His 181St Second (Laverne and Marina) novel Chapter 46

**Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale**
**Chapter 46: E55 Vouchers**

Lavern, clearly brimming with irritation, forcefully brushed aside anyone who dared to impede his path. He plopped down heavily onto the couch, his frustration bubbling over as he began to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Each gulp was a desperate attempt to silence the chaos swirling in his mind.

As he finally seemed to settle into a sullen silence, a collective sigh of relief washed over the group surrounding him. They huddled close, whispering encouragements that he shouldn’t lower himself to Hyman’s level. Their voices were laced with concern, but Lavern remained an unyielding statue, his expression a mask of cold indifference, refusing to utter a single word.

After finishing off an entire bottle, Lavern abruptly snatched his suit jacket from the side, his voice low and heavy as he declared, “I’m leaving.” The finality in his tone left no room for argument. Observing his demeanor, no one dared to intervene. They merely smiled, offering him a farewell as he strode toward the door.

Outside, Robert was waiting patiently by the car. The moment he caught sight of Lavern stepping out, he rushed forward, opening the rear door with a courteous nod. Lavern squeezed into the backseat, surrounded by his boisterous crew, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to his brooding silence.

Once the door clicked shut, Robert settled into the driver’s seat, casting a glance at Lavern through the rearview mirror. The fury etched on Lavern’s face was unmistakable. After a brief moment of hesitation, Robert took a deep breath and spoke up, “Mr. Ross, Ms. Finley canceled the coming-out party today.”

At those words, Lavern’s heart skipped a beat, the weight of their ongoing silent feud momentarily forgotten. He fumbled for his phone, urgency propelling him to call Marina.

This time, to his relief, she answered.

Her voice, however, was as frigid as ice. “What is it?”

The cool detachment in her tone caused Lavern’s anxiety to dissipate slightly, replaced by a flicker of hope.

“I heard you canceled the coming-out party. Why didn’t you run it by me first?” he inquired, striving to keep his voice steady and calm, masking the nerves that threatened to surface.

Marina, surprisingly upbeat, replied without missing a beat. “The coming-out party was my grandma’s idea. Now that she’s gone, I don’t even know most of those guests, so I just canceled it. We’ll roll everything into the wedding day instead. I’ve already let everyone know; if they want to come, great; if not, whatever.”

A sigh of relief escaped Lavern’s lips as he processed her explanation.

“Something this significant, you should’ve at least discussed it with me,” he said, attempting to keep his unease hidden beneath a layer of casual concern.

“Have you been so busy lately? If it’s something I can decide on my own, I figured I shouldn’t trouble you,” Marina replied, her tone almost teasing.

Lavern was left momentarily speechless.

Busy? The truth was, he hadn’t been busy at all. Instead, he had been intentionally stirring up trouble with Hyman and his crew, all in a misguided attempt to provoke Marina. Yet, it seemed she was unfazed by his antics, her indifference cutting deeper than he expected.

His chest tightened again, a dull ache settling within him.

“Marina, I’m sorry, I…” he began, his voice trailing off as uncertainty clouded his thoughts.

But before he could gather his thoughts, she interrupted him sharply.

“Saying sorry doesn’t make up for anything. If you really feel bad, why not just wire me a huge sum of money?” she shot back, her words laced with bitterness.

The insurance company had already contacted her, but even with their coverage, she still faced nearly a million dollars in repairs that would come out of her own pocket.

Lavern’s eyes flared with annoyance as she continued to speak about money and benefits.

“Marina, is money all you care about now? Do you really think throwing cash at everything will fix it, even our relationship?” he snapped, his voice tight with frustration.

His words emerged through clenched teeth, struggling to contain the swell of emotions threatening to explode.

It infuriated him that Marina seemed to prioritize financial gain over their connection. All he desired was to rekindle the warmth they once shared, to have her focus solely on him again.

“How could you equate our relationship with money and profit?” she countered, her voice rising slightly.

Seven years together, and feelings could wither away like autumn leaves.

But money? Money was a constant, a necessity that never faltered.

All Marina could see were the dollar signs that could help restore the Finley Group’s former glory. If she could return to Vrufield with a fortune and partner with her sister, perhaps those seven years wouldn’t end in complete despair.

Lavern felt a flicker of hope ignite within him.

“Marina, I swear, once we’re married, I’ll treat you twice as well as before. I promise, I’ll never let you feel hurt or sad again,” he said, his voice softening, sincerity lacing his words.

She shot back, “So, are you actually going to send me the money?”

For a moment, Lavern froze, the weight of her question hanging heavily in the air.

“If I just give you money right now, will that really make you happy?” he asked, his voice strained with frustration.

Marina’s response was casual, “Yeah,” followed by, “Why wouldn’t I be happy about that?”

With a growl of annoyance, Lavern retorted, “I’m sending it over, right this second!”

After sending that message, Marina fell silent, ignoring all subsequent messages from Lavern.

Lavern stared at his phone for what felt like an eternity, a faint smile lingering on his lips.

In that moment, it felt just like the early days when he and Marina first fell for each other, the thrill of new love electrifying the air around them.

Meanwhile, Robert was already steering the car toward Southview Apartments. As they reached the entrance, Lavern glanced outside, his voice low and resolute. “Head back to the office. I’ll be crashing there for the next couple of days.”

“Got it, Mr. Ross,” Robert replied, smoothly turning the car around and heading back to the office.

Truth be told, it was hardly a two-minute drive from Southview Apartments to the office.

At home, Shawna had been anxiously waiting for Lavern’s return, but as time ticked on, her worry grew. Unable to resist, she finally sent him a text.

When he didn’t reply, she was just about to call him when Carrie burst into her room unexpectedly, snatching the phone from her grasp before she could dial.

“Do you even know what time it is? Still glued to your phone? That radiation’s bad for the baby. You need to get some rest,” Carrie scolded, her tone sharp.

Since moving in, Carrie had taken to barging into Shawna’s room without knocking and had even insisted that Shawna keep her door open at night.

Shawna had brought it up to Lavern a few times, but he brushed it off, believing his mom was simply looking out for her.

He kept encouraging Shawna to be more accommodating, to just go along with it.

Inside, Shawna seethed. She had hoped that having Carrie around would provide her with support, but instead, she felt as though she had invited a wolf into her home.

“Carrie, it’s so late and Lavern still hasn’t come back. I just want to call him and check on him,” Shawna pleaded, striving to keep her voice steady despite the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Carrie let out a derisive snort. “Of course he’s not back; he’s probably over at Marina’s. That’s his real home now. You need to know your place and don’t think you can come between them. Their wedding’s just around the corner, so just stay out of it.”

Shawna bit her lip, resentment flaring in her eyes as she fought to maintain her composure.

“Carrie, don’t you hate Marina too? So why are you letting Lavern marry her? They’re about to get married, and she hasn’t even called you once these days; it’s like you don’t even exist to her.

“Are you really okay with letting Marina step all over you for the rest of your life?” Shawna said, her voice dripping with venom, each word a dagger aimed at Carrie’s complacency.