The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 423

Vivian puffed out her cheeks. "I really don't get it. What's so great about stinky men? Women just throw themselves at you guys one after another, but from what I've seen, none of you are any good."

...

Silas realized he shouldn't have asked.

He pulled away, preparing to head back inside.

"Hey, don't go."

She hooked her arms around him, pulling him right back.

"You just insulted me, and you expect me to stick around?"

"I wasn't insulting you..." Vivian's voice softened considerably. "I just feel bad for Elaine. She's only twenty. It's just not worth it."

"You sure worry about a lot of things."

...

Vivian followed him inside, her pout never once leaving her face.

But bickering with him seemed to have chased away her gloomy mood.

As the clock struck midnight, there was still no activity outside. She let out a yawn and said, "Marcus probably isn't coming back tonight. Should we just wash up and go to sleep?"

"You can actually sleep?"

"...Well, we can't just stay awake forever."

Silas didn't respond immediately. He fixed a deep, calculating stare on Vivian before slowly speaking. "You haven't stepped foot out of this room all night, yet you seem to have everything perfectly under control. You're very confident that Darcy won't fall into Marcus's hands."

Vivian froze for a second, then let out a cold laugh. "Back when the Fairchild family ignored me, Darcy was the one who practically raised me. She was also very close to my mother. Do you honestly think I have any reason to want her in Marcus's clutches?"

If it weren't for that connection, Marcus wouldn't have helped her in the past, nor would he have thought kidnapping her would give him any leverage.

To her, Darcy was more than family.

Two seconds later, he reached out and patted her head.

The gesture was entirely like soothing a bristling cat.

"My point is, hiding isn't a solution. What she needs to do is confront the problem directly. Otherwise, as long as there is anyone in this world she cares about, Marcus will always have leverage over her."

His tone even carried a hint of coaxing.

"Go away, don't touch me."

Vivian dodged his hand. "I really don't want to talk to you right now. You'd better figure out a way to make this up to me, or I'm never letting this go."

...

After saying her piece, she curled up on her side on the sofa, facing the backrest, fully intending to give him the cold shoulder until the bitter end.

Throughout the night, Marcus gave no new orders, nor did any news arrive.