Babel Novel
Chapter 15
Back at Tranquil Garden, Stephanie spent her afternoon inmersed in sketching in her bedroom. Pleased with her work, she quickly emailed the sketches
to Julianna.
Stretching, she caught a glimpse of the time on her phone. It was already live in the afternoon.
Her screen flashed with several sensational news headlines, “Lucianna, a D-list actress from Fantasy Entertainment, caught chasing a taken man” and “Fantasy Entertainment’s own D-list star, Lucianna, faces the wrath of a legitimate wife for playing the other woman”.
Seeing the effects of the altercation on Lucianna’s face, Stephanie couldn’t help but comment, “So much for her nose job. It’s so out of shape, she’s unrecognizable,”
Just then, a WhatsApp notification appeared. Vincent messaged: [Do you like the gift I sent you?
Stephanie replied instantly: [Love it. When are you coming home?
Vincent texted back: [I’ll be late tonight, got a thing with some buddies. I’ll bring you along next time. Don’t wait up for me, okay?
Stephanie wanted to tell him she’d wait, but knowing that might hold him back from enjoying his time, she erased her first message and settled with: [Okay.]
Suddenly, a knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. “Mrs. Fletcher, dinner’s ready,” announced Sophia.
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“T’ll be right down.” Stephanie answered, deciding to leave the distressing images of Lucianna’s battered face behind, fearing they might ruin her
appetite. Getting to her feet, she headed downstairs to the dining room
Meanwhile, Lucianna was stretched out on an operating table in a cosmetic surgery clinic, clutching her phone. “Flore, I’ve been outed. It’s got to be Stephanie’s doing. How else would Liam’s wife catch me right after our spat?” she lamented.
ister’s always been cutthroat,” Florence agreed.
“My sister
Lucianna, puzzled, asked, “Flore, that geezer mentioned Stephanie is Mrs. Fletcher. is she really married to Vincent?”
Florence, clearly exasperated, couldn’t admit the truth about Stephanie and Vincent’s marriage. She skeptically responded, “You think someone like Vincent would make such an impulsive decision? Who knows who that old man was?”
Questioning further, Lucianna wondered, “You think he was lying?”
“Absolutely, he’s just trying to intimidate,” Florence assured with a wicked glint in her eye. She then added, “Lucia, don’t let Stephanie intimidate you. She’s probably just exploiting Vincent’s name. No respectable man would want his name used in such petty squabbles. They might claim to be engaged, but without a formal ceremony, it’s all talk. Maybe Vincent will eventually dismiss it. They don’t share a real connection. Vincent hardly knows her. We just need to reveal her for who she really is, and he’ll abandon her. She’s been nothing but ungrateful. In contrast, you and I, we’re like sisters.”
Touched, Lucianna asked, “But how do we show Vincent her true colors?”
Florence smirked with a plan in mind. “Mrs. Fletcher’s birthday is this weekend. You could…”
Meanwhile, at the club, Vincent entered the private room where his friends, Joseph Cole and Graham Whitlock, were already waiting.”
Zane gave a nod and stationed himself by the door.
Vincent made his way over to the couch and sat down, his brown hair softly framing his face, looking particularly striking under the soft lighting.
Joseph handed him a glass of red wine, which Vincent accepted and swirled thoughtfully.
“Your fiancée was back for Douglas at that time. You must have been aware,” Joseph remarked.
Vincent, peering into his wine glass, replied softly, “So, I made her mine.”
Joseph, mid-drink, nearly choked. Coughing, he blurted out, “Hold up, Vincent, are you saying you’ve… you know, been with her?”
Graham cut in, “Idiot. They probably got married.”
Joseph looked to Vincent for confirmation, who simply smiled, reminiscing the moment Stephanie kissed him before heading to City Hall.
Joseph, bewildered, joked, “No way, Vincent. Did she put a spell on you? Weren’t you searching for that young girl?”
Vincent fixed Joseph with a steady look, saying, “I’ve found her.”
As Joseph processed the news, Graham clarified, “Stephanie is that girl.”
Joseph was taken aback, thinking to himself, “What a plot twist! Or has this been orchestrated from the start?”
“Did the secret spill?” Joseph asked.
Vincent, twirling the glass, replied, “No.”
Joseph, pushing his luck, teased, “So does that mean Stephanie thinks you’re, you know, not able to
Astern glance from Vincent instantly shut him down.
Graham Jested, “Seriously, man, some people just can’t keep their mouths shut?
With a knowing grin, Vincent tasted the wine and inquired, “Is this selection from Chardonn’s Vineyard?”
“I’ve heard the owner of Chardonn’s Vineyard is quite the easygoing character, with the place running smoothly thanks to her right hand, Isabelle Wright. Ever thought about launching a Fletcher Group vineyard? Chardonn’s Vineyard could serve as a great model. I bet with your influence, enticing the owner wouldn’t be too hard,” Joseph pitched.
Vincent, with a smirk, replied, “I’m married, man. You’re the one who should go.”
Joseph found himself at a loss for words.
Graham chimed in with caution, “There’s someone snooping around Jacaster for you. Stay sharp while you’re out.”
Vincent’s gaze grew stern. “I’m aware,”
At precisely 8:30p.m., Zane made his way into the room,
Vincent positioned himself back in his wheelchair and announced, “I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
“We’ll see you at the birthday party,” Joseph and Graham echoed.
As Zane pushed Vincent through the club’s exit, the rain started to pour. Instead of getting an umbrella from the car and leaving Vincent alone, Zane
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With the black umbrella now open, Zane escorted Vincent to the vehicle, helped him inside, stowed the umbrella away, and then drove off into the night.
A shadowy figure in a baseball cap, phone in hand, muttered, “They’re slick. I couldn’t get close to Vincent, no chance to check if he’s really disabled.”
“The priority is that he doesn’t slip away,” the voice on the phone insisted.
The figure, exuding determination, affirmed, “Got it.”
As the Maybach made its way toward Tranquil Garden, Zane glanced in the rearview mirror and reported, “We’ve got four cars on our tail, Mr. Fletcher.”
Vincent, unfazed, suggested, “Let’s take the mountain road.”
“Roger that, Zane agreed, steering the car toward the winding mountain paths.
The car, thanks to its modifications, sped impressively.
The followers initially maintained a cautious distance but soon threw caution to the wind, tailing them more openly.
As they ascended, the pursuing vehicles hesitated to match their speed too closely.
The lackey in the driver’s seat frowned. “Does it seem like they’re baiting us up the mountain on purpose?”
The man in the baseball cap scoffed, “They think we’ll be done for on these risky mountain roads in this storm. They’re underestimating us. Tonight, they’re the ones who won’t make it”
The lackey queried, “Is Vincent the one they’re seeking?”
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The man in the baseball cap fixed a fierce look and stated, “It doesn’t matter if it’s him or not, he’s not making it through the night!”