Chapter 5

Vivienne Hayes left the Mitchell home possessing nothing of her own, yet she found herself wearing Derek’s suit jacket from the previous night. Limping along the sun-drenched street, a shiver wracked her frame, the warmth of the day unable to penetrate the chill that clung to her. Her fingers trembled as she called Sienna Holt, her closest friend. "Sienna, could you come get me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Twenty minutes later, a sleek red sports car screeched to a halt beside her. Sienna removed her sunglasses, her eyes widening in alarm at Vivienne's bandaged leg. "Honey, what in the world happened to you?"

"Can I stay at your place for a while?" Vivienne's voice was faint as she settled into the passenger seat, recounting her ordeal with Warren in a detached tone.

Sienna's temper ignited. "The Mitchells are a pack of idiots! Do they really think Natalie is superior to you?" Her outrage propelled the car forward as she unleashed a torrent of words. "Without your brilliance, Warren would still be floundering. Is he blind, or simply consumed by greed? How many times have they exploited you? The moment Natalie returned, they discarded you. The Mitchell family is utterly shameless."

Vivienne, composed despite her inner turmoil, replied softly, "Sienna, it seems a life with loving parents and a happy marriage simply isn't in the cards for me."

Sienna's expression softened, her brow furrowing as she remembered Vivienne's difficult childhood. "Don't let this defeat you, sweetheart," she urged gently.

"Now that I see it's not my destiny, I've released my desire for it," Vivienne murmured, a faint smile playing on her lips. "No point in being unhappy anymore." Her eyes fluttered closed. "I'm exhausted. I just need to rest."

Something felt amiss to Sienna. She touched Vivienne's skin—burning hot—and muttered a sharp curse. Immediately, she turned the car toward the hospital, her mind consumed by indignation at the Mitchells' betrayal.

Who had orchestrated their ascent when the Mitchell family struggled in Lyhaton's cutthroat business world? Without Vivienne's ingenuity, would Warren ever have risen to the city's elite? They had valued her when it served their purposes, only to cast her aside upon Natalie's return. Sienna eagerly awaited seeing how long they would survive without Vivienne's support.

Vivienne awoke later in a hospital bed, the room bathed in harsh white light and the sharp scent of antiseptic stinging her senses. Her thoughts cleared slowly, and she surveyed her surroundings. Her gaze fell upon a seated figure, and a spark of recognition tightened her grip on the sheets. "Uncle…" she rasped, her voice hoarse.

Cameron Sinclair rose smoothly, placing a hand on her forehead. Finding it cool, he breathed a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone gentle yet concerned.

Vivienne shook her head slightly, her movements weak yet determined. "I'm okay."

"Sienna told me everything," Cameron said, his eyes noting the weariness etched onto her face. Sorrow and anger flickered in his expression—a quiet sadness for her suffering, a simmering wrath toward the Mitchells.

He took a deep breath, composing himself, and spoke softly. "What are your plans?"