A Superior Suitor

The bustling sidewalk remained fixated on the glowing tablet screen. "It is your turn," Vivian urged. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of relief and impatience as she gestured for Declan to press the digital confirmation button. Across the live feed, the City Hall staff watched the standoff with bated breath. Pedestrians lingered, their eyes fixed on the prominent billionaire and his estranged wife, treating the moment like a live theatrical performance.

Declan stared back at her, his jaw clenched tight. His mind raced, convinced that she was playing a massive, final psychological card to force him to back down. He took his time, letting the seconds tick by, waiting for her to break character and retract the call. He expected her composure to shatter, for the facade to crumble under the weight of his stare. But Vivian remained standing there, silent and resolute. She did not flinch, nor did she look away. The bustling sounds of the morning commute seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the sharp glare of the tablet screen between them. Declan hated this feeling. He was used to wielding unquestioned control over every aspect of his life, yet here he stood on a public sidewalk, paralyzed by the unwavering resolve in Vivian's eyes. It infuriated him.

The tense silence was shattered by a sweet, melodic voice.

"Declan!"

Stella Hayes called out, stepping through the crowd with a bright, camera-ready smile. Her heels clicked against the pavement. As she approached, she glanced at the tablet and gasped in feigned shock. "Are you two really getting divorced?"

Prompted by Stella’s public arrival and unwilling to look hesitant in front of her, Declan exhaled a sharp breath. He tapped the green confirmation button, finalizing the separation. The tablet emitted a crisp chime, signaling the end of their four-year marriage.

Stella slid her arm through his, asking him to join her for breakfast. She rested her head against his shoulder, projecting the image of a devoted partner. The gesture was calculated, a clear attempt to claim territory right over the ashes of his marriage. She then turned her manicured attention to Vivian, her voice dripping with fake sympathy.

"Ms. Vance, care to join us? Even if you are divorced, we are still friends."

Finding Stella's pathetic victory parade boring and transparent, Vivian scoffed. She adjusted her grip on her tablet, not bothering to hide her disdain. "No need. I am not in the habit of being friends with exes."

Desperate to assert dominance, Stella's assistant chimed in with condescension, her voice carrying over the murmurs of the gathered crowd. "How about exchanging contact information? Stella has quite a wide network and knows many big shots. She can introduce you to suitable wealthy, older men so your standard of living will not plummet post-divorce."

Before Vivian could form a sharp retort, a large, warm, masculine hand rested on her shoulder. The touch was steady and grounding.

"Ms. Hayes, Vivian's life does not need you to worry about," Lance Mercer declared, his voice cutting through the crowd like a knife. He stepped forward from the throng of onlookers, radiating wealth and confidence. His tailored suit and effortless charm drew gasps from the pedestrians. "I could buy ten Aeroform Groups with just one month's sales profit. I have more than enough money to support Vivian for several lifetimes."

Stella's assistant snapped her mouth shut, her face turning crimson under the scrutiny of the growing crowd. Aeroform Group was the very company Stella currently worked for. The mocking remark hit its mark, silencing any further attempts to humiliate Vivian.

Declan's face darkened at the sight of the unfamiliar man’s hand lingering on Vivian's shoulder. His mind spiraled. Convinced she had been cheating on him during their four-year marriage, Declan seethed with an intense, territorial anger far greater than when she had first supposedly forced him to marry her. He glared at Lance, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists at his sides. The audacity of this man touching Vivian in broad daylight made Declan's blood boil.

Stella struggled to maintain her composure. Her eyes flashed with bitter, undeniable jealousy as the handsome Lance softened his tone. She had spent years clawing her way up the social ladder, yet Vivian seemed to effortlessly attract men of extraordinary caliber. He looked down at Vivian, his gaze warm and protective, and murmured, "Let's go."

"Alright," Vivian nodded.

As they turned and walked away, leaving Declan and Stella stewing on the sidewalk, the dumbfounded crowd of commuters began to buzz. Whispers spread among the onlookers.

"Isn't that Lance Mercer, the e-commerce titan?" a man in a business suit exclaimed.

"Yes! He set billion-dollar sales records earlier this year. His streams pull in crazy numbers," a young woman replied, holding up her phone to snap a picture.

"Plus, look at his elite family background. His father is the second-ranked entrepreneur in the city. He is untouchable."

Hearing the chatter, Stella bit her inner lip. She had assumed Vivian would walk away with nothing, a discarded wife left to fade into obscurity. Instead, Vivian had drawn the attention of a man whose wealth and status rivaled Declan's. The injustice of it all burned in Stella's chest.

Once tucked away in a secluded alley out of the public eye, the noise of the main street fading into a dull hum, Vivian shoved Lance’s hand away.

"Was it Bianca who asked you to come make a scene again?" she demanded, exasperated, brushing her shoulder where his hand had rested.

"It has nothing to do with her," Lance replied, his expression turning earnest. The usual playful glint in his eye vanished, replaced by a steady gaze. "I came on my own. I was not joking earlier. If you are willing, let's get married right away."

"Cut it out. I do not want your dad coming after me with a club," Vivian dismissed him with a playful wave, brushing off the proposal. "Life is good. I want to live for many more years without having to dodge assassins hired by your family."

After years of close, platonic friendship, their banter flowed with ease and without restraint. Lance chuckled, the tension breaking as he leaned against the weathered brick wall of the alley.

"I just bailed you out of a miserable situation. The least you could do is pretend to consider my offer," Lance teased, crossing his arms.

"I am considering how much of a headache you are going to cause me," Vivian shot back with a smirk. "Now go deal with your security detail before they tear the city apart looking for you."

Leaving Lance behind in the alley, Vivian headed straight to the sleek, modern headquarters of Mirari Entertainment. The sprawling glass building stood as a beacon of the city's entertainment industry. She strode through the gleaming lobby, her heels clicking against the marble floors, and made her way to Bianca's private office.

Pushing open the heavy glass door, Vivian walked right in.

"Lance caused quite a scene out there today," she warned, dropping her bag onto a plush designer sofa. "Who knows what trouble it might stir up? Keep a close eye on it."

Bianca did not look up from her monitor. She merely reached out and slid a glowing tablet across the pristine glass desk.

"Too late. Something has already happened."

Vivian frowned, stepping forward to pick up the tablet. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Displayed on the screen was a high-resolution photo of her public divorce from Declan, complete with Lance's dramatic, knight-in-shining-armor intervention. The angle was perfect, capturing the tension between Lance and Declan while focusing on Lance's protective stance over her. The post had already gone viral. Though Vivian's face was blurred by a pixelated mosaic, her identity remained the subject of rampant speculation. The post had amassed hundreds of thousands of views in just twenty minutes, with comments flooding in by the second.

"That brat Lance, he will not be satisfied until he ruins his life," Vivian murmured, rubbing her temples as a headache began to form. The sudden thrust back into the public eye was the last thing she needed right now.

"You know the PR skills of Mirari Entertainment. Do not worry about it. We will handle this without a hitch," Bianca assured her, walking around the desk to pat Vivian’s shoulder. "We have suppressed worse scandals before breakfast. The narrative is already shifting in our favor."

Vivian let out a long breath, staring at the screen. The blurred image of herself felt like a ghost from a past she was just starting to remember.

Bianca leaned against the edge of the desk, a calculating gleam in her eye. "But now that you are divorced, you cannot stay hidden in the shadows forever. You spent four years playing the perfect, quiet wife. How about we start by reviving our old business? Everyone on the internet has been missing you."

Vivian looked up, meeting Bianca's gaze. The suggestion hung in the air, electric and tempting. The thought of returning to her true element, of stepping back into the space she had once dominated, sparked something deep within her. It was a piece of her soul she had locked away for Declan's sake. Now, there was no reason to hold back.

A spark of her true self returned, bright and powerful. Her lips curved into a genuine smile.

"Okay," she nodded, the decision solidifying in her mind. "But I want to bring Hazel along."