Chapter 428 Scarred Heart\u00a0<\/p>\n
54\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Remembering that Damian was still upstairs, Scarlett instinctively stepped forward, blocking Vincent\u2019s path. \u201cNo,\u201d she said firmly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at her, confusion clouding his eyes. He wanted to ask why.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But just then, Clara tugged urgently at Scarlett\u2019s hand. \u201cAuntie, I\u2019m really going to be late. My teacher takes away our star stickers if we\u2019re late.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Keeping her expression neutral, Scarlett said to Vincent, \u201cI have to take Clara to preschool. I can\u2019t look after Vanessa\u2013you\u2019ll need to make other arrangements.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, she walked out of the foyer with Clara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As she passed Vanessa on the sofa, Scarlett didn\u2019t even glance her way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The phrase \u201cother arrangements\u201d in her words carried a clear, unspoken meaning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent and Vanessa, one tall and one small, sat frozen on the sofa, suddenly seeming very isolated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The old Scarlett seemed gone for good.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent could feel it\u2013even when he was the one trying to bridge the gap, Scarlett showed no interest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When they arrived at the preschool, it was exactly 8:28.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t truly late, but Clara was so anxious that she started running the moment they passed through the gate, terrified of losing her morning sticker.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching Clara sprint away, a faint smile touched Scarlett\u2019s lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Along the path, several other little girls ran alongside Clara, clustering around her as if they all adored her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett couldn\u2019t help but think of Vanessa\u2013she had never seen other children flock to her daughter that way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She imagined Vanessa\u2019s often haughty, imperious manner. At school, she probably wasn\u2019t very popular.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only after seeing Clara enter her classroom did Scarlett turn to leave. She hailed a cab on the curb.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
21:09 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 428 Scarred Heart\u00a0<\/p>\n
(54)!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
During the ride back to Theron Manor, Scarlett assumed Vincent and Vanessa would have left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But to her surprise, as soon as she stepped back into the foyer, her eyes landed on Vincent and Vanessa, still seated on the living room sofa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Vincent noticed her return, he even glanced over and gave a slight, acknowledging nod.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett was baffled. She walked up to him and asked bluntly, \u201cWhy are you still here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent looked up at her. \u201cWe were waiting for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was nearly 9 a.m. by the time she got back from the preschool run.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing his reply, Scarlett paused for a second, then responded coldly, \u201cDo what you want. I\u2019ve made my position clear.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, she moved toward the staircase.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa was asleep on the sofa, a light throw blanket over her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing Scarlett about to leave, Vincent spoke up quickly, \u201cVanessa\u2019s fever has spiked again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Scarlett couldn\u2019t help but halt on the stairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But after a moment\u2019s internal struggle, she hardened her resolve. \u201cVincent, she\u2019s sick. You should take her to a pediatrician, not come to me. Even if I am a doctor, I don\u2019t have any equipment here. If you\u2019re truly concerned, take her to an urgent care clinic. Now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s fingers, resting loosely at his sides, curled slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said nothing more, and Scarlett continued up the stairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But just as she reached the second\u2013floor landing, Vincent caught up with her swiftly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Right outside the bedroom door, he caught her wrist again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stopped in the doorway. She didn\u2019t struggle or snap at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During these final days of the mandatory waiting period, she didn\u2019t have the nerve to deliberately provoke Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a beat of silence, she heard his low, weighty voice. \u201cNo matter what\u2019s between us, Vanessa is innocent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His words ignited a sudden, sharp anger in her. She finally turned to face him. \u201cWhat do you expect me to do, then?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
21:09 Wed, Jan 14 d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 428 Scarred Heart\u00a0<\/p>\n
54\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent stared at her, his expression one of confusion and disbelief. \u201cYou really don\u2019t want anything to do with her anymore?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett let out a short, bitter laugh. Her eyes reddened instantly, her face turning to stone. \u201cVincent, listen carefully. It\u2019s not that I don\u2019t want her\u2013it\u2019s that I don\u2019t want you anymore. You have the person you want to be with, the life you\u2019re chasing. A child like Vanessa doesn\u2019t stop you from pursuing what you desire. In the end, your daughter will follow you into the life you\u2019ve chosen. Your world doesn\u2019t have a place for me, and I don\u2019t want to force myself into it anymore. Living in your orbit feels suffocating. What I needed from you, you could never give. And now\u2026 I\u2019m just tired.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After pouring all this out in one breath, Scarlett looked at Vincent, her eyes glistening. She didn\u2019t struggle against his grip, only silently pleaded with her gaze for him to let go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meeting her eyes, Vincent didn\u2019t release her. Instead, his fingers tightened around her wrist. He asked, his voice lowered, \u201cScarlett, is there any kindness left in you at all?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett tried to pull her hand back, but his hold was firm. In the end, she simply went still, letting him keep it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\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 428 Chapter 428 Scarred Heart\u00a0 54\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 Remembering that Damian was still […]<\/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-27792","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\/27792","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=27792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27792\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}