Nanny Jenner ca in, carrying an insulated food jar.
The expectant look on Vivian Quinn’s face vanished. "Nanny Jenner, what are you doing here?"
"Madam, when I got up this morning, I realized you hadn’t co ho all night. I called Master Ian, and he told you’d been hospitalized."
"Did Jett co ho?"
"No."
"Madam, you look so pale. What on earth happened? How did you end up in the hospital?"
Vivian Quinn lay back down wearily. "I just have a fever. It’s nothing serious."
"I left in such a hurry that I didn’t have ti to cook, so I just brought the porridge you usually like for breakfast. Please, sit up and have so."
"I’m not hungry."
"Then I’ll call Mr. Sterling and ask him to pick you up. It’ll be more comfortable for you to recover at ho than to stay in the hospital."
Vivian Quinn said nothing, giving her silent consent.
Nanny Jenner imdiately took out her phone and called Jett Sterling.
The call was answered quickly. Nanny Jenner spoke respectfully, "Sir, Madam is in the hospital with a high fever. I just spoke with the doctor, and he said she can be discharged to recover at ho. Could you please co and pick her up?"
It was unclear what the man on the other end said, but the expression on Nanny Jenner’s face slowly grew complicated. "...Yes, I understand. Goodbye, sir."
Vivian Quinn stared at Nanny Jenner and asked as soon as she hung up, "What did Jett say?"
Nanny Jenner looked troubled. "Sir said he’s busy with sothing right now and can’t co over. He asked to accompany you ho."
Vivian’s heart, already ice-cold, sank into an abyss, and she began to tremble.
"Nanny Jenner, where is Jett now?"
"I’m not sure, Madam."
"Never mind." Vivian Quinn closed her eyes wearily. "Please go handle my discharge paperwork. I want to go ho."
"Yes."
Ian Sterling accompanied Vivian Quinn back to Sycamore Bay, but Jett Sterling was not at ho.
"Vivian Quinn, I can stay and wait with you for my uncle to get back."
"That’s all right. You’ve already lost a whole night’s sleep over this. You should go ho and rest."
"Are you sure you don’t need to stay?"
"I’m a grown woman. Whatever it is, I can handle it myself. You don’t need to worry about ."
"All right, then. Call if you need anything. My uncle aside, we’re still classmates, you know. We even shared a desk."
"Thank you."
Vivian Quinn went to her room, took a hot shower, and got into bed.
She tried not to think about anything, wanting only to get so proper sleep.
But she hadn’t been asleep for long before a nightmare jolted her awake again.
Vivian Quinn bolted upright, realizing she was drenched in a cold sweat.
She wiped her face, struggling to calm herself. After a mont, she lay back down, then picked up her phone and called Jett Sterling.
The phone rang for a while before it was answered. A man’s low, calm voice ca through the line. "Vivian?"
"Aren’t you coming ho?" Vivian asked softly. "Aren’t you going to give an explanation for what happened last night?"
"Vivian," Jett’s deep voice sounded slowly. "I’m very sorry."
Vivian felt as if her heart had been viciously pierced by sothing sharp, the pain making it hard to breathe. "Is that your explanation? Jett, I didn’t think you were this kind of person."
"I can’t explain what you saw with your own eyes, Vivian. All I can say is I’m sorry."
"Can you co ho?" Vivian asked numbly. "I want to hear your explanation in person."
"Alright. I’ll co ho."
Vivian saw Jett Sterling two hours later. She didn’t have the strength to get out of bed, so she could only lean against the headboard, quietly watching the man in the wheelchair at the foot of the bed.
Jett’s incomparably handso face was expressionless. His eyes were downcast, and it was impossible to know what he was thinking.
Vivian had imagined many possibilities—that she might question him hysterically upon seeing him, or perhaps unleash her anger first.
But now she knew she couldn’t do any of that.
The mont she saw Jett, the storm raging in her heart seed to subside. It was the first ti she had felt this calm since last night.
"Jett, let’s talk." Vivian forced a smile. "First of all, I don’t think you’re a scumbag. But your actions last night? In my book, that was pure scumbag behavior. What do you think?"
Jett still didn’t look up, his tone completely flat. "Vivian, n have social obligations. In those situations, it’s normal to play along for the sake of appearances. You should understand that."
"You call a scene like that ’playing along for appearances’ and you expect to understand?" Vivian stared at him in disbelief, almost thinking she’d misheard. "Jett, I always thought we shared the sa values, especially about love and marriage. I never imagined we’d be at odds like this after only a few days."
"Vivian, I don’t see this as a conflict." Jett finally looked up at her. "Like I said, it was a normal social event. You have to play the part. At least, it’s not a problem for . If it bothers you, I’ll be more careful about my boundaries next ti."
"So you admit you crossed a line?" The piercing pain was finally too much for Vivian to bear, and her voice rose unintentionally. "You were holding her, kissing her! If I hadn’t been there, would you have taken things even further?"
"Jett, why did I ever think you were so aloof and self-restrained? Did I completely misjudge you, or have we known each other for such a short ti that I never had the chance to truly get to know you?"
"Vivian, I don’t feel like I’ve ever pretended to be soone I’m not around you, or hidden my true self. And just as you said, we really haven’t known each other for very long," Jett said, his voice unnervingly calm. "Besides..."
"Besides what?" Vivian pressed. "Don’t just trail off. If you have sothing to say, just say it."
"Vivian, I’m a man. I have normal physical needs. You rember that night..."
Jett didn’t finish.
Vivian froze for a second before it dawned on her. She let out a sudden, scornful laugh. "Jett, I get it now. You’re saying that because I didn’t satisfy your physical needs that night you were drunk, you, being a ’normal man,’ had to go find another woman to take care of it. Is that it?"
Jett watched her with a heavy silence, saying nothing.
His silence was a tacit admission. Vivian shut her eyes in agony as tears stread down her face, splashing onto the duvet.
Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Jett, do you have any idea what you’ve just said ans?"
"What does it an?"
Vivian slowly opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face like a broken strand of pearls, completely beyond her control.
"It ans we can’t be together anymore. I can’t accept your views on marriage, and I certainly can’t accept you betraying at any given mont."
Jett’s brow furrowed slightly. "Vivian, can’t we talk this through? I didn’t take that final step last night, did I?"
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