Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Vance’s words had wounded Rebecca more deeply than she ever let on.

Even so, she had managed to rationalize it, telling herself that he just hadn’t fallen for her yet. It was normal for him to treat her as an outsider.

She had foolishly believed things would get better, thinking that his private space was only for him and the memories related to his grandmother.

She had been wrong. There was someone else who occupied that sacred space. It was Catherine.

Lost in the bitter swirl of her thoughts, Rebecca stopped paying attention to whatever Vance and Catherine were doing. Then his voice, low and coaxing, pulled her back.

“Cheer up,” he murmured. “I’m not blaming you. Smile. Do it for me. It makes everything feel lighter.”

Through the rearview mirror, Rebecca watched Catherine’s tear-streaked face brighten into a radiant,

almost childlike smile.

So, he was comforting his mistress right in front of her. The absurdity of it nearly made her laugh.

Catherine caught her eye in the mirror and gave her a deliberate, taunting glance. Rebecca responded

with a small, almost amused smile.

Catherine faltered, and Rebecca lost interest in both of them. She closed her eyes and shut them out completely.

Vance drove straight to the police station. When Rebecca stepped out of the car, Catherine cried out theatrically, “Vance, go help her! She can’t walk freely.”

Her loud voice drew glances from people nearby. She was always full of drama, never missing a chance to stir things up, just like Vance’s lapdogs, Aiden and Lucas.

They all seemed desperate to remind the entire world that a woman with a limp could never truly deserve him.

If they insisted on drawing attention to her disability, she would give them exactly what they seemed to want. Standing still, she turned around and whined, “Honey, come quickly. My leg is hurting. Help me, please.”

She knew that he would come. He couldn’t deny their relationship or ignore his duties as a husband.

He still needed her signature to drop the case against Catherine. Only a fool would keep provoking her at such a moment.

Vance paused, then walked over and slid an arm beneath hers to support her weight.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” she said, letting mockery color her tone.

A complicated emotion flickered in his eyes, “If I hadn’t, who knows what kind of scene you would have

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Chapter 191

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made? You always find a way to make things more embarrassing for me.”

That was true.

“You’ve changed so much,” he said quietly, his voice stripped of warmth. “I barely recognize you anymore.

Like an emotionless crutch, he steered her into the police station. The paperwork to withdraw the

complaint was straightforward and mercifully brief.

When they stepped outside again, Vance heaved a sigh of relief. “No matter how things stand between us, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied coolly. “But I only withdrew the case against Catherine. Yours still stands. So, if anyone owes me thanks, it isn’t you.”

“What’s so hard about that?” He shrugged. “Cathy is sweet, you know. She’s always wanted to be friends with you. You’re the one who keeps pushing her away. I’ll call her over now.”

“No need,” Rebecca interrupted firmly. “If she is really grateful, she should just stay out of my sight.”

“Rebecca,” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Why do you have to treat her with such hostility? She only hung a little charm on my rearview mirror. It was a harmless, kind gesture. But you dragged my grandmother into the argument and placed an enormous accusation on her shoulders. How could she handle that?”

Rebecca met his gaze and offered only a faint, silent smile.