Chapter 227: pool party XVII

Chapter 227: Chapter 227: pool party XVII

The four remained around the same table.

The atmosphere had never been entirely easy.

Even when the conversation remained polite, there was an awareness between all four of them that made every interaction slightly more measured than it might otherwise have been.

Still, Damian had been different earlier.

He had been relaxed.

Animated.

Almost constantly engaged with Vivienne.

Now, however, he was quieter.

Not enough for anyone unfamiliar with him to notice.

But Anthony noticed.

His cousin had always been easy to read in small ways. When Damian was interested in a conversation, he leaned into it. When he was amused, his expression rarely hid it. When he enjoyed someone’s company, he had a habit of staying close without seeming to realize he was doing it.

Now he was sitting back.

His answers were still polite.

His expression was still composed.

But the easy enthusiasm from earlier was gone.

Anthony studied him for a moment.

Perhaps Damian had finally realized where he was.

Perhaps he had finally become aware of how conspicuous he had been.

Especially with Anthony sitting right there.

Perhaps he had finally remembered that there were certain boundaries worth observing.

Anthony’s attention shifted toward Vivienne.

He had only known this version of Vivienne for a little over seven weeks.

Six years was a long time.

He couldn’t pretend he understood her well enough to know exactly what she was thinking.

But he knew what he was seeing.

The food.

The towel.

The way she had asked Damian to feed her.

The way she kept glancing toward Anthony afterward.

It was becoming too deliberate to be accidental.

She was trying to get a reaction from him.

Anthony’s expression tightened.

Why?

He could only assume she wanted to make a point.

Perhaps she wanted him to see that she had moved on.

Perhaps she wanted to make him jealous.

Whatever the reason, he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

The engagement was over.

Vivienne was free to spend time with Damian.

She was free to enjoy herself.

But there was a difference between enjoying oneself and behaving without restraint.

They were at Saint Albion.

Surrounded by other students.

Their families’ names were not meaningless here, regardless of how modern the university might be.

And some of Vivienne’s behavior had simply become unbecoming.

That was what irritated him.

At least, that was what Anthony told himself.

He had no reason to care who Vivienne chose to spend her time with.

No reason to care how comfortable she was with Damian.

No reason to react at all.

Yet the irritation remained.

A persistent, grating feeling that he refused to examine too closely.

Anthony looked away.

He would not give her the reaction she was looking for.

Whatever she was trying to accomplish, he would simply refuse to participate.

Then he looked back.

Vivienne was already watching him.

She smiled.

And Anthony knew, with some annoyance, that she had already succeeded in getting a reaction out of him.

Across the table, Vivienne felt a small thrill.

She had done it.

She could see it in Anthony’s face.

He wasn’t pleased.

Of course he wasn’t.

She had spent the better part of the afternoon making sure he saw exactly how comfortable she was with Damian.

The food.

The towel.

The teasing.

Even asking Damian to feed her.

She had done all of it deliberately.

Anyone paying attention would have known.

And Anthony certainly had.

She had made her point.

She hadn’t waited for him.

She had moved on.

She had people who wanted to be around her.

She was perfectly capable of enjoying herself without him.

That should have been enough.

She knew she should probably stop.

But the thrill of seeing Anthony’s reaction was difficult to resist.

And truth was, she was enjoying this far too much.

Just a little more.

That wouldn’t hurt.

Her eyes drifted toward Damian.

He was still beside her.

Still polite.

Still there.

Vivienne assumed his quietness was simply because Anthony was sitting across from them.

That was understandable.

After all, Anthony had once been her fiancé.

Damian probably didn’t know how far he could go with her in front of him.

She didn’t think much more about it.

Instead, her attention returned to Anthony.

If she was going to indulge herself a little longer, she might as well see what happened when she spoke to him directly.

Vivienne tilted her head slightly.

"Oh."

Anthony looked toward her.

She smiled.

"Lord Ashford."

"I forgot to ask."

She paused deliberately.

"How have you been these days?"

Anthony was caught slightly off guard.

It was the first time she had addressed him directly like this since they had sat down.

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

Then he answered.

"I’m doing well."

Vivienne nodded.

"That’s good."

She studied him for another second.

Then, perhaps because she had expected something more, she added,

"That’s all?"

Anthony raised an eyebrow.

"What else would you like me to say?"

Vivienne laughed softly.

"Nothing."

She leaned back in her chair.

"I was simply curious."

Anthony wasn’t convinced.

But he let it pass.

"And you?"

He said it almost automatically.

Vivienne’s smile widened.

There it was.

The opening she had been waiting for.

She glanced around the table.

Then at Damian beside her.

Then back at Anthony.

"Me?"

She gave a small, almost thoughtful hum.

"I’m doing quite well."

Anthony said nothing.

"Very well, actually."

She shifted slightly in her chair until her shoulder brushed Damian’s arm.

Damian noticed.

So did Anthony.

Vivienne didn’t seem to care.

"If you couldn’t tell."

"I can see that."

Vivienne smiled.

"Good."

She looked toward Damian.

Then back at Anthony.

"Things have been rather pleasant lately."

Her voice was light.

"I’ve had quite a lot to keep me occupied."

Anthony’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

He already knew what she was trying to accomplish.

There was no need to question it again.

He simply refused to give her anything more than the courtesy of an answer.

"That seems to be the case."

Vivienne’s smile became almost playful.

"Doesn’t it?"

She leaned slightly toward Damian.

"Damian has been especially helpful."

Damian’s expression tightened.

Vivienne didn’t notice.

Or, if she did, she seemed to take it for something else.

Perhaps she thought, Damian was simply uncomfortable with Anthony’s presence.

She gave Damian a small smile.

Then looked back at Anthony.

"He makes things very easy for me."

Anthony’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The remark was deliberate.

He knew that much.

She had made her point.

And now she wanted to see what he would do with that knowledge.

Anthony’s expression remained unreadable.

"That’s good."

Vivienne blinked.

Perhaps she had expected more.

Instead, Anthony simply looked at her.

Then at Damian.

Then back again.

"Though you seem to be getting rather comfortable with him."

The words were quiet.

Vivienne’s lips curved.

"Perhaps."

She tilted her head.

"I suppose I am."

She rested her elbow against the table, looking entirely at ease.

Damian stared at his plate.

Anthony noticed that too.

The more he watched, the more something felt wrong.

Damian wasn’t enjoying this anymore.

Anthony knew that much.

His cousin had been eager to be beside Vivienne earlier.

Now he seemed almost determined not to engage with her.

Anthony couldn’t explain the change.

But he knew Damian well enough to recognize it.

Before he could make sense of it, Evelyn spoke.