He Promised Me Forever, Then Chose Her

Chapter 4 He Denied Her in Public

Adrian's expression changed instantly. He looked toward the entrance. Vivian stood there, dressed in an overly flamboyant gown, looking lost. Her eyes were red, as if she had just been crying.

There were still stains of red wine on her dress, and her hair looked damp, as though someone had splashed water on her.

"Where did this drenched mess come from? Get her out of here."

The women chatting near the entrance frowned. They were just about to call security when Lucas's shout froze them in place.

"She knows the young Vale?"

"That's not someone to underestimate. Whose wife is she to have that kind of influence?"

"Quick, call security to bring her in. This could be trouble. The young Vale called her 'Vivi.' Could she be Mr. Vale's relative?"

Just as they were about to usher Vivian inside, hoping to earn Adrian's favor, they realized that he was already standing at the entrance, his face dark.

"Where did she come from? She's a mess. Letting her in would disgrace the Vale family. Take her away."

Everyone fell silent, exchanging uneasy glances.

They had clearly heard Lucas call her "Vivi," yet Adrian's reaction made it seem as if he did not know her at all.

Vivian's lips trembled as she tried to speak, but Adrian silenced her with a cold look. He hated people who thought they were clever.

Right now, Vivian looked exactly like that, acting like a self-important fool. It was true that he liked her. After all, she resembled Elara in her younger years. That was precisely why he could never let Elara see her. The moment Elara noticed that resemblance, she would start to suspect.

But at this moment, he felt nothing but disgust toward Vivian. There was only one rule for his lovers. They were never to appear in front of Elara. Even that, Vivian had failed to follow.

Worse, he had just heard Lucas call her "Vivi." At some point, without his knowledge, Vivian had gotten close to his son. He was already planning to send her out of the country, ensuring she would never return.

Lucas stepped in front of Vivian, baring his small teeth as if to protect her. "Don't bully Vivi!"

A commotion broke out at the entrance. Vivian had appeared, and the son Elara loved most was defending her.

Elara forced back her tears. She could not accept that her own child had grown this close to the other woman.

Adrian's anger surged. "Lucas, come here! How can you side with a stranger?"

The guests at the entrance did not dare linger. One by one, they slipped back into the hall, leaving only Adrian, Lucas, and Vivian behind.

"Who is that woman? The young Vale seems to like her a lot."

"She's probably his teacher or something. Dressed like that, she must have come here trying to sneak into the banquet. Doesn't she know Mr. Vale hates this sort of thing?"

"She must be new to Arclight City. Everyone knows he only loves Mrs. Vale. And she still dares to show up dressed like this, trying to catch his attention, even getting close to his son. She might not live to see tomorrow."

Whispers spread endlessly.

Elara quietly moved behind the door, out of sight.

Vivian, disheveled and trembling, finally broke down. "Mrs. Vale, I didn't mean to come here. I was tricked."

Adrian let out a cold laugh. "Tricked? Tell me what kind of trick would bring you here to humiliate yourself. You'd better give me a proper explanation. I told you not to appear in front of Elara."

"I… my classmates invited me to a fashion show, said I could model for them. But after I put on the dress, they poured red wine on me and said I spilled it myself. The brand demanded compensation I can't afford. Then they told me to come to the hotel next door and find a rich man. If I succeeded, I could pay it off. But I would never do something like that. So, they forced me here. Only then did I realize this was the Vale family's banquet. By then, it was too late…"

Vivian cried as she spoke, her words breaking apart.

Adrian only grew more impatient. "I don't care what your reason is. The moment you showed up here, you broke our agreement. You're leaving Arclight City tomorrow, and you're not coming back."