Tanya was momentarily speechless, her heart nearly shattered at the sight of her son’s gaze.
Tanya slowly walked over, placing her hands on Caden’s shoulders, squatting down in front of him.
"Baby, this is a matter between your dad and me. Let us adults handle it, okay?" Tanya assured him, "But there’s one thing I can promise you—my love for you and Joy will never change. Your dad loves you both, too."
The love and hatred between her and Vincent had nothing to do with the two children.
Tanya gently caressed Caden’s adorable face, her eyes moistening.
"Even if I had to go back five years and choose again on the day of delivery, I would still ask the doctor to protect you and Joy."
No matter what, she never regretted giving birth to them, even if it cost five years of her life and made her a vegetable; she hadn’t regretted it for a second!
"..." Caden gently reached out his small hand, wiping away the tears on Tanya’s face.
Tanya smiled softly at him, "Okay, it’s getting late, time to wash up and get ready to rest. There’s school tomorrow."
Caden walked to the door, suddenly remembered something, and looked back at Tanya.
"Next week, the school has a parent-child activity... if you’re really, really free, you can come too."
He quickly finished speaking and ran off before Tanya could respond.
Tanya watched her son’s back, smiling quietly and feeling a tender softness in her heart.
Her precious one invited her, of course, she’d go.
After Caden left, Tanya wrapped up the remaining tasks at hand and set a timer for an email to synchronize with Serena Holloway’s work account at work time.
After finishing, Tanya shut down her computer and took a shower. Official source is novｅlfire.net
She had just come out of the bathroom, wearing her pajamas, when she heard a knock on the door.
Tanya assumed it was Caden and immediately went to open the door with a smile, but this time, the imposing figure outside was Vincent, towering like a mountain.
He looked down at her, his eyes slightly reddened at the corners.
Tanya’s smile faded as she caught a whiff of the alcohol emanating from Vincent.
Tanya frowned slightly.
Although Vincent indulged in smoking and drinking, he was usually self-disciplined.
Yet in this state, she couldn’t discern if he was truly drunk.
"Is something wrong?" Tanya’s tone was calm.
Just that one sentence, coupled with her indifferent expression, turned the composure Vincent had mustered into turmoil, the alcohol becoming a potent catalyst.
"Tanya..." he called her name hoarsely, a tinge of resentment in his voice, "How long do you plan to keep this up with me?"
His overwhelming presence approached, and Tanya had no choice but to step back.
She averted her gaze.
"You’re drunk. Whatever it is, let’s talk when you’re sober."
However, Vincent remained still, his gaze sinking deep, churning up a silent storm.
So... this is her reaction when he’s drunk?
The old Tanya was eager, always concerned about his health. Knowing his stomach wasn’t well, she continually shielded him from drinking at banquets, willing to end up vomiting into the toilet herself rather than let him suffer!
How long did she plan to string him along with this barely concealed indifference?
Vincent suddenly parted his lips in a sharp, cold smile.
"Tanya, it seems I’ve really spoiled you."
Tanya just found it laughable.
She even wanted to ask him when he had ever spoiled her over these years.
But before she could speak, the slender, vulnerable back of her neck was suddenly gripped by his large hand, and she was caught off guard as Vincent pulled her forcefully to him.
Tanya inhaled sharply from the pain, her hand reaching behind to grasp a small metal ornament.
"Vincent, you’re hurting me!" she warned in a restrained voice, anger flickering in her eyes.
She didn’t want to make a scene; the kids might not be asleep yet, and no matter what, Vincent was their father. She didn’t want them to witness any disgraceful scene between their parents.
And Aunt Tawny was downstairs too, undoubtedly the eyes of Old Lady Hawthorne...
"Hurting?" Vincent laughed abruptly. The alcohol wasn’t enough to truly inebriate him, but it dissolved his restraint and patience.
"Tanya." Vincent drew slowly closer, his hot breath brushing her face, his voice hoarse, "I’ve tired of this game of cat and mouse. Be good, let’s end it here."
Tanya was amused by anger.
At this point, he thought she was just playing with him!
Tanya took a deep, controlled breath, one hand against Vincent’s chest, the other clutching the metal ornament behind her back.
"Vincent, you’re drunk." She tried to keep her tone sounding calm, "I’ll have Aunt Tawny brew you a sobering tea..."
"Call Aunt Tawny?" Vincent’s drunken, deep eyes locked onto her, his tone almost amused yet devoid of any real humor.
"And what about you?"
Having just showered, her body exuded a fresh fragrance, soaked in warmth, very tempting.
Vincent’s Adam’s apple rolled slightly.
"Tanya, how do you plan on... taking care of me?"
The hand gripping her neck slid along the slim vertebrae, as if counting her bones, exploring downwards.
Tanya’s skin prickled with goosebumps.
The lust in Vincent’s eyes made her physically nauseated.
She clenched the metal ornament in her hand tightly, slowly raising it behind Vincent...
"Vincent, you’d better stop now." She warned.
She didn’t want to split his head open in the middle of the night, spilling blood and alarming the kids.
But to Vincent, her words were more like a final, coquettish plea.
"Tanya, can we stop this, please?"
He seemed like a good husband yielding for his wife’s sake, even humbly asking her, "Tell me, what do you really want? I’ll give it to you."
As far as he was concerned, Tanya wanted nothing more than for him to love her a bit more, pay a bit more attention to her.
Tanya only found it absurd, what did she want?
She wanted Vincent to leave the marriage with nothing, she wanted custody of both children!
But she wouldn’t say these things now.
To say it would be to give Vincent a chance to prepare.
She pressed against Vincent’s hand on her thigh with force, her clear eyes gazing directly at him, speaking her demand with clarity and composure.
"I want Cindy Lynn out of this project, not to show up at Westgard Pharmaceuticals on Saturday!"
Vincent’s previously intense gaze instantly cooled.