Chapter 52

Vivian arched an eyebrow at Adrian's blatant hypocrisy. "You despise the entertainment industry, yet your precious Serena thrives in it. And let's not forget - even as your wife, I'm still my own person. Since when did you earn the right to control my decisions? If I've done anything wrong, let the world judge me. Spare me your heroic act, Mr. Blackwood."

"Are these your award-winning acting skills? Starting petty arguments with your husband?" Adrian fired back without hesitation.

Vivian feigned innocence, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Such sharp wit, Mr. Blackwood. How impressive."

The tension between them crackled like static before a thunderstorm. Ethan quickly stepped between them, hands raised in placation. "Mrs. Blackwood, I'm sure Mr. Blackwood didn't mean it that way. Perhaps this conversation would be better continued in the car?"

Vivian let out a derisive laugh. "Save your 'Mrs. Blackwood' formalities for your boss's darling Serena. That title means nothing to me."

With a dramatic swirl of her dress, Vivian turned to leave.

Ethan moved to block her path. "Mrs. Blackwood—"

"Move!"

"Let her go!"

Their voices clashed in perfect, furious harmony.

Ethan hesitated, caught between their conflicting commands, before finally stepping aside at Adrian's sharp nod.

"Sis, trouble in paradise? Did I just hear something about divorce?"

Vivian froze as Natasha materialized from nowhere, that infuriating smirk plastered across her face. The younger Dawson sister reached out to link arms, clearly having caught enough of the argument to smell blood in the water.

Vivian recoiled from the unwanted contact.

Undeterred, Natasha's gaze followed the departing Rolls-Royce. "Your husband certainly knows how to make a woman feel special, doesn't he? Just leaves you stranded on the sidewalk. Need a lift?"

At twenty-three, Natasha was Vivian's junior by exactly 364 days. Their father, Richard Dawson, had struck business gold when Vivian was five. His first act as a newly minted millionaire? Trading Vivian's mother Catherine for his mistress. The betrayal shattered Catherine, leading to her eventual suicide.

The true Dawson heiress had been shipped off to grandmother Eleanor's care. In their twisted family dynamic, Natasha had always been Vivian's nemesis. Despite the fortune built on Catherine's sacrifices, Vivian saw none of it - struggling even to cover Eleanor's medical bills. These desperate circumstances had forced her into a marriage of convenience with Adrian Blackwood, doomed from the start.

"Family? Don't make me laugh. My mother only had one daughter," Vivian spat before turning on her heel.

"What exactly makes you so superior, Vivian?" Natasha called after her, unwilling to let her escape so easily.