398 A Request\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent thought for a moment before asking, \u201cWas your mom good to you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa considered the question seriously, then answered, \u201cI forget.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
56\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her response gave him pause. He looked down at her, his tone gentle but earnest. \u201cVanessa, tell me the truth. Was she ever good to you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead of answering, Vanessa buried her face in his chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her reluctance, Vincent softly reminded her, \u201cYou used to say she was the best person in the world to you. You said you\u2019d always stay with her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had indeed said those things. But time had a way of shifting everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At his words, Vanessa\u2019s eyes welled up. Memories of Scarlett\u2019s kindness and all the loving things she\u2019d said came rushing back with startling clarity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tears began to trace down her cheeks. Still, she clung to Vincent. \u201cDaddy, let\u2019s not think about Mommy anymore,\u201d she whispered, her voice muffled. \u201cThat was all a long time ago. Now we have Sabrina.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing her say it, some of the tightness in Vincent\u2019s chest eased. He stroked her hair. \u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said softly. \u201cWith Sabrina, things will be better for us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next morning, after getting ready, Vincent asked Lily to take over with Vanessa. When he came downstairs, Xavier was already in the living room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily had set out breakfast. Xavier was eating while reading the morning paper\u2013people of his generation preferred the feel of newsprint to screens, and this ritual was a fixed part of his day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Xavier peered over his glasses. Seeing Vincent, he set the paper down. \u201cCome here. I want to talk to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent acknowledged him and walked to the dining table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After sitting down, Xavier picked up his paper again, feigning casualness. \u201cScarlett hasn\u2019t been home in quite a while, has she?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent took a sip of his coffee. \u201cNo, she hasn\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Xavier folded the newspaper shut and turned to him. \u201cWhatever the situation, she should come home, don\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
you think?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He continued, a note of gruff pride in his voice, \u201cAm 1, an old man, not even allowed to be\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
21:01 Wed, Jan 14 d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 398 A Request\u00a0<\/p>\n
upset?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
56\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
All this time, Xavier had chalked up Scarlett\u2019s refusal to come home to the fact that he\u2019d never gone to visit her. When he\u2019d learned about the terminated pregnancy, he had been furious\u2013a feeling that still lingered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He hadn\u2019t expected that even after leaving the hospital, she wouldn\u2019t return to Ravenshade. Villa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent listened without offering an explanation. He simply said, \u201cI understand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Having vented, Xavier could only sigh in resignation. \u201cPick her up for dinner tonight. I have things to say to her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as Xavier finished speaking, Vincent set down his empty coffee cup. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood. \u201cAlright. I\u2019ll bring her tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
At 5:30 that afternoon, Vincent\u2019s call came through on Scarlett\u2019s phone right on time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing his name on the screen, Scarlett froze for a second. She was in the middle of rinsing vegetables in the kitchen, one hand occupied. She initially thought about letting it go to voicemail, but then it rang again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a moment\u2019s hesitation, she dried her hands on a dish towel and answered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His calm voice came through. \u201cAren\u2019t you off work yet?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Off work? She was puzzled for a few seconds before replying with quiet sarcasm, \u201cI\u2019m not \u2018at work\u2018. How could I be \u2018off\u2018?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent sounded slightly confused. \u201cSo you\u2019re at Theron Manor?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett didn\u2019t want to explain. \u201cSorry, that\u2019s none of your concern,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t take the bait. \u201cGrandfather wants to see you. He said he has something to discuss.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett didn\u2019t bother with a reply this time. She simply ended the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as she put her phone away, a soft, weary call came from the bedroom. \u201cScarlett?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She went straight in. Seeing Claire\u2019s pale face, her heart clenched with a familiar ache.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She sat on the edge of the bed. Claire reached for her hand, eyes red\u2013rimmed, and pleaded in a\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
21:01 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
56\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 398 A Request\u00a0<\/p>\n
fragile voice, \u201cCould you\u2026 buy me a box of the morning\u2013after pill?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
The request felt like a needle piercing straight through Scarlett\u2019s heart. Looking at her friend in this state, her own tears threatened to fall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without a second thought, she squeezed Claire\u2019s hand. \u201cOkay,\u201d she said, her voice thick. \u201cI\u2019ll go get it. Right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
R\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\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 398 398 A Request\u00a0 :\u00a0 Vincent thought for a moment before asking, […]<\/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-27762","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\/27762","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=27762"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27762\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}