\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 26 Guest Room Tensions\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u0fd0 87%L\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Xavier let out one heavy sigh after another as he spoke, his voice thick with feigned weariness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing him like that, Scarlett\u2019s heart twisted-sharp and uncomfortable. She instantly regretted her earlier words, wishing she could take them back. \u201cGrandpa, I\u2019m not leaving,\u201d she said, giving in. Scarlett had always been soft-hearted, and she\u2019d never been able to resist Xavier\u2019s gentle guilt. \u201cI\u2019ll stay. We can have breakfast together tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With Vincent supporting his elbow, Xavier turned toward his bedroom. He didn\u2019t glance back at Scarlett, but Vincent caught the faint, sly smile tugging at Xavier lips. Vincent knew him too well-Xavier was a master at playing the sympathy card, and none of them had ever been able to outlast him at it. It was a trick he\u2019d used for years, and it still worked every time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, only Scarlett and Vanessa remained in the living room. The silence hung thick in the air, so quiet that one could\u2019ve heard a pin drop. Scarlett could hear Vanessa shuffling her cards behind her-soft, repetitive sounds. Once upon a time, she would\u2019ve crossed the room in a heartbeat, hugged her daughter tight, and asked all about her day at kindergarten-what games she\u2019d played, which friends she\u2019d sat with, if she\u2019d eaten all her lunch. But now? She felt nothing but a dull indifference. She didn\u2019t have the energy to reach out, not anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After standing there for a minute, she turned and headed straight upstairs. Staying overnight at Stewart Manor wasn\u2019t new-she knew where everything was, knew she could just grab her things and get ready for bed. There was no need to linger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa kept playing her cards, but her eyes kept darting to Scarlett. When she saw Scarlett pause by the dining table, she smiled to herself, assuming Scarlett was working up the nerve to come over and apologize. When Scarlett finally lifted her foot, Vanessa\u2019s heart raced-she\u2019d already planned to hug her, to melt into her mom\u2019s arms like she used to. It had been so long since they\u2019d hugged, so long since Scarlett had held her. She\u2019d even daydreamed about asking to sleep in her mom\u2019s bed that night, just like when she was little and scared of thunderstorms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Scarlett didn\u2019t walk toward her. She just turned and went up the stairs, her back straight, like Vanessa\u00a0<\/p>\n
wasn\u2019t even there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa\u2019s smile faded instantly. Anger bubbled up inside her, hot and fast. She grabbed her deck of cards and threw them across the floor-cards scattered everywhere, landing on the rug, under the couch, across the table. \u201cHmph! Stupid mom! Bad mom!\u201d she yelled, her voice wobbly with fury. \u201cI\u2019m never talking to you again!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
While Vanessa threw her little tantrum in the living room, Vincent stepped out of Xavier\u2019s bedroom. He spotted the cards strewn across the floor first, then glanced around-no sign of Scarlett. Confused, he knelt down to pick up a few cards and asked Vanessa, \u201cWhere\u2019s your mom?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa jabbed a finger toward the stairs, her face still rel with anger. \u201cShe went up. She didn\u2019t even say goodbye!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. That woman-she\u2019d once treated Vanessa like she was her whole world, like nothing else mattered. Now? She couldn\u2019t even be bothered to say goodnight to their daughter. He didn\u2019t understand what had changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a second, he stood up and took Vanessa\u2019s hand. \u201cCome on. Let\u2019s get you washed up for bed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa pulled her hand away. \u201cDad, I don\u2019t want to sleep with Mom!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at her, his expression blank-no warmth no sympathy. \u201cGreat-Grandpa only set up one\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:23 Wed, Jan 7 uuu.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 26 Guest Room Tensions\u00a0<\/p>\n
guest room. If you don\u2019t want to sleep with her, go talk to him yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f62 \u0f71\u0f7f861\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa pouted, her lower lip sticking out. Annoyance and defiance flashed in her eyes, but she knew arguing was useless. Vincent wasn\u2019t taking her side this time-throwing a fit wouldn\u2019t change anything. Reluctantly, she nodded. If mom\u2019s gonna ignore me, I\u2019ll ignore her right back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When they reached the guest room, Scarlett wasn\u2019t there. bustling around like she usually did-laying out pajamas, grabbing toothbrushes and towels, making sure everything was ready for Vanessa. Instead, the bathroom light was on, and Scarlett\u2019s soft movements could be heard inside-she was getting cleaned up, taking her time, like she didn\u2019t have a care in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent stared at the closed bathroom door, confused. He had no idea what had gotten into Scarlett lately. He took off his watch and jacket, draping the jacket over the arm of the couch, then sat down, his phone in his hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa looked around the room, her lip trembling. She was used to her mom fawning over her-fixing her hair, tucking her in, singing her a lullaby. Now, there was nothing. The silence made her angrier, but she bit her lip and held back her tears. She wasn\u2019t gonna cry in front of Dad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Soon, Scarlett came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy white bathrobe, her hair still damp. She saw Vincent and Vanessa sitting on the couch, their eyes fixed on her-like they were waiting for her to jump up and take care of them, like she always had. A bitter laugh almost escaped her, but she bit it back. She said nothing, didn\u2019t even meet their eyes, just grabbed her hair dryer and went to the vanity to dry her hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once her hair was dry, she walked over to the couch. Vincent was holding his phone, a video call going\u2014 Sabrina\u2019s face was visible on the screen. Vanessa was snuggled up against his side, grinning at Sabrina like she was the most important person in the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSabrina, are you gonna go to bed soon?\u201d Vanessa asked, her voice sweet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the other end, Sabrina\u2019s voice was warm and cheerful. \u201cI was just about to, but if you want to chat a little longer, I\u2019ll stay up for you, Vanessa. I miss talking to my favorite girl!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa saw Scarlett out of the corner of her eye, but she didn\u2019t move. She just leaned closer to Vincent, as if to say, \u201cSee? I don\u2019t need you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once upon a time, seeing them this close to Sabrina would\u2019ve hurt-sharp, like a knife. Scarlett would\u2019ve felt a twist of jealousy, would\u2019ve hurried over to ask if they were ready for bed, if they needed anything, just to remind them she was there. But now? She didn\u2019t care. The video call, Vanessa\u2019s smile, Vincent\u2019s quiet laughter-none of it touched her. \u201cI\u2019ll sleep on the couch tonight,\u201d she said, her voice flat. \u201cYou two can take the bed. Keep chatting, if you want.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both Vincent and Vanessa looked up at her, stunned-their mouths slightly open, eyes wide. They couldn\u2019t believe what they\u2019d heard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Scarlett didn\u2019t flinch under their stares. She repeated, calm and firm, \u201cI\u2019m sleeping on the couch. You guys take the bed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa glared at her, fury sparking in her eyes. She opened her mouth to yell, but Vincent spoke first, his voice sharp, \u201cVanessa, aren\u2019t you going to take a bath?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett ran a hand through her dry hair, her tone casual like she was talking about the weather. \u201cLet the maid do it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She used to do everything for Vanessa-bathe her, dress her, read to her. She\u2019d thought her effort would matter, would make Vanessa love her back. But it never had. Now, she didn\u2019t want to bother anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:23 Wed, Jan 7 u\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 26 Guest Room Tensions\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s jaw tightened. \u201cYou always did it before.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett didn\u2019t back down. \u201cWhen I wasn\u2019t here, she was fine, wasn\u2019t she?\u201d she said, her eyes finally meeting his. \u201cWasn\u2019t it always Lily who bathed her when I was at work? She\u2019ll be fine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Send Gifts\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:23 Wed, Jan 7 u uw\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife: Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 26 \u00a0 Chapter 26 Guest Room Tensions\u00a0 A\u0fd0 87%L\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 Xavier let […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27390\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}