Chapter 214

Danica indeed had something to tell Vincent, but her courage failed at the last second. "It's late. We can talk tomorrow morning," she said quietly.

Vincent didn't budge, his expression dark. "No. We're having this conversation right now."

"Fine. Just let me grab something first." Danica paused, slipped back to her room and returned with a small stack of photographs.

She fanned the photos 'out across the table. "Here, Vincent. Last time, you took the albums without saying a word. I figured none of them interested you, so I picked out new ones myself. These women have good backgrounds, decent personalities, and they're all attractive. See anyone you like?"

An even deeper scowl crossed Vincent's face. With one swift movement, he ripped the photos to pieces and let them flutter to the floor.

Danica's voice rose, her frustration showing. "Seriously? You could've just said no! There's no need to destroy them."

His eyes were hard and unyielding. "I expected you had something important to say, not another round of matchmaking."

A jolt of fluster made Danica's heart skip. "Important? Like what, exactly?" Danica's hands twisted nervously, her nerves fraying. She'd indeed bribed a caregiver to slip infertility drugs into Hannah's medication the moment she learned Vincent and Hannah lived under the same roof.Searching for a way out, her mind scrambled for any excuse that might save her.

Words from the bottom of her heart tumbled out before she could stop herself. "Vincent, I swear,everything I did was for your sake. Hannah's your ex now. You two shacking up together? I was worried she'd get pregnant,tie you down again, and make us look bad in front of everyone."

A cold laugh escaped Vincent. "For me? That's the story you always tell. Honestly, I'm tired of hearing it."Shadows settled on his face. "When have you ever done anything for me?"

Resentment had become a permanent fixture in Vincent's heart whenever he thought of Danica. No matter what she claimed, her choices always benefited her first.

He couldn't forget the time Brinley's brother and father passed away after saving him. Danica had forced him to kneel on their doorstep for hours, even though he had only been a shaken seven-year-old. All the while, she'd disappeared with friends, enjoying their card games. Sharon had been the one who stepped forward and brought him home.

Later on, when his father died and the Jones Group's stocks plummeted, Danica, eager to distance herself from the chaos, had jetted off abroad with Brinley. The worst part? Danica had deliberately left before her own husband's funeral, her hasty packing just for skipping the ceremony.

At that time, since Sharon was bedridden, Vincent, just sixteen then, had bitterly realized that he had no one but himself to rely on to keep the family business afloat. He couldn't afford to break down despite the overwhelming stress on his shoulders.

And those women Danica had set up for him? She'd only considered how his marriage would reflect on her,never the couple's compatibility or his happiness. Brinley, along with every other so-called suitable candidate, had only met her standards of making her look good in the upper society.

Thus, either before or after he married Hannah, who hailed from an ordinary background, Danica had managed to make Hannah's life miserable at every turn, insisting on her own standards and never once asking what he wanted. Selfishness seemed to come as naturally to Danica as breathing.

When Vincent finally spoke, his words landed like a slap. "You only know how to look after your own interests."

Danica's cheeks burned, stung by his accusation. "So now you're picking a fight with your mother in the middle of the night, just to take Hannah's side?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing," Vincent replied, his voice cold and unwavering. "Tell me. Those first few months after Hannah and I got married and lived in this house-did you also slip infertility drugs into Hannah's meals?"

Danica didn't back down. Her voice grew sharp. "And if I did? She was never good enough to bear your child." She glared at him. "That girl comes from nothing. She would never gain my recognition. She doesn't have the status, and she sure as hell isn't worthy of bearing an her for the Jones family. I couldn't just stand by and let her taint our family's bloodline."

Hearing those words, Vincent's eyes flew wide. The raw truth struck him hard, and he had been oblivious the whole time until now. He met her gaze with steady conviction. "I chose Hannah myself. Grandma gave her blessing. Hannah never played any dirty games or wormed her way into my bed with underhanded tricks.How does that make her unworthy of bearing my child?"

Vincent's words pierced Danica's heart with each syllable. Every single word was meant to mock her.

After all, Danica had fought her way into the Jones family by manipulating every situation she could,including drugging Vincent's father, playing dirty to sleep with him, and getting herself pregnant for a shotgun marriage. Post-marriage, she had gotten the lifestyle she wanted, but real love was never part of her plan.

Danica's cheeks flushed with anger. "How dare you talk about your own mother like that?"

He gave a short, cold laugh. "Mother? I don't consider you a mother at all."

Vincent made for the door, ready to leave, but Danica's phone started ringing, her brother's name flashing on the screen. A late-night call indicated something was amiss.

She answered the phone quickly and, upon hearing her brother's words, she rushed to intercept Vincent."Your uncle needs your help. Go take care of it." Vincent retorted without hesitation,"NO."