Chapter 377

Adrian pulled the food Vivian had brought closer to him. "This is exactly what I needed."

Vivian hesitated for a moment before returning to their earlier discussion. "Let's proceed with releasing the variety show. I'm not trying to build an idol persona. Once I establish a strong body of work, the rumors will die down on their own."

This path would undoubtedly be more difficult, but marriage required partnership. With Adrian having made significant compromises already, she was prepared to work harder. Besides, whatever challenges lay ahead couldn't compare to what she'd faced before. This time, she wasn't alone.

Adrian settled onto the sofa opposite Audrey, his tailored trousers rising slightly to reveal immaculate socks. He met Vivian's gaze. "I would never abandon you to face public scrutiny by yourself."

His eyes lingered on her neck, where the soft lighting accentuated her flawless skin. More than the meal before him, he craved her presence. But he quickly composed himself, glanced at Audrey, and continued deliberately. "I had the network record another episode to air first. Ours will follow after your drama concludes."

Vivian gave him a sincere smile. "Thank you."

Adrian picked up his fork, a playful smirk forming. "You should bring me lunch more often when you're free." An idea struck him. "Later, I'll give you a tour of the departments so everyone knows who the CEO's wife is."

Ethan immediately interjected, "I'll notify all departments to assemble."

"No, please!" Vivian jumped up to stop him. "That's too much. It's embarrassing enough already. I just dropped by today. Since I knew the code to your private elevator, I thought it unnecessary to bother Ethan. Next time I visit, I'll be sure to inform him first."

Ethan looked uncertainly at Adrian, silently seeking confirmation.

"Didn't you hear Mrs. Blackwood?" Adrian replied, meticulously cleaning his fork with elegant fingers that moved like a master calligrapher's. "Just follow her instructions."

Ethan then turned respectfully to Vivian. "Mrs. Blackwood, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. And whenever you visit the company, I'll personally come down to greet you."

Vivian nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Blackwood, Mrs. Blackwood, Miss Winslow, please enjoy your meal. I have some matters to attend to," Ethan said, making a polite exit.

With Audrey still present, the atmosphere grew tense again. Noticing Adrian hadn't started eating, Audrey quickly handed him the documents beside her. "This is the proposal Dominic prepared. If there are any issues, you can discuss them directly with him. He's at another company's R&D department today and couldn't deliver it himself, so he asked me to bring it." As she spoke, Audrey deliberately avoided Vivian's gaze, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"Understood," Adrian said, accepting the documents without further comment.

Even Vivian, who often missed subtle social cues, could tell Audrey and Dominic were likely involved—and Audrey was already playing the supportive partner role. She frowned, thinking about Dominic's playboy lifestyle and his precarious position in the Sinclair family—barely above that of a favored pet. Given this, she doubted he had any real say in his marital affairs.

Vivian glanced at Adrian and asked carefully, "Is Dominic working for you again? With all the subsidiaries and projects under Blackwood Group, wouldn't it make more sense for him to officially represent the Sinclair family? At least that way, he'd have a legitimate career path."