Obsessive Devotion Ice-Cold Tycoon's Calculated Proposal

Vincent had gained quite a bit of weight, his belly protruding like that of a jolly Buddha.

Smiling, he waved to Ethan, signaling for him to come over and greet him. "This is Ethan, the general manager of AW.Inc. Group. You two will likely have a lot of business dealings in the future..."

They had actually met before, but neither of them acknowledged it.

"I don't have a sister. My mother only had me," Daniel responded coolly, his tone as indifferent as ever.

Vincent was momentarily stunned, his face reddening with embarrassment. He had already offered a gesture of goodwill, but Daniel was having none of it.

Their father-son relationship was fragile at best, and Vincent knew better than to push it. He had heard about Daniel's success abroad, but with his newfound power, he didn't dare offend him too recklessly.

Clearing his throat, Vincent changed the topic. "So, what brings you here so early?"

He didn't believe Daniel had come to bless Evelyn's engagement, but when someone shows up unannounced, it's usually for something important.

"Do I need to report to you just because I came to my mother's house?" Daniel responded coldly.

The Smith family villa had originally been part of Daniel's mother's dowry. Back then, Vincent had been poor, and Daniel's mother, fearing his pride would be hurt, had insisted on adding his name to the property when they married.

Now, Vincent was living comfortably with his mistress in that very villa, while his mother suffered alone in that other place.

Daniel's eyes darkened with cold rage, not giving Vincent any respect simply because he was his father.

The fabric of his shirt was soaked with Vivian's tears, reminding him there were more important things to focus on.

Suppressing the surge of anger inside him, Daniel gently patted Vivian's back.

"Wait here for me. I'll grab what I need and then take you home," Daniel said softly, his voice steady and reassuring.

Amid the chaos, Gloria hadn't had time to think things through. Now that she had, she hurried to cancel the ambulance, making sure to keep it as quiet as possible. The Smith family lived in a high-profile neighborhood, and the last thing they needed was a public spectacle. An ambulance arriving at their villa just the day after Evelyn's engagement would attract too much attention.

"Mom, it hurts so much. What if there's a scar?" Evelyn whimpered, still terrified of Daniel. She dared not act out while he was present, so she turned to Gloria for help.

The glass shards had cut her skin deeply, and some small pieces had embedded themselves in her flesh.

"Eve, just hang in there. I'll get the best doctor for you," Gloria said, her eyes filled with an unspoken fear as she watched Daniel leave the room.

Once Daniel disappeared around the corner, Gloria turned to glare at Vivian. "Are you satisfied now?" she spat, her voice dripping with venom.

She was seething, her anger redirected solely at Vivian.

It wasn't the first time Vivian had been subjected to Gloria's cruelty. No matter how well she behaved, how much she excelled, praise from Gloria was always out of reach. Words of criticism, insults, and beatings were all too familiar.

Whenever Gloria was in a bad mood, it was as if nothing was ever her fault, and Vivian would always bear the brunt of it. The unrelenting mockery left Vivian confused, wondering why Gloria harbored such intense hatred for her.

Vivian had once believed it was just Gloria's nature. But after Evelyn came along, it became apparent that Gloria could speak kindly to others when she chose to.

Perhaps, Gloria had always disliked her, deep down.

Vivian turned her back on the Smith family house, overhearing Gloria and Evelyn's conversation. Growing up, Gloria had never spoken to her in a soft, gentle voice.

Whenever Vivian tried to approach her as a child, Gloria would impatiently send her off to her father, her gaze always cold, as if Gloria was looking past her at someone else.

Vivian had long given up on expecting any love from her.

Whether it was acting or genuine affection, it never mattered to her anymore.

She sighed to herself. What was the point of thinking about it now?

Her father was gone, and she couldn't keep anything.

The sky was heavy and dim, dark clouds pressing down, as if a storm was about to break.

Vivian walked aimlessly, not really thinking about where she was going.

The winding mountain road was much like her life—though the path ahead was clear, she kept winding around, never able to reach where she wanted to go.

"Dan, since Miss Pruitt left the Smith family villa, she's been walking like this. Should I have her get in the car?" Lawrence, driving, kept a steady distance behind Vivian, while Daniel sat in the backseat.

Daniel propped his head on one hand, his eyes following Vivian intently. He shook his head. "She still needs some time to think. Let her be for now. Just keep following her."

After descending from the mountains, Vivian stopped at a street vendor, buying a bouquet of sunflowers and some fruit before hailing a cab.

She had been followed the whole way, and her final destination was the cemetery.

The gravestone was adorned with a photo of Mr.Pruitt, smiling in his prime years, taken at the height of his life. Vivian reached up and removed a dried leaf that had clung to the edge of the stone. She offered the fresh sunflowers and fruit as offerings, then sat by the edge of the grave, resting her head against her knees.

"Dad, it's been a long time since I've come to visit you. How have you been? I haven't dreamed about you much lately..." Vivian's voice wavered as tears welled in her eyes.

"I know. You must be upset with me for not holding on to Jadeite Lane... I'm sorry, Dad."

A gust of wind blew by, scattering the yellow leaves around her.

She touched the photo gently, her heart breaking as tears blurred her vision. "Dad, do you regret it? Gloria has already forgotten about you."

She knew her father's suicide had been to escape the burden of debt and to spare Gloria and her from living that life. He had thought things through so carefully. If he were looking down now, seeing Gloria's disgusting behavior, would he regret it?

Now, even Jadeite Lane, the last piece of memory he left behind, was gone. After working his whole life, Mr.Pruitt had nothing to show for it.

"I hate them, but... but I can't do anything about it."

The sky, which had been dark for so long, finally rumbled with thunder. A cold wind swept through, followed by a torrential downpour that soaked everything instantly.

In this quiet, undisturbed place, Vivian sat, hugging her knees tightly, her face hidden in her arms as she cried, letting the rain wash away her pain.

The sound of the rain grew louder, but soon, it was no longer hitting her skin.

Looking up, she saw a pair of shoes, wet with rain, standing in front of her.

She slowly raised her head, and there, holding an umbrella over her, stood Daniel.

"You... What are you doing here?" She had cried for so long that her voice was hoarse. Her eyes were red, looking as though they had been washed by water.

Daniel slowly crouched down, gently wiping the tears from her face with his thumb. His voice was soft and full of concern. "I told you to wait for me. Why did you run off?"