Awakened Housewife Ignore Betrayer's Begs (Scarlett) novel Chapter 646

Vincent didn't turn around, but his voice carried clearly to Sabrina. "If she gives you any trouble, come find me. You're with me now—no one gets to mess with you."

Even without seeing his face, Sabrina felt a sudden warmth spread through her chest. She smiled faintly and replied, "Okay."

Just then, Vanessa tugged gently on Sabrina's sleeve.

Sabrina crouched down to her eye level, resting her hands lightly on the little girl's shoulders. "What's up, sweetheart?"

Vanessa stepped closer, cupped Sabrina's face in her small hands, and said in a soft, earnest voice, "Sabrina, Grandma's just like Mommy—they're not nice people. So don't let anything they say get to you. Me and Daddy are on your side."

Then she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Sabrina's neck.

Sabrina hugged her back, murmuring, "All right. I'll do whatever Vanessa says."

While the two were comforting each other, Vincent had already made his way upstairs.

He entered the study and took a seat at the desk.

Lifting the cover of his leather-bound planner, he pulled out the court summons tucked beneath it.

His eyes scanned the plainly stated grounds for litigation, and an unexpected chill settled in his chest.

Without hesitation, he crumpled the paper tightly in his fist.

But then the study door eased open. Sabrina stepped inside.

She took in Vincent's darkened expression and the crumpled document in his hand. It was clear he was upset.

Still, she chose to ignore the tension in the air. Moving closer to the desk, she asked gently, "Vincent... want to go build a snowman?"

Vincent's grip on the summons loosened slightly. He looked up at her.

After a long pause, he gave a slow nod. "Yeah. Okay."

Seeing him agree, Sabrina added quickly, "It's been snowing so hard these last couple of days. Vanessa mentioned she really wants to make one too."

Vincent pushed back his chair and stood. "Alright then. Let's go—I'll join you."

Sabrina hesitated for a second. There was something oddly distant about him in that moment.

Soon the three of them were out in the modest backyard.

Vanessa was already in her element—completely unfazed by the cold. She plopped right down in the snow and started rolling a ball for the snowman's base. Sabrina stayed beside her, helping pat and shape the snow.

Vincent stood quietly off to the side, watching them laugh and play. Little by little, the stiffness in his chest began to soften.

The summons was still in his hand.

After a moment, he lifted it and looked at it once more.

Maybe it really was time to put an end to all of it, he found himself thinking.

Claire noticed but didn't press.

"It's different when it's just us girls," she said breezily. "Come on, let me take you out. Maybe we can even do a little shopping—pick out something nice for you."

Scarlett didn't object. "Alright, let's go."

After a quick breakfast, Claire wheeled Scarlett out of Theron Manor.

Outside, the snow was still falling steadily, but that didn't dampen the mood of two women determined to enjoy their day out.

They caught a cab and headed straight for the nearest shopping mall.

Inside, they wandered from store to store without any real plan, pausing whenever something caught their eye. Claire picked up a couple of cute accessories here and there, and before long, a few small shopping bags hung from the back of Scarlett's wheelchair.

Then they entered a boutique women's clothing store.

Almost immediately, Scarlett heard a familiar young voice exclaim, "Sabrina, that dress is so pretty! You look like an angel. Look—Daddy can't stop staring."

For a second, Scarlett thought she was imagining things. But when she lifted her gaze, there they were: Vincent, Vanessa, and Sabrina, standing together like a perfect little family.

Sabrina was standing before a full-length mirror, turning slightly to see the back of the dress. In one of those turns, her eyes met Scarlett's reflection—and Claire's beside her—in the mirror.

Scarlett looked away almost instantly. Keeping her voice low, she said to Claire, "Let's go somewhere else."