But Vivian overestimated herself. Wishful thinking had made her paint btoo /brosy a picture of reality. bScars /bmight fade, but the pain stayed with her. Even healed wounds couldn’t erase the past.

Vivian let out a coldugh, her gaze brimming with biting sarcasm as it fixed on the female ssmate. “Don’t you have a phone? Or have you been living under ba /brockb? /bHow could you not know the Quinn family went bankrupt?”

The woman thought she could take the chance to humiliate Vivian, but to her shock, she ended up being the one humiliated instead.

“Alright. bWe’re /ball ssmates bhere/bb, /bso let’s not dwell on that. How about we catch up? What bhas /beveryone been up to these bpast /bbfew /bbyears/b?” someone suggested.

When it came to Vivian, bBe /braised her voice and said, “Vivian? I know all about her. She works at some no–namepany, barely making four to ba /bbfew /bhundred dors ba /bmonth.

“bIt’s /bbso /bembarrassingb. /bAnd those clothes? Pleaseb, /bthey’re obviously knockoffs just to keep bup /bappearances.b” /b

Vivian didn’t bat an beye/bb. /bShe just shrugged and said with a faint smile, b“/bbYeah/b, that’s right. So honestly, there’s no need for you to be jealous of me.”

bBe /bsnapped, “Vivian, bas /bif I’d ever be jealous bof /byou.”

b‘/bbCan’t /bshe tell she’s being mocked? Didn’t she catch that?‘ Be wondered.

“Seriously, Be, why else would you dig so deep into my life and blurt it all out? Isn’t it just because you’re bgreen /bwith envy seeing me doing well, pulling in a few hundred dors a month?” Vivian mocked.

Be sputtered, stunned, and wondered, “When did Vivian get so sharp–tongued?‘

“Vivian, is that you?” The bartender came bover /bwith drinks and, spotting Vivian, greeted her warmly.

Before Vivian could respond, the bwaitress /bcontinued, “Vivian, I haven’t seen you at worktely. The manager said you quit. Did you really bleave/b? The hourly rate’s gone up now. Want toe back and work with us again?”

Hearing this, the whole group shot Vivian disdainful looks. ‘So this’s the kind of ce she used to work, they wondered.

Marcy smirked triumphantly. She’d already spotted Vivian working herest time, and just now, while in the restroom, she’d casually dropped a hint to the waitressb. /bThe girl picked up on it right away–guess that tip is well spent, she wondered.

Vivian ignored the way everyone was looking at her, though deep down, she still felt a twinge and the urge to escape reality.

During this time, working alongside Anya and with Sienna’s guidance, Vivian had grown in both mind and experience. She was no longer the timid, people–pleasing girl she once was.

Vivian smiled faintly, “Really? That’s great. But my day job keeps me pretty busy now, so I don’t have time for side gigs in the evenings anymore. Thanks for remembering me. Keep working hard. I hope you can go hometown soon.”

The waitress’s pupils dted sharply as her guilt deepened. She and Vivian had been quite close when they worked together. Vivian was always kind

to everyone.

She was an out–of–towner who came here just to make money, hoping to one day settle down back in her hometown. Over the years, by pinching every penny and juggling multiple jobs, she had managed to save over 60 thousand dors.

She dreamed of saving up 100 thousand dors before returning to her hometown to live with her grandparents. She didn’t expect that Vivian still remembered it.

But for a mere seventy–dor tip, she’d gone along with their little scheme.

She couldn’t bear to stay any longer, yet she knew she couldn’t mention the tip. As just an ordinary worker, a singleint from a customer could cost her this job.

She respectfully set a ss of strawberry apple juice in front of Vivian, offering a grateful smile. “I’ll do my best, just as you said. Thank you.”

Vivian’s eyes held only serene confidence, showing nothing else. Her poise made those who had sneered earlier feel ashamed, their gazes dropping.

With quiet satisfaction, Sienna observed the scene from upstairs.

“Miss Enna, Miss Sinir is right over there,” Lana approached and reported.

Sienna nodded, then turned and headed that way. “Have someone keep a close eye on Vivian,” she instructed. “Don’t let anything happen to her.”

At the bar, a woman in a sleek ck dress was leaning over the counter.

Her elegantly coiled hair bgave /bbher /bthe timeless bgrace /bof a ssic beauty from another bera/b, her features dignified and naturally graceful, with an air of quiet strength in her expression.

bA /bfew beager /bmen nearby were about to approach, but Sienna, dressed in a ck overcoat and exuding such an intimidating aurab, /bmade them all instinctively keep their distance.

Recognizing Sienna’s intimidating presence, the men thought better of it. Swallowing their bravadob, /bthey exchanged a few awkward jokes and bquickly /bdispersed.

“Nora Sienna’s voice bwas /bbgentle/bb, /btinged with nostalgiab, /bbas /bshe reached out to softly brush a stray lock of hair from Nora’s face.

It bwas /bas bif /bNora heard ba /bbfamiliar /bvoice. bStill /bhalf–drunk and dazed, she slowly opened her beyes /band saw Sienna standing before her. No, this was Sienna, all bgrown /bup.

Thinking she must be dreamingb, /bNora let out a bitter chuckle and reached out to bcaress /bEnna’s face. b“/bEnna, all these years, you bnever /bonce visited my dreams. Now that bI’ve /bfallen so blow/bb, /byou finally decide to show up? Is that it?”

Sienna opened her mouth, but words failed her.

“Enna, you know what? bI’ve /bmissed you so much. If I could go back to when we were eighteen, I’d never have said those words to you,” Nora said.

“It’s alright,” Sienna said, unconcerned. bNora /bonly said for Sienna’s good.

A single tear escaped from bNora’s /beye, hershes already rimmed with red from prolonged crying.

b“/bEnna, do you forgive me?” Nora drained her ss in one gulp, then let out a bitterugh. “Enna, guess what? Ethan cheated on me.”

Surprise flickered in Sienna’s beyes /bbefore sheposed herself. “When’s the divorce?”

Nora let out a bitterugh, her eyes brimming with sorrow. “Enna, you always cut straight to the heart of things, so bdecisive/b. Divorce? bYes/bb, /bthat’s what bI /bshould do. But what if I just can’t let go?”

Sienna fell silent. Nora went on, her voice thick with emotion, “Sienna, I’m twenty–nine now. I’ve loved him for fifteen byears/b. We’ve been together for fifteen years. Childhood sweethearts, inseparable since we were kids, you knowb? /b

“We even have a lovely little boy. He’s five now. I just want to give him the best. Ethan says that girl reminds him of how I used to be, and now he calls me crazy. Can byou /bbelieve that? Sienna, I regret not listening to you.

“I gave too much, and look at me now. Am I pathetic? Sienna, you’re so beautiful, stunning yet aloof, just as I imagined. But you never smile. Your eyes hold frost, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never melt that coldness away.”

Sienna reached out and gently–cradled Nora’s head against her chest. “You’re the best,” she said softly.

Nora sobbed softly in Sienna’s arms until her cries gradually subsided. Sienna gently brushed aside Nora’s hair, revealing the tear–streaked cheeks

of her face.

Sienna took out a handkerchief, wiped away the tears, then gathered Nora in bher /barms and quietly led her out of the bbar/b.

“Miss Enna, shall bwe /bgo to the Sinir residence or the Preston residence?” Lana asked.

Sienna replied, “The Preston residence.”

“Understood.” iLana /iturned the bcar /baround and drove to the Preston residence.

By the time they arrived, it was already nine o’clock, and the mansion was aze with lights. Lana pressed the doorbell. A voice came from the inte, “Who is it?”

The butler looked at Sienna, then noticed the person in her arms. “Mrs. Preston?”

Sienna replied, “I’m her friend. She’s had too much to drink.”

The bI /b

Sieni