Chapter 208: Kiss
The affair between Rachel Faulkner and Mason Grant was exposed in the news. They were seen buying jewelry together in a supermarket, looking very intimate.
That night, after returning home, Vivian Lowell watched the rapidly brewing trending topics and sent Vance Wyatt a satisfied message. "Good job. It’s late, so get some rest."
Vance Wyatt replied quickly. The gist of his message was that he was happy to be of service to Madam.
She thought, "He’s truly dedicated."
Vivian couldn’t help but sigh in admiration before continuing to scroll on her phone.
On the trending list, the heat surrounding Mrs. Sterling’s clarification showed no signs of dying down. Mrs. Sterling was formidable. She had dug up a lot of information regarding Wendy Wynn, even finding a photograph of Wendy and that wealthy tycoon published in a foreign newspaper. In the photo, the two stood very close together. Although there was no direct physical contact, it still gave off the distinct impression that their relationship was anything but ordinary.
This was quite intriguing.
Wendy kept claiming that she returned to the country because she couldn’t let go of Henry Sterling. However, the truth was that after their breakup, Wendy had lived her own life and had been intimately involved with a foreign man. While the exact nature of their relationship couldn’t be confirmed, the situation was definitely not as simple as she made it out to be.
Aside from Mrs. Sterling’s statement, Henry himself posted a video online. In the video, he wore a crisp dress shirt, looking clean, sharp, and very much the urban professional.
"Wendy and I broke up a long time ago," he said. "I used to be unable to let her go, but that’s in the past. When feelings fade, they fade.
"After she returned, I saw her a few times because of a pet adoption. However, that was only because the pet she adopted was from Eleanor Rhodes.
"Because of that, out of concern for the kitten, I went to see her. I also told her that there was no going back for us. Her decision to jump off the building this time was irrational and caused trouble for everyone.
"But Eleanor is innocent. She rescues kittens for charity and has never had any selfish motives—she simply loves them. She once waited by the road under the scorching sun just to rescue a kitten trapped in the middle of an overpass.
"She has also stood alone by the edge of a thirty-plus-story building with a cat teaser, nearly falling off, just because she wanted to save a kitten stuck in a ventilation shaft.
"Wendy’s suicide attempt has nothing to do with Eleanor. If you still feel sorry for Wendy, you can curse at me, but please don’t say anything more about Eleanor."
When Henry spoke in the video, his expression was completely serene and his tone was gentle—no different from his usual polite demeanor. Yet, Vivian could sense that when he tried to defend Eleanor, a distinct tenderness softened his features.
During the few days Wendy had been hospitalized, Henry hadn’t visited her again since rushing over on the first night. According to Mrs. Sterling, he only went that one time to make things clear to Wendy, telling her not to pull such a stunt again and urging her to let everyone go—including herself.
Now that Mrs. Sterling had issued a statement exposing Wendy’s true colors and Henry had stepped forward to clarify things in hopes of protecting Eleanor, Vivian was left with incredibly mixed feelings.
Just then, Julian Faulkner stepped out of the bathroom after a shower, a white towel draped over his upper body. "What are you looking at so intently?" he asked.
Vivian turned around, about to explain, but her eyes immediately landed on Julian’s damp chest and abs. Beads of water still clung to his chest, slowly trailing down the contours of his muscles toward his abdomen. The sight was simply... far too tempting.
Vivian immediately looked away. She wasn’t the type to forget everything just because she saw a handsome man!
"Well... the news about Rachel and Mason has been exposed online," she said. "Tsk, I really didn’t expect the usually easily swayed netizens to be united in scolding the two of them! It’s rare that there’s something in this world that can unite them! It just shows that even the internet can’t stand what Mason and Rachel have done."
As an adopted daughter, Rachel was personally raised by Grandma Faulkner. Yet, in the end, she turned out to be a complete ingrate, colluding with outsiders to harm the Faulkner Family and angering Grandma Faulkner so much that she ended up in the hospital! A person like her was truly rotten to the core. It was entirely reasonable for the netizens to despise her!
And then there was Mason. For the sake of profit, he had first gotten together with Vivian. Later, when he was about to get engaged to Shelly Lowell, he still tried to keep strings attached with Vivian. And now, merely days later, he was with Rachel!
Furthermore, Mason was a scion of a wealthy family, yet he actually took Rachel to a completely ordinary jewelry store that even commoners could afford. It was such a drop in status!
Vivian joined the netizens in mocking Mason and Rachel for a while.
"And there’s Wendy’s situation too," she added. "Now her reputation is in tatters. Tsk, she clearly knew that Mrs. Sterling was aware of her past, yet she still dared to blow things up like this. She really had some nerve!"
Julian let out a cold chuckle. "Those who do all sorts of evil will have to pay the price sooner or later. And that day won’t be far off."
"Yeah!" Seeing Julian’s expression, Vivian knew he was confident. She was just about to chat with him regarding a recent company collaboration when Julian suddenly stepped toward her.
His gaze suddenly turned predatory, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of his lips—a little wicked and somewhat oppressive.
Vivian’s heart skipped a beat, and she timidly scooted back in her chair. "Why... why are you suddenly so close!"
"I just wanted to look at you." Julian’s face leaned in close. He hooked his fingertips under her chin, narrowed his eyes, and said, "I just think my Vivian is still so beautiful even after taking a shower and removing her makeup.
"I wanted to get a little closer, just to look at you a bit more. Mmm... Vivian, you smell so good."
Vivian wanted to retort. The fragrance on her body came from the body wash, and they clearly used the exact same brand! The scent was identical! How could he act so intoxicated by it?!
Unfortunately, before she could vocalize her complaints, Julian’s presence overwhelmingly pressed down on her.
Vivian was pinned against the bed.
Feeling the soft quilt beneath her, Vivian couldn’t help but shift her body. Sensing her movement, Julian grew even more excited and deepened the kiss.
His kiss was forceful, carrying the same predatory edge as his gaze just moments ago. However, Vivian soon felt a hint of softness and moisture. Suddenly, she was no longer afraid. She slowly closed her eyes, savoring this moment that belonged only to the two of them.
Perhaps drawing from previous experiences, Vivian had learned how to cater to him this time. She wrapped her arms around Julian’s neck, letting him pull her up as he sat back.
"You’re not allowed to bully me again this time," she murmured, her eyes slightly red.
Julian vaguely agreed, but the facts soon proved that he still held absolute dominance in terms of strength.
An hour later, as Julian carried her into the bathtub, Vivian only had enough strength left to glare at him fiercely.
"Tired!" she mumbled.
Julian grabbed some bath essential oil from the nearby sink and added two drops into the tub. His tone was gentle and considerate as he said, "This essential oil has a soothing effect. It should help relieve you a little. I’ll go take a shower first."
Relieve a little? Relieve what?! She wasn’t sore at all; she was perfectly fine!
Vivian wanted to snap back, but she swallowed her words. Forget it. Julian was far too competitive. If she said anything, it might just backfire. It was better to just sit peacefully in the bathtub and wash up!
Vivian didn’t rest well that night, mainly because Julian was simply too relentless. She had gravely underestimated his stamina.
Fortunately, the next day was Saturday.
Waking up early, Vivian immediately sent Eleanor a message, letting her know that the online sentiment had shifted. Furthermore, Vivian hadn’t forgotten the reporters who barged into the hotpot restaurant to interview them the day before—she had already sent them legal letters. Barring any surprises, they were definitely going to face a lawsuit!
Vivian recalled a reporter asking her if she was throwing her weight around and doing whatever she pleased just because she was Mrs. Faulkner. At the time, with the microphones shoved in her face, she couldn’t really say anything, but things were different now.
Sorry!
As "Mrs. Faulkner," there were indeed times when she could do whatever she pleased. Since those reporters accused her of throwing her weight around, she decided to do exactly that for once. If she didn’t, they might be disappointed!
Suing them was just the beginning! Vivian intended to have people pressure their companies into firing them. If they refused, Vivian would simply drag the companies into the lawsuit as well! With her substantial financial backing, fighting a protracted war wouldn’t be a problem at all!
On the other end of the phone, Eleanor quickly replied, "Vivian, thank you so much! They were clearly in cahoots with Wendy!
"Mm... I also saw what Henry posted online yesterday. At least he wasn’t muddled this time, so I’m slightly relieved."
Seeing Henry’s name, Vivian’s heart still skipped a beat. She replied, "Yeah. Eleanor, remember what I told you before. Henry... well, just think it through yourself!"
Eleanor understood what Vivian meant. She could tell that Henry might have liked her at some point, but if it was a fondness he didn’t even realize himself, how deep could it possibly be? He had had countless opportunities to stand up and protect her, yet he had never done so.
Eleanor had liked him for so long, but all she had ever gotten from him was heartbreak. True love should be a mutual effort, and she didn’t want to continue like this anymore.
She was tired. She no longer wanted to obsess over the situation with Henry. She would take it one step at a time; after all, life had to go on.