Chapter 283

Adrian's stern expression softened slightly as he turned to the waiter. "A bottle of sparkling water, please."

"Adrian, how could you—" Dominic started, but was immediately silenced by Adrian's icy glare.

Audrey raised her hand with a bright smile. "I'll have mango juice."

"Same here," Dominic chimed in, flashing a grin.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Really? Copying my order now?"

"Copying? Hardly. I just happen to love mangoes," Dominic countered, leaning back in his chair.

Vivian massaged her temples. These two could turn even the simplest conversation into a battlefield.

The waiter turned to her expectantly. "And for you, Miss?"

"Iced Americano," she replied calmly.

She caught Adrian giving her an unreadable look before the waiter quietly retreated to place their orders.

The vibration of her phone shattered the momentary silence. The screen displayed a message from Ivory Phoenix Productions: "Are you available right now?" The unusually formal tone from her normally direct contact made her pause. Vivian quickly typed back, "I'm on holiday in my hometown. The script will be delivered as soon as I return—it won't affect the schedule."

"There are some complications on our end. Please hold off on completing the script for now."

"What kind of complications?" Vivian frowned. Her scripts always met expectations when given clear direction. This vague response hinted at deeper trouble.

The reply took painfully long to arrive: "We're still finalizing details with the client. We'll update you when we know more."

Vivian's frown deepened. Everything had been progressing smoothly until this sudden roadblock. The promise of easy earnings seemed to be evaporating like morning dew.

Before she could dwell further, Audrey slapped a hand over her phone. "Why are you glued to your screen when we're supposed to be enjoying ourselves? You're sucking all the fun out of this gathering!"

"Alright, alright," Vivian surrendered, locking her phone and tucking it away. "The client's being difficult. Hopefully they won't demand rewrites. Besides filming, I've got several events lined up." She clasped her hands in mock prayer.

Audrey shot Adrian a pointed look. "You've got more money than you could spend in three lifetimes, yet you're letting Vivian struggle after the divorce? She's working herself to the bone with filming and still needs side gigs to pay bills?"

Dominic, who'd been lounging with one leg crossed over the other, nearly toppled from his chair. He righted himself hastily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Eat your food," he urged, piling more onto Audrey's plate with his fork.

Audrey pushed the plate away in disgust. "What am I, your pet pig? How am I supposed to eat with this mountain of food?" She glared at Dominic before turning back to Adrian. "What's really going on here? What aren't you telling us? He's been parading around with Serena, which—let's be honest—is practically emotional infidelity! He's the one at fault here. It's already generous not to demand half his assets. Why should Vivian walk away with nothing? She's being gracious by staying quiet, but you're just taking advantage. Isn't that just bullying?"

Adrian, who had just retrieved a cigarette, slowly set it back down. His response came measured and cold: "First, I never mentioned divorce, nor did I agree when she brought it up. Second, I've never withheld anything from her. If she chooses to earn her own money, she must accept the challenges that come with it. Adults don't get to make choices without accepting the consequences."

Vivian remained unfazed by his clinical tone. He spoke less like a husband and more like a CEO analyzing a corporate merger—his words precise, logical, and utterly devoid of warmth. Her emotional reserves for him had long since run dry.