Half-Hearted: Mr. Sinclair, Stop the Act!-Chapter 99: Ning’s Mother Arrives in the Capital
When Caleb Sinclair came back, it was already half past ten.
Sienna Monroe was eating a late-night snack prepared by Auntie Miller.
Nora Joyce had bought many desserts in the afternoon, and she had eaten quite a bit, so she didn’t have much appetite in the evening. After ten o’clock, her stomach began to growl with hunger.
When she heard the sound of a car engine outside, her hand paused.
She knew it was Caleb Sinclair who had come back.
Before long, Caleb appeared in her view.
She stopped for just two seconds before she smiled warmly, "You’re back. Did you drink? I had Auntie Miller prepare some hangover soup for you. You should drink a bowl while it’s hot..."
Caleb looked at her gentle, bright, and beautiful face, and he froze on the spot.
The guilt that had briefly cooled surged back like a tide, almost drowning him.
What was he doing?
Why did he still feel sympathy and pity for Vivian Nash?
Sienna was so good to him, so considerate, and she was pregnant. How could he still entertain the thought of contacting Vivian Nash?
Sienna watched him stand still, his eyes behind the glasses filled with self-reproach and immense shame.
She knew instantly what he was thinking.
It was just like this, feeling guilty towards her on one hand, and unable to let go of Vivian Nash on the other.
His heart was divided just right.
Half of it was here with her, and the other half was with Vivian Nash.
It didn’t matter anymore.
What she needed now was his guilt towards her.
But this guilt alone was far from enough, not enough to make her give up her shares in Radiance Beauty Spa.
She quickly hid the emotions in her eyes, walked over, and her smile turned into a look of worry, "What’s wrong? Standing here in a daze."
Caleb snapped back to reality and murmured, "Honey, I’m sorry..."
Sienna’s heart sank.
His "I’m sorry" was like salt, like chili powder, endlessly sprinkled on her heart.
It hurt, and was harsh to hear.
She furrowed her brows, feigning suspicion as she looked at him, "Why does it feel like you’ve been apologizing to me a lot lately? Did you do something wrong to me? Is there someone else outside?"
Caleb’s heart was touched by something fiercely when he heard that.
He laughed helplessly, "Heaven and earth can bear witness; I really haven’t. I was just worried that since you’re pregnant and I had a few drinks at a gathering tonight, the smell of alcohol might be unbearable for you."
Sienna did smell the alcohol on him, wrinkling her nose, and instinctively took a few steps back.
"Then drink the hangover soup first and go up to wash up."
Seeing her obvious look of disdain, Caleb was amused—if it were any other time, he would have hugged her just to tease her with the smell.
But since she’s pregnant now, he couldn’t do that.
His eyes filled with laughter, the guilt slowly retreating, "Alright, I’ll do everything you say. You eat first."
Auntie Miller brought the hangover soup over, and he drank it all in one go before heading upstairs to change.
Sienna averted her gaze, her smile faded a bit, and the shrimp wontons in the bowl suddenly seemed tasteless.
Suppressing the nausea in her heart, she randomly had a few bites and let Auntie Miller take the bowl away.
Just as she was about to go upstairs, her phone in her bag suddenly rang.
Ding!
[Vivian Nash’s mother will arrive in Imperial City tomorrow afternoon. It was June Ewing who revealed the Rippling Crest Estates address to her mother. Her mother plans to take Vivian back to Serenvale to get married, and the groom has already been chosen—an elementary school teacher.]
Sienna was filled with shock and disbelief upon seeing this message.
Her eyes widened slightly.
It was within her expectations that Vivian’s mother would come to Imperial City.
But she never expected her to take Vivian back to get married, and even the groom had been chosen.
June Ewing was indeed ruthless.
She had destroyed Vivian’s reputation in Imperial City so thoroughly that she couldn’t stay here and had no choice but to obediently return to her hometown to follow her parents’ arrangements.
Vivian’s parents certainly wouldn’t let this embarrassing issue become blown out of proportion.
Taking Vivian back to get married now wasn’t a bad way to cover up the shame.
But... Is Vivian the type to yield so easily?
She didn’t seem like the type to obediently go back for an arranged marriage.
The luxurious life she has now isn’t something an elementary school teacher can provide.
Once someone gets used to a good life, even if life before wasn’t bad, returning to it can create a huge sense of loss.
The villa, luxury cars, branded bags, and jewelry she’s enjoyed for over a year are enough to nourish Vivian’s vanity.
Even if she has to go back, she wouldn’t give up these things easily.
*
From eight o’clock, Vivian Nash had been eagerly waiting at the Rippling Crest Estates, until it was half past ten, the outside of the villa remained quiet.
A crescent moon hung in the chilly night sky, casting a faint silver light, making the serene and luxurious villa district appear a bit desolate.
Vivian sat on the living room sofa, constantly taking deep breaths and continuously comforting herself in her heart.
What if he was on his way?
After settling her mind for more than ten minutes, she began to feel anxious again.
After eleven, she finally couldn’t sit still, picked up her phone, and dialed Caleb Sinclair’s number.
But it showed she couldn’t get through.
Just like the past few days.
She was still on his blacklist.
Vivian gritted her teeth, her knuckles whitely clutching the phone.
As time passed by second by second, she sat tensely until two-thirty, her poise and calm maintained for several hours were ripped apart by reality like a knife, driving her into a frenzy.
She knew that Caleb wouldn’t come.
He broke his promise again.
He had clearly... clearly promised her.
Why?
Why exactly?!
Was it just to drive her away in the afternoon?
Vivian’s tears fell again, the surging anger and hatred filled her entire body, eventually unleashing them by sweeping the set of cups off the table onto the floor.
This night was still a sleepless one for her.
After her outburst, she sat lifelessly on the living room sofa all night until the horizon brightened with threads of light seeping through the heavy curtains into the dark room.
Maybe it was from sitting for too long, Vivian didn’t go upstairs but lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.
When she woke up again, it was the call from the security post at the entrance of the estate that disturbed her.
By now it was already past two in the afternoon.
After a night of emotional exhaustion, upon waking, Vivian felt as if her head had been severely crushed by something heavy.
It hurt a lot.
She rubbed her temples, frowned at the phone, suppressed the inexplicable annoyance rising in her heart, and answered the call.
From the other end of the phone came the security guard’s voice, "Miss Nash, there’s a woman outside claiming to be your mother. I’m calling to confirm with you."
Mom?
Vivian was jolted, her breath halted, and the sleepiness and headache vanished instantly.
Impossible.
Her mom didn’t know the address of Rippling Crest Estates at all, and besides, it wasn’t even winter break; how could she be here to find her?
Could it be that person pretending again?
Recalling the scene from the afternoon before yesterday, her blood boiled, she clenched her fist, gritting her teeth, and said, "That’s not my mom!"
The security guard responded and relayed to the woman outside, "Miss Nash said she doesn’t know you. You better leave and stop causing trouble, or I’ll have to call the police."
As the call was ending, Vivian faintly heard a familiar voice from the phone.
"Why? Now that she’s living in such a nice villa, she doesn’t even want to acknowledge her mother?"
Vivian was stunned, breaking out in a cold sweat.
That voice...
Could her mom really be here?
How could it be...
She opened her mouth, her heart racing uncontrollably, the overwhelming panic making it hard for her to breathe, and after a long while, she managed in a faint voice, "Let her in..."
