Chapter 23

• Vivian sat in silence, weighing the situation carefully. Adrian leaving Cassandra had its risks. It wasn’t just about their personal relationship—it could also affect his standing, his reputation, and ultimately, their future together. Vivian wasn’t blind to the reality of their world. Every decision had consequences.
• But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she couldn’t stand Cassandra’s presence any longer. The woman had a way of drawing people in, her perfect smiles masking an undeniable influence over those around her. Vivian had felt it from their very first meeting—that quiet sense of unease, the fear that one day, Adrian might see Cassandra in a different light. Might begin to regret letting her go.
• If Adrian went through with the seperation, Vivian would be his only wife. No more divided loyalties, no more uncertainty. Her father had never approved of her marrying a man who already had a fiance. Even if Cassandra and Adrian’s bethrodment had been in name only, the technicalities still stood. Vivian was supposed to be his equal, but in society’s eyes, she would always be the second woman, the addition, the afterthought. That truth had always been a bitter pill to swallow.