Chapter 354 A Proposal With Conditions\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent made no attempt to correct the sales associate\u2019s assumption.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina glanced at him. \u201cI\u2019ll go change back into my clothes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent nodded. \u201cAlright, I\u2019ll settle the bill.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f62\u0f71(63 )\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
He set the catalog aside and stood up. Just after completing the purchase, Sabrina\u2019s voice drifted from the fitting room. \u201cVincent, could you help me for a second? My hair is caught in the zipper.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without hesitation, he replied, \u201cOf course.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When he entered the fitting room, Vincent positioned himself behind Sabrina and began carefully working her hair free from the metal teeth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The back of her dress was open, revealing smooth, bare skin. As his fingers brushed lightly against her back, Sabrina shivered slightly. \u201cVincent, that tickles.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A large mirror hung on the wall. Through it, Sabrina watched Vincent\u2019s focused expression, occasionally biting her lip with a shy, pleased smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Noticing her gaze in the mirror, Vincent suddenly met her eyes and asked, \u201cSabrina, would you like to be Vanessa\u2019s mother?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The question caught Sabrina off guard. It took her a moment to process his meaning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before she could form a reply, Vincent continued, his gaze steady in the reflection. \u201cUnless you don\u2019t want to?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s not that,\u201d Sabrina quickly said. \u201cI was just thinking\u2026 I\u2019m not her biological mother. How could I ever truly take her real mother\u2019s place?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent finally freed the last strands of hair. Gently smoothing it over her shoulder, he said, \u201cVanessa adores you. In many ways, you\u2019re already more of a mother to her than Scarlett has been.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After his words, the smile faded from Sabrina\u2019s face. She had waited so long for this moment, yet now that it had arrived, she felt no joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Being with Vincent meant becoming a stepmother\u2013and what would that mean for her career? For her independence?\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Sabrina remained silent, Vincent called her name softly. \u201cSabrina?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:13 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 354 A Proposal With Conditions\u00a0<\/p>\n
She snapped back to the present. \u201cDo you really think I could do it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent offered a reassuring smile through the mirror. \u201cI have no doubt.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina lowered her eyes. \u201cOkay, then.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her mind was racing, but none of her thoughts carried any happiness. If she committed to Vincent, what would become of her own aspirations?\u00a0<\/p>\n
She remembered the wish she\u2019d made\u2013writing on a card tied to a lantern release days ago, hoping all men would adore her. Was giving up that possibility worth it for only Vincent?\u00a0<\/p>\n
As these thoughts swirled, Vincent spoke again, \u201cThere is one condition, however.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina looked up, surprised. \u201cWhat condition?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes held hers in the mirror. \u201cVanessa would be our only child. We wouldn\u2019t have any of our\u00a0<\/p>\n
own.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina fell silent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her hesitation, Vincent didn\u2019t press. \u201cTake your time to think it over,\u201d he said gently before turning and leaving the fitting room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alone before the mirror, Sabrina felt truly torn. Marrying Vincent meant a life of secured luxury.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Refusing meant preserving her freedom to be admired and desired by many.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Truthfully, the idea of being a stepmother held little appeal. Her kindness toward Vanessa had always been partly performance. But if she said no to Vincent now, would he withdraw all his support and affection?\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
After leaving Stewart Group, Amanda, still in a foul mood, decided to go shopping at the downtown plaza. Laden with shopping bags, she stepped into the elevator. When it stopped on the fourth floor, a middle\u2013aged woman wearing a brightening sheet mask entered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judging by her figure and the skin around her eyes, Amanda guessed she was in her fifties.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside the elevator, Amanda\u2019s mind kept returning to Scarlett and Damian. Lost in her thoughts, she muttered under her breath, \u201cThat shameless pair. Damian, just you wait. Your day will come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the elevator chimed for her floor, Amanda, still absorbed in her internal tirade, felt a light tap on her shoulder. The woman behind her said politely, \u201cExcuse me, I need to get past.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:13 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 354 A Proposal With Conditions\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Annoyed at being touched, Amanda spun around. \u201cDo you have any idea who I am? How dare you speak to me that way!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman with the sheet mask simply rolled her eyes, then reached up and peeled it off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As her face was revealed, Amanda froze for a second before her expression twisted with impatience. \u201cYou!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was Ruth Harrington, Damian\u2019s mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The long\u2013standing rivalry between the Langley and Stewart families meant hostility extended to all members. Ruth looked at Amanda coolly. \u201cWell? Are you going to move?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With great reluctance, Amanda shifted aside, muttering under her breath as Ruth passed, \u201cWhat lousy luck.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\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 354 Chapter 354 A Proposal With Conditions\u00a0 Vincent made no attempt 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-27718","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\/27718","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=27718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27718\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}