Every single person, except for Danny, immediately frowned.
“Nanny Lee, bring out the usual wine!” Mr. West commanded.
Devin West added, “Yeah, the one that was sent to me before–it’s the best.”
Nanny Lee hesitated for a moment before responding, “Oh… that wine was… um, it was made by Vivienne. It’s already finished.”
Devin froze. Mr. West, however, waved his hand impatiently.
“Then bring out my collection!”
Mrs. West quickly intervened, “Dear, you can’t drink high–proof alcohol. Just make do for now. Later, Riley can brew a lower–proof wine that’s better suited for you. She’s a researcher, after all–this should be simple for her.”
Mr. West loved wine. So much so that he had previously suffered a stroke from drinking too much. The doctors had repeatedly warned him that if he had to drink, it could only be extremely low–proof, and even then, just a sip or two.
Riley, caught off guard, stiffened at the sudden expectation. She had no idea how to brew wine.
But under Mrs. West’s expectant gaze, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and nod. “Of course. I’ll make it.”
After barely appeasing Mr. West, another problem arose–Danny.
“Grandma, I want pork floss rice!” he demanded.
Nanny Lee immediately turned to fetch some.
Devin, whose stiff expression softened slightly, chimed in, “Get me some, too. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately, but the pork floss from home always tastes great.”
Soon, Nanny Lee returned with a bottle of pork floss and served them both.
The moment they took a bite, however, father and son frowned deeply.
Nanny Lee cleared her throat awkwardly. “The previous batch was also made by Vivienne… It’s already gone.”
“I want it! I want it! Tell that ugly hag to come make it for mel” Danny threw a tantrum.
From a young age, he had always been spoiled–whatever he wanted had to be delivered to him immediately.
Mrs. West glanced at Riley, who instantly took the hint and cooed, “Danny, be a good boy. Mommy will make it for you later, okay?”
“I want it now!”
Riley had been running around all afternoon, hadn’t even applied her medicine, and hadn’t eaten yet. She had no energy to be making pork floss. But under Mrs. West’s sharp gaze, she had no choice but to relent.
“Alright, I’ll make it now.”
She stormed into the kitchen and turned to Nanny Lee.
“Give me the recipe!” Nanny Lee hesitated. “I don’t know it. Madam always made it herself.” Riley gritted her teeth.
“Useless. I’ll figure it out myself.”
Nanny Lee shrank back under her glare, but deep down, she scoffed. The West family must be blind. No matter how you look at it, Riley is nothing compared to their former madam.
Meanwhile, At the Café.
Outside, night had fully fallen. Vivienne Snow absentmindedly watched the snowfall through the window, lost in thought. A warm breath suddenly brushed against her ear
“What are you thinking about?”
The tickling sensation sent a shiver down her spine. Her body turned soft and numb, and she instinctively turned her head- Nearly touching the man’s cheek. She jerked back instantly.
“Why are you so close to me?!”
Lucien Dragne had originally been sitting across from her. But now, he had leaned over, crossing nearly half the table. Their intimate proximity was drawing the attention of other customers.
Lucien, however, remained unfazed. He casually sipped his black coffee.
“Twas talking to you, but you kept zoning out. This was the only way to get your attention.”
“Is that so?” Vivienne narrowed her eyes, half–suspicious.
She had been completely lost in thoughts about her ex–husband’s family.
“They must be newlyweds,” whispered a bystander.
“Definitely. The Civil Affairs Bureau is right across the street. They must’ve just gotten married. I was wondering why they weren’t sitting next to each other–turns out they prefer leaning instead,” another onlooker giggled behind their hand.
Though their voices weren’t particularly loud, Vivienne heard them perfectly.
Setting
10540
Chapter 5: A Flash Marriage for Survival
Her cheeks flushed with heat. She glanced across the table at Lucien, who remained completely unbothered, sipping his coffee as if he hadn’t heard
thing. Just as she struggled to find a way to change the topic, the lawyer arrived with the prenup agreement.
Ba
She quickly took it and skimmed through the contents before handing it to Lucien.
“Here’s the prenuptial agreement. If everything looks good, go ahead and sign.”
“My conditions are simple: after marriage, we won’t interfere in each other’s private lives. If we need the other to make a public appearance, we’ll inform each other in advance. No intimacy is required.
As for finances, our assets remain separate, and neither of us will have control over the other’s wealth. If needed, I can also arrange for additional financial documentation to ensure clarity.”
Vivienne laid out everything in one breath.
She had already prepared for a complex legal process regarding financial division. After all, her only asset was a billion dollars. But Lucien was different. He had the entire Dragne fortune behind him–likely with countless other private holdings.
Sorting everything out would take time.
She had originally planned to finalize things tomorrow–if it weren’t for the imminent threat from the West family, she never would have made such a hasty decision.
Lucien flipped to the last page of the contract and, without hesitation, signed his name. Then, he handed it back to her.
“You still need to sign.”
Vivienne twitched. Was the wealthiest man in the country really this casual? He didn’t
Maybe, to him, money was just… meaningless.
even read the contract?
Despite the short time frame, she had thought everything through. She had even secretly asked her lawyer to do another background check on
Lucien.
Only after confirming again that there were no hidden issues did she sign her name.
By this time, the Civil Affairs Bureau should have been closed.But thanks to Lucien’s influence, it remained open–exclusively for them. From start to finish, the process was seamless.
When Vivienne finally held the red marriage certificate in her hands, it still felt unreal.
Like a dream.
“Are we going to your place or mine tonight?” Lucien asked.
Vivienne, still in a daze, blurted out, “We’re living together?”
Lucien chuckled. His features were sharp, his aura naturally imposing. But at this moment, his eyes softened, his demeanor turning almost gentle. Slowly, he removed his scarf and carefully wrapped it around her neck.
“Yes. Otherwise, how am I supposed to protect you?”
The scarf still carried his warmth. A faint minty scent lingered in the fabric–fresh and clean, yet inexplicably comforting. Vivienne felt… something. Something strange.
“That… that doesn’t seem appropriate,” she mumbled.
“But your ex–husband..” Lucien trailed off meaningfully.
She was scared.She knew she needed protection. Lucien suggested, “If you’re uncomfortable, we can stay at a hotel tonight.”
Vivienne hesitated. They were already married–even if it was a contract marriage, they would have to coexist at some point.
No. She needed to trust the person she had chosen. Lucien had once served in military. There was no one better suited to protect her.
“Let’s go to my place first,” she decided. “I need to pack a few things. After that, we can stay at yours.”
Worried he’d misunderstand, she quickly added, “My place is pretty small–you wouldn’t be comfortable there. I, on the other hand, can sleep anywhere. I just need a room.”
Lucien’s lips curled slightly. “Alright. Whatever you say.”
After getting into the car, Vivienne’s face still felt warm Lucien’s tone and attitude were perfectly normal, yet for some reason, there was an inexplicable husbandly vibe about him.
But as she thought about how the West family had always guarded against her and looked down on her, a new worry crept in How would Lucien’s family see her? Was this marriage decision too impulsive? She really hoped she hadn’t just escaped one nightmare only to walk into another,
Her mind was a chaotic mess, filled with scattered thoughts. A faint sense of regret crept in.
If things went wrong she could always divorce him.
The car pulled up in front of her pink–themed apartinent complex. As she opened the door, realization hit her.
“Um… If you really hate the room, we can stay somewhere else. My parents decorated it for me when I was younger. I really liked pink back then.
Her face burned. She could already imagine hiru ridiculing her.
Setting
