Chapter 244: Visiting Her
After entering the room, Mr. Drake didn’t try to persuade Vivian for the sake of the Drake Family, as she had expected.
Vivian had originally assumed that after what happened this time, as long as she and Julian Faulkner sued Sylvia and Finn Drake, it would undoubtedly impact the Drake Family’s reputation. As a result, if the Drake Family’s cosmetics business wanted to continue expanding, it would inevitably face some public scrutiny.
Mr. Drake had returned to Veridia with the goal of popularizing his "cosmeceutical" concept. He certainly wouldn’t want to see a problem like this crop up. Vivian figured that, if only for the sake of his own ambitions, Mr. Drake probably hoped she wouldn’t blow the matter out of proportion.
Of course, she knew Mr. Drake wouldn’t show favoritism or cover for Sylvia and Finn! Vivian had full confidence in Mr. Drake on that front.
But as it turned out, Vivian was wrong. From the moment he stepped inside, Mr. Drake had been incessantly pushing gifts into her hands.
"This is Ginseng! And donkey-hide gelatin, and Antler! I had someone bring these for you. They might be a bit rich in nutrients, but just take your time with them. It’ll be fine.
𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
"Even though you’re still young, you really need to pay attention to your daily health maintenance, you know?" Mr. Drake said.
Mr. Drake chatted with Vivian for quite a while. He mentioned how he had explored the island that afternoon. He had gone beachcombing and found Clams, palm-sized oysters, and Cat’s Eye Snails. One Cat’s Eye Snail had been buried in the sand. When he picked it up, the exposed flesh immediately began shrinking back into its shell. As the snail retracted, it squirted water. Catching Mr. Drake off guard, it splashed him right in the face!
Mr. Drake had been a little annoyed, but there was nothing he could do. Later, he spotted a stranded jellyfish on the beach. It had already been ruined by the scorching sun; it couldn’t be eaten, and putting it back in the water wouldn’t save it. When talking about the Cat’s Eye Snails, Mr. Drake’s tone was light and cheerful, but when he mentioned the jellyfish, he sounded a bit regretful.
Vivian stared at Mr. Drake in a slight daze. This side of him truly surprised her.
"I’ve never been beachcombing," Vivian remarked with a hint of regret.
Hearing this, Mr. Drake chuckled. "That’s alright, there will always be opportunities in the future. Since you’re in Cyrina, if you ever want to go beachcombing, I can tell you exactly where that island is!
"You can charter a boat to go out. You can beachcomb and even go fishing!"
"Mhm, okay."
Vivian nodded in agreement, but as she looked at Mr. Drake, her confusion lingered. He genuinely hadn’t mentioned a single word about Sylvia and Finn.
Perhaps her gaze was a bit too direct, leaving Mr. Drake slightly puzzled. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.
"Mr. Drake, I... Tonight, I originally thought you came over because of what happened with them. If you have anything on your mind, you can just say it. We can take it into consideration."
Vivian liked Mr. Drake. For some reason, being around Mr. Drake gave her the same profound sense of security she felt when she was with Grandma Faulkner. He was a kind-hearted man who genuinely cared for her, just like Grandma Faulkner. Coming from such an elder, if Mr. Drake had requested that the matter be resolved quietly, Vivian might not have refused.
After all, her initial goal was simply to root out the people behind the scenes and ensure they received their due punishment. Whether it was made public or not wouldn’t actually have a massive impact on the final outcome.
"I know about what happened tonight." Mr. Drake’s demeanor grew far more solemn. He looked at Vivian with utmost seriousness and continued, "Vivian, rest assured. They made a mistake, and however you want to handle it is perfectly fine.
"I can also promise you that once they get out of prison, I will immediately have them sent abroad!
"As for their parents and their entire branch of the family, I will expel them from the Drake Family! Every resource they possess will be returned to the Drake Family!"
Vivian was taken aback.
This was indeed the best possible solution. She had figured that, for the sake of the Drakes’ reputation, the family would most likely end up doing exactly this! However, there was still a difference between Mr. Drake offering this proactively and them being forced into it later just to save face.
Vivian could almost feel just how much Mr. Drake valued her! It was strange, but... it also made perfect sense. Mr. Drake had always been a man of justice.
"There’s no need to look at me like that," Mr. Drake said, noticing the complexity in Vivian’s eyes. "It is only right that I do this. I also need to let people know that they can’t just do whatever they want to you!
"The Faulkner Family is my friend! If anyone in the Drake Family dares to scheme against the Faulkners, they will have to get through me first!
"Vivian, as neighbors, we should help each other out, shouldn’t we?"
"Help each other out as neighbors?" Vivian wondered. She couldn’t help but smile. Unable to find any reason to argue, she simply offered Mr. Drake her most sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Drake.
"I’ll make sure to keep all the things you brought over tonight. When I get the chance, I’ll definitely use them to nourish my health! Oh, right, I went to the duty-free shop today and saw a really beautiful silk scarf!
"Wait a moment, I’ll go get it for you right now."
"Alright," Mr. Drake agreed with a hearty chuckle. After taking a sip of his tea, he accepted the silk scarf Vivian handed him.
He glanced at the scarf, his eyes lighting up with delight. "Vivian, I love the silk scarf you got for me. Thank you.
"It’s getting late. You two should rest early. I should be heading back as well."
"Okay, take care on your way back, Mr. Drake!"
Vivian politely saw Mr. Drake to the door. The very instant she closed the door, the kind expression on Mr. Drake’s face slowly vanished. In its place was an aura of chilling gloom. Naturally, this icy demeanor was entirely directed at the terrible misdeeds committed by Sylvia and Finn Drake!
For Vivian, this day had been truly surreal. She never expected so many things to happen just from taking a trip to Cyrina!
"I just wonder if the Drake Family banquet tomorrow will go a bit more smoothly," Vivian murmured, glancing over at Julian, who was still sitting on the sofa, deep in thought.
Clearly sensing her gaze, Julian looked up. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I don’t think it will be that simple.
"However... Master Drake seems to treat you quite well. Could it be that he’s your long-lost grandfather? If I recall correctly, your parents also passed away in a car crash?"