Chapter 251

Adrian had clearly gone above and beyond with this thoughtful gesture. Touched, Vivian whispered a quiet, "Thank you."

Engaged in his video conference, Adrian didn't acknowledge her words. The way his brows furrowed in concentration, the sharp intensity in his gaze, and the rigid set of his jaw only accentuated the aristocratic perfection of his profile.

As they neared the highway exit, an unusual amethyst-colored SUV stood out conspicuously among the sea of monochrome vehicles.

Ethan smoothly pulled their car alongside it, and Audrey immediately leaned out from the passenger window, calling excitedly, "Vivian!"

Dominic, seated behind the wheel, also leaned forward with a casual wave. "Hey there, Vivian. Adrian."

Vivian blinked in surprise at Dominic's presence. Closing her laptop, she asked, "Dominic? What brings you here?"

Before he could respond, Audrey cut in, "He had some free time and offered to help. Hiring a driver for such a long distance gets expensive, and I'm trying to be more budget-conscious now that I'm independent."

Adrian shot them a skeptical look, clearly unconvinced by her explanation.

Brushing off his scrutiny, Audrey suggested brightly, "Let's not dwell on that. Vivian, why don't you join us in here? We can squeeze into the back together. I've downloaded tons of movies - we can have our own little cinema!"

"Absolutely!" Vivian agreed enthusiastically, quickly exiting their car. She'd grown weary of overhearing Adrian's discussions about multi-million Sterling deals, finding them increasingly disheartening.

She slid into the SUV's backseat, and as she reached to close the door, she noticed Adrian stepping out of his vehicle.

His expression remained impassive as he stated, "I could use a break from work. I'll join you for the movie."

Audrey promptly slammed the door shut before he could enter. "Sorry, we're all out of space."

Up front, Dominic pretended not to notice the exchange, discreetly pressing the accelerator as Adrian approached.

Left standing alone, Adrian's expression darkened with visible irritation.

As they drew closer to Willowbrook, Vivian's initial cheerfulness faded. Memories of her childhood in that town, of her grandmother and mother, began surfacing with increasing intensity.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with Adrian's call. His voice came through clearly, "Would you like to stop and visit your mother before we go home?"

Vivian glanced out the window, noticing that Adrian had lowered his rear window at some point. He held his phone to his ear, his piercing gaze fixed on her.

Though her window remained up, making it impossible for him to see her clearly, the intensity of his stare gave her the unsettling sensation that he could see right through the glass - as if he could peer directly into her soul.

Her heart fluttered unexpectedly as she replied softly, "Yes, that would be nice."

After ending the call, she turned to Audrey. "I need to visit my mother's grave first. Why don't you and Dominic grab something to eat?"

Audrey paused the movie on her tablet and looked up. "Don't be silly. We're coming with you."

Dominic checked the rearview mirror and added, "We're not hungry anyway. Paying respects to your mother is more important since we're all here together."