\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 96 A Birthday Request\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was just about to walk away when Vincent\u2019s voice cut through the silence. \u201cGrandpa\u2019s birthday is this weekend.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett froze momentarily, only then recalling that Xavier\u2019s birthday was indeed approaching.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Among all the members of the Stewart family, Xavier had been the only one who had ever genuinely looked out for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because of that, ever since marrying Vincent, Scarlett had personally overseen the arrangements for Xavier\u2019s birthday celebration each year without fail.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Besides Xavier\u2019s birthday, she had also been responsible for organizing Richard\u2019s birthday events.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But there was a distinct difference-Xavier\u2019s birthday held greater significance for her. His gatherings were always intimate, family-only affairs with no outsiders invited.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Richard\u2019s parties, in contrast, were always crowded with business associates and acquaintances.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Truthfully, Scarlett had always preferred planning Xavier\u2019s celebrations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Firstly, because he sincerely cared about her wellbeing. Secondly, she had committed to memory all the intricate dietary preferences and quirks of the Stewart family members.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a prolonged silence, Scarlett finally responded in a quiet voice, \u201cI understand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whatever Vincent\u2019s underlying reason for reminding her, she found she no longer cared enough to speculate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She would certainly contribute to Xavier\u2019s birthday in some way, but she had no intention of exhausting herself as she had in previous years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perhaps concerned that his message hadn\u2019t been sufficiently clear, Vincent added, \u201cGrandpa specifically requested your cooking.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Richard\u2019s birthday celebration earlier in the year had already been problematic. Vincent didn\u2019t want his grandfather\u2019s occasion to become another disaster.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whatever reasons Scarlett might have for resisting involvement in the party preparations, he assumed that as long as he explained the situation clearly, she wouldn\u2019t outright defy his request.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett considered this for a moment before stating, \u201cI\u2019ll prepare one dish.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In previous years, she had cooked the entire meal single-handedly. This year, she would contribute only\u00a0<\/p>\n
one course.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even with this limited commitment, Vincent accepted hier terms. \u201cAlright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett was somewhat taken aback by his ready agreement. He hadn\u2019t pressured her to do more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet she felt no particular gratitude. She simply told him, \u201cYou should get some rest now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:13 Thu, Jan 8\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 96 A Birthday Request\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then Vincent unexpectedly asked, \u201cHave you decided what gift you\u2019re getting for Grandpa?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
52\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the past, she had always handled this matter, planning far in advance. This year, it had completely slipped her mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After several seconds of silence, she informed Vincent, \u201cLet\u2019s each choose our own gifts this year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2026\u201d Vincent began to say more, but Scarlett showed no interest in continuing the conversation. Without another word, she turned and left the kitchen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t hesitate for even a moment, proceeding directly upstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent watched her retreating figure, a complex mixture of emotions stirring within him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He remembered how in previous years, regardless of whose birthday it was, she would always consult him first, asking what type of gift would be most appropriate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She would present him with various options, though she would ultimately make the final decision herself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But this year, she hadn\u2019t prepared anything in advance. She wanted them to handle their gift-giving separately.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the first time, Vincent actually felt somewhat at a loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was a formidable force in the business world, but when it came to the practical matters of daily life, perhaps Scarlett had been the one who truly understood how everything worked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
Soon enough, Xavier\u2019s birthday arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett had been inundated with work all day, seeing one patient after another without pause. Even when her official working hours had ended, she remained occupied with medical responsibilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her phone had been vibrating persistently in her bag for some time, but she hadn\u2019t had a spare moment to answer it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time she finally finished her duties, the clock already showed six-thirty in the evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After thoroughly washing her hands, she retrieved her phone and saw the numerous missed calls-all from Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She hadn\u2019t forgotten the significance of the day. That Vincent had been trying to reach her came as no surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She returned his call, and his voice carried a distinct edge of annoyance. \u201cWhat have you been doing all this time?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sounded as though he were interrogating a subordinate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett replied in an even tone, \u201cI was attending to a patient.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s irritation seemed to intensify. \u201cSo the patient takes precedence over Grandpa\u2019s birthday?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:13\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thu, Jan 8\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 96 A Birthday Request\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stated simply, \u201cThe patient comes first.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, Xavier held significant importance in her heart as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
52\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had never forgotten how kindly he had treated her throughout her five years of marriage to Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But if forced to choose between professional duty and family obligation, her identity as a physician demanded that her patients take priority.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent clearly had no desire to argue the point further. He said, \u201cI\u2019m waiting for you downstairs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett responded, \u201cUnderstood.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She gathered her belongings and collected the gift box she had prepared earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she reached the hospital entrance, she spotted Vincent\u2019s Rolls-Royce parked directly out front.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He hadn\u2019t brought a chauffeur today-he was sitting behind the wheel himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett hesitated for several seconds before opening the door and sliding into the back seat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the past, she would always occupy the front passenger seat. Now, such distinctions no longer seemed to\u00a0<\/p>\n
matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing Scarlett deliberately choose the back seat, Vincent\u2019s brow furrowed slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was she treating him like some common driver?\u00a0<\/p>\n
But with time pressing and the birthday celebration already underway, Vincent didn\u2019t have leisure to debate seating arrangements. He simply started the engine and began driving toward the old family estate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett sat quietly in the back, holding her carefully wrapped gift box, watching the city scenery slide past the window.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t inquire what gift Vincent had selected, nor why Vanessa wasn\u2019t accompanying them in the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She used to worry about every detail, to oversee every aspect of family life. But no one had ever truly appreciated or even acknowledged her efforts on the family\u2019s behalf.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So now, she had resolved to put her own needs and peace of mind first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
B\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:13 Thu, Jan\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife: Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 96 \u00a0 Chapter 96 A Birthday Request\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 She was just about […]<\/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-27460","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\/27460","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=27460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27460\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}