Obsessive Devotion Ice-Cold Tycoon's Calculated Proposal

Vivian showed no mercy, her words sharp like poison as she tore into both Gloria and Ethan.

Evelyn, accustomed to being pampered and revered, couldn't handle such biting criticism. She wanted to retaliate with insults, but the words stuck in her throat. She fumbled, torn between anger and frustration, unable to respond. Unable to cry either, fearing bad luck, her face turned a deep shade of purple with rage.

"Vivi, I heard you've been delivering wine to Rosewood Hotel and even carrying boxes around. You must be exhausted from such a long day. Have you eaten? There's tea and snacks, you should have something. Eve didn't mean it, don't take it to heart," Gloria said, completely unfazed, offering concern after the biting words.

Vivian couldn't help but admire how Gloria remained unshaken, even in the face of harsh words, and now, she was trying to feign concern for her. Clearly, she's not your average person.

After hours of work, Vivian hadn't had a drop to drink. On the table was a pot of freshly brewed tea and delicious-smelling pastries, but she hadn't touched them. Instead, she grabbed a bottle of unopened water and drank a few sips.

"Vivi, if you want, I can talk to Vincent. You could come back to the Smith family, live a life of luxury again, no need to work hard or worry…" Gloria said, watching Vivian's expression soften, her mind already scheming.

Vivian had changed over the years. She had grown even more radiant, her figure delicate and graceful, her eyes bright and captivating. Gloria was eyeing her, realizing that her beauty could be used to further her own ambitions.

At the time when Vincent married her, he had spent a great deal of money to silence the media, portraying Gloria as the unattainable "white moonlight" that Mr. Smith had always longed for. Their marriage was just a business deal, and they secretly had Evelyn, their daughter, whom they proudly paraded around as if it was a legitimate relationship.

But Evelyn's childhood had been difficult, living under someone else's roof, and though she was now wealthy, she didn't have the same grace or presence as Vivian. She was well-matched with the Davis family, but she could never compare to Vivian.

If Vivian had remained with the Smith family, she could have used her beauty and their wealth to climb even higher up the social ladder, leveraging the family's name to form powerful connections and alliances.

Vivian found Gloria's proposal laughable. "You think after everything, I'd want to go back to the Smith family? When my father was lying in a hospital bed, waiting for you to come claim his body, you were busy having an affair with Vincent, and the media caught it all on camera. Why didn't you think of me, your daughter, back then?"

The scandal had rocked the city, turning Vivian from the admired young woman to the object of mockery overnight. Yet, Gloria had managed to turn the situation around and become a high-society wife.

Vivian knew Gloria's true nature—she was opportunistic, and as long as there was profit in it, she would exploit it. A few years ago, when Vivian had been struggling, Gloria hadn't given her a second thought, and now, all of a sudden, she was pretending to be a loving mother.

The glossy life Gloria lived had a dark undercurrent, a stinking mire that no one could see until the surface was disturbed.

Gloria never expected that these years of poverty hadn't dulled Vivian's spirit. Instead, it had made her more rebellious, impossible to control.

In front of outsiders, Gloria maintained a calm, innocent demeanor. Her ability to feign vulnerability was what drew men to protect her, but today, Vivian's ruthless verbal assault had completely shattered that illusion.

Vivian had grown sharp, and Gloria was losing her ability to control her.

After a deep breath, Gloria forced herself to remain composed and spoke softly, "Vivi, today is supposed to be Eve's happy day. I just want you to share in some of her joy and not remain trapped in the past."

Seeing Vivian's expression soften slightly, Gloria seized the opportunity, "You're in your twenties now. It's time you found a good man to marry, and as a mother, that would make me happy. If we meet out there, Eve will even call you 'sis'."

Vivian was no longer in the mood for their manipulations. She shook her head, standing up.

"I won't eat. If I stay, I'm afraid you two won't be able to eat either," she said, walking out the door.

The moment Vivian left, Evelyn started throwing a tantrum. "Mom, look at her, she's only here to disgust us. You really think she'll come back to the Smith family?"

As the door slammed shut, Gloria's face darkened completely.

Her sharp nails jabbed into Evelyn's forehead. "Wasn't it you who brought her here? You wanted to show off, but couldn't handle her verbal assault. It's your fault for being so useless!"

Evelyn, stunned by her mother's harshness, shrank back, clutching her forehead.

Before she could argue, Gloria interrupted impatiently. "You're useless. I've taught you better than this. You couldn't even keep hold of a man. After all these years, you still haven't gotten used to holding onto what you took from her!"

Gloria's anger was rising, and the tension in the room escalated.

"You knew Ethan had other intentions, but you didn't keep him in check. On your engagement day, this happened! You..."

Gloria's voice was filled with frustration. She reached to slap Evelyn, but seeing her daughter's pitiful expression, she relented.

"Look after Ethan well. Men are like that; they always want what they can't have. As a woman, you need to be patient."

Evelyn, her lip trembling with suppressed anger, could only comply.

Seeing her like this, looking like a defeated hen, her eyes bloodshot, on the verge of tears, was almost too much for Gloria to bear.

Finally, she softened. "Don't worry, this injustice won't go unpunished. I won't let it slide."

As the two of them were left alone in the room, Gloria leaned in close to Evelyn, whispering in her ear.

Evelyn, initially defiant, seemed to calm down after hearing her mother's words. A smile spread across her face.

"Really?" she asked, unsure.

Gloria's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Of course, my dear daughter. Only you deserve the best. Anyone who doesn't listen is useless."

Evelyn kissed Gloria's cheek. "I knew you loved me the most."

After they left the room, Vivian felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.

At first, she thought it was just low blood sugar, but as she walked down a long corridor, things started to feel off.

Her throat went dry, and her body grew hot, her breathing rapid. She felt a strange heat spreading through her limbs, as though a thousand ants were crawling under her skin.

Her face flushed, and she started to whimper softly, unable to control her soft gasps, a deep sense of emptiness overwhelming her.