In this dark, stormy weather!
Mada Vivian had just sipped so broth, lacking any appetite. Had she not been pregnant, she might not have even managed the broth.
Every woman longs for the day she can beco a mother, a right granted by God. Whether they wield power or status, they deserve this right.
Gently caressing her still-flat stomach, Mada Vivian gazed out at the rain-soaked darkness, feeling as though her world mirrored the dreary scene outside, bleak and devoid of any future.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts, and she frowned. Though Peter hadn't explicitly said so, everyone knew Vivian was confined within the estate. She could do whatever she wished, except leave.
"Co in," she called out, her raspy voice carrying a trace of lancholy as she gazed out the window, feeling as though her heart had died. She was certain that if Peter found Jon, he would kill him—and her child. The outside world was perilous for the unborn; even a minor accident could deliver them into God's embrace prematurely.
A familiar voice coughed, brightening her eyes. Her body trembled slightly. Though a strong woman with an impressive background, she was still a woman. At this mont, any woman would yearn for soone to comfort her, to bring even a shred of warmth. Yet this surprise was too much, so overwhelming she dared not turn around.
"It's dangerous here; leave imdiately before Peter returns!" Vivian sighed, finally yielding to herself. She stood and turned, looking at the familiar figure, though montarily stunned by the boy standing beside Jon.
The boy stepped forward, bowing. "This may not be the best timing, but I'm honored to et you, esteed Mada Vivian."
"You may call Julian, Jon's friend."
"Julian?" Madam Vivian showed a hint of contemplation, hesitating for a while before saying, "I feel like I've heard that na sowhere before." Her expression was calm, and it was no surprise that she hadn't heard of Julian, an unremarkable "small figure." If it hadn't been for Jon's presence, she would have bluntly admitted that she had no idea who he was.
Julian rely smiled, unfazed by her reaction. Even though she was under house arrest and stripped of her freedom, Madam Vivian was still Madam Vivian. She had her pride, and even in her downfall, she wouldn't easily reveal her vulnerable side to just anyone.
Vivian's expression shifted slightly, and she scrutinized Julian carefully before abruptly asking, "Was this all arranged by you?"
If she still didn't understand the situation by now, her whole life would have been wasted. Clearly, Jon's presence was part of Julian's plan. She looked at Julian and then at Dave with a mix of hatred and resentnt.
Dave hesitated to speak, then closed his mouth, choosing silence. He wanted to say sothing, but nothing could change the fact—it was Julian who orchestrated his approach to her, an ironclad reality.
From Vivian's perspective, Jon might lie, and Julian might continue to deceive her, but what shocked her was that Julian openly admitted it.
"Yes, Madam," Julian said. "I specifically arranged for Jon to approach you, with the purpose of influencing your judgnt and thereby impacting the mayor's decisions." Madam Vivian's eyes blazed with anger as she coldly turned away, saying nothing.
In her life, there were a few who had hurt her deeply. The first was her husband. Although he had married her for status and power, he pretended it was all divinely arranged. For a long ti after their wedding, Vivian was in shock, numbing herself through promiscuity as a form of revenge. Deep down, she hoped he would feel jealous, showing he cared for her despite his hunger for power.
But she failed. He ignored her actions, remaining solely focused on his position, resources, and ambition to beco governor. Peter had always been careful not to stake everything on a single election; he was aiming for the next one, preparing for every opportunity. For soone so obsessed with power, a wife was rely an accessory to fulfill societal duties. However, Vivian's pregnancy represented a loss of control over his family—a problem for any politician, as family stability was essential for public image and future advancent.
Therefore, while he kept the matter secret from everyone but the butler and Vivian herself, he also instigated a city-wide search for Jon.
Vivian's relationship with Jon had started as a way to indulge in the thrill of freedom, but over ti, she developed a shaful fondness for him, and her feelings deepened. She saw Jon as both a lover and a child, a desire that arose from her longing to beco a mother.
For real libertines, the term "mother" might be a joke, but for a woman yearning for motherhood, the word held a sacred aning. Thus, she had taken the risk.
What hurt her now was discovering that Jon and Peter were the sa—both had approached her with ulterior motives.
"You may not know, Madam!" Julian didn't back down in the face of her coldness. Instead, he spoke calmly with a knowing smile, "You may now learn Jon's real na—Dave. He confessed his regret to , admitting that he had developed feelings for a woman he should never have been involved with, which has left him feeling troubled and remorseful."
Vivian sneered, her laughter filled with disdain. "Solve it? How? Do you really think that a bunch of nobodies can win a battle against the mayor? This outco was inevitable from the start."
Julian shook his head. "Then, do you truly want your child to be denied even a single breath of free air?"
Instinctively, Vivian's hand went to her belly, her face darkening.
When Mayor Peter returned late that night, he looked utterly exhausted. The state tax bureau's investigator had been relentless, demanding all financial statents from the past year to be brought out for examination, scrutinizing each paper one by one. Peter had tried every trick to disrupt the investigation while destroying evidence and silencing witnesses.
Loosening his tie, he handed his briefcase to the butler and asked offhandedly, "Did the Madam keep quiet today, as usual?"
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