Silent Dreams Never Die — Author: John Miller 316
apter 316 A Deal With the Devil
རཱ64
Finished
Scarlett didn’t see a reason to lie. “No, I’m not there,” she answered truthfully.
Vincent didn’t react to her location. Instead, he made a request. “Vanessa woke up crying just now, having a nightmare. Can you go back and comfort her?”
Scarlett almost laughed at the absurdity. “So you called me in the middle of the night just to tell me that?”
“You are her mother,” Vincent stated, as if it were the most obvious reason. “Who else should I tell?”
Scarlett ignored his rhetorical question and fired back one of her own. “And you’re her father. Why aren’t you going back to comfort her?”
Vincent offered no real explanation. “Scarlett, I’m tied up with something. Do you think I’d call you if I had a choice?”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “What about Sabrina? Doesn’t Vanessa adore her precious ‘Sabrina‘ the most?”
There was a brief pause on the line before Vincent replied, “She’s… occupied as well.”
“Occupied?” Scarlett’s temper, worn thin by the late hour and the accumulated hurts, finally snapped. “Occupied with what? Are you both too busy sweating between the sheets?”
She shouted the accusation into the phone, her voice trembling with anger, and then slammed her thumb on the “end call” button before he could respond.
After hanging up, her whole body was shaking–a combination of rage and a deep, humiliating pain. Claire, who had witnessed the entire exchange, felt a surge of sympathy. She moved closer and wrapped a comforting arm around Scarlett’s shoulders.
“Don’t let him get to you like that,” Claire said softly. “He’s not worth this kind of upset.”
Scarlett took a shaky breath and nodded. “I know.”
They finally tried to settle down to sleep around three in the morning. Claire, exhausted from the night’s events, drifted off quickly. But sleep eluded Scarlett. Her mind was racing.
Picking up her phone for distraction, she mindlessly opened her messaging app. As she scrolled through her contacts, her thumb accidentally tapped on her conversation history with Damian.
Just as she was about to exit, something caught her eye. The label with Damian’s name briefly changed, displaying a typing indicator as if he were writing a message.
1/3
20:08 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 316 A Deal With the Devil
46
64
Scarlett blinked, thinking her tired eyes were playing tricks on her. She rubbed them and looked again. The indicator was gone; it was just his name once more.
It’s the middle of the night, and I’m exhausted. I’m definitely hallucinating. I need to sleep.
Finished
At that same moment, Vincent and Sabrina were not in a bedroom, but seated around a large conference table in a sleek, modern office space. With them were five or six serious–looking individuals wearing glasses, all radiating an air of academic intensity.
They had been deep in discussion for nearly three hours, dissecting the complexities of Sabrina’s doctoral research proposal. Despite the brainpower in the room, they had hit a significant roadblock and made little concrete progress.
Sabrina’s shoulders slumped with defeat. “Vincent, maybe we should just forget it,” she said, her voice small. “Perhaps a PhD just isn’t for someone like me.”
Vincent remained silent for a moment, but his mind was working. He knew of one more person they could consult, someone whose expertise was precisely in this field–Nolan.
After a moment of consideration, Vincent stood up. “It’s very late,” he announced to the room. “Let’s adjourn for the night and reconvene with fresh perspectives.”
A palpable wave of relief washed over the weary consultants. They gathered their notes and laptops, departing quickly without a word of protest.
Once they were alone, Sabrina turned to Vincent. “I’ll go to the university tomorrow and start the withdrawal paperwork.”
Vincent looked at her, offering a gentle, reassuring smile. “That won’t be necessary. There’s still one more person we can ask for help.”
Sabrina immediately knew who he meant. “Nolan? But… I think he has a rather poor opinion of me,” she said, her worry evident. She had approached Nolan before, only to be met with polite. but firm refusal.
Previously, Vincent hadn’t given much weight to Nolan’s capabilities or opinions. But now, at this critical juncture, Nolan’s specialized knowledge was the key they needed.
Vincent dismissed her concern with a calm authority. “Just focus on refining your research questions. Leave the rest to me.”
*****
Three hours earlier, in the newly acquired villa next to Ravenshade Villa…
2/3
20:08 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 316 A Deal With the Devil
64
Finished
The villa was ablaze with lights, its opulent interiors gleaming. Maria, exhausted from a long day of unpacking and settling in, had been looking forward to an early night.
Her plans were interrupted by a knock at the door. When she opened it, she found Lily standing there with a pajama–clad Vanessa.
Before Maria could speak, Vanessa happily bounded forward and wrapped her arms around Maria’s leg. “Maria! I want to sleep at your house tonight!”
Vincent had called earlier to say he and Sabrina would be at an important academic consultation and would be home very late. He had instructed Vanessa to go to bed on her own.
But Vanessa, feeling lonely and unable to sleep, had begged Lily to secretly bring her to the neighboring villa to see Maria.
Maria, whose body ached with fatigue, felt a flash of intense irritation at the sight of the demanding child. However, with Lily watching, she plastered a wide, doting smile on her face.
She bent down and scooped Vanessa up with exaggerated affection. “Oh, my sweet girl! I was just feeling lonely and thinking of you! What a wonderful surprise! You can keep me company all night.”
Vanessa, nestled in Maria’s arms, giggled with delight. Satisfied, Lily nodded and took her leave.
Once the door was closed and she had carried Vanessa to a guest bed, Maria’s smile vanished. She went into the ensuite bathroom to wash up. As the water ran, she muttered a stream of vicious curses under her breath, her resentment towards the child and her situation bubbling to the surface.
1.1K
B
7/2
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.
Join Our WhatsApp Channel For Fast Update Or More Novels: 
Join Our WhatsApp Channel For Fast Update Or More Novels: