Everything was a deal until divorce novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17 Cracks in the Mask

Disgust flickered through her eyes.

“Is that so?” Vivienne said softly. “Aren’t you curious whose child I was carrying three years ago?”

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Arden met her gaze head–on and gave a brief, flat response. “Oh. You’re trying to tell me it was Dorian’s? He’s right here. You don’t need to beat around the bush.”

No one expected Arden to be that blunt. Vivienne’s eyes reddened instantly. She turned to look at Dorian. tears gathering as she spoke, her voice trembling. “Dorian, look at her. How could she slander me like this?”

As she finished speaking, she pressed a hand to her stomach and let out a faint groan, her expression Twisting in pain.

Arden laughed coldly. “Vivienne, are you really doing this again? Trying to stage another miscarriage and pin it on me?”

She looked straight at her. “It won’t work this time.”

Dorian glanced at Arden, took the cigarette from his lips, and held it between his fingers. He called her name, “Arden.”

His voice was icy. Arden met his gaze without flinching. “What, feeling sorry for her already?”

Her tone was sharp with sarcasm. “She came at me first. Whether she’s pregnant or not, whether there’s a child or not, does any of that have anything to do with me?” she continued. “Or is the kid yours, so you’re upset? Then you’re talking to the wrong person. You should be calling Vivienne instead.”

Dorian took a hard drag on his cigarette. Smoke curled around his eyes as his gaze turned ruthless. He stared at her and said coldly, “Arden. She’s in pain. Where did all your manners go?”

Vivienne groaned louder, clutching her stomach. Cold sweat formed on her forehead.

Dorian’s expression changed. He immediately waved over a server. “Get her a glass of warm milk.”

Then he turned back to Arden, his voice dark. “Apologize to her.”

Arden looked at him coolly, her tone even colder. “No, I won’t apologize. She deserves it.”

She stood up and pulled Isla with her. “I won’t stay here and ruin Mr. Vale and Miss Ash’s mood any longer. I’ve shown up, so consider that enough.”

She smiled thinly. “Happy birthday, Mr. Vale. May you be surrounded by beautiful women, may your career soar, and may children line up every day calling you their father.”

“With that, she turned to leave, still holding Isla’s hand. Dorian’s brow twitched. “Who said you could

leave?”

She had challenged him at every turn tonight. Nothing like the obedient woman she used to be. Arden’s next words only fueled his anger. “So many beautiful women around you and you’re still not

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Chapter 17 Cracks in the Mask

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satisfied?”

She looked at him coolly. “Am I killing the mood by being here? Or is there really something going on between you and the child in Vivienne’s belly?”

As she finished speaking, she glanced at Vivienne, grabbed the decanter of red wine from the table, and poured it straight over her head.

“Shameless,” Arden said coldly. “Always acting fragile, always recycling the same old setup from three years ago. Don’t think I’m someone you can push around every time. You want to repeat history and dump it on me again? Dream on.”

Ice–cold wine drenched Vivienne from head to toe.

She immediately crouched down, clutching her stomach. “My stomach hurts so bad. Dorian.”

She reached out to grab him, but Dorian subtly stepped aside. He looked at Arden, surprised. “You’re still going to make a scene?”

“Of course,” Arden replied calmly. “The bigger the better. Everyone should know.”

She pointed at Vivienne. “Vivienne is pregnant with Mr. Vale’s child. Mr. Vale might as well marry her for the kid and make her Mrs. Vale.”

Everything Arden said tonight shattered Dorian’s image of her.

She talked back. And she dared say things like this. Vivienne kept saying she was cold.

Dorian grabbed Cassian’s jacket from nearby and draped it over her. “Go to the hospital first.”

Cassian stood up, baffled. “Are you out of your mind? Your jacket is right next to you. Why are you taking mine?”

Dorian didn’t even look at him. “Yours was closer.”

“Closer my ass,” Cassian snapped. “Your jacket was literally right there.”

Dorian had already taken out his phone and called Lucien. “Miss Ash is unwell. Call an ambulance and take her to the hospital.”

“Dorian, my stomach hurts so much,” Vivienne said weakly. “It must be aftereffects from what happened three years ago. Go with me.”

“I’ll have Lucien take you,” he replied.

Vivienne’s makeup was completely ruined by now. Hearing that he wouldn’t go, she immediately dropped the act. “It doesn’t seem that painful anymore.”

She forced a smile. “It’s your birthday. I don’t want to ruin it. I’ll have my assistant bring me a change of

clothes.”

Everyone present fell silent. Was she even trying to act convincingly?

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Chapter 17 Cracks in the Mask

Isla clicked her tongue. “Wow. You’re really good at this.”

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She didn’t hold back. “Funny how your stomach magically stops hurting the second you hear he’s not going with you. Why not just fake a miscarriage while you’re at it?” Isla continued. “That way you could really pin him down. Maybe Mr. Vale would panic and carry you to the hospital himself.”

She was clearly mocking the staged miscarriage from three years ago that Vivienne had used to frame Arden and spark public outrage.

Noticing Dorian’s face darken instantly, Damon hurried over and pulled Isla back, “Isla, you’ve had too much to drink. Go sit with Arden.”

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