Chapter 3

Lucas left without a word and didn't come back. He stayed at Sterling Manor for seven days straight.

Vivian only found out because she checked Chloe's Instagram and saw him there. He'd spent the entire week by Chloe's side—going to parties with her, hiking mountains, taking her out on boats.

A photo of them was taken by the ocean. Chloe had his jacket draped over her shoulders, and they were standing so close together that she'd tilted her head until it was just millimeters from his shoulder.

Her long hair spilled across his arm in a way that felt intimate and deliberate.

His eyes sparkled with excitement and joy.

So his germaphobia had exceptions—it all depended on who it was.

In the past, Vivian would've seen this and immediately rushed to Sterling Manor, desperate to get close to him and win his attention.

But this time, she simply blocked Chloe's Instagram and started counting down the days until she could leave.

On the eighth day, Lucas suddenly called. "Come out. We're going to an auction."

Vivian was about to refuse, but he'd already hung up.

She had no choice but to change and head out. She'd just reached the passenger door when the window rolled down, and Chloe smiled at her sweetly.

She said, "Vivi, Lucas said he was worried I'd be bored, so he's taking me to the auction to show me around. We're not interrupting anything, are we?"

"Not at all." Vivian gave her a brief, indifferent glance and then opened the back door and slid into the rear seat.

She didn't look annoyed about missing the front seat, and she didn't seem excited about going to the auction either.

Lucas couldn't help glancing at her through the rearview mirror a few times. Vivian's attitude felt unusually cold, even for her.

When Vivian noticed him watching, she put on her sunglasses and closed her eyes, clearly done with the conversation.

Lucas quickly looked away, especially since Chloe had started chatting with him about all the fun things they'd done together over the past few days.

Unlike how he barely spoke to Vivian, Lucas responded to everything Chloe said. His voice was gentle and patient, and every so often, he'd let out a soft, pleased laugh.

Vivian's nose stung, and she had to fight back tears. His affection was so obvious, but she'd been too stupid to notice it until three years into their marriage.

When they got out of the car, Lucas gently guided Chloe to her seat, and Vivian followed behind them like some kind of afterthought. Even the seating arrangement put Chloe in the middle.

At the same time, Vivian sat on the outside edge, as if she didn't even matter.

She pretended not to care and flipped through the auction catalog. There were actually a few pieces of jewelry that caught her eye.

But once the auction started and items began going up one by one, Vivian barely had time to raise her paddle before Chloe's sweet voice would chime in from beside her. "Lucas, this one looks pretty nice.

"Lucas, wouldn't this match that pink dress I have?

"Lucas, I love this one."

"Lucas—"

And Lucas, patient as ever, bought her every single thing she wanted.

It wasn't until the auction was almost over that he glanced at Vivian's profile and seemed to remember he'd brought her here to buy her some jewelry as compensation.

In the end, Chloe picked out the least appealing pair of earrings from the pile of items they'd won and handed them to Vivian.

Chloe said, "Vivian, you didn't bid on anything? Don't you like what you saw? Here, take this—at least you won't go home empty-handed."

Vivian gripped her auction paddle so hard that the edge cut into her fingers, and blood dripped down her hand. She forced a smile through gritted teeth. "Thanks, but I don't need it."

She turned on her heel and headed straight for the restroom, walking fast.

She splashed cold water on her face over and over until she finally felt herself calm down a bit.

Vivian was about to leave when she heard Chloe's voice coming from one of the stalls, smug and satisfied.

"Honestly, I only went after Samuel in the first place because he was the Sterling family heir. I did whatever it took to get into his bed and make him marry me, but after the wedding, he turned so cold.

"But whatever, it's fine. If Samuel won't treat me right, I've still got Lucas. He still thinks I saved his life, so he does anything I ask.

"I keep him hanging, you know? The more he can't have me, the more obsessed he gets.

"So what if Vivian's the Grant family heiress? Men are all dogs. They ignore what's handed to them on a silver platter, but they'll lose their minds over what they can't get."

Vivian stood there silently, pulled out her phone, and then hit the record button.