The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 425

They messed around in bed for a bit, a skirmish that ended in Vivian's total defeat. She had finally realized that this man didn't just have a razor-sharp tongue—he had a heart of pure steel.

Getting under his skin was harder than scaling a cliff.

She threw off the covers, scrambled up, and glared at him viciously.

"You just wait!"

"Wait for what?"

The man gave a low scoff. "Wait for your brain to finally drain all that nonsense out?"

... Vivian couldn't win the verbal spar, so she simply lunged forward, dipping her head to bite him hard on the shoulder. "Wait for me to get pregnant!"

Breakfast and lunch were delivered right on time, but Marcus never showed his face.

Just when Vivian thought she was going to die of boredom, the door finally opened. However, it was the gentle-mannered Vincent who stepped inside.

When he was off the clock, he usually dressed casually. Today he wore a white hoodie over grey slacks. The combination should have clashed, but on him, it looked effortlessly cohesive.

"Vincent, what are you doing here?"

"What, you don't want to see me?"

Vincent offered a warm smile. His deep gaze flicked toward the man standing behind her, giving a slight nod in greeting. "If I didn't come, you two would probably be stuck here for a very long time."

"So Marcus actually went through with the whole house arrest routine?"

Vivian was visibly annoyed. Then she asked, "Did he find Darcy?"

"It doesn't seem like it."

Last night had been pure chaos; it wasn't something that could be summarized in a few sentences. "Not only did he fail to find Darcy, but he also alerted Grandpa, who issued the family's strictest punishment."

Vivian froze for a second, her eyes lighting up slightly.

"He got beat up?"

...

Vivian let out a soft 'oh'. "If he's fine, then I'll pass on visiting."

She looked up at Vincent. "Could you do me a favor and get my ID and passport back? Marcus plays dirty, constantly resorting to these underhanded tricks."

Vincent's lips curved into a smile. He reached a hand back, and an assistant immediately handed the documents over.

"You... I had this sorted out for you a long time ago."

"Then..."

Vivian licked her lips, turning her gaze toward Silas. Seeing that he had no intention of voicing an opinion, she took the lead. "We have no other business in Bayport, so we'll book the earliest flight out. What about you? When are you leaving?"

"I need to wait until Grandpa's condition stabilizes."

Vincent turned to Silas. "I checked, though. The earliest flight isn't until tomorrow morning. I'll have someone arrange new accommodations for you. Rest well tonight, and you can head back tomorrow."

Silas offered a polite smile. "Then we won't trouble you, Vincent. We'll handle it ourselves."