CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: SATISFACTION

Sienna Monroe was taken aback.

She didn’t expect an unexpected surprise.

She opened her mouth in disbelief, "Vivian, you really..."

"I didn’t! How could I hate you? We’ve known each other for so many years, you can’t doubt me because of something an outsider said."

Vivian Nash’s heart skipped a beat, she choked with sadness, and her voice carried a tremble of grievance.

She then looked at Stella Yates on the other side, "Stella Yates, what grounds do you have to speculate about me like this? What are you to me? Do you know me well? That day I felt embarrassed, but afterward I understood, Sienna had her reasons, with the event approaching, if that acrylic board fell, it could have cost lives, that’s why I panicked. You interrupted me before I finished, what right do you have to criticize me?"

She pretended to be strong and sniffed, "And, are you still bold enough to bring up yesterday? Wasn’t my demotion because of you? If you hadn’t posted that photo in the group chat, would I have been implicated? You still refuse to admit it."

"Let alone that, I didn’t hold it against you, and now you turn on me instead, Stella Yates, do you even have a conscience?"

"Yesterday’s incident wasn’t me, that photo wasn’t taken by me, and just now I wasn’t trying to bump into the director," Stella cried and explained, "I won’t admit to something I didn’t do, I clearly saw you retract your foot."

Vivian gritted her teeth, "I’m not that malicious, to harm Sienna over such a small thing, or you. Moreover, knowing she was pregnant, to trip you and make you bump into her - I couldn’t do such a vile thing. If you insist on pinning this on me, then show me the evidence."

Vivian’s logic was clear, every word sharp, well-reasoned, leaving Stella’s words in disarray.

She also played the victim card a bit, looking so pitiful that everyone present felt sorry for her.

As everyone around shot sympathetic glances towards Vivian, Stella grew anxious, tears uncontrollably fell again.

"I... I didn’t intend to harm the director either, she brought me into the gallery, and taught me a lot, I’m too grateful to her to possibly bump into her!"

Vivian seized the opportunity to counter, "If that’s not intentional, then why are you biting back at me?"

"I didn’t! I’m telling the truth! Vivian Nash, you’re the one lying, deceiving everyone!"

Stella, after all, was young, with thin skin; with just a few words, Vivian had her defensive line crumbling.

In her effort to prove herself, she fell into the trap of self-justification.

She feared the director wouldn’t believe her, that everyone would think she was vicious, trying to cause Sienna to miscarry.

Such draining anxious thoughts drove her to prove herself, rushing to Vivian, "Why do you want to falsely accuse me? Why?!"

As she finished, her emotions overwhelmed her, reaching out to push Vivian.

A loud "bang" was heard.

Vivian fell to the ground, looking fragile and pitiable, her long skirt lifted to her knees, hair messily covering her forehead.

Her first sensation wasn’t pain but shame and embarrassment, she slowly raised her head in disbelief to look at Stella, her lips trembling, "You... Stella... you’re too... much!"

Everything happened too suddenly; Sienna was quite surprised too.

She intended just to see the plan fail, then for Stella to fall short from it, never expecting Stella to resort to physical action because she lost the argument.

But... could this be considered karma?

She glanced at Nora, who quickly caught on and immediately stepped forward to help Vivian up.

Sienna then mimicked her earlier falsely concerned demeanor, stepping forward to ask, "Vivian, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Should we go to the hospital for a checkup?"

Her words sounded not only familiar but also as if she was watching a joke play out.

Vivian felt a flash of awkwardness and embarrassment in her eyes.

All the emotions tangled within her heart, making her feel a suffocating urge to tear Stella, this bitch, to pieces.

She hadn’t caused Sienna to miscarry, yet she got pushed and fell, affecting her image and possibly her relationship with Sienna due to Stella’s words.

She choked back her words with gritted teeth, "Just a little skin break on my hand, I’ll buy some ointment later, it’s not a big deal."

"Glad to hear," Sienna feigned a sigh of relief, using the opportunity to mediate, "Let’s just drop today’s issue, it’ll be a mess if we continue, besides, the gallery needs everyone now more than ever. I won’t pursue whether any of you did it on purpose, or who tripped whom. Time’s getting on, if there’s work left unfinished, just get it done and aim to leave early today."

She turned to Vivian and Stella, "It seems you two won’t be able to work together anymore."

Hearing this, Stella felt a chill in her heart, knowing she was about to be fired, her shoulders slumped.

She looked at how Sienna showed care for Vivian and realized, explaining more wouldn’t help.

After all, the fact that she had gotten physical was undeniable.

Just as she was about to succumb to feelings of grievance and sadness, Sienna suddenly asked, "Stella Yates, do you want to transfer to Group B, or over to the layout group?"

Stella was stunned, "Director, you’re not firing me?"

"The gallery needs as many hands as possible right now, with Teacher Audrey and Teacher Faye possibly holding a joint exhibition, it’s going to get busier, and it’s short notice to hire new people."

Her words offered a reasonable explanation to Vivian as well.

She believed no one’s words, didn’t blame Stella, nor did she delve into accusations of who tripped whom.

Vivian, though still somewhat bitter inside, had no choice but to swallow today’s grievance and injustice down.

"For Sienna’s sake, I won’t hold it against you."

Stella’s view of Vivian shattered, she just bowed and thanked Sienna, not sparing Vivian a single glance as she turned and left.

Sienna eyed Vivian, who had failed to achieve her goal.

She felt a sense of relief and satisfaction internally.

Yet outwardly, she said, "Sorry about this, Vivian, for the grievances you suffered."

Vivian’s pure and beautiful face filled with understanding and gentle fragility, her gaze rested on the doorway for two seconds, quickly turning moist with tears, "It’s okay, as long as I know you trust me and are on my side, that’s enough."

Sienna noticed her pause, glanced over, and saw a tall, upright figure come into view.

A gray suit wrapped around a man’s well-proportioned frame, beneath the glasses, those amorous eyes always looked at her with a gentle smile.

As he approached, Caleb Sinclair immediately noticed the bruise on Sienna’s elbow, his eyes darkened, the gentleness vanished, replaced by urgency and distress, "Wife, why is there such a big bruise? Did you fall?"