Chapter 244: Inform Her

Derek’s dark eyes, catching the light, twinkled like stars scattered across the night sky. A brief encounter with his gaze was enough to hold any woman spellbound, making it difficult to break away. Caught up in her reverie, Vivienne barely noticed his lips brush hers. In the silence of the private room, a heavy, unspoken tension filled every corner.

Abruptly, the ring of Vivienne’s phone pierced the air. The caller ID showed it was Benjamin. With a slight furrow of her brows, Vivienne answered, respectfully saying, “Hello, Grandpa.”

A steady, familiar voice crackled through the phone. “It’s me, Leland.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Vivienne’s face. “Leland?”

“Miss Hayes, your grandfather has seen the news online. Your uncles are facing consequences in the study. Would you care to observe?”

Vivienne stood abruptly. “I’m on my way!”

Derek’s expression clouded as he watched her hasty departure. “What’s happened?”

“Drive me to the Sinclair mansion, please!”

As they drove, Vivienne explained the situation. Derek’s mouth twisted into a wry smile. “I feared it was something terrible.”

“If Grandpa enforces traditional family discipline, my uncles will suffer greatly.” She swung the car door open and strode away without looking back.

From the car, Derek watched her retreating figure, his smile deepening. He hadn't fully appreciated Benjamin’s deep fondness for Vivienne; such affection would pose a significant obstacle to his plans.

Upon arriving at the Sinclair mansion, Vivienne headed straight for the study. Approaching the door, she heard Benjamin’s stern voice scolding, “I entrusted Vivienne to your care, expecting her safety and well-being to be your priority. What have you done instead? You’ve watched her entangled in this chaos! Is this how uncles should behave?”

The sharp crack of wood meeting flesh followed. Outside the door, Vivienne felt a shiver. She inhaled deeply before knocking lightly.

“Who’s there?” Benjamin asked angrily.

With a nervous gulp, Vivienne replied, “Grandpa, it’s me.”

An instant later, Benjamin thundered, “Did you two inform her of this?”

Cameron and Waldo remained silent.

Gathering her courage, Vivienne opened the door and stepped inside just as Benjamin was about to strike her uncles again. The sight made her tremble.

“Grandpa, please, drink some water to ease your mind,” Vivienne said sweetly, offering a glass.

Benjamin glanced at her, accepted the water, and passed her the wooden ruler. As Vivienne exchanged knowing looks with her uncles, Benjamin watched quietly. He set the glass down with a soft thud.

Startled back to the present, Vivienne smiled charmingly. “Let me ease your tension with a shoulder massage.”

“Why have you returned so late?” Benjamin looked at her closely, his frown deepening at the fatigue in her eyes. “Vivienne, I intended the company to be a distraction, not a burden.”

The Sinclair family’s legacy would ultimately rest in Vivienne’s hands. For now, her role was to familiarize herself with business management, though Benjamin hadn’t anticipated her taking it to such lengths.

“Grandpa, you trusted me with the company; I couldn’t possibly find it burdensome.” Vivienne laughed, her eyes flicking toward her uncles, skillfully changing the subject. “Really, compared to my uncles, I hardly think I have it hard.”

Benjamin emitted a skeptical grunt. “They have it tough? Really?”