The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 389

Vivian froze for a fraction of a second before a radiant, breathtaking smile bloomed across her face. She maintained the intimate distance, locking her gaze directly with his.

Someone once said the eyes are the windows to the soul.

With them staring so intensely at each other, she felt like she was bridging the gap straight to his heart.

"Have I not succeeded yet?"

Her gaze drifted downwards, slowly scanning his features as if she were physically tracing his face with her eyes, finally locking onto his lips. "Silas... why do I get the feeling that my name is already branded onto your heart?"

"..."

The man's Adam's apple bobbed heavily.

Two seconds later, he tore his gaze away.

He brushed his hand past her ear to grab his phone off the counter. "Don't jump to wild conclusions. And most importantly, since you've made such bold declarations, you'd better keep your distance from other men. I don't like women who are half-hearted."

With that, he brushed past her and walked out of the bathroom.

Vivian looked up slightly, meeting her own gaze in the mirror. Her flawless complexion glowed.

[I don't like women who are half-hearted.]

When was she ever half-hearted?

A sudden memory flashed through her mind, and Vivian's lips curled into a knowing smirk. Silas Sterling really was the king of suppressed jealousy.

Outside the bathroom, Silas didn't linger. He grabbed his suit jacket and headed straight downstairs.

Mrs. Gable poked her head out from the kitchen. "Mr. Sterling, breakfast will be ready in just a..."

Huh?

Why did he leave so fast?

Silas's jaw was clenched tight. He got into the car and slammed the door shut.

Only then did he finally exhale the breath that had been trapped tightly in his chest.

He leaned his head back against the headrest, his prominent Adam's apple emphasizing his overwhelming masculinity. He closed his eyes, hiding the bottomless darkness swirling within them.

Going back three generations, the Sterling family had always maintained strict values. The men in their family had absolutely no history of infidelity or sleeping around. From the exact moment he married Vivian, regardless of whatever contract or conditions bound them, he carried an inescapable responsibility towards her—

At least until their arrangement officially ended.

Silas had originally assumed this was nothing more than a calculated business transaction.

He was feeling shy. That was completely normal. She had to allow it.

After taking her time finishing breakfast, she headed to the office.

Zoe Hunt had gone to the photography studio with the marketing team, leaving Vivian feeling entirely bored. She opened her email to pass the time.

The reason Zoe had remained by her side for so long wasn't just out of loyalty—her sheer competence was undeniable.

Whether Vivian had other plans or not, Zoe always meticulously organized her schedule and sent it over.

If Vivian couldn't attend something, Zoe would handle it in her place.

Today's events were already locked in, and tomorrow she needed to inspect the set construction for an upcoming antiques appraisal show.

Releasing the mouse, Vivian pulled out her phone.

Zoe had recently bought her this new device, and many of the default settings, including app notifications, were still active.

Vivian hadn't bothered to turn them off.

So, the exact second the screen lit up, an entertainment news alert immediately grabbed her attention.