Chapter 43: Revealing the Identity

Vivian Hale smiled, placed the slip of paper back into the tin box, and said, "Yeah, these things all hold commemorative meaning from my childhood, so I kept them."

She gently folded the paper back up and placed it back into the box.

The items were scattered all over the floor, especially a few marbles that Vivian viewed as heavier than actual diamonds.

Vivian reached out her hand to pick them up, and the man happened to extend his hand at the exact same moment.

His fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of her hand, causing both of them to shudder simultaneously, drawing their hands back as if struck by an electric shock.

Even though they had already engaged in far more intimate acts, at a moment like this, it still felt as though a current of electricity flashed straight through their hearts.

Vivian lowered her gaze, ignoring the fluttering sensation in her heart, and continued gathering the items.

By the time she finished packing everything up, night had fallen.

Looking at the darkness outside, she felt her stomach growl a bit and prepared to head out to grab something to eat.

To her surprise, the exact millisecond she turned around, she saw the tall, long-legged man standing right behind her, his face full of hesitation.

Vivian subconsciously asked, "Why haven't you left yet?"

The living room fell into a temporary pocket of silence.

The man lowered his eyes, the way he pressed his lips together inexplicably resembling a puppy on the verge of abandonment, making him look rather pitiful.

"Am I not allowed to stay here?"

Vivian was left somewhat speechless; she was far from being some incredibly kind-hearted person.

Furthermore, regarding this mysterious man before her eyes, aside from wanting a child, her only other thoughts were to stay far away from him!

Without a single fraction of thought, Vivian opened her mouth and said, "I just happen to be heading downstairs to buy some food, I'll walk you out."

Seeing her driving him away, the man grew even more reluctant.

He asked probing coiled words, "What if I absolutely insist on staying?"

Vivian raised an eyebrow, offering an exceptionally perfunctory remark, "I saved the phone number you used to text me before. If anything comes up, I'll contact you."

As the words fell, she pushed the door open, raising her eyebrows at the man.

"Let's go."

Following a brief silence, Silas chose to compromise.

He gazed deeply at Vivian for a long while, finally loosening his stance to agree, "Fine, I'll leave."

Along the roadside, streetlamps illuminated one by one.

Under the night shroud, the dim, warm amber light appeared both lonely and cozy, with the occasional stroller passing by.

"I'm leaving."

The man's deep baritone carried a few hints of an indescribable... reluctance?

Vivian, however, felt it was merely her own illusion; what on earth was there for them to be reluctant about?

She raised her eyebrows and flashed a smile at Silas, "Alright."

Gazing at her appearance, Silas suddenly curled his lips into a smile, then lifted his hand, reaching toward the top of Vivian's head.

Vivian was startled, subconsciously wanting to dodge.

But the man merely reached out gently to pluck a withered leaf from her strands of hair.

"It's cold at night, head inside early."

"Okay, goodbye."

The crimson taillights rapidly vanished into the night shroud, right up until they could no longer be seen.

Vivian shrugged her shoulders with total nonchalance, preparing to head to the supermarket to buy a few items. To her surprise, the exact moment she passed by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the supermarket entrance.

She cast a glance over, her eyebrows lifting slightly as she stared at the silhouette reflected on the glass window.

Was that Tiffany Rose?

How could she appear here? And exactly when did she arrive?

Then did she just witness her and that man moments ago...

Vivian's mind swirled through a hundred twists and turns, but abruptly, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she burst into a sudden smile, a brand-new thought resurfacing from the deepest recesses of her mind.

Since Adrian Cross had found a stand-in just for her, she was going to make him taste the bitter fruit of his own cocoon.

Thinking up to this point, Vivian purchased her items, feigning that she had discovered absolutely nothing, and spun around to return home.

The night sky plummeted into absolute quiet once more.

Meanwhile, on this end, Tiffany stood by the roadside clutching her bag, her eyes filled to the brim with absolute disbelief.

She never expected that when she originally came over to settle scores with Vivian, she would conversely witness this exact scene.

Vivian was actually engaging in a push-and-pull with a man.

That man had his back turned toward her, so she couldn't clearly discern his appearance.

But who on earth was that man?

So Vivian Hale had also committed infidelity long ago!

The exact millisecond she realized this point, a wave of ecstasy flashed through Tiffany’s eyes. With swift hands and a sharp eye, she captured the scene from moments ago on her phone, turning around to return immediately.

She was going to seek out Adrian Cross. If Adrian discovered that Vivian had long since committed infidelity, he would absolutely never place his thoughts onto her again.

When that time came, he would recognize her absolute worth.

Recognize that she was the absolute sole person who could accompany his side!

Therefore, Tiffany returned straight to the company to seek out Adrian.

"Have you figured out how to give me an explanation?"

Adrian’s gaze landed onto her with absolute frost, as though looking upon a mere ant.

"Vivian Hale calculated against me to hand me a patent belonging to someone else, and her sole objective was to destroy your company!" Tiffany's tone was entirely absolute.

"What did you say?"

Adrian’s eyelids twitched violently, his tone dropping to a deathly chill, "You had best think clearly before you speak!"

"Adrian, I'm truly not deceiving you this time. Do you truly believe Vivian is as submissive, considerate, and entirely sincere to you as she appears on the surface? To tell you the truth, she betrayed you long ago. She is maintaining a little boy toy on the outside, I witnessed it with my own eyes!"

As though guessing that he wouldn't believe her, Tiffany stepped forward clutching her phone, displaying the scene she had captured in her album over to him.

Within the frame of the image, the man had his back turned toward the lens, extending his hand to touch Vivian’s strands of hair.

The distance between the two was exceptionally close, the moonlight romantic and lingering, perfectly mirroring a pair of intimate lovers.

Adrian clenched his phone in a deathly tight grip, veins violently bulging across the back of his hand, his force so massive it seemed on the verge of crushing the screen to pieces.

He had envisioned numerous possibilities for Vivian’s coldness toward him.

It could be due to spite, or perhaps due to heartbreak...

Yet he had uniquely failed to anticipate that she actually dared to seek out another man behind his back.

At this exact moment, a mixture of emotions—the humiliation of betrayal, intense insult—all flooded his heart in one fell swoop.

Leaving him completely blind to notice that the silhouette in the photograph was so remarkably familiar.

His face was deathly pale, his fury reaching the absolute peak, and he rose abruptly to storm outside.

"Where is she right now! Bring me to see her!"

"That man has already departed, he isn't there. Vivian can completely deny it, because aside from this single photograph, there is zero other evidence. Not only will you be unable to do anything to her, but she can conversely turn around and bite you instead."

A glint of sharp cunning flashed through Tiffany’s eyes.

"I happen to possess a strategy instead! I'll have someone continuously pay attention to that end. The exact millisecond word arrives, we will head over right away to catch her red-handed!"

...

The next morning, the doorbell was rung by someone.

Vivian got out of bed to open the door, only to see a familiar silhouette standing right outside the entrance.

The man only wore a simple white shirt today, yet it made him appear even more youthful and handsome than usual.

She knit her brows slightly, "Why did you come here again?"

Silas held a food container in his hand, his expression entirely serene.

"You haven't eaten breakfast yet, have you? I brought it for you."

Vivian felt somewhat helpless, but this time she didn't refuse, instead taking two steps backward to permit the other party inside the apartment.

Sitting down simply to finish up breakfast, she watched him voluntarily pack up the dishes and utensils, the stream of water washing over his distinct-knuckled fingers, conversely carrying a highly aesthetically pleasing sensation.

Vivian was highly unaccustomed to this feeling of being cared for in such an all-around manner.

Once a habit was generated, it would be remarkably difficult to break.

Much like her scar-ridden marriage.

But today, she did require a favor from him after all.

Gazing at the man's busy silhouette, she opened her mouth probing to inquire.

"Your identity as a stand-in, can it be revealed publicly?"

The man, however, didn't even lift his eyes, "As long as it makes you happy, yes."

This kind of completely unscrupulous attitude appeared to lack even a single shred of fear toward Adrian Cross, even failing to take him seriously at all.

And it also appeared as though he already knew exactly what she intended to do.

At this exact moment, a powerful wave of curiosity erupted within Vivian's heart.

"What exactly is your true identity?"

Hearing this, the man finally lifted his ink-black eyes to fix onto her, speaking with a heavy meaning: "You will find out very soon."

Vivian knit her brows slightly, inexplicably feeling that this answer left her somewhat unsettled.

But she didn't ask anything further, continuing with her meal.

Once her hunger was satisfied, Vivian sat onto her chair, and her phone let out a chime as a piece of information arrived.

It was dispatched from Pearl.

"They are already heading over."

Seeing this message, Vivian raised her eyebrows slightly.

She had asked Pearl to help continuously pay attention to the movements on Tiffany Rose's end, and sure enough, that end hadn't let her down.

The magnificent show was on the verge of being staged!