Chapter 37
“Should I stick around to watch you and Natalie make my skin crawl?” Vivienne scoffed, her eyes narrowing as she fixed them on Warren. “The fact that I haven’t thrown up just from looking at your face is the utmost respect I can offer you.”
“Warren,” Natalie’s voice echoed from outside.
“Look, your true love is here,” Vivienne said, her lips curling into a mocking grin, her gaze sharp. “Are you really sure you don’t want to let go?”
Without hesitation, Warren released her hand.
Vivienne’s lips twisted into a sarcastic smile as she turned on her heel and strode away without a backward glance. The moment Warren had abandoned her at the wedding, Vivienne realized that no matter how hard she tried, she could never replace Natalie in his heart. Her heart felt shattered. But some pain only needed to be felt once; there was no need to keep reopening old wounds because of Warren’s mistakes. There were plenty of men in the world; she could move forward without Warren.
As she pushed open the door, ready to leave, she nearly collided with Natalie entering. Natalie’s eyes met hers, a slight arch to her brow and a flash of challenge in her gaze. Vivienne remained unfazed, walking past Natalie as if the other woman didn't exist.
Natalie, feeling completely dismissed, felt a sting of humiliation creep in, her perfectly made-up face tinged with jealousy and anger. She couldn’t stand Vivienne’s condescending air, as if she were superior to everyone. In Natalie’s eyes, Vivienne was just a country girl pretending to belong, and her smugness was unbearable. But then again, the only thing Vivienne truly had to boast about was Warren—and that had been taken from her.
So what if Vivienne had spent three years by his side, or made waves at Mitchell Group? Natalie was confident that Vivienne could never compete with her for Warren’s heart. Vivienne was always destined to be the one left behind, the loser in this game.
“Why aren’t you resting at home? Why did you come out so suddenly?” Warren looked down at Natalie, his eyes soft with concern and affection.
Natalie blinked, her mind snapping back to the present, and offered him a gentle smile. “I know the Sienna family’s withdrawal of investment is stressing you out. I might not understand the business side of things, but I wanted to help. So I went to my dad and asked for his support.”
She held up a folder. “This is the investment proposal he drafted. He’s willing to back the Bayside project. If everything checks out, you just need to sign it.”
“Really?” Warren’s face finally softened, a smile breaking through the cloud that had been hanging over him. He grabbed Natalie’s hand, bringing it to his lips for a tender kiss. “Natalie, you’re my good luck charm.”
Natalie’s eyes flickered, and she subtly steered the conversation. “Warren, Vivienne just left the hospital. Even with everything going on, you should be kinder to her.”
Mentioning Vivienne was like throwing cold water on Warren’s mood. His smile wavered, and he turned his gaze toward Vivienne’s retreating figure, a sense of emptiness settling in. She walked away without a second thought, cutting ties completely, leaving no chance for reconciliation.
He exhaled, briefly mentioning Vivienne’s resignation, his voice cold and sharp. “If she wants to leave, that’s her choice. I just hope she doesn’t regret it later.”
Even though he’d walked away from her at the wedding, Warren never intended to push Vivienne out of the company. He didn’t have feelings for her, but he acknowledged her decisive, efficient, and relentless work ethic. Her sudden resignation surprised him, but he wasn’t bothered by it. If she was determined to go, he saw no reason to try to keep her. Now, he was curious—how would Vivienne fare without Mitchell Group, without him?