to face with Jocelyn.

Jocelyn’s face instantly twisted with loathing the moment she saw Vivian, shooting her a disdainful sidelong glance. “Vivian, looking pretty smug, aren’t you? Or do you need me to remind you what you went through?”

Vivian knew exactly what Jocelyn was hinting at. She’d long suspected Jocelyn’s involvement in that incident, but unfortunately, she had no evidence.

Those guys were nothing but scum. Someone must have tipped them off, and that was how Vivian ended up getting kidnapped.

Vivian wore a pale blue dress that accentuated her graceful and poised demeanor. Her delicate innocence and sweet appearance could easily tug at anyone’s heartstrings.

Yet in Jocelyn’s eyes, these very traits were the most detestable symbols she could imagine.

How dare she live such a charmed life?’ Jocelyn seethed inwardly.

“Jocelyn, do you know what you look like right now?” Vivian leaned in close, her eyes flashing with something almost manic as she lowered her voice to a venomous whisper, every word dripping with sarcasm.

Vivian sneered, ‘Like a snake.’

Jocelyn’s eyes widened in shock as she glared at Vivian, her face contorted with barely contained rage. Her fingers clenched into white-knuckled fists.

Jocelyn sneered, “Vivian, I don’t believe you’ve really moved on. Can you honestly say you’ve let go of everything that happened to you? If I were you, I’d have killed myself long ago.

“How can you have the nerve to go on living with such a filthy body after all that?”

Jocelyn knew every sordid detail of what had happened to Vivian. She’d watched all those humiliating videos and photos from the abduction, and made damn sure to keep her copies just in case.

If Vivian ever needed a reminder, Jocelyn could graciously let her relive those wonderful memories.

“Jocelyn, you can never be like me, but you can just drop dead. No one’s stopping you. Die however you want. Just make sure you do it far away, so you don’t stain my sight with your filth,” Vivian sneered.

Jocelyn’s face flushed livid, then turned pale, cycling through a whole spectrum of furious colors. Her neck veins bulged with rage, breath coming in ragged gasps as she stamped her foot hard.

“Vivian, you bitch. You fucking bitch,” Jocelyn shrieked.

‘When did Vivian get so sharp-tongued?’ Jocelyn fumed inwardly. ‘How dare she? The Hart family, if you treat me without mercy, don’t blame me for fighting back.’

Vivian strode into Sienna’s room and threw herself into her sister’s arms, nuzzling her fluffy head against Sienna’s shoulder. “I missed you, Sienna,” she murmured affectionately.

Sienna set her papers aside and gently patted Vivian’s head. “What’s wrong? Are you tired? I had Elisa make some soup. I’ll have her bring it up for you.”

Vivian beamed, her eyes crinkling with joy. “Thanks, Sienna,” she said sweetly.

Amber couldn’t resist her curiosity when she saw Vivian walk into Sienna’s room. As she passed by, she slowed her steps and stole a glance inside, since the door was ajar.

Amber caught sight of Vivian clinging to Sienna, acting all cute and clingy. Biting her lip, Amber thought furiously, ‘How shameless. Seriously? Playing cute at her age, how pathetic.’

“Sienna, can I stay with you tonight?” Vivian asked.

Amber nearly ground her teeth to dust when she heard that.

‘Still needs someone to sleep with her? How shameless, Amber thought. ‘Come on, she’s not a toddler. Even little kids don’t need someone to stay with them at night.

Vivian is already twenty-five. At her age, still putting on this cute act in front of Sienna. What a ridiculous show.