CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: THE HANZI TEA’S EXCLUSIVE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

Inside the study.

Harold Vaughn sat on the sofa with his hands on his hips, panting with anger. His face was ashen, and his eyes were aflame.

Eugene Vaughn sat on the sofa opposite him and asked coldly, "Dad, what exactly do you want to do?"

Harold Vaughn gritted his teeth, his finger tapping heavily on the coffee table, thumping with each word, "Earlier, I was short-sighted and, together with the board’s shareholders, messed up your investment in her company. But we’re ultimately family. I’m her father-in-law, yet she dares to speak to me like this, even dares to confront me head-on."

Eugene Vaughn curled his lip coldly, eyes full of disdain, too lazy to speak.

Harold Vaughn could not swallow this anger and ordered, "If she refuses to cooperate, then divorce her. I never agreed to you marrying her from the start; it’s not suitable, and it doesn’t benefit the Vaughn Family’s business in any way."

Eugene Vaughn leaned lazily against the sofa, quietly watching Harold Vaughn, his tone indifferent and cold, "I’m afraid I cannot comply."

Harold Vaughn was displeased, "What do you mean?"

Eugene Vaughn’s eyes were deep, his tone extremely heavy, speaking word by word, "Do not interfere in my marriage, do not trouble Victoria Sinclair; you know this is my bottom line."

Harold Vaughn’s clenched fists trembled slightly, neck veins bulging, his breath gradually becoming rough, suppressing a rage that was about to erupt.

But he knew that it was useless, whether losing his temper or threatening.

If it worked, Eugene Vaughn wouldn’t have brought Victoria Sinclair into the family two years ago.

Harold Vaughn’s anger surged, he picked up the tea on the table and drank it in one go, slamming the cup down with a booming noise.

The explosive atmosphere suddenly intensified, no direct confrontation, yet an undercurrent surged.

Eugene Vaughn lowered his head, his long fingers pinching his brow, closed his eyes, asking coldly, "Why did you call me here?"

Harold Vaughn calmed down, speaking sternly, "I’ve arranged for Vivian to be your secretary; teach her the ways of business management as she will need to go back and take over her father’s company in the future."

Eugene Vaughn raised his eyes to look at him, speaking unhurriedly, "I don’t need a secretary, nor am I able to teach her. Wouldn’t it be better to arrange her beside her father as a secretary?"

Harold Vaughn explained, "Vivian’s dad is known for spoiling his daughter. Over there as a secretary, it’d be him brewing tea and working hard, and she wouldn’t learn anything, just adding to his troubles."

"Then find someone else."

"I’ve already decided this matter, you have no choice but to accept it, she will report to the company tomorrow."

Eugene Vaughn’s eyes were as cold as ice, somewhat mocking, "You don’t want to work, yet keep interfering in company matters, want to oversee from behind the curtain like the Queen Dowager?"

Harold Vaughn was furious, threatening, "I may be retired, but I’m still the company’s largest shareholder; the other shareholders on the board all follow my lead. Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kick you out?"

Eugene Vaughn stood up, "As long as it’s not about Victoria Sinclair, do whatever you want."

Leaving the words behind, he strode out of the study.

——

Victoria Sinclair came out of the study, went to grandmother’s room to greet her, exchanged pleasantries, and then came out to the garden outside, standing by Eugene Vaughn’s car waiting for him.

In mid-May in the south, the weather was extremely comfortable, with warm sunlight and gentle breezes, making one feel languid.

Her mood was down, remembering what Eugene Vaughn said to her, unable to understand his mindset.

Not in love, not intimate, also not divorcing?

The reason she was able to endure until now without wanting to divorce was because she loved him, could not let him go, and still held expectations for this marriage.

But why did Eugene Vaughn stay?

The sound of "beep," signaled the unlocking of the car, pulling Victoria Sinclair’s thoughts back as she watched Eugene Vaughn walk out from the villa.

"Get in the car." Eugene Vaughn’s face was somber as he walked to the driver’s seat.

Victoria Sinclair stood by the car, hesitated for a moment, opened the rear passenger door, sat inside, and fastened her seatbelt.

Eugene Vaughn’s hand froze while fastening his seatbelt, looked up at the rear-view mirror, his eyes flashed with a hint of darkness.

After getting settled, Victoria Sinclair turned her head to look out the window, her heart filled with melancholy and disorder, the excellent weather outside making her feel stifled and oppressed.

"Why not sit in the front?" Eugene Vaughn asked in a淡淡的语气问.

Victoria Sinclair hadn’t expected him to ask that and didn’t know if it was a sudden impulse or the mood was genuinely disappointed and dissatisfied, she blurted out, "Vivian Miller’s exclusive seat, I won’t sit."

The car suddenly fell into a dead silence.

Victoria Sinclair couldn’t see Eugene Vaughn’s expression. She just felt that she usually excelled at hiding emotions, but today under the influence of her father-in-law, her emotions were indeed disturbed, speaking words she shouldn’t have said.

For a long time, the silence remained unbroken as Eugene Vaughn started the car and drove away.

The vehicle left Splendor Estate, and Victoria Sinclair, feeling worn out, said, "If it’s not on the way, just drop me off outside the subway station."

Eugene Vaughn said, "I’m going home, not to the company."

Victoria Sinclair fell silent, not speaking.

The prosperous street scenes outside flashed by frame after frame, the roadside Suzuka flowers exceptionally bright yellow, blossoms falling on the ground, being crushed incomplete by passing vehicles.

An hour later, as they approached the road near home, Eugene Vaughn asked hoarsely, "Going back to the research institute or going home?"

"The research institute." Victoria Sinclair replied softly.

The vehicle stopped at the entrance of the research institute, Victoria Sinclair unbuckled her seatbelt, picked up her backpack, and prepared to get out of the car.

Just as her hand touched the door handle, Eugene Vaughn leaned against the seat back, his voice cold and heavy.

"You’ve been forced to the point of divorce, is there nothing you want to say to me?"

Victoria Sinclair’s heart was heavy, his questioning made her suffocate, her nose sour, but she pretended to be calm, "I’ve already decided to hand over the special medicine project to the country, it won’t change. As for whether you want to divorce me, discuss it with Dad and let me know."

"Did I marry my dad?" Eugene Vaughn countered.

"Regardless of the outcome, it doesn’t matter to me." Victoria Sinclair said, getting out of the car.

Eugene Vaughn also got out from the driver’s seat, grabbed Victoria Sinclair’s arm, pulling her to face him.

His grip was strong, making her arm ache faintly.

His face was somber, aura extremely cold, "Doesn’t matter to you?"

Victoria Sinclair was pressed by his sudden anger, making her breathless, her heart mildly quaking, inexplicably flustered, looking up at him.

Was his anger because she wouldn’t cooperate with the Vaughn Group, or because she felt indifferent?

Eugene Vaughn’s eyes, darkened, pierced with a fierce blaze, stared at her.

Victoria Sinclair’s charming demeanor was calm like water, seemingly weak, yet her gaze was resolute and unshakeable, giving people a sense of extreme coldness and stillness, almost lifeless.

Eugene Vaughn breathed roughly, unable to speak the next sentence for a while.

Amidst the stalemated cold pressure, a man’s voice called from afar, "Victoria, you came back just in time, the culture has been cultivated, there’s a new discovery."

As the man approached, Eugene Vaughn slowly released Victoria Sinclair’s arm.

"Who is this..." the man asked politely.

This marriage certificate was almost gone, Victoria Sinclair didn’t know what he counted as to her.

Not introducing him to the new colleague, and with a heart full of anger, she directly turned and walked towards the research institute.

The male colleague nodded slightly towards Eugene Vaughn and turned to catch up with Victoria Sinclair, walking side by side.

Eugene Vaughn’s eyes dimmed, he curled his lips, a bitter cold smile.

He got in the car and slammed the door with a loud "bang."

The force was heavy, the sound extremely loud.