Chapter 7 Jinx

When she went back to the apartment, Penny was still not up.

When Vivian stood in front of the washbasin, her legs shuddered slightly. It was too much for her body to bear last night.

She washed her face with cold water, looked at herself in the mirror, held the washbasin, and shed silent tears. Now she was reduced to this. How was she supposed to face her life afterward?

Collecting herself, she washed up, went out, and took the subway to visit her father at the suburban sanatorium.

In the ward, the nursing worker fed Zane breakfast.

"Dad." Vivian beamed and walked up.

Rather than delighted, Zane looked indifferent to see his daughter.

Paralyzed for years, he had suffered both physically and mentally. At the moment, he frowned and asked, "Did you upset Hudson?"

Vivian was stunned as her father didn't know about the matter between Hudson and her, "Dad, why do you say that?"

Zane frowned and questioned, "My nutrient drip has been off for two days. The nurse told me that the money is running short! How would the Attlee family do this to me? It must be you who dissatisfied Hudson!"

... Vivian was lost for words.

Although she and her father had depended on each other to live since her childhood, she didn't receive much fatherly care from him.

Before she was 13 years old, her father had been too busy to take care of her or give her any thoughtful attention. Since little, Vivian had been taking care of herself. When she grew older, she realized her father's hatred because her birth led to the death of her mother.

Later, her father had a car accident, which confirmed that Vivian was a jinx, and the father-daughter relationship grew thinner.

"I knew it was because of you!" Zane scolded her fiercely, "You should just adapt to Hudson's needs!"

Vivian bit her lower lip, her face a mixture of red and pale. Hanging her head, she spoke nothing.

Zane snarled, "Talk to me! I can't live without nutrient drips!"

In the end, he even talked harshly, "Jinx can't accomplish anything."

Vivian froze there, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Mr. Attlee."

"Mr. Attlee."

Outside the door, Hudson greeted the doctors and nurses with a smile and walked over slowly. His figure was upright, and he looked refined in his casual suit that wrapped his long, lean body. His features were delicate, and his eyes were filled with shrewdness.

His gaze finally landed on Vivian, but she didn't look up at him.

Without a word, Hudson directly grabbed her hand.

Vivian raised her head abruptly, clenching her teeth and glaring at him.

Hudson grabbed her hand by force and beamed, "Zane, I'm here to visit you. How are you?"

At the sight of Hudson, Zane immediately smiled, "Hudson, thank you for visiting me despite your busy schedule. I'm fine, thanks for your concern. My nutrient drip..."

"Zane, sorry for my negligence. I've been so busy recently that I neglected the finances. I've had the money transferred, and you'll get it tonight."

"Good kid, thanks for your concern." Zane was greatly relieved.

"You are too polite. You're Vivi's father and also mine."

Hudson's speech was proper and flawless.

His sweet talk reminded Vivian of his affair with Valerie, and she felt ironic.

Hudson coaxed Zane well. After a long talk, he got up to leave, "Zane, it's weekend today. My mother has been waiting for us to have lunch at home. Vivi lost a lot of weight recently, and my mother has cooked many of her favorite dishes, you see..."

"You can go back now!" Zane waved his hand repeatedly to urge his daughter, "Vivi, go with Hudson. Don't fail Mrs. Attlee's kindness."

Before her father's smiley face, Vivian found it hard to pour out her grievances.

Zane's face turned sullen, "Vivi, speak now."

"Dad!" Vivian opened her mouth.

"Enough, why the long face, what for? Hudson is working so hard to support the family. You are so ignorant!"

Zane reprimanded his daughter and then smiled at Hudson, "Hudson, she is young and ignorant, please forgive her."

Zane threw his arm around Vivian's shoulder, "It's nothing. I should adapt to her."

Zane then looked sullener at his daughter, "How could you pick on a man like Hudson?"

"Dad!" Vivian couldn't stand it and sobbed, "Listen to my part. Hudson has an affair!"

"Vivi!" Hudson snarled anxiously, "Don't talk nonsense before Zane."

"Am I?" Tears wet Vivian's eyes, "Hudson, you have the guts to do it but not admit it!"

In the heat of their arguments, Zane broke in loudly, "Vivi, enough! It's common for men to put on shows on occasion."

"Dad, I..." Vivian was so shocked that her pink lips trembled.

Hudson smirked, "Finally, someone understands me. Then, I'll take Vivi away. My mother has been waiting at home. Please take care."

"Sure." Zane nodded with a smile and then glared at his daughter, "Vivi, go!"

Full of grievances, Vivian had to swallow her pride...

After they came out of the sanatorium, Vivian pushed Hudson away and continued her way forward without saying a word.

"Vivian!"

With a sullen face, Hudson called out to her and viciously curled up his lips, "One more step, I dare you!"

Fretted, Vivian took two deep breaths and glared back at him with red eyes, "Hudson, we are over. Stop pestering me, okay?"

"What?" Hudson asked back loudly and sarcastically, "Seriously? Stop pestering you? Vivian, don't you know your place?"

Ashamed into anger, he turned ghastly pale.

Vivian's heart sank to the bottom, and she clutched her hands silently.

"Why stop talking?" Hudson sneered.

"Humph, you've been left out in the cold for days. I thought you would come round. Unexpectedly, you are still so insensible! I adapt myself to you, and you are relentless, eh? You wanna get away and break up with me? Don't forget who took you in when you were a homeless jinx! And who covered your father's expenses in the sanatorium all these years!"

Vivian's spine stiffened, and humiliation rose from the bottom of her heart. Her fingertips dug deep into the flesh of her palms.

"Mad at me? Do you think you have the right?" Despite his aggressive tone, he was speaking the truth.

Vivian's feet stuck to the ground, her face ashy pale.

"Alas..." Hudson came up and grabbed her hand. Reluctantly, Vivian closed her eyes but couldn't turn him down!

"It's just a woman and a show." Hudson cast his eyes down at her and sort of explained, "I'm serious about you."

Vivian sneered inwardly. Humph... serious? Should she be grateful to him?