The Hide and Seek Game That Lasted a Lifetime novel Chapter 32

Chapter 4

During Vivian’s stay in the hospital, Charles took care of her with unwavering dedication. Even when she was hooked up to IV fluids, he didn’t hesitate to carry her to the bathroom whenever she needed. His attentiveness was constant—when sleep eluded her, he would soothe her restlessness by telling gentle stories late into the night. And on the occasions when she vomited unexpectedly, he was always there, catching it with his bare hands without a hint of disgust.

The hospital staff whispered among themselves, all convinced of one thing: Charles was hopelessly, utterly in love with Vivian. Yet, only Vivian herself knew the truth hidden beneath his actions. His devotion wasn’t really for her. It was either a way to shield Diana or a desperate attempt to silence the heavy guilt that weighed on his conscience. One thing was clear—it was never truly about Vivian.

Five days later, she was discharged and returned to her home, hoping for some peace. But the moment she stepped inside, her heart sank. There, lounging comfortably on the couch as if they owned the place, were Diana and her son, Evan Foster.

Vivian’s eyes immediately caught the damage: Diana’s high heels had left dark stains on the pristine new cashmere rug Vivian had recently purchased. The delicate clay figurine Charles had once crafted for her now served a humiliating purpose—as a spittoon filled with Diana’s discarded sunflower seed shells. And worst of all, Evan was using their wedding photo as a makeshift drawing board, scrawling three cruel words across Vivian’s smiling face: “Worthless Woman.”

A sharp pang gripped Vivian’s chest. She forced herself to speak, her voice trembling with restrained anger. “Why are you here?”

Diana’s crimson lips curled into a smug smirk. “Your mother passed away in that dreary old penthouse—bad luck always lingers, doesn’t it? The new villa Charles bought for me is being cleaned, so I’m staying here for a few days. After all, this is the home of my son’s father. I have every right to be here.”

Her eyes shone with a bold challenge. “Unless, of course, little Vivian objects. If that’s the case, I’ll just go find my ex-husband—he’s been begging me to reconcile ever since I divorced him overseas.”

Vivian’s breath caught as she felt Charles’s grip suddenly tighten around her wrist. Looking up, she met his gaze—his jaw clenched tightly, his eyes cold and hard as ice.

“She agrees,” he said quietly but firmly. “You and Evan can stay as long as you want.”

Jealousy radiated from him in waves.

Seeing Vivian’s silence, Charles turned to her, his tone softer but resolute. “Vivian, you’ve always been so good at taking care of people. While Diana and Evan are here, I’ll be relying on you. Diana’s very particular, and Evan can be a handful—please be patient with them. I promise I’ll make it up to you later. Okay?”

Vivian’s mind flashed back to their wedding night—the night Charles had kissed each of her fingers tenderly and vowed she would never have to lift a finger to do housework again.

But now, here he was, asking her to personally serve the woman responsible for destroying her parents’ lives.

It felt like her dignity was being crushed beneath his heel.

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