Chapter 292

Vivian's cheeks burned scarlet as she was caught off guard. Her fingers nervously tapped against her phone screen. "The internet these days...you can access anything with just one click, can't you?"

Completely unaware of the tension she'd created, Audrey continued scrolling through her feed.

"Absolutely! Clubs aren't always convenient, but live-streamed male dancers? Available 24/7. And the best part? They take custom requests. Just tip a few hundred bucks and they'll perform exclusively for you."

The mention of spending money made Vivian freeze. Alarm bells rang loudly in her frugal mind. Wasting money was completely unacceptable.

"Spend money on that?" She leaned back in her leather seat, waving her hand dismissively. "That amount could buy me a whole crate of premium durians. Throwing cash at men? That's just inviting bad luck."

Adrian's lips twitched slightly, a ghost of approval flashing across his face before he returned to scrolling through financial news on his phone. Naturally, he didn't consider himself among the "men" she'd so casually dismissed. A man of his stature needed neither money nor approval from anyone.

Desperate to escape the awkward atmosphere, Vivian checked her notifications. A message from Julian appeared: "Update on our earlier issue. The account funding the online trolls is registered under Vincent Lockwood."

Her brow furrowed. The name tickled her memory but she couldn't immediately place it. She mentally flipped through her contacts, but Vincent's identity remained elusive.

Vivian opened her mouth to ask Audrey something, then abruptly closed it when she noticed Adrian still hovering nearby. She pressed her lips together, swallowing her words.

When it came to anything involving Serena, Adrian showed as much impartiality as the sun favoring one side of a mountain. If she dared investigate, he'd likely bury any evidence exposing Serena's misdeeds. Vivian knew that with Adrian involved, her search for truth would be as futile as trying to catch smoke with bare hands.

Her mind whirred as she calculated her next move, then she pulled out her phone to brainstorm a new screenplay idea. As Vivian Hartley the screenwriter, it felt like ages since she'd last written anything. Just as she was developing her protagonist's traits, the car came to a smooth stop.

Before she could look up, Audrey spun around with characteristic enthusiasm. "Darling, we're here! Out you go!"

Adrian's sleek black Bentley had drawn curious glances from passersby the moment it stopped. As Vivian stepped onto the pavement, she spotted the school principal approaching, arms laden with grocery bags. Recognition lit up his face when he saw her, and he hurried over with a broad smile.

"Vivian! Where have you and Mr. Montclair been off to today?" Taking in the luxury vehicle and recalling Julian's previous visit to the school, he naturally assumed they'd been together.

Hearing this, Adrian exited the car, his expression darkening like an approaching storm. He strode toward Vivian with deliberate steps, his piercing gaze sharp enough to cut glass. "And who might this be?" he asked in a voice like chilled steel.

With their impending divorce hanging over them, Vivian had no intention of letting Adrian become entangled with people from her personal life. She hesitated, scrambling for a way to redirect the conversation.

The principal, however, seemed to have an epiphany. "Ah! You must be Vivian's cousin, right? I believe we've met before. Your family has remarkable genes - both the men and women are exceptionally attractive."