Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 221

Chapter 221

Rebecca couldn’t wrap her head around what Vance was thinking. How on earth did he think she and Catherine could go on a trip together?

“I’ve got a question for you,” Rebecca said. “If the four of us head out on this trip, how exactly are we splitting the rooms?”

The query caught Vance off guard, leaving him momentarily stunned.

“Would it be me sharing with Josette, and you bunking with Catherine?” she pressed on.

His face darkened. “What kind of nonsense is that? You think we’re so strapped for cash we can’t spring for three separate rooms?”

Rebecca’s smirk lingered. “Hey, it’s not like you haven’t pulled something similar before. Remember that time in Arelmoor? I ended up alone in my room while you vanished with Catherine.”

“That was…” Vance stammered, searching for words but coming up empty.

“What?” Rebecca chuckled. “Did you agree to her request not to sleep with me?”

He laughed mirthlessly. “I knew it. You’re still holding onto that grudge.”

In a swift motion, he rolled over and pinned her beneath him. “Isn’t this what you’ve been craving all along?”

She didn’t resist or squirm away. She simply held his gaze, feeling as though he were dangling this intimacy like some reluctant handout.

“I’m on my period,” she stated flatly.

She could have fought, screamed, or bitten him bloody again, but she was done-too exhausted to even pretend.

Vance remained hovering there, his eyes locked on hers in a prolonged, wordless stare. Finally, he conceded, “If that’s the case, hitting the islands right now might not be ideal.”

“No,” she corrected him, “it’s not about the islands being inconvenient for me. I just don’t want to travel

with you two.” 2

Her plans with Josette had never included him.

She continued, “I figure neither Josette nor I would enjoy the sight of you together.”

They were on the brink of new beginnings. Vance was an old, festering scar etched into her soul, one that demanded to be torn away so new skin could form over the wound.

Josette would stand firmly by her side in this decision.

Yet Vance misinterpreted her words entirely, assuming she meant Josette’s traditional values couldn’t

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stomach seeing him with another woman.

Through the blanket, he lowered his full weight onto her, wrapping her in an unexpected embrace, his face nestling into the curve of her shoulder. “About this trip…”

A playful mischief stirred within Rebecca. She allowed the hug instead of pushing him away or freezing

“Mr. Bradford, honey…” she teased.

In five years of marriage, she had rarely called him that. Vance’s body gave a tiny involuntary shiver.

“What is it?” he murmured, tightening his hold.

“So, who are you actually choosing for this getaway? I’ll give you a chance. Pick one,” she said, though deep down, she found the whole exercise futile.

After all, in a moment of life-or-death stakes, he’d already chosen Catherine. What difference would a vacation preference make now?

“I’ll go with you,” he chuckled.

She blinked in genuine astonishment.

“You…” He let out a resigned sigh, reaching over to pinch her cheek affectionately. “Always stewing over these petty things. I’ve told you before; I’m yours for the long haul. What’s the use in bickering over this? But hey, I get it; it’s one of those womanly quirks. Consider this your win. Happy now?”

He shifted off her, settling comfortably back against his pillow. “You haven’t even clued me in on the destination or snagged me a ticket. How am I supposed to tag along? Where are we headed, anyway?”

“How about Colorado?” she suggested casually-anything to steer him as far from Soliaridge as possible.

“Sounds good,” he agreed without hesitation. “You take care of the hotel bookings and tickets, then.”

Propped up on the pillow, he picked up his phone and added, “Oh, and about Soren… It’s more complicated than it looks. We’re still unsure if he’s tangled up in it. If push comes to shove, do we need to post bail or vouch for him?”

“No,” Rebecca replied swiftly. With her departure looming, Soren’s fate was his own to handle. “As I said, since he did that, he should face the consequences.”

Vance fell silent, absorbed in his phone, seemingly chatting with someone.

At this point, Rebecca no longer cared who occupied his attention. She turned away and prepared to sleep.

But just as drowsiness claimed her, he nudged her awake. “All good. I broke the news to Cathy that I’m joining you and Josette instead.”

Rebecca’s eyes fluttered open briefly before she closed them again. He truly believed he was some

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irresistible prize, didn’t he?

When morning arrived, it marked the penultimate day of her countdown to freedom. The following day, she and Josette would set off on their new path.

As was her routine, she video-chatted with Josette first thing, followed by a quick catch-up with Vivian. With Vance’s vacation starting tomorrow, she needed to handle the clothes today, otherwise, he would bother her with endless questions.

Rather than auctioning them on eBay, she opted for a secondhand clothing recycling service from an online marketplace, bagging everything up and arranging for a courier to collect it all.

Then she sat down to map out her next steps. Vance would be staying home tomorrow, but her flight to Arelmoor wasn’t until the day after.

It seemed wiser if she switched to an early morning departure tomorrow. She could head to Josette’s hotel tonight under the pretense of picking her up, only to claim she’d been invited to stay over with Josette’s old friends.

They’d agree to rendezvous at the airport, leaving him to arrive and find them gone.

With the plan solidified, she purchased a ticket for Vance, rescheduled her own flight, and coordinated with Vivian to adjust Josette’s as well.

No sooner had she finished it than Vance’s call came through.

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