Chapter 62

Vivian's words faded into the heavy silence, followed by a deep sigh. Beatrice, seeking to comfort her, gently squeezed Vivian's hand. "I understand completely."

"Adrian only has eyes for Serena. Now that they've reunited, you'll likely have a great-grandchild soon."

At the mention of Serena, Beatrice's expression turned stony with disapproval. "Absolutely not! That woman could never replace you in my heart. To me, you're the only granddaughter I'll ever accept. As long as I draw breath, I won't allow him to marry Serena!" Her voice grew louder with each word, thick with righteous anger, until Vivian intervened with calm determination.

"Beatrice, you can't force love. I'm telling you this because I respect you too much to keep pretending. Please don't be upset. The truth is... Adrian and I were never meant to be together."

Vivian's gaze dropped to the polished marble floor, her voice heavy with resignation. Seeing her resolve, Beatrice knew no argument would change her mind. That foolish Adrian didn't deserve such a remarkable woman. Let him regret his choices later! Perhaps Vivian would find true happiness without him.

"Very well, my dear," Beatrice said softly, her voice warm with affection. "If divorce is what you want, I won't stand in your way. But remember this—whether you're family by law or not, you'll always have a home here. Promise you'll visit Leonard and me often. The Blackwood Estate will always keep your room ready."

After saying her goodbyes to Beatrice and Leonard, Vivian slid into Ethan's waiting car. As they passed through the wrought iron gates, Ethan glanced over with concern. "Mrs. Blackwood, where shall I take you?"

"Just pull over here," Vivian replied, gathering the gifts Beatrice had insisted she take. Ethan's worry was palpable.

"But Mrs. Blackwood, taxis rarely come through Crestwood's private roads. It'll be difficult—"

"My agent is meeting me nearby," Vivian cut in firmly.

After a tense pause, Ethan reluctantly opened the door. "If you need anything at all, please call me immediately."

Vivian walked away without responding, her figure soon swallowed by the gathering shadows. Ethan reached for his phone to call Adrian, but the call wouldn't connect. Remembering it was Serena's contract signing day, he turned the car toward Ivory Phoenix Productions.

Meanwhile, Vivian hadn't gone far when her phone buzzed. Lydia sounded harried. "Vivian, my car just died! I'm waiting for roadside assistance—no idea how long this will take. You'll need to find your own way back."

"No problem," Vivian replied calmly before hanging up. She turned back instinctively, but Ethan's car had already disappeared into the night.

The Blackwood Estate crowned Crestwood's most exclusive neighborhood, its sprawling grounds dominating the wooded hillside. The winding private road stretched endlessly before her, flanked by towering oaks that whispered in the gathering wind. Storm clouds blotted out the moon, and an unseasonable chill seeped through her coat as she quickened her pace.

After twenty minutes of walking, the distant glow of city lights finally appeared through the trees. Relief flooded her—civilization couldn't be more than half a mile away.