Chapter 11


    After ric left, Victoria sat on the couch in a daze before continuing her


    work. This is the path I have chosen, so I am on my own.


    Suddenly, her phone rang, and she nced at it to see it was from Noel


    Javier.


    After calming herself down, she picked up the call. “What’s up?”


    “Victoria, did the secretary of Labauve Group’s vice president call you?”


    When Victoria heard that, she scrolled through her inbox until she found


    the email, clicked it, and nodded. “Yes. So, what’s up?”


    “Pass me the tasks on your te. I’ll settle them for you.”


    Then, she paused and questioned with a hint of doubt, “Huh?”


    “Yasmin said you were sick. Why didn’t you tell me?” Noel’s voice sounded


    gentle as he sighed and persuaded her, “Take a good rest if you’re not


    feeling well and switch off your phone. You think your body’s made of


    steel, huh?”


    He used to be her father’s right–hand man at Selwyn Corporation before


    the Selwyn Family went bankrupt. However, thepany’s sudden


    bankruptcy derailed what should have been a prosperous future for him.


    After the incident, Victoria thought he would look for a position more fitting


    to his talents, but he joined Cadogan Group. It came as a shock to her


    after she learned about it, so she asked him.


    Noel, on the other hand, merely offered her a smile. “Did you assume that I


    joined Cadogan Group because of you? You should be aware that they


    are thergest corporation in Gandra, right? No otherpany can offer


    me a better career advancement than them.”


    It’s hard to argue with him when what he says is reasonable. With that in


    mind, Victoria felt too ashamed to try to talk herself out of it. Then, she


    recalled that her father used to set her up with him before her family went


    bankrupt. In addition, the way he answered her father still stuck in her


    mind.


    She recalled him looking at her with a gentle expression and smiling softly.


    He answered, “Victoria is still young. So, let’s talk about itter.”


    Since then, he had treated her warmly and acted as an older brother.


    Moreover, he had always been considerate and attentive to her needs.


    Gradually, the expression in his eyes when he looked at her changed.


    Nevertheless, she was conscious of his intentions. However, her heart had


    long belonged to someone else.


    Few people in this world would have their feelings reciprocated.


    Thinking of that, Victoria snapped out of her daze and declined Noel’s


    offer. “Don’t worry about it, Noel. It’s only a cold. I’m all good now.”


    Meanwhile, on the other line, he said nothing and sighed heavily, “Are you


    drawing a line between us now, Victoria?”


    When she heard that, she paused in silence.


    “Let’s put aside Mr. Selwyn being my savior. We’re now colleagues in the


    Cadogan Group. Shouldn’t we help each other out during hard times?”


    “Noel-”


    “Do you think I’m incapable of taking over your responsibilities? Or are you


    starting to dislike me?”


    “Not at all,” Victoria hurriedly denied it. “You’ve treated me very well. Why


    would I dislike you?”


    She did not have a brother, and Noel, a few years older than her, was


    always considerate toward her. Moreover, she had always regarded him


    as an older brother. So, why would she hate him?


    Hence, when she denied his statements, she sounded anxious.


    Perhaps, her attitude had pleased him, eliciting a chuckle from the other


    end of the line. Hisughter was deep yet sweet.


    “If you don’t hate me, transfer your tasks over.”


    Victoria bit her red lips and nodded eventually.


    “Okay, then. Thanks for helping out, Noel. I’ll treat you to a mealter.”


    “I will remember your promise.”


    “Sure.”


    After the call ended, Victoria emailed Noel about the task, but she was so


    concerned about forgetting something that she took her time writing a


    detailed message.


    Meanwhile, it took him a while to text her. ‘Okay. I got it. Stop worrying


    about it and get some rest.‘


    Finally, she felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders that she could


    delegate her duties to someone she trusted when she was sick. Initially,


    she had nned to return to thepany, but she could now rest at


    home for another day.


    At that moment, she realized another pressing matter that required her


    attention. Victoria looked down and nced at her belly before reaching


    down and gently stroking it with her hand.


    Within my body, a new life is beginning to take shape. What am I


    supposed to do with the child? Should I go ahead with the abortion?


    When she thought about it, she felt utterly helpless.


    Then, she fished out her phone and dialed her best friend’s number.


    “What? You’re pregnant! Pfft!”


    Meanwhile, Victoria was at a café when the woman in front of her spit out


    her coffee. The woman’s worked–up tone and actions drew a lot of


    attention.


    Victoria was speechless after seeing the woman’s reaction.


    Then, she quickly looked around to make sure no one she knew was there


    and heaved a sigh of relief. Afterward, she handed Summer Jones a tissue


    and whispered, “Lower your voice, would you? Everyone is looking our way.”


    So, Summer took the tissue and wiped her lips before nodding obediently.


    “Sorry. I was too shocked.”


    Victoria nced at her best friend helplessly.


    Instead of sipping her coffee, Summer propped her chin on the table and


    gazed at Victoria withrge, round eyes. In a subdued voice, she asked,


    “Why did you suddenly get pregnant? Didn’t you guys take precautions?”


    “We did.” Victoria sipped the coffee and uttered indifferently, “It was an


    ident.”


    “What are you going to do, then? Are you going to keep the baby?”


    Victoria was momentarily taken aback by the question and paused before


    shaking her head.


    Then, Summer looked at her in surprise. “A–Are you not going to keep it?


    Why? You’ve been married for a long time, and I noticed how well he


    treats you. You’re invited to every asion he attends, and if you hadn’t


    told me you were in a fake marriage, I would have assumed you two were


    truly in love.”


    “Really?” Victoria offered a light smile.


    Her reaction… Summer took another nce at her. She thought Victoria


    was behaving a little too indifferently, but as her best friend for years,


    Summer suppressed her true thoughts and asked, “Is ric aware?”


    “I didn’t tell him.”


    “You…” Summer held back and questioned, “When are you nning to tell


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    him?”


    Nheless, Victoria pursed her lips without a word.


    In response, Summer gave her a look of doubt. “Wait. What do you mean?


    Are you not going to tell him about such an important matter? This child is


    not only yours, you know? He belongs to the both of you.”


    When she said that, Victoria still had a stubborn look. Unable to suppress


    her curiosity, she blurted a thread of sentences, “What’s up with you? How


    could you be so calm even after what happened? You’re pregnant, and it’s


    ??


    “udia is back.”


    Her mere sentence made Summer freeze on the spot.


    Victoria’s gaze turned colder at this point. “Do you still think it matters if I


    tell him?”