The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 479

Cynthia's anger flared once again. She had done her absolute best to tolerate the girl over the past two days, but every time she looked at Vivian's face, her prejudices festered like venom, seeping into her every cell.

Aside from her pretty face, what exactly was good about this woman?

She couldn't find a single redeeming quality!

"If she's this disobedient, you might as well throw her out. Nobody outside the family even knows you two are married anyway. Just divorce her and get it over with, before she turns the entire house upside down!"

After a brief silence, Silas let out a low chuckle.

"Mom."

His cool voice bordered on pure detachment. "I'm the one who has to live with her. If I don't demand her absolute obedience, what right do you have to?"

"Because I am your mother!"

"Right. Then forgive me for being unfilial."

This conversation, ultimately, couldn't end peacefully.

Silas reached up to loosen his tie, his voice heavy. "Since you look down on her so much, there's no need to ever suggest she stay over again. Finding a wife isn't easy. Please, Mom, leave some dignity for me, and for yourself. I will pick her up promptly tomorrow afternoon. That's all."

He hung up.

The garden fell into dead silence.

A breeze swept through, rustling the dry, withered leaves.

Sitting alone on the bench, Cynthia felt the phone slowly slip from her grasp.

She hadn't intended to argue with her son. She only wanted to make him realize that he and Vivian came from two completely different worlds, that they simply weren't a match...

But it was entirely expected that Silas wouldn't listen to her.

Their already strained mother-son relationship was only worsening because of this woman's sudden appearance, and the rift was proving nearly impossible to mend.

"Mom."

Just then, Vivian stepped out from the house.

Noticing Cynthia's slightly red eyes, she pretended not to see anything at all. Like she was presenting a prized treasure, she held out a plate of food. "Look, I made this! The chef even said I did a great job. Shouldn't you praise me?"

"Well? Is it good?"

"..."

The younger woman's eyes sparkled, brimming with warmth, expectation, and a bright, open sincerity.

Cynthia couldn't quite describe how she felt in that moment. The harsh words that were on the tip of her tongue inexplicably softened. "It's just a shrimp, how good could it possibly be?" she muttered irritably. "If it's so good, you finish the whole thing. Don't leave a single bite!"

With that, she stormed off upstairs in a huff. By the looks of it, she wouldn't be coming down for dinner tonight.

Vivian stared at her retreating back for a moment, then turned and popped a piece of shrimp into her own mouth.

"Blegh."

She spat it out immediately.

Staring at the plate in sheer disgust, she shot another glance upstairs.

It tasted so godawful... and Cynthia had actually managed to hold back from screaming at her?