The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 403

Honestly, even if Vivian tried to blame me for future scandals, it didn't matter. Once the divorce was finalized, the only leverage she had over me was Maxwell's medical bills.

I had never planned on relying on them forever anyway. First, Leon Lennox had already offered his assistance, so I didn't need to stress over the finances right now. Second, I had already written Ferris an IOU for the money. I fully intended to pay him back.

So, her threats were completely toothless against me.

Vivian, however, was highly satisfied with my attitude. She set down her coffee cup and elegantly dabbed her lips. The hostility and aggression finally faded from her eyes, replaced by her usual arrogant disdain. "We've been family for three years, and today is the only time you've ever done something to my satisfaction. From now on, we are strangers. I hope you learn a thing or two as you move forward in life. Let me give you one final piece of advice. The most important thing for a person to have is self-awareness. Know your place. Don't do things you have no business doing."

Look at her. A true society matriarch. She didn't just play the part; she lived it.

In three years, she hadn't approved of me for a single day. Or rather, Vivian Vance had despised me from the very start. Throughout my marriage to Ferris, she had done nothing but nitpick and belittle me. Now that we were finally divorcing, a massive weight had been lifted off her chest.

Yet, that didn't stop her from finding another way to put me down, using the guise of good advice to tell me to shut my mouth.

Know my place. Don't do what I shouldn't do, and don't say what I shouldn't say.

My soon-to-be ex-mother-in-law was truly a piece of work. No wonder she adored someone like Zoey Zeller. The young girl was much more obedient. She could handle Vivian's intense need for control while sweet-talking her way into her good graces.

"Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Sterling," I replied with a polite but distant smile, refusing to cower. Then I offered a friendly reminder of my own. "Please make sure Ferris signs it as soon as possible. I am ready to finalize the divorce at any moment."

I had already signed the papers; there was no way I was going to sit there and let her lecture me like a superior. I threw that comment in just to irritate her.

Vivian's expression immediately darkened. She glared at me fiercely. "I knew it. You just can't stand to let me have peace! Wait for my call!"

With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the cafe in a huff.

The cafe was warm, but I only felt colder by the second. The chill seeped into my marrow. I stared out the window at the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

After a long time, I let out a low sigh.

Pulling my gaze away, I downed the rest of my cold coffee in one go.

Cheers. Here was to the end of my marriage.

But the moment I set the cup down and looked up, my eyes widened in shock.

Someone had sat down right across from me.