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 I accidentally pushed her. I’m sorry.”
“Accidentally?” Emma raised her voice as she glared at Vivian resentfully. “What do you mean by it being an accident? 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 I 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—a shameless seductress!”
Vivian was completely 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. Glaring at Vivian, he chided angrily, “Vivian! What are you saying? Apologize right now!”
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 glared 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 similarly 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 glare at Harvey, she rebuked, “Dad, what are you talking about? Others don’t know what had happened, but you clearly do! Back then, Mom—”
Before Vivian could finish her sentence, Harvey glowered at her. He yelled, “Vivian, shut up! Remember that your last name is William, not Miller. So, don’t act all high and mighty in the Miller Residence!”
Your last 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 be completely 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 a common enemy.
Since the beginning, I’ve been nothing but an outsider to them.
Why should I stay here and humiliate myself further?
“I’m sorry,” apologized Vivian indifferently. “Since I made all of you unhappy, I won’t stay here anymore. I’ll only serve to ruin your mood.”
With that, she left the wine cellar, without sparing any of them a second glance.
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 I hope that you’ll stay happy forever.”
Upon her last 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 villa. There were no available cabs or bus stops in its 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 place?”
For some reason, when Vivian heard Finnick’s voice, she felt a sudden urge to cry.
