Chapter 47 She Wouldn’t Be Having an Affair, Right?
Throughout dinner, Vincent was completely distracted.
He heard what the business partner said, but it didn't register.
Whenever they sought his input, he offered such half-hearted replies that others questioned whether he had actually listened to a word they said.
.
His friend kept giving him signals, he tried to help him out, but he didn't pick up on any of it or respond.
His mind was completely occupied by that scene from earlier.
The deep blue dress cinched at her waist, the crystals on the hem sparkling under the refracted light, it made her skin look luminous and her figure elegant.
And Ethan's hand around her waist.
That hand, resting on her waist, supporting her, so natural, so matter-of-fact.
She not only didn't push him away, she actually smiled at him!
Vincent's fingers slowly tightened around his wine glass, his knuckles turned white.
"Mr. Black? Mr. Black?"
The business partner's voice suddenly snapped Vincent back to reality. He looked over, the man was staring at him with slight displeasure in his eyes.
"What do you think about the proposal we just discussed?"
Vincent had been completely zoned out. Even though his two friends kept trying to prompt him, he couldn't follow along. He just said things that made no sense.
Seeing this, the business partner could only make small talk about other things, when they'd eaten enough, he stood up and said, "Let's schedule another time to discuss this in detail."
That meant the deal was off.
Once they had escorted the business associate to the exit, the group went back to their private chamber. One of the companions couldn't resist remarking:
"Vince, what's wrong with you today? You've been working on this deal for three months, I finally managed to get him to meet with you, and this is what you do?"
Vincent didn't respond, he just picked up his glass and took a drink.
His friend looked at him and sighed. they pat his shoulder.
"Alright, alright, come on, let's go to a bar and have a few drinks, change the mood."
At the bar, the lights were dim and the music was deafening.
Vincent sat in the booth, drinking one glass after another. A few friends sat around him, chatting casually.
"Vince, what's actually happening with you today?" a friend asked, leaning closer. "You've seemed strange ever since you laid eyes on your wife."
"Yeah," another chimed in, "so what if she followed you there? It's not the first time, is it really that big a deal?"
"Exactly, hasn't she always done this kind of thing? Following you, 'running into' you, trying every way to get your attention. It's been years, and she still hasn't given up."
Vincent took another drink, his voice a bit hoarse: "This time she wasn't following me."
His friends froze, exchanging glances.
They weren't blind or stupid - everyone could see that Mrs. Black hadn't looked Vincent's way even once the entire time.
There was no attention-seeking game going on at all. She'd simply made plans to have dinner with another man and Vincent happened to run into them.
They'd said what they said to protect his pride.
They hadn't expected Vincent to call it out himself.
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
Vincent just kept drinking, glass after glass, his heart full of feelings he couldn't quite name.
"Vince," one friend looked at his expression and said carefully, "you don't think she's having an affair, do you? Dressed up like that..."
Vincent's brow furrowed.
"Impossible," he said.
"Why is that impossible?"
In that moment, Daisy's image completely transformed in this friend's mouth.
"Think about it - hasn't she been coming home less and less lately? Hasn't she stopped managing household things? Isn't she less attentive to you than before?"
Vincent fell silent.
It was true, but... but how could she be having an affair?
She loved him so much, for full six years. She loved him enough to use those methods to marry him.
How could she possibly...
"If you ask me, why don't you call her and test it out."
Another friend egged him on, "If she comes right away, just pretend you didn't see anything today. But if she makes excuses, there's definitely something wrong then you can hand her divorce papers and tell her to get lost!"
"Yeah, give it a try."
After all, in the past, no matter how late it was or where she was, as long as Vincent made one call - no, even if it was just a call from his friends - she would always come pick him up.
Everyone looked at Vincent.
Vincent was silent for a few seconds, then took out his phone, found Daisy's number, and dialed.
No one answered for a long time.
He hung up and dialed again. Still no answer.
On the third try, he heard a busy signal, then a mechanical female voice:
"The number you have dialed is currently on another call..."
He hung up and dialed again. This time it went straight to: "The number you have dialed is powered off."
No, it wasn't powered off.
Vincent stared at his phone screen, his expression darkening.
Still not willing to give up, he borrowed a friend's phone and dialed again.
This time it connected, but as soon as he said something, the other end hung up immediately.
Now everyone was silent.
The music in the bar was mellow, the lights flashing, but the people at the table held their breath, the atmosphere frozen.
"She... she blocked you? Just like that, so brazenly?"
This was even worse than having an affair - it was a direct slap in the face!
Vincent stared at his phone screen.
She had blocked him.
The woman who for six years, no matter how late or how tired, would answer with just one phone call from him , had blocked him!
"Vince..." His friend saw his state and was about to say something when Vincent suddenly stood up, grabbed the bottle in front of him, and smashed it hard on the ground.
With a crash, the bottle shattered, glass shards flying everywhere, dark red liquid splashing across the floor.
Customers at nearby tables jumped in fright, all turning to look.
A server rushed over to ask what happened, his friends pulled out money to smooth things over: "It's nothing, nothing, had too much to drink, we'll handle it."
Vincent stood there, feeling a terrible pressure in his chest and his head spinning slightly.
He didn't know why he was so angry.
Was it because she was having dinner with another man? Or because of that light in her eyes he'd never seen before?
Or was it simply because she'd blocked him, making him lose face in front of his friends?
Yes, that must be it.
"Vince, calm down." His friend grabbed him. "She's just a woman, it's not worth it," he said while signaling to the others.
"Yeah, she's gotten too spoiled. She thinks that being Mrs. Black for so long means she can do whatever she wants. You go home and slap divorce papers in her face, and she'll definitely get on her knees and beg you."
Vincent shook off his friend's hand and strode toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
Vincent didn't answer.
Walking out of the bar, the night wind hit his face, bringing a chill that cleared his head somewhat.
He stood at the entrance, watching the sparse traffic on the street, suddenly not knowing where to go.
Just then, a message popped up on his phone.
It was from Vanessa.
[Vince, there's something I think I should tell you...]