The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 421

"Miss Fairchild, let me remind you that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here," Silas said, his tone entirely placid. "So the responsibility of getting me out falls on you, not the other way around."

He looked up, and whether it was just Vivian's imagination or not, she caught a fleeting glint of amusement in his eyes. "Besides, the person Marcus is targeting is you. If I wanted to leave, I could walk out of here anytime."

...

He was so damn right.

Vivian puffed out her cheeks in frustration. She originally wanted to pretend to be angry, but on second thought... even if she threw a fit, this man wasn't the type to coax her, so she simply abandoned the idea.

"That's true, but I'm your wife. If you just leave me here, aren't you afraid I'll announce our relationship to the world?" The more she spoke, the more confident she sounded. "Grandpa wouldn't let you off the hook either."

Silas didn't so much as blink. He propped his long legs up, crossing them casually on the coffee table.

"Try announcing it first."

...

"As for Grandpa... I don't think I'll need to do a thing. Vincent won't let a word of what happened today leak out."

Vivian stared at him as if she were looking at a ghost. After a long moment, she reached out and punched his arm.

...

"Silas, whose side are you on anyway? Why do I get the feeling you actually admire Marcus? Let me tell you, he is not a good person!"

Silas's fathomless gaze settled heavily upon her.

"And you are?"

...

Those three words completely shattered Vivian's rising momentum.

True.

She wasn't exactly a saint either.

A little while later, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Vivian assumed it was Marcus returning, but to her surprise, it was Elaine.

The bodyguard opened the door for her but made no move to let her step inside.

"Miss Miller, Marcus gave strict orders that no one is allowed inside."

"Does 'no one' include me?"

"Nothing... in particular."

Elaine's features weren't stunningly beautiful, but because she usually wore light makeup and maintained a gentle, smiling demeanor, she gave off an incredibly comforting presence.

She pressed her lips together and said, "Vivian, I know you're a smart woman. You can probably tell that I have feelings for Marcus."

Vivian raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"I..."

Perhaps finding it hard to voice aloud, Elaine let out a soft laugh and forced her tone to lighten. "I know why he brought you here, and I know you're innocent in all this. And I know... the person he's waiting for has never been me."

"But feelings are inherently uncontrollable."

Her face fell into a dazed, wistful trance. "I love him, and it's hopeless."

Vivian didn't understand why the other woman was telling her all this. When it came to the messy tangle of love and romance, she didn't get it, and she didn't want to.

"So... you're trying to convince me not to tell him where Darcy is?"

"No, that's not it."