His 181St Second (Laverne and Marina) novel Chapter 23

**Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale**
**Chapter 23**

Lavern stood frozen, his body rigid and his face twisted into a grimace that could only be described as a mask of fury. His eyes burned into Marina’s, the anger simmering just beneath the surface, ready to boil over at any moment.

Marina, however, held his gaze with an unyielding confidence, a slight smile playing on her lips that hinted at her amusement. “If you’re truly that hungry, why not step outside? The breakfast spots around here offer far more choices than anything I could whip up,” she suggested, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Instantly, Lavern’s expression turned icy, his heart thundering in his chest. “After all these years together, can’t you at least trust me a little?” he shot back, his voice low and tense.

Marina raised her chin, meeting his cold stare with unwavering determination.

His expression was devoid of remorse, as if her accusations were nothing more than absurd fabrications meant to tarnish his reputation. She had to stifle the urge to applaud his audacity; it was almost impressive how he could wear his arrogance like armor.

“I’ve already let the person go and explained everything to you. How long do you intend to drag this out?” he pressed, his frustration palpable.

Marina regarded him with the scrutiny of a detective interrogating a suspect, and it was this unwavering gaze that sent him spiraling over the edge of his composure.

Yet, Marina remained unfazed by his explosive anger. The sarcasm in her expression sharpened, almost as if she were savoring the spectacle unfolding before her. “You really think I’m that naive, Lavern?” she challenged, her voice cool and steady.

A jolt of panic flickered in his eyes, but in a desperate attempt to save face, he doubled down on his feigned outrage. His features contorted into a grimace that bordered on the absurd, a dark caricature of his true feelings.

Marina observed him, a genuine sense of amusement lighting up her eyes. After seven years of being together, she could read him like an open book, deciphering every twitch of his brow and every subtle movement of his hands.

He had already revealed his true emotions, yet he still clung to the illusion that he was hiding them perfectly.

The mockery in her gaze finally pushed him into a state of furious humiliation.

“You…” he began, but his words were cut short by the shrill ringtone of her phone.

Marina’s eyes flicked to the device resting on the table beside her, and her eyebrow arched in surprise; it was Thomas Macias, the president of Cloud Group, calling.

Before she could reach for it, Lavern swooped in, snatching the phone from her grasp. He frowned at her before answering and switching it to speaker mode, his irritation palpable.

“Ms. Finley, I’ve reflected on our conversation from yesterday,” Thomas’s voice came through the speaker, smooth and professional. “Let’s arrange a time to finalize that contract.”

Lavern’s brow furrowed as he shot Marina a confused glance, his mind racing with questions.

Marina clenched her fists at her sides but maintained her composure, stepping forward to reclaim the phone from Lavern’s grip. “Perfect, Mr. Macias. We’ll adhere to the previous terms. We can fine-tune the details once I arrive,” she replied, her tone smooth and confident.

“Sounds good,” Thomas agreed, and after exchanging a few polite remarks, Marina hung up the call.

Lavern loomed beside her, his expression dark and brooding like an impending storm. “I’ll handle the company matters. You’ve been out of the loop for a while; you don’t understand the current market demands. Reaching out to Thomas behind my back is just sabotaging my strategy,” he stated, his voice sharp.

That was precisely her intention—to derail his carefully laid plans. She envisioned snatching up all of Ross Group’s key partners before he even realized what was happening, all while plotting to return to Vidield and launch her own venture.

Unfortunately, many of the contracts were still tied up in red tape.

“Yes, I may have stepped back from the day-to-day operations, but let’s not forget that I own 51% of Ross Group’s shares. I’m the controlling shareholder, which means I make the decisions regarding the company,” she countered, her tone unwavering.

With that, Marina pocketed her phone, dismissing him entirely as she gathered the dishes and headed toward the kitchen.

Lavern’s chest heaved with frustration as he tugged at his collar, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.

At that moment, his phone buzzed to life, a cutesy, romantic melody that now felt unbearably grating.

He cast a cold glare at Marina, who was rinsing dishes in the kitchen, before swiping to answer the call and pressing it to his ear. “What is it?” he demanded, his tone harsh and unyielding.

The caller hesitated before responding tentatively, “Lavern, Carrie’s here at my place.”

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