Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Back in the bathroom, Rebecca swiftly switched email accounts on her phone for safety.

She unwrapped her towel, combing through her semi–dry locks before returning. In mere minutes, Vance had drained another glass. The bottle was now half–empty.

“I’ll keep it moderate–no drunken repeats,” he said, justifying the lapse. “Too much stress lately. Need to unwind a bit.”

“Oh,” she responded flatly

She had once risked her life to save him, but now the debt was cleared. She’d honor his choices without interference. He gestured toward the plate. “Their steaks are good. Eat it while it’s hot.”

She declined, “I’ve had enough tonight. Can’t manage more.”

He offered a rueful smile. “You certainly enjoyed your evening.”

She nodded. “It was indeed enjoyable.”

Refilling his glass, he shook his head and sighed, “Impressive. You thrive while my deals crumble one by one.”

She was tempted to retort, “Is it because of me that they failed? Don’t you know how it happened?”

But this argument felt like a broken record–pointless. No matter how much she debated, she couldn’t change his mind. It was better to let it go than waste her breath.

So, she simply stayed quiet, cradling her glass of water and sipping it slowly.

“Rebecca,” he said after finishing nearly half his glass, his brow furrowing. “I know your angle. You’ll say it’s all Cathy’s fault.”

After the initial surprise, he relaxed. “Glad you see it. Catherine’s pampered upbringing left her unprepared for suffering. After returning, she’s dealt with so much, so I pay more attention to her. Sure, she can be a bit headstrong and doesn’t always know how to read a situation, but that’s just who she is. Everyone admired her pure innocence and liveliness. Age doesn’t erase that. Core traits endure.”

She popped a grape into her mouth. “Makes sense.”

He chuckled, a rarity before her, but it was courtesy of Catherine.

She couldn’t help but recall a line from a romance novel: [The young master hasn’t laughed like this in a long time.]

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It suited Vance perfectly. The only twist was that in the novels, the male lead laughed because of the female protagonist, whereas here, it was because of a supporting character.

Chapter 70