I Slept With a Stranger to Forget Him

Chapter 6 Caught My Brother in Bed

Feigning affection, Fiona took Vivian's hand with a gentle smile.

"I've asked your brother to bring you over so many times, but you never come. Are you still upset about what happened back then?"

Vivian looked at her, hatred blazing in her eyes.

The moment Fiona saw that expression, she immediately put on a wounded look.

"Adrian... is Vivian still angry with me? It's all my fault..."

Adrian's expression softened with instant concern. But when he turned to Vivian, his face darkened.

"Vivian. Stop being childish. Apologize to Fiona."

Vivian stared at him, and in that moment, something inside her finally snapped into clarity. Five years of love and devotion had collapsed into nothing but disappointment and disgust.

A mocking smile curved her lips.

"Oh, you're right. I'm terribly sorry. Sorry that you killed my mother and I had the audacity to be upset about it." She let out a soft, bitter laugh before turning to Adrian. "And I owe you an apology too, Brother. The woman you love killed the person who saved your life, yet somehow I'm the one at fault for making her uncomfortable by grieving. Truly. My deepest apologies."

Fiona's face twisted with fury. She had just opened her mouth to lash out when an elderly butler stepped forward and cut in.

"Miss Yates, sir would like to see you in his study."

For the briefest instant, Fiona's expression stiffened, but the flash of satisfaction in her eyes did not escape Vivian.

Though suspicion stirred in her chest, Vivian merely smiled with perfect composure.

"Of course. Lead the way."

The moment the butler turned his back, she swiftly sent a text.

The study was brightly lit, and Victor sat behind his desk reviewing documents. At the sound of her entering, he looked up, a flicker of admiration crossing his eyes.

"Vivian, there you are. Come, sit down."

Vivian did not move. She only looked at him, unable to understand where this sudden familiarity was coming from.

He sighed. "You child... I didn't call you here for anything serious. There's simply been some misunderstanding between you and Fiona, and Adrian is caught in the middle. It puts him in a difficult position."

"You called me here just for that?"

Victor paused before offering her a gentle smile. "That's all. Vivian, I'm an old man with only one daughter. I hope you can understand. If there's nothing else, you may go."

Without hesitation, Vivian turned and opened the door, never noticing the unmistakable interest in Victor's gaze as he watched her leave.

The reception downstairs was packed with guests, and Vivian had no interest in making small talk. She slipped around the main staircase, intending to sneak out through the back, only to walk straight into something she was never meant to witness.

"Mmm...Adrian, not here..."

"It's fine. Open wider."

The curtains billowed in the wind. A half-dressed woman was draped against the railing, and the man pressed against her was someone Vivian had once loved with her whole heart.

Their breathless moans carried on the wind and reached her ears, yet Vivian felt nothing but bitter irony. She had already let him go.

Then Fiona suddenly cried out, "Adrian, don't...ah! Vivian!"

The sound snapped Vivian back to herself. Meeting Adrian's stunned gaze, she stepped back with practiced composure. "It's fine. I'll leave. Please continue."

"Vivian. Stop."

She turned at his voice.

His tone was low, cold, and deliberate. "Fiona has a spotless reputation. If any rumors about tonight damage her name, I'll trace them to the source."

A faint, mocking smile touched Vivian's lips. She wanted to ask him: if preserving Fiona's reputation mattered that much, why not keep his own impulses under control? But in the end, she simply gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment, turned, and walked away.

The Lancaster Estate was enormous, and it took Vivian quite a while to find the back exit. With her phone in hand, texting Lucien as she wove through the crowd toward the door, she never saw the attack coming.

A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth and nose from behind, and before she could react, a sweet fragrance flooded her senses. Her vision went black, and everything disappeared.