\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 74 A Bitter Breakfast\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dinner had been an emotional rollercoaster for Scarlett-one that left her feeling uneasy and lost in thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t get up from the table and head upstairs until everyone else had finished eating and gone their separate ways.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett saw right through Vincent\u2019s game. This was his way of sending her a warning-clear, no room for misunderstanding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It had taken so much time and effort for her family to finally come back together, to find this fragile peace. She was determined not to let this hard-won warmth fall apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So she made up her mind-she\u2019d call Vincent directly, and demand to know exactly what he wanted from her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had commanded her return, yet he had never specified what role or action he expected from her upon her arrival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She dialed his number, but Vincent didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She tried two more times, waiting patiently through the rings each time, but the result was the same- silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, she abandoned the attempt and decided she would go to Ravenshade Villa first thing the next morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She recalled Vincent mentioning that Vanessa had been asking for her homemade oatmeal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perhaps that was the underlying reason he had made such a production of summoning her back from the countryside. Regardless, it provided the perfect pretext for her to confront him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Long before dawn, Scarlett was already inside Ravenshade Villa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Lily woke up and noticed the kitchen light on, she assumed someone had forgotten to switch it off. But upon entering, she was startled to find Scarlett, already wearing an apron, bustling purposefully by the\u00a0<\/p>\n
stove.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Stewart?\u201d Lily\u2019s voice was laced with confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett answered quietly without looking up. \u201cYes, it\u2019s me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily was visibly flustered. \u201cYou\u2026 Why are you here so early?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett merely offered a soft, enigmatic smile and didn\u2019t elaborate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Given that she hadn\u2019t even stayed at the villa overnight, her presence at this hour couldn\u2019t be attributed to simply waking up early.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Soon, Scarlett placed the finished pot of oatmeal on the dining table and prepared two light, complementary side dishes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
172\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:07\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thu, Jan\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 74 A Bitter Breakfast\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was already seven o\u2019clock-Vanessa\u2019s usual waking time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett didn\u2019t venture upstairs. She simply took a seat at the table and waited in quiet anticipation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, the sound of cheerful laughter drifted down from the upper floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSabrina, you look so pretty today!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVanessa, you\u2019re very pretty too!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish I could be as pretty as Sabrina.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you grow up, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be even prettier than I am.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, do you really think I\u2019ll be as pretty as Sabrina when I grow up?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll have to wait until you\u2019re older to find out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their happy, carefree voices echoed down the staircase. Scarlett looked toward the source and saw Sabrina and Vincent, each holding one of Vanessa\u2019s hands, coming into view as they descended.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They stepped out of the stairwell\u2019s shadow, and for a breathtaking moment, they looked like the perfect, idealized family of three.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett was seated directly by the table, completely visible. All three of them noticed her simultaneously. Vanessa instinctively released her grip on both Vincent\u2019s and Sabrina\u2019s hands. She stared at Scarlett, who sat so quietly in the dining room, and uttered a surprised, \u201cMom?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett looked up at Vanessa. \u201cYes. Come have your breakfast. I made your favorite oatmeal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa\u2019s face instantly brightened with pure joy. She ran down the remaining steps, practically bouncing over to the table. She waved her little hands to disperse the steam rising from the pot, took an exaggerated, appreciative sniff, and exclaimed, \u201cWow, Mom made oatmeal! I haven\u2019t had this in so long! Thank you, Mom!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Children\u2019s memories are mercifully short. She had already forgotten about the incident involving Scarlett and Sabrina, and the trouble she had caused at Theron Manor that had so upset Scarlett.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa was her own flesh and blood, and Scarlett found it impossible to hold a lasting grudge. She simply smiled softly and said, \u201cAs long as you enjoy it, Vanessa, that\u2019s all that matters.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett sat down and served Vanessa a bowl of the steaming oatmeal. Vanessa took an eager spoonful and began stomping her feet with delight. Then, she turned to Sabrina and asked generously, \u201cSabrina, do you want to try my mom\u2019s oatmeal? It\u2019s really, really good!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina maintained her pleasant smile. \u201cNo, thank you, sweetheart. If you like it so much, you should eat plenty yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa stuffed another large spoonful into her mouth, her cheeks bulging comically. \u201cOkay!\u201d she mumbled\u00a0<\/p>\n
around the food.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching Vanessa think of Sabrina even while savoring the oatmeal she herself had prepared, Scarlett couldn\u2019t suppress a sharp, painful twinge of maternal jealousy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
212\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:07 Thu, Jan 8\u00a0<\/p>\n
53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 74 A Bitter Breakfast\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Vanessa, completely absorbed in her meal and her happiness, remained entirely oblivious to Scarlett\u2019s shifting mood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent hadn\u2019t so much as glanced in Scarlett\u2019s direction. He didn\u2019t seem the least bit surprised by her presence at Ravenshade Villa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a moment, Vincent and Sabrina descended the rest of the stairs together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Neither of them showed any interest in joining the breakfast. They moved with purpose directly toward the front hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, Scarlett stood up, her voice cutting clearly through the spacious room. \u201cVincent, may I have a word with you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent turned his body only slightly toward her, while Scarlett stood facing him directly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stopped at the sound of her voice but still refused to look at her. Keeping his profile to her, he said, \u201cI have commitments. I\u2019m busy today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett pressed further, her voice firm. \u201cWhen will you have time, then?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Vincent replied dismissively.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett\u2019s hands clenched subtly at her sides. She could tell he was deliberately evading her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing his resolve, she didn\u2019t push the point any further.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, Sabrina turned and walked back toward Vanessa, her voice dripping with gentle concern. \u201cVanessa, your dad and I need to go out for a while. How about having Mom take you to school today?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa was noisily sipping her oatmeal, a few grains of oat clinging to her lips. She blinked her large, innocent eyes and agreed readily, \u201cOkay!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina gave her a patronizing pat on the head, then turned back to Vincent. \u201cLet\u2019s go, Vincent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:07 Thu, Jan 8\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife: Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 74 \u00a0 Chapter 74 A Bitter Breakfast\u00a0 Dinner had been an emotional […]<\/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-27438","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\/27438","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=27438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27438\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}