Chapter 109: Vivian in danger
When Elena saw the commotion, her expression immediately changed.
"She is in danger."
Elias turned his head toward Vivian. A slight frown appeared on his face.
Accidents like this were rare at the riding arena. Well-trained horses didn’t panic without a reason. Something must have triggered it.
His eyes narrowed. ’She must have done something again.’
After everything Vivian had done today, he couldn’t help suspecting her.
’She is probably trying to attract attention again,’ he thought coldly.
His expression remained indifferent. "Don’t worry. The staff will handle it."
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, several riding instructors came galloping toward Vivian on horseback.
Working together with coordination, they surrounded the frightened horse from different directions, gradually slowing its pace and preventing it from running farther.
One instructor carefully moved alongside Vivian, while another reached for the horse’s bridle. They steadily soothed it until it finally came to a stop.
Once the horse had settled, one of the instructors helped Vivian safely dismount. Apart from looking pale and shaken, she wasn’t injured.
Elena let out a sigh of relief. "Please," she said, turning to Elias, "let’s go check on her."
Elias wasn’t particularly interested. After everything Vivian had done, he found it difficult to sympathize with her. Still, he couldn’t refuse Elena.
"Alright."
Elias guided the horse toward Vivian.
By the time they arrived, the staff had already taken her to the infirmary.
Elias and Elena dismounted the horse and headed toward the infirmary.
The moment Vivian saw Elias walk into the room, tears instantly welled up in her eyes.
"Elias... you came." Her voice was pitiful and filled with grievance.
However, the smile on her face froze the moment Elena walked in behind him.
"Why is she here?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.
"Vivian," Elias said sternly, "mind your manners. We came to check on you. The least you could do is be polite."
Vivian pouted. "I don’t need her here." She pointed toward the door. "Tell her to leave."
Elias’s expression darkened. "You are being ungrateful."
He turned to Elena and took her hand. "Let’s go. She clearly doesn’t need us."
He led Elena out of the infirmary.
Vivian gripped the bedsheet so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Elias," she screamed. "Don’t go. Stay with me. I need you here."
But the two of them had already disappeared from her sight.
"Ugh!" Her face twisted with resentment. "I hate you, Elena. You ruin everything."
She slammed her fist onto the mattress. "Why can’t you just stay away from him?"
Just then, a man hurried into the infirmary. "Miss Vivian."
His anxious eyes quickly swept over her. "Are you alright?"
The moment Vivian saw him, the anger in her chest flared even more. "I want Elias tonight," she demanded petulantly. "Think of something. Make him come to me."
The man’s face instantly turned pale. "Miss..."
He swallowed nervously. "What are you saying? Mr. Rowan is already married. You should stop chasing him before things get out of hand."
Vivian glared at him. "I didn’t ask for your advice."
"I told you to do as I say. Understood?"
The man hesitated. Then he sighed helplessly. "I’ve already told you. I have a plan. It will destroy their marriage. But I need time to execute the plan. Please don’t act recklessly before then. Just wait a little longer."
Vivian frowned. She didn’t want to wait. She wanted Elias now.
"Impulsive actions will only ruin everything," the man continued patiently. "You are the princess of the Sterling family. Everything you do affects your family’s reputation. You have to be more careful."
Vivian rolled her eyes in annoyance, ready to argue further. Just then, her phone rang, cutting her off.
She frowned. "Who is calling me now?"
She picked up the phone, but the moment her eyes landed on the caller ID, the color drained from her face.
"Dad..." A bad feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.
He must have found out that she had skipped the seminar.
Taking a steadying breath, she answered the call.
The instant she lifted the phone to her ear, Cedric’s furious roar exploded through the speaker.
"Vivian Sterling! What on earth are you doing over there?"
She immediately pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing at the sheer volume of his voice.
"You insisted on attending that seminar," Cedric thundered. "You begged me to let you represent the company, and I believed you."
His anger only intensified. "Then I receive a call telling me you never even showed up."
Vivian bit her lower lip. She couldn’t come up with a single excuse.
"I thought you had finally grown up," Cedric continued bitterly. "I thought you were ready to take responsibility for the family business."
His voice was laced with disappointment. "But I was wrong. You haven’t changed one bit. You are as impulsive as before."
"Dad..." Vivian began weakly.
"I don’t want to hear your excuses," Cedric snapped. "Come home. Immediately."
Vivian frowned in frustration. "I’m not coming back yet. I still have things to take care of."
"Vivian," Cedric warned, his voice turning dangerously cold, "do you really think I don’t know why you are still there?"
Vivian’s eyes instantly shifted toward the man standing beside her bed. A look of suspicion flashed across her face.
’He told Dad.’ The thought irritated her. Her glare turned sharp.
"Come back now," Cedric ordered. "Otherwise, I’ll freeze every one of your bank cards."
Vivian’s eyes widened. "Dad. How can you do this to me?"
"I’ve indulged you for far too long. I overlooked every mistake you’ve made. I gave you everything you ever wanted. And you took all of it for granted."
His tone grew firmer. "If I can spoil you, I can discipline you too. Come home. Or you’ll find out what happens when I stop protecting you."
Vivian clenched her teeth. She knew her father wasn’t bluffing.
"Fine." She spoke through gritted teeth. "I’m coming."
Without waiting for another word, she ended the call in frustration, gripping the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.