Chapter 157

"Vivian?" Isabella's voice trembled with concern, but when her eyes landed on Adrian sitting intimately close to Vivian, shock replaced her worry. The words she'd prepared died on her lips as the room filled with palpable tension.

"You should rest now. We may require your statement later for more details." The officer spoke hurriedly when he noticed someone approaching, then quickly excused himself.

The nurse reappeared at the doorway, her tone clipped. "I'll be back with your injection after you change." With that, she vanished down the corridor.

Now only Vivian, Adrian, Ethan, and Isabella remained in the suddenly too-small hospital room.

Isabella forced a nervous laugh, stumbling over her words. "M-Mr. Blackwood, what an unexpected... pleasure to see you here."

Adrian barely glanced at her, his cold dismissal obvious to everyone but Isabella herself.

Vivian noticed the calculating gleam in Isabella's eyes as they darted between her and Adrian. Clutching her hospital gown tighter, Vivian turned to Isabella. "Could you help me change, please?"

Then she leveled a pointed look at Adrian. "Mr. Blackwood, would you mind giving us some privacy?"

Memories of how he'd just dealt with Maxwell flashed through Adrian's mind, fueling his irritation. Exhaustion lined his face as he recalled pulling every string, searching relentlessly through the night to find her. And now, without so much as a thank you, she was dismissing him like a servant.

His lips curled into a sardonic smile. "There's nothing I haven't seen before."

"Really, what's the problem?" His retort exploded like a shockwave, visibly rattling Isabella.

Isabella's eyes widened, her breath catching at the scandalous implication. So Vivian had stolen Serena's wealthy benefactor! This explained the bitter feud between them - they were romantic rivals!

Vivian's expression remained unreadable as marble. "If my humiliation amuses you, Mr. Blackwood, by all means enjoy the show."

Her words reduced herself to mere entertainment.

Adrian scoffed derisively, rising abruptly. "Your words don't offend me - they only reveal how little you value yourself."

Vivian remembered the thugs' cruel accusations about her virtue, their victim-blaming rhetoric. Now the man she once loved was echoing those same poisonous judgments.

Her smile turned bitter. "Save your concern, Mr. Blackwood. We both know Serena can do no wrong in your eyes."

Adrian's face hardened as he strode toward the exit without another word.