Ex-husband Last Regret

Chapter fourteen

Vivian pov

I felt an overwhelming sense of frustration wash over me. The connection I had once yearned for with Dominic Blackwood had come crashing back just when I was ready to let go of it all. But this kind of twisted fate was something I wanted no part of.

To avoid any misunderstandings, I quickly stepped back and turned to leave, only to have my wrist firmly grasped by Dominic. His stern face was a mask of suppressed anger as he coldly said, "Vivian Carter, have you had enough of playing hard to get?"

Not only had I engineered a "chance encounter" on the plane, but now I had tracked him down to the hotel he was staying at. It was clear that I had gone to great lengths just to see him. Even if I wasn't tired of the act, he was certainly tired of watching it unfold.

My lips twitched in annoyance. I knew that Dominic, the jerk, viewed every unexpected meeting as my "scheming." I looked up at him, my expression serious. "DominicBlackwood , if I had known that the partner Marvis Style was talking about was you, I wouldn't have come anywhere near you, not even if it killed me."

His displeasure deepened, and he tightened his grip. "Oh? Are you hoping for some other man? Vivian Carter, don’t forget we’re not divorced yet. If you want to put a green hat on me, be ready for the consequences!"

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. He was the one who had cheated, after all. The evidence was right there in Scarlett Hayes 's pregnancy. How dare he act so innocent and accuse me?

"Dominic Blackwood , you can flirt with Scarlett Hayes all you want, but I’m not allowed to talk business with male clients? Isn’t that a classic case of 'the government can set fires, but the common people can’t even light a lamp'?"

It seemed that he finally understood why I had brought up divorce so many times. He frowned and said, "Vivian Carter, you know I’m not good at comforting women."

I scoffed, "Mr. Blackwood , it’s not that you’re not good at comforting women; it’s that you’re just too lazy to comfort me."

In the past three years, I felt that even if he made up some excuse to deceive me, I wouldn't feel this disheartened. His cold, indifferent gaze made him uncomfortable, and he said, "If you have any feelings to express, just say it. There's no need to play mind games in front of me."

I almost laughed in anger. Did this guy really think I was confronting him because I was jealous of Scarlett Hayes ? I suddenly realized that our thought processes were completely out of sync.

After a moment, I said seriously, "Dominic Blackwood , once you finish dealing with the matters here, we’re getting a divorce."

Hearing the word "divorce," his forehead twitched uncontrollably. He roughly pulled me inside from the doorway. "Weren't we supposed to discuss business? Why have you been standing at the door without mentioning anything about your feelings?"

His expression seemed to suggest that if I couldn't explain myself today, it meant I was there to confront him.

I cursed him silently in my mind, took a deep breath, and finally pulled out the proposal for my brand from my bag, handing it to him with both hands.

He sat on the sofa, elegantly crossing his legs. He picked up a glass of wine, swirling it casually, showing no intention of taking the documents, coldly enjoying my current submissive posture.

He kept me there but ignored the proposal I had prepared. Clearly, he had a knack for humiliating me.

Just as I was about to explode, he finally spoke indifferently, "I don’t have the patience to look at this useless document. I’ll give you three minutes. If you can convince me, I might consider giving your brand a chance."

Taking a deep breath, I spoke as quickly as I could. "Although Achievers has a shallow foundation, it has been well-loved by women since its inception. Almost every piece of clothing released has sold out, setting seasonal sales records. This shows that Achievers has the ability to lead trends in the fashion industry, and the designers have an incredibly keen sense of fashion that resonates with consumers."

He swirled the red wine in his glass. "But Mieli hasn't released a new collection in three years. During this time, Achievers has relied on past achievements to stay afloat. Compared to established brands like the Hayes family, it lacks strength."

"That's because Mieli exited the industry three years ago. But Dominic, rest assured, Mieli is making a strong comeback and will undoubtedly bring a different visual impact to the fashion world. As for the Hayes family group that you favor, although they have been in the clothing industry, they have stagnated in recent years and are on a downward trend. One is a rising sun, while the other is a setting sun. I believe Vyx will make a wise choice."

As he watched me speak confidently, he suddenly felt a sense of disorientation. In his memory, I was gentle and somewhat awkward, someone who spent my days dealing with pots and pans and rarely interacted with the socialite crowd. His friends even teased him, calling me a socially inept person with no education, experience, or skills. They believed that the only reason I could marry into the Blackwood family was due to my gratitude for his kidney donation.

But the me before him felt different, as if this was my domain, and everyone else had to bow to my presence.

I spoke passionately, but when I noticed him staring off into space, my anger flared. I knew that he was intentionally dismissing me, likely not even paying attention to what I was saying.

“Dominic, I’m done speaking. Do you have any questions?” I said, emphasizing his name and using formal language, as if to put distance between us.

He frowned. “Since the person in charge of the project is James Scott, why didn’t he come himself? Why send you, someone who has nothing to do with it, to negotiate?”

I felt he was deliberately provoking me. Containing my anger, I replied, “James Scott is my employer. I’m just doing my job. If you want to know why, you should ask him directly.”

My politeness toward myself contrasted sharply with the way I referred to James , which irritated him. He suddenly grabbed my wrist, his dark eyes filled with fury. “Vivian Carter, do you think I need your money? Why are you groveling for James Scott?”

I gasped in pain, the anger that had been building inside me erupted. “Dominic Blackwood , you’re always so self-righteous! I am an independent person, not a puppet for you to control. What I choose to do and what I want to pursue is my own freedom!”

Did he think I had no self-respect? He would take me out to play when he wanted, then toss me aside when he was done. Even though I had once loved him deeply, the repeated emotional wounds felt like cold knives stabbing my heart. How could it not hurt?

Disappointment had piled up over time, eventually leading me into despair, and from that despair came a resolute determination not to turn back. Yet, for some reason, my eyes still brimmed with unshed tears.

He felt an inexplicable irritation as he watched me. Lost in thought, he barely noticed when I suddenly yanked my hand away, too forcefully, causing my bag to crash to the floor.

The contents spilled everywhere—room key, wallet, lipstick, and a bottle of medication.

He quickly grabbed the bottle, and when he saw what it was for, a cold smirk appeared on his face. "How much did James Scott pay you that you’d consider selling yourself?"

Just as I was about to explain, he suddenly tightened his grip around my neck, dragging me carelessly to the sofa.

“How much is he offering? I’ll pay double. What do you say?”

I was nearly choking from his grip, my voice strained as it escaped my throat. "Dominic Blackwood , are you crazy?"

He picked up a nearby tie and swiftly wrapped it around my wrist. "Vivian Carter, you want to play games? Tonight, I'll make your wish come true!"