Chapter 202: Slip Of The Tounge

It was just past noon.

The door to Vivienne’s office at Octaveo Pharmaceutical swung open.

"What’s wrong?" Vivienne looked up from the documents on her desk, raising an eyebrow at her flustered secretary. "Why are you stammering?"

"C-Chairwoman... I just got a call from the front desk. Director Hale is here."

Vivienne set down her pen.

"So? It’s not like he can eat me alive." She shrugged casually before adding with a teasing smile, "Do I need to throw him a welcome party?"

She tried to sound indifferent, but the sparkle that appeared in her eyes the moment she heard Luca had arrived betrayed her.

The secretary could only sigh inwardly.

Chairwoman cares about Director Hale so much... how could he bring another woman here?

Trying one last time to warn her indirectly, she stepped closer to the desk and lowered her voice.

"Chairwoman... should I pour out your coffee and make you a cup of green tea instead?"

Vivienne frowned.

"You know I don’t drink tea."

"...Right."

The secretary grew even more anxious.

Her gaze drifted toward the greenery outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, and suddenly an idea came to her.

"You’ve been looking at the computer for a long time. Maybe you should get up, stretch a little, and... look at the green scenery outside."

Vivienne narrowed her eyes.

After being hinted at several times, she finally caught on.

Looking directly at the secretary, she asked calmly,

"Did Luca bring another woman with him?"

"Ahem... Chairwoman, I..."

Before the secretary could answer, someone knocked on the office door.

A moment later, a man and a young woman walked in together.

The man was strikingly handsome.

The young woman beside him was equally eye-catching, with a graceful figure and delicate features that made the pair look unusually pleasing together.

The secretary instinctively glared at Luca.

’Fine... I’ll admit she’s beautiful.’

’Pretty face. Great figure.’

’But... isn’t she a little young? She barely looks like she’s come of age.’

’When did Director Hale start liking this type?’

’And with someone as stunning and elegant as the chairwoman waiting for him, he’s still not satisfied?’

’That’s unbelievable.’

Just as she was silently cursing Luca and considering making him a cup of green tea out of spite...

The girl suddenly ran over to Vivienne.

"Wow! You’re Sister Vivienne?"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she grabbed Vivienne’s hand.

"You’re so beautiful! No wonder my brother likes you so much."

The secretary froze.

Brother?

Only then did she realize the beautiful girl wasn’t another girlfriend at all.

She was Luca’s younger sister.

Vivienne smiled warmly.

"Trish, you’re beautiful too. Especially your facial features."

She gently pinched the girl’s cheek.

"You and your brother really do look alike."

Luca had shown Vivienne a family photo before.

She had been surprised back then by how attractive everyone in his family was.

Now that she was seeing Trish in person, she realized the photo hadn’t done her justice.

"Hehe!"

Trish proudly put her hands on her hips.

"I know! Sister Sophie said exactly the same thing."

The instant Sophie was mentioned, Luca knew trouble was coming.

Almost at the same time...

Trish realized she’d said the wrong thing.

She immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Standing awkwardly to one side, she nervously tugged at the hem of her clothes, wishing she could disappear.

Seeing her guilty expression, Luca silently sighed.

’She’s beyond saving.’

’She practically confirmed Sophie’s identity herself.’

Sensing the atmosphere becoming awkward, the secretary quietly slipped out of the office, thoughtfully closing the door behind her.

Vivienne’s gaze slowly shifted toward Luca.

She didn’t say a word.

She didn’t need to.

The meaning in her eyes was already obvious enough.

Then she squeezed Trish’s hand and smiled gently.

"Don’t be nervous."

She patted the girl’s hand reassuringly.

"Your brother’s messy love life has nothing to do with you."

She didn’t even bother asking who Sophie was.

Sooner or later, she’d meet her anyway.

Was she jealous?

Of course.

But she’d long since learned to adjust her mindset.

Otherwise, she’d have drowned in jealousy by now.

Just a few days earlier, another woman had called him.

She’d known immediately from the voice that it wasn’t Naomi.

The caller even sounded like a college student.

Counting the women in San Fierro alone...

There were already three.

And that was without even counting Amelia, whom she didn’t know about yet.

If she insisted on being jealous of every single one, she’d never have a peaceful day again.

...

The three of them went out for lunch together.

Luca originally intended to pay, but Vivienne refused.

"It’s my first time meeting your family," she said with a smile. "This meal is on me."

Luca didn’t argue.

After lunch, they stepped outside.

The afternoon sun blazed overhead.

Luca handed one parasol to Trish while opening another above Vivienne’s head.

Trish rolled her eyes dramatically.

She’d long accepted that, in her brother’s heart, girlfriends ranked higher than little sisters.

There was no point competing anymore.

"So," Luca asked, "where do you want to go now?"

"I want to visit San Fierro University!"

Trish answered without hesitation.

"I’ve only ever seen it in promotional videos."

As an incoming freshman, it made perfect sense.

She also wanted to familiarize herself with the campus before school started.

Besides...

When Rachel Kennedy eventually came to San Fierro, she wanted to be the one showing her around.

"We can go," Luca said after thinking for a moment, "but a lot of students are taking exams these days. I’d rather not disturb them."

Trish blinked.

"Bro... how do you know they’re having exams?"

She tilted her head curiously.

"You graduated years ago."

"Even if you remembered exam season, shouldn’t you be thinking about your own university instead?"

Luca fell silent.

Then he looked at his sister with a long, helpless stare.

’She really was born just to expose me, wasn’t she?’

’Should I call Mom right now and ask her to come collect this troublemaker?’

Watching the exchange, Vivienne immediately pieced everything together.

She had originally planned to head back to the company after lunch.

Now...

She suddenly found herself wanting to meet Luca’s college girlfriend.

Taking Trish’s hand, she smiled.

"Come on."

"I’ll go with you."

"We won’t enter the teaching buildings, so we won’t disturb anyone."

As she spoke, she turned and flashed Luca a playful smile.

He instantly understood.

She’d figured it out.

Still...

He made no attempt to stop her.

If Vivienne wanted to meet Arabella, then so be it.

Among all the women in his life, she was the one best suited to be the heart of the family.

That had a lot to do with the upbringing she’d received since childhood.

Outside the home, she was a capable CEO who could handle countless business matters with ease.

At home, she could laugh and chat with Naomi as though they’d known each other for years.

Whenever Luca faced a difficult decision, she was always the first person he wanted to consult.

To him, Vivienne was the very definition of the ideal woman.

Beautiful.

Intelligent.

Capable.

Gentle.

Kind.

If he ever hoped to build the large, harmonious family he’d dreamed of, she’d be the one holding everyone together.

Naomi, for example, admired Vivienne so much that it had gradually turned into genuine respect.

It was Vivienne’s gentle encouragement that night that had allowed Luca to experience the happiness of sharing his affection with two women without anyone being hurt.