Chapter 314
A shareholder suddenly slammed his fist on the table, grabbing a stack of papers and tearing them violently. Ethan stepped forward smoothly, his voice calm. "Those are duplicates. Feel free to destroy as many as you'd like - we have plenty more where those came from."
The man froze mid-action, then threw the shredded documents to the ground in frustration. Vivian remained composed, scribbling her number on a notepad before rising gracefully. "No need for hasty decisions. You have until 3 PM tomorrow. After that, the offer expires."
She extended the note toward the shareholders. Before anyone could take it, Adrian's hand intercepted hers, plucking the paper away. Vivian blinked in confusion as Ethan smoothly produced his business card instead. "For any inquiries, please contact me directly."
Unbeknownst to them, a sharply dressed young woman observed the entire exchange from just beyond the glass doors of the conference room.
Vivian continued weaving diplomatic phrases into the tense negotiations, her words softening the harsh edges of the discussion. The shareholders swayed like reeds in the wind, their agreement nearly unanimous. Only Richard and Daphne remained unmoved, their gazes burning with resentment. Undeterred, Vivian smiled serenely. "I'll await your positive response," she said before exiting with Adrian.
Outside, she leaned lightly against Adrian's arm, appearing momentarily fragile - a delicate bird seeking shelter from the storm. But the illusion shattered the moment they cleared the building's entrance. Vivian abruptly withdrew her hand as if burned, putting several feet between them. The intimate couple from moments before now stood as distant as strangers passing on a busy sidewalk.
Adrian's gaze dropped to the space where her touch had been, his eyelid twitching with barely concealed irritation. "Is this your pattern? Use people when convenient, then discard them without a second thought?"
His biting words extinguished any warmth Vivian had begun to feel. She squared her shoulders, all vulnerability vanishing. "What exactly are you implying? Did I request your dramatic rescue today?" The tension between them crackled like live wires until an unexpected voice interrupted.
"Pardon me, Mr. Blackwood."
They turned to see Lawrence, the Blackwood family driver, standing at respectful attention. His nod to Adrian held deference, but his tone cooled noticeably when addressing Vivian. "Madam Blackwood requests your presence at dinner tonight."
The mention of Margaret made Vivian hesitate. With divorce proceedings looming, facing her formidable mother-in-law seemed unwise. Yet Adrian's earlier kindness tugged at her conscience. Refusing now would only confirm his accusation of using people.
Their marriage already hung by the thinnest of threads. Any further complications could prove disastrous. Vivian's fists clenched until her knuckles whitened before she finally exhaled. "Did Margaret... mention why she wanted to see me?"
She wasn't foolish enough to believe this summons stemmed from affection. Lawrence's presence suggested Margaret likely knew about Dawson Enterprises' troubles. The longtime family retainer remained impassive. "Madam Blackwood simply instructed me to bring you home for dinner. No further details were shared."
His appearance made refusal impossible. "Am I the only one invited?" Vivian glanced sideways at Adrian, searching for any reaction. Lawrence's response came smoothly, as if prepared. "Mr. Blackwood has work commitments. Madam was quite specific about not disturbing him."