CHAPTER 185: CHAPTER 185: SHE INSISTS ON SHINING FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT!

Hospital ward.

Vincent Hawthorne opened his eyes, only to find himself lying on the hospital bed, uncertain when he fell asleep there.

Beside him, Cindy Lynn was curled up, asleep in his arms, with one hand still holding his.

Vincent Hawthorne: "..."

He carefully withdrew his hand and sat up, noticing Joy sleeping on the small sofa at the foot of the bed, covered with a blanket, likely draped by Cindy Lynn.

Vincent Hawthorne rubbed his temples, feeling a bit perplexed.

How did he fall asleep?

On the way back to the villa with Joy, he received a call from Cindy Lynn, who was crying and saying she was scared and in pain. Thinking about how Cindy Lynn was bullied by Old Lady Hawthorne’s people today, his heart softened, and he drove over.

Initially, he planned to leave after checking on Cindy Lynn.

But she held him with tearful eyes, saying that closing her eyes made her see someone trying to grab her.

Vincent Hawthorne stayed, intending to leave once she fell asleep.

Yet somehow, he ended up asleep himself?

And even made it onto the bed?

Vincent Hawthorne sat up and caught a whiff of fragrance.

He turned his head to see a small incense burner on the cabinet next to him.

He didn’t pay much heed to it and glanced at the time—it was almost 1 AM.

Vincent Hawthorne was about to get out of bed, but before he could move, a slender, soft arm hugged his waist from behind, with Cindy Lynn’s face pressed against his back.

"Vincent..."

Her voice carried a drowsy charm, enough to make one’s bones melt.

"Where are you going? Please don’t leave."

Yet in the next moment, Cindy Lynn’s previously dazed eyes grew cold.

She sensed Vincent Hawthorne gently pulling away her hand.

Vincent Hawthorne had already gotten out of bed; he turned to look at her, "Does anything hurt? I’ll call the doctor."

Cindy Lynn gently shook her head, "As long as you’re here, I don’t feel any pain."

"..." Vincent Hawthorne touched her face, speaking softly, "Be good, rest well. I’ll have the nurse come to watch overnight; I’ll take Joy and leave first. Caden is still at home."

Before he finished speaking, Cindy Lynn lunged forward and tightly embraced his neck.

Vincent Hawthorne was slightly startled, wanting to push her away, but he felt Cindy Lynn’s tears soaking his neck.

"Vincent, I’m so scared... I fear you’ll leave tonight and never come back. Your heart will return to Ms. Tanya..."

Tanya Sinclair...

The image of a woman’s heartless and indifferent figure crossed Vincent Hawthorne’s mind. He slowly said, "Tanya Sinclair and I have already signed the divorce agreement. At nine this morning, we’ll go obtain the divorce certificate."

Cindy Lynn released him, overjoyed, "Vincent, then we in the future..."

But Vincent Hawthorne had no mood to discuss the future.

"Alright." Vincent Hawthorne raised his hand to tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear, avoiding Cindy Lynn’s eager gaze. He spoke hoarsely, "Cindy, you’ve saved me twice, and I remember your kindness. Now the Hawthorne Family is under tight media scrutiny; the news of my divorce with Tanya Sinclair isn’t public yet. Staying overnight here, being photographed again, wouldn’t be good for your reputation."

Cindy Lynn tightly clenched her palms and forced out a considerate smile, "Alright, take care on the road."

"Okay, I’ll come see you tomorrow."

Vincent Hawthorne turned to pick up the sleeping Joy and left on his own.

Cindy Lynn waited at the window for a while, watching Vincent Hawthorne’s figure appear downstairs, carrying Joy and getting into the car.

In the corner, a camera was aimed at Vincent Hawthorne, rapidly clicking the shutter.

Cindy Lynn smiled slightly.

No longer showing any signs of previous frailty, she walked to the bedside and picked up the incense burner to play with.

She casually made a phone call to her mother, Shelly Sullivan.

"Mom, the calming incense you made wasn’t as effective this time."

Shelly Sullivan said: "Why rush? Vincent Hawthorne’s divorce from that Tanya Sinclair is already in the bag. You’ve already secured half of the Mrs. Hawthorne position!"

"Vincent Hawthorne now owes you emotionally and can’t do without you at work. You’ve been invited to the core A team of The Veridia Project, what’s there to worry about? Marrying Vincent Hawthorne is only a matter of time."

Thinking of being selected into the core team of The Veridia Project, Cindy Lynn’s lips curved proudly.

Tanya Sinclair... ha, what a supposedly talented genius.

She had discreetly probed Sam Sawyer, and Tanya Sinclair wasn’t listed as a member of the A team!

That despicable woman eagerly cozying up to Ethan Carter, ending up not even in the core team.

The more Cindy Lynn thought, the more gleeful she became.

Shelly Sullivan said: "Tomorrow’s shareholder meeting, Vincent Hawthorne should climb another step with The Veridia Project! With Theodore Hawthorne overseeing, the entire Zenith Group will basically be theirs, father and son together. Marrying Vincent Hawthorne now makes you the mistress of Zenith Group!"

Shelly Sullivan had long planned: "The timing is perfect, your father has already laundered the Sinclair Family’s assets clean. An asset worth billions, all now under the Lynn name! When you marry Vincent Hawthorne, Mom will prepare a dowry that’ll make every woman in town envious!"

At that time, the Lynn and Hawthorne families’ union would be a win-win!

Cindy Lynn’s smile widened, exceedingly sweet, yet her eyes were vicious and malicious.

"Mom, I want another dowry." She slowly said, "When the time comes, I want to celebrate my wedding with Tanya Sinclair’s life!"

...

The next day.

Zane Shaw drove his car directly below Tanya Sinclair’s building, waiting to take her to the municipal office.

"Lawyer Shaw."

Zane Shaw heard Tanya Sinclair’s voice, and when he looked up, a hint of amazement flickered in his worldly-wise eyes behind the glasses.

Tanya was wearing a red dress today, form-fitting and elegantly striking.

She was indeed very suited for red, rarely appearing gaudy.

Instead, her face was so purely beautiful that a touch of alluring charm perfectly complemented the vividness of red. Coupled with her inherently cool and refined temperament, she was breathtakingly beautiful yet lacked an overbearing sense of pressure.

Zane Shaw opened the car door for Tanya Sinclair, sincerely complimenting her, "Ms. Sinclair, you are very beautiful today."

Tanya smiled and said, "Thank you, I’ll be this beautiful every day from now on."

She had always known she was attractive, but she never focused on dressing up. Later, when with Vincent Hawthorne, he was overly critical of her dressing style.

He wanted her to be virtuous, to be low-key, and above all, to be ordinary.

Now Tanya realized it was Vincent’s own insecurity, insecure over not being as successful in his career as she was, relying on her in many ways, so he wanted to belittle her in other aspects, not allowing her to shine more brightly.

Starting today, she vowed to be dazzling from inside out!

At nine, Tanya arrived at the entrance of the civil affairs bureau on time.

After waiting for five minutes, Vincent Hawthorne’s white Bentley drove up.

Vincent hadn’t slept well last night, and only when the car stopped did he lazily open his eyes.

This morning, it wasn’t a driver who came to pick him up from the villa, but Jonah Rivers.

The driver got food poisoning last night and couldn’t make it. Jonah didn’t arrange another driver, deciding to take over himself.

Apart from disliking the hassle, another reason was that he had once fervently supported Mrs. Hawthorne and President Hawthorne as a couple, and today he was there to witness their breakup.

The first thing Jonah noticed was Tanya Sinclair waiting at the civil affairs bureau entrance, and he didn’t quite recognize her at a glance until he saw her waving in his direction.

Jonah rubbed his eyes hard, utterly amazed.

Was Mrs. Hawthorne always this beautiful?

Her figure was... stunning as well?

How could she be so slender, yet have everything in place!

Meanwhile, Vincent looked rather unkempt these past two days, with dark circles and a somewhat pale complexion.

For the first time, Jonah thought Vincent seemed unworthy of his wife in appearance.

"President Hawthorne, we’ve arrived; your wife is waiting outside."

Vincent also saw Tanya Sinclair.

The vivid and captivating red was imprinted in his gaze, and he suddenly chuckled, his expression ambiguous.

Dressing up like this, was she really here for a divorce? Or had she regretted walking this far and was now trying to lure him back?

Vincent adjusted his collar, got out of the car, and walked towards Tanya.

The passersby were noticeably glancing their way, and two men almost bumped into each other because they were so captivated.

As he drew closer, Vincent noticed Tanya’s neckline, a mermaid cut, slipping down on both sides and gathered at the center; though it revealed nothing, her skin was as tender as tofu, made more vivid by the red, stimulating imagination despite its modesty.

Vincent frowned slightly.

"What are you wearing?" then he noticed Zane Shaw walking over with two bottles of water, opening one before handing it to Tanya.

Tanya accepted it naturally and said, "Thank you."

"..." Vincent watched coldly, inexplicably irritated, and mockingly sneered, "Tanya Sinclair, you really have a knack, not lacking men wherever you go."

Janne Hayes, Julian Poole, Declan Pierce... and now Zane Shaw is clinging on!

A billionaire lawyer, now becoming Tanya Sinclair’s chauffeur!

Tanya didn’t want to pay him any attention.

She was in a great mood today and wouldn’t let Vincent Hawthorne’s words ruin it.

But Zane Shaw wouldn’t hold back.

"Mr. Hawthorne, remember to brush your teeth before washing your face in the morning." He waved his hand in front of his nose, as if disgusted, with a fake smile, "Otherwise, a CEO like you, with such a smelly mouth, can also affect the group’s image, right?"

Tanya chuckled out loud.

Vincent shot them a cold glance before striding into the civil affairs bureau.

At the door, Vincent heard Tanya Sinclair call from behind.

"Vincent Hawthorne."

Vincent’s lips curled imperceptibly as he turned, watching Tanya briskly catch up to him.

Finally can’t hold it in anymore?

He shoved his hands in his pockets, nonchalantly waiting for Tanya to speak.

Tanya indeed had something to say to him.

"I received a call from the police on the way here. Kyle Crawford’s bottle used for sulfuric acid has been carefully tested. The sulfuric acid inside was diluted, and only the mouth and inner walls of the bottle were coated with concentrated sulfuric acid. Even if splashed on the skin, it would only cause burning redness, at most a few blisters, not enough to ruin a face."

Tanya speculated, "I think that’s the real reason Cindy Lynn dared to rush up and block the acid!"

"..."

Vincent initially thought Tanya came to make peace, yet she said all this, still targeting Cindy Lynn.

"How would Cindy have known beforehand about the sulfuric acid concentration? She risking her life at that moment to take the hit for me is a fact."

And the fact that he risked everything to protect her, Tanya Sinclair, that night is also a fact!

But this woman doesn’t appreciate his kindness at all!

Vincent’s face darkened slightly.

Tanya was speechless: "..."

You can’t fix stupidity.