Chapter 171 The Elusive Document\u00a0<\/p>\n
83\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent snapped back to reality and cut straight to the chase. \u201cDid you manage to find that agreement Scarlett left with you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freya seemed momentarily confused. \u201cAgreement?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He rubbed his temples, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. Freya had been his nanny since childhood and was practically family. Even now, in her later years, he had kept her employed, intending to provide for her retirement. But lately, her memory hadn\u2019t been what it used to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Take this agreement, for instance. She\u2019d supposedly been searching for it for nearly a month with no results. Or perhaps she had simply forgotten about the task altogether.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, recognition dawned on Freya\u2019s face. \u201cOh! Right, I remember now. Mrs. Stewart did give me an important-looking envelope. I tucked it away somewhere safe, but for the life of me, I can\u2019t recall where. I\u2019ve been turning the place upside down looking for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent held back any reproach, his tone remaining patient. \u201cThat\u2019s alright. Did you happen to see what kind of agreement it was?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Stewart, you know I never finished high school,\u201d Freya replied apologetically. \u201cAll those legal papers look the same to me. I couldn\u2019t tell you what it was about.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sighed quietly. \u201cI understand. I\u2019ll stop by tomorrow to help you look for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He ended the call just as Sabrina\u2019s voice carried from the living room. \u201cVincent, could you give me a hand helping Mom up?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tucking his phone away, Vincent pushed Scarlett\u2019s words from his mind. While he didn\u2019t truly believe she\u2019d mentioned divorce, a nagging unease lingered. For now, his attention was needed elsewhere\u2014on the patient who had taken a fall in the living room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He walked back in to find Sabrina, and together they carefully helped Maria off the floor, settling her onto the plush sofa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nearby, Vanessa was kneeling on the carpet, carefully gathering the broken pieces of her favorite superhero action figure. Her small shoulders shook with quiet sobs as she cradled the fragments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching the scene, Maria\u2019s face crumpled with guilt. \u201cVanessa, sweetheart, I\u2019m so, so sorry. I broke your toy\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked up. \u201cMommy broke it. It wasn\u2019t your fault.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 171 The Elusive Document\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
(83),\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about I buy you a brand new one tomorrow?\u201d Maria offered, her voice thick with emotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa shook her head, her lower lip trembling. \u201cI don\u2019t want a new one. I only liked this one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maria\u2019s eyes welled up. She lifted her gaze to Vincent, her expression pleading. \u201cVincent, maybe\u2026 maybe it\u2019s better if I just go back home. I\u2019m only causing more trouble for everyone here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent pushed aside his swirling thoughts about Scarlett. He looked at Maria, his tone even and deliberately calm. \u201cThere\u2019s no need for that, Maria. Please don\u2019t blame yourself. What happened today wasn\u2019t your fault in the slightest.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back at the Theron Manor, Scarlett headed straight for the shower.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she emerged, wrapped in a towel, she checked her phone. No new messages from Vincent. No missed calls.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wondered if he had taken her words seriously-or if he had even glanced at the divorce\u00a0<\/p>\n
papers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regardless, finalizing the divorce couldn\u2019t be put off any longer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If there was no progress today, she would press him again tomorrow. If he was busy then, she\u2019d find him the day after. She was resolved to bring up the divorce with him every single day until it was done.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next morning, Scarlett tried calling Vincent several times, but each call went straight to voicemail.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With work demanding her attention, she had to let it go for the moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At lunchtime, she tried again. This time, his phone was switched off entirely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the evening, she made another attempt. To her surprise, he answered, but a cacophony of loud music and boisterous chatter flooded the line. He was clearly out with Daniel and Harris, probably at some upscale club or bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seizing the moment he picked up, Scarlett didn\u2019t bother with pleasantries. \u201cHave you signed the papers?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The noise on his end was overwhelming. \u201cIt\u2019s too loud in here, I can\u2019t hear you!\u201d he shouted into the phone, his voice slightly slurred. \u201cI\u2019ll have to call you back later!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 171 The Elusive Document\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before Scarlett could insist, the line went dead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Staring at the disconnected call screen, she let out a heavy, helpless sigh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
83\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
When they had filed for their marriage license, it was only under significant pressure from Xavier that Vincent had reluctantly accompanied her. The entire process had taken mere minutes at the City Hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, getting untangled seemed to require navigating an endless maze of delays and excuses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If she had known then how complicated it would be to get out, Scarlett would never have stepped into what she now saw as a gilded cage-one that had confined her for far too long.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, she waited up until she fell asleep, and Vincent\u2019s promised return call never\u00a0<\/p>\n
came.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next day was Friday, her day off. First thing in the morning, she sent Vincent a text. \u201cAny update on the agreement?\u201d He didn\u2019t reply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With her exams looming, she couldn\u2019t afford to waste time. Gathering her heavy stack of review books, she headed to the public library to study.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midway through a challenging chapter, her phone screen lit up. Thinking it might finally be Vincent, she was surprised to see Melinda\u2019s name flashing instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett slipped out to the library hallway to take the call. \u201cMelinda?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cScarlett! Hey, your birthday\u2019s tomorrow!\u201d Melinda\u2019s cheerful voice bubbled through the phone. \u201cA bunch of us are thinking of driving up to Napa Valley for the weekend. Wanna come?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMelinda,\u201d Scarlett interrupted gently, \u201cI really appreciate the offer, but I\u2019m swamped with my grad school prep right now. And on top of that, I\u2019m in the middle of sorting out the divorce. I don\u2019t think I can make it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing about the divorce and the exams, Melinda let out an excited squeal. \u201cWait, seriously? You\u2019re really doing it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Scarlett confirmed, a newfound determination in her voice. \u201cIt\u2019s time I started living for myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so happy for you!\u201d Melinda exclaimed. \u201cIt\u2019s about time! You\u2019ve always been the most driven person I know. You shouldn\u2019t be tied down by all this\u2026 this mundane routine, or by draining family obligations, or\u2026\u201d she paused, \u201c\u2026worthless relationships.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They talked for a while longer, with Scarlett even asking for some advice on managing the\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 171 The Elusive Document\u00a0<\/p>\n
intense study schedule.\u00a0<\/p>\n
83\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hanging up with Melinda, Scarlett stared at her silent phone for another moment. Then, she typed out one more message to Vincent. \u201cWe need to talk. In person. When are you free?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
14:57 Sat, Jan 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 171 Chapter 171 The Elusive Document\u00a0 83\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 Vincent snapped back to […]<\/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-27535","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\/27535","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=27535"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27535\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}