Chapter 189 Under his gaze

    Marcelo wrapped his arms around her waist, making it impossible for her to escape his embrace. Taking a deep breath, Renee tried her best to calm herself down.

    She inquired, “Marcelo, would you believe me if I told you Vivian deliberately broke her contract because she knew I was the styling director for that big show, and she wanted to cause trouble for me?”

    Renee observed his reaction.

    He seemed taken aback at first, then his brow furrowed.

    She noticed no signs of disgust, me, or uncertainty on his face when he heard the news. He also didn’t seem to regret his assistance in resolving Vivian’s professional troubles.

    “You don’t believe me.” With a bitter smile, Renee’s demeanor turned icy. The warmth from their earlier closeness had vanished. “Marcelo, let go of me.”

    “It’s not that I don’t believe you.” Of course, Marcelo wouldn’t let her go. “Renee, it’s just that Vivian I know…”

    “The Vivian you know wouldn’t do that, right?” Renee cut in, saying, “Remember at your dad’s birthday party? I mentioned that Vivian was the one who encouraged Catherine to use the champagne tower against me. You didn’t believe it then either.”

    Renee felt a chilling numbness throughout her body and a deep ache in her heart. Her chest felt constricted.

    She fiercely resisted, attempting to break free from his grip, as though she found the notion of remaining on hisp intolerable. Her efforts only seemed to encourage him further.

    Marcelo leaned in, pushing her down onto the sofa, his one hand securing her hands.

    Yet, he was gentle with her, as if trying to soothe her.

    Renee red at him.

    After a few moments, she averted her gaze, turning away with an air of cold indifference.

    “Renee, you’re the one who said we should talk. Stop throwing tantrums, okay?” Marcelo gently held her chin, guided her face toward him, and made her gaze into his eyes.

    He couldn’t bear her refusal to meet his eyes.

    “I’m throwing tantrums?” Reneeughed scornfully. “Then I’ll throw tantrums even more! Marcelo, I want you to dismiss Vivian from Harvillston. Would you do that for me?”

    If Harvillston passed over Vivian for the job, the fashion world would soon start whispering. They’d inevitably unearth the old story of her contract breach with Light.

    Marcelo gave Renee a puzzled look. He couldn’t fathom why she’d made such a request.

    Renee had turned down a position at Harvillston herself. Why was she now intervening in Vivian’s potential hiring?

    He couldn’t grasp why she seemed to harbor animosity towards Vivian, especially since their acquaintance was so brief.

    Following Paul’s birthday celebration, Marcelo, perplexed by her cryptic remarks, had Luke look into any possible connection between Catherine and Vivian.

    The investigation, however, revealed that the party had been Catherine’s first encounter with Vivian. Lost in thought, Marcelo was jolted by the ring of his phone.

    ncing at Renee, he resolved to answer the call first and then talk to her.

    Renee’s lips curled into a sardonic smile.

    Chapter 189 Under his gaze

    Marcelo’s avoidance of a direct answer was his tacit refusal to dismiss Vivian.

    As the phone call progressed, his expression grew stormy. Abruptly, he stood up, a frown creasing his brow.

    “Rence, something came up. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, urgency in his voice.

    Her gaze fell, shrouded in a cold, deste aura.

    She had seen the caller ID.

    It was Vivian.

    A single call from her, and Marcelo was ready to leave.

    “Wait,” Renee said, inhaling deeply to steady herself. “Marcelo, are you really going to leave? Just like that?”

    He turned, his hand gently caressing her face. “I’ll spend tomorrow morning with you, okay?”

    She didn’t want him to go to Vivian.

    “I don’t need you tomorrow morning. I need you now,” She said, her voice tinged with an unusual mix of pride and determination. “This is my final stand.”

    This was her ultimate ultimatum to Marcelo: to choose between her, and Vivian.

    For Renee, it was also a final test of her own resolve.

    “I can’t stay now. There’s an urgent matter I need to attend to,” Marcelo replied softly, trying to soothe her. “Please understand.

    11

    What was so urgent?

    Renee yearned to ask, yet she held back.

    What pressing issue could Vivian possibly have?

    In the eyes of men, the significance of a woman’s concerns often depended on the value they ced on her.

    The nature of the urgency was irrelevant.

    The crux of the matter was that Marcelobeled it ‘urgent‘.

    Renee refused to wallow in misery or endure any more bitter words.

    Once he left, the room sank into a hollow silence.

    It felt starkly vacant.

    Maybe the emptiness wasn’t in the room, but in her heart.

    Marcelo nning to stay with her tomorrow seemed now a distant hollow promise.

    Jessica’s condition worsened despite the medication.

    Upon arriving at the hospital, Marcelo discovered the doctor was hesitant to administer any treatment without his consent.

    “Marcelo, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I should’ve taken better care of your mother. She’s been in such pain, though she took her medication regrly…”

    Vivian’s apologies were interrupted by sobs and sniffles.

    Unbeknownst to anyone, it was Vivian who had switched Jessica’s medication with harmful drugs, triggering her sudden

    Chapter 189 Under his gaze

    decline in health.

    Yet, she had no other options.

    After all, it was only in crises involving Jessica that Marcelo would push to her

    “Don’t overthink it,” Marceloforted her, his wordscking genuine. $18.

    warmth.

    As he watched Jessica being restrained on the bed by the medical team, awaiting the medication’s effect, Renee’s look of disappointment haunted his thoughts.

    Jessica’s situation was fraught with risks.

    Marcelo, not wanting to entangle Renee, kept silent about Jessica’s condition.

    Their marriage, a secret for so long, had led the Kings to believe Marcelo was indifferent to Renee, possibly on the brink of divorce.

    He wanted to protect her from his family.

    And it wasn’t until Paul’s party that the Kings really noticed Renee and also noted that she might be important to Marcelo. But with attention came danger, as Jessica’s unexpected kidnapping proved.

    “Marcelo, your cor’s a bit crinkled.” Vivian stretched up, reaching to straighten his cor. He stepped back, avoiding her

    touch.

    ncing at the creases, he remarked indifferently, “Renee was holding onto it earlier, that’s why.”

    He had no desire to smooth those creases. In his eyes, Vivian’s glimpsed an unusual softness.

    A shadow crossed her face. “Were you with her beforeing here?”

    “I am her husband. It’s natural for us to spend time together, isn’t it?”

    “That’s not what I meant,” Vivian quickly corrected, realizing her slip. “I just hope I’m not intruding on anything.”

    But she had indeed interrupted them.

    Marcelo sat back, legs crossed, eyeing Vivianb, /bcontemtively.

    “Why are you looking at me like that, Marcelo? Is something on my face?” Vivian asked. She felt unnerved under his gaze.

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