\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35 The Last Straw\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
All the tension from the car ride melted away the moment Vanessa laid eyes on Ravenshade Villa. She practically leaped from the vehicle and bounded toward the entrance, calling out cheerfully, \u201cDad! Sabrina! I\u2019m home!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The joyful atmosphere here stood in sharp contrast to the strained discomfort back at Theron Manor, making Scarlett\u2019s heart feel even heavier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a moment\u2019s hesitation, she followed Vanessa inside\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily, hearing Vanessa\u2019s voice, hurried out from the hall to greet them. \u201cWelcome back, Ms. Stewart.\u201d She gave a respectful nod to Scarlett trailing behind. \u201cMrs. Stewart.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett responded with a faint smile as she stepped into the living room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There, she saw Vincent and Sabrina descending the staircase. Vincent wore gray silk pajamas, while Sabrina was dressed in a blue nightgown-both clearly fresh from bathing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina\u2019s cheeks were flushed, her hair slightly disheveled, as if they\u2019d been interrupted in an intimate\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa rushed up the stairs and wrapped her arms around Sabrina\u2019s legs. \u201cSabrina, I want to take a nice bath too, so I can smell as good as you!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Children forgot unpleasantness quickly-the entire episode at Theron Manor had already faded from her mind. Even the confrontation with Scarlett seemed like ancient history.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina bent down, scooped Vanessa up, and rubbed noses with her affectionately. \u201cOf course, sweetheart. Let\u2019s get you cleaned up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent remained standing on the stairs, his gaze settling on Scarlett not far away. Their eyes met across the distance. Scarlett didn\u2019t look away this time-her stare burned with intensity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Neither spoke first, leaving an awkward tension hanging in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, Vincent turned to continue upstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVincent, we need to talk,\u201d Scarlett called out, stopping him in his tracks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He paused, his expression cool. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen are you available?\u201d Scarlett asked steadily. \u201cWe need to settle things between us.\u201d Dragging this out would only make everything more painful for everyone\u00a0<\/p>\n
They stared at each other across the space, and that was when Scarlett noticed it-a faint lipstick mark on Vincent\u2019s neck. She knew exactly what it signified.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She tried to maintain her composure, but after eight years of loving this man, the sight pierced through her defenses. Her eyes reddened instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent seemed genuinely puzzled. \u201cSettle what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett bit her lip, forcing out the words. \u201cThe divorce-\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Vincent!\u201d Sabrina\u2019s voice cut through sharply before Scarlett could finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:24 Wed, Jan\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35 The Last Straw\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent turned. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina glanced briefly at Scarlett before answering, \u201cVanessa wants you to blow-dry her hair.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent nodded. \u201cUnderstood.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you\u2019d better hurry-she\u2019ll be out of the bath soon Sabrina said as she headed toward the bedroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent looked back at Scarlett, clearly having dismissed what she\u2019d started to say. He showed no interest in pursuing the topic further.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, he remarked casually, \u201cThe fifteenth is almost here. I\u2019ll be back on time this month.\u201d He hadn\u2019t seen Scarlett return to Oakland Villa punctually for two months now, and honestly, it irritated him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They needed a second child sooner or later, and getting pregnant early would simplify matters. Yet for some reason, Scarlett\u2019s body just wasn\u2019t cooperating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019d already decided that if nothing happened this month, they would pursue IVF.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett understood his implication and was about to declare she didn\u2019t want another child when Vincent cut in, \u201cAre you staying at Oakland Villa lately? Or\u2026?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ignoring his question, Scarlett stated firmly, \u201cVincent, I\u2019m not having another child.\u201d To be perfectly clear, she meant she wouldn\u2019t be having any more children with him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the divorce, she might remarry, or she might remain single forever. Whatever came next, she would face it then.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent stared at her, momentarily stunned by her declaration before his expression cooled again. \u201cFine, no second child. But you\u2019ll have to explain that yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett replied calmly, \u201cWhether I have another child is my decision. I don\u2019t owe anyone an explanation. If your mother is unhappy about it, she\u2019s welcome to call the police.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s brow furrowed slightly. He\u2019d never seen Scarlett so defensive before-this was a first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They\u2019d conceived Vanessa almost immediately after marying, but after that, they\u2019d barely been intimate. The Scarlett he knew best was the tired mother with messy hair, rocking Vanessa to sleep and feeding her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was only when discussions about a second child began that they\u2019d started growing closer again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But throughout it all, Scarlett had always been gentle. Now, she was all sharp edges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back when they\u2019d first started talking about another baby, Scarlett would prepare elaborate meals every day, even when Vincent didn\u2019t come home to eat. She never eemed to grow weary of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eventually, they\u2019d settled into meeting once a month. On the fifteenth, she would prepare even more special dishes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But she always seemed to miss what truly mattered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perhaps Vincent didn\u2019t care about the food at all-may he just wanted something pleasant to look at.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:24 Wed, Jan 7\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 35 The Last Straw\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their prolonged stare-off ended with Vincent letting ou a quiet, unreadable laugh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett had no idea what it meant, and frankly, she no longer cared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Send Gifts\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f66 84%u\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:24 Wed, Jan 7 u u\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife: Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 35 \u00a0 Chapter 35 The Last Straw\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 All the tension from […]<\/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-27399","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\/27399","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=27399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27399\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}