Chapter 45: Dislocation

The next moment, they were collectively besieged by the paparazzi. The faces of the two turned a mixture of blue and green with frustration, completely unable to escape even if they wanted to.

Several paparazzi went as far as leaking the explosive news piece directly onto Weibo.

Before long, the hot search term #CrossGroupCEOFoundStandInForWifeToMaskInfidelity# shot straight to the number one spot.

It drew the intense curiosity of countless netizens, leaving everyone thoroughly shocked after reading the news.

"My god, I thought I was watching some melodramatic television drama, how could this kind of plot actually happen in reality."

"This scumbag is too revolting, wanting to have his cake and eat it too. The young lady is far too pitiful, the scumbag ought to depart completely empty-handed!"

"Good heavens, pushing his own wife straight into his twin brother's embrace, this Mr. Cross ought to be selected as the modern society's absolute pioneer of green-lighting himself!"

Online, there was sympathy, spectators enjoying the show, and plenty of people turning it into memes.

Although this didn't break the law, it heavily entangled with moral issues.

Within a single moment, the games under Cross Group faced a massive boycott, and the stock price plummeted completely to rock bottom.

...

Meanwhile, taking advantage of Adrian and Tiffany being besieged by the paparazzi, the man inside directly closed the apartment door, shutting everyone completely outside the threshold.

Vivian Hale lowered the hands covering her face in an instant. The rims of her eyes were slightly reddened, yet there wasn't a single shred of sorrow in her gaze.

There was only the sheer pleasure of having a grand revenge enacted.

This time, Adrian truly outsmarted himself; Cross Group was genuinely going to meet its absolute end!!

No matter how he tried to turn back the raging tide, it would be entirely useless.

Only, the man before her eyes...

Her gaze landed back onto the man once more, her eyes highly complex.

"So, you are Adrian Cross's big brother?"

"I used to be."

Vivian didn't quite comprehend.

The man, however, spoke with absolute openness: "Later my parents divorced, and I followed my mother abroad, while my father married another woman. I no longer carry the Cross surname."

Vivian was struck with absolute shock.

So... Eleanor Cross wasn't Adrian's biological mother, but his stepmother instead?

This was a point she had never doubted before.

Principally because Eleanor displayed all-around indulgence and protection toward her son, their mother-son relationship appearing exceptionally wonderful.

However, regarding the grievances and feuds of the Cross family, she no longer possessed any interest to investigate or understand.

But there was one specific point she still desired to know.

"Even if you don't carry the Cross surname, you and Adrian are still biological brothers. Why exactly would you help me target him together?"

The man lowered his eyes to gaze deeply at her, the scorching light in his ink-black eyes on the verge of setting her entire being ablaze.

"Do you truly not know?"

Vivian's heart skipped a beat, "Why... why would I know."

She had pondered a certain possibility, but love at first sight appeared far too illusory and ethereal within her cognition; she refused to believe it.

The man, however, leaned his upper body close, his ink-black eyes profoundly deep, his demeanor serious to an unprecedented degree.

"Because I have liked you for a remarkably long time, longer than even Adrian Cross!"

Vivian's pupils suffered a massive earthquake, subconsciously denying it: "That's completely impossible..."

In the very next moment, he spread his palm open, revealing that yellowed slip of paper.

It was unknown exactly how that slip of paper had arrived in his hands.

But Vivian's eyelids twitched violently, a sudden premonition surging through her heart.

Right after, the man's deep baritone dropped in the next heartbeat, "My name is Silas Vance. I have returned, Vivian. Do you still remember me?"

Vivian was left completely frozen on the spot.

At this exact moment, the memories of her childhood surged and rippled violently within her mind.

She recalled the absolute first time she met that little boy; he had been so quiet, yet those twin eyes that were bright like a puppy's had been deeply engraved in the absolute recesses of her memory.

So it turned out that the man before her eyes was her true childhood playmate.

Only, he had departed abroad afterward, and through a freak combination of factors, she had mistakenly assumed Adrian was the person instead.

Because that pure and happy childhood experience had laid the foundation, it caused her to view Adrian through a heavy filter. Accompanied by the passage of time, the emotions grew increasingly profound.

For so many years, it had consistently been a total dislocation.

She found it farcical, yet filled with a heavy dose of dramatic irony.

Swirling undercurrents rippled through Silas's half-lowered eyes, his voice hoarse.

"I was far too young back then. When I was taken away, I didn't manage to say a proper goodbye to you, and I lacked the means to contact you. Therefore, regarding this matter, I ought to say an absolute apology."

By the time he finally grew up and could return on his own, the girl he consistently held in his thoughts only possessed Adrian in her eyes and heart, completely unable to see anyone else any longer.

Vivian was entirely unaware of the thoughts in his mind. She remained dazed for a fair moment, but rapidly snapped back to reality.

"I don't blame you, it was I myself who recognized the wrong person."

Every action Silas executed previously now possessed a complete explanation.

Yet so many years had drifted by, and everything had long since shifted with the changing world.

Her cadence was thoroughly tranquil: "I am no longer the Vivian Hale from childhood, and you don't need to hold onto that section of the past either."

Having experienced a failed marriage, she currently held absolute zero expectations toward the human heart.

She didn't deny that perhaps Silas truly had liked her before, but the human heart shifted within a fleeting instant.

Furthermore, so many years had drifted by, and the matters of their childhood weren't even worth bringing up between two adults.

She gazed at the man, making her absolute decision: "From this day forward, let us bid each other farewell!"

She was going abroad very soon anyway.

They wouldn't possess any sort of a future either.

The indulgence during this period was more so for the sake of securing a child.

She utilized him, and he had initially deceived her as well, plus the two of them had already climbed into bed.

When it came down to it, he couldn't be considered as losing out.

The exact millisecond these words were uttered, absolute stillness blanketed the air.

The commotion outside the property had vanished as well.

"You may leave now."

Vivian directly handed down the order to drive the guest away.

The apartment door was thrown open, revealing that the outside area was already completely vacant of people.

Silas lowered his eyelids, keeping the thoughts across his face completely hidden from view.

Only, right before departing, he suddenly opened his mouth to deliver a sentence.

"We will meet again very soon."

Hearing this, Vivian raised her eyebrows, yet she failed to take this specific sentence to heart at all.

Meeting again? Heh, completely impossible!

...

Two days later, Vivian finished packing up the apartment completely, and every item was entirely boxed and ready.

Gazing at the room that had abruptly become utterly vacant, she suffered a sudden wave of immense lightness.

Bidding farewell to the past, she would next look forward toward her future.

Clutching a trash bag to head downstairs to discard it, Vivian was just preparing to head back when her path was blocked by a silhouette that suddenly stormed into her field of vision.

It was none other than Adrian Cross.

He appeared even more wretched than he had two days ago, his hair left unmanaged for a long while, his clothes in total disarray, and his entire body emitting a heavy aura of absolute dejection, a stark contrast to his past elite persona.

Over these past two days, he had suffered far too many public opinion attacks. No matter how he sought out public relations, they were entirely unable to reverse the situation, and the company had gone into total decline.

A massive wave of users directly logged out and abandoned the game.

His heart was filled with both hatred and absolute resentment, and he truly was left completely empty-handed.

Staring at the woman before him, he opened his mouth in a hoarse voice.

"Honey, do you truly have to be this heartless to me?"

"Mr. Cross, please show some self-respect. We have already divorced, I am no longer your wife," Vivian's tone was entirely indifferent.

This freezing attitude deeply pierced his heart.

Adrian lowered his eyes to look at her, his expression thoroughly earnest, "My apologies. I know I committed a massive mistake regarding the matter with Tiffany Rose, and I broke your heart to absolute shreds.

But whatever you do, do not believe Silas Vance's absolute lies. That man is sinister and treacherous—it was glaringly he himself who harbored devious intentions toward you, playing a deceptive game to approach you while framing me instead. How could I ever have the heart to push you toward another man, I..."

Before his words could fully fall, they were interrupted by Vivian with total impatience.

"Matters have already reached this point, and you still haven't put on a sufficient act?"

Adrian was startled, completely failing to comprehend how her attitude could transform this rapidly within mere a few days.

"Honey, you..."