Chapter 6

Vivian's POV

Before I could speak, Principal Walker repeated everything to Ethan.

"Your Carter family must take responsibility for the children. Not only must you pay all medical expenses, you must provide additional compensation. Yes, and I want Vivian to apologize publicly."

The surrounding guests all discussed in low voices. At the center of the crowd, Ethan's face darkened further.

His cold gaze shot toward me.

"This is the work you've always insisted on?"

The sarcasm in his words stabbed my heart.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible.

"This has nothing to do with me. Didn't you give that charity foundation to her? I've been at the mansion these past two days. Mrs. Carter can vouch for me."

Hearing my formal way of addressing Helen, Ethan froze for a moment.

Now wasn't the time to dwell on that. Ethan turned to look at Grace.

Based on my understanding of Ethan, he wouldn't tell a lie so easily exposed.

After transferring the foundation to Grace, he hadn't asked about it again. Now that something went wrong, it could only be Grace's problem.

At this moment, Grace's eyes brimmed with tears as both hands clutched his arm tightly, as if grasping her last lifeline.

Ethan pressed his lips together, his eyes constantly shifting between Grace and me.

Finally, under Principal Walker's urging, his gaze settled on me.

He spoke one word at a time.

"The Carter family will pay compensation. You, apologize to him now."I stared at Ethan in disbelief. He clearly knew Grace was behind this, yet he still didn't believe me!

If I admitted to this, my career would be completely ruined.

"Ethan, I didn't do this. I won't apologize."

I turned to look at Principal Walker.

"I can provide evidence. Just give me some time."

"Enough!"

Before I could finish, Ethan cut me off roughly.

He raised his right hand slightly. Two bodyguards in black suits stepped forward and restrained my arms from both sides.

The next second, they forced me down to the ground without a word.

Ethan turned to Principal Walker.

"Is this apology acceptable?"

Principal Walker froze, then nodded repeatedly.

"As for compensation, my assistant will handle everything. Today is my mother's birthday banquet, so I won't keep you."

The assistant showed the man out. The bodyguards released me at Ethan's signal.

Ethan walked over and whispered in my ear.

"I'll compensate you for this. Grace is an ordinary girl. She can't handle these things."

In an instant, coldness spread from my feet through my entire body, while rage erupted in my heart.

Again with this.

Grace can't handle it.

But I can.

So I deserve to be treated like this forever?

"Ethan, you disgust me."

I swung my right hand forward hard, but it was intercepted mid-air.

"Don't!"

Grace rushed forward and blocked the slap, covering her left cheek as she fell into Ethan's arms.

Her originally fair skin visibly swelled and reddened.

The guilt on Ethan's face vanished completely, replaced by heartache for the woman in his arms.

He carefully moved Grace's hand away and examined her injury with extreme gentleness.

Watching the intimate scene between them, all the fire in my heart suddenly extinguished.

Ethan was no longer the man who couldn't live without me. His heart and eyes were full of Grace now.

"Ethan, it's all my fault for making you both so unhappy. Your mother has already given the family heirloom dress to Miss Rivers. I shouldn't have any more expectations."

"After today, let's not see each other anymore."

Grace looked at Ethan with tear-filled eyes, on the verge of crying.

He tightened his arms around her in distress and comforted her softly.

"Don't talk nonsense. You'll always be Liam's biological mother. You're my woman."

His gaze turned to me.

"Since you find me disgusting, then don't wear the Carter family's clothes. Consider it an apology to Grace."

"But don't worry. One thing at a time. I'll still give you the compensation I mentioned."

Before I could process what he meant, Ethan turned and left with Grace in his arms. The bodyguards who had withdrawn earlier stepped forward again.

Without a word, they began removing my gown.

I struggled desperately but it was futile. With a ripping sound, the zipper on my back was pulled open.

The bone-chilling wind gave me goosebumps all over.

The mocking laughter around me, the lewd stares, the strange men's hands on my body. Everything trampled my dignity into the ground.

Those few minutes felt like a lifetime.

Finally, the dress was removed. The bodyguards tossed down a suit jacket like charity, barely covering my body.

I used the jacket to cover my private areas and walked out of the banquet hall step by step.

"Take me home."

I returned to the old mansion, changed my clothes, grabbed all my documents, and headed straight to the airport.

An email invitation on my phone was the escape route I'd prepared for myself.

Even sitting on the plane, I still felt a sense of unreality.

Two hours ago, I was being humiliated in the banquet hall. And now, I was heading toward a future without Ethan.

As the plane took off, the landscape below gradually shrank.

The sense of unreality in my heart slowly transformed into calm and relaxation.

From now on, the Carter family's affairs had nothing to do with me.

Vivian was just Vivian.