Chapter 66: Angered to Death
It was already ten o’clock by the time Vivian Lowell returned to her bedroom after her shower.
Vivian sat down at her vanity. She had just put on a face mask and turned on her aromatherapy diffuser, ready to lie down and rest quietly for a while, when her phone rang.
It was a call from Sharon Galahad.
Vivian glanced at it, silenced her phone without any intention of answering, and closed her eyes to rest until it was time to take off the mask.
「Twenty minutes later.」
When Vivian lazily got up, she washed her face, applied a layer of moisturizer, and was about to get into bed when she noticed her phone was still receiving calls.
In just twenty minutes, Sharon Galahad had called her more than twenty times. It seemed she hadn’t stopped for a single moment.
There were also several unread messages on WhatsApp, all from Sharon Galahad.
"Vivian, this is great! I see the trending topic is losing heat! Thank you so much. We’re a family, so of course we should stick together."
"Vivian, why is another trending topic about Shelly’s photos popping up? Can you contact your media friends to help deal with it?"
"Vivian Lowell, what do you mean by not replying? Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Vivian Lowell, answer the phone! You’re a member of the Lowell Family! What good does it do you to treat Shelly like this!?"
The four messages chronicled the rapid changes in Sharon Galahad’s mood.
Vivian couldn’t help but let the corners of her lips curve up. She pictured Sharon Galahad’s frantic and furious expression, and for some reason, it put her in an excellent mood.
’So stupid.’
’Did she really think a few sweet words would make me fall back in line like before?’
’Life isn’t that simple!’
Watching her screen light up intermittently, Vivian worried it would wake her up later, so she simply turned off her phone, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.
She slept peacefully through the night.
When she woke up the next morning, her unread messages had already hit 99+.
Aside from a few work-related items, most were from Sharon Galahad and Robert Lowell, telling her to stop bullying Shelly Lowell.
Even Mason Grant had sent Vivian several messages.
Of course... Mason’s messages were in a friend request.
After Mason Grant had come looking for her at the Faulkner Group, Vivian had immediately blocked and deleted him, not wanting to see him ever again.
After she had knocked him out, Vance Wyatt had taken him to the police station. And because Vance was the assistant to the president of the Faulkner Group, the police had given Mason a bit of a hard time.
When Mason contacted Vivian afterward, he had sounded completely "heartbroken."
He asked why she would do this to him, saying he had already done his best and hoped she could understand.
Vivian hadn’t accepted the friend request.
Mason had kept trying for a few more days, and the message he sent last night had changed to him telling Vivian to find a way to take down the trending topic. He said it was his fault and Shelly shouldn’t have to bear the consequences.
"..."
After seeing that message, Vivian deeply regretted opening WhatsApp. She even felt the urge to go back to the sink and wash her eyes.
’Where does Mason Grant get the nerve to say something like that to me?’
Vivian rolled her eyes at her phone, ignored the rest of the messages on WhatsApp, and went downstairs for breakfast.
On the ground floor, Julian Faulkner was already there.
A large, full glass of warm milk sat next to him. Vivian was a little surprised. ’When did Julian start liking milk so much?’
The thought had barely crossed her mind when Ms. Shaw greeted her enthusiastically.
"Ma’am, the young master warmed this milk especially for you!"
"..."
Vivian almost choked.
’Isn’t he afraid I’ll get bloated from drinking such a big glass?’
"Drink it," Julian said to Vivian simply.
For some reason, there was something in his tone that made it impossible to refuse.
"Alright," Vivian conceded and drank the entire large glass of milk.
Unexpectedly, the milk was delicious. It wasn’t overly sweet, but it had the rich, creamy flavor that Vivian loved. After finishing the glass, she felt a little full, but also very satisfied.
"This is so good!"
Vivian couldn’t help but praise Julian. "President Faulkner, you have such great taste~ Even your choice in milk is amazing! You truly live up to your reputation!"
This stream of flattery made Julian’s lips curve upward slightly.
He looked at Vivian and said softly, "Mm. But... you have a little milk on your lip."
Huh?
Vivian quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the edge of her lip, then gave Julian a sweet smile.
Breakfast was over quickly.
Just then, Rachel Faulkner, who had just woken up, came downstairs. Hanging up her phone, she said to Julian, "Julian, I’m going shopping with the younger Miss Sterling this afternoon."
"She said she’d like to come over for dinner tonight, and I’ve already agreed."
"?"
Hearing this, Julian looked up toward the staircase, his gaze deepening. After a long moment, he said, "I’m not free to come home for dinner tonight. You guys go ahead."
?
Rachel gave Julian a surprised look. She had a feeling he was rejecting her on purpose, but his expression seemed completely serious.
"Are you busy with work tonight?" Rachel frowned. "The Sterling Family holds a significant commercial position in Veridia. It wouldn’t hurt to interact with them more."
"If it’s not an important work matter, can’t you just postpone it?"
"It’s very important."
But Julian was dead set on refusing. He turned to Vivian with a straight face and said, "Come with me tonight. We’re attending a banquet."
"..."
Vivian wasn’t sure if Julian was using her as a "human shield," but considering how well he had been treating her these past few days, she was more than happy to help him out.
"Okay, sure."
Vivian nodded in agreement, then turned to Rachel apologetically. "Rachel, I’m so sorry. Next time Julian and I are home, I’ll let you know!"
"You can invite Miss Sterling over for dinner then?"
Rachel pressed her lips together, not answering Vivian. Instead, she stared at Julian.
She could see it clearly.
’Her own brother was deliberately trying to avoid that Miss Sterling!’
’It was useless for Vivian to say anything now; Julian had to be the one to agree!’
But Julian pretended not to notice Rachel’s stare at all and said to Vivian, "It’s getting late. We should head out to avoid the traffic."
"Oh, okay!"
Vivian nodded, and she left with Julian.
In the car, Vivian was still a bit hesitant. She looked at Julian and asked, "You refused Rachel... she won’t be upset, will she?"
"Last time she brought a private doctor over and you refused to see him, she seemed a little bothered by it."
"It’s fine." Julian didn’t seem concerned. "She’s always like that, impulsive and flighty. Some things are best ignored."
"However—"
At this, Julian suddenly became much more serious. He turned to look at Vivian and said gravely, "If Rachel says anything to you, for example, if she asks you to do something for her, or to help her with something, you must tell me. And don’t agree to it easily, understand?"
Vivian’s heart skipped a beat.
’Is Julian... wary of Rachel?’
Her mind immediately flashed back to that night.
Rachel and that doctor had been so secretive. She had no idea what they were up to.
"Okay," Vivian agreed hesitantly. The two then started talking about adopting the white Lion Cat.
The two of them had already registered their information at the vet clinic last time, but back then, Vivian had thought they shouldn’t rush to bring the cat home.
She hadn’t bought any cat supplies yet. It was only in the last few days that she had gradually bought things like a cat tree, litter, cat food, and canned cat food.
At the same time, Vivian had also asked Eleanor Rhodes to find some time in the next few days to get the Lion Cat neutered and dewormed.
Then she could happily bring the little cat home to live "fifteen years of a rich and glorious life."
Last night, Eleanor Rhodes had already sent a message saying the neutering surgery was complete and the cat was recovering well. They could basically pick it up in a few more days.
"That cat tree is so hard to assemble!"
Vivian thought back to last night when she was fiddling with the cat tree in the guest room and couldn’t help but mutter, "I also bought one that was too big. I just wanted the kitty to have a place to play."
"I worked on it for ages and only got it mostly done, but then I realized one of the sides was on backward!"
Vivian wanted to cry but had no tears.
’And I’m a designer, for crying out loud! How could I make a mistake like that? It’s so embarrassing I can’t even show my face!’