The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 346

Zoe knew she had crossed a line.

"I'm sorry, Miss Fairchild."

Vivian did not respond; she simply hung up the phone.

She stared at the scenery outside the window. The wind swept the leaves into the air, swirling them around for a brief moment before they drifted gently back to the ground.

They said fallen leaves always returned to their roots.

Yet, after living for twenty-five years, she still had no idea where her own roots belonged.

By nine o'clock that evening, Silas still had not returned. Mrs. Gable stayed behind, worried that Vivian might need something.

The sound of a car engine echoed in the courtyard, bringing an uninvited guest to the villa.

Mrs. Gable went to answer the door and froze when she saw the woman standing there.

"Miss Gifford?"

"I'm here for Vivian."

"You can't go in, Miss Fairchild is..."

Grace looked up, utterly in disbelief.

This housekeeper had taken care of Silas for years. Whenever Grace used to visit, the older woman had always been incredibly warm and welcoming. How much time had really passed? To think she was completely taking Vivian's side now.

Did that woman possess some kind of dark magic?

Before Grace could lose her temper, Vivian's voice rang out from inside.

"Mrs. Gable, let her in."

A second later, the housekeeper stepped aside.

Grace stood frozen for a moment before stepping inside. She was no stranger to this villa. Silas had even indulged her enough to let her decorate a guest room for herself, though she had never actually stayed the night.

Now, everything here seemed the same, yet simultaneously completely different.

A space occupied by a woman always bore the heavy, undeniable mark of her personal touch.

"You...!"

Grace's hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, her gaze burning with pure hatred.

In just one short day, she had endured far too much. The emotions she had been holding back completely collapsed in this moment.

It was all Vivian's fault.

All of it!

If Vivian hadn't shown up, maybe she and Silas would have gotten back together by now. Her family wouldn't be dealing with all this endless chaos. If she couldn't blame Vivian, who else could she blame?!

Grace's eyes were red. She closed the distance, stopping right in front of Vivian. Every word dripped with venom. "Harrison didn't actually do anything to you, did he? So why did you have to be so vicious? Do you realize you completely ruined his life? You're a total monster!"

"A monster?" A faint, mocking smirk touched Vivian's lips. She looked straight into the other woman's eyes, enunciating every syllable clearly. "You should be glad someone else got to him before I did. If it were me, I wouldn't have just emasculated him. I would have made sure he spent the rest of his life living like a dog."

Smack.

Trembling all over, unable to take it anymore, Grace slapped Vivian hard across the face.