Chapter 4
Patrick: [Vivian, today's Lionel's wedding. Do you really have to pick today to stir things up for everyone?]
There were many more messages but I scrolled all the way to the latest message.
Patrick: [Vivian, why aren't you home? Where are you?]
Online drama-watchers and anti-rich crusaders these days were absolutely ruthless.
They tore apart Patrick's background, leaving no stone unturned.
The tidal wave of public scrutiny was so intense, it left Patrick and Tessa barely able to breathe.
Meanwhile, I was comfortably hiding out at Travis's place for a few days, keeping my head down.
He pampered me like I was nine months pregnant, fussing over every little thing.
After a few days, I wasn't looking pale or tired anymore.
In fact, I was glowing, my skin radiant and full of life.
I was lounging on the couch with a face mask on when Travis's phone suddenly rang.
"Answer it," Travis called from the kitchen. "This dish is epic. My hands are full right now, so you have to pick up for me."
I glanced at the unknown number and picked up. "Who's this?"
At the same both, the caller said, "Travis, how does it feel to be broke—"
The guy on the other end paused. "Who are you? Did Travis get so broke he had to sell his SIM card?"
I instantly realized the caller was the bastard behind Travis's bankruptcy, the one who nearly drove him to suicide.
He was also the reason I lost my child, even if he didn't do it directly.
It was Lionel.
He had to be crazy to be calling just to gloat.
I curled my lips into a smirk. "Happy wedding, Mr. Starnes. Thanks to you, Travis couldn't handle the shame and decided to kill himself."
Right as those words left my mouth, Travis came out of the kitchen holding a plate of prawns.
He heard what I said and immediately shouted, "Vivian, what the hell are you spouting now?"
"Vivian?" Lionel repeated, sounding genuinely puzzled, like the name didn't ring a bell for him.
How ironic.
Patrick would've taken a bullet for Lionel and Sonia's so-called love.
Meanwhile, Lionel couldn't even remember his own buddy's wife's name.
Then, out of nowhere, another raspy voice came on the line. "Vivian? Vivian, where are you? Why haven't you answered my calls for days?"
Lionel was hanging out with Patrick, as I thought.
His voice was so harsh it grated on my nerves.
Instinctively, I held the phone farther from my ear.
He said, "Vivian, did Travis kidnap you? You didn't put that post online, did you?
"Travis is basically done for. He's just trying to use you as payback against me since Sonia's out of his reach."
Travis was at the table in his pink apron, peeling prawns.
When he heard Patrick's accusations, he was about to jump in and defend himself.
But I shot him a look that told him to back off.
Travis gritted his teeth and put the peeled prawn down in front of me.
"Patrick, I want a divorce," I said, my voice icy and firm.
"Vivian, please, you're reading too much into this. There's nothing between me and Tessa, I swear," Patrick blurted out.
His frantic, jumbled excuses sounded pathetic to me, a total joke.
I got irritated. "If you've got time to call me and ramble about all this pointless crap, maybe you should beg your bestie to scrub your cheating scandal off the trending list instead.
"You used to bust your ass for Lionel, doing everything for him, but now you're the one in a mess, and he's not helping you."
Patrick had never seen me be so blunt before, and he instantly got pissed.
"Vivian, why the hell are you making a fuss now?" he snapped.
Then, realizing he'd gone too far, he quickly switched to his gentlest tone.
He said, "Vivian, I don't know why you're mixed up with Travis, but you need to understand he's the kind of guy who'll do anything for his own gain.
"If you trust him too much, you'll end up getting burned."
I took a bite of the prawn Travis handed me, and caught him rolling his eyes hard.
I licked my lips, still craving more.
Honestly, trouble tasted pretty damn good.
"Vivian, please, just come home," Patrick pleaded, his voice desperate.
I moved my lips. "Want me to come back? Easy. Just sign the divorce papers."
"Vivian, there must be some kind of misunderstanding. Please, come home and let me explain everything to you in person," Patrick pleaded, his voice desperate.
I hung up on him.
Travis shot me a look, all sulky and aggrieved.
"There you go ruining my rep again. You're the one crashing at my place and refusing to leave," he grumbled.
I stretched out on the couch and wiped my mouth with a wet wipe.
"Could you really kick me out? Come on, we go way back, even shared diapers as kids," I teased.
Travis made a face.
"So if Patrick actually agrees to the divorce, are you leaving here?" he asked.
I clicked my tongue. "Back when we were kids, wasn't I always the one who stood up for you whenever someone messed with you?
"There's no way I will let him off that easy."
Travis stood up and wiped his greasy fingers off after peeling all those shrimp for me.
He was grinning, looking as handsome as ever.
I heard him say, "Looks like I'll be relying on you to bail me out again.