《Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Gandra. General Hospital. ¡°Congrattions. You¡¯re pregnant. The baby is in good health.¡± Victoria Selwyn¡¯s hands clenched around the report as she dazedly stared at the doctor. Pregnant? It was a happy surprise. She could not believe her ears. ¡°Remember toe in for regr appointments. Where is the father? Call him in. I have some instructions for him.¡± The doctor¡¯s words snapped her out of her thoughts. ¡°My husband¡¯s not with me today,¡± she replied with an awkward smile. ¡°Honestly, even if he¡¯s busy, he should still be with his family,¡± the doctor eximed. It was drizzling when she finally stepped out of the hospital. She stroked her abdomen. There is now a tiny life growing in there. A child that belongs to ric and me¡­¡­ Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out; it was a message from her husband, ric Cadogan. ¡®It¡¯s raining. Get an umbre to this address. She nced at the address sent; it was L¡¯Indigo Country Club. What was this ce? He had a meeting today, right? Still, she did not question it too much and asked the Cadogans¡® family driver to send her to the country club. ¡°You may head back first,¡± she said to the driver upon arrival. ¡°Do I not need to wait for you, Mrs. Cadogan?¡± She paused for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll wait to head home with ric.¡± Since she was here for him, she would head home with him. With that, Carter, the driver, soon drove off. The rain had started as a drizzle, but it was now a heavy storm. With the umbre held over her head, she walked to the entrance of the country club. It was a luxuriously decorated golf club. She was stopped at the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but please show me your member card,¡± the employee said. She took a moment to think about her next action before finally messaging ric. ¡®I¡¯m here. When are you done with work? I¡¯ll be waiting for you downstairs.¡® Once she was done, she stood near the entrance with the umbre. As she stared at the rain, she thought about the pregnancy report. Perhaps she should tell him when he came out? Or should she wait to surprise him on his birthday? She was lost in her thoughts. Unbeknownst to her, she was a They were pressed up against the window as they gazed down at her. ¡°She¡¯s not your actual wife, but she¡¯s quite good at it, Al. She is actually here with an umbre because you asked. She doesn¡¯t really think you would walk through the rain, right?¡± one of them asked. ¡°Is she so in love with you that she has forgotten all about logic?¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± Anguid voice rang out from a corner of the room. The speaker was a tall man with long legs and a cold face. His fair skin and wide, n ted eyes highlighted his incredible attractiveness. Dressed in a gray bespoke suit, he sat there with crossed legs. He raised his hand, revealing the exquisite and luxurious watch on his wrist. ¡°Hand it over.¡± The friend who did the prank had no choice but to return the phone. ¡°Tsk. Are we giving back the phone that quickly?¡± someonemented. ¡°Enough. If udia wasn¡¯t here, you wouldn¡¯t even have a chance toy a finger on his phone.¡± The crowd continued to joke andugh as they turned to look at the beautiful woman seated beside the man. She was dressed in a white dress which made her look kind and gentle. She pursed her lip in a smile when she heard that. ¡°All right,¡± she softly said. ¡°It was wrong of you to use Al¡¯s phone for a prank, and now, you¡¯re making fun of me.¡± The friends did not n on letting up on their teasing as they called out, ¡°Everyone knows you¡¯re the most important person to Al, udia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ric would say that as well, right?¡± When udia Johnson heard that, she could not resist ncing at ric. ric smiled and did not deny it. When the group saw that, the teasing worsened. ¡°I told you, there is no one more important to Al than udia!¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. As they continued to tease, he nced down and swiftly messaged Victoria. ¡®I don¡¯t need the umbre anymore. Head home first.¡® Victoria was puzzled when she received the message. ¡®Did something happen?¡® she messaged back. She stared down at her phone for a long time, but there was no reply. Perhaps he was really busy. She decided to head back first. ¡°Wait.¡± Someone suddenly called out to her from behind. She turned around to see two fashionable young women walking over to her. The taller woman nced at her and disdainfully asked, ¡°You¡¯re Victoria Selwyn?¡± Since hostility was painted all over that woman¡¯s face, Victoria did not hold back and briskly shot back, ¡°You are?¡± ¡°My name is not important. What is important is the fact that udia is back. If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll get away from ric.¡± Victoria¡¯s pupils shrank in astonishment. It had been so long since shest heard that name. So much time had passed that¡­ she nearly forgot udia existed. Her reaction was clearly noticed as the other woman shot her a scornful look. ¡°Why are you so shocked? Have you turned into an idiot after pretending to be Mrs. Cadogan for two years? Did you think the position is really yours?¡± Victoria bit her lip as her face was pale white. The knuckles of the hand holding onto the umbre were also turning white. ¡°Look at her face. Do you think she¡¯s going to steal udia¡¯s man out of spite?¡± one of the women said. ¡°Can she, though?¡± Victoria walked away, not bothering to listen to what they would say next. Their shouts were drowned out by the rain. When she returned to the Cadogan Residence, Hector Bowen, the butler, was shocked to find someone soaked to the core standing on the doorstep. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan!¡± he eximed when he made out who it was. ¡°What happened to you? Come in.¡± Victoria was so cold that her limbs felt rather numb. In just a few seconds after stepping into the house, she was surrounded by a group of ser vants wrapping her in a huge towel and drying her hair. ¡°Draw the madam a hot water bath!¡± ¡°Get a cup of tea ready.¡± The ser vants were panicking so badly over how soaked she was by the rain that no one noticed a car driving through the gates, nor did they notice the tall figure standing in the doorway soon after. That was until a cold voice rang out through the room. ¡°What happened?¡± The sound of the voice made her jump from where she was sitting on the couch. Why was ric back? Should he not be with his udia? ¡°The madam was caught in the rain, sir,¡± Hector said. Caught in the rain? ric¡¯s dark eyes turned to the petite figure curled up on the couch as he strode over. He frowned when he properly saw the state she was in. Currently, she was like a drowned rat. Her soft hair was limp and clung to her pale skin. Her usually pink lips were pale as well. ¡°What happened to you?¡± he harshly barked out as he scowled harder. She waited until she had full control over her emotions before looking up at him and putting on a wan smile. ¡°My phone died,¡± she exined. ¡°On my way back, I bumped into a kid caught in the rain without an umbre.¡± His eyes suddenly went cold. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Her smile went stiff. ¡°You gave him the umbre, and you ended up walking through the rain,¡± he continued. ¡°How old are you? Did you think I would praise you for doing that?¡± The ser vants around them nced at each other, too afraid to say a word. Victoria¡¯sshes hung low. Her vision was blurred by tears by now. She forced herself to keep quiet and hold her tears back. It was doable until ric walked over and lifted her in a bridal carry. It was only then that she let her tears roll. A drop of tear fell on the back of her hand. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ric shoved Victoria into the bathroom and left. She kept her head down, waiting until he stepped out of the room before slowly looking up and wiping away the tears on her cheeks. Momentster. She locked the bathroom door and pulled out the hospital¡¯s report from her pocket. After being soaked in the rain, the entire report was illegible with every word too blurred out to read. She had nned on surprising him with it, but now it seemed like it was She had been with him for two years. She knew for sure that he was the kind of person who never let his phone leave his side. He was also not the kind of man who would intentionally summon her just to tell her to go home. The only possibility was that someone took his phone to message her so that she would beughed at. Perhaps there was a crowd of peopleughing at her while she was foolishly waiting outside the country club with the umbre. She stared down at the illegible report for long moments before letting out a self¨Cdeprecating chuckle and slowly tearing it apart. 30 minutester. Victoria calmly walked out of the bathroom. ric was sitting on the couch. His long legs were ced firmly against Chapter Let¡¯s Get Divorced the floor as he focused on theptop in front of him. He seemed to be working. When he saw her, he pointed at the cup of tea beside him. ¡°Drink that.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She walked over and picked up the cup of tea. She did not drink it immediately. Instead, she seemed to be preupied with some thought before calling out to him. ¡°ric.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± His voice was cold as he remained focused on the screen before his eyes. She stared at his sculptured jaw and profile. Her pale lips twitched. Couple Tere Pet Proced However, he seemed to have gotten impatient as he snapped up to look at her. Their eyes locked. As she had just taken a shower, her skin was pink, and her lips no longer looked as pale as before. Still, she looked rather sickly like she might This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. shatter at a touch. Perhaps it was because she had just been drenched in the rain. With one nce, his desire for her was aroused. As for Victoria, her emotions were warring inside her, causing her to be oblivious to his emotions. Instead, she was trying to work out what to say. Eventually, she came to a decision. ¡°You¡­ Mmgh!¡± She had just opened her mouth when he grabbed her chin and kissed her as if he could not control himself. His calloused fingers immediately turned her fair skin red. His breath was hot like fire against her skin. She eventually ran out of breath. Just as she was about to push him away, his phone began to ring from where it was on the table. They froze. The passion immediately vanished. He soon moved away, gently nibbling on her lips as if he was still unsatisfied. When he spoke next, his voice was hoarse. ¡°Finish your tea and rest early.¡± He grabbed his phone and walked out of the room. He had to answer the phone. The balcony door slid shut. Dazed by the kiss, she rested on the couch for a few moments before standing. She did not head into the bedroom but walked toward the balcony. The ss door was only half¨Cclosed. The chill night breeze carried ric¡¯s voice over to her. ¡°I won¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°What are you thinking? Be good and sleep.¡± His voice was so gentle and tender. She stood there and listened for a few minutes before chuckling. Ah, so he could be gentle and sweet. What a pity the target of his affection is not me. She turned around and walked into the bedroom. With a nk face, she sat down on the bed. Their marriage was a mistake in the first ce. It was just a deal anyway. Two years ago, her family, the Selwyns, went bankrupt. She had fallen from grace overnight, bing theughingstock of the city. The Selwyns had been too sessful. They had made too many enemies. After their fall, everyone was rushing to humiliate them. Someone even bragged that he could help the family out with their debt as long as she gave herself to him. Prior to the family¡¯s downfall, countless men tried to woo her. None of them caught her eye, however. As time went by, people started calling her high and mighty. A group of men thought of fooling around with her now that she was in disgrace. They started a secret auction to see who would get her, When she was at her lowest and most humiliated, ric returned, He took care of those rowdy men and made them pay a cruel price for their actions. After helping the Selwyns pay off their debt, he then said to her, ¡°Let¡¯s get engaged.¡± She had stared at him in shock. At that, he reached out to stroke her cheek. ¡°Why are you surprised? Afraid that I¡¯ll take advantage of you?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a fake marriage. Grandma is sick, and she likes you. She¡¯ll be happy to see us engaged. I¡¯ll help you bring the Selwyns back to glory,¡± Oh, it is to be a fake engagement. He does not like me. It is all to make his Chapte Let¡¯s Get Divorced grandmother happy. Even so, she agreed to marry him. She knew he did not care about her, yet she still fell for him. The engagement left her feeling conflicted. The sudden change in their rtionship from childhood sweethearts to an engaged couple somehow felt weird to her. He did not appear ill at ease though, attending every event and dinner party with her by his side. A year afterward, his grandmother Griselda Bates¡® condition worsened, which promoted them to move onto the marriage stage, and she became Mrs. Cadogan, the object of everyone¡¯s envy. Everyone was saying that the pair of childhood sweethearts were meant to be together. When she snapped out of her thoughts, she could not help butugh at her thoughts. Unfortunately, they did not get together for real. It was just a transaction between willing parties. Suddenly, she heard ric speak. ¡°You¡¯re still awake.¡± The spot beside her on the bed soon dipped down as her nose was filled with the refreshing notes of his scent. ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± he said. She did not turn around. She could guess what he was going to say. ¡°Let¡¯s get divorced,¡± he continued. Even though she had guessed it, her heart still skipped. Suppressing her emotions and trying her best to keep calm, she asked, ¡°When?¡± Lying there, she sounded so calm and unaffected, as if she was merely talking about something normal. Her reaction made him frown as he answered, ¡°Soon. We¡¯ll wait until Grandma¡¯s done with her surgery.¡± She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he asked after a pause. Hearing that, she turned to nce at him. ¡°What?¡± Her eyes were so wide and pure that he was stunned by her question. He gulped before letting out a silentugh. ¡°Nothing, you heartless woman.¡± People liked to say marriage tied people together. They had been married for two years, yet she remained so calm when he suggested a divorce. Well, their marriage was just a deal anyway. They both got what they needed out of it. He was merely someone to frighten her suitors away with. Two years. She probably would have cut ties with me earlier if not for Grandma. He pushed away the uneasiness he felt at her calmness,y down beside her, and closed his eyes. Chaper¡¯s Get Divorced ¡°ric.¡± She abruptly called out to him. His eyes snapped open. His deep eyes glowed in the darkness as he stared at her. ¡°What is it?¡± Her lips opened and closed as she, too, had her gaze on him. In the end, she blurted, ¡°Thank you¡­ For the past two years.¡± His eyes darkened when he heard that. He pursed his lips. ¡°You talk too much.¡± Did she? She turned away from him, thinking she would not have a chance to do so after their divorce. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 When Victoria woke up the following morning, she discovered she had caught a cold. So, she reached into her drawer for some fever medicine and poured a ss of warm water. The instant she popped the pill into her mouth, a realization dawned on her, causing her eyes to widen and her face to pale. So, she swiftly dashed into the bathroom to spit it out. Then, she leaned over the sink, repeatedly spitting and rinsing her mouth to get everyst remnant of the dissolved pill out of her mouth. ¡°What happens? Why did you rush in here? Are you sick?¡± When ric¡¯s distinct voice rang out from the doorway, Victoria looked up, startled. Meanwhile, he had a frown on his face as he stared at her. Once she caught his gaze, she quickly averted it, and after a moment of silence, she replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I merely took the wrong pill.¡± She then wiped away the drops of water on her lips and exited the bathroom. However, ric watched Victoria walk out with a contemtive look. She¡¯s been acting strangely since she returned home yesterday. After breakfast, the couple left the house together. Seeing her face ashen, he asked, ¡°Do you want to ride in my car with me?¡± After a walk in the rain the day before, Victoria woke up that morning feeling a little under the weather. However, before she could nod, his phone rang. Hence, ric nced down at it to see that it was a call from udia. He wanted to go back inside to answer the phone, but when he raised his head, he saw that Victoria had already left. Although married, they did not share the same interests; thorofore, she did not routinely listen to his phone calls. That was their way of life for the past two years, Nevertheless, her swift escape made his heart clench in agony that day. Soon, the pain faded quickly when he answered the phone call. Meanwhile, Victoria stood a few feet away and observed ric. From the look on his face, she knew who the caller was. His face was so gentle and soft; it was a side of him she had never seen before. So, she took a deep breath and suppressed the envy swelling in her. Then, she walked toward the garage while pulling out her phone. Five minutester, he hung up the phone and turned to find nobody standing beside him. Then, he quickly nced in different directions but could not find her. At that moment, his phone buzzed with a new message. ¡®I urgently need to get to the office, so I left first.¡® As ric stared at the text message, his face darkened. Meanwhile, Victoria forced herself to push past her difort and head into the office. The moment she sat down at her desk, she was sprawling out over the table. My head hurts so bad! Nheless, she knew she could not take pain medication, even if she wanted to, because she was pregnant. Sometimes, she did not know what she was thinking, especially 12:56 Sun Chapter 3 Took the Wrong Pill considering that her marriage to ric was fictitious. Even if she were pregnant, Griselda would be the only person genuinely happy for her. In addition, Victoria knew that no one else, including him, would be happy about the birth of her child. She had hoped that by telling him she was pregnant, he would ept the child and strengthen their marriage until yesterday. Nheless, when she learned that udia had returned, she realized he still felt the same way about udia as he had back then. If ric knew, his first instinct upon hearing the news would be to advise an abortion, fearing for the future of his marriage to udia. Nevertheless, a voice inside her head told her to abort the baby immediately, or she would be left with nothing but shame. ¡°Miss Victoria,¡± The sweet voice of a woman calling out from nearby snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see that it was Yasmin Labauve, her assistant. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, Victoria sat up straight and stered on a perfect smile. ¡°Good morning. You¡¯re here.¡± On the other hand, Yasmin did not return her smile but looked at her with a concerned expression. ¡°Victoria, you don¡¯t look so good. Are you sick?¡± Victoria was startled by the question, but she soon shook her head in response. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yasmin did not look like she believed her. ¡°You look really pale, though. Are you really okay? You should probably take the day off and see a doctor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Victoria replied. ¡°Are you done with yesterday¡¯s work?¡± However, Yasmin was helpless against the constant redirection back to work. Ultimately, she handed over her pre¨Csorted documents from her desk and poured Victoria warm water. ¡°Since you refuse to go to the doctor¡¯s, drink this to keep yourself warm.¡± Chapters Took the ¡°hong Pill Victoria hired Yasmin, and while she was a dedicated employee, the two of them rarely interacted outside of work. However, she was surprised by Yasmin¡¯s concern for her. Then, as she took a few sips of the water, it warmed her heart. She had been feeling cold earlier, but after some warm water, she felt much better. Still, Yasmin was anxiously staring at her. ¡°Miss Victoria, why don¡¯t I hand in the report today while you rest here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Victoria said, shaking her head. ¡°I can do it.¡± It¡¯s only a mild fever, and I¡¯m not that pampered. If I take time off and delegate my duties whenever I am sick, I will eventually be me? Soon, Victoria sorted through her documents and walked toward ric¡¯s office. Her office was located rtively far from his. While it was usually fine, the walk felt tiring that day, likely because she was sick. Knock! Knock! ¡°Enter.¡± She waited to hear his cold, deep voice before pushing the door open. As Victoria stepped through the door, she saw another figure inside. It was udia, wearing a white dress that highlighted her slender waist. She looked like an angel, her supple hair falling to her waist with the sunlight streaming through the ceiling¨Cto¨Cfloor window shining on her. Meanwhile, Victoria went stiff when she realized who the other person was. ¡°Oh, Victoria, udia greeted. Following that, she walked up to Victoria with a broad grin. Before Victoria could even react, udia was embracing her. Suddenly, Victoria¡¯s body became even more rigid as she locked eyes with ric over udia¡¯s shoulder. He was leaning against his desk, staring intently at her with his dark eyes, but it was hard to tell what was happening in his mind. When Victoria regained herposure, udia had already stepped away from her. I heard all about your situation from ric. You¡¯ve had it hard.¡± There was a look of distress on udia¡¯s face. ¡°You must tell me if you need any help. Chapter 3 Took the Wrong Pill Victoria was surprised to hear that. ric had told udia everything? However, she soon realized why that had been done. Everyone knew about her marriage to him, so there was no way they could keep it from udia. Since it could not be a secret, he must exin himself clearly. Moreover, she owed udia. Then, Victoria shoved aside the bitterness she felt and spread her lips in a smile. ¡°Thank you. When did you get back?¡± ¡°I flew in yesterday,¡± udia replied. Yesterday? That means ric went to see her as soon as she returned. Inevitably, udia is the one he cherishes the most in his life. ¡°Why do you look so pale?¡± udia suddenly asked. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Hearing that, ric,nguidly leaning against his desk, suddenly turned to stare at Victoria. A frown formed on his brow as he scanned her up and down. ¡°Is it because you got wet walking home in the rainst night?¡± ¡°Walking in the rain?¡± udia looked confused. Victoria sighed and was about to exin when ric coldly snapped, ¡°Why are you forcing yourself if you don¡¯t fool woll? Thepany doesn¡¯t desperately need you. Go home and rost.¡± When udia heard that, she instinctively turned to nce at him. Why is he suddenly agitated? Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Victoria helplessly objected, ¡°I¡¯m notpletely drenched despite the rain. Moreover, I¡¯m fine.¡± She then walked over to ric¡¯s desk and ced the report for yesterday on it. ¡°This is yesterday¡¯s summary. I¡¯ve sorted it up. Now, I have work to do, so I¡¯ll leave the two of you to your reunion.¡± She nced at udia, who immediately smiled at her. When she left, ric was frowning hard. ¡°ric?¡± He only snapped out of his thoughts when udia called out to him. His reaction confused her, but she sounded kind and caring when saying, ¡°Victoria doesn¡¯t look so well. She might be your secretary now, but she used to be the precious daughter of the Selwyns before they went bankrupt. You cannot be too hard on her.¡± Too hard on her? ric internallyughed. Who could be hard on that woman? However, he did not say any of that; instead, responding with a grunt of acknowledgment. Meanwhile, Victoria shuffled back to her office with heavy feet and a heavy head. As soon as she sat down, she could not help but slump over her desk. Suddenly, her head was spinning hard. She lost track of time until she finally heard Yasmin¡¯s voice. ¡°Victoria, why don¡¯t you go home and rest?¡± At that moment, Victoria felt so lethargic and sick that her only response was, ¡°Yasmin, let me sleep for a while.¡± Following that, she immediately fell into a deep sleep. She had a dream in which she was eighteen again. On that day, she and ric had theiring¨Cof¨Cage celebration. So, their families decided to co¨Chost the party. That evening, she specifically put on her favorite blue dress, curled her hair, and had her nails done. She nned to confess her love to him. After a long, fruitless search, she located him in the garden. As she walked over to him, she heard his friends teasing him. ¡°You¡¯re an adult now, Al. Are there any girls you like? Maybe you can get engaged,¡± one of them said. ¡°Victoria¡¯s quite nice. She¡¯s always hanging around you,¡± another said. When Victoria heard that, she instinctively stopped walking, wanting to listen to what ric had to say. After all, his answer was vital to what she would do next. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, she did not hear his response as someone spoke up first. ¡°Victoria is impossible. Al only sees her as his little sister. Everyone knows 1 the only one in his mind is udia.¡± udia¡­ Then, Victoria snuck a nce at ric. That evening, ric sat on the stone bench, his legs so long that they barely touched the ground. He had a faint smile and didn¡¯t object to what they said. ¡°Indeed. udia is more feminine, gentle, and beautiful, but Victoria is only a little girl. Moreover, udia is ric¡¯s savior.¡± The boy who spoke was Bane Morison, one of ric¡¯s best friends. He loved teasing Victoria. Every time they met, he would insist on pulling on her pigtails. He was also one of the people Victoria hated the most. I¡¯m not a little girl! ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± one of ric¡¯s friends said. ¡°The waters were so dangerous back then. If she had not jumped down to save you, ric Cadogan might not be alive today.¡± ric nodded. Finally, there was a response from him as he hummed in agreement. Under the moonlight, his face looked very calm. ¡°The spot beside me will always be hers.¡± Suddenly, Victoria¡¯s heart literally shattered in two when she heard that. She stood there dumbfounded as the blood drained from her face, turning her skin stark white. However, she did not expect her confession would be rejected before it was even given. udia had saved ric¡¯s life, and everyone was talking about it. Customarily, heroes would rescue damsels in distress. In the case of ric and udia, however, a young woman came to the rescue of a man. On the other hand, Victoria was not aware of the matter. She had also fallen into the river, resulting in a high fever. When she finally woke up, she had forgotten about the events and had no idea how or why she had fallen into the river. One of her ssmates said she identally fell in because she was too yful. However, it always felt like she had forgotten something. Unfortunately, try as she might, she could not remember anything about it. As time went on, shepletely forgot about it. Still, Victoria did not expect ric to be obsessed with the person who saved him. It would have been great if I had been the one to save him. Her dream self¡¯s emotions seemed to merge with her current emotions. At that moment, her heart felt like it was weighed down by a boulder. Her head throbbed, and she mused, Why wasn¡¯t I the one who rescued him back then? If only¡­ If only¡­ Suddenly, ric appeared before Victoria in the dream. His eyes were cold and emotionless. ¡°Abort the baby, Victoria.¡± Meanwhile, udia stood beside him, her vine¨Clike arms wrapped around his side. ¡°Are you keeping the baby because you want to ruin our love, Victoria?¡± she asked. When he heard the word ¡®ruin,¡¯ his eyes went colder. He stepped forward and grabbed Victoria¡¯s chin. ¡°Behave, or I will make my move.¡± His grip was so hard that it felt like he would shatter her jaw. She struggled arduously but eventually woke up from the dream, her body drenched in a cold sweat. As soon as her eyes opened, she saw a busy highway outside the window. Is it¡­ a dream? Why does it feel so real? Then, she heaved a sigh. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake, Victoria.¡± Hearing the soft voiceing from ahead, she looked up to find udia staring at her worriedly. ¡°Thank goodness. I was so worried something had happened to you.¡± Why is she here? Realization soon struck Victoria. She turned to look at the driver. It was ric, and udia was sitting in the passenger seat. When he heard Victoria had woken up, he nced at her in the rearview mirror. ¡°You¡¯re up. What hurts? Tell the doctor everything when we¡¯re at the hospital.¡± Victoria¡¯s heart had been pounding hard from her nightmare. She had finally calmed her heart down, but what he said made it race again from anxiety. ¡°No. I don¡¯t need to go to the hospital. I¡¯m fine.¡± He shot her another look when he heard that. ¡°Why are you causing a fuss? Don¡¯t you know you have a fever?¡± ¡°Yes, Victoria, you are burning up really badly. You have to go to the hospital,¡± udia said in agreement. ¡°Al said you got wet walking home in the rain yesterday. What happened?¡± What happens? Victoria stared at udia. Her pale lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing. She was definitely present for yesterday¡¯s prank. Why else would she inquire if not to imply something? After a moment of thought, udia¡¯s face turned worried as she guiltily asked, ¡°Is it because yesterday¡ª¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll be going to the hospital first,¡± ric interrupted in his deep and steady voice. ¡°Rest for the next few days until you get better. You don¡¯t need to head into the office during this time.¡± Then, udia shot him a puzzled look for his interruption. Meanwhile, Victoria lowered her eyes as a spine¨Cchillingly icy look shed in her beautiful eyes. He is very protective of the person for whom he cares the most. It took a few long minutes before she finally looked up and responded, ¡°I won¡¯t go to the hospital.¡± He frowned. Today, she seems incredibly stubborn. ¡°What¡¯s your n? How can you not go to the hospital when you¡¯re sick?¡± ¡°I know my body,¡± she shot back with pursed lips. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Victoria could not go to the hospital. The moment she did so, her pregnancy would be exposed. It soundedughable, but she did not want anyone else to know about the baby. She tried to protect thest remaining shreds of her dignity, She knew her pride was already gone when she agreed to fake a marriage with ric. Right now, before hir and the woman he loved, what sort of dignity did she even have? Even so¡­ Then, she nced down but did not wish to disclose anything that would cause others to ridicule her. ric scowled when he heard that. The car abruptly turned and screeched to a stop by the side of the road, At that moment, Victoria thought he was telling her to exit his car, so she reached out to open the door. ck! The doors were immediately locked, He was staring at her with a dark look through the rearview mirror. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go to the hospital?¡± he asked. She had been acting strange since walking through the rain the evening before. ¡°I can visit a doctor myself if I don¡¯t feel well,¡± Victoria calmly replied. He narrowed his eyes dangerously when he heard that. ¡°Al, is it because of me?¡± udia hurriedly asked. ¡°Why not¡­ Why don¡¯t I get off here while you take Victoria to the hospital? After all, her illness is quite serious. We cannot dy her treatment.¡± Following that, she leaned toward ric as if she wanted to unlock the car doors. Victoria watched as he stopped her, holding her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± ric frowned and nced at Victoria before continuing, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. It¡¯s not because of you.¡± Then, udia nced down at their hands as an embarrassed glint shed in her eyes. Meanwhile, Victoria silently watched them. After udia turned to look at her, Victoria begrudgingly tore hor oyes away from them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding, Victoria,¡± said udia. ¡°I thought you were angry at Al because of me. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Victoria calmly nced back at her. She would have thought udia was a maniptor if she did not owe udia for helping her once. Nevertheless, udia was her savior as well. Then, Victoria forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Are you unwilling to go to the hospital because you¡¯re afraid of the hospital?¡± udia asked with a grin. ¡°My friend opened a clinic of his own after returning from abroad. Why not go to his ce?¡± Chapter Pachyrathy She then turned to ric. ¡°What do you think, AI?¡± He did not immediately agree to the idea. Instead, he frowned and asked, ¡°A clinic? Is it reliable?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± udia somewhat awkwardly replied. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t reliable, would I introduce him to you? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± After a moment of thought, he nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll go there.¡± Victoria frowned. ¡®I-¡± However, the car was already speeding away, and her objection was useless. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. On the other hand, udia was even reassuring her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Victoria. My friend¡¯s a good man. He¡¯s very kind and patient. I¡¯ll ensure he knows beforehand that your treatment will be negotiatedter, alright?¡± Compared to the considerate and gentle udia, Victoria seemed to be the exact opposite. Despite her sickness, she still refused to go to the hospital; how very selfish and inconsiderate. What else could Victoria say to that? Thus, she kept quiet as the car continued on its way. After arriving at the clinic, udia helped her out of the car, and she softly asked, ¡°Does your head spin? If you feel sick, you can lean on me.¡± Her voice was so very soft, and her supporting hands were too. The faint scent of jasmine lingered around her. However, Victoria lowered her eyes in thought. udia is not only stunning but also a wonderful person. Moreover, she once rescued ric¡¯s life. If I¡¯m ric, I¡¯ll probably fall in love with her too. After udia¡¯s friend arrived, she talked to him for a while. The man in the white coat nced at Victoria, nodded at udia, and walked over to her. ¡°Hello, you¡¯re udia¡¯s friend, right? I¡¯m Dominic Fagan.¡± Victoria nodded in greeting. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°You have a fever?¡± His voice was gentle as he ced the back of a hand against her forehead. With his unexpected proximity, she jerked to the side. Nheless, he found humor in her response. ¡°I¡¯m only testing your temperature,¡± he said. Dominic then turned around and pulled out a thermometer. ¡°Let¡¯s get a reading of your temperature.¡± Victoria epted the thermometer. ¡°You know how to use it, right?¡± ric asked as he stood behind her. His question rendered her speechless. However, she chose to ignore him. What makes you believe I have no idea how to use a thermometer? Nevertheless, her movement was sluggish because she was so sick that her head spun. Once the thermometer was in ce, Dominic told her to leave it there. Seeing that, udia seized the chance to introduce her friend to ric. 7/11 12:58 Sun, 18 Jun Chapter 5 Protect Her So¨CCalled Dignity ¡°Al, this is Dominic. I mentioned you to him before over the phone. He¡¯s an amazing doctor, but he loves his freedom so much that he decided to open a clinic instead when he returned. Dominic, this is ric. He¡¯s-¡± She paused before shyly continuing, ¡°My friend.¡± ¡°Friend?¡± Dominic raised his eyebrows when he heard that. He nced at Victoria before looking back at ric. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Dominic Fagan. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± A few long moments passed before ric shook Dominic¡¯s hand. ¡°ric Cadogan.¡± ¡°I know.¡± There was a mysterious smirk on Dominic¡¯s face as he suggestively said, ¡°udia talks about you often. She has a very high opinion of you.¡± ¡°Dominic!¡± udia¡¯s cheeks immediately blushed red as if that remark struck a chord. ¡°What? Am I wrong? You¡¯re always singing his praises in front of everyone.¡± ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ric nced at Victoria as the other two spoke. She was sitting there with half¨Clidded eyes. Her hair hung low over her forehead, blocking her eyes from view and hiding any signs of her emotions. She silently sat there, calm and unbothered, as if she were an outsider. Then, his face instantly darkened upon seeing that. Five minutester, Dominic took the thermometer from Victoria. He frowned. ¡°You¡¯re running a little high. I¡¯ll give you a shot.¡± Victoria¡¯s head immediately snapped up. ¡°No shots.¡± Dominic looked at her and smiled. ¡°Are you afraid it will hurt? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be gentle.¡± udia nodded in agreement. ¡°Your health is vital, Victoria.¡± Still, Victoria shook her head and insisted, ¡°I don¡¯t want any shots or medication.¡± Her stubborn attitude made ric frown once more. ¡°Our only option is to bring your temperature down externally. I¡¯ll tell the nurse to gather what you need. For now, put a cool, wet towel on your forehead. We don¡¯t want your temperature to go higher.¡± When Dominic left the room, udia said, ¡°I¡¯ll help him.¡± After the two left, ric and Victoria were the only ones left in the room. Meanwhile, Victoria¡¯s head was still spinning. She wanted to grab the wet towel to ce it on her forehead, but she could not muster a single ounce of strength. Then, ric, who had been rtively silent the whole time, abruptly spoke 1. up. ¡°Melodramatic!¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Melodramatic? Victoria paused and chuckled to herself after a moment. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t match udia¡¯s thoughtfulness for others.¡± The words slipped out before she could even think twice. ric was stunned, and so was she. What am I even saying? While she regretted saying the wrong thing, he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes with his deep ck ones. Then, he narrowed his eyes, and his gaze was as sharp as a hawk¡¯s. ¡°Are you jealous of her?¡± Her eyebrows twitched. She felt a bit anxious and wanted to brush his hand away. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, she had no strength in her hands, and when she tried to push, her movement felt weak. This action made him raise his eyebrows and hold her wrist in amusement. ¡°Are you so weak?¡± ¡°You¡¯re weak!¡± Victoria retorted, then pulled her hand back. Since she used too much force, her body fell backward onto the couch, and she couldn¡¯t get up. She was really too weak. ric stood there, looking at her with a with water, and returned with a towel. Afterward, he put them on the chair next to her. He soaked the new towel in cold water, wrung it out, and wiped her with it. Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside ¡°What are you doing?¡± Seeing him approach her with the towel, she Instinctively moved away, He grabbed her shoulder, and his handsome brows furrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t move; I¡¯m cooling you down.¡± She wanted to say no, but when the towel touched her skin, a cold feeling rushed over her, and she couldn¡¯t refuse. Her body temperature was high, and it was better to cool down. After all, it was only physical cooling¡­ Thinking this, Victoria let him do as he pleased. ric wiped away the sweat from her forehead, then wiped her cheeks. As he wiped her, he thought of something, and his lips curled up as he said softly, ¡°Victoria, you¡¯re really something.¡± His words made her eyelids twitch. ¡°What?¡± At that moment, his eyes were as deep as ck diamonds. Then, he snorted and said, ¡°What are you pretending to be stupid for? This is my first time doing this for others, so you really are something.¡± With that, ric moved his hand on her shoulder to her cor and pulled it open, revealing snow¨Cwhite skin. He then inserted the wet towel inside. At that, Victoria¡¯s face changed slightly, and she grabbed his hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m wiping your body inside,¡± he answered righteously. However, she was anxious and embarrassed as she pulled her cor back. ¡°No, I can do it myself.¡± However, he looked at her movements and gradually frowned. ¡°Why are you upset with me?¡± His hand didn¡¯t move, and he still held the wet towel over her chest. From a certain angle, it looked like his hand was on¡­ If someone else saw this¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not upset with you. I can do it myself.¡± He still frowned, looking displeased as he stared at her. ¡°Are you-¡± he began. Bam! Before he could finish his sentence, a loud noise sounded from outside the door. ric and Victoria looked toward the door to see udia frantically 13:00 S. 18 Jun Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside picking up some things from the ground. His hand froze mid¨Cair and withdrew it after a moment, looking expressionless. Victoria simplyy there, smirking a little. Meanwhile, udia quickly gathered her things and walked inside, smiling gently at ric and Victoria as if nothing had happened. ¡°I dropped something earlier because I wasn¡¯t holding it properly. I didn¡¯t scare you guys, did I?¡± she said. He pursed his lips and was about to say something, but udia approached him and stretched out her hand. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside Then, he said nothing and handed her the damp towel. ¡°Dominic already exined everything to me, so you can leave Victoria to 1. me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of her,¡± she said. Hearing this, ric looked at Victoria, lying motionless on the bed like a corpse, before nodding. ¡°Okay.¡± Soon, he left the room, closing the door behind him. The room was quiet momentarily before udia rinsed the towel again and walked toward Victoria with it. ¡°Victoria, let me help you wipe your body,¡± udia said gently. Victoria was indeed too weak to do it herself. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we call a nurse? This is too much trouble for you,¡± she suggested. udia smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. A nurse won¡¯t do it as well as I. Moreover, I can do it as long as you don¡¯t mind if I see you naked.¡± With things at this point, what else could Victoria say? She could only nod with a smile. After she agreed, udia leaned over and unbuttoned Victoria¡¯s clothes. To avoid any awkwardness, Victoria closed her eyes, unaware of udia¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, as udia unbuttoned Victoria¡¯s clothes. udia bit her lip, and her face turned ugly. If she hadn¡¯t been mistaken, ric had held a damp towel earlier, intending to help Victoria wipe her body. Ho had oven opened her cor 1. up. Since when did their rtionship bo so intimate? Did something happen between them whon sho was abroad that she didn¡¯t know about? udia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she folt a bit uneasy. As for Victoria¡¯s body, udia had to unbutton her clothes to realize that her figure was impressive. Even though Victoria was lying down, certain parts of her were very blessed, and her skin was not pale but a rtively soft pink color, making her look very alluring. Even though udia was a woman, she could see the perfection of Victoria¡¯s body. She bit her lower lip, unable to restrain herself as she whispered, ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me these years.¡± Victoria¡¯s eyes were closed, and she found the physical cooling effect quitepelling; the feeling of the liquid being wiped on her body was refreshing. The heat on her body dissipated a lot. When she opened her eyes, she met udia¡¯s beautiful gaze. ¡°Thank me?¡± Victoria asked. udia nodded and said, ¡°Yes. Although it may seem like Al married you in a set¨Cup marriage to help you through difficult times, I know that his married status has shielded him from unwanted attention in the past two years. So, I want to say thank you. Otherwise, when I¡¯m back, dealing with all those cheap suitors around him would be a real hassle.¡± At these words, Victoria was taken aback. She wasn¡¯t dumb and could tell what udia was trying to say. udia started by expressing gratitude but then went on to remind her that her marriage with ric was a sham. udia cautioned her to keep her expectations low, pointing out that she was not ric¡¯s wife. Victoria pursed her lips and said nothing. udia wiped her off for a while and helped her put her clothes back on. She then asked tenderly, ¡°Feeling better? Would you like some water? I¡¯ll pour you a ss.¡± Victoria was indeed a bit thirsty. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside udia went to pour her some water, and Victoria drank it all. Her throat finally felt better. She looked up at udia and said what was on her mind, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to worry about ric and me. He will always keep your position as his wife because you saved his life. No one can rece that. You also did me a favor, and I won¡¯t forget it.¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Victoria spoke inly and straightforwardly, unlike udia¡¯s polite but indirect approach. Suddenly, udia felt awkward. ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Nheless, Victoria didn¡¯t bother with her and changed the topic. Before leaving the clinic, Dominic gave her some medicine. He advised udia, ¡°Although your friend doesn¡¯t want to take medicine, she should try to drink some if possible. I prescribed traditional medicine, and it won¡¯t harm her body. Only drink it a few times.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Soon, the three of them left the clinic and returned to the Cadogan Residence. As soon as they pulled into the driveway, Victoria, still in difort, attempted to exit the vehicle. All she wanted was to return to her room and sleep it off. Unfortunately, she stumbled and nearly fell forward as she stepped out of the car. Then, ric quickly caught her by the arm and frowned. ¡°You¡¯re in this state, yet you still refuse to take medicine or get a shot. You¡¯re something else.¡± udia followed them out of the car and saw their hands touch. She hurried over and helped Victoria. ¡°Let me help her, Al.¡± She assisted Victoria into the house, and when she saw the maids, she greeted them. The maids looked at udia with surprise in their eyes. ¡°Did I see wrong? Wasn¡¯t that Miss Johnson?¡± ¡°Who is Miss Johnson?¡± Most of the long¨Cserving maids in the vi knew udia, but some newer ones didn¡¯t. ¡°udia Johnson. She¡¯s the woman that Mr. Cadogan likes. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°Mr. Cadogan likes her?¡± The young maid¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Cadogan already married?¡± 054%2 ¡°Most marriages within wealthy families are only business deals. No real love involved,¡± said the older maid, who had spent many long years in the Cadogan Residence and spoke confidently. ¡°You guys are new here, so you don¡¯t understand. However, I was there when it all happened. udia isn¡¯t any random woman Mr. Cadogan likes. She actually saved his life. She went abroad to study for some time, and he¡¯s been waiting for her ever since.¡± ¡°So, why did Mr. Cadogan marry someone else?¡± asked one of the listening maids. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because Old Mrs. Cadogan got sick and wanted to see him settle down and start a family. He had no choice but to find someone else. At that time, the Selwyn Family had gone bankrupt, so you know how it goes,¡± the older maid finished with a sly smirk. ¡°It¡¯s a secret within upper¨Css society. Not many people know about it, so don¡¯t spread it around.¡± ¡°I actually thought Mr. Cadogan and his wife were really in love. I had no idea it¡¯s all merely an act,¡± one of the other maids said, sounding disappointed. ¡°Of course, it is all an act. Don¡¯t be so naive,¡± the older maid responded. As they were about to say more, a cough interrupted them. They turned around to see Hector standing there, his face dark and stern expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± he asked, and the group dispersed like startled birds. Once they were gone, he stood there. He was a man in his fifties with gray hairs in his eyebrows. He furrowed his brow when he heard that udia N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. had returned. Chapter 7 Pour Away the Medicine That exins why the madam had been acting strangelyst night. Meanwhile, udia helped Victoria back to her room. ¡°Thank you,¡± Victoria said. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± udia replied with a smile. ¡°You should get some rest now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria took off her shoes andy down. That was when she noticed ric entering the room slowly, his eyes wandering carelessly over her until theynded on udia. ¡°Shall I send you home?¡± he asked. After all, udia was in the Cadogan Residence and had no reason to stay there. So, she nodded. ¡°Sure, thanks.¡± Before leaving, she nced around the room and noticed a handcrafted men¡¯s suit on the coat rack outside. Only ric would wear that style. Suddenly, her face turned a little paler, and she silently followed him with Chapter 7 Pour Away the Medicine her lips pursed. Once everyone was gone, Victoria opened her eyes and looked up at the white coiling, fooling lost. What should I do about the child? Being pregnant was not like anything else. She could hide her feelings for him well for a year, two years, or even 10 years, but what about being pregnant? She couldn¡¯t hide it when the time came for her belly to show. The more she thought about it, the more her head spun, and she gradually fell into a long, deep sleep. In her dream, Victoria felt someone undoing her cor and then something cold covering her body. Her body was hot, and she felt her arms and legs. Then, she heard a muffled groan and heavy breathing. Her neck was held roughly but gently, and her lips were wetly covered. Soon, something probed into her mouth. She frowned and bit down on the foreign object, feeling the taste of blood in her mouth and the man¡¯s painful gasp. Then, she had been pushed aside before someone forcefully pinched her cheek. She faintly hoard the person say, ¡°I¡¯ve pampered you too much, haven¡¯t I? You even bit down on me.¡± She winced in pain, grumbling and pushing away the person¡¯s hand before falling into a deep sleep. When Victoria woke up, it was already evening. A maid was by her side, who was delighted to see her wake up. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, you¡¯re awake.¡± The maid approached her, cing a hand on her forehead. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯ve finally cooled down, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± Victoria looked at the maid before her, thinking of specific fragmented memories. Then, she asked, ¡°Have you been caring for me this whole time?¡± The maid¡¯s eyes sparkled while she nodded in response. As soon as she heard that, Victoria¡¯s hopeful expression faded, and she looked away. Those fragmented memories led her to believe that ric had been caring for her the entire time, but it wasn¡¯t him. Victoria was lost in thought when the maid brought a bowl of medicine over. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake now. The medicine is still warm. You should drink it now.¡± The pungent aroma of traditional medicine filled the air, causing Victoria to frown and instinctively avoid it. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, please drink it while it¡¯s still warm. It will be cold in a while,¡± the maid said, bringing the bowl closer to her. Victoria moved back, turning her head away. ¡°Put it down there first. I¡¯ll drink itter.¡± ¡°You-¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry. Can you go downstairs and got me something to eat? Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll finish the medicine when you return with food.¡± She had slept for a long time and was really hungry now. The maid thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go downstairs and get something for you. Please drink the medicine, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The maid eventually left, and Victoria lifted the covers and climbed out of bed. She carried the dark traditional medicine and walked to the bathroom to pour it down the toilet. As she watched the medicine flush away, leaving no trace behind, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have to be cajoled into drinking it. She straightened back up with the empty bowl before turning around, only to see that ric had arrived without notice. Leaning against the bathroom door, he stared at her with sharp eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Victoria¡¯s heart skipped a beat at that moment, and her eyes flickered with panic. She felt caught in the act. However, she quickly calmed down and pursed her pale lips. Then, she replied honestly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see it all?¡± Her straightforward attitude caused ric¡¯s probing gaze to soften a little. He walked over and stared at the empty medicine bowl in her hand. ¡°I had the kitchenbor over this medicine, and you pour it all out like that?¡± She rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I already told you I¡¯m not drinking it.¡± With that, she left with the empty bowl. However, he followed her out and asked in a voice clear and sharp, ¡°Did you intentionally go out in the rain yesterday?¡± Hearing this, Victoria hesitated, then shook her head, denying it. ¡°No, why would I do something like that?¡± Still, ric remained suspicious as he continued scrutinizing her. ¡°Really? Then, why did you refuse to go to the hospital? Why are you refusing to drink the medicine now?¡± Nevertheless, she could only exin nonchntly, ¡°The medicine is too bitter. I don¡¯t want to drink it.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± he narrowed his eyes. As if he had thought of something, he persisted in saying, ¡°Yesterday¡ª¡± He had wanted to ask about the text message and whether she had noticed anything, but after thinking it over, he felt it was impossible. After all, she didn¡¯t even enter the club the other day, so how could she know? Moreover, Victoria didn¡¯t want to keep hashing things out with him because she feared letting something slip. She had secrets now and didn¡¯t want him to know. At that moment, the maid came in with food, so Victoria took the opportunity to start eating. Since she was still recovering, the maid had prepared light, liquid food for her. However, Victoria had no appetite and only ate a little before putting down her bowl, which the maid soon came to collect. ric watched by the side as his thin lips pursed into a straight line. He didn¡¯t know if it was his imagination, but he felt everything was off. The whole room felt wrong, and even he was odd somehow. Although he had never had a good temper, he rarely felt so frustrated and restless. Suddenly, he felt like the air in the room wasn¡¯t circting properly, so he turned and left. Once he was gone, Victoria¡¯s facade crumbled, and she slumped down, staring at her toes. Before going to sleep, the maid brought her another bowl of medicine. Victoria realized he wasn¡¯t home then, so she decided not to pretend anymore. Then, she spoke frankly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink it. Furthermore, you don¡¯t need to make it againter.¡± The maid held the bowl of medicine, looking slightly confused. Victoria looked at her tly as she added, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you should go to rest early. I¡¯m tired today.¡± Then, the maid blinked in bewilderment and walked out of the bedroom. On the other hand, ric didn¡¯t return to the room. The bedroom was quiet, with only her alone in it. Due to the fever, she experienced some lightheadedness when shey down. Her head was heavy, but her mind was clear. He isn¡¯t back¡­ It¡¯s obvious where he is. Then, she turned over and closed her eyes with only one thought. If I had been the one to jump down to save him, would we still be divorced? Unfortunately¡­ She couldn¡¯t turn back time. Soon, Victoria fell into a drowsy state again, with a tear slipping down her cheek that went unnoticed by herself. In the middle of the night, she felt the mattress being pressed down and wondered if he had returned. However, her consciousness was soon overwhelmed by boundless darkness. The following day, when she woke up and turned over, her first reaction was to reach out and touch around next to her. Nevertheless, all she could feel was coldness. So, she pursed her lips, and the light in her eyes gradually sank. Early in the morning, the maid brought food and a bowl of medicine again. early in the morning. When Victoria smelled the pungent medicinal scent, she furrowed her eyebrows. The maid said, ¡°Madam, this medicine-¡± Nheless, Victoria couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, and her tone became harsh. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say not to make it again? Why did you bring it up here?¡± She was usually gentle, so the sudden severity surprised the maid. However, Victoria realized her emotions were out of control and immediately came to her senses. She reached up and pinched her brow, saying, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not feeling well. Please take this medicine away.¡± The maid could only take the medicine away. Back in the kitchen, Hector saw the bowl of medicine being brought back and frowned hard. ¡°Does the madam still refuse to drink the medicine?¡± The maid nodded and then exined what had happened earlier. Hearing the maid¡¯s dissatisfaction in her tone, Hector said sternly, ¡°You know how well she treats us usually. It¡¯s probably because she¡¯s sick, so her mood isn¡¯t good. Don¡¯t hold a grudge against her because of this.¡± Hearing the housekeeper¡¯s stern lecture, the maid blushed and quickly shook her head. ¡°No, no, how could I hold a grudge against her because of this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, then. No matter what, she¡¯s still Mrs. Cadogan to us.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Still Mrs. Cadogan? Didn¡¯t they say yesterday that udia Johnson is the Chapter The one Mr. Cadogan likes? Wouldn¡¯t the ¡®Mrs. Cadogan¡® role be reced with udia soon? While the maid was lost in thought, a cold voice suddenly interrupted, ¡°She still doesn¡¯t want to drink it?¡± Hector and the maid were stunned as they looked up at the person who had arrived. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ric stood there with a cold face, holding a suit and his car keys. He had already had breakfast and was getting ready to go to the office when he saw the maid¡¯s tray with the bowl of medicine still full. Thus, he stopped to ask Hector about it. Hector nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Then, he added, ¡°Sir, what is the medicine for?¡± ric disliked the fact that Victoria kept refusing to take medicine. She didn¡¯t take it all day yesterday, and now she still won¡¯t take it today? ¡°It¡¯s for reducing fever,¡± he answered. Relieved, Hector thought it was not a big deal since it only reduced fever. However, the maid behind him was surprised when she heard it was to reduce fever. Suddenly, she blurted out, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s for reducing fever? I¨CI thought it was for-¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence before feeling Hector and ric¡¯s gazes on her. The maid realized she couldn¡¯t say anything more and quickly changed her words with a smile. ¡°Anyway, as long as the madam is fine.¡± unfinished sentence contained much information. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. Startled by his sharp tone, the maid could only lower her head and whisper, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I only saw what looked like a hospital report while cleaning the bathroom trash can yesterday.¡± Hearing that, he narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°What kind of hospital report is it?¡± The maid shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It was torn up and seemed to have been soaked in the rain. I only saw a few words on the report while cleaning up.¡± ric then asked, ¡°Where is it?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The maid¡¯s face instantly turned pale in response to ric¡¯s query. ¡°I¡¯ve already disposed of the report, sir.¡± Suddenly, a frown etched on his face, and he snapped, ¡°What did you say?!¡± She was so frightened by his gloomy aura that she was on the brink of crying. In a panic, she exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I didn¡¯t throw it away on purpose, but the report was pretty torn up, so I threw it away without much thought-¡± The maid was not the type to delve into something the owner threw. Furthermore, ric would usually shred documents that contained highly confidential information. After all, she relied on her job to make ends meet, so she disposed of the report without giving it much thought that day. Over the past two days, she had been sending Victoria medicine, thinking it was for her illness. However, it turned out that the medication was intended to treat fever. Meanwhile, his brows furrowed at what the maid said. Then, he realized that something was amiss with his wife. Even if she had given the umbre to someone else, she could have sought shelter and called the driver to pick her up or waited until the rain stopped before returning home. Why did she have to run home in the rain? At that moment, Hector walked toward ric and asked with concern, ¡°Sir, is Mrs. Cadogan alright?¡± Before saying anything, ric handed him the car keys and his jacket. ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs for a while.¡± Then, Hector quickly took them without a word. Meanwhile, Victoria intended to rest after the maid had left, but she was interrupted by a phone call. It was a call from the secretary of Labauve Group¡¯s vice president, who wanted to discuss the recent project she had been working on. Due to her absence from the office the day before, nobody was avable to fill in for her. After the call ended, she rubbed her brows. The office is busy, and after being gone for a day, I found that I had a lot of work to catch up on. I have no choice but to start working today. Then, she pulled out herptop, but as soon as she logged into her email, she heard footstepsing from the door. Victoria assumed it was the maid, so she ignored the sound and clicked on her email to start working. Suddenly, she heard a pause in the footsteps and felt a faint, cool breath beside her, so she turned to see who it was. With a single nce, her gaze locked on ric¡¯s obsidian eyes. She was startled at the sight of him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. When he heard that, he pursed his lips lightly and replied, ¡°This is my room.¡± His voice was unweing and distant. Nheless, Victoria was taken aback by his tone and questioned subconsciously, ¡°Did someone upset you? Why do you sound so moody?¡± ¡°Upset?¡± ric furrowed his brows. Why does her question sound so ridiculous? Where could I have been early in the morning that caused me to be so upset? After pausing for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, he deadpanned and blurted, ¡°I was homest night.¡± At that moment, she gaped in shock at his response. Then, he stared at her. ¡°Why are you surprised? I was lying beside youst night. Weren¡¯t you aware of that?¡± After hearing that, Victoria pursed her lips without a word. It turns out that the sensation I hadst night of the mattress being pressed down was not my imagination. Remnants of sleep still clouded her mind when that happened, and when she woke up to feel the coolness on the other side of the bed, she thought ric hadn¡¯te home all night. When she learned he was at home, she felt excitement rising in her chest. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯te home.¡± It was after her sentence that they both went silent. Even though udia had only been back for two days, their rtionship had be awkward. Despite that, none of them was willing to address the elephant in the room. The two seemed to be avoiding the subject tacitly, but the reason for their silence was known only to them. After some time, ric suddenly questioned, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking medicine?¡± Why does he bring it up again? Victoria returned her attention to the feel like taking it yesterday, and since I felt so much better today, I decided I no longer needed it.¡± Suddenly, her calm appearance made his lips twitch, and he inquired, ¡°Really? What about the report, then?¡± At that moment, her hands stopped scrolling the mouse when he mentioned ¡®the report.¡® Victoria almost thought she had misheard him, but the tingling of his breath beside her was proof that he had said those words out loud. On the other hand, ric noticed how her fingers paused abruptly when ¡®the report¡® was mentioned. Due to that, he narrowed his eyes skeptically. She¡¯s trying to hide something from me. After a moment, she recollected herself and raised her head to meet his eyes. Her gaze was doubtful, and she asked calmly, ¡°What report?¡± He merely stared at her in response. She¡¯s giving a convincing performance; she looks and soundspletely natural, from her expression and gazes to her tone. If I hadn¡¯t noticed her subtle actions earlier, I would have been duped by her facade. While staring intently into Victoria¡¯s eyes, ric questioned, ¡°I am the one who initiates the inquiry. So, what report are you referring to?¡± Hearing that, she was stunned for a moment. ¡°Yes, you were asking me that, but I¡¯m not sure what report you refer to.¡± The mere mention of ¡®the report¡® throws me off guard, and my first thought is that he must have seen it. So, did he learn about my pregnancy? Nevertheless, Victoria quickly calmed herself down. Since the Selwyns dered bankruptcy, she had grown from a pampered youngdy to a well¨Crespected secretary. Even the presidents of when they saw her. They didn¡¯t do that simply because she was ric¡¯s wife but because they acknowledged her abilities. Two years of training and experience molded her into apletely different person. She was no longer the youngdy who would panic and get flustered when things. were messed up. I¡¯ve torn the report into pieces; even if I hadn¡¯t, the rainwater would have washed away any traces of the words it contained. In addition, due to prolonged exposure to moisture, the report¡¯s contents would be illegible. After running a mental analysis, shepletely calmed down. Meanwhile, his lips curled into a half¨Csmile. Then, ric took a seat in front of Victoria, and the two exchanged nces. They were childhood sweethearts. After all these years, how could he have missed her dramatic transformation over thest two years? When ric first approached Victoria about working for thepany, he intended to foster her development and independence. Within two years, she had matured into the person he had envisioned her to be, and she even became his ideal right¨Chand woman. Moreover, she could speak calmly in front of hundreds of people, let alone in front of him. At that thought, he squinted his eyes and asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know? Do you think I don¡¯t know you?¡± However, she met his eyes fearlessly. ¡°Is that so? Do you really know me?¡± The next second, ric wrapped his hand around the base of Victoria¡¯s neck and leaned in until their foreheads were so close that their breaths intertwined. A sentence was squeezed out of his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve known you for at least 20 years and shared a bed with you for two years. Who else knows you better than I do, Victoria Selwyn?¡± She was immediately dumbfounded. Have we known each other for that long? He says he knows me, but he has no idea I¡¯ve fallen for him. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 After a long time, Victoria sighed inwardly. Keeping the truth from him will keep any awkward situations at bay. Moreover, we can think of our rtionship as a transaction in which both parties benefit from. At that thought, she pushed away ric, who had leaned in too close for ¡± herfort. ¡°It¡¯s not you for sure.¡± Then, he frowned upon hearing that. ¡°What do you mean by that? Is there someone else who knows you better than me? Who is it?¡± He didn¡¯t notice how worked up he was due to her words. On the other hand, Victoria said nothing in response. Seeing how she ignored him, ric grabbed her shoulders and questioned somewhat viciously, ¡°Is it a man or a woman?¡± He applied too much pressure on her, causing her to raise her brows and push him away. ¡°It hurts. Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Afterward, ric let up on the pressure a bit, but he didn¡¯t give up on badgering Victoria. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to touch you, then be honest with 1. me. Who knows you better than I do? Also, what¡¯s up with that report?¡± Under his persistent questioning, she responded, ¡°Nobody. I¡¯m the one who understands myself best. Don¡¯t put too much meaning in my words, alright? Besides, I don¡¯t know what report you¡¯re referring to. Is it from the should be clear about it, don¡¯t you think?¡± She took the initiative to express her doubts, causing him to narrow his eyes. There is something fishy about the way that she is reacting. ¡°The maid imed she found a piece of torn paper while picking up the trash.¡± A piece of torn paper? Is the report a piece of torn paper? Then, Victoria met ric¡¯s eyes calmly. ¡°What report? Where is it?¡± ¡°It was torn and was found in the room. Is it not yours?¡± ¡°A torn piece of paper? Yeah, it¡¯s mino.¡± Following that, she avoided his gaze and redirected her attention to theptop. ¡°That¡¯s the report I got from the hospital. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Suddenly, he locked his gaze on her. ¡°What kind of report is it?¡± Victoria was unwavering and answered, ¡°My body checkup report. Is there a problem with that?¡± However, her answer elicited a scoff from ric. ¡°Do you think you can fool me? Why would you tear the report?¡± His tone was stern as he asked the question. Suddenly, he grasped her thin wrist and prodded, ¡°Are you hiding something from me? What kind of report is it?¡± Then, he reasoned that her peculiar quirk must have something to do with the report. As he exerted even more pressure on her, her brows knitted as she This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. exined softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t tear it on purpose. The report was soaked in water due to the rain, and I could no longer read the words. That¡¯s why I threw it away.¡± ¡°Why did you have to tear it before you threw it away, then?¡± ric was still dwelling on it. Obviously, he would keep pestering Victoria if she couldn¡¯t convince him with a reasonable excuse. Then, when she looked into his eyes, she noticed how dark and gloomy they were. After a sigh, she said, ¡°Have you ever considered that I might not have torn it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was raining heavily that day, and when I took the report out, it was already in a soggy state, and some pieces of paper even got stuck on my clothes. I could only take them off one by one.¡± ric was taken aback by Victoria¡¯s statement as he imagined the possible scene. The downpour was so intense that it drenched herpletely. Hence, it was only natural that the paper had be soggy. She had no choice but to toss it in theundry basket with the rest of her dirty clothes, but by the time the maids came to clean it up, the paper had dried out and appeared to be torn. After careful consideration, he decided that her words did not sound suspicious. Feeling the force on her shoulders loosen, Victoria assumed ric was Chap 6 Abortion is the Only Way convinced by her statomont. Dospito her rollef, she decided to put everything on the line to dispel any remaining doubts he had about her pregnancy. At that thought, she looked at him and uttered tentatively, ¡°Why are you panicking? Are you worried that it might have been a pregnancy report?¡± At first, he had nned to deny it, but hearing herst question, he felt his chest tighten. When he nced at her, he tried to suppress his emotions. His nce prompted her to raise her brows. ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? Are you afraid that my pregnancy might affect you and udia¡¯s rtionship?¡± ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± ric squinted his eyes in skepticism. Victoria shrugged. ¡°No, or I would have shown you the report. As childhood friends, I suppose you¡¯llpensate me a fair amount if I go for an abortion, won¡¯t you?¡± However, her nonchnt tone and indifferent attitude made his expression change slightly. ¡°What did you say? Are you going for an abortion?¡± On the other hand, hisst sentence made her heart skip a beat. ¡°I¡¯m speaking hypothetically only.¡± As if trying to go against Victoria, ric questioned, ¡°What if it¡¯s not?¡± ¡°What do you mean if it¡¯s not?¡± She frowned slightly. Then, he narrowed his eyes as he looked at her, obsidian orbs carrying iprehensible emotions. ¡°Suppose you are pregnant; would you undergo an abortion?¡± She nodded subconsciously and lowered her head. ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± Nheless, she didn¡¯t notice how his expression turned dark when she blurted her answer. ric was annoyed by Victoria¡¯s indifference, and he felt something churning in his chest as anxiety surrounded him densely. Then, Victoria continued, ¡°What will happen to you and udia if I don¡¯t abort the child?¡± What will happen to udia and me? Her question was like having a bucket of ice water dumped on him, causing him to snap out of his stupor and get his bearings. The woman before him had fair skin and bright red lips; her features were dimensional and delicate, even without makeup. She had such a captivating appearance that it was hard to take one¡¯s eyes off her for even a moment. After a moment of observing Victoria, ric withdrew the emotion from his eyes, stood up, and had since calmed down. He suggested, with a cold voice that sounded entirely different from before, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to thepany today. Take a good rest.¡± Soon, he turned and left the bedroom with a cold expression. Yes, she¡¯s right. Even if she ever gets pregnant, she will be forced to abort. the child. I simply could not, and would never, let udia down. Back then, ric stumbled and fell into the river. The flow of water was so rapid that even a person who could swim wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape death, let alone jump down to save others. He was having trouble breathing after taking several mouthfuls of river Chapte 10 Abortion is the Only Way water, his limbs fell heavy, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness, When he was on the verge of giving up, he saw a slender figure recklessly diving down and swimming towards him at a rapid pos Unfortunately, he had lost consciousness before she could swim up to him, Later, he awoke to find himself in the hospital, and it was only then that he learned udia had been hurt while rescuing him. Her hands were even wounded by the stones at the bottom of the river. When he visited her, she was sitting on the edge of the bed with a pale face and gauze wrapped around her treated wound. At the sight of him, she hopped off the bed and staggered toward him to ask if he was alright. From then on, ric was determined to treat udia well. He would make her his wife so long as she was willing to marry him. Since she had risked her life for him, he had to repay her kindness, Chapter 11 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¨Chand 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 caf¨¦ when the woman in front of her spit out her coffee. The woman¡¯s worked¨Cup 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¨CAre 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?¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Summer initially thought Victoria¡¯s reaction was oddly calm, but after hearing the name ¡®udia¡®, Vienna froze silent. ¡°I¨CI thought she¡¯d nevere back,¡± she said after taking a long time to For a moment, neither said anything. Before the Selwyns had gone bankrupt, Summer, being Victoria¡¯s best friend, hung out with Victoria for a long time in the elite circle. Hence, she naturally knew that people loved talking about how udia saved ric. Plus, the two were a good¨Clooking pair, and things could¡¯ve ended up well too, but as Victoria¡¯s best friend, Summer¡¯s heart still ached for Victoria. Too bad too many crushes go unrequited and even die off silently in the end. Summer bit her lip and felt indignant for her friend. ¡°Actually, so what if shees back at this time? I wouldn¡¯t back out if I were you. She and ric were never together in the first ce. Besides, you two are already married, and you¡¯re now even pregnant. I swear the sky will fall before ric tells you to drop the baby!¡± ¡°Then you probably don¡¯t know him well enough,¡± said Victoria, who had been silent all this while. After saying that, she looked up, causing Summer¡¯s eyes to widen with incredulity. ¡°What do you mean? He didn¡¯t¡­ Did he really?!¡± ¡°He will,¡± Victoria affirmed. ¡°That means you haven¡¯t told him about it, have you?¡± Summer countered. ¡°How are you so certain he will?¡± At that, Victoria pursed her lips and answered, ¡°I¡¯ve already sounded him out. ¡°You¡­¡± Summer instantly became disappointed in her friend. ¡°What is that going to achieve? As if theory and practice are the same! You should tell him now. Say you¡¯re pregnant. See how he reacts to it.¡± Victoria fell silent in response, so Summer added, ¡°Are you scared? Please, I swear on my life that ric will never tell you to drop it if he knows you¡¯re pregnant. Wanna bet on it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Victoria shook her head after a moment of silence. Then, she grabbed her bag and stood up. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll get the bill.¡± Before Summer could even react to what was happening, Victoria had already gone to the cashier. Livid, Summer could only grab her bag and follow her friend out. After exiting the cafe, Summer walked beside Veronica. Seeing that the ¡°Victoria!¡± her arm. ¡°Victoria!¡± Victoria stopped in her tracks and fixed her gaze on her best friend. ¡°Get a hold of yourself and trust me this once, will you? This isn¡¯t a small issue. I wouldn¡¯t be standing here and persuading you if you could drop your years of love for him. But you love him, don¡¯t you? Our happiness. shouldy in our own hands!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Her words made Victoria hesitant and seeing so, Summer urged, ¡°Alright, let me ask you a few questions then.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°People will eventually notice pregnancy with time, won¡¯t they?¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Then, are you worried people will notice?¡± Victoria pondered and nodded again. ¡°There you go. Since you¡¯re afraid people will notice, and you don¡¯t intend to tell ric either, you¡¯ll surely find a chance to drop the babyter.¡± No, that¡¯s not it. I just haven¡¯t thought this through¡­ ¡°Since you¡¯ve already prepared for the worst, what¡¯s there left for you to be afraid of? Won¡¯t the worst¨Ccase scenario remain the same even if you tell him?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Victoria¡¯s lips trembled as hershes fluttered. ¡°We might still be friends if I keep this a secret, but if I tell him¡­¡± Summer fell silent at that. Alright, I underestimated her love for ric. It wasn¡¯t until momentster that Summer sighed under her breath. ¡°Vic, I know you love him, but has it ever crossed your mind that there¡¯s no point in being friends if you can¡¯t be with him? Besides, don¡¯t you want to sound it out? Don¡¯t you want to know if he feels the same about you? Either way, I refuse to believe he doesn¡¯t have the slightest feelings for you seeing that he treats you so well.¡± Yeah, he does treat me well, but¡­ it¡¯s all but a trade¡­ If it wasn¡¯t that Griselda liked her and that the elder also happened to be sick, the two of them wouldn¡¯t have gotten married at all. To him, she was just a simple childhood friend. Summer knew there was nothing she could do to persuade Victoria anymore, seeing she was still hesitant. ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯ve already said all I had to say. You think about the rest. It¡¯s ultimately your decision, after all. There¡¯s nothing more I can say.¡± Before getting into the car, Summer still couldn¡¯t stop herself from running back to her friend and said, ¡°Victoria, our happiness lies in our own hands, This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. As lost as Victoria was still feeling right then, she smiled from the bottom of her heart and pinched Summer¡¯s cheek. ¡°All right, I got it. I¡¯ll think long and hard about it.¡± ¡°Good. Go home, then. Call me if you need anything, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as Victoria returned to Cadogan Residence, Hector instantly approached her worryingly. ¡°Where have you been, Mrs. Cadogan? Why have you gone out when you¡¯re not feeling well? What if something happens to you?¡± The butler¡¯s worry touched Victoria. She thereafter reassured him, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Hector sized her up and finally heaved a sigh of relief after he was certain she was fine. ¡°You should go back to rest, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With that, Victoria went upstairs and returned to her room. Silence filled the air after she closed the door with a thump. At that moment, Summer¡¯s words rang in her ears now that she was all alone. Our happiness lies in our own hands. Actually, she believed in that saying; one should speak out and fight for their love. In fact, she did exactly that in the past. Hence, it was why she decided to confess her love. However, just as she was about to do so, she overheard ric saying his partner would forever be udia. Forever¡­ She understood the concept of forever. She also knew ric was the kind who practiced what he preached. But¡­ Victoria clenched her phone. Ever since hearing Summer¡¯s suggestion, her greed became a vine that had found something it could attach itself to, absorbing all the nutrients in the soil with all its might, growing rapidly. Truth was, she actually wanted to follow Summer¡¯s suggestion and sound him out. That said, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have the guts to tell ric the news right in front of him. Perhaps¡­ I can try texting him. He¡¯ll definitely know once he sees my text. At that, Victoria¡¯s heart raced wildly like she had been triggered. Her hand that was clenching her phone also began trembling, so much so that she only managed to unlock her phone via password, having failed a few times using her fingerprint. Victoria opened up her chat history with ric. Perhaps she was feeling apprehensive because she decided to open their text message history instead of using WhatsApp, the portal that they normallymunicated with. However, after she was in, she began feeling at a loss of what to do. How should she tell him about it? It wasn¡¯t after she stared at the phone for a long time that she finally decided to be a little more straightforward. As Summer said, she was already prepared for the worst, so what was there for her to be fearful of? At that, she texted, ¡®I¡¯m pregnant.¡® After that, she closed her eyes and sent it. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Victoria¡¯s heart suddenly quieted clown after the text was sessfully sent. She had done it. All there was left was to wait for his reply. However, ric didn¡¯t answer right away. Victoria checked the time and guessed that he should be working at the moment. He might be in a meeting, in a business engagement, or his phone might even be silent. He¡¯ll see it once he¡¯s done with work. The wait was unbearable, so she decided to take a nap. With that, she changed into her pajamas and drew the curtains to silence the room before climbing into bed. Ping! Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands Meanwhile, inside an office of one of Cadogan Group¡¯s buildings, udia¡¯s calmly on the couch a couple of seconds ago. Her eyes were fixed on the simple text message she was reading¨C¡®I¡¯m pregnant.¡® The young woman had thought it was ric¡¯s work message or some kind of spam when the text first came in, but who¡¯d have thought it was from Victoria?! This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Reflexively, she looked toward the man working away at the desk, reeling in the possibility that he had gotten together with Victoria. ric seemingly noticed her gaze as he looked up at her quizzically. Startled, udia forced a smile and quickly lowered her head, leading ric to finally withdraw his gaze. Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands It was exceptionally quiet in the office, and because they were on a high floor, the surrounding noises on the ground were inaudible to them. Meanwhile, grimnessced udia¡¯s drooped eyes as she deleted the text without confirming if Victoria was really the sender. After the deed was done, the young woman breathed a sigh of relief but fell into deep thought as her nails sank into her palms. Selwyn¡­ What is she trying to do with that text? Does she want to steal ric from me?! At that, udia bit her lip. She should consider herself lucky that she had asked ric for his phone right after entering his office. Sure, he frowned upon hearing it, but he still handed the phone to her very quickly. If she hadn¡¯t asked for it, and if ric had seen the text, then the Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands consequences would be unimaginable! Minutester, she returned ric his phone and said softly, ¡°Here, Al. I¡¯m done with it. Thanks.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded subtly as he took it from her. ¡°I thought you hated people touching your phone. Why are you willing to lend it to me?¡± udia couldn¡¯t help asking as she looked at his impassive face while recalling Victoria¡¯s text. To that, ric took a gander at her and answered somewhat helplessly, ¡°Because you¡¯re different from everyone else, of course.¡± Chapter 131 Will Grant You All Your Demands That was all it took to sate udia, and she felt overjoyed like her heart had been drenched in honey. Yeah, I¡¯m different. If anything, I might have been overthinking. Besides, even if Victoria is pregnant, who¡¯s to say ric is the father? As if he would ever touch her! While she was deep in thought, ric added, ¡°You saved me once, udia. You can make any demands with me. I will grant it all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Al.¡± udia nodded while her smile shallowed at the mention of the topic. As she drooped her eyelids, grimness enveloped her eyes once more while she flipped out deep within. That again! Can you go one day without telling me I saved you? Am I nothing to you at all if I hadn¡¯t saved your life?! Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands As she recalled the incident, guilt crept up on udia. Though many years had passed, it still felt fresh as if it had just happened the day before. The river was torrential at the time, and udia had been rendered petrified when ric got caught in the river. She did nothing but stand by the river as her head buzzed. By the time she came to her senses and called for help, a slender figure had already run desperately toward her. Because of that, she had forgotten to call for help when the figure brushed past her. All she did was reflexively stop in her tracks and look over her shoulder when she saw the girl jump into the water without hesitation. Though the incident happened many years ago, it still shook udia whenever she recalled it. Chapter 131 Will Grant You All Your Demands The girl was too brave. So much so that udia loathed her for a long time after that. ¡°What is it?¡± ric asked, seeing that she seemed to have fallen into deep thought. ¡°Nothing.¡± She shook her head with a faint smile when his voice pulled her back to reality. She shouldn¡¯t recall the past anymore. Now, she was ric¡¯s savior, and it was a fact that would never change¨Cever. Following that, udia stayed in ric¡¯s office a while longer. Nevertheless, since the man was tied up with work and didn¡¯t have time to Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands entertain her, she saw herself out a whileter. ¡°Al, since you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll head back for now and visit you another day.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± responded the man with his gaze fixed on hisptop screen. But just as she was about to leave, a thought suddenly came to him. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Who texted?¡± he asked, staring at her, causing her to freeze. He hadn¡¯t asked when the notification ping came in, and udia probably deleted it without giving it a second thought because she had been startled by it. But who¡¯d have thought he¡¯d suddenly ask about it now¡­ ¡°Just a spam message. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt you, so I deleted it without telling you.¡± Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands All she received from ric was silence, and udia couldn¡¯t help panicking at that. ¡°Are you upset because I deleted your text? I¡¯m sorry, Al. I didn¡¯t give it a second thought when it was just a spam message. I should¡¯ve let you deal with it yourself. I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡± Her repeating apologies made ric ease his brows as he reflected on himself. What are you doing, Cadogan? She has just deleted a spam message. Do you have to be mad at her for it? Then again, he was a man of principles, so he still cautioned, ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you, but no more next time.¡± ¡°Got it. Sorry.¡± udia nodded and drooped her eyelids. The air between the two tensed up just like that. Momentster, ric offered, ¡°I¡¯ll ask the chauffeur to send you home.¡± Chapter 13 I Will Grant You All Your Demands ¡°Okay.¡± D Very quickly, the chauffeur came up to collect udia, who clenched her resting hands into fists after entering the elevator. It might have looked like ric didn¡¯t mind letting her use his phone, but he reacted pretty greatly to her deleting his text. It seems like even a savior isn¡¯t that much of an exception. udia pursed her lips indignantly. Looks like I¡¯ll have to put more effort into ric, or he wouldn¡¯t condone me just because I saved him. Still, luckily, I¡¯ve already deleted the text. Knowing Victoria, she would likely not tell ric in person when she didn¡¯t receive a reply to her text. That said, this was just a temporary fix. She¡¯d have to act quickly¡­ Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Victoria waited until the sun had set but still received nothing from ric. Her phone was silent like it had been cut off from the outside world. When she was working, she would love nothing more than for her phone to be silent so that she could have more time for herself. But now¡­ It wasn¡¯t until darkness began enveloping the sky that Victoria¡¯s phone pinged, startling her. She hurriedly picked the phone up, only for her gaze to dim upon seeing the content. It was a text from Summer. ¡®So? Have you given the idea much thought? Have youe clean with him?¡® Victoria looked silently at her phone for a long time before a self¨Cdeprecating¨Cfilled chuckle escaped her. . You have known the answer long ago, but why are you so insistent? Why must youy your wound bare for people to see and scorn? Now, you¡¯ve done it. How are you going to face him now? Victoria slid down against the bed and closed her eyes. Who is he with right now? What is he doing? How did he react when he found out I¡¯m pregnant? Will he share the news with udia? What will she think of me after this? Instantly, Victoria felt as though all the strength in her limbs had been sucked away. Later that night, Victoria ate no more after taking spoonfuls of soup. When the clock struck nine, her phone still did not have any new notifications. With that, she could only go downstairs with a jacket wrapped around her. Hector still hadn¡¯t rested yet, so he stood up upon seeing her. ¡°It¡¯s already Victoria nced at the empty gates and asked, ¡°ric hasn¡¯te back?¡± A hint of surprise shed across Hector as he answered, ¡°Mr. Cadogan¡¯s assistant called earlier saying Mr. Cadogan has something important and won¡¯t being back tonight.¡± Victoria¡¯s heart sank in response. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, are you alright?¡± asked the butler with worry, seeing that she didn¡¯t look so good. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± She forced a smile after returning to her senses. Then, she turned around to head back upstairs. Just as she was about to enter her room, her phone rang. The name disyed on the screen caused her pupils to shrink¨Cit was Didn¡¯t he say he won¡¯t being back? Why would he call me at this time, then? What does he want to tell me? At that, Victoria took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally before answering the call. ¡°Victoria?¡± However, a familiar sweet female voice came on the other end of the line. It was udia. ¡°Al wants me to tell you that he has something going on and won¡¯t be going back tonight. You¡¯re still sick, so rest early, okay?¡± Chapter 14 Ive Decided to Drop It At that moment, all Victoria felt was that her throat was jammed, her heart was sinking, and even her limbs were numb. Did he ask udia to call me? What is he trying to do? ¡°Victoria? Are you there?¡± Victoria took pains to blurt out an ¡®okay¡® aftering to her senses but still couldn¡¯t stop herself from ending the call in difiture. When udia heard the busy tone, she breathed a sigh of relief, then saved Victoria¡¯s phone number into her phone before returning ric¡¯s phone to him. ¡°Here, Al. I¡¯ve made the call.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ric spared a few seconds from his work to look up and retrieve his phone before asking when a thought came to him. ¡°Has she slept?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± At that, ric frowned and snorted, mumbling, ¡°She¡¯s so sick, yet she won¡¯t go to bed early. What is that woman thinking?¡± udia was right next to him when he grumbled. Hearing that, her face nched at his attitude. She bit her lip while her hands shook slightly. Perhaps, even he himself didn¡¯t realize how apparently affectionate he looked when he said that. ¡°Have you saved her phone number?¡± ric asked all of a sudden. udia snapped back into reality and answered, ¡°Yeah, I have. Al, I can ask her to hang out with me, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Sure, that would save her from always burying her head in work.¡± udia could only chuckle awkwardly in response. But when she turned around, a hint of malice shed across her usually defenseless face. The following day, Victoria found her eyes a little puffy when she woke up. To avoid anyone noticing anything amiss, she deliberately put some ice over her eyes to reduce the puffiness. Later, she checked her phone and found messages from a couple of people. ¡®I¡¯ve already sorted the work out. No need to worry,¡® texted Noel. ¡®You have to go to the hospital if you don¡¯t feel well.¡® ¡®Are you awake yet? How are you doing? I can take you to the hospital if you need.¡® The previous text was sent the night before after she had fallen asleep, while the other one was sent this morning. Then, there was Summer¡¯s text. ¡®Boo, it¡¯s been hours, and I still haven¡¯t gotten a reply from you. Is everything okay? I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have suggested bad ideas.¡® The rest of the few messages expressed her concern for her, and Victoria had a feeling her best friend had trouble sleepingst night. ¡®I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ she replied to Summer. After that, she reopened Noel¡¯s chat and expressed her gratitude for taking over her task and wanting to treat him to a meal. Summer hadn¡¯t replied. Noel, on the other hand, replied within seconds. ¡®How are you doing now?¡® Victoria had just wanted to reply to him when his call came directly. She hesitated for only a couple of seconds before answering it. ¡°Noel.¡± ¡°Hey, feeling better?¡± ¡°Much better.¡± ¡°You sound a little nasally. Still unwell, aren¡¯t you?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Victoria fell silent at that. The man had always been sensitive about her well¨Cbeing. Silence filled the call for a moment before Noel added, ¡°Did ric not take you to the hospital?¡± The sudden mention of ric stumped Victoria for a moment before she diverted the topic. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor issue. I¡¯ll be fine after some pills. I¡¯m already feeling much better after resting for two days.¡± Noel sighed in response. ¡°You¡¯re headstrong as usual, Victoria. Your father will be heartbroken if he knows about this.¡± Victoria pursed her lips. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll go to the hospital if I¡¯m really feeling ill. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Subsequently, the two chatted a while longer before hanging up. Coincidentally, just as she ended her call with Noel, Summer called. ¡°Vic! How did it go? You never replied to my text yesterday. I waited until Chapter 14 I¡¯ve Decided to Drop It past midnight before falling asleep. If you hadn¡¯t texted me, who knows when I¡¯d wake up?¡± Who¡¯d have thought my text would wake her up? Should¡¯ve replied to her ¡°But thank goodness. I can rest assured now after seeing your text.¡± Summer heaved a sigh of relief before asking with doubt, ¡°You told him about it, didn¡¯t you? ric, he¡­ How did he react to it?¡± Everything was fine before Summer brought him up. Remembering that, Victoria¡¯s heart twinged with a dull pain. At that, she stared at the empty side of the bed. He hadn¡¯t returned the night before. He chose to hide away after she told him she was pregnant. Chapter 14 I¡¯ve Decided to Drop It With that, she withdrew her gaze and announced calmly, ¡°Summer, I¡¯ve decided to drop the baby.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°W¨CWhy?!¡± Summer asked after her split¨Csecond stump. ¡°Why else?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± She huffed with indignation. ¡°You two have been married for two years. Two whole years! Does he not have a sliver of feelings for you? Besides, he¡¯s the father of your child, for goodness¡® sake! As a husband and a father, does he not feel any pity for you?¡± Victoria fell silent. If she still held some kind of fantasy toward ric before Content ? N?velDrama.Org. sending the text, then it was now dead for good. What was that popr saying online again? Oh, right¡­ Your child is yours only when he loves you, and when he doesn¡¯t¨Cforget about your child- even you are nothing. Meanwhile, Summer was still rambling, ¡°Even without your two¨Cyear Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You marriage, you two still grew up together. Does he not share the childhood sentiment either? Are you sure you made it clear to him, Vic? Why don¡¯t I-¡± ¡°Summer,¡± Victoria interjected calmly. ¡°Say no more.¡± Any more words, and she would only feel even more humiliated. One time was enough. What did multiple times count as? Begging? If so, she would rather leave it. After ending Summer¡¯s call, Victoria washed up and energized herself for work. She drove to thepany that day, and the first thing she did after arriving at her desk was to check her work. After making sure everything was okay, she finally pulled her phone out and booked an appointment. Since she had decided to drop the child, she would have to get it done soon, As the time slots for this week were all taken up, she could only pick a time BUT, TO J Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You next week, but when it came to confirming her booking, Victoria suddenly could not help stopping her fingers. There seemed to be a voice asking her, ¡°Do you truly want to lose the baby? Can you bear to do it?¡± Then, another voice debated, ¡°So what? Are you going to be their father since the baby doesn¡¯t have one?¡± ¡°What will be, will be. You¡¯ve just begun your first trimester. A baby has to be conceived for about nine months before it cane out. What are you so worried about?¡± ¡°Will the problem be solved just because you avoid it? Even if you don¡¯t do it now, you still have to do itter.¡± ¡°But he isn¡¯t just ric¡¯s child. He¡¯s yours too. Your blood runs in his veins, no?¡± Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You ¡°So what? You don¡¯t know the pain of growing up with only a single parent.¡± At that moment, Victoria was practically torn as two voices argued non¨Cstop. One told her to keep the child, while the other told her to abort it. Her head was in a total mess right then. It was then Yasmin came toward her. ¡°Miss Victoria, this is the draft proposal for IC Corp.¡¯s project. Please see if there¡¯s anything to be amended.¡± Victoria locked her phone right away and ced it on her desk. Her speedy action stumped Yasmin a little, but since she was a subordinate and should not be asking about her higher¨Cup¡¯s private Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You matters, she could only suppress her curiosity and hand the proposal to Victoria. Seeing that Yasmin remained standing on the spot after she took the file, she asked, ¡°Yes? Anything else?¡± At that, Yasmin took a gander at her and asked softly, ¡°You¡¯re doing okay now, aren¡¯t you, Miss Victoria? You scared me to death when you passed out a couple of days ago.¡± Speaking of that, Victoria wondered. ¡°Were you the one who called him over that day?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yasmin nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t wake you up no matter how, so I went to Mr. Cadogan.¡± No wonder I woke up in his car. ¡°Miss Victoria, you have no idea how worried Mr. Cadogan was when I told Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You him you might¡¯ve passed out that day.¡± Victoria was unsure what Yasmin wanted by telling her that. Is she trying to butter up to me? Thus, she chose her words wisely. ¡°Is that so? How nervous are we talking about?¡± Yasmin bashfully smiled while answering, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Cadogan so nervous and worried apart from that day in all my years in thepany. Many executives were reporting work to him at the time, but as soon as he heard you¡¯d passed out, he left them aside and ran here to carry you into the car.¡± With that, she blinked at Victoria. ¡°I¡¯m certain Mr. Cadogan cares about you.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Victoria gazed at her and blurted, ¡°Did you not see another woman by his side?¡± Chapter 15 m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You That was all it took to drench Yasmin¡¯s burning passion for shipping office. romance. She stood awkwardly on the spot for a long while, unsure of what to say to ease the atmosphere. Due to ric¡¯s attitude, she had forgotten about the woman next to him. However, Yasmin did not make much of it at the time, but now that Victoria had pointed it out, it was indeed somewhat amiss. It was because¡­ that woman hung out in the CEO¡¯s office, and some hearsay had been spreading in the office because of her. Seeing that the young woman stood nkly on her spot, Victoria rubbed her dull, aching temples and dismissed her softly. ¡°Go on, get back to work.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± After Yasmin left, Victoria picked her phone back up and confirmed her booking. There¡¯s nothing to hold on to, really, she thought. Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You At noon, Noel texted her, inviting her to join him for lunch. As Victoria¡¯s mind was still in a mess, she wanted to turn him down, but at the thought that he had sorted out her work for her, she agreed to it. When it was lunchtime, she went downstairs and waited for him in the lobby. He said he would drive her there, and she did not oppose it. While waiting for him, she checked her work schedule for the afternoon on her phone when the people in front began gossiping. ¡°That¡¯s Mr. Cadogan¡¯s car, isn¡¯t it? Why would he onlye in at this hour?¡± At that, Victoria reflexively looked up and found the ck Cayenne at first Chapter 15 mm Certam Mr Cadogan Cares About You nce. Her heart skipped a beat as she know only he would drive that car. The vehicle might not have been slow, but the window was down, and when it passed by, Victoria saw udia sitting in the front passenger seat. She hade to work in a light blue outfit, and her long hair was hung loosely around her shoulders. When she looked out the window, she happened to meet Victoria¡¯s eyes as the young woman stood amongst the employees. udia was taken aback for a second before smiling at her. ric, on the other hand, was focused on the road ahead, so he did not notice it. It was not until the Cayenne entered the building that the employees in front of Victoria began gossiping. ¡°Who¡¯s that woman? I can¡¯t believe she can sit in Mr. Cadogan¡¯s front passenger seat. I heard they stayed in the office untiltest night and also left together.¡± Chapter 15 I¡¯m Certain Mr. Cadogan Cares About You ¡°I also heard this from someone else. She¡¯s the woman Mr. Cadogan fancies and has just returned to the country not long ago.¡± ¡°The woman Mr. Cadogan fancies? But isn¡¯t he and Miss Selwyn already married?¡± ¡°What are you, an idiot? You don¡¯t genuinely think marriages between the rich are real, do you? Everyone¡¯s saying that Mr. Cadogan and Miss Selwyn¡¯s marriage is fake. Or else, why would she still be a secretary now? Besides, there hasn¡¯t been news of her pregnancy even until now.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°Now that you put it that way, it makes sense.¡± ¡°It is a fact, to begin with. What young mistress would work as a secretary?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t get it. Why a fake marriage?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason. Word is that Miss Selwyn and Mr. Cadogan grew up together. Back then, when the Selwyns went bankrupt, Mr. Cadogan started dating her probably because he wanted to help her out. I mean, look at it. Is there anyone who dares bully Miss Selwyn now?¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, Mr. Cadogan sure is a great guy.¡± ¡°I even heard that Mr. Cadogan has been waiting for udia Johnson¡¯s return all these years. I swear, only our boss is that loyal.¡± As the people gossiped, Victoria stood behind them and listened instead of stepping away. She looked calm on the surface, as though she was not the topic of their gossip. Soon, Noel pulled over at the entrance and rolled down the window, revealing his dashing looks. ¡°C¡¯mon, get in.¡± Just like that, Victoria entered his car under everyone¡¯s gazes, and it was not after the vehicle had gone far that the people who gossiped came to themselves. ¡°That was¡­ Miss Selwyn, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Then, do you think she heard what we said earlier?¡± ¡°So what if she did? We¡¯re not the ones who spread the rumor. We heard from them. Besides, there¡¯s no wrong with what we¡¯ve said. Are we not telling the truth? Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t she correct us? She must be hiding something.¡± ¡°She probably didn¡¯t know how to either. After all, that woman was sitting in Mr. Cadogan¡¯s car when he passed by.¡± The group continued gossiping as they looked at the car which had already gone far. Meanwhile, Victoria rolled the window up impassively and watched the retreating trees and buildings with an extremely heavy heart as the employees¡® heated gossip reyed in her head, as well as¡­ the ck Cayenne that shed past them. ¡°What¡¯s up? You look distracted,¡± Noel asked when he noticed her glumness. Victoria came to her senses at that and pulled a forced smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Might just be the after¨Ceffects of being sick.¡± He sighed in response. ¡°You¡­ How long were you going to keep it from me?¡± His words rendered her frozen. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± What have I kept from him? Can he possibly have found out that I¡¯m pregnant? But who was it who told him? The only one who knows I¡¯m pregnant is Summer, other than the doctors at the hospital. Of course, she ruled out the possibility at once. Because of her, Summer and Noel knew each other as well and kept an amicable rtionship. Both she and Summer thought of Nool as a big brother figure, but Summer would never reveal anything about her to him. Hence, what he knew might not be her pregnancy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me udia has returned?¡± he asked momentster. Victoria froze for a second upon hearing his question. He was not talking about her pregnancy. In truth, she had be jumpy for the past two days because of her pregnancy. At that, she breathed a sigh of relief and monotoned. ¡°What does her return have to do with you?¡± Her words rendered him speechless, and he gazed at the young woman helplessly. Had he not known her well, he would have likely assumed she was retorting him. ¡°You¡¯re right. It doesn¡¯t, but what about you? Does it have nothing to do with you too? Victoria fell silent at that, and Noel continued, ¡°I already know you two were a no¨Cshow when you first started dating him. Especially when you know what he said, but you still¡­¡± The man left his words hanging, but his tone and emotions were enough to convey his message. He was disappointed in her. On the other hand, she was d that he did not know about her pregnancy, or his tone would be even more awful than it was now. Perhaps because she was mostly silent, Noel said nothing more after that. After taking her to a restaurant and ordering their lunch, he told Victoria, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll be back in ten.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded, having no energy to bother with what he was up to. Ten minutester, he returned with a bag of stuff. ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Medicine.¡± He revealed. ¡°You¡¯re sick, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re already a grown woman. You should keep some regr medicine with you at all times, no? You can pop one in whenever you don¡¯t feel well.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m already fine.¡± She fell into somewhat of a trance as she looked at the bag of items. ¡°Keep it for next time, then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, she put the bag away. In it was aprehensive pile of regr pills. ¡°Thanks, Noel.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± He poked her head. ¡°Don¡¯t shut me out, okay? Tell me if you¡¯re met with whatever trouble.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Subsequently, the two fell silent and ate their lunch quietly. Momentster, Noel could not resist asking, ¡°You¡¯ve already met udia, haven¡¯t you?¡± Victoria¡¯s hands froze for a split second before she nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So, what is she trying now,ing right for ric as soon as shees back? She wants to rekindle their love?¡± ¡®Rekindle their love¡® sounded like nails on a chalkboard for Victoria as she corrected. ¡°Not rekindling. What real rtionship did they have from the start?¡± Sure, ric had said what he had said, but the two were not seeing each other at the time. Speaking of which, Victoria never understood this. Howe the two never dated back then? By right, the two would have be a couple when he dered that the spot next to his would forever be udia, who was also in love with him! Then again, it was useless even if she figured it out now. ¡°Already defending him?¡± Noel could not help but quirk an eyebrow, leading the young woman to N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. purse her lips and mumble, ¡°I¡¯m just stating a fact.¡± He¡¯s already brought her to the office and even let others badmouth you. yet you¡¯re still defending him?¡± he argued with deeply furrowed brows. What was it that he overheard at the office pantry this morning? ¡°You guys have heard about it, haven¡¯t you? Mr. Cadogan¡¯s rightful girlfriend has returned.¡± ¡°Rightful girlfriend? Isn¡¯t Mr. Cadogan already married? What rightful girlfriend are you talking about?¡± ¡°The marriage is fake, of course. If it¡¯s real, would Mr. Cadogan be willing to let his wife work as a secretary? This one is the real deal. Word is that she had saved Mr. Cadogan once. Plus, she¡¯s from an affluent family and has finally returned from studying abroad. She and Mr. Cadogan are the real perfect match.¡± ¡°What? If she¡¯s seeing Mr. Cadogan, what about Miss Selwyn?¡± ¡°Are you even hearing yourself? What else can she do other than to go back to her rags when she fails to go from rags to riches?!¡± Those words had probably ticked their funny bones as everyone in the pantry guffawed uncontrobly. Meanwhile, Noel, who was standing outside, clenched his mug grimly. Does she have to do with Victoria¡¯s sudden illness? Or else, how can it be so coincidental? Chapter 17 Chapter 17 After Noel snapped out of his daze, he took a nce at the girl in front of him. She was dressed very simply, with long hair casually pinned behind her ears. She did not even put on makeup today, so she had a morbid kind of beauty that made people unable to resist their pity for her. He was a person who was aware of his limitations and always knew he could notpare to ric; he was in no position to do so either. When the Selwyn Family went bankrupt, he ran around to many ces for help, but unfortunately, he was too insignificant to help in any way. A CEO of one of thepanies even told him frankly, ¡°You¡¯re very capable, Noel, and I have high hopes for you too, but the Selwyn Family has fallen now. The smart ones should know how to make choices. You cane to my At that time, many not only did not want to help but even wanted to poach him. ¡°The Selwyn Family won¡¯t rise again. Even if someone is willing to help now, they won¡¯t have their former glory back. So, I advise you to carefully consider your future. After all, you¡¯re not a member of the Selwyn Family, nor are you their son¨Cinw. There¡¯s no need for you to run around like this for them.¡± Hearing all these made Noel¡¯s heart sink, but he seriously considered what he heard on his way back. After that, he called Victoria and asked where she was so he could pick her up, but when he arrived, the second son of the Burke Corporation and his cronies were verbally humiliating her. ¡°The great Miss Selwyn, you ignored my pursuit in the past when your family was prosperous. Now that the Selwyn Family has fallen, I wonder if you still have such pride. Well, I can help the Selwyn Corporation, but don¡¯t you think you should pay the price? Maybe like sleeping with me for a night?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, his cronies burst intoughter. Seeing this scene unfold from the side, Noel almost rushed forward to fight with them. All the ns he had considered for himself when he was on his way disappeared in that second. At that moment, he only had one thought¨Che could not leave the Selwyn Family at this critical moment to pursue his future. Also, he could not go up to fight the second son of the Burke Corporation because he did not have the right to do so. All he could do was pull Victoria away from the scene. Not long after that, he heard that the Burke Corporation¡¯s second son had been beaten up by someone and that the entire Burke Corporation was implicated because of him. Due to this, the Burke Corporation¡¯s CEO and his son visited Victoria¡¯s home overnight to apologize to her. The person who helped her was ric. Looking back, it was indeed ric who pulled her out of adversity before, but because of what had happened in the past few days, he had put her in another difficult situation. As Noel pressed his lips together, he said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to lecture you, but there are some things you need to consider carefully so that you can make ns in advance.¡± Just as Victoria was about to answer, her phone vibrated. She took it out and saw that it was a message from ric. ¡®Your assistant said you went out?¡® The message was sent via WhatsApp with the same casual tone as usual, as though he was casually asking after realizing she went out. Not knowing what she was thinking, she only replied with a ¡®Yes¡® after reading the message. He was probably looking at his phone at the time because his reply came quickly. ¡®When are youing back?¡® N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Their conversation looked normal, just like their usual chat. He did not mention the textst night, nor did he mention his overnight absence. Meanwhile, she was being ¡®understanding¡® by not asking him anything. It seemed as if nothing had happened yesterday, and life was continuing as usual with them having an unspoken agreement to keep this peace. She replied, ¡®I¡¯ll go back when it¡¯s time for work.¡® After that, he did not reply again. As such, she put away her phone and told Noel, ¡°I get it, Noel.¡± As his gaze lingered on her phone for a moment, he asked, ¡°He texted you?¡± After hesitating for a moment, she answered with a nod. There was nothing more he could say, so they silently finished the rest of their meal and paid the bill. Then, he sent her back to the office. When Victoria got into the elevator, she found that he had also followed. her in. Surprised, she asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Their offices were not in the same location. With a hand in his pocket, he answered with a calm expression, ¡°I¡¯m going to see Mr. Cadogan. I have something to report to him.¡± After getting off the elevator, he looked at his watch and told her, ¡°It¡¯s ten minutes before work starts. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate to meet Mr. Cadogan now.¡± Hearing that, she could only reply, ¡°Come spend some time in my office, then.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± When they arrived at Victoria¡¯s office, which did not require passing by ric¡¯s office, Yasmin had already started working early and immediately got up to make coffee for them. ¡°Thank you.¡± Noel took the coffee and looked at her, asking, ¡°Did Mr. Cadogane by here just now?¡± Hearing his question, she seemed a bit surprised but still nodded. ¡°He did.¡± A mysterious expression took over his face as he asked, ¡°Did hee by himself or¡­¡± Yasmin did not say anything and merely pressed her lips together. Meanwhile, Victoria took a sip of her coffee and did not talk either, creating a strange atmosphere. Ten minutester, Noel put down his cup. ¡°Time for work. I¡¯ll meet Mr. Cadogan now.¡± He got up to leave, but just as he arrived at the door, he suddenly turned back to look at Victoria and invited her. ¡°There¡¯s some work for the project from yesterday that requires your help to report. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Taken aback, she instinctively furrowed her brows. Sensing her silence, he asked again, ¡°Victoria?¡± Only when she heard him again that she finally came back to her senses. With a nod, she answered, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Initially, she wanted to avoid ric and udia. Ever since she spoke out that piece of news but did not hear back from him, who then had udia call to tell her he would not being home that night, she did not want to appear in front of those two anymore. To say that she was running away or being afraid was all true. She admitted all that. However, it was obvious that Noel would not allow her to run away. Frankly, she knew what he wanted to do. All he wanted was to force her to face reality. As the two of them walked to the office, he knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ric¡¯s cold voice came from inside. With a smile tugging at his lips, Noel pushed open the door and walked in. As soon as the office door was pushed open, ric looked over in their direction. When he saw the two of them walking in together, a trace of displeasure shed in his dark eyes, but it was so fast that it was not easy for one to notice. ¡°Mr. Cadogan.¡± Noel walked to the front. ¡°I¡¯m here to report yesterday¡¯s work to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ric nodded slightly with a poker face. At the same time, Victoria stood behind Noel, watching the two men discuss work. ric at work waspletely different from his private self. During work, he was cold, rational, and unsentimental. Just like now, he held his hands together and ced them on his knees, expressionless, listening to Noel¡¯s work report indifferently. However, his gaze asionally passed over Noel andnded on her face. She was not sure if it was her imagination, but the way ric looked at her was rather chilly. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Victoria felt a little at a loss seeing ric¡¯s gaze like this. And wasn¡¯t he with udia when I went out for lunch? Why isn¡¯t she in the office now? Just as she was lost in her thoughts, Noel asked her something, which promptly pulled her back to reality before answering. After the work report was finished, Noel was ready to leave. In response, ric nodded indifferently. As soon as he walked away, ric¡¯s gaze fell entirely on Victoria, She had been standing behind Noel earlier, which had shielded her somewhat, but now, there was no avoiding his gaze at all. Noel, who was about to walk toward the door, turned around to look at her. ¡°Victoria, should Ie to pick you up again tomorrow at noon?¡± Hearing this, she was stunned instantly. At the same time, ric also realized something was going on and arched an eyebrow. ¡°Do you mind if I talk to Miss Selwyn for a moment, Mr. Cadogan?¡± At that moment, she knitted her brows. What is he up to? However, before she could react, ric had already parted his lips and said in a cold voice, ¡°It¡¯s better not to. It¡¯s working hours after all.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Noel seemed a little surprised by the response, but he did not argue. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll look for her after work.¡± He left directly after saying that. In an instant, the office fell silent, so silent that even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard. Once Noel was gone, ric¡¯s gaze became even sharper as itnded on Victoria¡¯s face. It seemingly carried a hint of displeasure. ¡°You went out with him at noon?¡± She nodded since there was no point in denying it, for she and Noel were Seeing her nod, ric furrowed his brows. ¡°What did you guys do?¡± ¡°We had lunch and discussed yesterday¡¯s work.¡± At the mention of lunch, his frown deepened, but the moment he heard her say ¡®discussed work, his furrowed brows slightly rxed. Right, they both work for mypany now, so it¡¯s normal for them to talk about work. However, he still felt some displeasure. After pressing his lips together, he said, ¡°If someone saw you talking about work during lunch, they might think I¡¯m bullying you.¡± Instinctively, she responded, ¡°You think you haven¡¯t?¡± As soon as she said that, both of them were stunned at the same time. The urge to bite off her tongue came into her mind again at that moment, This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. indicating her frustration. It was probably because she grew up alongside him, so she would say anything on her mind and would not hide her true self when she was with him. It might also be because he had seen her ugliest, worst, and most childish side when she was young. As she was thinking, he suddenly stood up and approached her. Although he was tall and thin, he exuded a strong sense of oppression, presumably due to his aura as a long¨Cterm dominant figure. Instinctively, she took a few steps backward, Seeing that, he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the cold wall. With one arm blocking her way, he wrapped his other hand around her to trap her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She was confused, and her breathing became uneven. Although she wanted to escape, the back of her neck was held by his big palm. Then, his hot breath approached andnded on her face. ¡°Tell me. What did I do to you?¡± His voice was hoarse and deep. When he spoke slowly, his voice was extremely seductive. At the same time, his hand lightly pinched the back of her neck over and over again. She felt as though his fingertips were on fire. With confusion shing in her beautiful eyes, she thought, What is he doing? She thought their rtionship should have reached its freezing point after his absence of text and return homest night. Or at least, it should be awkward and not so presumptuous. He¡¯s acting as if he didn¡¯t receive that text at all. Or is he pretending that nothing happened? ¡°Why are you not saying anything?¡± ric pinched her chin, obviously feeling her distraction. While narrowing his eyes, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± As Victoria looked at this familiar, handsome face in front of her, her pink lips parted and closed, hesitating to speak. She wanted to say something, to ask something, but only when the words came to the tip of her throat did she realize how powerless she was¡­ Not even a word coulde out of her mouth. What if he suddenly darkens his face and asks me, ¡®I just wanted to leave you some dignity, so I pretended not to know. Why are you so senseless, Victoria?¡®? What am I going to do if he says that? It¡¯s better if things stay this way, maintaining our dignity. I can handle it myself. 14:01 Sun, 18 Jun Chapter 18 Part Ways with Dignity ¡°Nothing.¡± She shook her head. When he heard her answer, his gaze turned serious. She¡¯s acting like that again. Recently, he felt that she was acting strangely and was suddenly distancing herself from him, not willing to tell him anything. At that thought, the temptation that arose a few moments ago dissipated instantly. He let go of his hand on her chin and took a few steps backward away from her. While enduring the dryness in her throat, she said, ¡°I should get back to work.¡± When she turned around, she heard him say, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Chapter 18 Part Ways with Dignity ¡°You haven¡¯t applied for any annual leave this year, right?¡± Hearing that, she was startled for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You should start taking your annual leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve been feeling sicktely. Use up your annual leave to rest for a while. You can take the time to boost your mood as well.¡± He was saying this because he realized she was in a bad mood these days, plus the high fever, so he decided to let her rest early. However, it was a different story in Victoria¡¯s ears since she essentially would not take any annual leave at this time of the year. He knew that as well, but now, he was asking her to apply for leave early. Is he warning me to get rid of the baby during my annual leave? Since they were childhood friends, she knew him very well. He would not say or do anything pointless. Although she knew that it was just a possibility, she still felt weak in her arms and legs, as though she was frozen inside an ice cave. Only after a long time did she retrieve her voice from her throat and squeeze out a reply. ¡°Okay. I got it. I¡¯ll apply it tomorrow.¡± When Summer heard what happened, anger rose in her like a tide, and she nearly smashed the tableware of the restaurant. ¡°The f*ck? Is he a human? Has he forgotten about your rtionship with him from the past? This is outrageous!¡± Victoria knew Summer would yell in rage, so she reserved a room beforehand. Since there were only two of them in the room, Summer would not be heard no matter how loud she cursed. Compared to Summer¡¯s anger, Victoria appeared to be much calmer. Although she looked calm on the outside, she had never taken a bite of the food on the table. She only kept drinking the tea, whose color was bing unknown after several times refilling the water. Faced with a furious Summer, Victoria even calmed her down. ¡°Chill out. We¡¯ll need to pay if you smash anything.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Summer quickly put down the cup in her hand. As she thought of it again, she walked in front of Victoria and shook her shoulders. ¡°How can you be so calm after what happened? Look how he¡¯s treating you!¡± Victoria was a little dizzy from being shaken, so she put down the cup in her hand. ¡°What should I do, then? Cry? Make a scene? Or threaten him that I¡¯ll kill myself? Do you want him, udia and everyone else to see my family as a joke?¡± After a pause, she shook her head. ¡°Besides, my rtionship with him is just a deal in the first ce. When we part ways, 14:02 Sun, 18 Jun Chapter 18 Part Ways with Dignity we should also do it with dignity Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Summer calmed herself down after hearing Victoria¡¯s remarks. Since they had been friends for years, she knew Victoria well. She was someone who knew where she stood, so she had anticipated that something like this would happen. Even so, Summer¡¯s heart broke for her. ¡°But¡­ Are you willing to do so?¡± asked Summer as she bit her lip. ¡°Does it matter?¡± Victoria replied impassively. It was not the result that she wanted, but nothing changed even when she tried to alter it. Reality pped her in the face, which reminded her that she should not be delusional. ¡°Are you free tomorrow? Can you apany me to the hospital?¡± She paused before continuing with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go alone.¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯re my only best friend. Of course, I¡¯ll make time for you. You don¡¯t even have to ask. Just let me know, and I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Summer nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. I wanna rest early.¡± Victoria smiled. She was so calm that Summer could not tell how she was feeling. Faced with that scenario, she felt like crying when she saw how Victoria was trying to hold back her emotions. Victoria was unlike that before the Selwyn Family went bankrupt. She used to be a typical girl who had a candid personality since the Selwyns would have her back if anything happened. However, ever since their bankruptcy¡­ ¡°Victoria, you should let it out if you feel sad. Since there are only two of us in this room and I¡¯m your best friend, you don¡¯t have to hide your feelings in front of me.¡± Victoria was surprised upon hearing that. Did I mean to cry? She had cried her eyes out multiple times ever since the bankruptcy. It was also then that she understood crying would not solve anything, and that her tears were worthless. Not only that, those who wanted to trample over her would see her as a joke. Ever since then, she decided she would not shed tears so easily in front of anyone, even if it was someone she trusted. With that thought in mind, she smiled. ¡°Are you silly? What¡¯s there to cry over? Since day one, he had told me clearly that this is a marriage of convenience. I¡¯m here to help him deal with his grandmother, and he would pay off my debt. This is just a deal.* Her nonchnce enraged Summer. ¡°You¡¯re lying. If this is just a deal, why are you pregnant? If he only sees this as a deal, he shouldn¡¯t have slept with you and impregnated you. Getting an abortion is bad for your body, so what does he see you as?¡± All of Summer¡¯s questions struck Victoria¡¯s heart as if her heart had been stabbed. In the beginning, she and ric were unlike how it was now. After they married, they would sleep in the same room to avoid any unnecessary spections, though he would sleep on the couch. Since he was her savior and someone whom she liked, she could not bring herself to let him sleep so ufortably. Instead, she allowed him to sleep on the bed with a pillow ced in between them. Since it was a big bed, it did not affect their sleep. This went on for a long time until one night when ric brought her along for an event, and she was introduced to some big shot whom she had already known before her family went bankrupt. During that night, she was introduced as Mrs. Cadogan, and nobody dared to embarrass him. After the event ended, Victoria bought him drinks as she was in a good mood. Both chatted about work as they drank and got drunk. She had a hard time carrying him back to the room and suddenly fell into his arms after tripping over something. Her being in his arms had Content ? N?velDrama.Org. somehow aroused him, and he grabbed onto her waist while pressing himself on her. His slim yet fit figure was on top of hers. She was not sure whether it was due to the alcohol, but she could feel her face boiling. She wanted to push him away, but before she could do so, he pressed his lips against hers. Startled, she was about to push him away when he started kissing her. At that moment, her head went nk, and she froze. When she finally made sense of the situation, she kissed him back. That night, he clung to her, and she let herself go. When she awoke in his arms the next morning, she noticed the frown on his face. Just as he was about to say something, she interjected. ¡°This is just an ident since we were both drunkst night.¡± Hearing that, his gaze darkened as he repeated her words. ¡°An ident?¡± ¡°Yes, an ident.¡± She nodded. This could only be an ident since it was a marriage of convenience from the start. If something like that happened along the way, it would affect their rtionship, and he might not let her stay by his side, thinking that she had an agenda. His expression turned grave after hearing the word ¡®ident¡®. It took him a while to finally calm himself down. ¡°As a woman, you¡¯re on the short end of the stick. You can think of what you need from me.¡± ¡°Why do I need anything from you? And what makes you think I¡¯m on the short end of the stick? We¡¯re both adults, and this is just a biological need.¡± Victoria pretended to be nonchnt. ric¡¯s expression turned heavy upon hearing that. ¡°It¡¯s just a biological need?¡± He nced at her with his darkened gaze. ¡°What else could it be? Don¡¯t overthink it. If you feel bad, you can just pay 1. me. She shrugged and acted nonchnt about it. That day, Victoria used her way to convince ric that it was just a deal and quietly hid her true feelings from him. Eventually, she asked for a million. It was unknown whether he thought the amount was outrageous, but ever since that incident, his face had never been any gloomier during all the years she spent with him. Even so, he paid her the money, but both of them did not speak to each other for a long time. He would always greet her with a long face whenever he bumped into her and purposely go to work early and stay back after work to avoid her. Thus, both barely saw each other during that period. However, their rtionship finally improved after Griselda¡¯s birthday. Victoria sighed as she recalled the past. ¡°There¡¯s that. I hope to get over it soon.* After everything was done, it would be time for her to leave. She could get divorced after Griselda¡¯s operation and be free to go anywhere she wanted! The next day, Victoria was up early. After meeting Summer, both of them headed to the hospital. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Upon her arrival at the hospital, Summer looked around her with a strange look and asked softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to a bigger hospital? There is no guarantee that nothing would go wrong in a smaller hospital like this one.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be convenient,¡± Victoria replied in a neutral tone. As she did not expect herself to get pregnant, she went to a hospital, in which there were people whom Griselda knew working, for a check¨Cup. Now that she wanted to have her condition looked into, there was no way she would go back to that hospital if she wanted to keep it a secret. After all, there could be a risk that someone there would tell Griselda about her pregnancy, which was why she decided to visit a smaller hospital for that. After Summer took care of the registration and payment, Victoria was required to go through several check¨Cups. Then, the twodies sat in the chairs and waited for Victoria¡¯s turn to see the doctor. At the same time, Summer could not take her eyes off Victoria as she kept peeking at her more than ten times in just a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, Victoria quickly became puzzled and annoyed with her friend¡¯s reaction. ¡°What? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I was just wondering when you¡¯ve be this cold,¡± Summer spoke with her eyes turning red. When Victoria heard that, she could not help but question herself. Have l? Have I be cold? ¡°You¡¯re¡­ the mother of this child,¡± Summer said with a barely audible voice, but Victoria was somewhat touched by her friend¡¯s words as she subconsciously rubbed her belly. She is right. I¡¯m the mother of my child. Victoria was caught in her thoughts with a heavy heart, but unfortunately, the grim reality did not seem to leave her much of a choice. When Summer saw the hesitance on her face, she quickly seized the chance and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want this to happen, right, Victoria? Let¡¯s think of some other way.¡± ¡°Some other way?¡± Victoria was stunned, asking herself if there was another way for her to get out of the hook because it seemed to her that she was already at her wits¡® end. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Summer seized Victoria¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s think of another way. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure something out because I know thest thing you, of all people, ever want is to lose your child, yet you¡¯re forced to¡­ Plus, we only discovered your condition not long ago, so let¡¯s just think this through without rushing into a bad decision. You don¡¯t want to do something you¡¯ll regretter for the rest of your life.¡± Victoria nodded in response just when she heard someone calling her name. Since it was still early in the morning, there were not a lot of people at the hospital. Thus, she stood up and walked toward the ward. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to see what the doctor says.¡± Thinking they could still decide what to do after the check¨Cup, Summer calmly replied, ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± While the interior was filled with a chilly aura, the hospital was mainly a ce where people went for abortions. Therefore, when the doctor received Victoria¡¯s pregnancy report, he took off his sses and red at her. ¡°Are you sure you want to proceed with the abortion?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After hearing the doctor, Victoria, already overwhelmed byplicated emotions, paused in a trance. In the meantime, the doctor was no stranger to seeing such an expression as it was not surprising at all. Soon, he went on to brief her regarding the process of abortion and told her about the payment. ¡°Well, you can carry on with the payment once you made up your mind. Next.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She stood up and walked out the door. Summer, who had been waiting for Victoria outside, walked up to her as soon as she saw her. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± When Victoria recalled the doctor¡¯s words, she went weak in her knees and copsed onto the ground, but Summer was quick enough to get a hold of her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you eat this morning?¡± Summer took Victoria to the bench and sat her down, asking in a worried manner. Needless to say, Victoria was not in the mood to eat at all. In actuality, she had been suffering from a bad appetite recently, indicating reasons rted to her health problems and pregnancy, but Summer believed it could also be due to that man. ¡°Your face looks pale. Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m low on sugar,¡± Victoria replied. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a little something to eat. Wait for me. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Summer closed her eyes and left. As soon as she did, Victoria leaned on the bench and closed her eyes in exhaustion, but at the same time, she started to hear conflicting two voices in her head. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? I thought you made up your mind to go ahead with it. Furthermore, you¡¯re already here at the hospital, so what¡¯re you waiting for? You¡¯ll forever be in pain so long as this matter remains unsolved. Don¡¯t forget, he already made it clear that he¡¯d divorce you.¡± ¡°So what? You¡¯re a grown adult, Victoria. Can¡¯t you afford to raise a child?¡± *Raising a child is not just about money. Think about the mental and emotional stress that a mother has to go through.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried your child will suffer without a father, you can always marry again. After all, you¡¯re still so young and can find another man who¡¯ll treat you right.¡± Overwhelmed by her low blood sugar and the voices in her head, Victoria had a terrible headache until a surprised voice was heard. ¡°Victoria? Is that you, Victoria?¡± While the voice did not sound real to her, she thought she was hearing things at first, However, as the voice became clearer, she opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the voice, whereupon she saw a woman in her forties looking at her with a strange expression. After taking a few seconds to make out who she was, Victoria sat straight with her face changing, as if the pain in her body was all gone. ¡°Oh, my God. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s you.¡± That woman enthusiastically greeted Victoria once she managed to identify her. ¡°I saw you from a distance earlier, but I thought it was someone else. What brings you here?¡± On the other hand, Victoria could not force a smile because she did not expect to see a familiar face in a small hospital. I came here because I wanted to avoid running into acquaintances, yet I still bumped into a familiar face. Why?! As if it was not surprising enough, what made her stunned even more was that the woman she just ran into was the same woman who always hung around with ric¡¯s mother¨CSamantha Keith. Unable to escape from that dilemma, Victoria was forced to act calm and face the woman. ¡°Hi, Miss Keith. I came here with a friend who had an appointment.¡± She knew Summer would not be back so soon and believed Samantha and ric¡¯s mother did not know her friend, so she bet they would not run their mouths. ¡°I see.¡± Samantha shifted her eyes to Victoria¡¯s belly when something crossed her mind, seemingly finding her somewhat fishy. Aware of Samantha¡¯s mean and sarcastic nature, Victoria knew how terrible thisdy was at keeping secrets. Thus, she found herself unlucky to have run into her in the hospital, pursing her lips with a darkened look. As she expected, Samantha¡¯s big mouth began to indulge itself, her eyes staring at her belly. ¡°So, where is your friend? Why are you alone? Is there something you¡¯re hiding? Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Mary always praised her daughter¨Cinw when we hung out, but I bet she has no idea her daughter¨Cinw is right here hiding something shady from me.¡± Although Victoria was bound by her honor to respect someone older than her like Samantha, she could not ept her disrespectful and sarcastic remark, reacting with a darkened expression. ¡°What proof do you have to say that, Miss Keith? You need to watch your tongue. What do you mean by hiding something shady from you? If you keep smearing my name like that, I¡¯m going to take legal action against you for defamation.¡± ¡°Oh,e on.¡± Samantha acted as if she was frightened. ¡°Why are you overreacting? Calm down. I was just joking. Are you actually¡­¡± * Chapter 21 Chapter 21 81% Before Samantha finished speaking, she suddenly saw a familiar silhouette emerging from behind the ward. ¡°Mom.¡± The little girl¡¯s childish voice made Samantha¡¯s face change. When Victoria looked in the direction of that voice, she saw a youngdy whom she thought was likely Samantha¡¯s daughter¨CSandy Rogers. At that moment, Sandy was holding what seemed like a medical report with a pale look on her face, which indicated that she might not be in good health. Before Sandy could react, Samantha, who was still trying to piss Victoria off, immediately turned around and took her daughter away. Although Samantha¡¯s hasty footsteps gave her away, Victoria decided not to pry into Samantha¡¯s privacy as she was not a busybody. Nevertheless, Samantha returned a few minutester alone, and Victoria believed she must have left her daughter somewhere she thought to be safe. She then walked up to Victoria with airs and graces, showing an arrogant 1/9 10:40 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! look on her beautiful face that she had tried so hard to maintain as she aged. ¡°Miss Selwyn, I believe you¡¯re a clever person, so you should know what you can and cannot say.¡± 81% 2/9 Having expected Samantha¡¯s return, Victoria smiled and yed with the hair around her neck. ¡°Miss Keith, I¡¯m a clever person only when I live under a lot of pressure. I might even have an outburst, going around shouting what I should not. If that happens, there is no telling if I¡¯ll be in my right mind,¡± Victoria replied calmly, knowing Samantha was also in the hospital for the very same reason as she was. At Victoria¡¯s words, Samantha was unhappy. ¡°How dare you threaten me, Victoria?!¡± ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t dare to. Consider it a deal instead.¡± 10:40 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! red at Victoria. 81% ¡°Is that so?¡± Victoria remained unconcerned. ¡°If my memory serves me right, your daughter isn¡¯t in university yet, is she? Are you sure now?¡± Samantha waspletely taken aback by what she heard, for it seemed as though Victoria was pointing a gun at her forehead. While staring at Victoria, Samantha wished she could just rip the woman apart to unleash her anger. After all, she thought she could finally turn the Cadogan Family upside down with the news, having been jealous of Mary¡¯s happy life a long time ago. However, things immediately took an unexpected turn when her daughter, Sandy, suddenly showed up and ruined her ns. Sensing the bitter look on Samantha¡¯s face, Victoria grew even more frustrated as she was starting to feel worn out with everything that was going ontely. Thus, she refused to engage in a conflict with Samantha 3/9 10:40 Mon, 19 Jun 81% Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! and directly made herself clear. ¡°Go ahead and tell the whole world my secret if you¡¯re so unhappy, Miss Keith. After all, I know I won¡¯t be alone since your daughter will be with me.¡± 4/9 ¡°You!¡± Nevertheless, Victoria closed her eyes and responded calmly, ¡°I need to get going, Miss Keith. Do what you must.¡± Unconcerned about Samantha¡¯s feelings, Victoria no longer cared whether she was mad or frustrated. When Samantha stomped off angrily a few secondster, Victoria was relieved upon hearing her footsteps. In reality, what Victoria said to Samantha was just to intimidate her so that she would stop threatening her. Even if Samantha exposed Victoria¡¯s secret, there was nothing much she could do either since she wouldn¡¯t harm Sandy with her words. After all, she understood that many youngdies around Sandy¡¯s age were gullible when it came to romance and rtionships. Due to their 10:40 Mon, 19 Jun D Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! immaturity and unfirm principles, they often ended up as victims of their failed rtionships without a clear vision of their future. Furthermore, Victoria also knew that a youngdy like Sandy couldn¡¯t do much in her power due to her age, empathizing with her for her decision of resorting to such extreme measures to get out of trouble. Because of that, no matter how desperate she might be, Victoria wouldn¡¯t do Sandy any harm; after all, she knew Sandy had already suffered enough. Two minutester, Summer returned. ¡°I bought you some sandwiches and milk, along with some candies. There weren¡¯t many choices at the cafeteria, so I¡¯m sorry that you have to bear with these.¡± Summer unwrapped the food and passed it to Victoria. ¡°Come on, help yourself. Don¡¯t go starving.¡± Victoria looked Summer in the eyes and smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡± Summer seems to be even more worried about me than my mother would. 81% 5/9 10:40 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! :81% ¡°Nonsense!¡± Summer red at Victoria. ¡°We¡¯re friends. There is no need to thank me. I should be the one thanking you. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I wouldn¡¯t even have made it into university.¡± 6/9 Victoria smiled without saying a word. Summer and Victoria knew each other when they were in high school. They were close friends who happened to enroll in the same university by chance, much to their delight. Nevertheless, things took a turn for the worse when Summer¡¯s father gambled and got himself into a lot of heavy debt. Because of that, loan sharks constantly disturbed Summer¡¯s family and kept asking for their money back, which forced Summer to quit school and work to pay back her father¡¯s debt. When Victoria learned about that, she paid off the debt on Summer¡¯s behalf and took her back to school. 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! across her mind. After that, she gazed at Victoria and said, ¡°I wish you¡¯d know how grateful I am to you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would probably be living a miserable life somewhere else; I might even be dead because of those loan sharks. Because of that, you¡¯re not only my bestie but also someone to whom I owe a debt. I will never forget what you did for me.¡± Meanwhile, Victoria listened to Summer¡¯s recount of their story happily until she heard the words, ¡®I will never forget what you did for me¡®. At that moment, she was reminded of ric, wondering if he would never forget about udia just like how Summer would never forget about her. Absorbed in the thought of that, she gazed at Summer and asked, ¡°Would you marry me if I was a man?¡± Without reading too much into that question, Summer blurted, ¡°What are you talking about, Boo? Of course, I would. I¡¯d woo you if you were a man, but since you¡¯re a woman, we can only be besties.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. I see. Victoria looked down, her eyes darkening in a pessimistic manner. 7/9 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! That was what ric thought. Perhaps it¡¯s normal for everyone to have feelings for someone who has helped them before, not to mention the fact that it was someone who saved his life. 81% 8/9 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Summer sensed something wrong with Victoria and became nervous. However, it was only after she finished her question that something shed across her mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boo. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± As Victoria¡¯s best friend, Summer was aware of the rtionship between ric and udia, havingughed at Victoria about that all the time. ¡°Damn it! Being indebted to someone and being in love are two different things. How could I mix them up? This is uneptable!¡± Summer meant what she said, regretting her impulsive response of answering Victoria¡¯s question without thinking it through. However, she continued to exin herself, saying, ¡°Please don¡¯t read too much into it, Boo. I only said that because I think you¡¯re a good person, which is why I¡¯d marry you if you were a man, but¡­¡± 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! 81%; ¡°Yeah, I get you.¡± Victoria nodded, feeling rather depressed. ¡°He probably thinks udia is a good person too.¡± 9/9 Fine, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Summer was speechless upon hearing Victoria¡¯s words, thinking her exnation had done nothing but seemingly made things worse. 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 8.81% Chapter 21 How Dare You Threaten Me?! ¡°Yeah, I get you.¡± Victoria nodded, feeling rather depressed. ¡°He probably thinks udia is a good person too.¡± Fine, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Summer was speechless upon hearing Victoria¡¯s words, thinking her exnation had done nothing but seemingly made things worse. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Victoria didn¡¯t have much appetite, but under Summer¡¯s urging, she managed to drink the milk and eat a few mouthfuls of sandwiches. Summer finally stopped forcing her when she saw how hard it was for Victoria to take another bite. She came to sit down after she cleaned up a little. ¡°How do you feel?¡± she asked. ¡°Feel any better?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± 81% Summer let out a light cough and tentatively asked, ¡°Should we go back first tomorrow?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t say anything. 1/11 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 81% Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him Seeing this, Summer held her hand and announced firmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± 2/11 ¡°Okay¡­¡± It was as though Victoria was in a fog now. She needed someone to give her a push no matter what decision she was making. She then got up and left with Summer. When they were passing by a corner, Victoria heard a dispute. A devastated youngdy was crying out loud, ¡°But Momma, I like him!¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± The furious and mean voice of a woman yelled in return. ¡°What nonsense are you going on about? Do you not remember what I taught you? Do you understand what I¡¯m saying? You have been tricked by him!¡± ¡°Momma¡­¡± 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 81% Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you have any contact with him after this. A poor bum like him isn¡¯t worthy of you. You won¡¯t be able to find someone good if people knew about him, okay?¡± 3/11 Listening to the woman¡¯s threatening voice, the girl lowered her head and did not speak anymore. Her eyes were hidden behind her fringe. Victoria only took a nce before she looked away. Summer obviously saw that scene as well. After they left the hospital, she couldn¡¯t help sighing, ¡°That girl looks like she is only a student. Oh, silly girl.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t say anything in reply. Just then, her phone began to vibrate. Summer immediately huddled over when she heard the ringtone go off. ¡°Your phone is ringing. Is it ric? Is he regretting it?¡± 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him Seeing the unsaved number on the screen, she asked again, ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± 81% 4/11 For some reason, Victoria had a feeling she knew who it was when she saw the phone number. She only hesitated for a few seconds before she took the call. ¡°Victoria Selwyn, yes?¡± A slightly aggressive female voice rang out from the other end of the call. This wasn¡¯t a voice Victoria was familiar with. ¡°Whom am I speaking to?¡± she asked in return. ¡°I am udia¡¯s friend. I know a little something, and I would like to meet you to talk about it. I will send you the address through text in a while.¡± The caller came to a short pause before she chuckled. ¡°You wille, won¡¯t you, Victoria Selwyn?¡± 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him She then hung up without waiting for Victoria to answer. Beep¡­ Beep¡­ 81% As Victoria didn¡¯t put the call on speaker, Summer didn¡¯t get to hear what the other woman said. She could only ask after the call ended. ¡°Who was that? What did they say?¡± Victoria had nothing to hide from Summer. She took a moment before answering, ¡°udia¡¯s friend.¡± Summer froze for a second upon hearing that. ¡°What?¡± she growled. ¡°What is her friend calling you for?¡± ¡°She said she knows something and wants to see me.¡± A short ringing came from her phone as soon as she said that. 5/11 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 3 81%E Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him It was a text from the woman. She had just sent Victoria the address to a coffee shop in the center of the city. Summer¡¯s sleek eyebrows were now pulled together into a frown. ¡°She said she knows something? Well, what is it? Do you think¡­¡± She turned to Victoria in shock. ¡°Maybe she knows about it too?¡± ¡°Judging by how things are so far, that seems to be the case.¡± 6/11 ¡°F*ck!¡± Summer cursed angrily. ¡°How did udia know about this? ric told her? Victoria, even if he is someone you like, I really want to curse him out right now. Why would he spread the word when he has already decided he doesn¡¯t want the child? Did he do it just so udia can treat you like a joke? Why is he acting like some kind of trash?¡± Hearing Summer¡¯s harsh words against ric made Victoria subconsciously want to defend him. However, her words were stuck at the tip of her tongue. 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him. She parted her lips only to realize how powerless she was. Should she defend him? But what was the point of that when the truth was right in their faces? Thinking of this, she lowered her gaze and fell silent. 81% Summer, however, made a decision for her. ¡°Don¡¯t go. If they want to see you, let theme to you. Why do you have to go there just because they called you and sent you an address?¡± Seeing how enraged Summer was, Victoria had tofort her instead. ¡°T don¡¯t n on going. Don¡¯t be mad, okay?¡± ¡°Mad? My heart breaks for you!¡± Summer hissed in a hatred¨Cfilled voice. She seemed to have remembered something when she squinted. ¡°For udia to get her friend to talk to you¡­ She must be worried that you d decide against getting rid of the child and eventually fight over 7/11 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 81% Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him ric with her. Ha! So, she isn¡¯t all that confident in herself.¡± 8/11 Victoria put away her phone and ignored the text message. She wouldn¡¯t go even if Summer hadn¡¯t warned her against it. This is between me and ric. No one else, udia¡¯s friend and udia included, has anything to do with this. After bidding farewell to Summer, Victoria went back home. She had a lot of free time, considering how long her annual leave was. The next few days would be a perfect chance to organize her thoughts. She needed to think about what she wanted. In a coffee shop in the city center, udia picked up her coffee cup to take a sip. However, she hadn¡¯t even drunk it when she hurriedly put it back and looked up at her friend sitting across from her. 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him ¡°She wille, right?¡± 81% The friend scoffed with contempt. ¡°She will, unless she doesn¡¯t want to get to the bottom of this matter. She will be scared for sure. Let¡¯s just wait here. When she is right around the corner, you should go and hide inside. Don¡¯t show yourself just yet.¡± Listening to the n her friend made for her, udia bit her lower lip lightly. ¡°How are you going to tell her? I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t want this to happen. Try to talk to her nicelyter. If she needspensation, I can also-¡± 9/11 ¡°udia!¡± The friend looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Stop being so kind. What do you mean she didn¡¯t want this to happen? How can ric touch her and get her pregnant if she didn¡¯t want it? That sl*t must have seduced ric. You can¡¯t go easy on her, or you will be in serious trouble in the future.¡± udia sighed. ¡°I know that you¡¯re doing this for my own good, but¡­ her 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 24 3 81%¡ã Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him family has gone bankrupt. She¡¯s pitiful. Let¡¯s give her some money if we can. She has helped ric a lot in thest two years.¡± 10/11 Another friend echoed, ¡°Look at how kind our udia is. She is nothing like that b*tch. She knew that ric is your man, and yet she got herself pregnant with his child. She trying to take the opportunity to get to a higher position. We warned herst time.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll give a few more warnings when she gets here. We¡¯ll let her see what we are capable of.¡± Unfortunately for them, they didn¡¯t see Victoria even after a 30¨Cminute wait. ¡°That skank actually stood us up! Give her a call and ask her what the hell is she thinking.¡± 10:41 Mon, 19 Jun 81% Chapter 22 Powerless at Defending Him udia¡¯s fingertips curled slightly when she heard her friends¡® words. B 11/11 0X81%0 1/12 ce she deleted Victoria¡¯s text on ric¡¯s ctoria told ric through a text message was Mare to tell ric the news in person. nned to ask ric out that night. A overtime work to do so he could not leave his job. was still worried. She apanied him at work, and when he rk, she dragged him to a gathering with her friends. e end of the night, he had so much to drink he was barely conscious. While he was out of it, udia gave Victoria a call. 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 What Do You Want Victoria hanging up after losing her cool filled udia with unspoken joy. Such a reaction from Victoria showed that she was starting to get This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. disappointed. She will probably stop having ideas if I reveal how ric wants her to have an abortion. She will even get a sum from me as But udia couldn¡¯t bring it up herself, lest ric med her when he found out someday. Therefore, she innocently brought it up to her friends in hopes that they would stand up for her. As expected, her friends agreed to do it. What was unexpected was that Victoria actually stood them up! What the hell does she want? udia fumed. 2/12 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want Is she really going to threaten ric with the child? 81% 3/12 Even though she didn¡¯t think ric would be any different because of the child, she still had to deal with it as soon as possible. Better safe than sorry. Thinking of this, she suggested, ¡°Actually¡­ We can go to her if she is not ¡°We go to her? Why should we after what she has done?¡± ¡°I agree, udia. Let that shameless skanke here.¡± udia let out an embarrassed smile. ¡°We have to put an end to it no matter what.¡± Seeing her forcing her smile, her two friends had no choice but to relent. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll go find her.¡± 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want Victoria stayed in her room after she got home. She was the only one at home since ric was at work. Her phone began to ring not long after. She took a nce at her phone, only to see that it was a call from the woman who called her before. She quietly watched until the ringtone ended and sounded again after a while. 81% 4/12 A few secondster, Victoria declined the call and cklisted the woman¡¯s number. udia¡¯s friend, huh? What¡¯s this got to do with her friend? 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun 81% Chapter 23 What Do You Want What came to her mind was actually Sandy¡¯s figure back in the hospital. 5/12 Sandy was such a thin and weak young girl, but she seemed to have infinite power when she told her domineering mother how strong her feelings for the boy she liked were. She appeared to know herself well. But me¡­ Victoria subconsciously rubbed her lower belly. It was still far too early for Victoria to feel anything. However, she was sure that the first thing she felt when she learned of her pregnancy was happiness. She wanted to share the news with ric. And when she was in the consulting room, she felt a sh of dull pain in her chest the moment she realized that she was going to have an 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun @ 81% Chapter 23 What Do You Want This could only mean that she was looking forward to having her child. 6/12 What¡¯s the reason for me to get rid of it? She tried to reason with herself. She could take care of the child on her own. She had a tough time keeping herself afloat two years ago, but things were different now. She had the means to be responsible for a child. But¡­ a single¨Cparent household¡­ She weakly closed her eyes. I¡¯m still stuck in the same circle. Her phone began to ring again, but this time, it was from another number she didn¡¯t recognize. She didn¡¯t even need to think to know that this was udia¡¯s friend again. She was about to tap the decline button, but she took the call instead as certain thoughts came to her mind. ? 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want 81% Both she and the other end of the call were quiet after she epted the call. 7/12 udia¡¯s voice only rang out after a long minute. ¡°Victoria, it¡¯s udia¡­¡± Ah, so she¡¯s making a move herself after her friend failed. ¡°Yes?¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°Do you have time to meet me?¡± She seemed to be worried that Victoria would reject her as she quickly added, ¡°You can just give me your address. I¡¯ll drop by and see you.¡± After mulling over it, Victoria answered through pursed lips, ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡± The other end of the call was quiet for a long minute before a stammer came, ¡°W¨CWhat do you mean?¡± 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want ¡°You cane here.¡± Following another long silence from udia¡¯s end, Victoria pressed her lips together again. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I don¡¯t feel like going out.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± udia replied after a while, ¡°I¡¯lle to see you.¡± Suddenly, Victoria decided after the call ended. She wanted to keep her baby! She knew the reason udia wanted to see her now. udia, who still wanted toe despite Victoria saying that she was at the Cadogan Residence, could only have one purpose. Not even 15 minutes had passed when a servant came up to Victoria¡¯s room to announce udia¡¯s arrival. 81% 8/12 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want ¡°I got it.¡± Victoria took a shawl and went downstairs. ¡°Have some tea, Miss Johnson.¡± 81% 9/12 The servant served udia a cup of tea. As she thanked the servant, she lifted her chin and happened to see Victoria walking down the stairs. Victoria had lost a lot of weight in just a matter of a few days. The pure¨Cwhite shawl and her sky¨Cblue dress made her look like a literatus. Without makeup on, she looked so fair she was translucent. The plum blossom pinkness to her pale lips made her look like a sickly yet beautiful woman. Just one nce at her and udia was already twitching in her fingers. To have a woman like her stay bu 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want 81% 10/12 She was still in the middle of her musings when the servant calling Victoria ¡°Mrs. Cadogan¡± brought her back to her senses. She then saw the servant serve Victoria a mug of hot chocte smilingly. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, the hot chocte today should taste good. Its temperature is just right as well.¡± Victoria picked up the mug and took a sip before she praised, ¡°As you said, it¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Mrs. Cadogan. I should go and get busy with work now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After the servant received apliment from Victoria, she cheerfully hopped off with the serving tray in her hands. Other than serving udia a cup of tea, the servant didn¡¯t 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want udia had to take a look at her and Victoria¡¯s seats and outfits. She was hit by realization then. To everyone, Victoria was Mrs. Cadogan. All of this should have been mine, but now¡­ udia¡¯s face immediately soured. I would¡¯ve been Mrs. Cadogan if I didn¡¯t leave the country! 81% 11/12 With that in mind, she forced a smile andmented, ¡°The servants respect you a lot, don¡¯t they?¡± Victoria cast a strange look at her and nodded upon hearing that ¡°. They are nice people.¡± 10:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 23 What Do You Want the rest of them were chosen by Victoria. udia¡¯s forced smile only grew strained. ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank you beforehand, then.¡± ¡°Thank me?¡± £¤80%; ¡°Yes! For training the servants so well. It will make my life easier in the future.¡± Victoria¡¯s hand holding her mug of hot chocte briefly jolted when she heard those words. Her elegant eyebrows then raised ever so slightly. B Chapter 24 Chapter 24 There she goes again, talking like that. 1/11 Victoria used to think of udia as a gentle and sweet person because of how generous and modest she was in public. But this was the second time she said something like this after her recent return to the country. The first time was about ric, and now it was about the house¡¯s servants. What appeared to be gratitude was actually her staking her im. But the reality was udia had no right over either ric or the servants. It would be reasonable for her to say these words now if she and ric were lovers before. 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint 80% 2/11 But they were never even together, Victoria thought. So, what gives her the right to talk to me this way? What¡¯s more, if they were a couple back then, Victoria wouldn¡¯t have agreed to this fake marriage no matter how much she liked ric. However, udia did help her before. And so, Victoria could only bite her lip to calm herself down while she repressed the difort in her chest. She only let out a small smile without saying anything. Herck of difort, or even reaction, was as frustrating as pouring water into a leaking bowl for udia. However, udia knew that she couldn¡¯t dy this any longer. ¡°Shall we talk in the mini garden?¡± she asked with a smile. It was probably due to how Victoriapletely ignored udia¡¯s friend 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint before that made udia panic. So, after she finished speaking, she lowered her voice and added, ¡°Walls have ears. Let¡¯s not talk here.¡± 80% 3/11 ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria nodded and stood up to walk outside. If possible, she didn¡¯t want to waste even one minute talking to udia. However, ¡°favor¡± was probably the hardest thing to return to someone. When they reached the mini garden, Victoria led udia to a remote and secluded area. udia finally felt more rxed after she took a look around. Talking here shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Still, she wasn¡¯tpletely at ease. ¡°No one will eavesdrop on our conversation here, right?¡± 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint 80% Victoria came to a short pause before she shook her head. ¡°The servants rarelye here. The gardener usuallyes in the morning to water and maintain the nts.¡± 4/11 It was almost afternoon now. ¡°Good,¡± udia sighed, relieved. She then shed Victoria a friendly smile as she took out an envelope from her pocket and handed it to Victoria. ¡°This is for you,¡± she said. Victoria only took a nce without epting it. Seeing her standing there without moving, udia took a step forward and ced the envelope in Victoria¡¯s palm. It was a thin envelope that Victoria had a feeling she knew what was inside. 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun 80% Chapter 24 Hint With her fingertips pinching the envelope, she felt her heart continue to sink. 5/11 The corners of her lips pulled into a smile as she looked at udia. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± udia had a guilty glint in her eyes. ¡°Victoria, you are a smart woman. I¡¯m sure you know what this is. I won¡¯t put it into words.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± However, Victoria seemed to have a fixation on something as she bit her lower lip with her pearly whites. ¡°I may not know what you mean if you don¡¯t say it outright.¡± udia¡¯s face darkened immediately. She didn¡¯t want to directly mention Victoria¡¯s pregnancy. ric was still clueless about this. 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint 80% Now that she came to Victoria to solve the problem, she could only hint at it instead of being straightforward about it. 6/11 She didn¡¯t trust Victoria. If Victoria had a recording device with her and recorded udia¡¯s words, the beautiful image that udia created for Content ? N?velDrama.Org. herself would crumble in an instant the moment Victoria sent the recorded content to ric. She could never let that happen. She thought that Victoria would be an easy opponent to handle before she came here. But she didn¡¯t think that now. Victoria wouldn¡¯t have gotten pregnant if she was easy to deal with. Thinking of this, udia stepped forward and opened the envelope for Victoria, showing a 7¨Cmillion check. 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint udia uttered softly, ¡°You have worked hard in the past 2 years. You helped Al a lot both in and out of thepany, and he told me that you are a capable woman who can endure hardships. I¡¯m sure it hasn¡¯t been easy on you to live a life like this when you were brought up as the young miss of the Selwyn Family. This isn¡¯t a lot of money, but I¡¯m giving you this sincerely. You can buy what you like and get some healthy food for yourself.¡± When she mentioned thosest few words, she deliberately tightened her grip on Victoria¡¯s wrist and gently pressed the palm of Victoria¡¯s hand with her fingertips. Victoria raised her gaze and looked directly into udia¡¯s eyes. udia nodded at her and let out a soft, regretful sigh, and she even reached out to lightly pat Victoria on the shoulder. She looked as though she couldn¡¯t say any more than this. 7/11 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint Victoria suddenly felt suffocated looking at her. 3 ric asked her to take a vacation in the office yesterday. Just like udia, he was hinting at her to take good care of her health. 80% 8/11 For them to hint at something like this¡­ They care about their dignity a whole lot, don¡¯t they? Victoria¡¯s cherry lips moved a little. What should I say? Should I thank them for worrying about my body? For giving me a break from work and giving me money to let me recuperate? Will I disappoint them if I don¡¯t ept any of those? Suddenly, she noticed how ridiculous all of this was. Here she was, struggling with making a decision, and yet someone else was deciding 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint her future for her. 80% Seeing the grief and indignation in Victoria¡¯s eyes, udia wanted to say something, only to see Victoria push the check back to her. ¡°Victoria¡­¡± 9/11 Does she not want the check? Why won¡¯t she take it? Panicking, udia urged, ¡°Is the sum too small for you? This is all I can give you for now. If you think it¡¯s too little, I can-¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Victoria coldly cut her off. As she shook her head, she firmly stated, ¡°I don¡¯t want money.¡± udia was frozen in ce. ¡°You don¡¯t want money?¡± she repeated. What does she want then? ric? Chapter 24 Hint A mean look shed in her eyes when she thought that Victoria was exactly like what her friends said. She refused to give up her position as Mrs. Cadogan, now that it had been 2 years since she held onto the title! Victoria nodded and insisted, ¡°I don¡¯t want money.¡± 10/11 She had already made a decision she herself didn¡¯t think she would make before udia came. She wanted the child. She would give birth to it and raise it well without relying on anyone else. The child had nothing to do with anyone but her. Since she had decided to do that, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for her to take udia¡¯s money. Not only udia¡¯s, but Victoria also wouldn¡¯t even take ric¡¯s money if he 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 24 Hint gave her any. She would be indebted to udia again if she took the money. 11/11 What if ric wants the child back? What if udia can¡¯t ept the existence of the child someday? Because of that, she wanted neither udia¡¯s nor ric¡¯s money. 8 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 It was clear that udia was starting to panic hearing Victoria didn¡¯t want money. After returning to the country, she noticed ric¡¯s attitude toward Victoria was elusive. He doesn¡¯t know about Victoria¡¯s pregnancy now. But If he found out¡­ udia wasn¡¯t sure what ric would do. Her sixth sense was telling her that he wouldn¡¯t let go of the marriage so easily if he knew that Victoria was pregnant. With Victoria still in front of her, udia had no choice but to force a smile. ¡°Victoria, are you worried about what people would think? Believe me, they won¡¯t even spare a thought on this. This is my own money. No one else will 1/11 10:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife know about this. Also, I¡¯m giving you the money because I care about you. After all, you are-¡± ¡°Miss Johnson,¡± Victoria sighed. Thank you for your concern. My family is bankrupt, but I have been keeping my nose to the grindstone for the past two years. Our current situation hasn¡¯t returned to what it used to be, but l can support myself and¡­¡± She came to a pause and smiled. ¡°Money is not a problem. Also, you helped me a lot before. I can¡¯t take your money anymore.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m giving this to you of my own free will.¡± ¡°Miss Johnson, I really can¡¯t take your money.¡± She put the envelope back in udia¡¯s hand and took a step back to keep a distance from her. udia seemed to realize something from the way Victoria stepped back 2/11 Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife and spoke. She rejected my money. Wait, the way she paused¡­ Even though she didn¡¯t say it, udia understood that Victoria was implying that she could support both herself and the child. Does this mean she will give birth to the child? Just thinking of the possibility immediately drained the blood from udia¡¯s face. Even if she had a good reputation, it was difficult for her to maintain the smile on her lips at this moment. Her eyes were cold when she asked, ¡°Are you serious about this?¡± Victoria looked up at her upon hearing that. udia¡¯s reaction was big, but that wouldn¡¯t change Victoria¡¯s decision. 3/11 Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife Victoria pursed her lips and nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry. I have already decided before you came here.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± udia couldn¡¯t help theugh that slipped then. ¡°Why? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re doing this.¡± Her scoffing surprised Victoria. A hint of puzzlement shed in Victoria¡¯s beautiful eyes, but she soon had an understanding expression on her face. It was only natural for udia to feel upset about how things had developed. ¡°It probably doesn¡¯t make sense to you, but this is my body. It is up to me to decide.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Not knowing what to say, udia could only step forward and hold her by the shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it again, Victoria? I¡¯m not doubting or picking on you. It¡¯s just that¡­ there are consequences you need to know if you go down this path.¡± Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife ¡°I know, and I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Victoria fixed her gaze on udia. ¡°It¡¯s final.¡± 5/11 Seeing the determination in her eyes, udia gradually loosened her grip on Victoria. Atst, she limply lowered her gaze and turned around to leave the mini garden with hurried steps. She was unlike her demure self. Victoria nced at the envelope that had fallen to the ground, and she let out a mocking smile as she bent down to pick it up. When she returned to the living room, the servant told her that udia had left. Victoria had no choice but to give up on returning the envelope to udia. would never take the money. Guess I¡¯ll pass it to ric when he gets home tonight and have him return Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife it to udia. It took her no time to make her decision. Alone in the room upstairs, she noticed how she felt much more relieved now. It was as if she had suddenly solved a problem she had been agonizing over for the longest time. Her relief only began after she decided to keep her child. She couldn¡¯t help but reach out and rub her lower abdomen with a small smile on her face. I¡¯ll have one more family member from now on. My baby, even if you only have your mother, I will treat you well. Victoria was packing up at night while wondering if ric would be home 6/11 Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife when she heard the residence¡¯s gate open. She went to the window and took a look, and she saw a beam of headlights illuminating the gate. Her palm resting on the railing balled up then. It was ric¡¯s car. 7/11 Just in time. I have to talk to him tonight, she decided before going back to her room to continue packing. She didn¡¯t have many possessions because she had never enjoyed buying things, which was why she initially thought that packing up wouldn¡¯t be hard. But when it was time to sort out her things, she realized that her life and her habits had slowly fused into every corner of the room in the past two years. Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife The wardrobe, bed, dresser, washstand, all kinds of trinkets on the couch and coffee table, ornaments on the shelf¡­ It was a lot of effort to pack everything up. In the end, she only packed her clothes and daily necessities. ck- Victoria paused when she heard the turning of the doorknob from the outside and the heavy footsteps that followed. She didn¡¯t turn to look. She knew that ric had helped her many times, and she might never fully repay him her entire life. So, no matter how angry she was, she couldn¡¯t give him attitude. That didn¡¯t stop her from feeling sorry for herself with how ric and Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife udia were jointly dropping her hints. Victoria could feel his footsteps close in on her before they suddenly stopped. She took a deep breath to hold her emotions in. I have to face what is inevitable. ric, on the other hand, frowned when he saw the scene before him. He almost thought he had gone to the wrong ce. 9/11 Two light¨Ccolored suitcases were ced beside the bed. One had already been packed, whereas the other was about to be full. The closet was open, and half of the clothes inside that belonged to Victoria were already gone. For a moment, he wondered if she was packing her luggage because she was going on vacation on her annual leave. 10:44 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife But when he saw the half¨Cempty wardrobe, a frown formed on his handsome brow. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he demanded. Victoria, who stood with her side toward him, turned around and opened This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. the cab to take out an envelope. She then handed it to him. Instead of taking it, he asked, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Checks,¡± she coolly replied. ¡°Checks?¡± His eyes were locked on her. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°The three 14.5 million checks you gave me and the 7 million from Miss Johnson are in here.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you spend any of it?¡± This was his first reaction after hearing that the 43.5 million he gave her was in the envelope. 10/11 10:44 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 25 Camaraderie Between Husband and Wife 3.80% 11/11 I gave it to her a long time ago, didn¡¯t I? Has she been keeping it all along? No, my money isn¡¯t the main point here. ¡°Why is there a 7 million from udia?¡± Why? It should be me asking why. Why would you tell her about my pregnancy? Even if there is no camaraderie between us as a married couple, we are at least friends, right? And yet, he didn¡¯t show her even the tiniest bit of respect. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t answer his question. She only indifferently informed him, ¡°I will stay in the guest room upstairs from tonight onward. After Grandma has her surgery, we will sign the divorce agreement, and I will leave.¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Victoria¡¯s words were like a blow to ric¡¯s head that he couldn¡¯t recover for a long time. When he came back to his senses, he saw her contemptuous and pained gaze. Before he could take a closer look, she lowered her head and continued to pack. She was packing much faster than before. She didn¡¯t even fold the clothes properly as she kneaded everything together and stuffed them into the suitcase. ric suddenly held her slender wrist when she was turning around. His cold voice came from above her head. ¡°Why are you moving to that room today? You can¡¯t wait, huh?¡± There was even a hint of sarcasm in his tone. ¡°Let me guess. It¡¯s because of the meal you had with your dear Noel at noon today?¡± 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? Upon hearing this, she abruptly raised her head and looked at him in disbelief. 2/11 ¡°No need to take a dig at me like this. Shouldn¡¯t you know best what sort of rtionship there is between Noel and me?¡± She then forcefully tried to shake his hand off of her. However, he was too strong for her to fight off. The moment she flung his hand away, he squeezed her tight, preventing her from moving out of his grip even a bit. His thin lips were pursed, and the corners of his lips pressed into a straight line, clearly proving his displeasure. ¡°What? Am I wrong? If he¡¯s not the reason, what¡¯s your reason for packing up today? Is it not because of him?¡± He then sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping you trapped in this marriage for two years, haven¡¯t I?¡± 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? 80% Rendered speechless, she stopped struggling for a second and gaped at him. 3/11 ¡°Get your facts straight, ric. You were the one who wanted a divorce!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± His face showed no emotion as he continued to mock, ¡°My requesting a divorce is exactly what you want, hmm? You¡¯re so eager to have lunch with him and move out of this room!¡± Victoria didn¡¯t say anything at that. If she hadn¡¯t known about his feelings for udia, she would have thought that he was jealous. Why else would he overthink just because she had lunch with someone anyway? He must be acting this way because his self¨Cesteem as a man has been challenged. After all, they hadn¡¯t officially divorced yet, but his wife was now wanting to sleep in a separate room. Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? That must be why his possessiveness as a man is acting up. Not wanting to waste her time arguing with the man who was suddenly acting possessive in case she was swayed by the false impression that he was being jealous, she kept quiet as she tried to break free from his grip again. Her not saying a word only made his face turn as ck as ink. His jaw was tightly clenched as he insisted, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you agreeing with what I say? You have always wanted a divorce, haven¡¯t you?¡± When she continued to keep quiet, he mocked, ¡°I got it right again, didn¡¯t I? You have always wanted a divorce, but you chose to wait until I bring it up instead of telling me it yourself, yes?¡± Victoria finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°ric.¡± She lifted her head. ¡°What are you trying to say? Do you not want a 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? divorce?¡± He came to a pause upon hearing that. It was probably because of ric¡¯s actions today and udia¡¯s 7 million that Victoria¡¯s heart was as hard as steel now. Even the way she spoke was harsh. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t forget that this was a fake marriage right from the start? Don¡¯t you remember what you told me when you first found me back then? You wanted me to y along with you to please Grandma.¡± ric¡¯s eyes were darker than the night sky when she said that. The corners of his thin lips stretched after she finished her words. ¡°So, you have been ying along and acting with me thest 2 years? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°So, what if I was? Weren¡¯t you doing the same?¡± 5/11 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? He wentpletely silent when she answered his question with a question of her own. 80% He quietly looked at the beautiful woman with delicate features in front of him as he recalled how she was a hundred times more indifferent and calmer than now on the night he proposed they get a divorce. She showed no reluctance to move out of his room. Thinking about this, he gradually released his grip. Now that she had regained her freedom, Victoria turned around to resume packing up. ric pulled on his tie and reminded her in an annoyed and impatient voice, ¡°The servants will notice something is wrong if you move to the guest room now. Victoria had already thought about this. She promptly countered, ¡°It 6/11 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? doesn¡¯t matter, doesn¡¯t it? We are getting a divorce soon.¡± ¡°What about Grandma?¡± ¡°Grandma won¡¯t notice.¡± 80% 7/11 ¡°How do you know that? You think Grandma doesn¡¯t have someone on her side among the servants?¡± Victoria stopped moving about when she heard that. She hadn¡¯t considered this. After a long minute, she uttered, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll decide what to do after Grandma has had her surgery.¡± She couldn¡¯t rush this. Griselda¡¯s health was still their priority. ric scoffed then. ¡°You look like you haveints about this 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? arrangement.¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve lived my life this way for two years now, anyway.¡± ¡°Oh? You mean you¡¯ve been feeling wronged for two whole years?¡± She only looked at him without a word. This was the first time she had noticed how unreasonable he was. She turned away, clearly not wanting to speak with him anymore. She knew that nothing was going toe out of this conversation. 80% She was upset, and he was being possessive for some reason. However, nothing would change even if they continued to talk. 8/11 He quietly stood there scanning her for a moment before he jeered again. ¡°What¡¯s with the look on your face? I won¡¯te back if you don¡¯t want to see me.¡± 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun 80% Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? He immediately turned around and left after throwing that out. 9/11 Victoria was standing straight at first, but as soon as he left, she weakly sat down on the bed as though her energy had been sucked out of her. As she listened to the sounding from the gates downstairs, she lowered her gaze, and her face was almost ashen. After 2 minutes, Hector, who had worry written all over his face, rushed to her. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, why did Mr. Cadogan leave again right after he came home? And he looked upset when he left. Did something-¡± The butler¡¯s words came to an abrupt end when he noticed how pale Victoria looked. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan! Are you alright?¡± 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? Victoria didn¡¯t want to vent her feelings to other people. 3 80% 10/11 She gave Hector a mirthless smile before reassuring him in a soft voice. ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m just a little tired. I should be fine after getting some sleep.¡± Hector¡¯s heart ached. Still, he knew better than to furtherment, and he finally settled with a sigh. ¡°Alright then, Mrs. Cadogan. Have a good rest.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± She nodded and let her head hang again. Before Hector went out of the room, he was shocked when he suddenly noticed the half¨Cpacked suitcases in the room. What¡¯s going on? Why is Mrs. Cadogan packing up? Is this why Mr. Cadogan stormed off right after he came home? 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce? N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. E Hector was suddenly reminded of udia who came to see Victoria this afternoon. 11/11 He had been with the Cadogan Family for many years. In a way, he had watched ric grow up. He was grateful that udia rescued ric, but he never thought that ric would have feelings for udia. After all, udia was not ric¡¯s type of woman. It¡¯s just that¡­ things had developed in a way no one had expected. When the Selwyn Family dered bankruptcy, ric and Victoria had gotten together. He thought that this marriage would turn out to be a good one, but now¡­ What a quirk of fate. D- Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ric invited two of his friends to join him for a drink. He drank alcohol as if it were in water. When Norwood and West saw ric doing it, they were terrified. ¡°Can you stop him?¡± Norwood gave West a look. However, West helplessly shrugged when he heard that. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be able to stop him?¡± Norwood pressed his lips together solemnly. ¡°He¡¯s already had a lot to drink. His health will suffer if he continues to drink.¡± West nodded approvingly. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The next second, the two stepped forward to stop ric tacitly. 1/11 10:45 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant ¡°Al, please stop drinking.¡°. ¡°That¡¯s more than enough if you¡¯re trying to get drunk. Just wait for the alcohol to kick in and you¡¯ll be out.¡± Despite their efforts to stop ric, they did not dare to touch the man. They only used words to try to stop him. ric sneered and didn¡¯t respond when he heard that. He had consumed too much alcohol, so he was acting all hostile and his eyes were red. ¡°What is his issue?¡± West blinked. ¡°I thought udia had returned. Why isn¡¯t Al spending more time with her instead of drinking his life away?¡± Norwood figured it out. ¡°I think because she returned that he couldn¡¯t ept it,¡± he said after some thought. West was initially perplexed. However, after some thought, he realized what was going on. 2/11 Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant His eyes widened as he asked, ¡°Do you mean¡­¡± Norwood confirmed his friend¡¯s suspicions with a nod. West couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw the nod. ¡°That¡¯s true. Since udia has returned, Al will have to divorce Victoria. After all, the couple has spent a significant amount of time together. Al must be reluctant to part with Victoria.¡± While they were talking, ric¡¯s dark gaze fell on West. His eyes were as sharp as knives. 3/11 West felt a chill on his back and tremblingly asked, ¡°W¨CWhat¡¯s the matter?¡± ric¡¯s face was ferocious, like that of a wolf. ¡°Did you say I¡¯m reluctant to part with Victoria?¡± West was stunned for a moment before pointing to Norwood. ¡°No, I was 10:46 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant referring to Norwood.¡± Norwood was irritated when West turned ric¡¯s attention to him. ric grunted because he was confused. 80% ¡°I¡¯m not referring to you. Norwood is hesitant to part with his girlfriend, as I stated.¡± With that, West poured ric another ss of alcohol and coaxed, ¡°You are free to continue drinking. Please do not interrupt us while we are speaking.¡± Usually, West would not dare to do such a thing. However, when ric was drunk, he was much easier to fool than sober. West had previously observed ric when the man was intoxicated. Although ric¡¯s gaze was fierce, he was not unusually sober. That was 4/11 10:46 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant when West knew that ric was getting drunk. Today, however, ric proved to be more difficult to deceive than West had anticipated. ¡°Are you trying to order me?¡± West was too stunned to speak. What exactly is going on? Is he still not sufficiently drunk? Why does his mind remain clear? ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t. You want to drink, so I pour you a ss. Am I mistaken?¡± ric frowned at the ss of alcohol before him and curved his lips in displeasure. Then, he picked up the ss and drank it once more. Norwood couldn¡¯t help but reach out his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t drink. Nothing will be solved by drinking.¡± ric came to a halt and turned to stare coldly at Norwood. 5/11 10:46 Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant Despite their friendship, Norwood couldn¡¯t stand ric¡¯s rage. As Norwood pursed his lips and was about to withdraw his hand, ric thudded to the table. ¡°What the f*ck?!¡± West couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°He dozed off? No way! Really?¡± ric, who had copsed on the table, did not respond. He appeared to be out of it. ¡°I believe so,¡± Norwood said. ¡°Damn it! I assumed Al was still sober when he asked why I had ordered him. I was perplexed as to why his drinking capacity had increased. It turns out that nothing has changed.¡± With that, West used ric¡¯s current situation to exact revenge on the man. However, Norwood couldn¡¯t take it any longer. ¡°If you don¡¯t want Al to 6/11 Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant Content ? N?velDrama.Org. be mad at you after he¡¯s sober, you should stop now.¡± As such, West hurriedly stopped. ¡°What should we do now? Should we send him home?¡± A gleam shed through his eyes as he thought of something. Then, he looked in ric¡¯s pocket for his cell phone. ¡°We never get to hold his phone when he¡¯s sober. Let me check his phone to see if he has any secrets and if he has talked to my goddess, udia.¡± West liked udia because of her appearance and personality. However, because everyone was aware of udia and ric¡¯s strange rtionship, West did not make a move on her. He was curious about udia and ric¡¯s chat history. However, when he clicked on it, a pair of hands blocked the screen. When West raised his head, he noticed Norwood¡¯s steady gaze. ¡°Although 7/11 10:46 Mon, 19 Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant we¡¯re best friends, you can¡¯t intrude on Al¡¯s privacy.¡± Norwood¡¯s words had a forewarning tone to them. As a result, West sumbed to fear and came to a halt. ¡°I know that and I¡¯m not going to peek. It¡¯s all just a joke. Jeez!¡± ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Norwood extended his hand to West. Despite his reservations, West handed the phone over. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Call his family and have them pick him up.¡± Norwood exited WhatsApp and opened the contact app. ¡°His family? Who?¡± ¡°Victoria,¡± Norwood said calmly. 8/11 10:46 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant R West disapprovingly frowned when he heard that. ¡°Why Victoria? You should contact udia. Only she can stop Al. He refuses to listen to anyone else.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Norwood did not refute and mentioned lightly, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Then, Norwood called Victoria. ¡°What are you doing? You know Al-¡± Beep! West was interrupted by the phone¡¯s tone. He decided to stop talking because Norwood had already called Victoria. However, West was confused. He was perplexed as to why Norwood seemed to prefer Victoria over udia. It would have been better to call udja, but Norwood called Victoria 9/11 10:46 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant instead. The phone rang for a long time without being answered. West said impatiently, ¡°She did not answer the phone. She must have slept already. After all, it¡¯ste-¡± Victoria answered the phone before he could finish his sentence. However, there was only silence wherein no one spoke. Norwood understood what was going on. If ric went to a bar to drink, it must be because he fought with Victoria. As a result, Victoria would not be the first to speak after answering the phone. He cleared his throat before saying, ¡°Hello, it¡¯s Norwood Oaks.¡± After that, Victoria was surprised. ¡°Norwood?¡± 10/11 10:46 Mon, 19 Jun 80% Chapter 27 I¡¯m Not Reluctant ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. ric is drunk, so I used his cell phone to contact you,¡± Norwood said softly while ncing at the man in question, who was lying on the table. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 At this time, Victoria had already changed into her pajamas and was about to fall asleep. She didn¡¯t let her dark mood interfere with her daily routine. She would face a difficult battle if she chose to keep her child. As such, she had to keep her energy levels high to prepare for the battle. She would lie in bed to rest even if she couldn¡¯t sleep. 1/10 However, her cell phone rang at this time. She nced at the screen and saw that the call hade from ric. Victoria was perplexed when she saw the name on the screen. She had a heated argument with him earlier. When he rushed out, Victoria 10:47 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 28 Be Good This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. O assumed he was going to find udia. That was why Victoria was surprised when ric called her. She was about to answer the call but remembered the previous call he had asked udia to make. Maybe he will inform me of the same thing again. Victoria didn¡¯t want to pick it up because of that. 80% 2/10 However, she epted the call as the phone kept ringing. Then, she heard a male voice she didn¡¯t recognize. After a while, she eventually got out of bed and resignedly changed out of her pajamas to go outside. The temperature had dropped after dark. Chapter 28 Be Good As a result, she shrank back subconsciously as soon as she walked out. Everyone was asleep by then, so Victoria didn¡¯t bother calling the driver. Instead, she went to the garage with the keys. Norwood¡¯s words rang in her head as she drove away. ¡°ric doesn¡¯t appear to be in good shape. Pleasee over here as soon as possible.¡± Why is ric not in good shape? Will his possessiveness turn him odd? Victoria did not imagine that ric would want to get drunk. More importantly, she resumed her erratic thinking. Could ric have been acting strangely because he is jealous? No, he loves udia, so how can he be jealous because of me? He must believe (that his masculinity has been attacked, which is why he¡¯s acting strangely. 3/10 10:47 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 28 Be Good As Victoria was thinking, a beam of light appeared ahead of her. She came to her senses and hurriedly swerved to one side before slowing down and stopping on the side of the road. 80% 4/10 She then leaned on the steering wheel while gasping in surprise. That was dangerous¡­ She would have collided with that car if she didn¡¯t react quickly enough. After adjusting her breathing, she resumed her journey. To ensure her safety, she stopped her thoughts from running wild and drove seriously for the rest of her journey. She soon arrived at the bar Norwood had mentioned. Although it was already dark, many couples hugged and kissed each other outside the bar. 10:47 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 28 Be Good Victoria could only find a parking space and rush to the bar because the establishment did not allow vehicles to park at the entrance. However, as she was about to enter, she noticed a familiar figure running from the street. Victoria fixed her gaze on the figure. It was udia. udia had missed Victoria. She dashed into the bar while clutching her bag. It was apparent why udia was there. What am I doing here? To make a joke about myself? Even so, Victoria couldn¡¯t move and stood motionless. After an unknown time, a few familiar figures emerged from the entrance. 5/10 Chapter 28 Be Good Victoria instinctively hid in the shadows the moment she saw them. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Why did you suddenly start drinking so much? Why didn¡¯t you stop ric from drinking, West?¡± udia and West helped ric out of the bar, followed by Norwood, who maintained a calm demeanor. West was upset as udia med him. He went on to say, ¡°I tried to stop him, but you know he never listens to us. If you were present and stopped him, he mightply.¡± udia let out a sigh. ¡°ric, you¡¯re an adult already. Why do you continue to consume so much alcohol?¡± They coborated to get ric into the car. Victoria stood in the shadows and watched quietly. 6/10 10:47 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 28 Be Good 80% 7/10 Suddenly, the inebriated ric sensed something. Grabbing udia¡¯s thin wrist, he babbled, ¡°D¨CDon¡¯t g¨Cgo.¡± udia was taken aback but she returned to her senses to lightly pat him on the shoulder. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m not going. Please be good.¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t take another look at them at that point. She gritted her teeth, regrettinging to the barte at night. I should not have answered the phone. Instead of rushing here to humiliate myself, I should haveid in bed. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m doing this. Do I have to let others break my heart to give up ric? In the end, Victoria walked away with an indifferent expression. She didn¡¯t care about them any longer, so she didn¡¯t notice ric shaking udia¡¯s hand away after the woman told him to be good. 10:47 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 28 Be Good It was a powerful push. udia stumbled after being thrown and nearly fell to the ground. West rushed to her aid because he was nearby. ¡°Are you okay, udia?¡± udia was dazed because she had not recovered from the shock. Did ric just shove me away? she grumbled to herself. No, he shook me off. Is this an unintentional action on his part? udia regained her footing and returned her gaze to Aldric, whose eyes were tightly closed. A frown on his face indicated his difort. He also reeked of alcohol. Despite the fact that udia was embarrassed in front of West and Norwood and looked like a mess, she calmly brushed her hair aside and 8/10 Chapter 28 Be Good forced a smile. ¡°I believe he drank too much. He has no idea who anyone is.¡± But as soon as she said that, they heard ric growl, ¡°Norwood, send me back!¡± For a brief moment, it was deafeningly silent. udia had previously assumed ric shook her away because he was too drunk to recognize anyone. As a result, she couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment after ric¡¯s words. West had not anticipated this. He could onlyfort udia in a low voice when he saw how sad she was. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, udia. Al has had too much to drink and can¡¯t recognize you, but he must recognize your name.¡± At that point, ric eximed, ¡°Norwood Oaks!¡± 9/10 Chapter 28 Be Good Norwood took a step forward and said to West, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him. You should send udia back.¡± West turned to face Norwood and said, ¡°ric is drunk. Can you handle him on your own?¡± Before Norwood could say anything, udia suggested, ¡°You can send him to my ce.¡± When they heard that, the two men paused and looked at her. udia looked both of them in the eye and smiled lightly. ¡°He¡¯s too drunk to care for himself, so someone else must do it. I¡¯ll take care of him, so you can send him to my house.¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 West nodded immediately. ¡°You¡¯re when he¡¯s drunk, so how about we- ¡°Let¡¯s bring him to my ce.¡± Norwo deep voice. ¡°You¡¯ve heard him calli word, he¡¯s going toe after me Norwood and ric were longtime knew West and udia. Coupled with his reserved nature, h during conversations and would ge up, though, his tone made it hard f Just like now. Meanwhile, udia was staring at Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You always felt disliked by him for some reason. But he¡¯s good friends with Al, so maybe it¡¯s just my imagination. West was at a loss for words and spoke up for her, ¡°Al¡¯s drunk and might not even remember what he said when he wakes up. Why do you have to take it so seriously?¡± After he said that, he giggled and looked toward udia. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re also a man, so you can¡¯t be as meticulous as udia when taking care of Al. I think we should send him to her ce.¡± Norwood did not say anything further and looked at West with his dark gaze. ¡°I said, send him to my ce. If you¡¯re worried, you can stay at my ce to take care of him.¡± At that, West argued, ¡°Norwood, why are you-¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, West. Let¡¯s just go with Norwood¡¯s idea and send Al to his ce.¡± udia smiled. ¡°Norwood is more mature than us, so it¡¯d be better if he takes care of Al tonight. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight earlier.¡± Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You Once she finished her words, she gave Norwood a kind smile, but inside, she was furious. Norwood was one of ric¡¯s best friends, so she did not want to offend him, as doing so would only make things hard for herself. Naturally, she would not hinder herself like this. Following that, everyone helped ric to Norwood¡¯s home. Once they finally helped the drunken man settle down, Norwood said, ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night, and it¡¯s not appropriate for a young woman like you to stay with three men. West, send her home.¡± West was dumbfounded. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that we can stay over to take care- Before he could finish, udia interrupted him. ¡°West, let¡¯s go. Norwood¡¯s right. It¡¯s not appropriate for me to stay here.¡± While scratching his head, West sent her home ordingly without 3/10 Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You another word. After sending udia home, he plopped onto the couch at about 2.00AM. When he saw Norwooding out of the room, he asked, ¡°How¡¯s Al? Is he doing okay?¡± Norwood grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge and drank it before setting it down. ¡°He seems fine. He hasn¡¯t woken up.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± West felt relieved but soon thought of something and pouted. ¡°Norwood, I can¡¯t seem to understand what you were thinking tonight. You knew udia likes Al, and Al likes her back, but why did you stop us from bringing him to her ce?¡± While sweeping his gaze across West, Norwood replied, ¡°If your brain is still intact, you wouldn¡¯t think of sending a married man to a single woman¡¯s home.¡± ¡°So, what if we did? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with Al. He Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You and Victoria aren¡¯t exactly married anyway.¡± Norwood stared deeply at West and questioned, ¡°How do you know that?¡± After a scoff, West replied, ¡°Of course, I know. Let¡¯s not talk about anything else but what happened tonight. You called her and said Al was drunk, right? Then, you asked her toe over, but what happened? Did she appear? I didn¡¯t even see her shadow.¡± 5/10 When mentioning this matter, Norwood felt confused. When he suggested Victoriae over, her attitude did not sound like she was unwilling to do so, so why did she not show up? The truth was, while West was sending udia home, Norwood phoned Victoria again. This time, it took him two to three calls before reaching her. Then, he noticed her voice had turned cold, and her attitude was ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You While he was surprised by her sudden change in attitude, Norwood seemed to have caught on to something and asked, ¡°Did youe over? What did you see?¡± The other side was silent for a moment before speaking up again, ¡°I didn¡¯t head over. Since you¡¯re with him, please take good care of him.¡± After saying that, she hung up. At first, he thought Victoria was a relentless woman, but it took him a while before he finally realized the meaning behind her words and began analyzing what had happened. If Victoria did not head out as she said, she would have asked about what she ¡®should have seen¡® when he asked her that question instead of keeping quiet. Also, she would not have said she never went out in such a tone. When he returned to his senses, he heard West stillining about her. 6/10 Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You ¡°How can such a cold womanpare to udia? udia is Al¡¯s savior and almost gave up her life to save him back then. The scar from that incident is still on her hand. If I were Al, I would marry her.¡± ¡°Are youbining favor with feelings?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I? udia is so pretty. Any man would fall in love with her, let alone a man she saved. So, what if I mixed them up?¡± At that, Norwood did not intend to argue with him and returned to his room. The long night passed. When ric awoke the next day, he felt a dull pain in his head. Even his ability to think had turned sluggish as he looked at his unfamiliar surroundings and sat up. 10:48 Mon, Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Norwood ced a ss of warm water before him. ¡°Drink up.¡± Seeing that it was him, ric felt a little disappointed but also relieved. He pursed his lips before finishing the ss of water in one go. After he finished, he held the ss in his hand while frowning. Moments ¡°Have you forgotten? You were drunk, so West and I brought you here.¡± ric was dissatisfied with that answer and frowned, but he did not say anything. Since he did not speak up, Norwood did not say anything either and simply stared at him. As his good friend, he was eager to see how long ric could hold in his question. Like how Norwood envisioned, ric looked up at him after not hearing what he wanted to hear. Something was concealed in his eyes as he parted his thin lips to ask, ¡°What happened next?¡± 8/10 10:48 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You Norwood answered seriously, ¡°What happened next? Nothing.¡± ric stared at him with his dark eyes upon hearing that. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Norwood seemed to have suddenly remembered something and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. She came.¡± ¡°She?¡± When ric heard that, he perked up his ears, and his previously dimmed eyes suddenly brightened a little. ¡°Yes. She said she wanted to look after you, but you asked me to bring you here, so I did.¡± ric frowned. ¡°When did you be so obedient?¡± ¡°I have no choice but to listen to you.¡± Norwood exasperatedly added, ¡°After all, bringing a grown man like you to her home will affect her image.¡± Hearing that, ric finally realized something was amiss. ¡°Who is the ¡®she¡® 9/10 10:48 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 29 I Can¡¯t Understand You you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡ê80%¡ñ Chapter 30 Chapter 30 84 1/9 ¡°Who do you think she is?¡± Norwood asked him back. Their gazes intertwined in midair, and they stared into each other¡¯s eyes before he suddenly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you disappointed that it wasn¡¯t her?¡± As for who that ¡®her¡® was, both knew precisely whom they were talking about. After a moment of silence, ric snorted. ¡°Who¡¯s disappointed? What¡¯s there to be disappointed about? She cane as she wishes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Norwood raised an eyebrow. ¡°Since you don¡¯t care about this, I won¡¯t say anything more.¡± He kept his word. ric¡¯s eyebrows were scrunched tightly as he looked at him unhappily. ¡°Just say whatever it is that you know. Why do you have to be so mysterious?¡± Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun ¡°Me being mysterious?¡± Norwood put on a shocked expression. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to know and that you¡¯re tired of listening to matters about her, so I stopped talking. What¡¯s that? Do you want to know now?¡± ric was speechless. F*ck. Why am I friends with him? Not feeling like talking to Norwood anymore, he removed the covers to wear his shoes and get out of bed. His actions were rough, and he was pulling a long face. When he was done tidying up his attire, the door was pushed open, and West entered the room. Seeing that ric was awake, West immediately greeted him before telling him how worried udia was when she rushed overst night. ric¡¯s expression became gentler upon hearing her name. ¡°Al, udia just called to ask about your condition. She said to tell her once you¡¯re awake because she¡¯s worried about you.¡± 2/9 10:49 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun ¡°Sure.¡± Then, ric took out his phone, but when he looked through his call log, he discovered there were calls with Victoria. His pupils contracted slightly as he asked in a raspy voice, ¡°Did you guys call her? Or was it she who called?¡± ¡°Who are you asking about?¡± West peeked at the screen of ric¡¯s phone and understood what he was asking about when he saw the name. ¡°Oh, Victoria. It was Norwood who called and told her you were drunk.¡± Hearing that, ric nced at Norwood, who shrugged and smiled without saying anything. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. West and Norwood had different personalities; West was the type to blurt everything out without being asked to. Hence, without waiting for ric¡¯s questions, he started telling him what he needed to know. ¡°Al, I don¡¯t mean to sow discord between you two, but Victoria has gone overboard. You were so drunk, and Norwood had called her, yet she never 3/9 Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun appeared. udia, on the other hand, was anxious after I called to tell her about your condition and rushed over immediately.¡± At first, West thought ric would be happy to hear that, but his thin lips were pressed into a straight line, indicating his bad mood. ¡°W¨CWhat¡¯s the matter?¡± ric suddenlyughed self¨Cdeprecatingly. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± West scratched the back of his head in confusion. ¡°I bought breakfast. Would you guys like some?¡± ¡°You can have it.¡± At that point, ric had no appetite because he was filled with frustration over Victoria¡¯s behavior. Following that, West asked Norwood and received the same answer, so he left with a dumbfounded expression. He alsomented before closing the door, ¡°Why are they acting strangely so early in the morning?¡± 4/9 Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun Once the room returned to silence, it made ric feel even more frustrated, so he tugged on his already messed¨Cup tie and took it off. Meanwhile, Norwood stared at him while he stood on the side and finally spoke up after a while, ¡°Although it¡¯s just a guess, I¡¯d still like to help someone defend her case.¡± When ric heard that, he looked at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Victoria.¡± Norwood replied with a name before exining clearly, ¡°Though she didn¡¯t show upst night, her reaction seemed strange after I called her again Watching his quiet state, Norwood continued, ¡°Could there be a possibility that she dide over but bumped into udia and us outside the hotel and decided it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to show up?¡± 5/9 Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun That exnation went straight into ric¡¯s heart, and he slightly narrowed his eyes before denying it. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± With a raised eyebrow, Norwood asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She and udia have no grudges, so why would she retreat after seeing her?¡± When talking about that, ricughed self¨Cdeprecatingly. ¡°She just doesn¡¯t want to see or care about me.¡± Norwood stopped talking and pursed his lips while falling into deep thought. The two were quiet for a long time. Subsequently, ric¡¯s phone rang from a call by udia. As Norwood was standing beside him, he saw it too. The moment before ric went out to answer the call, Norwood sighed and asked, ¡°Up until now, are you still unclear about what you want?¡± Once he said those words, ric stopped walking abruptly. When he 6/9 Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun turned around, Norwood had already gone outside, leaving him alone inside the room while still holding his ringing phone. ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Summer was still worried about Victoria ¡°Yes.¡± Victoria was smiling faintly. Now, it felt like she was experiencing the rainbow after the storm. As one would say, the path became clearer when you made a decision. While she was lost, she felt like her future was a never¨Cending nk canvas. Now that she had made up her mind, she discovered things had suddenly turned clear. For example, she now knew what she should do next and what to strive for in the future because she had a goal she could work hard to achieve. 7/9 Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Summer smiled while holding Victoria¡¯s hand. ¡°Victoria, I¡¯m happy for you. So, have you thought of a name for your baby?¡± Hearing that, Victoria felt her lips twitch. ¡°Woah. We¡¯re thinking this far ahead already?¡± ¡°How is that far ahead? If youe up with names first, you can just choose one after giving birth. Also, you have to buy a house to raise your child, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nning on buying a new house after getting divorced, but¡­ that¡¯s just my initial n. I still have to find a way to break it to my family. They¡¯re all staying abroad, so if they¡¯re willing to ept my child, I can move in with them, but¡­¡± She had thought about it. If her family could not ept the neer, she would find a city without ric and buy a new house so she could start a new life with her baby. 10:50 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 30 Raising a Child Is Fun Before, she had never imagined what it was like to have a child, and there were even more instances where she thought she had not grown up yet because there were still many things she could not understand. Yet, now, she had begun imagining her life with her child. The baby inside her might be a boy or a girl. There was a huge difference between both sexes and varying methods of raising them, so she had to research and devise a n. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mr. Selwyn loves you dearly, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree with your decision. Plus, raising a child is fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± 08 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Fun?¡± That idea made Victoria scrunch her nose. ¡°Of course.¡± Summer propped her chin up, excitedly exining, ¡°Do you know a child is fun to y with? Like, if you give birth to a daughter, you can dress her up prettily every day like a real¨Clife doll. Have you yed the game, Project Makeover? Raising a child is just like dressing your avatar inside the game.¡± Feeling speechless, Victoria, who had never yed any games, looked at Summer perplexedly. ¡°By the way, let me be your child¡¯s godmother.¡± While rubbing her hands excitedly, Summer had a secretive look in her eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I can move in with you. Hehe. Let me make it clear that I¡¯m not moving in with you because I want to y with your child.¡± Not knowing what to say, Victoria suddenly realized why Summer insisted Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together on letting her keep the child. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Summer suddenly became stern and asked, ¡°I almost forgot to ask. Did udiae to you yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What the heck? What did she say to you?¡± Then, Victoria told her friend everything that happened yesterday. After listening to her exnation, the emotional Summer began throwing a fit again. ¡°Gosh! How shameless can she get? Giving you money to leave ric? Who does she think she is? ric¡¯s wife? Is she and ric even dating? She dared toe to you and put on airs!¡± While she was criticizing udia, Victoria did not feel like stopping her because she knew that was how Summer was. If Summer could not rant, she would feel ufortable all over. Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together Once she was done, Victoria handed her a tissue while advising, ¡°This is thest time. Don¡¯t criticize her again.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Summer widened her eyes. ¡°How can you still speak up for her when she treated you like that?¡± ¡°Summer, she helped me once.¡± ¡°When?¡± Summer was confused and asked, ¡°Why is this the first time I¡¯m hearing about this?¡± Victoria¡¯s eyelids hung low, saying, ¡°It was a long time ago.¡± 3/10 It was when the Selwyns had just filed for bankruptcy. All of her bank ounts were frozen, and she was only left with a few hundred dors in her PayPal ount. Back then, she did not know what had happened, and her dad¡¯s phone was constantly busy, so she could only rush home as quickly as she could. Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together 4/10 When she returned home, she discovered her house was a mess. A bunch of people was sealing the entrance with tapes while some were sshing paint onto the walls. A few were even thinking of heading inside and clearing everything out. Victoria¡¯s dad, Tony Selwyn, was roughly pushed around while attempting to stop them but ended up breaking his leg. When she witnessed that, she was so pissed that she went over and argued with them. Then, she called the police but had her phone pped away. The scene was a chaotic mess. In the end, the person in charge there received a call, and his attitude immediately changed as he humbly and tteringly spoke on the phone, ¡°Alright, I understand. Yes, I¡¯ll leave with the others now.¡± After he hung up the call, he walked over and red at Victoria. ¡°Hmph! Consider yourselves lucky. We¡¯re not going to take this house anymore. It¡¯s all yours.¡± With that, he sneered and taunted, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gotten this chance if Miss Johnson hadn¡¯t known our boss. We¡¯re only doing this for the sake of Miss Johnson, understand?¡± Miss Johnson¡­ A name shed across Victoria¡¯s mind. ¡°Is the person you¡¯re referring to udia Johnson?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Consider yourselves lucky. Let¡¯s move.¡± Never would she have imagined that udia had helped her that day, so N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. she called her a while after those men left. ¡°Are you alright? Did they frighten you? I might¡¯ve been a littlete with my call. I heard Mr. Selwyn was injured, so I arranged for a car to your house. Once it arrives, get inside, and the driver will drive you to the hospital. I¡¯ve also arranged for a doctor to tend to your dad.¡± 10:50 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together 79% Meanwhile, Victoria clutched her phone, unable to wrap her head around what was happening. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± 6/10 She knew she was not close to udia as they only knew each other through ric and did not get along well. When Victoria found out about his feelings for udia, their rtionship became even more estranged, so she stayed away from udia as much as possible. After all, she was never a benevolent person. Though she would not see udia as her enemy or hate her, she could never be friends with her. However, she did not expect udia to help her. After hearing Victoria¡¯s question, udia chuckled softly. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re Al¡¯s friend. A friend of Al¡¯s is a friend of mine, so of course, I¡¯d help you. You don¡¯t have to feel like you owe me anything, and don¡¯t tell anyone I helped you! Think of it as Al helping you.¡± 10:50 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together 879% When udia said that, Victoria had it all figured out. She¡¯s only helping me for ric¡¯s sake. 7/10 She pursed her pale lips while hesitating. At that moment, Tony suddenly began coughing heavily, and the maid beside him yelled hysterically, ¡°Mr. Selwyn! Mr. Selwyn, are you alright? Miss Selwyn, we need to send him to the hospital.¡± Then, udia¡¯s worried voice sounded from the phone. ¡°Is Mr. Selwyn alright? Victoria, let¡¯s talk some other time. You need to send him to the hospital as soon as possible. The driver will be arriving shortly.¡± Victoria nced at her dad, who had broken out in a cold sweat looking all pale, and her hands formed tightly into a fist. In the end, she released her fists listlessly as though she had sumbed to fate. She told udia on the phone, ¡°I owe you one. Thank you.¡± 10:50 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together 8/10 ¡°What are you saying? Didn¡¯t I tell you to think of it as Al helping you? Go on and take care of your dad.¡± The call was quickly hung up. Victoria put away her phone and ran to Tony before helping him. ¡°Dad, are you alright? Hang on. A car will be arriving soon.¡± Just as she finished speaking, someone brought a driver inside, and everyone helped Tony get into the car. On the road to the hospital, Tony looked at his daughter and asked carefully, ¡°Snowball, who called you earlier?¡± Snowball was a nickname Tony gave Victoria. From the beginning of her memories, she grew up in a single¨Cparent family, and her dad was her only caretaker. Being a cute and lovable girl as a kid, she looked like a tiny snowman whilst wearing a white dress, so he gave her the nickname, Snowball. Since then, he had been calling her that until now. 10:50 Mon, 19 Jun @ Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together Victoria was silent for a while before replying, ¡°It¡¯s udia. She helped us, so I owe her a favor.¡± Hearing that, Tony was shocked and immediately beckoned, ¡°Snowball, let¡¯s get out of this car.¡± The father¨Cdaughter duo lived together, so he could see that his obedient daughter liked ric. However, the matter between ric and udia had spread throughout their social circle. As his daughter had already taken her hands off that matter, what was she to do now that she owed her love rival a favor? Therefore, Tony immediately insisted on getting off. However, Victoria held him down and urged with a pale face, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t! Even if we get off now, it won¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯ve already epted her help. If she hadn¡¯t made the call, those people outside our house wouldn¡¯t have left.¡± 9/10 Chapter 31 Aren¡¯t Fated to be Together ¡°But you and ric¡­¡± 10/10 With a faint smile, sheforted him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Perhaps we aren¡¯t fated to be together.¡± 8 ¨C Chapter 32 Chapter 32 It was then that Victoria owed udia a favor. 79%? Also, Victoria discovered just how crucial udia¡¯s call was when she was out asking others for help. At that time, the Selwyns lost all their properties except for that house. 1/10 When they started to get back on their feet, Victoria intended to sell the house to gather funds for her father to restart his business. However, Tony declined her suggestion and instructed her sternly, ¡°You can deal with the house however you want. Since I could start my business from scratch back then, I can do it again now. You should mortgage the house to those people and use the money to treat udia to a meal. Then, see if there¡¯s anything you can help her with so that you can return the favor as soon as possible.¡± 10:56 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? Tony stroked her head and smiled warmly. 2/10 ¡°Even if I lose everything, I can¡¯t let my snowball bow down before her love rival. So, don¡¯t worry. I will get back on my feet. As a matter of fact, I have contacted one of my friends. He will help us if I ask him for help.¡± No, you¡¯re lying. Victoria overheard his call and knew the other party refused to help them. The friend Tony was talking about had received a lot of help from Tony before. Yet, he refused to aid Tony at such a critical moment. What an ungrateful b*stard. Tony had lied to her so that she wouldn¡¯t worry about him. Also, he didn¡¯t want his daughter to owe udia any more than she had now. After being silent for a while, she raised her head, revealing a pitiful look on her face as she spoke in a low and weak tone, ¡°Dad, how about Mr. Cadogan¡­¡± 10:56 Mon, 19 Jun 79% Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? As soon as she said that, he immediately turned grim. ¡°We can¡¯t! Let¡¯s not mention the fact that Adrian still doesn¡¯t know about this because even if Content ? N?velDrama.Org. he does, he will definitely help us without me asking him for help. But Snowball, have you ever thought about what you would do after we ept his help? The daughter I raised is the best young woman in the world, and I don¡¯t want to see her bowing her head before anyone. Don¡¯t 3/10 worry. Even if I don¡¯t have any money, I will still find a way. It would just take a little more time, so you have to wait for me, alright?¡± That night, Victoria returned to her room and cried so hard that her eyes were swollen. After that, she didn¡¯t mortgage the house but sold it. Then, she transferred the money into Tony¡¯s bank ount. When she came out of the bank, she took out her phone and stood in her spot while looking at the photo of her and ric. Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? Perhaps my feelings for ric aren¡¯t as strong as I thought. I need this money. It turns out that, in reality, nothing can beat hardships. Victoria and Summer stayed together for two hours before parting. During her trip back home, Victoria silently counted the days she still had before getting divorced. When I visited Grandma a while ago, she was doing very well. The doctors estimate she will be able to go through surgery in about a month. Once she had surgery and recuperated for some time, ric and I could finally end this marriage, and he could fulfill his promise to udia. udia is gentler and kinder than me, and she will have a great future together and won¡¯t need me to worry about anything. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan.¡± 4/10 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? 79% The driver looked at Victoria through the rearview mirror and noticed she seemed a little out of it, so he reminded her, ¡°When are you going to visit Old Mrs. Cadogan today?¡± 5/10 Hearing that, she was stunned and woke up from her daze. Noticing she looked a little lost, the driver reminded her again, ¡°Today is Sunday.¡± When Victoria heard that, she returned to her senses and muttered, ¡°Is it Sunday already?¡± Time has passed so quickly. Since both of them were busy with work, Griselda only allowed them to visit her on Sundays and would get angry at them if they visited her on any other day. 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun 79% Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? Sundays. Since ric had gotten so drunk yesterday and went home with udia, perhaps they are now¡­ 6/10 The driver asked, ¡°Do you need me to call Mr. Cadogan?¡± Victoria subconsciously answered, ¡°No need. He¡¯s busy.¡± He didn¡¯t reply, so she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll head over on my own.¡± In the end, he could only nod and drive away. Having been working for the Cadogans for a long time, he had noticed something wrong with the atmosphere at home and heard some rumors shared around the household. Now that he saw how Victoria was behaving, he felt heartbroken for her. 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? At the best nursing home in Gandra. 79% 7/10 When Victoria arrived, one of the nursing staff greeted her with a smile and informed her, ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, you¡¯ve arrived. Old Mrs. Cadogan was just telling us about you. My colleague and I suggested bringing her out for a walk downstairs, but she refused, saying that she wanted to wait for you in her room so that you wouldn¡¯t have to wait for her.¡± Hearing that, Victoria couldn¡¯t hold back her chuckle. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m fine waiting for a while.¡± The nursing staff replied, ¡°It¡¯s mostly because you onlye visit her once a week, so she cherishes the time she spends with you and thinks that the more time she can spend with you, the better.¡± Victoria was surprised to hear that and was stunned for a moment before Is Returning ¡°From how I see it, she¡¯s doing fine. Her emotion has been calm with no ups and downs.¡± Then, Victoria asked, ¡°How about her eating habits and rest?¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re the same as always.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°But I still have to trouble you to help me cross¨Ccheck her recent sleeping and eating habits.¡± The nursing staff nodded and promised, ¡°Sure, no problem. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After thanking the nursing staff again, Victoria turned around and headed to Griselda¡¯s room. Meanwhile, with the help of her personal caretaker, Griselda had returned to her room and was now resting on the bed, waiting for her Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? granddaughter¨Cinw and grandson toe and visit her. Though she had grown old and showed signs of old age, she hadn¡¯t lost her elegance and calmness. Her gray hair was tied behind her head, and she wore a cotton dress that looked delicate and warm. The moment she heard footstepsing from outside, Griselda showed a joyous and excited expression that didn¡¯t fit her age. ¡°It¡¯s about time, so Victoria and ric must being to see me.¡± Just as she finished talking, a familiar and slim figure appeared at her door. ¡°Victoria,¡± she called out happily. ¡°You came.¡± Victoria then sprinted over and stopped before Griselda. ¡°Grandma. Good to see you.¡± 9/10 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 32 When Is Returning a Favor Easy? ¡°Good to see you, too.¡± Feeling extremely happy, Griselda quickly held Victoria¡¯s hand. LN, 79% However, the smile on her face immediately disappeared after touching Victoria¡¯s hand and was reced with surprise and concern. ¡°Why is your hand so cold? Are you feeling cold?¡± Before Victoria could reply, Griselda started nagging, ¡°You¡¯re skinny and can¡¯t handle the cold. How can you wear so little in this weather? Where¡¯s ric? Is this how he takes care of you?¡± At the mention of ric, she finally realized something. ¡°Speaking of which, where is he?¡± Chapter 33 Chapter 33 At the mention of ric, Victoria suddenly remembered the scene she saw outside the nightclubst night. Where is he? Of course, he¡¯s at udia¡¯s ce. As for what happened and what they didst night that caused him not to appear before Griselda now, Victoria felt the answer was perfectly clear. She was sulking but couldn¡¯t vent her emotions before Griselda, so she found an excuse that wouldn¡¯t be easily exposedter to cover for ric. ¡°He was uptest night, so he¡¯s still resting.¡± After saying that, Victoria realized that she was telling the truth. ric had been uptest night, but no one knew what he was doing. When Griselda heard that, she instantly became resentful as she Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue criticized, ¡°How old is he? Why is he still staying up all night?¡± Meanwhile, Victoria smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. 2/11 When Griselda noticed Victoria¡¯s behavior, she sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can stand his attitude.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Victoria replied softly. As she didn¡¯t feel like continuing that topic, she suggested bringing Griselda out for a walk in the garden in her wheelchair, and Griselda agreed. Following that, the caretaker brought over Griselda¡¯s wheelchair and helped her get on it. Griselda¡¯s legs weren¡¯t in terrible shape, but she couldn¡¯t walk for an extensive period. She could walk a few steps around her room but not ?outside. Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue Once she was settled in her wheelchair, Victoria opened the cupboard and grabbed a thick shawl and nket. She then wrapped them around Griselda before heading out. In the meantime, Griselda wrapped the shawl tightly around herself in satisfaction before eximing, ¡°This material feels sofortable. I rememberining about them being thick and heavy when I was younger. I have grown to like them now, but I¡¯m no longer young.¡± Victoria could hear a trace of dismay in Griselda¡¯s voice and felt strange, so sheforted her, ¡°Grandma, I think this material suits the current you better. It goes well with the custom¨Cmade dress you¡¯re wearing now, and Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g it makes you look stunning. I have always admired your beauty and temperament.¡± That was the truth, as every woman in the Cadogan Family looked stunning, whether it was Griselda or Victoria¡¯s mother¨Cinw. 3/11 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue That showed that the Cadogan men had a sharp eye for women. 879%0 When mentioning that, Victoria added, ¡°Grandma, I remember seeing you and Mom together at a banquet I attended when I was still a child. I thought you two were sisters.¡± 4/11 She was young back then. So, when she saw the two beautiful women with delicate features and no wrinkles standing together, she thought they looked like a pair of elegant and noble sisters. Griselda found that funny and joked, ¡°Oh, you. You¡¯re such a sweet¨Ctalker. I¡¯m convinced, and I suddenly feel like I¡¯m not old anymore.¡± After she said that, Victoria bent down and wrapped her arms around Griselda¡¯s shoulders to hug her. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re not old, to begin with. I like you a lot.¡± Griselda treated her very nicely. 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue 879% So, Victoria liked her a lot, but not because Griselda was ric¡¯s grandma or because she wanted to be Griselda¡¯s granddaughter¨Cinw. It was because Griselda had always been nice to Victoria since childhood. My own grandmother passed away early, and I don¡¯t have a mom, but the love Grandma gave me made up for all of that. Even if ric and I got divorced¡­ As Victoria thought of that, she hugged Griselda even tighter. ¡°You will always be my grandma.¡± They saw someone approaching them when they were about to reach the door. He had a tall, lean figure and handsome face, but his eyes looked cold. 5/11 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue When both sides met each other, Victoria stopped walking. ¡°ric?¡± Griselda was surprised to see ric here. ¡°Grandma,¡± he greeted Griselda in his deep voice. His voice sounded a little raspy andced with a hint of sexiness. 79% 6/11 When Victoria saw him, she scoffed softly. Her scoff was so soft that it was almost inaudible, but ric seemed to have noticed it and nced at her. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? Victoria said you stayed uptest night, so I thought you wouldn¡¯t make it today.¡± ric didn¡¯t expect that to be the excuse Victoria used. 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue 79% matter if I stayed upte. Even if I stay up all night, I will stille and see you.¡± 7/11 ¡°Such a glib talker.¡± Griselda deliberately criticized him disdainfully but couldn¡¯t suppress the joyful smile on her face. After that, ric approached Victoria and offered, ¡°Let me do it.¡± When he approached Victoria, she couldn¡¯t smell any alcohol on him. Instead, he smelled of fresh soap. Not only that, but his clothes were also different, and his inner shirt was ironed tly and hugged his figure very well. Victoria felt like she could easily guess who was behind all of this. It might have been that ric had stayed over at someone¡¯s home and that person had ironed his clothes this morning. 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun 79% Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue. While she was still lost in her thoughts, ric was already standing very close to her. 8/11 Just as his hand was about tond on the wheelchair, she quickly withdrew her hand and took two steps backward to keep a small distance between them. She was acting like he was a gue or something. Meanwhile, ric was stunned at her sudden action. A few secondster, his handsome face turned grim as an icy aura enveloped his whole body. At first, he felt his heart melt a little after listening to Norwood¡¯s hypothesis, but now, he scoffed silently. It seems like I¡¯ve been overthinking this situation. Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Griselda noticed they still hadn¡¯t moved after ric stood over, so she asked out of curiosity. Hearing her question, ric regained hisposure and curled his thin lips. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Grandma. Let¡¯s go.¡± After that, he pushed Griselda¡¯s wheelchair in the direction of the garden while Victoria followed beside them. When they apanied Griselda to the garden, ric would usually push the wheelchair while Victoria would hug his arm or tug on the corner of his shirt. Sometimes, she would be so clingy that she was like his tail. However, today, Victoria kept quite arge distance between them, making it seem like they weren¡¯t a couple but strangers. 9/11 10:57 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue 078% As time progressed, ric¡¯s expression became darker, and the aura around him turned colder. 10/11 Suddenly, he stopped. ¡°Grandma, I need to send a text message,¡± he informed Griselda. Griselda nodded as she didn¡¯t think that was something out of the ordinary. Then, he pulled out his phone and began tapping on the screen. When Victoria saw that scene, she averted her eyes emotionlessly. He must be texting his lovely udia. They might not have been apart for long, and he¡¯s already missing her. How clingy. She entirely lost control of her emotions and was filled with jealousy. 10:58 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 33 Avoiding Him Like He Was a gue 9 78% The phone in her bag vibrated, so she frustratedly took it out without thinking much about it. 11/11 The next moment, she froze. That was because it was a message from ric. Why are you standing so far away? Are you trying to make Grandma doubt our rtionship?¡® Chapter 34 Chapter 34 When Victoria received the text message, she subconsciously looked up, coincidentally meeting ric¡¯s imprable ck eyes. ric was staring at her. She nced at him, pursed her lips, and turned her head to ignore him. Her actions rendered ric speechless. Victoria took a look at her phone when she received another message. ¡®Come over.¡® No way. I don¡¯t want to. ¡®You are free to do whatever you want once Grandma haspleted the operation. Be good right now and cooperate with me. Didn¡¯t you mention 1/12 10:58 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? that our rtionship is built on mutual benefits?¡® Victoria finally came to her senses after reading thest sentence. That¡¯s right. We are doing this for our own benefit. We have reached a consensual agreement on this matter. Why am I being so dramatic? She took a deep breath while reflecting before slowly walking over to ric. 78% Even though she had mentally prepared herself, approaching him was still difficult for her. When she finally moved to his side, ric¡¯s face contorted with a dark expression. He was extremely speechless when he looked at Victoria. 2/12 Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? Suddenly, ric reached out and grabbed her. She was taken aback and subconsciously avoided his hand, but she was too slow. Eventually, he caught her. With a scowl on his face, he drew her hand to his arm and said softly, ¡°Hold my arm.¡± A heavy silence fell upon them. Victoria was stunned. I can¡¯t believe he said this right in front of Grandma. Albeit reluctantly, sheplied with his request; after all, she didn¡¯t want to make Griselda worry. Victoria had no choice but to hold his hand reluctantly. ¡°Hold on tight and follow me,¡± ric said, exhaling a sigh of relief and turning away helplessly. ¡°Alright,¡± she responded impatiently. 3/12 Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 4/12 Griselda, who had been sitting in front of them silently, finally chuckled and asked, ¡°Did you two reconcile?¡± ¡°Grandma?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°He didn¡¯te with you today, so I have a feeling something is wrong. You two have always visited me in pairs ever since I was in the nursing home.¡± Victoria lowered her gaze and pursed her lips as she heard this. She thought she was doing a good job, but she hadn¡¯t counted on Griselda¡¯s meticulousness. Victoria could not hide anything from her. Worse, Griselda knew what was going on but chose to remain silent. What should I do? ¡°Grandma, we just had a minor conflict, but it¡¯s alright now,¡± Victoria 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? replied after some thought. ¡°Small fights between young people aremon. It just needs to be quickly resolved by the two of you. ric, as a man, you should be more considerate toward Victoria, alright?¡± ¡°When do I fail to treat her with consideration and respect?¡± ric had been tolerating Victoria for the past two years. She always insisted on having things done her way. Griselda expressed her displeasure with his response as she said, ¡°You should agree with my request. Why are you talking back?¡± ¡°Okay¡­ Yes, Grandma,¡± he replied helplessly. 78% 5/12 The three of them then spent the next 20 minutes strolling through the garden. Victoria was concerned that Griselda would catch a cold, so she suggested they return indoors. At this point, the nurse just so happened to 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? call her as well. ¡°The doctor has arrived to do his rounds. Please bring Old Mrs. Cadogan back to the ward.¡± 78% After ending the call, ric and Victoria brought Griselda into the hospital. They were unable to enter the room during the focused examination. Right after Griselda was pushed into the consultation room, Victoria immediately released ric¡¯s arm and kept a safe distance from him. She noticed him frowning at this point and announced, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Then, before he could even say anything, she turned around and walked away. She entered the restroom and went straight to the sink, where she 6/12 Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? discovered liquid soap. Victoria washed her hands repeatedly, her face frosty. She reasoned that she wouldn¡¯t be as repulsed if ric merely bumped into udia. She wouldn¡¯t have thought that udia had intentions. However, Victoria felt sick to her stomach every time she remembered that ric had spent the night with udia the day before. It elicited pure and vile disgust in Victoria. The weather was chilly. Her palms had lost their warmth by the time she finished washing them, leaving them icy cold. She then wiped her hands before exiting the restroom. 7/12 In a fraction of a moment, she came to a sudden halt and looked at ric, who was leaning against the door. 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? His eyes were slightly lowered to the ground, his facial features were 78% extremely defined and delicate, and his long eyshes were prominent. 8/12 After hearing the shuffling noise, ric turned to face her, his gloomy gaze falling on her hands. Victoria¡¯s hands were bright red from all the scrubbing. ¡°Why did you wash your hands so hard?¡± A hint of mockery shed across his eyes, and his thin lips parted slightly. ¡°Did youe across anything dirty?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I washed it a few more times,¡± she responded ordingly. A truculent frown warped his face when he heard that. This woman! 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 78% Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? Victoria was not in the mood to continue the conversation, so she left. However, she had to walk past him on her way to find Griselda. 9/12 As a result, she took a few deliberate steps forward in order to avoid ric. When the man noticed this, he couldn¡¯t take it any longer and strode forward to pinch her hand. ¡°Victoria, are you trying to test my patience? You think I¡¯m filthy, don¡¯t you? What did I do to deserve your disdain?¡± She howled in pain as she tried to break free from his grip. He tightened his grip on her as he saw her struggle. A frown formed on Victoria¡¯s angry face. ¡°Let me go, ric.¡± He ignored her plea and looked at her with cold, dead eyes. 878% 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? Victoria was unfazed. ¡°Are you admitting to doing something filthy?¡± She could feel ric pressing down on her hand even harder as she said those words. Following that, he flipped her hand over and tightly sped his fingers around hers. ¡°What if I admit it?¡± His voice was deep, and his gaze was fixed on her. 10/12 Victoria flinched from great disgust and curled her lips stiffly, ¡°Do you think this is fun?¡± We are divorcing soon. Why is he acting this way now? ric pursed his lips and looked at her calmly. ¡°Not at all. But I¡¯d advise you not to avoid me. Do you think Grandma won¡¯t notice?¡± 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? She took a deep breath after hearing his words. ¡°Okay. I promise that whatever happened today will not happen again while Grandma is in the hospital.¡± After that, she paused before adding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll y my role well.¡± ric was in desperate need of her assurance. Griselda was a sensitive and observant elder. He was afraid she would notice any problems between him and Victoria. The original n was for Victoria to y along with him. 78% 11/12 However, when he heard her assurance and promise, he felt a dull pain in his heart. The pain felt like a rusted, blunt knife was cutting cruelly and slowly into his chest. Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? On top of that, his throat became congested and hoarse. 9% 78% He looked at Victoria¡¯s pale face and asked subconsciously in a raspy voice, ¡°Did you look for mest night?* Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Victoria immediately denied it. ¡°No.¡± Then, she questioned, ¡°Who told you that?¡± 78% ric narrowed his almond¨Cshaped eyes. ¡°Since you said you didn¡¯t look for me, why would you care who told me about it?¡± She replied without care, ¡°Oh, I just wanted to see who¡¯s the gossip queen. West Finn? Or Norwood Oaks? That¡¯s right. Norwood called me, saying you were drunk, and he wanted me to head over. I wanted to say no, but he hung up on me first.¡± He frowned at her unbothered reply. She continued, ¡°I had wanted to get the butler to pick you up, but I didn¡¯t want to wake up an elderly man in the middle of the night. Since West and Norwood were both there, I figured they¡¯d look after you. Even if you were drunk, nothing would happen to you.¡°? 1/9 Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving ¡°And?¡± Victoria¡¯s exnation was logical and eptable. She responded, ¡°After I reached that conclusion, I went to bed.¡± After she finished her reply, she stared at him, asking, ¡°So, who told you I went to look for you? I¡¯d have to thank them for taking care of my image.¡± ric was quiet, but Victoria did not stop there. ¡°By the way, are your friends still unaware of the transactional nature of our rtionship? Was that why they had to make up stories on my behalf so that we wouldn¡¯t fight?¡± He tightened his grip on her hand with a strength that almost crushed it. She endured the pain and chuckled. ¡°Tell them about it if you have a chance to. I¡¯d rather not get their calls whenever you¡¯re drunk. You know I sleep early, but the calls alwaysete. If I am woken up-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, he had flung her hand in disdain and 2/9 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving left with a sour face. When she was alone, she looked at her hand that was held by him. A long silenceter, she ultimately did not go to the restroom to wash her hands again. It¡¯s fine. Since their rtionship was transactional, she had to always keep her guard up, especially when they had to visit his grandma every week. It would be unimaginable to keep washing her hands every time they feigned affection. After regaining herposure, she left as well. ¡°Old Mrs. Cadogan is recovering faster than we expected! If she keeps up the good job, we can bring forth the surgery.¡± 3/9 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving Victoria overheard the doctor speaking to ric when she arrived in front of the doctor¡¯s office. ¡°How soon?¡± ric asked. She didn¡¯t enter and chose to stand with her back against the wall. ¡°It depends on the circumstances. We can bring forth the surgery by a fortnight if she continues making good progress.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mr. Cadogan, you¡¯re most wee. We¡¯re honored to have your trust.¡± There was nothing more to eavesdrop on at this point, and Victoria proceeded to Griselda¡¯s room. When she was almost there, she ran into the nurse from the morning. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, you¡¯re finally here! I got the data and was about to look for you.¡± 4/9 10:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving She didn¡¯t forget about that and nodded at the nurse. ¡°How¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, follow me.¡± Victoria paused for a brief moment but soon followed the nurse into another room. The nurse was honest with her. ¡°Since we have been keeping track of Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s diet and sleep, I checked with the nurses from the morning shifts, and they told me that these minor changes were within normal range. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t pay extra attention to these statistics.¡± Victoria bent down to check out the data on theputer screen. Griselda¡¯s diet and sleeping habits were meticulously recorded on the every single patient due to the sheer number of patients they had to handle. To deal with that issue, the nursing home would record the patient¡¯s condition digitally. 5/9 Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving After checking carefully, she realized the nurse was right in that the changes were so minor that they could be ignored. The nurses had a range for each indicator, and any changes that did not exceed the maximum limit would be considered normal. She pursed her lips and fell into deep thought. I might have been overthinking it. She could sense a slight change in Griselda¡¯s mood, and it was not in a positive way. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, I understand your concern. But you might have felt distressed because you were overly concerned.¡± Victoria did not argue and even concurred, ¡°Yes, I might be distressed because I care about her too much.¡± As Victoria was sensible, the nurse did not say much after hearing that. Victoria smiled at her. ¡°Can I trouble you to print the recent data for me?¡± 6/9 Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving The nurse was a little surprised by the request, but she nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, you¡¯re wee.¡± Although the nurse found Victoria¡¯s behavior rather odd, she went ahead andpleted the simple printing task right away. Victoria watched on but was suddenly reminded of something else. She said, ¡°I¡¯lle to take the printed documents before I leave. Please keep it with you for now.¡± ¡°Sure, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± With that, Victoria went to visit Griselda. When she arrived, she found ric sitting across from his grandma as he spoke with her. He sat there with a light smile and warm eyes. Victoria always knew that he was a loving grandson. 7/9 11:00 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving ¡°Victoria, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± She joined their conversation. The smile vanished from ric¡¯s eyes, but he quickly pulled himself together. Then, they seemed to have put aside their disagreement from before and pretended to look loving like a pair of newlyweds in front of Griselda. They chatted with her until dusk fell. ¡°Alright, it¡¯ste. Why don¡¯t you hurry home now?¡± Something urred to Victoria, and she shook her head. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s still early. I¡¯d like to hang around for a bit.¡± ¡°How is it still early? You¡¯ll need time to travel home. It will bete after you wash up and go to bed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandma. I took annual leave for a few days, so I¡¯m pretty free now.¡± 8/9 11:00 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 35 Pretending to Look Loving ¡°You took leave?¡± D ¡°Yes.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I will be visiting you for the next few days. I hope you don¡¯t find me annoying.¡± 78% Griselda was excited when she heard that Victoria would be visiting daily, but her excitement died down soon enough as shemented, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t visit me daily. There¡¯s nothing but patients here. It¡¯s not good for you to stay around for too long.¡± Victoria was taken aback by thement. ric quickly said, ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re not a patient! The doctor said you¡¯re in good condition, and the surgery can be brought forward by a fortnight! After the surgery, you won¡¯t need to stay at the nursing home anymore.¡± ?? 8 N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. 9/9 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Griselda was stunned momentarily. ¡°Bring the surgery forward?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Silence dawned upon Griselda, and Victoria gave it a thought before saying, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not as scary as it sounds. All you have to do is to take a nap. Once you open your eyes, you¡¯re all fine.¡± Her voice sounded brisk and cheeky, and even ric could not help but nce at her. It had been a long time since she looked this bright. The joy rubbed off on Griselda as she broke into a smile. ¡°You always know how to make me smile.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m telling the truth, Grandma. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask the doctor tomorrow.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. I know that you¡¯re worried about me. I¡¯m not afraid.¡± 1/9 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun 878% Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right It was 8.00PM when they left the nursing home. Victoria intended to spend more time with Griselda, but Griselda needed to rest, so the duo had no choice but to leave. The couple was so immersed in their own world that they could not stay away from each other after leaving the room. It was not until they walked quite a distance that Victoria turned expressionless and finally let go of ric¡¯s hand. His face darkened the moment she did that. ¡°You should get going first,¡± she suggested. His brows creased. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I need to check on Grandma¡¯s recent medical records.¡± ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡± Flustered, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can do it alone.¡± 2/9 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun 78% Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right ¡°Do you wish rumors that I have left you all alone in the middle of the night spread in the nursing home?¡± 3/9 Words failed Victoria, and ultimately, she caved in. They took a whole stack of Griselda¡¯s medical records from a nurse. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°My pleasure, Mrs. Cadogan. Are you leaving right now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± M ¡°Safe travels, then.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± When they came out of the nursing home, ric gazed at the stack of papers in her hands. ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡± 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun 78% Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right Since it was rted to Griselda, Victoria leveled with him without hiding anything. He pursed his lip and nced at her upon hearing her thoughts. ¡°You do care a lot for Grandma.¡± 4/9 She paused for a moment before responding, ¡°It¡¯s not because of you.¡± He went silent for a moment. ¡°Did I say that it¡¯s because of me? Why are you so defensive against me?¡± ¡°Am I? I¡¯m just exining.¡± His casual remark did not bother her. However, the way she spoke with equanimity rendered him helpless. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back home.¡± ric paced up upon her reminder. By the time they walked to the entrance, they could see the Cadogan Family¡¯s car. She looked at ric. ¡°Is the cab not here yet?¡± He returned a dubious look. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re not going home? I thought you¡¯d call for a cab,¡± she reminded him ¡®kindly¡®. He rued every single word he saidst night. He nned on going home with her, but she did not give him the chance at all. ¡°I¡¯ll be going first, then.¡± Victoria smiled lightly before entering the car. Without a second thought, she closed the door and urged the driver to hit the road. What about Mr. Cadogan? The driver gingerly sneaked a peek out of the window to see the glum ric. The driver whispered, ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, what about-¡± ¡°He has something else to attend to, so he¡¯s noting with us. Let¡¯s go.¡± He did not have the nerve to say anything nor drive the car. ric was his 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right boss, yet the person in the back seat was ric¡¯s wife. 0R ,78%L ric had a soft spot for Victoria; she made the decisions for most of the matters, and he listened to everything she said. In short, the driver could not afford to offend either one of them. Suddenly, the car door opened, and ric entered the car. He seated himself so naturally and gazed at the driver coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± His voice was so icy that the driver drove the car immediately, not wanting to stay at the ce any longer. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. A weird atmosphere lingered in the air. Victoria assumed ric would not shrugged it off because he was the one embarrassed, not her. She began to flip through the medical records. She did not speak to ric, 6/9 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right papers in the car. 8.78% A couple of momentster, he could not help but shift his gaze onto her. Under the dim light, she leafed through the documents while her long eyshes fluttered as she blinked her eyes. She was so focused that she showed no desire to talk to him. When he could not hold in his urge any longer, he piped up, ¡°Is something wrong with Grandma¡¯s condition?¡± Her hand halted, prompting him to frown. ¡°What? Can¡¯t I follow up with my grandmother¡¯s condition?¡± Hearing that, Victoria pursed her lips and gave him a confused stare. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± She then handed the papers to ric, hinting to him to study on his own and not to bother her. 7/9 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right 978% He was at a loss for words. He took the papers and began reading them seriously since they pertained to Griselda. 8/9 ric was a little distracted by her expression at first, but he soon became immersed in the records as time passed. He initiated another conversation once he finished reading. ¡°There¡¯s a tiny change in her diet and sleep routine.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Victoria answered instantly when it came to Griselda¡¯s matter. She added, ¡°I¡¯ve asked the nursing staff about it. He said that it¡¯s normal to see such small changes. It¡¯s nothing particr to take note of.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± His lips formed a thin line before he returned the records to her. ¡°How did you manage to catch that when the doctor and nurses didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Because I can sense it.¡± She exined further in case he could not understand, ¡°I¡¯m more sensitive than others. That¡¯s why. Do you 11:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 36 Your Hunch Is Right understand?¡± D ric nced at her, but it went unnoticed by Victoria. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just a hunch. It¡¯s not urate.¡± ¡°The difference in the data proves that your hunch is right.¡± 78% Chapter 37 Chapter 37 That¡¯s right. The data I obtained has shown that there is some slight difference. So, indirectly, my sixth sense is spot on. Victoria grunted her affirmation but didn¡¯t say a word. She merely retrieved the data and put it away by folding it nicely. 1/12 After she had done that, she suddenly recalled something and spoke to ric, ¡°Actually, I can sense that Grandma¡¯s afraid of undergoing surgery. You shouldn¡¯t have mentioned to her that the surgery would be brought forward earlier in the afternoon.¡± ric was stunned to hear that. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nced over at her and noticed the extremely intent look on her face. Suddenly, he realized what she had said at the nursing home was true. Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce She mentioned that her concern for Griselda had nothing to do with him. She had not said this in a fit of anger but truly regarded Griselda as her grandmother. 2/12 As soon as ric realized this, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll They spoke calmly to each other since their discussion topic was Griselda¡¯s issue. It was something hard toe by as ofte. However, silence descended upon them once they finished talking about that matter. Even the driver felt quite surprised as he drove the car. Things were quite tense when they first entered the car, and it felt as if they were going to bicker loudly any minute from then. However, not only did they not bicker, they even started to discuss Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s health condition amicably. The driver had initially mused to himself, A couple¡¯s fight sure didn¡¯tst long. However, soon after that, the duo stopped talking once again. The atmosphere turned tense once more, and things became icy as before. 3/12 The driver was rendered speechless. Oh, well. Whatever. I don¡¯t get this, so I should just focus on driving. When they arrived at Cadogan Residence, Victoria got out of the car before ric and headed upstairs. She didn¡¯t stride inside, but her footsteps weren¡¯t exactly slow, either. Shortly after that, she walked ahead, and ric was left behind. The servants noticed Victoria enter the house first with a face devoid of expression. Not long after she walked up the stairs, ric also went upstairs with a thunderous look on his face. Ever since the madam came back home in the rain previously, the Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce atmosphere at home seemed increasingly strange. The servants started to feel slight trepidation as theypleted their jobs, and they worked even harder than before. They feared they would be the couple¡¯s punching bag if they made any mistakes in their jobs. Once the two of them went upstairs, the servants couldn¡¯t help themselves and gathered to discuss. 4/12 ¡°Judging by Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s current situation, they should be close to getting a divorce, right?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! What sort of nonsense did you just say?! They should be just having a tiff. It¡¯s not to the extent of a divorce, right?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard what someone said the other day? Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s marriage is a sham. He is in love with someone else. Now that the person he loves is back, how can he marry the person he loves if they Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce don¡¯t file for divorce?¡± 5/12 ¡°Well, it might seem that way, but they have been married for so long now. Surely, they would have developed some feelings for each other, right? Look at how close Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan are most of the time. Anyway, in my opinion, they definitely wouldn¡¯t get a divorce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet on the opposite, and I reckon they will definitely file for divorce. Just wait for it. It¡¯s going to happen soon. It¡¯s either this month or the following month.¡± The opinion of the crowd was divided, and they remained intent on their discussion about ric and Victoria¡¯s marriage. Meanwhile, Victoria took a shower upon returning to her room. Her emotions were now calmer than before. Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce On the way back home, she had been thinking about this matter. Griselda¡¯s surgery was due soon, so it was unnecessary for her to show her temper to ric at this point. 78% 6/12 He had mentioned from the start that their marriage was just a fake one. If Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g a divorce was inevitable, then it would be quite normal for him to be entangled with udia. However, the thing Victoria found most perplexing was that he had mentioned her pregnancy to udia. I can¡¯tprehend this. What was he thinking about?! On the other hand, if one looked at things from another perspective, he was in love with udia, so it went without saying that he would be honest and unreserved with her. As such, Victoria could now understand his behavior, but from her point of view, she couldn¡¯t find it in herself to agree with that. Mon, 19 078% Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce Despite her disagreement, she had to maintain a calm front on the surface during this period. 7/12 After she came out from the shower, she saw ric lying on the couch in the bedroom. He must be exhausted because he had removed his jacket andy there with his eyes shut. As soon as he heard some noise, he immediately opened his eyes and looked at Victoria. She had been staring at him, to begin with, so their eyes met as he nced at her. Instantly, she turned her eyes in a different direction awkwardly. However, ric wasn¡¯t fussed by that, and he merely asked calmly and serenely, ¡°Are you done?¡± She replied moodily, ¡°Yes.¡± Mon, 19 Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a shower, then.¡± After he said that, he got up and entered the bathroom. Half an hour went by before he finally exited the bathroom. 78% He wiped his wet hair with a clean towel while walking out of the bathroom. Suddenly, he paused in his tracks and looked at Victoria, who was currently fast asleep while leaning against the edge of the bed. 8/12 She had a pillow supporting her lower back, holding a book in her hands. She had switched on the bedsidemp, and now she remained fast asleep against the edge of the bed. She had just flipped several pages of the book she was holding. ric continued to stare at her for quite some time before finally flinging the towel in his hand aside and walking over to her. He approached her and remained silent as he stared at her under the dim Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce light. She had a pair of pretty eyes. However, she looked cold and detached when she wasn¡¯t smiling. It was quite apt to describe her as a frosty princess found in a winter wondend. 9/12 Victoria looked exceptionally lively when she smiled. Her bright smile could light up any room. Other than these two appealing qualities she possessed, he had also seen a more attractive side of her. Back then, the charm in her eyes was enough to drive him insane. He couldn¡¯t help lifting his hand as he ced the tip of his finger on her brow ridge. Subsequently, he shifted his finger downward and touched her eyelid.. Immediately, he felt a warm sensation go straight into him from his fingertip. ric pursed his lips slightly as his eyes turned as dark as coals. 78% Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce Suddenly, he felt her eyelid move beneath his fingertip, and he immediately retracted his hand as if he had been zapped by electricity. He pretended that nothing had happened. 10/12 However, he didn¡¯t get the chance to move away as Victoria had already opened her eyes by then. At that point, their eyes met. Speechless, ric remained in ce. Meanwhile, Victoria shot him an odd look. She likely hadn¡¯t realized he had touched her with the tip of his finger earlier on, so she asked, ¡°What are you doing standing in front of me?¡± ric spoke up leisurely and withposure, ¡°Just checking if you were asleep.¡± At the mention of this, Victoria realized she had been fast asleep earlier 3 78% Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce 1. on. She had been reading while ric was in the bathroom, and she was waiting for him toe out so they could continue their negotiation. 11/12 However, she fell asleep without even realizing it after barely flipping a few pages of the book. In the past, she had heard others mention that pregnancy would result in one bing sleepier than usual, but she never believed that im. Now, it seemed that it was true. As soon as Victoria thought of this, she coughed awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, perhaps I was just too tired by everything this morning.¡± After she finished saying that, she closed the book in her hands and asked, ¡°Are you done showering?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ric sounded moody, and he kept his dark eyes intently on her. He was trying to guess her train of thought. Chapter 37 Let¡¯s Call a Truce Her attitude seemed to be much better than this morning. 9 78% 12/12 After further consideration, he tried to suppress himself, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t resist his urges any longer. ¡°Are you- Not mad at me anymore? That was what he intended to ask. ¡°ric, let¡¯s call a truce.¡± Both of them spoke up at the same time. Victoria spoke sinctly and swiftly, so ric didn¡¯t get the chance to finish his sentence as she interrupted him. ¡°A truce?¡± He wasn¡¯t too sure what she meant. 8 ¨C Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s stop fighting.¡± Victoria nodded lightly. ¡°Can we act like we used to before?¡± 878% Act like we used to? ric¡¯s heart almost leaped in joy due to her words. He didn¡¯t even realize he was stuttering. ¡°D¨CDo you mean¡­¡± She nced at him before lowering her eyes and uttering in a serious tone, ¡°I thought about it carefully on the way home. Grandma¡¯s mood might seem stable now, and our minor changes might not pose an issue, but after all, the operation will be done in two weeks. We shouldn¡¯t be quarreling during this period in case she discovers some clues and risks affecting her health.¡± When he heard that, he realized something. ¡°Do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Do you still not understand? It¡¯s a very critical period for Grandma now. 1/10 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun 78% Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter We must cooperate with each other. Two weekster, you are free to do whatever you want. Nobody and nothing can stop you then.¡± 2/10 Victoria felt that she had expressed her idea very clearly. ¡°You are clever. You should understand what I mean.¡± His lips twitched in response. She was right. How could he not understand her? She wasn¡¯t proposing reconciliation with him nor was she no longer upset. She only agreed to a truce for the sake of Griselda, but what could he possibly say? She was doing everything for the sake of his grandmother. ric snickered sadly in his heart. At the end of the day, he was just shooting himself in the foot. ¡°Okay,¡± he answered in a deep voice. Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter Seeing his current expression, Victoria wavered. She almost brought up the idea that she was going to keep that child with him, but on second thought, she decided against it. Since udia already knew about her decision, she would have definitely told him about it. The reason he wasn¡¯t bringing it up could be a silent agreement. At least he has a conscience. Victoria then lifted the nket and said ta him, ¡°Now that we¡¯vee to an agreement, let¡¯s get some rest.¡± After saying that, she suddenly thought of something. Quickly, she got out of bed, opened the cab, and looked at the bolster lying in the corner. That bolster was initially ced between her and ric on the bed as their boundary for a long time. One day, however, it suddenly vanished, indicating that their rtionship had taken a step further. Now, however, it seemed that it was time for it to y its role again. 3/10 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter Victoria pulled it out and ced it in the middle of the bed. 878% 4/10 When ric saw that, his expression darkened. What else did he expect of her? From the moment she offered to call it a truce, he thought that their rtionship could return to normal. After she was done, Victoria turned around and noticed how ric was still standing on the spot with a twisted expression. She was no longer bothered to read his mind at this point. ¡°Are you not going to sleep? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go to sleep first. Turn off the lights when you¡¯re ready to go to bed.¡± Without waiting for his reply, shey in bed, covered herself in the nket, and shut her eyes in front of him. ric waspletely speechless by her actions. 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter 878% Staring at the bolster in the middle of the bed, he sneered before walking over with a gloomy expression andying down stiffly like a corpse. Once the lights were switched off, the room plunged into darkness. At the same time, his senses were infinitely magnified. ric breathed heavily, unable to feel the pull of sleep. Before long, however, the sound of even breathing could be heard from the person lying next to him. He couldn¡¯t help turning over to look in Victoria¡¯s direction in the dark. He stared at her for so long that he couldn¡¯t even fathom what he was thinking. After the couple agreed to reconcile, they no longer ignored each other at home. 5/10 This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun 78% Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter 6/10 As usual, after getting out of bed, Victoria washed up. Seeing ric getting dressed, she even helped him with his tie. There were dark circles under his eyes. While Victoria slept soundly beside himst night, he hardly slept a wink. It was only when the sun rose that he felt drowsy. After falling into a slumber, he heard Victoria getting up beside him. Since he had no intention of sleeping anymore, he decided to get up. Due to theck of sleep in his system coupled with her reaction that triggered his anger with nowhere to vent, he got dressed in a rough way. He was even more impatient when he had to wear his tie. At that moment, he didn¡¯t expect that Victoria would walk up to him and offer to help him. ¡°Allow me,¡± she uttered softly. 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter At that, ric lowered his eyes and stared at her. 078% Victoria deliberately avoided his sharp gaze and added, ¡°Bend over, or I can¡¯t do it properly.¡± ric¡¯s lips were pursed into a thin line. As if contemting, he stood in the spot without bending over. His actions made Victoria look him in the eye. ¡°Are you finally willing to look at me?¡± He smirked. Victoria was at a loss for words. What¡¯s up with him? Didn¡¯t we have a good chatst night? What is he up to now? ric didn¡¯t know what was going on with himself either. Recently, he started behaving strangely and became easily irritable. He wanted to see her but he didn¡¯t want to see her: he wanted her to take the initiative to 7/10 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter she approached him. 78% ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, ric. Didn¡¯t we agree to cooperate with each other for the next two weeks?¡± ric frowned upon hearing that, took a step back, and pursed his lips. ¡°Forget it. You don¡¯t have to put up an act when there are no maids around us.¡± With that, he strode off, leaving Victoria standing on the spot, dumbfounded. After a while, she sneered. He¡¯s being absolutely unreasonable! Without waiting for him, she went downstairs to have breakfast while ric came down shortly after. Due to the incident with his tie before, Victoria carried the anger in her heart and ignored him after noticing his presence. Watching himing down the stairs, the maids hurriedly returned to their rooms as they were 8/10 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter afraid of him. 78% They gathered at the door and gossiped with each other as they watched him striding over and taking a seat beside his wife. His action surprised them. ¡°Has Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan reconciled?¡± ¡°They never ate breakfast together before this. I can¡¯t believe Mr. Cadogan would take the initiative to sit beside her today.¡± ¡°Have you heard that a lover¡¯s quarrel is quickly resolved? They¡¯ve always been close. Besides, they even shared a bed every night. They¡¯d make up eventually!¡± On the other hand, ric sat beside Victoria with a long face. As soon as he took a seat, she could sense the icy, cold aura he exuded. 9/10 Mor 78% Chapter 38 It Doesn¡¯t Matter Without having to turn her head, she could feel how reluctant he was as he sat next to her. 10/10 However, the difort she felt was quickly suppressed. Two weeks. I just have to endure him for two weeks. After two weeks, she would be able to leave this ce. All she had to do now was to endure the hardships for the sake of Griselda, her baby, and herself. She mentally prepared herself before pouring a ss of milk for ric with a gentle expression. She even smiled at him when he looked at her. ¡°Good morning, honey.¡± ric was rendered speechless as he clenched his teeth hard. It doesn¡¯t matter to her, does it? Chapter 39 Chapter 39 On that day, ric finished his breakfast while looking displeased. The maids couldn¡¯t see his face because he had his back toward them. They merely assumed the two had made up based on their intimate interactions. 78% In the following days, Victoria didn¡¯t have to enter thepany as she requested annual leave. She took the time to apany Griselda every day in the nursing home. Griselda¡¯s mood was obviously elevated after a few days, Simultaneously, Victoria felt calm and reassured over this short period. Things seemed to go ording to her n. Before she knew it, three to four days passed in the blink of an eye. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. 1/10 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors Sometimes, when she was left alone, she would caress her belly. 78% 2/10 To be frank, her mentality had undergone changes. When Victoria first found out that she was pregnant, she was still quite confused about what to do with the child, but as time passed, she gradually felt connected to the child in her belly as if they shared the same body and heart. Thus, her love for the child grew. Many times, she would even tell the baby secrets that she couldn¡¯t tell others. This further brought Victoria closer to her child. At first, things were going as expected. Victoria thought she could apany Griselda peacefully until the day of her operation, but as soon as her annual leave was used up and she was about to return to thepany for work, udia called her once again 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors and asked to meet her. Since the previous incident, she had been hesitant to meet udia because she knew what thetter was up to. At that thought, she rejected udia without hesitation. 378% ¡°Miss Johnson, I understand why you¡¯d like to see me, but I¡¯ve made my decision. I¡¯m not going to change my mind no matter what, so we don¡¯t need to meet again.¡± Perhaps she had spoken too bluntly as udia went silent for a second before asking, ¡°Are you sure nothing can change your mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Victoria.¡± udia¡¯s voice suddenly softened. ¡°I remember that you owe me a favor, don¡¯t you?¡± 3/10 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors Victoria¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold in response. udia continued, ¡°What if I ask you to do me a favor now? Will you still reject me?¡± Victoria bit her lower lip hard, hershes trembling. ¡°You don¡¯t need to answer me in a hurry. Perhaps, we can meet up first.¡± 78% After hanging up the phone, Victoria stood on the spot as her mind went nk. It was not that she didn¡¯t think about repaying udia her favor, but she intended to do it in another way. 4/10 As long as she needed help, Victoria was even willing to sacrifice her life for her. However, she never thought udia would use that as a condition during this time. 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors $378%u 5/10 At a quiet cafe on Rodeo Street, Victoria noticed the ¡®closed¡® sign in front of the door of the cafe as she was about to enter. Just then, her phone rang. ¡°Victoria, push the door ande in. My friend owns this cafe. They aren¡¯t open for business yet.¡± Victoria hung up the phone nkly before pushing open the door. As soon as she entered, she noticed udia waiting for her in the corner. udia waved at her to indicate her seat. Victoria walked over with steady steps and stopped in front of udia. There was a man with a scar sitting next to udia. The man looked 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors 78% fierce, but when he saw hering, he stood up straight away and spoke in a gentle voice. 6/10 ¡°Hello, beautiful. You must be udia¡¯s friend. Would you like to have a drink?¡± The man looked at Victoria with a hint of surprise in his eyes. Without much thought, Victoria replied, ¡°No, thanks.¡± The man was taken aback by her refusal, but udia chimed in, ¡°Carlo, give her a cup of warm milk.¡± Carlo Jabba nodded neatly. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll get it and leave you guys to do the talking.¡± Before leaving, Carlo couldn¡¯t help taking another nce at Victoria. udia caught all his subtle actions, and once he left, she smiled at 11:04 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors Victoria. ¡°Come over and take a seat.¡± Victoria nced at her and took the seat opposite her. 078% udia judged her outfit as she uttered softly, ¡°Carlo is a friend I met abroad. He¡¯s an open¨Cminded and honest guy. After returning to the country, he opened this cafe. Even though he isn¡¯t very ambitious, he earns enough to get by. He¡¯s into serious rtionships and treats his girlfriend gently.¡± She then paused for a while before saying tentatively, ¡°If you have nowhere to go after divorcing Al, you can consider him.¡± Victoria was speechless as she heard that. She suddenly raised her head and blurted, ¡°Miss Johnson, even though I owe you a favor, did I give you the right to decide for my marriage?¡± 7/10 udia was stunned by her response before she chuckled. ¡°Of course not. Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors Don¡¯t get me wrong, Victoria. I¡¯m not trying to decide your marriage. I just think my friend here is a great person.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then why don¡¯t you consider him?¡± Victoria snapped. udia¡¯s smile faded. Since when were they so close to each other? Her true colors were revealed as time passed. 8/10 Frankly speaking, Victoria did not assume that udia would help her out sincerely. After all, they had ric stuck between them, but it was also true that udia once helped her out. After a moment of silence, udia picked up the spoon and stirred the coffee in front of her whilementing, ¡°I never expected you to be so aggressive to your savior, Miss Selwyn.¡± Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors Her tone was no longer gentle, and her voice waspletely different now. It was crisp and clear now as she looked at Victoria with disdain. Despite that, her current look made Victoria feel much at ease. Following a chuckle, Victoria blurted, ¡°Are you finally letting go of your act? Honestly, your true face is more pleasing to the eye. At least, I don¡¯t find you insincere.¡± ¡°Insincere?¡± udia sneered. ¡°I just think you¡¯re not worthy of my kindness. I initially thought that you would be a nicedy despite not being smart, but I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re such an ungrateful person.¡± ¡°Ungrateful?¡± Victoria rubbed her fingertips and narrowed her eyes in a judgmental expression. ¡°I may be an ungrateful person in your eyes, but I never expect that your kindness and righteousness would lead you to kill.¡± When udia heard Victoria¡¯sst two words, her expression changed entirely. 9/10 11:06 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 39 udia¡¯s True Colors ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? When did I kill someone?¡± . 77% ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t threaten me to get an abortion just because I¡¯m indebted to you?¡± udia felt as if a cotton ball was stuffed into her mouth all of a sudden. 10/10 It took her a while to speak. ¡°The child is like a time bomb. If you were in my shoes, there is no way you can ept it.¡± After saying that, she red at her. ¡°Why do you want to keep the child when you¡¯re going to get a divorce? You could¡¯ve remarried and carried another child. So, why insist on keeping this one? Do you think I have no idea about what you¡¯re thinking?¡° Chapter 40 Chapter 40 1/11 Victoria didn¡¯t even have to stand in her position to understand that it was uneptable, but she was Victoria, not udia. She could only consider the matters from her own perspective. ¡°What a pity. I¡¯m not that great of a person nor am I willing to sacrifice. The child is in my belly, so whether or not I want to keep them is my decision. No one else can decide the life or death of my child except me.¡± ¡°You-¡± ¡°If you want me to return the favor, sure. I am willing to do anything you ask of me except this.¡± Her child was her family. How could she let someone else decide on her behalf whether to keep the child or to have an abortion when she was reluctant to do that? 11:07 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi ¡°Are you really going to do whatever I say?¡± ¡°Yes, as long as it isn¡¯t anything outrageous.¡± Favors must be repaid, but if her demands were too high, then she shouldn¡¯t even think about it. udia started pondering about it. In fact, before she came here, she had predicted that Victoria wouldn¡¯t agree to her request easily. Who was ric? He was the heir to the Cadogan Family. Whether it was his family background, character, or the way he presented himself, they were all top¨Cnotch. In udia¡¯s eyes, no one else in the world couldpare to him. 77% Who wouldn¡¯t want a man like him? Who would be willing to give him up if 2/11 11:07 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi they captured his heart? 877% What about Victoria? Her family went bankrupt, prompting her to hold on to ric like a lifeline. If she had be his real wife, then she would have been living in a rags¨Cto¨Criches fantasy. Had she been willing to give up on him, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten pregnant. 3/11 The child could be considered a token for Victoria to hold ric back. Thus, udia couldn¡¯t possibly allow that token to exist. Otherwise, it could possibly affect whether they would get a divorce eventually. Now that Victoria wasn¡¯t willing to abort the child, udia had to use other means. Moreover, the most important thing to do now was to calm Victoria down. 11:07 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi 9 77% Q spoke. ¡°Sure. Aborting the child is indeed cruel. Even I can¡¯t bear to do that. In that case, let¡¯s sign an agreement.¡± 4/11 ¡°An agreement?¡± As soon as the question slipped out of Victoria¡¯s tongue, Carlo served the cup of warm milk. ¡°Here¡¯s your milk, beautiful.¡± udia stopped talking before offering him a sweet smile. ¡°Thanks, Carlo!¡± Carlo winked at her. ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s my honor to treat two beautiful After that, he left once again without any inquiry into the content of their conversation. No wonder udia chose this ce. Acting as if she was being considerate; udia pushed the ss of milk in 11:07 Mon, 19 Jun e77% Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi front of Victoria. ¡°Since you can¡¯t take any other drinks for now, have some warm milk.¡± Victoria nced at her and noticed that she was wearing her facade again. ¡°What? Are you afraid that I might have drugged the milk?¡± udia chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If I wanted to do such a nasty thing, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you out.¡± Withdrawing her gaze, Victoria no longer wanted to continue that topic. Instead, she changed the subject. ¡°What were you saying about the agreement?¡± udia smiled. ¡°Seems like you can¡¯t bear to stay any longer with me.¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t you want to get it over and done with?¡± ¡°Of course, I do.¡± 5/11 11:08 Mon, 19 Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi While saying that, udia took out a paper folder and handed it to Victoria. ¡°This is the agreement. Take a look.¡± Victoria took it with a poker face. Seeing her calm look, udia couldn¡¯t help holding her breath. At this point, Victoria didn¡¯t even seem to have any other better idea, but she could still appear so calm and collected. How on earth did she do that? All of a sudden, she recalled the scene where Victoria plunged into the river many years ago. It was a risky act, but she jumped down without hesitation. udia, on the other hand, panicked and was unsure of what to do. In her dreams, darkness prated her nervous system often, showing a clear contrast between herself and Victoria. 6/11 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi In front of others, udia was highly praised because she sacrificed herself to save ric. Behind others, however, she was just a clown under Victoria¡¯s mask. The harder Victoria tried to save ric, the more despicable and shameless she appeared to be as she robbed the credit. 77% Outsiders all deemed her as pure, naive, and had a great personality, but in reality¡­ No. Stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about it. The past was now in the past. Everyone knew that she was ric¡¯s savior now, and even ric himself thought so. The only person who knew the truth was Victoria, who had lost her precious memory when she was diagnosed with a serious illness back then. She would never be able to get her memories back in this lifetime. 7/11 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi ¡°I have a question about this agreement.¡± Victoria¡¯s cold and distant voice sounded, pulling udia¡¯s sanity back. She noticed how Victoria¡¯s face was superimposed with the younger version of her face before they were separated. In the past, her young face was delicate and bright, but now, Victoria looked a little cold. Her features had grown as she aged, making her look even more beautiful than before. udia forced a smile. ¡°What problem?¡± Victoria nced at her before looking down at the agreement again. Although the agreement seemed to be ovepped, it merely revolved around a few main points. 8/11 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi Firstly, she had to leave the country after the divorce and promise not to return within five years; secondly, she was not allowed to mention the child to ric, nor could she use the child as a token for self¨Cpity; thirdly, 77% N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. 9/11 she couldn¡¯t engage in any intimacy with ric before their divorce;stly, udia would offer her an amount of money, and if Victoria had to raise the child, udia was willing to undertake the obligation of supporting the child until he or she reached adulthood. Under udia¡¯s gaze, Victoria tapped the table with her fingertips lightly before asking, ¡°Why can¡¯t I mention the child to ric?¡± Hearing that, udia widened her eyes. When she drafted the agreement, she had done it in a rush. Nheless, Victoria wasn¡¯t dumb. It made sense that she would be doubtful of the agreement, but udia insisted on using the agreement to suppress her. Otherwise, Victoria could possibly make a slip of the tongue by mentioning the child in front of ric while they still lived Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi together. After much thought, udia decided to risk it. Anyway, she had something on Victoria, so if thetter refused to sign the agreement, she was going to use other means that were up her sleeves. In order to make Victoria believe her, udia had long prepared an answer to her question. Looking into her eyes, udia uttered in a soft voice, ¡°It¡¯s all for your sake.¡± Victoria looked at her judgmentally. udia picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. With a look of disdain, she exined, ¡°Since you two are childhood friends, I believe that friendship still stands between the two of you if not for love. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have helped you, right? But he will live with me for the rest of his life soon. Your child isn¡¯t just going to be an obstacle for us, but he or she 10/11 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 40 Not Interested in Raising Someone¡¯s Chi 11/11 will also be a threat to the two of you. He seems to really care about it, do you understand? Most importantly¡­¡± She paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°I worry that if you bring up the child too often, he might eventually ask for him or her. I¡¯m not interested in raising someone else¡¯s child, Victoria.¡± 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Victoria remained silent. On the other hand, udia¡¯s heart was pounding. She pretended to be calm but wasn¡¯t sure if her words could intimidate Victoria. udia didn¡¯t know much about Victoria, except that she had a very high opinion of herself. So, udia decided to take a gamble and approach the situation from that angle. When Victoria didn¡¯t respond, udia¡¯s hands started to sweat under the table. She forced a smile and asked, ¡°What, you don¡¯t agree?¡± Victoria looked at her lightly and said, ¡°You seem nervous. Why is that?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not nervous. I just¡­¡± udia almost revealed her true feelings but quickly stopped and continued, ¡°Fine. Take your time to think about it.¡± Just as Victoria mentioned earlier, udia really wanted Victoria to make a quick decision. However, Victoria fell into deep thought. Truth was, 1/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun 0.77% Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore whether she signed the agreement or not didn¡¯t matter much to her. Even if she didn¡¯t sign it, everything in the agreement, except for the first condition of going abroad and not returning for five years, was something she wanted to do. As for the first condition, she hadn¡¯t decided where she would settle down yet, but it would definitely be far away from ric. 2/9 ¡°What do you think?¡± Although udia had asked Victoria to take her time, udia had been waiting for a while and couldn¡¯t help but ask. Victoria didn¡¯t know if udia was being deliberate, but she couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°I thought you were not nervous. Why are you in such a hurry? Is there something wrong with the agreement?¡± udia was speechless. She tried her best to maintain a smile before Victoria signed the agreement. ¡°Okay, then take your time to check it out. Indeed, I¡¯ve been rushing you. Sorry.¡± Victoria nced at her and calmed down. She then asked, ¡°Okay, as long 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore as we follow the conditions in the agreement, we¡¯ll be even?¡± udia nodded immediately and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Victoria said. When udia heard this, she handed her a pen and said, ¡°Then, sign it.¡± Victoria stared at the pen for a moment before taking it. But instead of signing with it, she yed with it in her hand. She spun the pen in various patterns. Seeing that, udia was getting more and more anxious until Victoria finally smiled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t sign this agreement.¡± At that moment, udia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean? You won¡¯t sign it?¡± Victoria put down the pen with a snap on the table and leaned back calmly. ¡°No, I won¡¯t sign this kind of private agreement.¡± 3/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore Without legal protection and without awyer by her side, Victoria couldn¡¯t N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. sign such an ambiguous agreement. Did she owe udia a favor? Yes, but that did not mean she would need to sell herself out just to repay it. udia was visibly upset. ¡°Victoria, what¡¯s your deal? Are you trying to y me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Victoria replied seriously as she shook her head. ¡°Although I won¡¯t sign the agreement, I will still fulfill all the requirements you mentioned.¡± She paused and continued slowly, ¡°If you didn¡¯t make this agreement to trick me, then it shouldn¡¯t matter whether I sign it or not.¡± udia restrained her anger, but her smile was anything but pleasant. ¡°Victoria, are you overthinking things? How could I possibly trick you? If I wanted to, I wouldn¡¯t have helped you in the first ce. Don¡¯t misunderstand me, okay?¡± Victoria smiled and asked, ¡°Is that so? Then, what are you afraid of?¡± 4/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore udia didn¡¯t understand what she meant. ¡°Afraid of what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re his savior, right? You mustck confidence in yourself to ask me to sign this agreement.¡± Hearing this caused a trace of viciousness to sh across udia¡¯s face. When she heard Victoria mention the matter, she felt wretched and afraid that those fragmented memories of Victoria¡¯s would suddenly return. udia wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she was suppressing her anger, but her usually beautiful features were twisted. ¡°If you didn¡¯t insist on keeping this child, would I need to prepare this agreement?¡± After saying that, she quickly regained her gentle demeanor and said to Victoria, ¡°Just trust me. I won¡¯t trick you.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t expect to see such a quick change in attitude. She hadn¡¯t seen it before, and she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at udia¡¯s ability to turn on a dime. Thinking of this, she curled her lips and said, ¡°Then, please trust 5/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore me too. Even if I don¡¯t sign this agreement, I will still do everything you mentioned.¡± ¡°You!¡± udia didn¡¯t expect her to be so sure she wouldn¡¯t sign. ¡°If you don¡¯t sign, how do I know you won¡¯t change your mind?¡± ¡°Even if I do sign, how do you know I won¡¯t change my mind? If I really want to do something, do you think the small amount of penalty on the contract will stop me?¡± udia stared at her. ¡°What exactly do you want? You don¡¯t want to terminate the pregnancy, and I agreed. Can¡¯t you just sign the agreement to ease my mind?¡± Victoria furrowed her brow. ¡°Miss Johnson, I hope you understand one thing. What happens to the child is up to me, not you. To put it bluntly, ric and I are legally married, and others don¡¯t have the right to interfere. As for you¡­¡± 6/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 411 Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore udia¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. It¡¯s just a matter of goodwill. I will fulfill all the requirements you mentioned,¡± said Victoria tly. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. I don¡¯t trust you. How do I know you won¡¯t change your mindter on?¡± ¡°Well, then there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± Victoria shrugged, looking indifferent. ¡°If you can¡¯t trust me, then you shouldn¡¯t have helped me in the first ce or asked me for any favors, right?¡± After hearing this, udia finally calmed down a bit. She initially thought that Victoria was easy to deceive. All she had to do was present Victoria with impossible conditions, and after Victoria refused, udia would produce the agreement. When that time came, Victoria would sign her name when her guard was down. Who knew that Victoria would be so vignt?! I really miscalcted things. 7/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore udia gritted her teeth as she looked at Victoria. ¡°Are you sure you can keep your promise?¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a simple matter. If I can¡¯t keep my promise, I wouldn¡¯t havee out today. And if I¡¯ve already made up my mind, why would I waste time sitting here with you?¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s what you said.¡± There was no other way. Victoria refused to sign the agreement, and udia couldn¡¯t force her to sign it. Her main task was to keep Victoria from speaking nonsense in front of ric anyway. That conversation just now should be useful to prevent that. She stretched out a hand toward Victoria, restored her smile, and said, ¡°I hope you will always keep your promise. Let¡¯s have a pleasant cooperation.¡± Victoria stared at her hand but didn¡¯t move. She just said calmly, ¡°From 8/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 41 I Don¡¯t Owe You Anymore now on, I won¡¯t owe you any favors.¡± 9/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 42 Chapter 42 E After speaking, Victoria couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste any more time with her. She packed up her things and quickly left the cafe. However, she didn¡¯t notice that after she left, the man, who was referred to as Carlo, sat down in front of udia and began to inquire about Victoria. After leaving the cafe, Victoria did not go home. Instead, she stood on the side of the road, looking at the passing vehicles. The huge boulder in her heart finally fell to the ground. She couldn¡¯t help but call her father, Tony, to share the news that she had returned the favor. However, the phone rang for a long time and the call went unanswered. Victoria nced at the time and guessed that her father was probably busy with work, so she didn¡¯t call again. For the rest of the day, Victoria continued to apany Griselda at the nursing home. As she had talked to udia for a long time, she was dyed and arrived at the nursing home a littleter. When she arrived, 1/9 11:08 Mon, Chapter 42 Danger the caregiver said, ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, you¡¯re more than half an hourte today. Old Mrs. Cadogan has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Hearing this, Victoria felt a little guilty. ¡°I had something to do on the way. I got dyed.¡± ¡°Then go in quickly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria quickened her steps and soon arrived at the ward. All the caregivers had probably left at the same time, and there was only Griselda in the room. When Victoria was about to walk in, her footsteps suddenly paused. She saw that Griselda was holding a photo and staring at it in a daze. Although Victoria could only see her profile from a distance, she could sense the heavy sorrowing from the old woman. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Victoria called out to her softly and walked in. Hearing the sound, Griselda snapped back to reality and looked toward 2/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 42 Danger the source, her emotions disappearing from her face. ¡°Victoria, you¡¯re here.¡± A Victoria walked up to her, apologetically exining, ¡°Sorry, Grandma. I ran into some trouble on the way here. I just got here. Did you wait for me long? Next time, if I¡¯mte again, I¡¯ll make sure to call ahead.¡± ¡°Silly Victoria, it was only a little while. How long could I possibly wait? Besides, there¡¯s nothing to do at the nursing home, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I wait a little longer or shorter.¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t do.¡± Victoria shook her head, crouched down, and leaned her head on Griselda¡¯s leg, softly saying, ¡°I want to tell you so that at least while waiting for me, you know I¡¯m on my way to find you.¡± ¡°You little dear¡­¡± Griselda was soothed by Victoria¡¯s gentle voice and reached out to tidy Victoria¡¯s hair, asking, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell me what happened on your 3/9 Chapter 42 Danger way here?¡± Victoria paused for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just work stuff and it¡¯s very boring. Grandma, there¡¯s not much to talk about that. How about you tell me a story instead?¡± After speaking, Victoria touched the photo in Griselda¡¯s hand and said, ¡°For example, the story behind this photo.¡± Griselda hesitated for a moment before gently tapping Victoria¡¯s fair forehead. ¡°You little clever brat.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Victoria hummed, leaning her forehead toward Griselda. ¡°I want to hear your story, Grandma.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± By noon, Victoria received a message from ric asking her where she was. Victoria replied briefly, ¡®At the nursing home.¡® 4/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun 77% Chapter 42 Danger Shortly after the message was sent, ric replied, ¡®I¡¯lle over for lunch.¡® 5/9 Victoria was surprised and asked, ¡®Aren¡¯t you busy at thepany?¡® ric replied, ¡®Yes, I¡¯m still in a meeting. I¡¯m taking some time off toe over.¡® Victoria didn¡¯t say anything more and just said okay. She had nothing to say about him taking time out of work toe to the nursing home to see his own grandmother. The meeting finally ended. After experiencing several hours of ric¡¯s sharp tongue, all the high¨Clevel executives in the conference room walked out with pale faces, looking at each other with grief. Then they shook their heads, sighed, and left in embarrassment. was about time. If he 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 42 Danger went to the nursing home now, the timing should be about right. He walked out of the conference room expressionlessly. Suddenly, a beautiful woman in a white dress and fluttering long hair walked up to him. ¡°Al.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was soft and clear, causing the other high¨Clevel executives to look over at her. ric paused and saw that udia was holding a thermal food container while walking toward him. His eyes softened when he saw her, and he walked over. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Since the other executives were still around, udia looked a bit shy as she said softly, ¡°You¡¯ve been busy with worktely. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve been eating properly. So, I personally made some food that you like.¡± The people around them couldn¡¯t help but sigh with envy. Two spots of red crept up on udia¡¯s fair face. She looked a bit embarrassed as she 6/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Chapter 42 Danger lowered her head. The people around them couldn¡¯t help but stop and watch the drama unfold. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, you¡¯re really lucky today.¡± ¡°Yeah, we all envy Mr. Cadogan for having such good fortune.¡± They were trying to tter ric, but little did they know that he didn¡¯t like their jokes about him and udia. In fact, he gave them a stern look and red at them with his sharp eyes. ¡°Do you have nothing better to do? Or did your performance earlier not embarrass you enough? Do you want to have another meeting to continue this?¡± The people around them were instantly intimidated and didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. In just a moment, everyone left quietly. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g udia, who was standing in front of ric, was shocked to see him suddenly be angry. She looked up at him with surprise. Why did he suddenly be angry? They didn¡¯t say anything wrong, did they? But it 7/9 11:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 42 Danger seems that ric doesn¡¯t like it when people joke about him and me. Most importantly, udia felt that she had been humiliated in front of the for him at this time. She also intended to assert her dominance in front of his colleagues by doing this. In fact, she wanted everyone to know that she was the one who would be thedy boss of thepany, not Victoria. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t expect ric to suddenly get angry¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Al?¡± Hearing her words, ric paused and came back to his senses, feeling a bit dazed. He didn¡¯t know why he had suddenly lost his temper just now. Now, he was extremely annoyed. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°Nothing. Why did youe here today?¡± udia was speechless. She had already told him, but he forgot. She had Ino no choice but to awkwardly repeat what she had just said. However, ric 8/9 11:09 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 42 Danger still seemed distracted and absent¨Cminded. 9477% Finally, he frowned and said, ¡°udia, thank you for going to all this trouble, but I have something to do today and I have to go out.¡± Then, he added while turning to his assistant, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone take you back.¡± 9/9 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 877% ¡°W¨CWhat?¡± udia couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. This was not what she wanted at all. She had hoped that after she made ric lunch, she would show him her injured finger when she went to his office. Then, he would be moved and concerned for her. Following that, the two of them could be alone together and deepen their rtionship. But now, it seemed like that wasn¡¯t going to happen. udia tried to hide her disappointment and said awkwardly, ¡°Al, what are you going to do? If it¡¯s not going to take too long, I can wait for you in your office.¡± ¡°Sorry, udia, I¡¯ll be gone for a while. You should go back first,¡± replied ric. 1/9 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider please.¡± 877% udia didn¡¯t want to leave just yet. She bit her lip and turned to look at ric, her eyes slightly red. How about this? Would he still be indifferent to me if I act like this? However, ric did not notice her tearful look and had already left with long strides as if he had some urgent matter to attend to. udia could only stand there and watch as he disappeared. ric¡¯s assistant spoke again, ¡°Miss Johnson, are we leaving?¡± udia nced at ric¡¯s assistant who had an impassive look in his eyes and an unfriendly tone of voice. She felt like he didn¡¯t like her. Her intuition was right though; ric¡¯s assistant didn¡¯t like her because everyone in thepany knew about ric and Victoria¡¯s rtionship. As udia had deliberatelye to the meeting room with a lunch box, (which made her intentions obvious. 2/9 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun ¡ê& ¡ê 77%? Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider After hanging around Victoria for so long, the assistant thought that she was a really capable yet friendly woman, so it was annoying to see udia act this way around ric. Although the assistant was annoyed by udia¡¯s actions, he didn¡¯t say anything since he was only there to help ric with his work. Nevertheless, udia was reluctant to leave at the moment. She had put so much effort into cooking and injuring her finger. If she were to leave now, what was the point? The injury would heal very soon, and it wouldn¡¯t do if she had to deepen her wound to show ricter. She couldn¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste. So, she smiled and asked the assistant, ¡°Where did Al go? Will he be back this afternoon? If he¡¯lle back, can I wait for him in his office?¡± The assistant had no expression on his face as he spoke in a monotone voice, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Mr. Cadogan¡¯s schedule. As for you going to the office, I¡¯m sorry, Miss Johnson, but that¡¯s not possible. The office does not 3/9 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider allow outsiders to enter when Mr. Cadogan is not there.¡± 0377% udia almost couldn¡¯t hold back her anger. She tugged her lips stiffly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not an outsider.¡± The assistant replied, ¡°I can¡¯t be sure of that.¡± This assistant is so annoying. The first thing I¡¯ll do when I be thedy boss of the Cadogan Group is to rece this assistant of ric¡¯s. He¡¯s such a blind idiot. 4/9 udia cursed in her mind, but on the surface, she still maintained her calm and beautiful appearance. ¡°Well, then, can you please take me back? By the way, I made this lunch with great effort. Since Al didn¡¯t have a chance to eat it, you can have it.¡± Although she hated the assistant, he was still working by ric¡¯s side at the moment, so she had to suck up to him for a bit. It would be even better if she could win him over to her side. However, the assistant took a big 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider 77% step back and shook his head. ¡°Miss Johnson, I can¡¯t ept something for nothing.¡± 5/9 udia was so angry that she almost exploded. In the end, the assistant sent udia back home. When ric arrived at the nursing home, the time was almost right. His tense mood when he came here was also rxed when he saw the scene of Victoria lying beside Griselda and leaning against Griselda¡¯s leg. When Griselda heard the noise, she looked over at him. The two of them looked at each other, and then Griselda made a gesture for him to be quiet. Only then did ric notice that Victoria was actually sleeping next to Griselda¡¯s leg. As Griselda¡¯s legs were feeble, ric went up to Victoria, bent down gently, picked her up, and ced her on the small bed beside them. She was 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider 877% probably in deep sleep as she didn¡¯t even wake up when ric moved her. She even subconsciously rubbed her head against the soft pillow, and then fell back asleep again, hugging the covers in her arms. 6/9 When ric saw her like this, he couldn¡¯t help but reach out and gently pinch her soft cheek. She was so cute even when she was asleep. Her skin. was so soft and smooth; ric couldn¡¯t help but pinch it again. Just as he was about to extend his other hand to continue pinching her, Griselda said in a soft voice, ¡°Now, now. Are you trying to wake her up?¡± Hearing this, ric¡¯s movement paused, and then he awkwardly cleared his throat. ¡°No, Grandma. I¡¯m not.¡± Griselda then motioned for ric to take her outside in her wheelchair. He obliged, and as soon as they left the room, Griselda¡¯s voice returned to its normal volume. ¡°That little girl said she wanted to hear me tell a story, but she fell asleep before I even got halfway through. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I¡¯m a boring storyteller or if she hasn¡¯t been getting enough rest 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider ¡°It¡¯s probably because she hasn¡¯t been getting enough rest,¡± ric responded. ¡°She¡¯s got pretty bad dark circles under her eyes.¡± ¨¤477%? Earlier, when he pinched her cheeks, he noticed that her dark circles were especially pronounced. It was probably because she had pale skin. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Griselda asked. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she been getting enough N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. rest? Have you been bullying her?¡± ric was dumbfounded. ¡°Bullying her? Me? I wouldn¡¯t dare. If only she didn¡¯t bully me. Since we were kids, she¡¯s always been the one to get the upper hand.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Griselda snorted. ¡°You¡¯re a boy. So, what if you¡¯re bullied? You¡¯re even acting like you¡¯re the one who¡¯s been wronged.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± ric protested. ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± 7/9 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun 877% Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re not allowed to bully her. That girl is really dear to me. Even though she¡¯s not my real granddaughter, I swear she¡¯s just as important to me as if she were.¡± 8/9 ric didn¡¯t argue with that. Everyone could see it for what it was. ¡°Mmm.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been asleep. She just felt really tired and the bed wasfortable. When she woke up, she hadn¡¯t even opened her eyes yet when she stretchedzily. After she was done stretching, she suddenly realized something and opened her eyes wide, only to be met with ric¡¯s smiling gaze. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± he asked. ric? Victoria was surprised to see him sitting on the edge of her bed. When she looked around the room, she recognized it as Griselda¡¯s. 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 43 I¡¯m Not an Outsider ¡°Where¡¯s Grandma?¡± she asked while cing her hand on her forehead, feeling annoyed at herself. ¡°How did I fall asleep?¡± 77% 9/9 ¡°Grandma went for a medical examination,¡± ric exined while looking at her. ¡°How could you fall asleep while she was telling you a story? No one else does that but you.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 The story¡­ That managed to jog Victoria¡¯s memory. She had been listening to stories of Griselda¡¯s youth and was enjoying herself too, but all of a sudden, she started feeling drowsy. However, she didn¡¯t have the heart to cut Griselda off, so she forced herself to stay awake and carry on listening. Victoria had no idea when she fell asleep. She began to feel bad about it. I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep. Do you think Grandma is upset with me?¡± ¡°Grandma loves you so much. What do you think?¡± 1/11 11:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me Q ric told Victoria about Griselda not letting him wake Victoria up when he came over. Victoria lowered her eyes and chuckled lightly. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± 77% In her newly awakened state, Victoria seemed rather naive and clueless. ric noticed this and tapped her on the forehead. ¡°What goes on in that head of yours all day long?¡± 2/11 Victoria stiffened. She was still feeling a little bleary¨Ceyed earlier, but her head was clear now. She gently massaged her forehead as she stared at ric with a nk look in her eyes. There were times when ric¡¯s gestures confused her. She would even get the illusion that he might begin to develop a tiny bit of feelings for her after being with her for so long. Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me This illusion appeared frequently in the past two years, but it would only 3/11 However, as time passed and the two of them started forming a connection, she began to lose herself in the rtionship and truly believed that they would be together forever. s, she was hit in the face with reality. As long as udia came back, she would always be ric¡¯s first choice. Victoria¡¯s gaze grew colder as she set her hand down and lowered her eyes without saying anything. ric¡¯s smile grew faint as well. Even though she didn¡¯t speak, he sensed that her attitude had turned icier. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me Victoria shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just feel a little hazy after my nap.¡± She wanted to get out of bed, and upon noticing this, ric raised his hand to pull her up. However, as soon as he stretched his hand out, Victoria immediately pulled back as if she had been stung. All at once, both ric and Victoria froze. ¡°Is this what you mean by ending the fight?¡± Victoria looked up and saw the cold smirk on ric¡¯s face, and the coldness in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± She sat up by herself. Nevertheless, her apology aplished nothing as the atmosphere between the two became chilly again due to the way she avoided him. 4/11 Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me She nced at ric¡¯s unpleasant expression and secretly sighed to herself. 5/11 Things might even get worse between the two if they both stuck around until Griselda was done with her medical checkup, so Victoria suggested, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that earlier. But anyway, Grandma should being out soon, right? Why don¡¯t you head back first?¡± The air around ric became even colder. ¡°What did you say?¡± After a pause, she exined, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to chase you away, but do you want Grandma to see you this way? You¡¯ll still have to work this afternoon anyway. I¡¯ll exin things to Grandma for you.¡± The room became eerily silent. Victoria looked down. She didn¡¯t say anything else. Eventually, ric walked off. Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me He was most likely fuming, but even when he left, he managed to rein himself in and didn¡¯t m the door behind him. Victoria took a deep breath and tried her best topose herself. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. 6/11 Seems like it¡¯ll be hard to call a truce when the cracks have already appeared. I just need to bear with it for a few more days. Everything will be fine after that. Victoria hoped that when the time came, Griselda would be able to ept the news calmly. When Griselda came back and asked about ric, Victoria told her that he went back to the office, and she nodded understandingly. She evenmented, ¡°My guess is he wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to Victoria was startled. Is that true? Did he onlye over because I¡¯m here? Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me 7/11 However, she quickly denied that possibility. It wasn¡¯t important whether or not he did. Either way, they were going to get a divorce. There was no point in dwelling on the things that would not change the final decision. ric headed back to the office with a grim expression. His anger festered inside him throughout the journey, and as soon as he got back to his office, he took off his jacket and flung it onto the couch. His assistant, who had followed him in, jumped in fright. He was considering turning right back out when a thought urred to him, so he remained standing where he was. It took ric a long time to calm himself down. When he turned around and saw his assistant standing in his office, he snapped, ¡°What are you Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me doing here?¡± His assistant cowered ever so slightly before putting a lunchbox on the table. ric frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He was frazzled enough as it was. ¡°It¡¯s lunch that Miss Johnson lovingly prepared for you, Mr. Cadogan. I was dropping her off and she shoved it over to me when I wasn¡¯t paying attention. She told me to bring it back to you.¡± ric¡¯s assistant was disgruntled when he brought this up. He was about to leave after dropping udia off when she shoved the lunchbox to him and said it was for him before scampering off. The assistant didn¡¯t know what to do since he had already declined it 8/11 Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me earlier. He figured he couldn¡¯t possibly throw it away. In the end, he brought it back. Lovingly prepared? ric had been in such a funk that he didn¡¯t even get the chance to grab lunch. Initially, when he got to the nursing home and took Griselda to lunch, he purposely avoided eating because he wanted to have lunch with Victoria when she woke up. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d get the cold shoulder from her instead. He didn¡¯t get to have lunch, but he filled up on anger instead. 9/11 A lovingly prepared lunch wouldn¡¯t cut it. Even if a three¨Cstar Michelin chef came over to cook for him, he would still be too enraged to eat anything. ric loosened his tie and said darkly, ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten. You can have it.¡± Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me ¡°Oh.¡± His assistant eyed him before shaking his head. ¡°I better not, Mr. Cadogan. Miss Johnson lovingly prepared this lunch, especially for you. I wouldn¡¯t dream of even having a bite.¡± ric didn¡¯t expect that response. He looked at his assistant through narrowed eyes as he asked icily, ¡°Who allowed you to take the sarcastic tone with me?¡± His voice was so chilly that his assistant lost all his spunk and mmed 1. up. ¡°Get out.¡± The assistant pursed his lips and walked out of the office. 10/11 ric yanked off his tie and tossed it onto the couch before taking a seat as he snorted coldly. Chapter 44 Taking That Tone with Me What a fine day it is today, ric thought sarcastically. Not only did 11/11 Victoria brush him off, but even his assistant was beginning to talk back to him. Unexpectedly, his assistant knocked on the door just minutes after his departure. ¡°What now?¡± ric eyed his assistant coolly. His assistant held up an exquisite takeout bag and gulped. ¡°Someone from a restaurant just delivered this to the office. They said Miss Selwyn ordered lunch for you.¡± ¨C Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¡°Do you have nothing better to do or did you suddenly decide to be a deliveryman? Do you want to switch-¡± ric¡¯s sentence came to an abrupt halt when he finally registered what his assistant said earlier. His assistant said the name ¡®Miss Selwyn.¡® ¡°From whom did you say? Miss Selwyn?¡± His assistant nodded nkly. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what the deliveryman said.¡± At the same time, ric¡¯s phone buzzed. It was a text from Victoria. 1/12 ¡°Grandma said you didn¡¯t have lunch, so I ordered some food for you. I just got a message from the restaurant saying that it has been delivered. Did you get it?¡± Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me 2/12 ric¡¯s foul mood improved immensely when he saw the text, but even so, he murmured stiffly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying your best to avoid me? Why are acting all concerned about me now?¡± Then, he looked at his assistant. ¡°Bring it over.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± His assistant set the bag down on the table right beside udia¡¯s lovingly prepared lunch, which was an irksome sight, for some reason. After thinking about it, ric¡¯s assistant asked, ¡°You said you¡¯re giving me the lunch Miss Johnson made, right, Mr. Cadogan?¡± ¡°Mmhmm,¡± ric hummed curtly. Then, his assistant intentionally queried, ¡°But, since I¡¯m full, can I give the 11:12 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me food out to the others in the office instead? It wouldn¡¯t be good to waste food.¡± 77% 3/12 ric frowned at this question. His assistant thought the frown meant a rejection, but instead, he heard his boss retorting in irritation, ¡°I¡¯ve already given it to you so you can do whatever you want with it. Do you need to check with me over such a simple matter?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ric¡¯s assistant immediately took the lunchbox out with him as if he was afraid that his boss might regret it. udia came back again when it was nearly time to get off work. Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me After going home, she kept mulling things over and felt uneasy still. It was noon. He was supposed to be having lunch then. Why did he go out? Most importantly, he neglected me. Am I not the person he¡¯s indebted to? Am I not the most important person in the world to him? 4/12 He didn¡¯t even tell me what he was going out for. udia felt extremely on edge. When she walked past the assistants¡® area, she spotted ric¡¯s assistant and other employees busy at work, so she went in. ¡°Mr. Levane.¡± ric¡¯s assistant was a man named Peter Levane. When he looked up and saw udia, his mood soured. Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me Why¡¯s she here again? Nevertheless, Peter stood up and greeted coolly, ¡°Hello, Miss Johnson.¡± 5/12 ¡°Hello,¡± udia replied with a smile. ¡°So sorry to disturb you, but is Al back?¡± She tried her best to give a good impression because she wanted Peter to think favorably of her, lest he badmouthed her in front of ric. Peter paused before responding, ¡°Mr. Cadogan got back to the office at noon.¡± udia was taken aback. ¡°He was already back at noon?¡± Why didn¡¯t he tell me that he was back in the office? Feeling embarrassed, udia chuckled dryly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go in to see him Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me then.¡± She turned to leave. ¡°Wait, Miss Johnson.¡± 6/12 Peter took out the lunchbox he kept under his desk and went after udia. ¡°This is what you asked me to give Mr. Cadogan.¡± udia managed to smile again when she saw the lunchbox. She reached out for it. ¡°Since he came back at noon, did he eat the food? Did he mention how it tasted?¡± Peter¡¯s expression became a little strange. ¡°Mr. Cadogan said he had already eaten, Miss Johnson, so he gave the 877% Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me food to me. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to have it all to myself, so I shared it with the others in the office.¡± Peter paused and reflected for a moment before adding, ¡°Everyone thought it tasted pretty good.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± udia could barely keep the smile from sliding off her face when she heard what Peter said. Initially, she wanted to give it to Peter. She figured that since ric was busy and wouldn¡¯t being back, she would use it to curry favor with Peter instead. She didn¡¯t think that ric would end uping back to the office so quickly. 7/12 But he didn¡¯t eat the food I made. He even¡­ gave it to his assistant and the 11:12 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me other employees. udia felt as if someone had trampled upon her efforts and sincerity. ¡°Miss Johnson?¡± Peter looked at udia. ¡°Are you alright?¡± 77% udia snapped out of her reverie and forced herself to nod with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go in and see Al then.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss Johnson.¡± Once udia disappeared into the office, the smile on Peter¡¯s face instantly vanished. Knock¨CKnock- ¡°Come in.¡± 8/12 Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me The cool, indifferent voice rang out from the office. D udia opened the door and went in. She immediately saw ric, who was sitting at his desk with an aloof expression. ric gave off a different kind of attractiveness when he was working. The sleeves of his ck shirt were slightly ruffled, his tie had been tossed somewhere, and he had even undone two of his buttons, which allowed his corbones to peek out. His dark eyes, which were fixed on the screen in front of him, looked even more piercing than usual. udia had always known that ric had one¨Cin¨Ca¨Cmillion looks. He was wless in every way. Every part of his face from his features to his chiseled jaw was exquisite. His unblemished face was matched with an equally perfect physique, and he came from an incredibly elite background. Only a man like him was worthy of her. 77% 9/12 11:12 Mon, 19 Jun 77% Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me udia ended up standing in a daze for quite some time. It was only 10/12 when ric noticed the silence and looked up with a frown that she came back to her senses and walked over to him. ¡°udia?¡± ric¡¯s brows had furrowed as he focused on work, but when he saw udia, they smoothened out a little. ¡°Why did youe?¡± ric¡¯s cold, untouchable aura slowly dissipated. udia chuckled and said, ¡°I saw you leaving in a rush when I came to see you at noon, so I was a little worried and wanted to check on you before you got off work. How¡¯s your day been? Is everything alright?¡± ric¡¯s gaze became shrouded when he recalled what happened earlier. His tone became a lot cooler too. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. Next time, you don¡¯t need toe over in person. You 11:12 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me can just give me a call.¡± udia stiffened before lowering her head. Her mood dipped. ¡°Al¡­ did I cause trouble for you bying over to your office?¡± 0377% When ric saw udia looking despondent, he recalled the way she fearlessly jumped into the river to rescue him. As a result of that, she had gotten injured, lost consciousness, and nearly sacrificed her life. His heart softened at the recollection. ¡°You cane over any time you want. Why would you be any trouble?¡± 11/12 Upon hearing the way ric¡¯s tone softened, udia raised her head again and asked pitifully, ¡°Are you sure? You won¡¯t object to my presence?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Why would I object to your presence?¡± ric refuted. Chapter 45 You¡¯re So Good to Me She was the one who saved his life. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°In the future, you cane over to the office whenever you like.¡± Since udia got what she wanted, she wisely stopped the disy and rushed over to grab his hand. ¡°You¡¯re so good to me, Al.¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve died in the river back if it wasn¡¯t for you, so you can go ahead and ask anything of me. As long as it is within my means, I¡¯ll make sure it gets done.¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 As long as it¡¯s within his means¡­ udia nearly blurted out her request, but she managed to stop herself. I can¡¯t bring it up now. I need to keep my cool. Thus, she asked about Griselda instead. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to visit her yet ever since I got back. I want to visit her a few days from now. Is that okay?¡± ric frowned and opposed the idea. ¡°Wait a little longer first. I¡¯m worried that it might affect Grandma¡¯s condition.¡± udia¡¯s smile grew faint. Things were still the same. For some reason, 1/11 Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive Griselda didn¡¯t seem fond of her. However, as she saved ric before, Griselda did treat her with courtesy, but that was all. Griselda was pleasant and polite to her solely because she was ric¡¯s savior. Yet, Griselda treated Victoria as if thetter was her own granddaughter. This was something that udia could not ept. In the end, udia nodded obligingly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be for much longer anyway. She just needed to be patient. Victoria came back to the office after her break. 2/11 She had taken her annual leave in a rush, so even though she did her best Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive to hand off her work before going on her break, the person who took over from her wasn¡¯t skillful enough to handle everything. When she got back, she realized a lot of things had been overlooked. Thus, she was swamped with work as soon as she got back to the office. A whole pile of work was waiting for her. It was only at noon did Victoria finally have the time to take a break. Throughout the morning, Yasmin came in a few times to bring some drinks for her. At first, Yasmin brought her coffee and Victoria had absentmindedly taken a sip, but the moment the bitterness hit her tongue, she was reminded of something and set the cup down again without drinking anymore. When Yasmin came in again, she saw that the coffee hadn¡¯t been drunk yet and had gotten cold. 3/11 Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new cup of coffee, Miss Victoria,¡± Yasmin said. Victoria looked up from her work and said, ¡°From now on, bring me water instead of coffee, Yasmin.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yasmin thought she had misheard Victoria. ¡°Y¨CYou¡¯re not drinking coffee anymore?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not drinking it anymore.¡± Yasmin was a chatterbox, and when she heard Victoria¡¯s reply, she naturally asked, ¡°But why, Miss Victoria? Water won¡¯t help you stay alert.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t answer. She simply looked at Yasmin with a smile. 4/11 Yasmin realized btedly that she was prying, so she scratched her head awkwardly. ¡°Sorry about that, Miss Victoria. I¡¯ll get you water from now on.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Victoria buried herself in work again. Now that she thought about it, she knew she couldn¡¯t be drinking coffee anymore, and tea wasn¡¯t an option either. Her workload was heavy and if she did have any caffeine, she might end up consuming quite a lot throughout the day. Her best choice was to stick to water. Atst, when Victoria finally had time to take a break, she leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes in exhaustion. A few momentster, her phone started ringing. Victoria nced at the screen and saw that it was ric calling. She answered the phone. ¡°What is it? If it has to do with work, you can just use my officendline.¡± There was a short pause on the other end of the line as if her words stopped him in his tracks. 11:13 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive Then, the cool voice rang out. ¡°It¡¯s not work. Have you eaten lunch yet? If you haven¡¯t, thene over.¡± 77% 6/11 He spoke quickly and curtly. Victoria didn¡¯t expect him to invite her over for lunch. She nced at the looming pile of work on her desk and was just about to decline when she N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. heard another voiceing through the phone. ¡°You should use a gentler tone, Al. I made lunch for you too, Victoria. We¡¯re waiting for you.¡± Victoria¡¯s gaze hardened, but her voice sounded the same. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. You two can go ahead. I still have work to do, so don¡¯t wait for me.¡± She ended the call immediately after. 11:13 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive asked, ¡°Are you going out for lunch, Yasmin?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Victoria. Do you want toe along?¡± ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go together.¡± 0377% Victoria got her phone and purse before following Yasmin to the office cafeteria. Yasmin felt rather ttered as she walked beside Victoria. It was her first time having lunch with Victoria at the office cafeteria. She was thrilled and kept striking up a conversation with Victoria. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll like the food at the cafeteria, Miss Victoria? We can go out and eat too if you prefer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°The cafeteria¡¯s the closest so it¡¯s most convenient. We can head right back to work after eating.¡± 7/11 11:13 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive 8377% 8/11 ¡°Oh¡­¡± Now that work was brought up, Yasmin felt guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. If I¡¯d been able to do a better job, work wouldn¡¯t have piled up so much.¡± Victoria eyed Yasmin and didn¡¯t try tofort her. She was bound to resign once the divorce happened, and the only person under her supervision was Yasmin, so when she left, Yasmin would be promoted to rece her. In the past, Victoria had been quite lenient with Yasmin. She handled most of the work herself and allowed Yasmin to slowly learn on the job. However, that was no longer possible now. ¡°If you feel bad about it, then you should put more effort into learning this afternoon,¡± Victoria replied shortly. 11 13 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive ¡°I will. I¡¯ll do my best to ease your burden, Miss Victoria.¡± The two of them lined up to get their food. * 377%# While waiting in line, the crowd around them began whispering among themselves when they saw Victoria. Once she sat down, they began makingments loudly without regard for her presence. ¡°My, my. The wife of the president is having lunch at the cafeteria with everyone else. Does she think she¡¯s being so humble foring down from her pedestal?¡± ¡°Humble? Oh, please. Don¡¯t even call her the wife of the president. Have you ever seen the wife of the president working as a secretary? The future wife of the president is currently in Mr. Cadogan¡¯s office, okay?¡± They didn¡¯t bother keeping it quiet. It was as if they assumed that Victoria 9/11 11:13 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive 77% had fallen from grace and were purposely demeaning her in front of her. 10/11 ¡°You¡¯re talking about Miss udia Johnson from the Johnsons, right? I saw her yesterday. She brought lunch for Mr. Cadogan yesterday and she came over today too. She¡¯s so thoughtful and attentive.¡± ¡°I heard that she¡¯s the one that Mr. Cadogan actually wants to marry. Not only does shee from a good family, but she¡¯s also so beautiful, and most importantly, she saved Mr. Cadogan¡¯s life before.¡± ¡°As for that other person? She has nothing. Not only has her family gone bankrupt, but she even had to rely on Mr. Cadogan to get a job as a secretary here at Cadogan Group. She can¡¯t do anything for Mr. Cadogan.¡± Victoria quietly listened to the fervent discussion going on around her. She even agreed with thest thing she heard. It was true that her family wasn¡¯t of any help to ric when it came to the 11:13 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 46 Thoughtful and Attentive business. ng! 77% Yasmin, who was sitting opposite Victoria, couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She mmed her cutlery down and dered, ¡°They¡¯ve gone too far! I¡¯m going to confront them!¡± She stood up in a huff. However, Victoriamanded coolly, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go.¡± ¡°Miss Victoria!¡± Victoria¡¯s tone was indifferent but firm all the same. ¡°Sit down.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 E In the end, after staring at Victoria¡¯s unaffected expression, Yasmin reluctantly took her seat. That being said, she couldn¡¯t help but vent her dissatisfaction as she bit her lip and fumed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what they said, Miss Victoria? They went too far! I wish I could rip their tongues out.¡± ¡°And?¡± Victoria asked calmly. ¡°Start a fight just over a few words they said? What will they say next? Is it going to be that not only was I forced to eat lunch at the cafeteria, but I even got into a fight with the other employees at the cafeteria because they hit a raw nerve?¡± Yasmin frowned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention, Miss Victoria.¡± ¡°I know that, of course, but do you think you can aplish anything by confronting them? Regardless of whether or not you fight back, there¡¯s no This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. way for you to control whates out of someone else¡¯s mouth.¡± 1/11 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out Yasmin bit her lip. 9477% ¡°Well, I can¡¯t just sit back and listen to others spreading nder about you, Miss Victoria!¡± Victoria was quite touched to see Yasmin getting furious on her behalf. She never thought that her cowardly¨Cseeming assistant had a dominant side to her as well. She let out a helpless sigh. ¡°It doesn¡¯t quite count as nder.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What are you saying, Miss Victoria?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not wrong. My family went bankrupt and we can¡¯t be of help to ric ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡± Yasmin continued to defend Victoria. ¡°You being in the 2/11 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 77% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out anypany would soar to even greater heights with you around. What they¡¯re saying isn¡¯t true.¡± 3/11 ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Victoria cut Yasmin off and said, ¡°Just get on with your lunch. If you have so much energy, you might as well spend it on learning the job.¡± Since Victoria seemedpletely unbothered, Yasmin didn¡¯t want to Once they were done, Victoria and Yasmin walked through the crowd and left. All the while, Victoria¡¯s expression remained perfectly calm. ¡°Look at her acting as if she¡¯s unbothered. It looks as if she doesn¡¯t care that Mr. Cadogan¡¯s with another woman right now.¡± ¡°Tch. What do you mean she doesn¡¯t care? But even if she does, would it 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 77% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out 4/11 matter? She¡¯d still be abandoned anyway. She might as well keep her cool and maintain her dignity.¡± ¡°I bet she¡¯ll start crying her eyes out as soon as she gets back to her office.¡± The crowd at the cafeteria continued gossiping. s, Victoria was about to disappoint them. When she got back to the office, she didn¡¯t have any time to wallow in tears and self¨Cpity. She didn¡¯t even have time to dwell on these things that were supposed to upset her. There was too much work and she was about to resign soon, so she had to find someone to rece her. Even though she didn¡¯t n on having anything to do with ric in the future, he did help her during her time of crisis, so she wanted to have an amicable separation. 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 9 77% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out Therefore, the moment the two women got back to the office, Victoria began assigning a lot of tasks to Yasmin. Yasmin was shocked. ¡°T¨CThat much? What if I can¡¯t finish everything?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t show her any empathy. ¡°You¡¯ll have to stayte then.¡± Yasmin kept quiet. She dared not say anything, but she didn¡¯t think that Victoria was being hard on her either. Victoria was the one who hired her and mentored her. When the secretaries and assistants in otherpanies went out for business meetings, they would have to drink on their superior¡¯s behalf, and sometimes, they might even have to bear the brunt of other forms of harassment by¡¯unsavory and immoral people at such meetings. 5/11 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 877% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out However, she never experienced any of these things when she followed Victoria around. 6/11 Initially, she assumed that the people who were too afraid to touch Victoria would target her instead, and sure enough, the first time she went to a meeting with Victoria, she was the victim of verbal harassment. It was Yasmin¡¯s first foray into the workforce and her first encounter with such an incident, but as the other party was a client, she couldn¡¯t show her displeasure. She was so mad that she turned scarlet, but she couldn¡¯t say anything. It was then that Victoria, who was sitting beside her, eyed the other person coldly before stating, ¡°If you¡¯re not interested in discussing business, Mr. Weasel then we won¡¯t sit here and waste any more time.¡± Victoria pulled a startled Yasmin up with her and left the hotel despite the 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out 0476% The night breeze blew against them as Yasmin stared at Victoria in shock. ¡°I¨CIs it okay for us to just leave like that, Miss Victoria?¡± Victoria nced at her. ¡°What should we be doing then? Do you want to stick around?¡± Yasmin fervently shook her head. ¡°N¨CNo.¡± ¡°Exactly. Let¡¯s go.¡± Victoria gged down a cab and left with Yasmin. ¡°When you work with me, you don¡¯t need to hold back whenever you encounter these things. Otherwise, these sleazy men will keep takina 7/11 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun . 76% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out Therefore, in the time that Yasmin spent working with Victoria, she barely had to suffer any grievances. She knew that Victoria had to be giving her a mountain of work to do because thetter wanted to train her up. I mustn¡¯t let Miss Victoria down! After cheering herself on, she threw herself into her work. Knock, knock! 8/11 All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. Yasmin looked up and saw a pretty woman standing there. She was wearing a white dress, and her long hair cascaded elegantly down her shoulders. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Miss Selwyn.¡± 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 876% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out It¡¯s that woman, udia Johnson¨Cthe one who stayed in the office with 9/11 Mr. Cadogan when Miss Victoria was having a fever, and the subject of the Yasmin¡¯s attitude was cold as she recalled how frequent udia¡¯s visits to the office had been, which resulted in Victoria being ridiculed for having lunch at the cafeteria. ¡°Hello?¡± udia repeated when she didn¡¯t get a reply. Yasmin snapped out of her thoughts and responded curtly, ¡°Do you have a reason for wanting to see Miss Selwyn? She¡¯s busy with work right now and might not have time to entertain you.¡± udia heard the hostility in Yasmin¡¯s tone and her eyes shed viciously. She was just about to retort when a voice rang out. ¡°Come in.¡± 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Come Out 10/11 When udia went in, Victoria was still busy with work. She looked up and saw udia walking over with a lunchbox in hand. ¡°Are you swamped with work today, Victoria? No matter how busy you are, you should still have your lunch. Since you didn¡¯te over, I set some food aside for you.¡± udia ced the lunchbox on Victoria¡¯s desk. Victoria stiffened and said, ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± udia lowered her voice. ¡°You can¡¯t be worried that I¡¯d harm you, right? I won¡¯t do something as silly as that, Victoria. I just brought along some food for you.¡± Victoria eyed her coolly. 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 47 Tell Him to Corne Out bring me lunch either. I¡¯ll do as I said. You don¡¯t need to keep such a close eye on me.¡± 11/11 After a pause, Victoria pursed her lips and added, ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about it, you can just keep an eye on your ric every day. I won¡¯t be able to get close to him if you do that, right?¡± She didn¡¯t want to get close to him anyway. udia¡¯s smile faded a little. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to? Unfortunately, I can¡¯t enter Cadogan Residence yet.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Victoria remarked unhurriedly. ¡°You can¡¯t go in, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t tell him toe out, right?¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 udia froze. It wasn¡¯t as if she didn¡¯t think of that. She tried dropping hints, but she didn¡¯t know whether ric didn¡¯t pick up on them or whether he was merely pretending to not notice them. Either way, he didn¡¯t agree. udia couldn¡¯t be too forward either. What if he thinks I¡¯m an easy woman? Therefore, she had to just swallow this bitter pill. Victoria raised her eyebrows when udia didn¡¯t respond. In fact, she looked ashen¨Cfaced. ¡°Or are you picking on me because you can¡¯t get him to go out and meet 70 1/11 Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight you?¡± udia raised her head and red at Victoria. Victoria simply looked back at her in amusement. 2/11 ¡°Am I wrong? You don¡¯t need to do all these unnecessary things. You obviously despise me, and yet, you brought me lunch. Are you trying to prove to him how generous and magnanimous you are? My advice would be to save it. If the person you like doesn¡¯t like you simply because you don¡¯t seem magnanimous enough, then you should hurry up and switch to a different person.¡± Victoria¡¯s words hit udia¡¯s sore spot. udia clenched her fists. It was as if she wanted to smash Victoria into a pulp. Victoria¡¯s lips curved into a sweet smile. ¡°I still have work to do. If there¡¯s 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight nothing else, then you can leave now.¡± D udia was infuriated. She was beginning to regret her attempt at pretending to be a generous, open¨Cminded person. She wanted to mock Victoria, but at the same time, she was afraid that Victoria would be pissed enough to run her mouth in front of ric, so she forced herself to smile again. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so hostile toward me, Victoria. You agreed to my request, so we¡¯re even now. I just want to be friends with you and take care of you. After all, going by our ages, you could consider me an older sister-¡± Before she could finish, Victoria cut her off coldly. ¡°I¡¯m the only daughter in my family, Miss Johnson.¡± udia remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Alright. I guess today¡¯s menu isn¡¯t to your taste. I¡¯ll get going then.¡± 76% 3/11 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight She took her lunchbox and left. As soon as she was gone, Yasmin rushed in and asked angrily, ¡°Why did shee here, Miss Victoria? Did she bully you?¡± Victoria was startled. ¡°You don¡¯t like her?¡± Yasmin nodded heavily. 76% ¡°Of course! If it wasn¡¯t for her, those people at the cafeteria wouldn¡¯t have said those things about you, Miss Victoria. I hate her!¡± Victoria briefly stared at Yasmin in silence before asking, ¡°Do you n to stay at this job for long?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yasmin dered with a smile. ¡°I like it here. As long as Cadogan Group doesn¡¯t fire me, then I¡¯ll keep working here.¡± Victoria¡¯s expression turned grim. 4/11 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight ¡°Since you like it here, you should keep your emotions in check.¡± Yasmin was startled by the way Victoria¡¯s expression and tone became cold so abruptly. ¡°W¨CWhat?¡± 76% 5/11 ¡°Do you know what rtionship she and ric will have in the future? Do you know whether you can afford to offend her or not? If you want to keep your job here, rein in your emotions. Don¡¯t put them on full disy all the time.¡± Victoria¡¯s tone was so harsh and merciless that Yasmin was in shock. Her eyes slowly turned red as she stood frozen in ce. She couldn¡¯t understand why Victoria was berating her when she was just taking Victoria¡¯s side. ¡°M¨CMiss Victoria, I¡¯m not trying to let my emotions show, I just¡­ I just don¡¯t like hearing other people saying bad things about you, and that woman-¡± Victoria¡¯s frown¡¯deepened and her tone became even harsher. 11:14 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight ¡°It seems to me that you still don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying, so listen carefully now. At the end of the day, you¡¯re just an employee at Cadogan Group. How are we rted? Why would I need you to stand up for me?¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes were filled to the brim with tears, but she bit down hard on her lip to stop them from falling out. The office fell into pin¨Cdrop silence. After a while, there was the sound of someone clearing his throat. ¡°Ahem!¡± Victoria looked up and realized that Noel was standing outside the door. She didn¡¯t know when he came over. Thus, Victoria turned back to Yasmin andmanded curtly, ¡°Go back to work.¡± 6/11 1114 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight Yasmin nodded. She didn¡¯t dare to disobey Victoria. As she brushed past Noel, he could see her pitiful drops of tears finally rolling down her cheeks. Once she left, Victoria asked, ¡°Did you need something, Noel?¡± Noel came in and closed the door behind him. 76% He looked at Victoria a little helplessly. ¡°Did you have to speak so harshly? Even though you meant well, you run the risk of getting your intentions misinterpreted.¡± Victoria lowered her eyes. Her expression remained indifferent. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not she misunderstands it. Either way, I¡¯ll be leaving soon enough.¡± If I didn¡¯t take a harsher tone with her, then she¡¯d still be stuck inside her 7/11 Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight naive world. How will she survive if she doesn¡¯t be more mature? Victoria spoke with a matter¨Cof¨Cfact tone, but it was enough for Noel to pause ever so slightly. After cing the document that he brought with him on her desk, he pretended to ask offhandedly, ¡°Are you getting ready to leave? When?¡± She didn¡¯t keep anything from Noel, apart from her fake marriage to ric and the baby. She pressed her lips and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t decided exactly when yet, but it¡¯ll happen soon.¡± Noel cocked an eyebrow and said nothing. Even though she hadn¡¯t fixed a time, she said it was happening soon, and the attitude she took when she scolded Yasmin today was a solid clue as well. 8/11 Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight 9/11 She¡¯s probably leaving thepany within a month. Seems to me that it¡¯s time for me to make my ns too. Upon noticing that Noel was silent in thought, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What are you thinking about, Noel?¡± Noel quickly snapped out of his thoughts. He looked at her without saying anything. Victoria was apprehensive. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking about resigning.¡± The very possibility of this startled her. However, Noel simply gave her an unreadable smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I wasn¡¯t thinking about that.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t want to press him on the subject. Some things were beyond Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight 10/11 the realm of their rtionship, and she didn¡¯t want to dive deep into Noel¡¯s thoughts. Seeing that she fell silent, Noel said reassuringly, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry. Just focus on your matters first. Do you really n on leaving just like that?¡± Noel¡¯s gaze shed enigmatically. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, but you spent two years with him. Are you leaving the moment shees back? Isn¡¯t that a bit too weak of you? It makes it seem as if you¡¯re a pushover.¡± Noel paused before he frowned and slowly continued, ¡°Victoria, you¡¯ve never been the type of person to allow anyone to bulldoze over you like that. Why is it that whenever he¡¯s involved, you be¡­¡± Victoria lowered her eyes. Chapter 48 Meaningless to Try and Fight It was true. Whenever the situation involved him, she would shrink back and be entirely helpless. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯te up with a way to stand up for herself, but she knew that she wasn¡¯t the one he held in his heart, so she thought it was meaningless to try and fight for his affection. She knew that ric wasn¡¯t going to give up on his feelings for udia simply because of her own attempts to win his heart, and she had more self¨Crespect than to love someone who didn¡¯t love her. 11/11 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 76% After staying in Victoria¡¯s office for long enough, Noel decided it was time for him to make a move, but when he walked out the door, he ran into ric and udia as they were about to leave their office as well. ric seemed a little tense the moment he saw Noel, his¨Cbody giving off a cold and chilly aura as he red at him unhappily. At the same time, udia could also sense ric¡¯s hostility when she saw Noel exiting Victoria¡¯s office not far away. ¡°It seems that Mr. Javier and Victoria are pretty close to each other. As far as I can remember, they even hung out together for a meal a few days ago.¡± While ric only raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips in silence, udia went on with her opinion upon noticing the emotionless look on the man¡¯s face. ¡°If you ask me, Mr. Javier seems to treat Victoria pretty well. Ever since the Selwyn Family went bankrupt, everyone else avoided her like she was an alien, but he got into the samepany as her, not to 1/8 Chapter 49 Let Go! mention the fact that he continued to keep in touch with her. Back then, I thought it was just a rumor when they said Victoria¡¯s father treated Mr. Javier like his son¨Cinw, but now¡­ I might¡¯ve been wrong.¡± udia didn¡¯t press on any further after speaking her mind, thinking she had done enough to sabotage ric¡¯s impression of Victoria. Since I can¡¯t do much to stop Victoria, I must do all I can to sway ric into forgetting about her. As udia expected, ric¡¯s face darkened the moment she finished her words, which implied that her words had gotten to him. However, she didn¡¯t appear to be happy at all, for ric¡¯s reaction was something she didn¡¯t expect. Because of that, she didn¡¯t dare let ric know that Victoria was pregnant. It looks like I have to speed things up a little. Later that night, ric exited the bathroom in a bathrobe covering his lower torso. With his upper body revealed, he grabbed a towel and dried 2/8 11:15 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 49 Let Go! his wet hair. When he entered the bedroom, he noticed the light inside was still on. 3/8 In the meantime, Victoria was still busy with her work, typing away on her please look into that and send it back to me after amending it.¡± She spoke faintly and gave out instructions every once in a while, her fingers tapping the keyboard rapidly at the same time. Seeing that, ric stopped drying his hair, feeling unhappy. It wasn¡¯t until Victoria finished her call and stopped that he approached her and asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have finished your work earlier today?¡± Victoriq didn¡¯t even look up as she replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t manage to.¡± Because of that, she had to work overtime so that Yasmin could catch up at work. Despite the sacrifice, she reckoned it was necessary for the sake of her assistant. 11:15 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 49 Let Go! Victoria had her head down, and her long eyshes happened to block 76% ric from observing her eyes. She then looked up and took her eyes off theptop screen, fixing her gaze on the man¡¯s face upon hearing his indifferent voice. At the same time, ric, who was standing, set his eyes on her from above like he was Victoria¡¯s master, radiating a chilly aura that implied that he was unhappy. 4/8 Nevertheless, she quickly understood the meaning behind his words with just one look in his eyes. She soon closed herptop and tapped one of her wireless earphones. ¡°Ah, you want to go to bed now, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ll head to the study now.¡± As soon as Victoria finished her words, she immediately got off the bed with herptop in hand. Little did ric know Victoria was as calm as a cat in that instant, for all she wanted was to finish her task and see Yasmin improve at work. Nheless, when she walked past him, she heard a sarcastic question 11:15 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 49 Let Go! from him. ¡°Was it because you didn¡¯t have enough time? Or was it because there was something else more important than the work that you had to spend all your time on it?¡± 76% 5/8 Victoria stopped in her tracks. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She was standing a few steps away from ric, their backs facing each other. Without turning around, the woman mped herptop under her armpit. ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that I wasn¡¯t being serious at work?¡± ¡°Were you?¡± ric sniggered. ¡°If you were serious, you wouldn¡¯t have to work overtime at home.¡± At ric¡¯s words, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was wrong with the man. For the next few moments, neither of them turned around as they stood with their backs facing each other in a stalemate. Not long after that, ric sniggered again and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Did you have a good time chatting with Noel?¡± 11:15 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 49 Let Go! 76% When Victoria heard ric¡¯s words, she quickly realized the reason for his strange behavior. Haha! His ego is ying tricks on him again. As usual, Victoria had no intention of engaging in an argument with ric, so she walked away without bothering to exin. 6/8 Nevertheless, Victoria immediately felt a strong grip on her wrist and was pulled backward in the next second. Before she could react, she found herself in ric¡¯s arms just as herptop fell onto the ground. Then, she was pinned down on the bed by the man with her hands restrained by him above her head. ¡°What are you doing, ric?¡± She struggled in an attempt to free herself, but that only made ric tighten his grip even more and ce his knee on her legs to stop her from kicking wildly. On the other hand, Victoria grew so angry that she sank her teeth into ric¡¯s arm. Despite the man¡¯s firm muscles, they did very little in protecting him from thedy¡¯s sharp teeth. In a matter of seconds, he quickly felt the pain that ran through every nerve in his arm, raising his eyebrows high in agony. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 49 Let Go! ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°Never!¡± Victoria replied vaguely. ¡°Snowball! Let go!¡± ric responded irritably. 8.76% Victoria unknowingly loosened her jaw, stunned by the nickname. At the same time, ric seized the opportunity and grabbed her chin. He then held her chin tightly and forced her to look him in the eye. Deep down, only Victoria knew it was because of the recent incident that she bit ric¡¯s arm until it bled. Therefore, blood could be seen dripping from the corner of her mouth, and her fair skin made it seem even scarier. On the other hand, ric looked at his arm and saw an obvious bite mark on his skin. He smiled cially at Victoria. ¡°Did you have to bite so hard, Snowball? Where is your conscience?¡± ¡°Speaking of conscience, you should let me go if you¡¯re a man of one,¡± 7/8 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 076% Chapter 49 Let Go! Victoria replied, surprised to hear ric calling her nickname. After all, he hadn¡¯t done so in a while. Before they became a couple, ric would call her that whenever he lectured her after she pissed him off, but now, that nickname simply felt different, considering the circumstances. 8/8 Looking at the man who tried to intimidate her, Victoria smiled and asked, ¡°What does it concern you about me and Noel? Your desperate look tells me you¡¯re jealous, but are you?¡± 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? Chapter 50 Chapter 50 a8 76%E 1/9 Jealous? As ric thought about it, he was startled. Then, he pressed her lips with his finger and said deeply, ¡°So what if I¡¯m jealous? Don¡¯t forget that you are still my wife.¡± His voice was raspy and alluring. As he spoke, he slowly leaned in closer to her. He was so close that Victoria could feel his hot breath against her face. Just as their lips were about to touch, Victoria spoke up. ¡°So, what if I¡¯m legally your wife? What right do you have to be jealous?¡± ric stopped in his tracks upon hearing her words. Looking at his reaction, Victoria smiled disdainfully. ¡°Let me rephrase that. If you get jealous because of me, what will be of udia?¡± When ric heard her talking about another person, his lust vanished. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? 176% Since he didn¡¯t expect her to bring udia up, his eyes turned cold as he spoke. ¡°Why are you bringing her up?¡± 2/9 ¡°Am I not allowed to? Why must you bring up Noel, then?¡± After he heard her words, ric kept quiet. After looking at each other in silence, ric released her and got out of bed. On the other hand, Victoria propped herself up and looked at her wrists. Both her wrists were red from where ric had grasped her. ¡°That¡¯s rough of him,¡± Victoria mumbled as she got out of bed and picked up theptop on the floor. Since the device had been thrown to the ground, she opened it to check if everything worked fine. A minuteter, she realized herptop was broken since she couldn¡¯t get it to start. That¡¯s just great. It looks like I can¡¯t work tonight. ¨C 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? Thinking about this, she sighed and took out her phone. ¡®Let¡¯s stop here since something¡¯s wrong with myptop. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow at the 3/9 While she was tidying up, ric stood beside her the entire time. Although he was emitting a cold aura, he didn¡¯t leave the room. Seeing that she had kept herptop away, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to work?¡± When Victoria heard his words, she red at him angrily and bellowed, ¡°How can I work when myptop is broken? What am I supposed to work with?¡± ric was startled when he heard her words. After a while, he approached her and reached his hand out. ¡°Let me have a look at it.¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria refused. She didn¡¯t want him to touch herptop when he was the one who had broken it. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? Hearing the angry tone in her voice, ric gulped and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a new one.¡± 76% 4/9 At that, Victoria found it funny. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t afford it?¡± Then, she realized that she needed the money after having a child. The cost of a thought about it, her words took a turn. ¡°Send the money to me on PayPal.¡± When ric heard her words, he was surprised by the change in her attitude. After all, she was suddenly willing to ept several thousand from him when she refused his checks worth millions back then. Thinking about this, he took out his phone and wired her seven grand. He would have given her more money if there wasn¡¯t a transaction limit. Once Victoria received the notification on her phone, she took it out and read it. When she realized ric had given her seven grand, she frowned and said, ¡°This is way too much money.¡± 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 1076% Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? ric pursed his lips and quickly found an excuse since he was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t ept the money. ¡°This ispensation for what I did.¡± Victoria clicked her tongue and epted the money. Then, she returned 6,000 to him and said, ¡°I only need 1,000 for theptop. I only take what I need.¡± When ric saw that she had given him back the remaining money, he lowered his eyes without saying a word. She¡¯s trying to keep things clear between us all of a sudden. Does she have to do this? Is it because of¡­ him? The next day, Victoria spent a few hundred dors to repair herptop. Since she wouldn¡¯t be staying in thepany for long, she decided she wouldn¡¯t need to buy a newptop. After all, it would be a waste of money. With that, she had breakfast with Yasmin. While they sat in the breakfast shop, Victoria was still talking about work. 5/9 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 876% Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? While Yasmin heard her talk, she drank her soy milk resignedly as she looked at Victoria. For some reason, she felt that Victoria had been working hard as ofte. Moreover, she had been teaching her remarkable things. As Yasmin thought about it, she swallowed her food and asked, ¡°Can I ask Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g you something, Miss Victoria?¡± Victoria nced at her when she heard the question and said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Then, Yasmin looked around carefully and leaned closer to Victoria as she spoke. ¡°Are you leaving thepany?¡± She catches on quite fast, thought Victoria. Thinking about it, she pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. On the other hand, Yasmin was nervous when she saw Victoria¡¯s expression. ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t mean to pry into your business, Miss Victoria. It¡¯s just 6/9 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? 76% that you¡¯ve been working hardtely and teaching me many things. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve made such a conclusion.¡± 7/9 However, Victoria reckoned it was fine to tell Yasmin about it. ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t deny Yasmin¡¯s words. ¡°That is why you have to pay attention to what I have taught you since there isn¡¯t much time left.¡± ¡°Miss Victoria¡­¡± Yasmin widened her eyes in disbelief. After Victoriapleted her work, she closed theptop and said faintly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell the others about this.¡± Yasmin nodded dumbly. At that moment, she felt a huge wave of sadness overwhelming her. No wonder Miss Victoria was so angry with me yesterday. I was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t know what I had done to make her mad. Now that I know, she must have known she was leaving and feared that she couldn¡¯t protect me anymore. Thus, she didn¡¯t want me to offend the others. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? Thinking about it, Yasmin bit her lip and looked at the expressionless Victoria. ¡°Are you going to get a divorce with Mr. Cadogan, Miss Victoria?¡± 8/9 she whispered. After all, why would Miss Victoria leave thepany if they aren¡¯t getting divorced? Is it because of udia? Victoria nced at her resignedly and said, ¡°It looks like you did not remember anything I told you yesterday.¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡± Yasmin bit her lips harshly, almost drawing blood. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave.¡± Listening to her words, Victoria fell silent momentarily before saying, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sad about. This is just how life works.¡± ¡°¨C¡± Before she could finish her words, Victoria cut her off. ¡°Hurry up and finish your food. We still have work to do in thepany.¡± 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 50 Why Are You Jealous? When Yasmin heard her words, she could only lower her head and stuff the food in her mouth, looking depressed. Before she knew about this matter, she had been eating happily. However, the delicious food tasted nd now. 9/9 After breakfast, the duo went back to thepany. When Victoria entered the building and saw the calendar on the big screen, she slowed down. There are still six days left before Grandma¡¯s surgery. Ah, time flies. I hope everything will be alright, be it Grandma¡¯s surgery or the divorce between ric and me. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True 76% Although Victoria had rejected udia yesterday, she still insisted on bringing her food. As Victoria watched udia act like a good person, she couldn¡¯t help but find it hrious. While she didn¡¯t want to expose udia, she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge her either. ¡°You must be weak from the illness, Victoria. I made some chicken broth for you. Don¡¯t you want to have a taste?¡± Hearing her words, Victoria propped her hand against her chin as she watched udia. There isn¡¯t anyone here, so why is she still putting on an act? Isn¡¯t she tired? Thinking about this, she put down her pen and looked at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± 1/9 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True 76% Although she asked if udia was fed up with pretending to be a person she wasn¡¯t, udia ignored the implication of Victoria¡¯s words and changed the subject. ¡°Why would I be tired? It is a wonderful feeling to cook for the person you love and watch as he finishes your food.¡± 2/9 Seemingly as if she wanted to make Victoria angry, udia added, ¡°When you have someone who loves you, you will know what I am talking about, Victoria. I¡¯m willing to cook for him for the rest of my life if I have to.¡± After she finished her words, she stared at Victoria, trying to see if she¡¯d lose her cool. However, Victoria was calm after hearing udia¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, is that so? Well then, I hope your wish will soone true.¡± At that moment, udia felt like she had punched the air and was frustrated by the empty feeling. Why does this always happen to me? I keep crossing the line, but she 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True always stays calm. It makes me wonder if I¡¯m the one who only cares about this! 76% 3/9 At that moment, Yasmin entered the room. When she saw udia, she was going to say something but remembered what Victoria had scolded her about. Hence, she held back and said, ¡°Mr. Levane is here to see you, Miss Victoria.¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± As soon as Peter entered the room, he looked delighted when he saw udia. ¡°Are you here too, Miss Johnson?¡± udia was slightly surprised by his enthusiasm. Is he on my side because I treated him to a meal yesterday? If that¡¯s the case, that meal didn¡¯t cost me much. ¡°Did you prepare lunch again, Miss Johnson? Are you going to give it to 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True Miss Selwyn?¡± 76% Although Victoria didn¡¯t know what was happening between them, she could guess by looking at Peter¡¯s reaction. However, Victoria wasn¡¯t mad about it. As the saying went, a talented person would choose a patron of integrity. Judging by what was happening, everyone could tell that udia would be the ultimate Mrs. Cadogan. Thus, it would only be normal for them to try and get close to her, so Victoria wouldn¡¯t get mad over this. However, what Peter did next was not what she had expected. Suddenly, Peter pointed at the food container and asked, ¡°Miss Johnson¡¯s cooking is the best, Miss Selwyn. Everyone in the office says that it¡¯s delicious. Don¡¯t you want to have some?¡± ¡°No, thanks. I have already eaten,¡± replied Victoria as she shook her head. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat it, can I have it instead?¡± 4/9 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True 76% Hearing his words, Victoria was startled since she didn¡¯t expect him to ask for it. Then, she nced at udia before nodding. ¡°Go ahead.¡± 5/9 ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± As Peter spoke, he grabbed the food container and looked at udia happily. ¡°Your cooking is the best, Miss Johnson. Say, the others are dying to taste your food again. Would it be fine if you were to make some food for us every day?¡± When udia heard his words, she was dumbfounded and thought she had misheard him. ¡°W¨CWhat?¡± Are they asking me to bring more food? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t let you do all the work for free. Just tell us how much it would cost you.¡± Peter grinned and showed off his teeth. Hearing his words, Victoria looked at ric¡¯s assistant, in bewilderment. At that moment, she wondered if he was trying to get on udia¡¯s good or bad side. After all, there was something off with his words. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True Meanwhile, udia had a grim expression on her face. 76% 6/9 How much will it cost me to make the food? What do they think of me? A maid? udia thought that Peter already knew about the situation, but she didn¡¯t expect him to mock her. The worst part was that she couldn¡¯t even sh out at him. After all, she still wasn¡¯t Mrs. Cadogan. In that split second, udia forced a smile and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to pay me for such a small matter. If you guys like it so much, I¡¯ll start preparing lunch for you guys tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Peter¡¯s eyes lit up at her words. ¡°Would it be troublesome for you to do so, Miss Johnson? Plus, will Mr. Cadogan agree to this? I¡¯m afraid that he might scold us.¡® ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will talk to him about this,¡± udia said awkwardly. ¡°Well then, I thank you on their behalf, Miss Johnson.¡± 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True After some time, udia couldn¡¯t stand being in Victoria¡¯s office and left 76% hastily. After she was gone, the office fell silent, and Peter immediately put the food container on the table in disgust. 7/9 Looking at his reaction, Victoria was confused. ¡°Who wants to eat her food? It¡¯s all processed food, yet she ims that she made it on her own,¡± Peter said disdainfully. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you¡­¡± Victoria trailed off. Knowing she was confused, Peter smiled at her and replied, ¡°I¡¯m helping you, Miss Selwyn. I only approve of you as Mrs. Cadogan.¡± When Victoria heard his words, she was speechless. After all, Peter was a nice guy. Since they were a secretary and an assistant, they worked independently and had tough workloads. asionally, they would even go on business trips together. Peter was an outgoing and nice colleague, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be on her side. 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun 0 3 76%¡ã Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Selwyn. I will always believe in you regardless of what others say about you. Don¡¯t fail me now.¡± At that moment, Victoria didn¡¯t know what to say since she knew she would disappoint him. Moreover, he offended udia with his words. Fortunately, he had some authority on ric¡¯s side, so ric wouldn¡¯t punish him for what he did. However, on second thought, there might be a possibility since udia had saved ric before. Thinking about this, she immediately said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t be so reckless about this in the future.¡± Peter was stunned when he heard her words. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, Miss Selwyn. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m being reckless. Plus, I didn¡¯t do anything to her. She wanted to treat me to a meal, and it tasted fine. Since I think she is kind¨Chearted, I gave her a proposal, and she epted it. No one can say anything bad about me.¡± 8/9 11:16 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 51 May Your Wish Come True 876% ¡°So, what about it?¡± Victoria frowned. ¡°Do you think you are smart by doing this? You know ric¡¯s personality when you have been by his side for many years. Don¡¯t do such things in the future, and don¡¯t say you will be on my side anymore.¡± 9/9 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 udia left Victoria¡¯s office with a grim expression. Her hands were trembling as she gripped her dress. 61 She never thought that even Peter, a lowly assistant, would dare humiliate her. Although she didn¡¯t sh out at him, she knew she couldn¡¯t look past this matter either. Thus, as soon as she entered the office, she couldn¡¯t help but spill everything that had happened to ric. She wasn¡¯t didn¡¯t budge after udia was done talking. ¡°Al?¡± udia looked at him in confusion. That was when she realized his pupils were dted, and he seemed to be in a daze even though he was staring at hisptop. She called his name with a sigh. Only then did ric snap out of his trance and look at her while frowning. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart Hearing his words, udia became speechless and thought, I¡¯ve returned for some time and have been talking to him all this while. Was he oblivious to all this? 2/9 As she thought about it, her face turned slightly pale while she forced a smile. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been back for quite some time. I was talking to you, but you weren¡¯t listening. Is something the matter?¡± she asked cautiously. At this point, ric had already regained his senses. When he heard her words, he shook his head and said faintly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Then, he frowned deeply when he saw that the food container in her hands was gone. ¡°Did she ept your food?¡± Didn¡¯t she send it back yesterday? he thought. Hearing his question, udia shook her head. ¡°No, she still doesn¡¯t want to eat the food I made. Say, Al, does my food taste bad?¡± Honestly, ric wasn¡¯t picky about what he ate. To him, food was just D .76% Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart something for him to gain energy. Hence, he couldn¡¯t tell if her cooking was terrible or not. However, since she had saved his life before, he wouldn¡¯t simply just give her an answer. Instead, he said softly, ¡°No. Don¡¯t overthink it. However, if she didn¡¯t ept the food, where did it go?¡± 3/9 Initially, ric only wanted to know what happened to the food container. However, for some reason, he felt at ease when he knew that Victoria refused to eat what udia had cooked. He didn¡¯t know why, though. udia told him what had happened again. ¡°I see,¡± he hummed in response. Turns out that Peter ate the food. No wonder she returned without it. After that, ric kept quiet. udia waited for some time before realizing that ric made no move to do anything. Then, she called him again. ¡°Al¡­¡± Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ric looked at her. When udia saw his usual expression, she couldn¡¯t say the words she wanted to. Thus, she held back and replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± 4/9 Hearing her words, ric went back to thinking. Then, he seemed to be irritated by something as he raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. At this moment, udia saw a bite mark on his arm. Immediately, her expression changed as she asked, ¡°Did you hurt your arm, Al?¡± Hearing her words, ric paused and followed her gaze along his arm. When he saw that he had identally shown the marks on his arm, he couldn¡¯t help but remember how Victoria had bitten him yesterday. At that moment, his head throbbed in pain. Then, he tugged on his sleeve and replied faintly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart Lies! udia thought. Although she had only seen half of the wound on his arm, she was sure it was a teeth mark. Why did he have a bite mark on his arm? A guy couldn¡¯t have done this, right? That only means¡­ 5/9 At that moment, her face turned pale as she realized that Victoria had not kept her promise! The next day, udia went to confront Victoria under the guise of bringing food to her. ¡°Is this how you repay me, Victoria?¡± On the other hand, Victoria, who was waiting for her to put up an act, frowned when she heard udia¡¯s usation. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Stop faking it!¡± udia snapped as she gripped the food container tightly. Although she was furious, she still kept her voice low. ¡°Do you still remember the third rule in our agreement? You can¡¯t have any close Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart contact with ric before the divorce. Do you still remember it?¡± Hearing her words, Victoria pursed her lips and said, ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the matter about it?¡± ¡°Did you really, though? Are you sure you have kept your promise?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Other than needing to interact with him in front of Old Mrs. Cadogan, I have nevere close to him.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She felt that she did a great job keeping the promise. ¡°You¡¯re lying! You broke our promise!¡± udia barked. Seeing that she was getting hysterical, Victoria furrowed her brows. ¡°I saw teeth marks on Al¡¯s arm,¡± udia remarked. As she brought this up, she could feel the hatred in her boiling. 6/9 11:17 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart 876% After all, there could only be a particr instance for a woman to bite a 7/9 man. Thinking about it made udia enraged. On the other hand, Victoria was startled when she heard udia¡¯s words. If udia hadn¡¯t brought this up, she¡¯d have forgotten that such a thing even happened. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking? Is it because you are guilty? You never wanted to keep the promise, did you, Victoria?¡± asked udia through gritted teeth. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Victoria raised her head abruptly and denied the usation. Since she wanted to repay udia, she would have kept their promise. However, it was indeed her fault for leaving the bite mark. ¡°Have I been mistaken? If that is so, then why did you¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, Victoria cut her off and sighed. ¡°I think I 11:17 Mon, 19 Jun 0876%¡ã Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart have to make things clear with you, udia. Since I vowed to keep the promise, I won¡¯t break it. However, I also hope you¡¯ll understand that some interactions between him and me are passive.¡± ¡°Passive?¡± Hearing her words, udia slowly calmed down. ¡°Before Old Mrs. Cadogan is done with her surgery, we can¡¯t expose ourselves in front of her,¡± said Victoria as she nodded. ¡°I understand this. However, you can¡¯t possibly bite Al¡¯s arm in front of her, can you?¡± ¡°Well, you do have a point.¡± ¡°Are you finally admitting that you broke our promise?¡± ¡°No. If you insist on finding out, I can only tell you I did it out of resistance. I didn¡¯t break the promise.¡± 8/9 11:17 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 52 You Are Trying to Drift Us Apart As for why Victoria had to resist, udia would have to guess it on her own. Since she had promised udia that she would keep their promise in the coffee shop, they were even. 9/9 As expected, udia froze on the spot when she heard her words. Resistance¡­ Did she bite ric out of resistance? From what, though? As she thought about it, she widened her eyes as her mind went hazy. ¡°Are you telling the truth, Victoria? Are you trying to drift Al and me apart because you never wanted to divorce him in the first ce?¡± ¡°Do I have to do that?¡± asked Victoria expressionlessly. ¡°Do you think it¡¯d be easy to drift you guys apart when you¡¯ve saved his life?¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°Could it be that you don¡¯t trust him enough?¡± Victoria smiled faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about things on my end, so what are you afraid of?¡± Seeing that udia wouldn¡¯t budge, Victoria added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Grandma¡¯s surgery is just around the corner. Just wait a few more days, and you will get what you want. As long as the surgery is sessful, I will leave and not return within five years.¡± As udia heard her words, she gradually calmed down. She¡¯s right. Only a few days left, and it will be all over. When that time anymore. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll trust you for the time being. I hope you can keep your word.¡± was quiet. Victoria lowered her eyes as she put 76% 1/9 11:17 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 53 I Can¡¯t Even Touch You her hand on her belly. ¡°Let¡¯s hope this goes well, baby. After everything is over, Mommy will take you to Grandpa¡¯s ce. He will surely take a liking to you.¡± 2/9 Speaking of Tony, he had called her that day. However, he was busy, and Victoria could hear multiple people talking in the background as he called her. Thus, she didn¡¯t tell Tony about what had happened since he was busy. In the end, both of them talked for a short while before hanging up. The day before Griselda¡¯s surgery happened to be a Sunday. Victoria and ric spent the whole day in the nursing home with her. Since Victoria was worried that Griselda would be nervous about tomorrow¡¯s surgery, she bought many trinkets to cheer her up. Then, she told Griselda about all the interesting things and funny customers she encountered at thepany, making the older womanugh cheerfully. While they were chatting, ric stood beside them and watched. He was 11:17 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 53 I Can¡¯t Even Touch You expressionless at first, but a tiny smile soon appeared on his face when he heard theirughter. 3/9 At that moment, it felt as though everything was going well. Soon, the doctor came in and talked about preparations for the surgery. Since Griselda would be having her surgery the next day, Victoria suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t I spend the night with you, Grandma? I can apany you if you can¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Griselda waved Victoria off. ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore. I don¡¯t need someone to stay by my side. Just go home and rest with ric. You cane again tomorrow.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± However, Griselda refused Victoria¡¯s idea of staying the night. In the end, ric grabbed Victoria¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Since Grandma refuses, let¡¯s just 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 53 I Can¡¯t Even Touch You 76% ¡°That¡¯s right. You youngsters should get home since it¡¯s gettingte. Don¡¯t stay here and interrupt my rest.¡± 4/9 ¡°Alright, then¡­¡± Victoria could only oblige. Then, she went up to Griselda and hugged her. ¡°Sleep well, Grandma. We¡¯ll be here first thing tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± Griselda poked Victoria¡¯s nose as she spoke. ¡°You are a young woman, yet you nag more than I do.¡± In the end, Victoria left with ric. On their way back, Victoria tried to speak to him but held back since the driver was there too. Meanwhile, ric didn¡¯t notice her reaction as he talked about what they should do for tomorrow¡¯s precautions. His voice was deep and steady. As Victoria heard his words, she hummed in response. When they returned home, the driver left while the duo returned to their room. While taking off his suit, ric said to her, ¡°Go take a bath and get some rest.¡± 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 531 Can¡¯t Even Touch You 76% ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t refuse and grabbed her clothes. After thinking for a moment, she turned around and asked, ¡°There is something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you.¡± 5/9 ric had taken off his jacket and was undoing his tie. When he heard her words, he stopped what he was doing and stared at her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do we get the divorce before Grandma¡¯s surgery or after?¡± As soon as her words fell, Victoria could feel a cold aura emitting from ric. Then, he stared at her intently. Looking into his eyes, Victoria shuddered as chills ran down her spine. In that split second, she realized it was bad timing to bring up such a matter. After all, Griselda was going into surgery tomorrow, so ric wouldn¡¯t be in a good mood. After thinking it through, she apologized to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun 076% Chapter 53 I Can¡¯t Even Touch You brought this up. Let¡¯s discuss this after Grandma¡¯s surgery. Get some rest soon, ric.¡± After talking, she turned around and left when ric blocked her path. ¡°Are you dying to get a divorce with me?¡± he asked, staring at her with a darkened gaze. ¡°No. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do as you wish.¡± At that moment, Victoria was stunned and looked at him dumbly. ric¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice, and his voice was frosty as he spoke. ¡°We¡¯ll get a divorce once the city hall is open for business.¡± With that, he turned ground and walked into the bathroom. Didn¡¯t he ask me to take a shower first? thought Victoria. 6/9 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 53 I Can¡¯t Even Touch You Bang! 76% The bathroom door was shut loudly, creating a loud noise. Then, it quickly fell silent. 7/9 Victoria stood there and lowered her eyes before taking out their marriage certificates from the safe. The certificates were kept nicely and looked brand new under the light. Looking at the documents, Victoria recalled the day they registered their marriage. Honestly, she was already nervous during the photoshoot. Her expression and body froze on the spot, and the cameraman was dissatisfied after taking a few shots. ¡°Rx,dy. This is a wedding photo. You must be happy about it. Come on, smile,¡± he said to her. When Victoria heard his words, she grew even more nervous. She was as hard as a rock until a pair of hands grabbed hers. Subconsciously, Victoria looked at ric and tried to get her hands out of his grip. 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 53 I Can¡¯t Even Touch You 76% ¡°Why are you nervous? Can¡¯t I touch you?¡± As ric spoke, he smiled and intertwined their fingers together. 8/9 Feeling their interlocked hands, Victoria was startled when she felt his warmth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My wife is a bit introverted.¡± She heard him saying to the cameraman. At that moment, Victoria blushed and thought, Our wedding pictures aren¡¯t even done, yet he¡¯s already calling me his wife¡­ As she thought about it, ric suddenly leaned in closer to her, and she could feel his hot breath against her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just do what the cameraman asks you to. If he tells you to look at the camera and smile, just do as he says. Otherwise, we won¡¯t get our photo done if you keep getting nervous.¡± He then caught sight of her earlobe, which had turned pink from shyness. At that moment, his eyes darkened, and he gently bit on her earlobe without a second thought. ¡°Did 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Chapter 54 If Victoria could refrain from remembering the old days, her days would just go by in a daze. However, it would only double the pain when the memories came back to overwhelm her. The affection he casually showed to her in the past turned into knives that cut her skin open at the moment. Leaning against the safe deposit box, she closed her eyes in despair. If only he could return her feelings. Even if it was just a little, she wouldn¡¯t be as desperate as she was right now. When she returned home with the marriage certificate, ric just got out of the shower. He came out of the bathroom with a gloomy expression. Just as he was about to pass by Victoria, he noticed the marriage 1/13 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce certificate she was holding. At the sight of her holding their marriage certificate, he stood still and raised his head. The expression on his face only darkened more as his gaze pierced through her body like icicles. Her hands tightened around the certificate helplessly when she met his Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g gaze. After a moment of silence, he sneered. ¡°You seem eager.¡± Victoria was taken aback by hisment. She parted her lips but the knot in her throat held her back from saying anything. Atst, she only held the certificate tighter as her gaze fell to the ground. What does he expect me to say? There¡¯s neither anything I can tell him nor a point in saying anything. After all, it¡¯s his idea to have a divorce. The person he truly likes is the one who saved his life back then. Besides, I¡¯m also paying back her favors. We¡¯ll leave it at that. I have nothing to tell him. 2/13 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce After having him all to myself for two years, I don¡¯t have any regrets. The 3/13 history we have together can make a goodpensation for his absence in the future. Atst, ric broke the silence. ¡°The surgery is tomorrow, so we don¡¯t have to pretend anymore. I¡¯ll spend the night in the study room.¡± Then, he grabbed his pillow and left the room. Victoria stayed still for a moment before eventually setting their marriage certificate on the bedside table. After that, she took the clean clothes and headed into the bathroom. The next day, Victoria was woken up by her phone¡¯s rm. Feeling groggy, she rolled to the side and turned off the rm. After that, she sat up on the bed while massaging her throbbing temples. 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce She was unable to get a good sleepst night. Her mind thought of Griselda one moment and the next moment it was reced by her divorce and another moment by her child. 76% She had no idea about the time she fell asleep. She was reminded of the same things for the rest of the time as they gued her dreams. Taking a moment on the bed to collect her thoughts, she slid down the bed and headed over to the bathroom to wash her face. 4/13 After getting into the bathroom, Victoria was frightened by the sight of her reflection in the mirror. She had visible dark circles under her eyes and her pale face only set them off, Her eyes were red and bloodshot, and her hair was disheveled. Thebination made her a walking definition of an unhappy woman who was living a disorderly life. 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce Victoria studied her reflection in the mirror without a word. She didn¡¯t like her reflection in the mirror at all. She quickly washed her face andbed her messy hair. Then, she applied a mask to her face and decided to put on makeup after that. Even though she didn¡¯t mind her appearance, she didn¡¯t want to worry Griselda. Around ten minutester, she peeled off the mask and began to brush her teeth and clean herself. Atst, she put on light makeup and got dressed in a casual outfit. When everything was done, she stood in front of the mirror to make sure she was presentable. Aside from her bloodshot eyes, she had indeed reached her goal. However, she didn¡¯t possess any magic to make the redness vanish within a second. Thus, she put on a pair of rimmed sses after a moment of 5/13 Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce pondering. Let the others think it¡¯s an essory. At that moment, her phone vibrated. Victoria reached for it and found a new message from ric. ¡®Get downstairs when you are ready. I¡¯ll be waiting in the garage.¡® His message was simple. She couldn¡¯t feel any affection or concern from 1. it. She replied to his message with a simple response before getting up to grab a coat and heading downstairs. 6/13 When she was passing by the living room, the butler approached her. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, you¡¯re leaving early today. Did you have enough sleepst night?¡± Victoria cast a smile at him. ¡°I have.¡± Judging from the coat that she was wearing and her passing by the Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce dining table without stopping, the butler couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you need breakfast?¡± As expected, she shook her head. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯m heading out.¡± This time, the butler kept silent. Truth be told, he already noticed that something was going on between ric and Victoria. When he woke up in the early morning, he also found that ric slept in the study roomst night. Noticing the lights in the study room were up, he approached to check on the room and found ric inside. ric had circles under his eyes and his expression wasn¡¯t the best either. He turned in the butler¡¯s direction and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°What?¡± The butler was immediately shocked by his boss¡® look and didn¡¯t dare answer. 7/13 Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce 8/13 After that, ric skipped breakfast and headed straight to the garage with a cold look on his face. Watching Victoria walking out of the house, the butler sighed to himself, helpless about being unable to rectify the situation. She wore her coat on her way to the garage. It was freezing outside in the early morning, and the garage was colder. Thus, Victoria was surprised to see ric wearing only a dress shirt in such cold weather. There was a cigarette between his fingers as he leaned against the car. As she approached, she could see the stark contrast between them. He looked pale after spending a night ofck of sleep. Compared to Victoria, who wore makeup, his emaciated face made a huge difference from hers. Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce He raised his head in her direction when he heard the echoing footsteps. His eyes dimmed at the sight of her vibrant face and he broke the silence after a moment. ¡°Did you get any sleepst night?¡± 9/13 The moment he spoke, she found that his voice was unexpectedly hoarse. She was taken aback for a moment before finally nodding. ¡°I slept rather soundlyst night. What about you?¡± Putting his cigarette out, ric fixed his dark eyes on her before answering, ¡°Same.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± The longer she studied his face, the more clues she found, which were his bloodshot eyes and the dark circles under his eyes. He looks pathetic, she thought. Luckily, I have the foresight to put on makeup and wear the sses. 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce Silence settled between them soon after she answered. -76% ric stood right there, not bothering to speak or get in the car. All he did was watch her without a word, a dark expression on his face. 10/13 His gaze was piercing, and Victoria found it ufortable from the way he was watching her. Atst, she forced herself to speak, ¡°Are we going or not?¡± He dodged her question by shooting another back. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not rushing,¡± Victoria retorted. ¡°I¡¯m simply worried that you¡¯re rushing.¡± He cast her an unfathomable nce and sneered. ¡°Why would I be rushing?¡± She deflected the question by feigning ignorance. ¡°How would I know?¡± ric choked on her retort and barely managed to bring himself to say Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce something unrted to their topic. 11/13 ¡°Did you bring all the necessary documents? I don¡¯t want to learn that you forgot to bring anything when we arrive at the state governmentter.¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help but counter, ¡°I did. I got them readyst night. How could I forget to bring such important documents?¡± After that, she turned to him. ¡°You even saw itst night, didn¡¯t you?¡± ric was speechless. ¡°Snowball, have you ever wondered for once why you are so spoiled?¡± Victoria cast a nce at him. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my dad.¡± Does he expect me to say it¡¯s him? He¡¯s so full of himself! At that point, Victoria already lost her patience in waiting for ric to take the initiative. Opening the door, she got into the car before poking out her 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce 76%_ head and urging, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I think the state government is already open. 12/13 The sooner we get things done, the earlier we can visit the nursing home.¡± She fastened the seatbelt as she said that. After a few silent beats, ric finally got into the driver¡¯s seat. As it was early in the morning, the traffic was smooth. Their car arrived at the entrance of the state government without any dy. Today was just another ordinary day so when the pair arrived, there weren¡¯t many people around other than a few couples. Most of them were there to apply for marriage. The couples were huddled together and whispering sweet and affectionate words to each other. Victoria and ric were the exact opposite of the couples around them. The pair were both good¨Clooking and had tall stature, which made them grab attention all the way. Other than that, ric walked inside the 11:18 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 54 Getting a Divorce 76% building with a dark expression. Thus, the onlookers only needed one look to tell the pair was here to apply for dissolving their marriage. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Even though there weren¡¯t many people in the queue, the pair still had to wait for their turn. Victoria was extremely tired due tock of sleepst night, so she found herself a ce to sit. 1/12 ric followed her with a gloomy expression on his face. He didn¡¯t sit down next to her after he approached her. At this point, she was surprisingly calm. She raised her head to cast a nce at him before asking, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± he replied in a t tone that betrayed no emotion. He did not even spare her a nce. Victoria understood what was going on. He wants nothing to do with me. That¡¯s right. Once we divorce, he can get together with udia, so what¡¯s the point of giving me attention? Fortunately, Victoria never got her hopes up about staying friends with ric after they divorced. At first, theirck of interaction didn¡¯t bother them. However, as the pair waited longer, whispers began to reach them from their surroundings. ¡°Look at them. They must be here to divorce.¡± ¡°Divorce? Are you sure? The both of them look like the perfect match and yet, they still end up getting divorced?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Do they think they could find someone with a prettier face than their ex¨Cpartners? What¡¯s the point of divorcing? I feel bad to see them separate.¡± Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? It was human nature to learn about something they didn¡¯t understand, especially from somebody who was that eye¨Ccatching. Taking ric and Victoria as an example, their appearance simply gave the crowd the impression of highpatibility, so it was even more worth discussing. The whispers reached Victoria from all directions. If she could hear them, ric, who was standing next to her, would have no problem hearing them too. However, he kept a distant look on his face all the time and didn¡¯t visibly react to the words. ¡°By the way, they look so young. Do you think they have children?¡± Victoria¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the mention of children. And she had to refrain from rolling her eyes after she calmed down. How did the topic sidetrack all its way to the discussion about children? 3/12 Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? ¡°They have such good genes. It would be a shame if they didn¡¯t have any children.¡± Upon hearing the innocentment, Victoria involuntarily stole a nce at ric. As expected, his expression darkened. Ever since she got the message and the implication to take a year¡¯s leave from himst time, he never asked her about this matter. She thought that udia must have approached him and dealt with it on their own, so he didn¡¯t ask her about it. After all, he hinted at her getting an abortion so knowing him, he wouldn¡¯t confront her about it. Little did he know, Victoria didn¡¯t get an abortion. 4/12 Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? Please just drop it, she pleaded. However, the crowd was immersed in their non¨Cstop gossip. They didn¡¯t even mind the subject¡¯s feelings as their conversation turned into a heated discussion. 5/12 ¡°They must have children. If I were them, I would like to have more children since I have such good genes. Therefore, even if I get a divorce one day, my children¡¯s pretty faces can heal my wounds. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a big aplishment?¡± ¡°I second that. Or else, I won¡¯t get anything in the end after the divorce. Besides, time changes everything. Even a pretty woman will end up being an olddy. However, as long as my children¡¯s pretty faces are shown, they can prove that I was also that good¨Clooking in the past, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Children had now be the subject of their discussion. 11:19 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? ¡ï 76% 1 Victoria almost passed out at that. Just when she reached her limit and readied to get up and leave, ric asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± 6/12 ¡°What?¡± Thinking that she was hearing things, she raised her head and looked in his direction, surprise on her face. Even though the man looked as expressionless as ever, she could somewhat tell that his expression had softened. ¡°Do you want to eat something?¡± She answered involuntarily, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ric frowned in annoyance at her words. He continued coldly, ¡°Who else do you think I¡¯m talking to?¡± ¡°Oh! No, thanks. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± She shook her head, declining his suggestion. 11 19 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? After that, she looked down at the ground as thoughts ran through her mind. What¡¯s with the sudden change of attitude? 7/12 It was clear that he was in a bad mood when they first got here. However, after listening to the people¡¯s gossip, he seemed less edgy than before and even expressed concern about her. Is it because he¡¯s feeling guilty after asking me to get an abortion? ¡°But you skipped breakfast.¡± He persisted on the matter, to which she nodded on autopilot. ¡°But I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Truth was, she didn¡¯t have the appetite. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t get hungryter? We don¡¯t have time to stop for Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? 3 Now that he finally made it clear, Victoria immediately took the hint. She nodded. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go for breakfast then, shall we?¡± ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± After that, ric left the building. 70 8/12 When he was standing outside, he didn¡¯t immediately leave to buy breakfast. Instead, he leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. He felt a little fresher as the morning breeze brushed past him. Putting all his weight against the wall, ric looked down at the ground. Hisshes covered his eyes, effectively hiding all the emotions within his gaze. His morning began with Victoria getting on his nerves, and he was barely holding back from holding her by her throat and confronting her for her heartlessness. But atst, he changed his mind by prompting her to eat breakfast. 11:19 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? What¡¯s wrong with my head? +76% 9/12 Victoria would never expect the gossip¨¨rs to surround her right after ric left. The group took the empty seats around her as if they were friends. ¡°Hey, prettydy. Is the man who left just now your husband or your N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. boyfriend?¡± ¡°What are you guys here for? Getting married or getting a divorce?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. Do you have any children?¡± Victoria was overwhelmed by their questions. Don¡¯t you think your questions contradict each other? Besides, it¡¯s impolite to pry into one¡¯s privacy, especially when I¡¯m right Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? before you. 10/12 Victoria pressed her slightly pale lips together and cast a friendly smile at them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s personal. I find it ufortable to share my story with strangers.¡± The group was taken aback by her rejection, but they weren¡¯t offended by her words at all. Instead, they were slightly embarrassed by their inconsideration. After all, even though Victoria chose to not answer them, she was friendly and polite. On the contrary, if the group was offended just because she defended her basic rights, it indicated that theycked both boundaries and manners. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t force yourself, but we would also like to ask for your forgiveness. It¡¯s just that both of you are good¨Clooking, so we can¡¯t help but want to learn more about you.¡± Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? ¡°That¡¯s right. You have the prettiest face I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± 11/12 Victoria returned theirpliments with a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you. All of you are good¨Clooking too.¡± ¡°Coming from the most beautiful woman herself. You¡¯re making me blush. Just so you know, your face is one in a million. Remember to make the most of it.¡± Even though the women were nosy, Victoria couldn¡¯t bring herself to hate them. Before ric came back, the women kept making light conversation with Victoria even if she seldom responded to them. However, they saw themselves as Victoria¡¯s new besties and they even started to share their love stories on their own. Finally, a lean figure that showed up at the entrance announced the end of the conversation. The group that formed around Victoria dispersed within a second as they returned to their seats. Chapter 55 Is It Guilt? ric approached Victoria. When a mix of different perfumes reached him, he scowled in annoyance. ¡°What do they want?¡± he asked as he handed the packet of food to her. After a moment of hesitation, she reached out a hand to take it and exined, ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. They are merely curious about our purpose of being here.¡± B 12/12 11:20 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 56 Chapter 56 After taking the bag from him, Victoria found that what ric had purchased was all fast food, which she had no appetite for. Hence, she merely took a look and put the bag away. 76% ric, who was standing nearby, noticed her actions. ¡°Does none of them appeal to you?¡± She shook her head when she heard that. ¡°No. I just don¡¯t feel like eating right now.¡± He did not say anything in response and sat down next to her a few secondster. Possibly because he did not have manyyers on or because he had just returned from the outside, Victoria found her surrounding temperature dropping the moment ric sat down. 1/12 11:20 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn And the next second, she noticed that he still wore nothing but that thin dress shirt. She moved her lips as if to say something, but nothing came out. The two of them then sat silently. Despite being physically close, they somehow felt disconnected from one another. Victoria noticed the other women who had been gossiping with her earlier going in with their respective boyfriends, thening out with marriage certificates one by one. When each couple left, the man¡¯s arm was wrapped around the woman¡¯s waist, or the woman was holding the man¡¯s arm, and both had blissful smiles on their faces. Looking at them, she remembered the day ric and she came to the state government. 2/12 11:20 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn D 76% 3/12 That was a lovely memory to her, in stark contrast to how things were now. While Victoria was in a daze, she heard someone calling ric and her names. Hearing that, she regained her senses, but she didn¡¯t move an inch and simply said, ¡°It¡¯s our turn.¡± ric remained silent as well. Nobody knew what was going through his head. He did not stand up as well. It wasn¡¯t until the staff inside called out their names again that Victoria took a deep breath and finally stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said to ric. Then, she started walking. ¡°Wait!¡± ric said subconsciously, motioning her to stop. 11:21 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn Victoria came to a halt when she heard that, and she bit her lower lip to restrain herself from turning her head back. Her entire mouth was filled with the taste of blood and the pain she was feeling made her more clear¨Cheaded than she had ever been. The next second, she heard herself asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± 76% i 4/12 She didn¡¯t even turn her head to face him. Seeing such an attitude from her, ric furrowed his brows. Just as he moved his lips and was about to say something, his phone rang. As if the call was the savor she had been waiting for, he quickly said, ¡°Answer your phone call first. I¡¯ll wait for you there.¡± She continued to walk forward immediately after her words. However, she only managed to take one step before ric grabbed her wrist. Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn 5/12 ¡°Wait a moment for me.¡± ric held on to her wrist with one hand and took his phone out with the other. When he saw the screen showing who the caller was, he frowned. ¡°It¡¯s from the nursing home.¡± At that, she turned around and stopped wiggling her wrist away from his grip. ¡°Has something happened to Grandma? Quickly pick up the call!¡± Victoria urged, her hands clutching ric¡¯s tightly. ric did not think much about the fact that their hands were sped and quickly picked up the call. When he answered the call, Victoria was extremely anxious. She had no idea why but when ric said the call was from the nursing home, she had a bad feeling in her heart. Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn She noticed ric¡¯s expression darkening as he spoke, and she couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows as well. When he hung up the phone, Victoria¡¯s heart was filled with fear. She clutched his hand even tighter and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ric quickly stood up in response, his actions revealing his anxiety. ¡°Something happened to Grandma.¡± Victoria was immediately at a loss for words. One minuteter, both of them were no longer in the state government building. The employee in charge, who had been calling their names earlier, couldn¡¯t help butment their absence before calling those further down the line. When they were on their way to the nursing home, Victoria was so anxious 6/12 Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn that she couldn¡¯t stop herself from biting her lower lip. Her fingers were tangled together, her heart was pounding, and her mind was jumbled. I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have gone to the state government first. I should have gone to the nursing home the first thing after I woke up. No¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have evene backst night. I ought to have stayed in the nursing home to apany Grandma. I know she will be having her surgery today, so why am I such a fool to leave her alone just because she turned me down once? Victoria closed her eyes and leaned back, reprimanding herself incessantly. Her mind was swirling and chaotic; images, both clear and vague, kept shing through her mind. ric was driving fast, but he made sure to adhere to all the trafficws. He obediently stopped the car when they arrived at a traffic light, but his 7/12 Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn brows remained tightly furrowed. 8/12 While waiting at the traffic light, he felt something was wrong with Victoria, so he turned his head to look at her. The next moment, he saw blood stains on her lips. ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asked, his frown still on his face. However, he did not get any response. With a pale face, Victoria had her brows furrowed. Her eyshes were trembling, and her lips were pursed tightly. She looked as if she didn¡¯t hear his voice at all. ric was taken aback by this and quickly held her chin, wanting to separate her lips, but all of his efforts were futile. Victoria was biting her lip hard and a faint trickle of blood began to flow 11:21 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn from her mouth as she resisted ric¡¯s force. 6 ., 76%¡ã ¡°What are you doing, Victoria? Open your mouth!¡± ric wanted to exert more force, but he was afraid of hurting her. Hence, he could only yell at her, hoping she came to her senses. However, she appeared to be so engulfed in a nightmare that no amount of yelling could bring her back to reality. Suddenly, he recalled something at this precise moment. Victoria had been raised without her mother since she was a child. Her father adored and even spoiled her and to outsiders, she appeared perfect, as if nothing could irritate her. However, if someone made a joke about or mentioned her mother, she would explode. This showed that she still cared about her mother, who was never by her side. 9/12 11:21 Mon, 19 Jun 76% Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn 10/12 Subsequently, she went to the Cadogan Family. Griselda doted on Victoria as if she were her granddaughter. With this, Victoria not only received love and care other than from her father but also realized and felt the difference in parental love between a man and a woman. She told Griselda a lot of her secrets as well. This was something ric discovered by ident when he was young. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Victoria frequently visited the Cadogan Family when she was younger. At first, she came to look for ric but as time passed, the person she looked for was Griselda. There was once when ric returned home and was told that Victoria was with Griselda in the garden, and he went over as well. He overheard a young Victoria telling Griselda about her menstruation. Victoriained that she had a heavy flow and that her stomach hurt, and she wished for a warm hug from Griselda. 11:21 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn Then, he also overheard herining about how her menstruation had stained her favorite white dress and how she felt sorry for not being able to wash it clean. 76% 11/12 She told Griselda everything, including those she would never tell anyone else. ric had originally intended to look for Victoria at that time. When he heard what she wasining about, he became embarrassed and stood there motionless. Naturally, he did not approach them in the end. Returning his thoughts to the present, he could see that Victoria had a different and deeper feeling toward Griselda based on how she was now. She appeared to have devoted all of her feelings for her mother to Griselda. Mon, 19 76% Chapter 56 It¡¯s Our Turn After calming himself down, ric calmly tapped Victoria¡¯s fair cheeks. ¡°Wake up, Victoria. Grandma is fine.¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 However, no matter how many times he called her name, she made no response. It was as if she hadpletely shut herself off from the rest of the world. ric was getting increasingly anxious as he looked at her.. The traffic light had turned green. His car did not move, and all the cars behind him began to honk impatiently. ric heard the endless honking as well, but he ignored it and abruptly bent over. Lifting Victoria¡¯s chin, he kissed her lips. Just as he had expected, her teeth were tightly gritted together. He couldn¡¯t break through them no matter how hard he tried. With his brows furrowed, he then moved his hand to Victoria¡¯s waist and lightly pinched her. 1/12 Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off Victoria was a ticklish person. Hence, though she didn¡¯t yell and dodge like she usually did, her stiff body still reacted to the pinch. ric quickly took advantage of her short response time to pry open her rows of white teeth. Because of the proximity, he immediately detected the strong scent of blood. However, before he could even me Victoria for doing this to herself, he felt a painful sensation that caused him to furrow his brows and groan loudly. ¡°Ouch!¡± He was in so much pain that he had the urge to push the person in his embrace away. However, he managed to stop himself from doing so. He then pinched 2/12 Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off Victoria again, this time with more force than before. After retracting his tongue and leaving her lips, he quickly held her chin, preventing her from biting herself again. ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up now, Victoria, I¡¯ll do something more to you right now,¡± he said harshly. Possibly as a result of his harsh tone, Victoria trembled slightly and she slowly rxed her jaw. 3/12 After regaining her consciousness, the first thing she heard was the endless, impatient honking sound, together with the yelling and cursing of the other drivers outside the windows. What made her even more startled was the breathless man right in front of her face. His masculine aura surrounded her and his fingers were still holding onto her chin. 11:26 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± Victoria blinked several times and her blood¨Cstained lips moved as well. Just as she was about to say something, ric let go of her chin and started driving. After a while of the car steadily proceeding on the road, Victoria finally remembered what had happened earlier. She then secretly looked at ric and noticed that his lips were stained with blood as well, most likely caused by her. Perhaps aware that she was secretly looking at him, ric suddenly opened his mouth and said aloofly, ¡°If you¡¯re awake, clean yourself up. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. You¡¯d be scaring people at the nursing home otherwise.¡± Given that she was in the wrong, she didn¡¯t talk back and merely took her mirror from her bag. The moment she saw herself in the mirror, she was 4/12 Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off taken aback. Arge pool of blood had formed at one corner of her lips, leading to her chin. If she truly reached the nursing home looking like this, everyone would surely be terrified. With this, she quickly pulled some wet tissues from her bag to clean herself. When she pressed the wet tissue against her lips, the pain caused her to take a deep breath. ¡°Ouch! It hurts,¡± she eximed reflexively. Then, as if she thought of something, she fell silent. But ric had heard that. With a sneer, he said, ¡°Why did you bite yourself so hard? If I didn¡¯t stop you, you would have bitten yourself to death.¡± Victoria knew she was at fault and could only apologize. Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not sure what happened earlier, but I just couldn¡¯t stop myself. Your¡­ Is everything okay with you?¡± She deliberately asked him in a general manner. When she spoke, her lips moved as well and that hurt. She could only try to tolerate the pain. ric, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes and asked grumpily, ¡°My what? Why didn¡¯t you continue?¡± Victoria was rendered speechless. She could only purse her lips tightly and remain silent. Their rtionship was so awkward now that she had no idea what to say. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to continue?¡± ric persisted. Victoria simply lowered her gaze, feeling ufortable. 11:27 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off ric found her demeanor amusing. ¡°Luckily I¡¯m not dead. It was only my tongue that you nearly bit off,¡± he said, his voice cold. Hearing that, Victoria raised her head, appearing to be shocked. ¡°Was it that serious?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious from the injury on your lips?¡± Victoria was at a loss for words again. He¡¯s right. I saw myself in the mirror earlier. I bit myself so hard, let alone him. She could not think of anything to say in response. As such, she lowered her gaze and apologized once again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I do the same thing again the next time, just leave me alone.¡± 7/12 11:27 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off However, ric frowned when he heard that. 8/12 ¡°The next time, you say? Do you enjoy hurting yourself, Ms. Snowball? Don¡¯t you ever allow the same thing to happen again, you hear me?¡± If he wasn¡¯t by her side today, it would be fatal. ¡°I have no control over it, so how will I know if it will happen again or not?¡± Victoria muttered. ric swept her a nce, his face solemn. She¡¯s right. No matter how many times I shouted for or spoke to her earlier, she appeared to bepletely oblivious. Her mind was trapped and only her body reacted slightly to external stimuli. I¡¯ll have to take her to the doctor when this matter is over. After making up his mind, ric murmured in a low voice, ¡°Grandma has Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off only fainted. Although her condition is unclear now, she has been in good health recently. Even if there¡¯s anything wrong, the worst that could happen is that she won¡¯t be able to have her surgery in these few days. Don¡¯t scare yourself.¡± Given what had happened earlier, Victoria had also calmed down. I was indeed too panicked. I was so terrified that I lost my rationality the moment I heard something happen to Grandma. Thinking back on it, ric is right. I should have kept my cool. ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± 9/12 They then arrived at the nursing home. After the car came to a stop, ric opened the door and stepped out, with Victoria following behind. ¡°Wait.¡± Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off ric turned his head and looked at her with a frown. ¡°Why?¡± Victoria then handed him a piece of wet tissue. ¡°Wipe away the blood stains on your lips.¡± ric was stunned for a moment when he heard that. Then, he took the wet tissue and wiped his mouth casually. However, the blood stains had dried up during their journey here and couldn¡¯t be removed cleanly with simple rubbing. Victoria had no choice but to point to the corner of his mouth and mutter, ¡°There¡¯s some over here.¡± ric tried to wipe at it again. ¡°No. You¡¯re wiping the wrong spot,¡± she said. 10/12 Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off ric pursed his lips and wiped patiently again. ¡°Why do you keep wiping the wrong ce?¡± Victoria asked. 11/12 That made ric lose all his patience. With his brows furrowed, he handed her the piece of wet tissue and growled coldly, ¡°Wipe it for me, then.¡± Victoria was rendered speechless. She would have thrown the wet tissue in his face because of his cold attitude if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that he was injured as a result of her. She then took the wet tissue from ric and began wiping his mouth. As he was tall, Victoria had to go on her toes to wipe his mouth, which caused her some effort. Noticing this, ric silently bent forward a little, his gaze dark. But that did not escape Victoria¡¯s eyes. Her eyshes fluttered as she Chapter 57 Almost Bitten Off realized what he had done. She continued to wipe the blood stains at the corner of his lips with care while also checking his lips for other injuries. 12/12 Her gaze was lowered. Hence, ric was unaware of what she was doing. While she was checking his lips, he was examining her as well. After a while, Victoria heard ric ask, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you slept wellst night?¡± 11:27 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 58 Chapter 58 2475%¡ã Victoria instinctively looked up and nced at him after hearing what he said. She felt rather self¨Cconscious when she gazed directly into his deep, dark eyes¨Cshe felt as if he could read her mind then. She hastily looked away before responding in a nonchnt tone. ¡°Yeah.¡± 1/9 ¡°Is that so?¡± ric narrowed his eyes before looking at the area under her eyes, which she tried to cover up with her sses. ¡°Why do you have dark circles, then?¡± ric seemed to realize something the moment he finished his sentence. ¡°That exins why you¡¯re wearing your sses today.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t know what to say. She pulled her hand away before shooting him a disdainful look. ¡°I¡¯m done cleaning up for you, but you have a cut on your lip. You should get some medication for itter. Come on, let¡¯s go look for Grandma.¡± Victoria turned to walk after finishing her sentence, while ric hesitated for a while more before going after her. ¡°You have bloodshot eyes, which shows that your eyes are tired. Did you 11:27 Mon, 19 Jun 75% Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric not sleepst night?¡± he asked. Victoria finally turned around to snap at him. ¡°That¡¯s enough, ric.¡± Then, she hastened her footsteps, her high heels clicking on the ground. 2/9 After speaking to the doctor, they found out that Griselda fainted because she had been too anxious. Her vital signs were all fine, and she didn¡¯t show any other significant problems after arriving at the hospital. The three of them heaved sighs of relief after hearing the news. Thankfully, she only fainted because she was nervous! I¡¯m d there¡¯s no other issue, Victoria thought. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t rmend for her to get surgery with the current mental state that she¡¯s in,¡± the doctor uttered with a frown. ¡°Mental illnesses can lead to more severe problems as well. She¡¯s physically prepared for the surgery, but her weak mental state might lead to other issues,¡± the doctor advised. ¡°What should we do now, then? Do you have any ways to fix this, Doctor?¡± 11:27 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric 75% her down for now, but we may also need her family to be around for some counseling sessions with a psychologist,¡± the doctor said. Victoria understood the situation then¨CGriselda¡¯s issue was still more of a psychological one than a physical one. Victoria pressed her red lips. together to form a glum look on her face. 3/9 ric walked over to give her a hug. ¡°We understand. We¡¯ll do our best to support her treatment. We¡¯ll excuse ourselves for now,¡± he said in a calm voice. ¡°Sure. You guys should pay Old Mrs. Cadogan a visit now,¡± the doctor replied. ric led Victoria¨Cwho felt like she was floating around in a daydream¨Cout of the office and toward Griselda¡¯s ward. There were two nurses keeping watch in Griselda¡¯s ward, and they got to their feet to greet Victoria and ric when they walked in. ¡°Old Mrs. Cadogan is still asleep for now, but she¡¯s doing fine. You guys don¡¯t have to worry,¡± one of the nurses said. Victoria nodded with a heavy feeling in her chest. ¡°Thanks. We can keep an 11:27 Mon, 19 Jun 75% Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric eye on her now, so you guys can go on with your other jobs,¡± Victoria offered. Then, she took a seat by the side of Griselda¡¯s bed. Her movements were gentle and careful, and she seemed as light as a feather even when she sat down on the chair. She didn¡¯t make any noise at all. 4/9 Griselda, who was still fast asleep, had a peaceful look on her face. She still had the same elegant aura despite all the time she spent in the nursing home. One could tell that she was a specialdy even just by looking at the way shey silently on the bed. Both Victoria and ric were silent as they stayed in the room. Nearly half an hour had passed when the sound of a phone ringing filled the air. Victoria instinctively nced in ric¡¯s direction, and he hastily pulled his phone out to put it on silent. Since both ric and Victoria were sitting by the olddy¡¯s bed, Victoria was close enough to see the caller ID on ric¡¯s phone¨Cit was a call from udia. Victoria met ric¡¯s gaze for a moment before she looked away. ¡°You should go out to pick up the call,¡± Mon, 19 Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric she whispered. 75% 5/9 ric was silent for a while before he walked out to pick up the call. After he went out, a rather disheartened look shed in Victoria¡¯s gaze. Why is udia calling him at this time? Did he tell her that we¡¯re getting a divorce today? Is udia calling to ask if we¡¯ve sessfully gotten a divorce? Meanwhile, ric made sure to walk a distance away from the room before he picked up udia¡¯s call. ¡°Al?¡± udia¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. Even though ric wasn¡¯t in a good mood, he still tried his best to sound pleasant. ¡°Yeah. Why are you up so early?¡± udia sounded worried. ¡°I¡¯ve been awake for a while, actually. I didn¡¯t get much sleepst night as I was worried about Old Mrs. Cadogan. How is she now? Al, I know this might not be a good time to make such a request, but I¡¯m really worried about Old Mrs. Cadogan, so¡­ Can I drop by to visit her? Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll make sure that she doesn¡¯t see me. I¡¯ll just stay 11:28 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric outside, and I¡¯ll leave when she wakes up. I won¡¯t go in at all,¡± udia uttered. 75% 6/9 ric raised his eyebrow when he heard how meek she sounded. She was his savior, and she didn¡¯t deserve such treatment. ric was tempted to agree to the suggestion, but he eventually decided against it when he considered Griselda¡¯s condition. ¡°Grandma hasn¡¯t gone for the surgery, udia.¡± udia paused for a while after hearing his words. ¡°Is that so? Was the surgery dyed, or¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. The surgery was dyed because Grandma got too nervous and fainted.¡± ric nced in the direction of his grandmother¡¯s room as he spoke. ¡°The surgery will be dyed for quite a while.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s going to be dyed?¡± udia froze as she nced at the red wine and steak that she had prepared. She had even ced some scented candles on the table. She hadn¡¯t expected such a situation to Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric arise at this point. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re not sure how much longer it¡¯ll take until Grandma gets the surgery. She¡¯s still asleep for now, so I¡¯ll contact youter on.¡± ric ended the call and walked back to the room after that. 7/9 Beep, beep. udia froze when she realized that ric had ended her call. One of her friends walked out from the room next door, and the friend walked over to tease her when she saw that udia had ced her phone down on the table. ¡°How is it going, udia? Did you make the call?¡± udia nodded. However, her friend didn¡¯t seem to realize how low her spirits were. ¡°Woah. Congrattions, then! Is ricing overter? Can Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g we stay back to celebrate with you guys?¡± the friend asked excitedly. ¡°Yeah, udia. Your precious Al is finally free of that woman. You¡¯ll officially be Mrs. Cadogan after this, won¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric ¡°Oh, Mrs. Cadogan, please don¡¯t forget us after you be all wealthy and powerful!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to share some of your wealth with us once that happens. I¡¯m expecting to get a VIP seat at your wedding, you know?¡± ¡°Me too, me too! I want to be at the front of the hall! By the way, can you throw the bouquet of flowers in my direction during your wedding, udia? I¡¯m hoping to marry my boyfriend by the end of this year!¡± one friend added. ¡°Really? Are you nning to get married too? Congrattions,¡± another friend replied. The few friends chatted happily among themselves, and they didn¡¯t realize the gloomy look on udia¡¯s face. The friends seemed to get more and more excited as they spoke. After a while, udia couldn¡¯t take it any longer. She looked up and snapped at them. ¡°Can you all stop talking?¡± 8/9 Chapter 58 That¡¯s Enough, ric Her friends were stunned as they didn¡¯t understand why she was throwing a tantrum. ¡°udia¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even try to understand the full situation and are making your own assumptions. None of you even care about how I feel. Don¡¯t you think you guys are a bit too much?¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 It was rare for udia to throw a tantrum. She was typically gentle and easygoing with others, and people often saw her as the ¡®it girl¡® because of how pretty and kind she was. Her friends were, therefore, stunned to see her lose her temper, and they all stared at her puzzledly. The air around them felt especially still, and udia only returned to her senses after she realized how silent her surroundings were. She realized what she had just done after she noticed how everyone was staring at her. udia parted her red lips and hesitated for a while before she managed to exin herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost my temper as I was in a bad mood earlier. My apologies.¡± udia had no choice but to keep apologizing to maintain their good impression of her. Tears started to form in her eyes before they trickled down her cheeks. Tears started to form in her eyes before they trickled down her cheeks. Her friends had been shocked by her sudden outburst of anger earlier, but they immediately felt sorry for her when she started apologizing and crying. 1/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress ¡°What happened, udia? Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Tell us what happened. We¡¯re all here to help.¡± ¡°Yeah, udia. Weren¡¯t you on the phone with ric earlier?¡± All her friends startedforting her and handing her tissues. It took them a while before they finally managed to calm her down. udia was a gorgeous youngdy, and she looked especially delicate and vulnerable when she cried. She ran her fair fingers across her eyes to dry her tears. ¡°Yeah, we spoke on the phone earlier. They¡¯re not getting a divorce for now,¡± she muttered dejectedly. Griselda¡¯s surgery was dyed after she fainted, which meant that ric and Victoria¡¯s divorce would have to be dyed as well. Even though udia felt rather embarrassed, she knew that she couldn¡¯t hide the truth from others. ¡°What? Are they not getting a divorce yet? Why not?¡± one of udia¡¯s friends asked. 2/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t they say that they would get the divorce after Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s surgery was done? Why are they changing their ns?¡± ¡°I know! That b*tch, Victoria, must have shamelessly clung onto ric. She didn¡¯t want to get the divorce, did she?¡± udia parted her lips to exin herself after hearing her friends¡® words. Right then, another one of her friends spoke up. ¡°I always knew that Victoria was up to something. Do you Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g guys remember how she looked when west went to look for her? Does she really think that she gets to hold on to the title of being Mrs. Cadogan just because she has been with ric for two years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, udia. If she tries to snatch ric away from you, we¡¯ll make sure to teach her a lesson.¡± ¡°We have to give her a taste of her own medicine.¡± Initially, udia figured that she would have no choice but to wait until Griselda was done with her surgery. However, after hearing how her 3/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress friends wanted to teach Victoria a lesson, udia was reminded of the child in Victoria¡¯s belly. If¡­ If I can use my friends to get rid of the baby in Victoria¡¯s belly¡­ How would that turn out? ric might find out about this if things ever get exposed, but even in that case, Victoria will no longer be a threat since she no longer has the kid. Furthermore, I won¡¯t have to bear any responsibility as long as I¡¯m not the one who hurt Victoria. I¡¯ll still be ric¡¯s savior. Despite having these thoughts, udia still put on a good act. ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t talk about such things. I¡¯m sure Victoria has her reasons,¡± she uttered in a gentle tone. ¡°What reason could she have? How could one have a reason for clinging onto someone else¡¯s boyfriend for such a long time? I bet she just wants to be the third wheel in your rtionship. Perhaps she just doesn¡¯t want to return ric to you. She¡¯s such a shameless b*tch,¡± one of udia¡¯s friends hissed. 4/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress ¡°Yeah. Why would she give up on her role as Mrs. Cadogan when she receives so many benefits from it? You¡¯re just too kind, udia. Why didn¡¯t you speak up when Al wanted to have a fake marriage with her?¡± another friend asked. Why didn¡¯t I speak up? I wanted to speak up, but¡­ udia lowered her gaze without saying much. ¡°Stop questioning udia. Don¡¯t you guys know how kind udia is? udia probably felt sorry for Victoria when she saw how poor Victoria¡¯s family was. Victoria is simply trying to seem pitiful by exaggerating the state of poverty that her family is in. I¡¯ve never seen someone as shameless as her,¡± one friend uttered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, udia. We¡¯ll make sure to do you justice this time.¡± ¡°Stop it, guys.,.¡± udia nced at her friends with her teary eyes. ¡°I know you mean well, but Victoria has been taking care of Al¡¯s grandmother in the hospital. She¡¯s a thoughtful girl,¡± udia said. 5/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress ¡°Is that so? Well, then, we can teach her a lesson after she¡¯s done caring for his grandmother. We have to stand up for you,¡± one of the friends said after everyone heard udia¡¯s exnation. ¡°I don¡¯t want you guys to do anything silly. I¡¯ll talk to her after this,¡± udia said with a helpless look on her face. Then, she dried her tears before giving her friends a forced smile. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s finish up this dinner that I prepared. I¡¯m d I bought more food. I¡¯ll get someone to send more food over if this isn¡¯t enough,¡± she added. ¡°udia¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that matter. We should all get drunk tonight so that we can forget about all our sorrows.¡± udia opened a bottle of wine before she walked over to the cupboard to get more sses. A few of her friends looked at udia before exchanging nces among themselves. They came to a decision there and then. 6/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress Both Victoria and ric took care of Griselda for the whole day. Victoria didn¡¯t have much of an appetite that day, so she leaned against the edge of the bed with a sickly look on her face. She looked like she was the patient in the room. Later on, ric helped her up to have some food. ¡°You need to eat something,¡± he said. Victoria frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite.¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re some higher power who doesn¡¯t need food to survive?¡± ric muttered after a moment of silence. She didn¡¯t have an appetite throughout the day, so she hadn¡¯t eaten anything at all. ric noticed how Victoria had lost a lot of weight, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination. Victoria didn¡¯t protest after that, so ric handed her a bowl of porridge. ¡°You should eat some, even if you just have a few mouthfuls of it.¡± Victoria knitted her brows together at the sight of the porridge. She wanted to reject his offer at first, but she hesitated for a moment before 7/9 Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress taking the bowl from him. She picked the spoon up and forced a few mouthfuls of food into her mouth. She genuinely didn¡¯t feel hungry, nor did she have any appetite. However, she couldn¡¯t do as she pleased because she now had a baby in her belly. This baby was about to be part of her 8/9 family in the future. She knew that it was her duty as a mother to take care of her baby. Upon realizing that, Victoria found her appetite. She no longer struggled to finish her food, and she took a second bowl of porridge after finishing the first bowl. ric raised his eyebrow when he saw her having more food- he was surprised by her sudden change in demeanor. However, he didn¡¯t finished their meals quietly. ric didn¡¯t have much of an appetite himself -he typically ate double the amount of what Victoria did, but he only consumed the same amount of food as her that day. ric cleaned up after they were done, while Victoria simply sat on the couch and watched him. She was used to this¨Cthey had known each Chapter 59 She Wants to Be the Mistress other since they were children, and Victoria would often urge ric to clean things up even when they weren¡¯t dating. ric was usually even told him to. Their interactions followed a regr pattern of ric taking care of her and giving in to her needs. 9/9 All along, Victoria had been enjoying receiving his care and didn¡¯t think too much of it. She even developed a stronger emotional attachment toward him after seeing the way he treated her throughout their fake marriage. However, at this point in time, Victoria observed their interactions without thinking about their marriage, and she realized that their interactions were pretty much the same with or without them being married. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 74% It was likely that ric was especially attentive and caring toward Victoria because they had been friends since they were kids or because their families were close to one another. Perhaps ric treated Victoria like a sister, and perhaps that was why he was nice to her with or without their marriage. 1/8 However, what struck Victoria as funny was how she ended up developing feelings along the way. She closed her eyes so that she could stop looking at ric. Griselda woke up at around 8.00 PM, and the olddy opened her eyes to find Victoria¡¯s face hovering over hers. Victoria¡¯s eyes were staring into Griselda¡¯s, and the tip of her nose was practically touching Griselda¡¯s. She looked extremely worried. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Grandma. How are you feeling? Are you feeling any difort? Are you hungry?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Griselda curled her lips into a smile as she looked at the fair¨Cskinned and wide¨Ceyed girl before her. Victoria was obviously concerned, so Griselda quickly shook her head. This young girl is so sweet, Griselda thought to 11:32 Mon, Chapter 60 Caught Feelings It was likely that ric was especially attentive and caring toward Victoria because they had been friends since they were kids or because their families were close to one another. Perhaps ric treated Victoria like a sister, and perhaps that was why he was nice to her with or without their marriage. However, what struck Victoria as funny was how she ended up developing feelings along the way. She closed her eyes so that she could stop looking at ric. Griselda woke up at around 8.00 PM, and the olddy opened her eyes to find Victoria¡¯s face hovering over hers. Victoria¡¯s eyes were staring into Griselda¡¯s, and the tip of her nose was practically touching Griselda¡¯s. She looked extremely worried. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Grandma. How are you feeling? Are you feeling any difort? Are you hungry?¡± Griselda curled her lips into a smile as she looked at the fair¨Cskinned and wide¨Ceyed girl before her. Victoria was obviously concerned, so Griselda quickly shook her head. This young girl is so sweet, Griselda thought to 1/8 11:32 Mon, 19 Jun 0.74% Chapter 60 Caught Feelings herself. Victoria licked her lips nervously when she saw Griselda shaking her head and keeping quiet. Eventually, Victoria ended up holding her hand up in front of Griselda. ¡°Look at me, Grandma. What number is this?¡± Victoria asked. 2/8 Griselda could clearly tell that Victoria was sticking two fingers out, and she had intended to part her lips and give the right answer when she came up with an idea. ¡°One,¡± Griselda said, just to fool around with Victoria. A look of shock appeared on Victoria¡¯s face after she heard Griselda¡¯s answer. ¡°Grandma¡­¡°. Victoria was just about to call the doctor when she felt ric holding her wrist. ¡°Let go of me. I need to get a doctor,¡± she uttered with a stunned look on her face. ric stared at her for a moment without letting her go. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± he asked in an exasperated tone. The olddy let out a light chuckle then. ¡°I was just fooling around, you silly girl. I¡¯m fine.¡± 11:32 Mon, 19 Jun C 47% Chapter 60 Caught Feelings Victoria noticed the smile on Griselda¡¯s face the next time she looked at her. So¡­ She said the wrong answer on purpose earlier? She isn¡¯t just feeling fine¨Cshe even feels good enough to y a trick on me, huh? Victoria finally heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°You really shocked me there, Grandma,¡± Victoria uttered as she reached over to give Griselda a hug. After that, Victoria fed Griselda some porridge. Griselda slowly consumed the food with big gaps of time between each mouthful. 3/8 Griselda no longer wanted more porridge after finishing half a bowl of it. She had just woken up, and her digestive system wasn¡¯t as efficient as a young person¡¯s, so Victoria decided that she wouldn¡¯t convince Griselda to eat more. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you again when you¡¯re hungryter,¡± Victoria offered. Griselda didn¡¯t say much after that¨Cshe simply sat around in silence. Meanwhile, Victoria was a lot more upied. She was a thoughtful girl, so she hurried off to the washroom with a towel after Griselda finished her meal. Victoria then soaked the towel in warm water and gave it to Griselda to clean her hands. 1:32 Mon, Chapter 60 Caught Feelings ¡°You guys should head home,¡± Griselda announced after some time. Victoria froze, and ric raised an eyebrow after they heard what Griselda said. ¡°What are you talking about, Grandma?¡± ric asked. 4/8 However, Griselda continued on with a calm and peaceful tone¨Cshe didn¡¯t seem bothered by his harsh tone at all. ¡°I¡¯m old, and you guys shouldn¡¯t waste your time on me. Sleep is really important for youngsters who are your age. You guys should head home to rest. I have the nurses with me,¡± she uttered. Even ric could tell that something was wrong with the ims that Griselda was making. ¡°What do you mean when you say we¡¯re wasting time, Grandma? We¡¯re spending time with you in the hospital. How is that a waste of time?¡± he asked. Victoria took one nce at ric, and she could tell that the vibe was off. So, Victoria lowered the things in her hands before walking over to Griselda. ¡°We¡¯re not just spending time with you out of a sense of duty, Grandma. We genuinely want to be here with you. How is that a waste of time?¡± she asked gently. 11:32 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 60 Caught Feelings 74% Griselda patted the back of Victoria¡¯s hand to show that she had no intention of losing her temper with Victoria. Then, Griselda turned to look at ric. ¡°You should bring Victoria home to get some rest. I¡¯ll be fine as the nurses will take care of me.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t understand why Griselda would reject theirpany when she had just woken up. After ric heard Griselda¡¯s words, he didn¡¯t move¨Che simply stayed in his seat with his lips pursed. A glum look formed on his handsome face. 5/8 ¡°Are you going to disobey me, ric?¡± Griselda said again. ric knitted his brows together, and Victoria hastily stepped in front of him. ¡°Do you have any concerns, Grandma? Do you want to talk about it?¡± Victoria was worried to see the way Griselda was acting especially since Griselda had just fainted earlier. ¡°I don¡¯t have any concerns. I just think that my mindset changed after I aged. I don¡¯t want you guys to work so hard just to care for me. I don¡¯t want to bother you guys.¡± Griselda heaved a sigh as she continued Chapter 60 Caught Feelings speaking to Victoria in a gentle tone. ¡°I don¡¯t really care if I do the surgery anymore, Victoria. It¡¯s not important to me.¡± 6/8 Victoria¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing Griselda¡¯s words. ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t care? What do you mean it¡¯s not important, Grandma? You¡¯re still healthy enough to recover from it, and the doctor says that the surgery will be a sess. Are you afraid? In that case, I¡¯ll stay with you all the way until you get the surgery done, okay?¡± Victoria panicked when she heard that Griselda didn¡¯t want to do the surgery. Victoria hastily held onto Griselda¡¯s hand before crouching down on the floor with a look of panic on her face. It was almost as if Victoria was the one who had to get surgery. Griselda felt bad when she saw the look on Victoria¡¯s face. They had known each other for years, so Griselda knew that Victoria had never received any motherly love in the past. Griselda understood that Victoria became dependent on herself as she was a female elderly figure. If Griselda had been any younger, she could see Victoria treating herself as 11:32 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 60 Caught Feelings her mother. 74% ¡°Okay, Grandma?¡± Victoria gazed at Griselda with a hopeful smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll stay at the nursing home with you, or¡­ If you don¡¯t like the nursing home, we can go somewhere else. The doctor said that you can do the surgery whenever you don¡¯t feel nervous about it,¡± Victoria uttered. Her Griselda pressed her lips together without agreeing or disagreeing with Victoria. When Victoria saw the look on the olddy¡¯s face, she had a feeling that she might have hit the bullseye. So, after giving her words. more thought and after considering the whole situation earlier, Victoria tried to offer another suggestion. ¡°Why don¡¯t ric and I bring you home?¡± ric, who had been listening to their conversation, nced at Griselda as well. Griselda still kept quiet for a while, but sheter gazed at Victoria before she shook her head. ¡°Grandma?¡± Victoria was puzzled. Did I get it wrong? I 7/8 Chapter 60 Caught Feelings thought Grandma would prefer to go home with us. I thought Grandma no longer likes it here because she has stayed here for too long. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home. I don¡¯t want my presence to bother you guys. At least there¡¯ll be people to care for me in the nursing home,¡± the olddy uttered tly while waving her hand. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You guys should head home now. You can just get a nurse to stay with me. I¡¯m getting tired, and I need more rest,¡± Griselda added. 8/8 Victoria wanted to say something else, but ric held her arm and helped her stand up. ¡°All right. You should get some rest, Grandma. We¡¯lle back tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing ric¡¯s words, Victoria shot him a look of disbelief. She was about to push him away when ric shot her a re. His grip on her was firm, and he quickly led her out of the ward. Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You Chapter 61 Chapter 61 After leaving the ward, ric held Victoria¡¯s hand before walking away. It took Victoria a great deal of effort to break free from his grasp. ¡°What are you doing, ric?¡± With a deep gaze, he stared at her and replied, ¡°We¡¯re going back first for today.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Grandma¡¯s expression just now? She wants to leave the nursing home. She doesn¡¯t want to stay here.¡± She furrowed her delicate eyebrows. 1/10 After the incident earlier, she spected that Griselda must be worried about causing trouble for her family if she was at home, so she could only stay in the nursing home. She wanted to go back, but she didn¡¯t dare. Victoria was frustrated, having visited Griselda every weekend but failing Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You to notice the olderdy¡¯s underlying feelings. If I had known earlier, I would have brought her back home and taken care of her. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t have fainted before the surgery today. ¡°I know.¡± ric¡¯s voice was deep. ¡°But as you saw, she¡¯s currently refusing to listen and angry at me.¡± Suddenly, he remembered something and added, ¡°Not at you.¡± 2/10 Hearing that, Victoria froze. Right. When Grandma uttered those angry words earlier, they were all directed at ric, but she has always been kind and polite to me. At this thought, she felt even more heartbroken because, despite having a bad mood, Griselda had to restrain her feelings when facing her. ¡°So, we¡¯ll let her calm down for the night while we go back and pack things 1. up. We¡¯lle to pick her up tomorrow.¡± She thought for a moment and realized that he was right. However, she Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You was also worried that a long dy might increase Griselda¡¯s stress from staying alone in that environment. With that thought in mind, Victoria suggested, ¡°Can¡¯t we bring her back tonight?¡± ¡°Tonight?¡± 3/10 ¡°Yes. It¡¯s actually still quite early now. We can go back and have the maids clean up the room. Then, we can tell Grandma to expect us to pick her up in two hours. What do you think? I think two hours should be enough for her to calm down.¡± At that, ric pondered for a moment and agreed with a nod. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go and tell Grandma right now.¡± As she said that, she excitedly turned around to inform Griselda about the n. After Victoria and ric left, Griselda had been sitting alone by the Mon, 19 D 74% Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You 4/10 window, lost in thought while gazing at the moonlight. Suddenly, she heard familiar footsteps. Before she could react, Victoria had already stood in front of her and said joyfully, ¡°Grandma, we¡¯ll go back first to have the maids clean up the room. We¡¯lle to pick you up in two hours. Please wait for us here, okay?¡± The moment she finished speaking, she turned around and left without paying attention to Griselda¡¯s reaction. Before leaving, she instructed the caregivers to take good care of Griselda and then left the nursing home with ric. On the way back, she was filled with excitement. Since Griselda was and kept asking ric various questions along the way. Meanwhile, he calmly responded to all her questions. When they stopped at a red light, he nced at her and saw her joyful profile, which made him think about their divorce. However, judging from her current look, it Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You seemed like she had already put their divorce behind her. ¡°By the way, it might be inconvenient for Grandma to go up and down the stairs. How about we arrange for her to stay on the first floor?¡± ¡°Sure. You can call in advance to have someone clean up the room.¡± He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± After all, it¡¯ll take nearly an hour to get back home from here. At once, she made a phone call back home. When Hector learned that Griselda was returning home, he immediately instructed the maids to tidy up the room. 5/10 Although it was already nighttime, it didn¡¯t stop them from cleaning. The Cadogans had plenty of brand¨Cnew bedding and covers, and the maids didn¡¯t have much work to do during the day. So even if the bedding was new, it had been aired out that day or the day before and was still in pristine condition. Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You Victoria hung up the phone after giving her instructions, but at the same time, ric¡¯s phone started ringing again. The melodious ringtone echoed in the enclosed car, sounding somewhat abrupt. 6/10 Initially, she had a smile on her lips, but when she heard the ringtone, she froze for a second, and the smile gradually faded from her face. Then, she leaned against the seat and turned her head to look out the window. Apart from the ringing, there was no other sound inside the car. ric noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere as well and nced at her from the corner of his eye. Then, he said, ¡°Answer the call for me, Ms. Snowball.¡± At his request, Victoria hesitated for a moment, then declined. ¡°You answer it yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m driving.¡± ¡°You can pull over and answer it.¡± Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You 7/10 ric chuckled at her words out of irritation. ¡°Is it really that difficult for you to answer it for me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Since things hade to this, she didn¡¯t care anymore and said directly, ¡°But I don¡¯t feel like helping you.¡± Seeing her stubborn and domineering attitude, ric wasn¡¯t surprised. There happened to be a temporary parking spot ahead, so he drove the car there: After stopping, he fixed his gaze on her for a moment and said, ¡°If there is a past life, I must have owed you a lot for you to treat me like that.¡± After that, he took out his phone to check the caller ID. ¡°It¡¯s my mom.¡± At these words, Victoria, who had been indifferent before, straightened up a bit and subconsciously said, ¡°How could it be¡­¡± The phone had been ringing for too long, so the ringing had automatically stopped. Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You Just then, his gaze lingered on her fair and beautiful face as he asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who did you think it was?¡± ¡°Well, you should call her back then.¡± She turned her face away, avoiding the topic. Without pursuing the matter further, he returned Kathryn¡¯s call. Within seconds after he dialed the number, the call was immediately picked up. Since he had put the call on speaker, the voice echoed inside the car. ¡°Al, your father and I justnded, and we¡¯re on our way to the nursing home. How is your grandma? Has she had the surgery?¡± ¡°Not yet, ric briefly exined what had happened, then furrowed his brow. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote for you guys toe now?¡± 8/10 N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Al. Your father and I have been extremely busy recently. When Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You we knew that the surgery was pushed forward, we postponed our work so we coulde home. We thought that with you and Victoria being with her, there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. But I was wrong this time. I won¡¯t make the same mistake again.¡± 9/10 Kathryn appeared strong and assertive to the outside world, but she was gentle toward her family. If someone didn¡¯t know her well, they would assume she had the same soft and gentle demeanor when faced with everyone. The first time Victoria witnessed this stark contrast in the Cadogan Residence, she was quite surprised. The powerful and authoritative woman in public had turned into a docile littlemb in front of her family. Initially, she couldn¡¯t understand how a person could have two faces. However, when she witnessed Kathryn instantly calm down the irritable Emanuel, she understood right away. 74% Chapter 61 I Must Have Owed You Kathryn was a smart person who cared deeply about her family. Her rtionship with Emanual was also excellent. In her understanding, apologizing to her husband, children, and elders wasn¡¯t about winning or losing. This was the mentality that Victoria admired. 10/10 Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t do that in front of ric. After all, she and ric were not a real couple. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ric was indeed quickly won over by his mother¡¯s gentle words. ¡°Alright. Victoria and I will bring her back home tonight. Don¡¯t bother going to the nursing home. Juste home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bringing your grandma back home?¡± Kathryn seemed somewhat surprised at this news and asked, ¡°Is Victoria there with you?¡± He didn¡¯t answer whether she was or not, but he just nced at Victoria, signaling with his eyes. Since the call was on speaker, she could hear it This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. herself. So, Victoria called out to Kathryn, ¡°Hi, Mom.¡± Hearing that, Kathryn immediately let out a gentle chuckle. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re there too. You¡¯ve worked hard taking care of Grandma.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Thank you, Mom, for your concern.¡± Although Kathryn didn¡¯t show the same kindness toward her as Griselda did, she still maintained the appropriate manners. She had never scolded her, and when she learned that they were getting married, she was only slightly surprised, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you two to be together so soon. I thought it would take a long time for someone to understand his feelings.¡± And then she agreed. However, at that time, Victoria didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of her words. What did she mean by understanding his feelings? She thought that Kathryn probably misunderstood that ric had feelings for her, which was why she said that. But because she and ric were only pretending to be married, she didn¡¯t dwell on it any further. ¡°Alright, since Grandma has you two to take care of her, your dad and I will be relieved, It¡¯s alreadyte today, so we won¡¯t go there now to cause a disturbance. Let¡¯s have a meal together tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria agreed. Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her After that, Kathryn exchanged a few more words with ric before hanging up the phone. Both ric and Victoria were quiet on the way back. It wasn¡¯t until the car was close to its destination that she turned her head to the left. ¡°You¡¯re going to be disappointed.¡± Caught off guard by her sudden statement, ric was confused. 3/10 She then calmly said, ¡°Since Grandma¡¯s surgery has been postponed, the divorce date will also be pushed back.¡± At her words, his hands gripping the steering wheel froze for a moment. He pressed his lips together and said in a bitter tone, ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be at this time anyway, ording to the original n.¡± Griselda¡¯s health condition was good, so the surgery was rescheduled half a month earlier, and their divorce date was also brought forward by half a 11:33 Mon, 19 Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her month. Now that she couldn¡¯t undergo surgery, the date could only be 4/10 pushed back, which didn¡¯t deviate much from his original n. Besides, he had long prepared for various contingencies, considering Griselda¡¯s condition. Victoria acknowledged with an ¡®Oh¡®, and then asked, ¡°Is that okay? How are you going to exin it to udia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s between me and her,¡± he replied with a frown. At this moment, a wry smile tugged on her lips. ¡°True, you¡¯re right.¡± When the car arrived at its destination, before he could even park properly, she got out of the car and mmed the door shut with a loud thud, leaving him speechless. Hector, who had heard that they were bringing Griselda back, came out happily to wee them when he heard the noise. However, what he saw was Victoria walking past expressionlessly, followed by ric with a Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her gloomy face. It took him a while to snap out of his daze, and he rubbed his forehead in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s happening again?¡± 5/10 Meanwhile, Victoria went straight to the room on the ground floor where Griselda would stay. The maids were efficient, as they had already changed the bedsheets after she made the phone call. Since the house was already cleaned on regr days, apart from changing the bedsheets, there was no need to do anything else. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan, the room for Old Mrs. Cadogan is almost done. Please have a look and let us know if there¡¯s anything else you¡¯d like to arrange.¡± Victoria looked around and was quite satisfied. ¡°Bring in some potted nts, change the curtains to a more elegant color, and add some soothing scented candles.¡± The maid nodded and went to fulfill the requests. Over an hourter, the two of them set off to the nursing home to pick up Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her Griselda. During the two hours of waiting, as her grandson and granddaughter¨Cinw told her that they wereing to take her home, Griselda¡¯s emotions were a mix of joy andplexity. She was joyful because she could finally leave the nursing home, but it wasplex because going back home seemed to be causing trouble for them due to her current condition. After all, no matter how well¨Cprepared the house was, it was not a nursing home, and they would undoubtedly devote more attention to taking care of her. However, before she could dwell on it for long, she heard the voice of a caregiver. ¡°Old Mrs. Cadogan, Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan are here to pick you up.¡± Upon hearing that, Griselda became slightly nervous. 6/10 On the contrary, the two caregivers were very happy, with smiles on their Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her faces as they said, ¡°We¡¯ve packed up your belongings for you, Old Mrs. Cadogan.¡± Griselda didn¡¯t have much, and everything was packed into two suitcases. Worried, she wanted to speak up but was interrupted as Victoria and ric walked in through the door. ¡°Grandma?¡± Seeing that the caregivers had already packed the luggage, Victoria instinctively said to ric, ¡°Go and carry Grandma¡¯s luggage.¡± ric raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t refuse. He walked over and took the luggage in his hands. 7/10 Meanwhile, she approached the wheelchair. ¡°Grandma, the room you¡¯ll be staying in has been cleaned up by the maids. You can rest once we get there. Did you take a shower just now after we left?¡± Griselda shook her head, for she was too anxious to even take a shower. Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll shower you once we¡¯re back home,¡± Victoria said, not giving Griselda a chance to think about anything else. She pushed the wheelchair and walked outside, signaling ric with her eyes. While standing in ce, ric looked at her series of actions, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile before he picked up the luggage and followed. 8/10 Amidst the night, Griselda and Victoria sat in the backseat of the car. Although it waste and it was time for Griselda to rest, her gaze was lively as she looked out at the receding city scenery. From the side, Victoria saw the anticipation on her face. Indeed, no matter how luxurious the nursing home is, staying there for a long time will eventually make her fearful and bored. At this thought, she held Griselda¡¯s arm and gently leaned on her shoulder before whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the mall in a few days.¡± Griselda was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Can I?¡± Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her 9/10 ¡°We¡¯ll ask the doctor beforehand, but going for one or two hours should be fine.¡± Griselda didn¡¯t say anything more, but everyone could feel her mood improving. With that, the atmosphere in the car became much better. Victoria originally thought that the pleasant atmosphere couldst for a while, but little did she know that as the car approached the gate of the Cadogan Residence, she saw a familiar and slender figure from a distance. Even in the middle of the night, that person insisted on wearing a white dress, standing at the gate whilemunicating with the security guard. Then it seemed like the security guard noticed something and pointed in their direction. Following his finger, the slender figure turned around and looked over. At this moment, the car¡¯s headlights shone on udia¡¯s beautiful face, Chapter 62 That¡¯s Between Me and Her making her features clearly visible. 10/10 When Victoria thought of Griselda beside her, her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Who is that young girl? She looks¡­ quite familiar.¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 74% In that instant, Victoria felt her heart skip a beat, and she looked at ric because she had no idea how to respond to Griselda¡¯s question. After all, they had a good view of udia from the backseats, and he had seen her, too, when he was behind the wheel. In addition, she was the woman he loved, so it was natural for him to take note of her presence. 1/8 After that, he slowed the car down and stopped at the vi¡¯s entrance. When the vehicle pulled over, udia grabbed her purse, walked to the passenger seat, and knocked on the window. Then, when the car window rolled down, she smiled softly and said, ¡°You¡¯re back, Al. How is Grandma? I¡¯m sorry. I know you told me not to worry about her, but I still want toe and check for myself.¡± After saying that, she casually nced at the back of the car. Since she didn¡¯t see Victoria in the passenger seat, she knew Victoria would be in the back seat. At that moment, udia thought ric had reserved the passenger seat 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun 0 Chapter 63 An Outsider 8. 74%? for her, and she was overjoyed. However, she noticed that there were two people in the back; one was Victoria, and the other was¡­ As soon as udia saw who it was, her expression changed drastically. Old Mrs. Cadogan?! Why is she here? Suddenly, her intention to unt Victoria over ric¡¯s im vanished. The smile on udia¡¯s face stiffened, and she wondered if Griselda would misunderstand the words she had just said. Will it affect my rtionship with Al? 2/8 While udia was perplexed, Griselda was staring at her with confusion in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember her, Grandma? She is udia, the one who saved ric when he was young. She is his lifesaver,¡± Victoria exined calmly. When Griselda heard that, she said, ¡°It¡¯s you, and you¡¯ve grown so much. Please ept my apologies for not recognizing you sooner.¡± As soon as udia was, Griselda treated her with courtesy since she 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 63 An Outsider 0 € 74%? On the other hand, udia shook her head and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandma. How will I get angry because of such a trivial matter? Speaking of which, I should be the one to me. After all, I have not visited you for a long time due to my busy schedule. I hope you won¡¯t treat me as a stranger because of that.¡± 3/8 ¡°I did ask Victoria before about your condition. Never would I think that we¡¯ll be in touch so quickly.¡± After hearing that, udia nced at Victoria. Before she could say anything, ric raised his chin and said, ¡°Get in the car and talk.¡± The weather was cold then, and she only wore a dress. Her face was pale as she stood in the cold wind, looking pitiful. ¡°It¡¯ste, so I won¡¯t be going in. After all, it would be inconvenient for me to do so.¡± udia smiled and shook her head. The tip of her nose was bright red from the coldness. ¡°Moreover, I came here because I heard about 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 63 An Outsider 74% Grandma¡¯s surgery. Since she is fine, I can go home with ease now.¡± Ultimately, she didn¡¯t get in the car and instead braved the bitter weather while standing outside. 4/8 When Victoria heard that, she looked thoughtfully at udia¡¯s white dress. Since discovering udia¡¯s true identity, she knew it was no coincidence that she would be dressed in this manner and be standing there. She wondered if udia had lost her cool when ric wouldn¡¯t want to divorce then, so udia came here in the middle of the night without giving it a second thought. However, udia had never expected to encounter Griselda. As Victoria observed udia leaning against the car window and speaking those intimate words to him, she became too apathetic to care about them. All she wished was that Griselda wouldn¡¯t be affected by this. At that moment, Victoria knew ric would not leave udia alone in the cold. Moreover, Victoria was also worried that he would identally spill the beans. So, she took the initiative and said, ¡°It¡¯s not toote. Hurry up 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 63 An Outsider 08 , 74%= and get in the car. Since Grandma has returned in time, you can stay here and talk to her for a while. I¡¯ll let the driver send you hometer.¡± She invited udia with a calm voice. 5/8 When udia heard that, she looked at Victoria, seemingly surprised that she would say something like this. However, udia soon knew the reason and nodded. ¡°Thank you, Victoria.¡± After that, she walked over and sat with them. They had no problem sitting in the back since they were all skinny. In addition, Victoria had been sitting so close to Griselda that there was a vast empty seat off the side. After udia entered the car, she greeted Griselda with enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Victoria breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that udia hadn¡¯t gone for the passenger seat. Thank God she is smart enough, she thought. 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 63 An Outsider 08 . 74%= ¡°Thank you foring over to check up on me, udia. You must be tired.¡± Griselda was polite with her, and the two began to murmur. 6/8 After some time, the car drove into the vi and stopped in the garage. Then, the servants grabbed out the wheelchair that they prepared beforehand. When the car door was opened, ric carried Griselda and carefully put her in the wheelchair. When udia exited the car, she noticed Victoria approaching Griselda and pushing the wheelchair for her. Seeing the trio standing together like a happy family, udia gripped her dress tightly. However, she soon thought of something and smiled again as she followed them. On the other hand, Hector was ted to learn Griselda had returned. So, when he heard some noises from the front door, he immediately led the servants to greet them. However, they were shocked when they saw the three of them, plus udia, who hadn¡¯t been invited. When they saw that, all the servants exchanged instant nces, and because they worked for 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun A 874% Chapter 63 An Outsider a wealthy family, they quickly suppressed their emotions when Griselda approached them. ¡°Wee home, Old Mrs. Cadogan!¡± Everyone was excited, and they even prepared a show for her. Before her admission to the nursing home, Griselda had seen various national and international performances. After a while, she became bored at the nursing home, so she was interested in the show the servants had prepared for her. As Victoria stood beside Griselda and saw the excitement on her face, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. On the other hand, ric watched the scene and slowly blinked. Then, he smiled and whispered to her, ¡°Are you the one who set this up?¡± After hearing that, she subconsciously shook her head and replied, ¡°No. It N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. must be Hector who set this up.¡± 7/8 Mo 74% Chapter 63 An Outsider He clicked his tongue when he heard that. Seeing his grandmother in such a good mood also put him in a cheerful mood. ¡°He is quite a considerate man.¡± 8/8 ¡°Of course. Otherwise, how will he be the Cadogan Family¡¯s butler?¡± When he heard that, he smiled silently to express how he felt. In the meantime, udia deliberately kept her distance from ric since she didn¡¯t want to reveal their rtionship to Griselda. However, she could overhear what he and Victoria were saying even as she stood behind them. Theyplement each other well and look stunning in their matching dark outfits. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re a perfect match, while I¡¯m just an outsider standing here, unsure of what to do. At that moment, a glint of viciousness shed across her eyes as she bit her lips. 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Chapter 64 74% After the show ended, everyone went inside the house. Then, Hector ordered the chef to make some meals that adhered strictly to Griselda¡¯s health requirements. However, since it was gettingte, she ate only a few bites before setting down her silverware. ¡°Thank you, everyone. I¡¯m thrilled today,¡± Griselda said. Afterward, she went to clean herself. Initially, Victoria wanted to help, but Griselda gently patted her hands and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me. I can wash myself. After all, I can still walk.¡± Before Victoria could say anything, Griselda had already turned her head to udia and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, udia. Why don¡¯t you stay here for the night? I¡¯ll let Victoria ask the servants to clean up a room for you.¡± At that moment, udia was eating absent¨Cmindedly before Griselda spoke to her. When she heard Griselda¡¯s words, she immediately shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Old Mrs. Cadogan: It¡¯s inappropriate for me to 1/9 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of stay here.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Griselda asked. ¡°We have many guest rooms in our house. Plus, it won¡¯t be a headache to clean it. You are our savior. It¡¯s only right that we let you stay the night.¡± Given what Griselda has said, it would be rude for udia to continue declining her invitation. Moreover, udia also wanted to stay for the night. After all, she would then be able to get closer to ric. Before udia could say anything, Victoria smiled and said softly, ¡°Mr. Bowen, can you please find someone to clean up a room for Miss Johnson.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± Hector nodded in head sulkily. Throughout the conversation, ric was quiet as he sat in his seat. Soon, the others left and returned to their stations, leaving the masters alone. The few servants who stayed behind sensed something weird and 2/9 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of scurried off. When no one was around them, udia nced at Victoria before looking at him and asked quietly, ¡°Would it be bad if I stay for the night, Al? I¨CI think I should get going.¡± On the other hand, Victoria observed udia still seated despite her deration that she was leaving. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can stay here for a night,¡± ric replied with a faint expression. ¡°Then¡­¡± udia turned her gaze to Victoria. ¡°Can I stay for the night, Victoria? Will you be unhappy about it?¡± When Victoria heard that, she was at a loss for words. After all, she had never expected to be involved in this matter. Why did she ask for my permission when she had already asked him? She knows I can¡¯t say anything, yet she still wants to act entric. Thinking about it, she smiled and acted generous. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m happy that you are staying.¡± Then, 3/9 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of she cocked an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Do I need to swap ces for the sake of you two?¡± When ric heard her words, he frowned deeply and looked at Victoria. In the meantime, udia was baffled by her words. After some time, she asked dryly, ¡°W¨CWhat do you mean by that?¡± 4/9 Victoria tugged her hair behind her ear and looked rxed. ¡°I meant what I said. Think about it, Miss Johnson. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand.¡± Then, she stood up from her seat and didn¡¯t want to say anything more. ¡°Call me if you need anything. I¡¯ll try my best to help you.¡± After saying that, she walked away. As ric watched her leave, a cold aura emanated from him. Next to him, udia sat with a puzzled expression; after all, she hadn¡¯t anticipated Victoria¡¯s statement. Initially, she wanted to provoke Victoria, but she never thought Victoria would say it aloud to his face! 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of After that, udia looked at him with a sad face. ¡°Did I say something wrong, Al? I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that she would be angry. I think I¡¯ll just go home.¡± As she spoke, she stood up and rushed out. As she hurried by, he reached out and tugged on her arm. ¡°Just stay. You don¡¯t have to care about her words,¡± he said with a frown. ¡°But-¡± Suddenly, Hector rushed over and cut her off. ¡°Sir, Miss Johnson¡¯s room is ready.¡± 5/9 Huh? Is my room already done? They just left minutes ago. How could they possibly have cleaned it so fast? udia looked at the butler in shock. She wondered if he had cleaned the room thoroughly for her. ¡°Okay.¡± However, ric wasn¡¯t in the mood to notice it. Instead, he looked at her and said, ¡°Hector will lead you to your room. Get some rest.¡± Then, he walked in the direction where Victoria had left. 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of ¡°Al¡­¡± B 3, 74% = However, he did not hear her calling out to him, and as he left, he turned his back on her. As udia stood on the spot, she was upset. She hated the fact that Victoria had said those strange words. However, Hector¡¯s cold voice sounded before she could think any further. ¡°Shall I take you to your room, Miss Johnson?¡± Although she didn¡¯t like his attitude, she couldn¡¯t do anything. Thus, she forced a smile on her face and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bowen.¡± However, the butler ignored her words and walked away with a stoic expression. She could only suppress her dissatisfaction and quickly chased after him. 6/9 11:34 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of ?74% When Victoria went to her room, she closed the door and entered the bathroom. She propped her hands on the sink and looked into the mirror, seeing herself in the reflection. After uttering those words, she was pleased to see udia¡¯s bewildered expression and ric¡¯s distressed face. As expected, one can only be defeated in their own way, she thought. Since she dares to say weird things to me, I can do the same. I don¡¯t need to get angry because of her. I can fight back using her way. After all, everyone knew how to act pitifully. 7/9 When she was deep in thought, someone opened the bathroom door. She was startled and turned to see ric enter the bathroom. Since he was T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. tall, the bathroom became narrow as soon as he stepped inside. Her frown deepened as soon as sheid eyes on him. ¡°What do you mean by that earlier statement of yours?¡± he asked coldly, looking at her with a darkened gaze. Victoria shrugged in response and replied, ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you guys. 11:35 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of What else am I doing?¡± 74% After hearing that, ric frowned even deeper and emitted an even more intimidating aura. Meanwhile, she didn¡¯t want to be in the same room as him, so she nned to leave. However, she couldn¡¯t get out since he was blocking the door. ¡°Please move,¡± she said. ric didn¡¯t budge and just stood there like a rock. Victoria frowned and squeezed through the gap on the left side. Just as she was about to pass through, he leaned toward the left side and blocked her way. 8/9 She was rendered speechless by his conduct. Hence, she silently looked at him and walked over to the other side. However, he also blocked the other side and had no intention of letting her exit the bathroom. After a while, she was fed up with him, so she raised her head and red at him. ¡°What exactly do you want? If you have nothing to do, you can just find your-¡± 11:35 Mon, 19 Jun 4. Chapter 64 Should I Switch ces for the Sake of Before she could finish her words, ric grabbed her shoulders and pinned her against the cold bathroom walls. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Even if Victoria had worn a thick coat, she could still feel the coldness from the wall due to the cold weather. In addition, ric¡¯s hands were firmly and firmly gripping her shoulders, which caused her to remain immobile in that position. She struggled to free herself from his grip, but her efforts were futile, and she soon found herself out of breath. Hence, she raised her head, red at ric while giving him a cold smirk, and said, ¡°What are you doing? Are you angry that I have said your thoughts aloud?¡± On the other hand, ric looked at Victoria with a grim expression. The woman before him had bright eyes that seemed to glow under the lights. At that moment, stars seemed to fill her eyes, which looked mesmerizing. Other than that, she had a high nose and rosy lips. Although her lips were soft and sweet, her words were so hurtful that he wanted to silence her and forbid her from ever speaking again. As he thought about it, he abruptly bent over and kissed her before she could say anything else. Then, when she saw that he was getting closer to her, she felt uneasy about the situation. ¡°You-¡± As soon as she spoke her first word, she felt a familiar pair of lips on hers. Before udia had intervened in their lives, Victoria had never rejected ric¡¯s kisses. After all, she loved him and longed for his touch. Although she had never refused him, she was shy when he first kissed her. Moreover, his kisses were intimidating, the same as his personality. Every time they kissed, the overwhelming sensation would make her snap back to her senses only when it was done. The same thing happened this time, perhaps because he was angry because his kiss was so intense. He grabbed her cheeks and pressed down on them, causing her cheeks to be misshapen. She could feel his icy presence all around her, and their kiss seemed to express his frustration. After that, she shoved him away with all her strength and smacked him across the face. His head jerked to the side, and an imprint of a hand appeared on the side of his face. Additionally, his lips were slightly red, 11:35 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 65 Don¡¯t Touch Me which gave his initially charming face a sinister appearance. After some time, he turned his head back and stared at her intently. Noticing his gaze, Victoria red at ric while wiping her lips. Then, she straightened her clothes and walked out of the bathroom. As she turned to leave, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Suddenly, her usually calm andposed demeanor was being riled up. ¡°Are you crazy, ric? If you want sex, you should find your true love and don¡¯t touch me.¡± 3/8 At that moment, a glint shed across his eyes when he heard that. So, he grabbed her chin firmly and said, ¡°What did you say? Repeat what you just said.¡± She raised her head and looked at him. ¡°If you want to have sex, go and find someone else. Don¡¯t try to use me as a tool.¡± She stared into his eyes and emphasized each of her words. After hearing her words, he was enraged. 11:36 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 65 Don¡¯t Touch Me However, Victoria curled her lips and said, ¡°Do I need to remind you of the helped me when my family went bankrupt, I will cover up for you two. Grandma won¡¯t know any of this. How about that?¡± ¡°What do you mean by spending the night outside with her?¡± After saying that, ric narrowed his eyes. ¡°Have you misunderstood something?¡± ¡°Misunderstood?¡± How could I possibly misinterpret something I have witnessed with my own eyes? When he looked at her and realized she was upset because of a misunderstanding between him and udia, he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. Soon, his facial expression softened, and he exined with pursed lips, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. That night-¡± However, Victoria quickly cut ric off before he could exin what happened. ¡°I have no interest in hearing what happened that night. You 4/8 11:36 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 65 Don¡¯t Touch Me 5/8 don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± Does he think that he can fool me because I wasn¡¯t there? Saying that he had never spent the night with udia? she thought. Unfortunately, she was by the scene and saw udia leaving with him. He also didn¡¯te home for the whole night and was evente to the nursing home the next day. She didn¡¯t know what he didst night but was toozy to care about it. After everything had happened, she felt that she was starting to lose herself. Although she had loved him for many years, she didn¡¯t want to be a fool who only cared about love. When she recalled the moment she scolded him, she promised never to go through the same experience again. It was too scary for her since she didn¡¯t feel like herself. After she calmed down, her emotions vanished. As she looked at him, she looked calm andposed. On the other hand, ric had also sensed the changes in Victoria. He could see the calm and indifference in her. Looking at her, he felt a pang in his heart, seemingly as if a knife had stabbed him. After some time, he 11:36 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 65 Don¡¯t Touch Me else when I¡¯m not done divorcing you. Do you see me as such a lowlife person?¡± In the meantime, she hadpletely calmed down. When she heard his words, she remained calm and asked, ¡°Does it matter what kind of person you are to me?¡± ¡°Does it not matter?¡± he asked as he squinted his eyes. ¡°Who knows?¡± Victoria smiled faintly. Then, she gently wiped the blood off ric¡¯s lips. Her touch was as soft as a feather as her fingers gently grazed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Does it hurt? Please put some medicine on your lips afterward. As for you and udia¡­ You can still ask for my help if needed. I will be willing to y along.¡± ¡°Are you sure you will hold on to this matter?¡± He grabbed her wrists and gritted his teeth as he spoke, 6/8 11:36 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 65 Don¡¯t Touch Me ¡°Let go of me,¡± she said faintly. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Instead of letting go, ric gripped Victoria¡¯s hand even tighter. 74% After that, she frowned and had a different reaction than before. ¡°It hurts.¡± After saying that, she struggled slightly. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t free herself from his grip, she gave up and stood there, allowing him to grab her hand. Then, she lowered her eyes and said nothing. Soon after, there wasplete silence in the bathroom. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, but they ignored it. Meanwhile, ric was too angry to answer the door. On the other hand, the person by the door knocked again when being ignored. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked with annoyance and impatience. 7/8 Immediately, the sound died down by the door. After some time, udia¡¯s soft voice sounded. ¡°I¨CIt¡¯s me¡­¡± Chapter 65 Don¡¯t Touch Me When ric heard her voice, he frowned. After seeing his reaction, Victoria chuckled and looked at him. ¡°Come on, let go of me. If you stay here any longer, your dear udia will be worried about you,¡± she said as she gently swayed their linked hands. 8/8 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? ?74% ric frowned when he heard her words. At that moment, a cold glint shed across his eyes as he gave off an intimidating aura. Just as Victoria thought he would do something to her, thetter turned around and left. Victoria breathed a sigh of relief and smiled mockingly at the same time. 1/9 On the other hand, udia gripped her fingers nervously as she waited by the door. If I heard it correctly, ric seems to be irritated. It was as if he was being interrupted while doing something important. udia felt unsettled by his reaction. Moreover, she started panicking when ric T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. didn¡¯t open the door after stating who she was. What is he doing there? Why isn¡¯t he opening the door? udia was in a nerve¨Cwracking mess. When the door finally opened, she immediately raised her head and eyed ric up and down. His clothes are still the same as before. Although he hasn¡¯t taken off his 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? jacket, it seems wrinkly. 0& ¡ê 74%= udia soon reassured herself that having a bit of wrinkle on one¡¯s clothes was normal. Then, just as she raised her head and looked at ric, she noticed a small slit on his lips. At that moment, she felt her blood run cold. Since the color of the cut was light, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed it if she hadn¡¯t been close to him. ric didn¡¯t notice her odd expression and asked faintly, ¡°Why are you here?¡± At that moment, udia snapped back to her senses and smiled awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any suitable clothes. I was thinking about asking Victoria to lend me some.¡± She is here to ask for clothes? ric frowned and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t the 2/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun 74% Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? Looking at her reaction, ric pursed his lips and seemed to be unhappy. 3/9 Sensing that ric would get mad, udia said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Al. It¡¯s normal that they didn¡¯t prepare any clothes for me beforehand since this was my first time staying over. I¡¯ll just borrow some clothes from Victoria if she is willing to.¡± As ric heard her words, he frowned and recalled how fierce she was. I don¡¯t think she will be willing to do it. Even if she lends udia some clothes, she will surely provoke me once udia leaves, he thought. As he thought about what to do, he heard Victoria¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to oblige. Come on in.¡± In that split second, ric turned his head around. Victoria stood there and smiled at udia. She had already tidied herself, 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun 74% Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? before. However, as a woman, udia could tell that Victoria had lipstick on before going up the stairs. Currently, her lip was bare, and there was a cut on ric¡¯s lips¡­ 4/9 It took much force from udia to remain smiling as she followed Victoria into the room. ¡°Follow me.¡± As udia entered the room, she began looking around. The bedroom was huge and the bathroom was the size of a standard bedroom. Since udia came from a wealthy family, she wasn¡¯t too surprised by the bedroom¡¯syout. However, she was envious when she saw the wardrobe that covered almost half of the bedroom which was filled with designer clothes, bags, and jewelry. Victoria stopped at a section and said to udia, ¡°Look around. Feel free to take anything you like. You can also take the clothes you want to wear tomorrow.¡± 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun EA 74%E Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? Since they were almost the same height and size, Victoria wasn¡¯t worried that her clothes wouldn¡¯t fit udia. At this moment, they were the only two in the wardrobe. udia looked at Victoria and didn¡¯t seem to be in a rush to choose her clothes. Seeing that she kept staring, Victoria knew she wanted to speak with her. However, she would wait until udia decided to speak up. As expected, udia couldn¡¯t wait any longer after a few seconds. ¡°You broke our promise, Victoria,¡± she said in a low voice. Victoria froze briefly before asking, ¡°When did I ever do that?¡± ¡°You had lipstick on before you went upstairs,¡± replied udia as she stared at Victoria¡¯s lips intently. Hearing her words, Victoria knew what udia was implying. Things did happen since her lipstick was gone, but she didn¡¯t feel the need to deny it. 5/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? ¡°That means you broke our promise, Victoria. You are a liar.¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m a trustworthy person. If it weren¡¯t for Grandma, I wouldn¡¯t even want to be near him.¡± 74% Her words riled udia up. Immediately, udia smirked coldly and said, ¡°You¡¯re saying that Al is the one who wants to be near you?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t say anything. 6/9 ¡°Stop joking. There is no way he would do such a thing.¡± After all, how could ric still be with Victoria after she returned? Victoria shrugged in response and said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be standing here right now if I decided to be a liar, Miss Johnson. All I have to do is tell Grandma the truth.¡± udia¡¯s expression changed drastically when she heard Griselda being mentioned. 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun 0 , 74%¡ã Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? ¡°Why did she suddenly decide to postpone the surgery? Did you say anything to her?¡± udia questioned. She had her suspicions about Victoria. She felt that Victoria must have said something to Griselda since thetter had decided to dy the surgery when nothing was wrong. Victoria¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°I wish her well more than anyone else.¡± udia was baffled by how serious Victoria was, but she then let out a cold snort and thought, Stop pretending to be nice to Old Mrs. Cadogan. I don¡¯t trust that you would treat that old hag nicely if it weren¡¯t for ric. Some things needed to be broken to change. Victoria hated the fact that udia kept bugging her, so she put it bluntly and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, we can forget about the promise.¡± Forget about the promise? No way! I won¡¯t let that happen! 7/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun 74% Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? udia suppressed her anger and put up a smile. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at me, Victoria. I was getting kind of worked up because I misunderstood you. To be honest, I believe you. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have let you repay my gratitude. I just love ric too much and was anxious. That is why I would say such unreasonable things. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t say it ever again.¡± Then, she took a few steps forward, seemingly trying to grab Victoria¡¯s hand. 8/9 Victoria took a few steps back and avoided her touch. At this moment, ric¡¯s cold voice sounded outside the wardrobe. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Immediately, udia¡¯s expression changed, and she immediately replied, ¡°We are choosing outfits. We¡¯ll be out in a second.¡± Then, she stopped trying to get close to Victoria and simply chose some clothes before leaving. When she left the wardrobe, ric looked at her and said, ¡°Are you done 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 66 What Are You Guys Doing? picking the clothes?¡± udia smiled at him and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ll be heading back to my room.¡± ric nodded at her response. 74% Since they were at the Cadogan Residence, ric didn¡¯t apany her to avoid misunderstanding. On the other hand, udia also left the scene quickly. After she had left, Victoria walked out of the wardrobe. ric pursed his lips and looked at her with aplicated expression. ¡°What were you guys talking about in there?¡± he asked. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Victoria nced at him. Hearing her words, ric went silent. 74% ¡°Why do you need to ask about what happened when we were just in there for about three minutes? Are you afraid that I will hurt her?¡± Victoria asked with amusement. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ric frowned, looking clearly upset. ¡°What is it then? Do I need to tell you everything about our girl talks?¡± Hearing her words, ric could tell that Victoria had no intention of acting nice toward him. She had changed so much. Other than ying pretend in front of Griselda, she treated him like a stranger. As ric noticed this 1/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun 0$ 74%= Chapter 67 Morning Sickness In the meantime, seeing that he was silent, Victoria took her clothes and went to wash herself. After that, she climbed into the bed and went to sleep. During the whole process, she ignored ric, seemingly as if he was invisible. Angered by the situation, he went to the bathroom and washed himself. Then, hey on the bed with a grumpy face. 2/9 Although the duo slept together, there was a long¨Cshaped pillow in between them. It was as if theyy in separate beds. Since Victoria had not slept well thest night, she immediately fell asleep as soon as shey down. Once she cleared her mind, she had a good sleep. When she woke up, ric was already gone. Subsequently, she looked at the time and frowned when she saw it was already past 8.00AM -she had overslept. She quickly got out of bed and tidied herself before going downstairs. When she walked down the stairs, she realized everyone was already sitting at the table and eating. As she approached them, she suddenly 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 67 Morning Sickness 74% stopped in her tracks. She saw udia sitting beside Griselda and taking care of her. At that moment, she knew udia was trying to get on Griselda¡¯s good side. 3/9 Although Victoria didn¡¯t like what udia was doing, she knew that ric would soon divorce her and udia would be Griselda¡¯s granddaughter¨Cinw. Thus, she felt relieved. As she walked toward the table, Griselda was the first to notice her. She waved her hands and said, ¡°You¡¯re up, Victoria. You must be starving, right? Come and have some breakfast.¡± The servants quickly ced the utensils before Victoria as she sat down. Victoria smiled at Griselda and greeted her. ¡°Good morning, Grandma. How wasst night¡¯s sleep?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well. It might be due to the fact that I was overly excited 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 67 Morning Sickness since I just came back home,¡± Griselda sighed. Hearing her words, Victoria looked at her worriedly. ¡°Well¡­ You should get some rest after breakfast, Grandma,¡± she said. 74% ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m very wide awake now, but I¡¯ll go to sleep once I¡¯m tired.¡± Griseldaforted her. At this moment, the servant had ced Victoria¡¯s breakfast on the table. Griselda noticed it and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria nodded. udia was upset that Griselda had a better attitude toward Victoria. Still, she could do nothing except continue taking care of her. ¡°Try more of this, Grandma. It¡¯s good for your digestion,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you, udia.¡± Griselda treated her with courtesy. Although she was 4/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun EN.74%= Chapter 67 Morning Sickness also kind toward udia, she didn¡¯t act as naturally as she was when being around Victoria. During the whole conversation, ric sat there with a stoic expression. He had dark circles under his eyes due tock of sleep and had a grumpy face. Ever since Victoria came downstairs, he had his eyes glued on her. However, Victoria seemed to have ignored him and acted as if he was invisible. She had never once looked at him. Because of that, ric pursed his lips in frustration. Just as Victoria grabbed a ss of milk and was about to drink it, a servant ced a bowl of fish fumet in front of her. ¡°Drink this, Mrs. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Cadogan.¡± It was rare for Victoria to drink soup in the morning. She mostly drank juice or milk since she wanted to keep her body in perfect shape. Thus, the chefs would always count the calories when making her meals. However, Victoria wasn¡¯t surprised when she saw the soup being brought to her. 5/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 67 Morning Sickness D 74% After all, the chefs would change the menu because of Griselda¡¯s arrival. Nevertheless, she knew that this soup wasn¡¯t her serving. She supposed that Griselda had wanted her to drink it. 6/9 As expected, just as she was dazed, Griselda smiled and said, ¡°Drink some soup. You are too skinny.¡± Victoria stared at the soup for a moment before nodding. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± There shouldn¡¯t be a problem if I eat this on some asions. If I gain weight from it, then so be it. Plus, I¡¯m pregnant now. I shouldn¡¯t be dieting like before. I need to eat more nutritious food. Thinking about it, Victoria grabbed a spoon and scooped the soup. Just as she was going to drink it, she felt nauseous. At that moment, her expression changed drastically. Before others could react, she threw away the spoon and sprinted away as she covered her mouth. 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun 0* 74%u Chapter 67 Morning Sickness Everyone was shocked by her sudden actions and stood there unmoving. ric was the first to react and quickly chased after Victoria with a grim expression. The next person to respond was Griselda. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is she unwell?¡± Her voice snapped the others back from their trance. They quickly rushed over while pushing Griselda with them. Soon, udia was the only one left at the dining table. She held the bowl unmoving as she stood there, not even noticing that her spoon had fallen into the bowl and sshed out the soup. Her face was as pale as a ghost, and there was only one thought in her mind. 7/9 Did Victoria just experience morning sickness? It should be! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been nauseous when she smelled the meat. What should I do? No one knows she is pregnant, and I doubt Victoria will tell them. Old Mrs. Cadogan would have learned by now if she had intended to say anything. However¡­ Old Mrs. Cadogan is a woman. Not only that, but she is also a woman who has experienced childbirth. What if she notices 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 67 Morning Sickness something? 74%? Thinking about it, udia panicked. She put down the bowl and quickly chased after them. There was a bathroom on the first floor. When Victoria dashed into the bathroom, she immediately retched by the sink. Although her stomach was churning, she didn¡¯t throw up anything since she had just woken up. Not to mention, she didn¡¯t eat muchst night. Still, she couldn¡¯t stop the nauseous feeling. After some time, she began to sweat, and her face was pale. While in misery, she felt a pair of hands calming her down, soothing her back. Tears brimmed Victoria¡¯s eyes as she retched. After a few minutes, the nauseous feeling was gone. However, she had lost all strength. Her limbs 8/9 11:39 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 67 Morning Sickness 0 74% were weak, and she almost fell after taking a few steps. Quickly, a pair of arms caught her by the waist, and she was carried. When Victoria felt herself being lifted, she subconsciously snuggled into ric¡¯s embrace. 9/9 At this moment, Griselda arrived. She looked at Victoria worriedly and asked, ¡°How is she?¡± ric had a grim expression as he hugged her closely. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m going to take her to the hospital while you guys continue to have breakfast.¡± As he spoke, udia soon arrived. Her expression changed when she heard ric was taking Victoria to the hospital. When ric walked past her, she quickly chased after him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you guys.¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Who would have thought the house would be in chaos because of Victoria¡¯s sudden reaction? As Victoria snuggled against ric, her mind was still fuzzy. 74% Besides them, udia seemed to have thought of something and suggested, ¡°It will take us some time to go to the hospital, Al. Why don¡¯t we take her to my friend¡¯s clinic? I think it might be food poisoning.¡± Although udia seemed calm on the outside, she was already a mental mess. After all, ric would know the truth if he took Victoria to the hospital. Thus, she insisted on going to her friend¡¯s clinic since she could hide the truth if Victoria were required to do a checkup. As she thought about it, she suddenly recalled thest time Victoria had a fever and refused to go to the hospital. She remembered thinking that Victoria was throwing a tantrum at ric because of her. Thus, she was 1/9 Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking trying to gain ric¡¯s attention. At that moment, udia despised her. However, now that she thought about it, she understood why Victoria refused to go to the hospital or take any medications. There were clues all along. ¡°A clinic?¡± ric frowned and refused her suggestion. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we go to a hospital. It has a higher standard.¡± He wasn¡¯t trying to embarrass udia as he just wanted to take Victoria to a hospital and do a checkup since he felt that she must be extremely ufortable to have thrown up so badly. However, udia had a grim expression when she heard his words. She looked at ric and thought, Does he think the clinic I rmended has low standards? Sadly, ric couldn¡¯t care less about her at the moment. Right now, all of his attention was on Victoria. Suddenly, he heard Victoria¡¯s weak voice. ¡°Stop.¡± 2/9 Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her. In the meantime, Victoria 3/9 had regained her senses. She patted his hand and signaled him to put her down. However, ric frowned and didn¡¯t budge. Sighing, Victoria opened her mouth and said, ¡°Put me down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re feeling unwell. You should go to a hospital,¡± ric replied as he silently hugged her tighter. ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± said Victoria. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be vomiting your guts out if you were fine.¡± His words were blunt. No matter what, he was unwilling to put her down. ¡°That¡¯s because I had gotten a whiff of¡­¡± Initially, Victoria would say that she threw up because of the smell of meat. However, she swallowed her words back. After all, ric had thought she had already gotten an 11:40 Mon, 19 Jun ¨^ 374%= Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking abortion. Thus, he would notice something wrong if she told him the truth. 4/9 When ric saw that she paused mid¨Csentence, he squinted his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± Before Victoria could say anything, udia rushed toward them and came to the rescue. ¡°The soup must have been too much for her. I feel ufortable smelling it when I drink it too. Victoria just had a bigger reaction than me. Could it be that it¡¯s because she dislikes fish?¡± Hearing her words, Victoria nced at her. After all, udia was right. She hated fish. As expected, ric looked at her with a suspicious look. ¡°The fish fumet is overbearing for you?¡± He still had his doubts about udia¡¯s words. After Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g all, Victoria wouldn¡¯t have reacted so intensely even if she disliked fish. However, he knew that Victoria didn¡¯t like eating fish since they were young. Thus, he trusted that she felt nauseous because of the smell of fish. Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking Then, udia added, ¡°I think it stinks too, but those who love it wouldn¡¯t be able to sense it.¡± Then, she seemed to have thought of something and said, ¡°It¡¯s the same as how you dislike sweet foods, Al.¡± Still, it doesn¡¯t make sense to react so strongly even if she dislikes it, ric thought as he looked at Victoria. At that moment, he felt that she was hiding something from him. As he recalled the shredded report that Hector informed him, his eyes darkened. However, before he had the time to think further, Victoria fidgeted. ¡°How many times am I going to tell you? Put me down.¡± 5/9 ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to see a doctor?¡± asked ric as he squinted his eyes. Victoria took a deep breath out of exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯m not sick. I just don¡¯t want to drink the soup. Should I go to the hospital because of this?¡± Her face seemed better than before, and her lips weren¡¯t pale. She didn¡¯t 11:40 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking look like a sick person would be, and only then did ric put her down. As soon as Victoria¡¯s feet touched the ground, udia immediately wrapped her arms around Victoria¡¯s. ¡°Are you alright? I think it¡¯s best if you eat something light after going home. Your stomach must be weak since you have just recovered from a fever. Maybe it¡¯s time you eat less oily food.¡± Although udia acted like she was worrying about Victoria, she was actually trying to hide the truth from ric. Looking at udia, Victoria had a thoughtful expression. However, she soon brushed it off. They both had an agreement. Since Victoria decided not to break the promise, udia would do the same too. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you back home. If you feel unwell again, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± 6/9 Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking ¡°Okay.¡± Then, udia supported Victoria as they walked back to the house. In the meantime, ric stood there and watched as they left. Since when were they so close? When ric carried Victoria out of the house, Griselda wanted to tag along. However, Hector stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Mrs. Cadogan. Mr. Cadogan will surely take good care of her.¡± Hector¡¯s words calmed Griselda down. That¡¯s right. With ric by Victoria¡¯s side, he will surely take good care of her. On the contrary, he would need to take care of me if I follow them since I¡¯m in a wheelchair. 7/9 Chapter 68 Thought¨CProvoking As Griselda thought about it, she soon calmed down. ¡°Do you want to continue eating, Old Mrs. Cadogan?¡± She shook her head. How could she eat when she was worried sick about Victoria? She wondered whether ric had been taking good care of Victoria. The more Griselda thought about it, the more nervous she was. However, there was nothing she could do. At this moment, a servant suddenly eximed, ¡°Is that Mrs. Cadogan?¡± When Griselda heard her words, she turned around and saw that udia was supporting Victoria as they entered the room. Immediately, the servant knew what Griselda was thinking and quickly pushed her over. At the same time, Victoria knew that Griselda was worried about her. Thus, she refused udia¡¯s help after entering the 8/9 11:40 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 68 Thought¨Cprovoking house and quickly rushed toward Griselda. ¡°Did I scare you, Grandma?¡± 214%1 Griselda grabbed her hand and shook her head. ¡°Why did youe back all of a sudden? I thought you were feeling unwell. Why didn¡¯t you do a checkup at the hospital?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Victoria smiled and said awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I don¡¯t like fish. That is why I feel nauseous when smelling it.¡± ¡°Nauseous?¡± You wouldn¡¯t have reacted strongly just because you dislike it, though, thought Griselda. Slowly, she seemed to have realized something. 9/9 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 8.73% ¡°That¡¯s right, Grandma.¡± To prevent Griselda from getting suspicious, Victoria made things up. ¡°I never liked fish ever since I was young. When I was little, I thought that it was something delicious. However, I threw up as soon as I tried it. I might have been traumatized when I got a whiff of the smell.¡± When Griselda heard her words, the thoughtful expression on her face was gone. After all, she felt it was normal to get traumatized by throwing up after eating something at such a young age. However, she was still worried about Victoria. ¡°Are you sure you are fine? It¡¯s best if you get a checkup from the hospital.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandma. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me. Do I look sick to you?¡± asked Victoria. Griselda eyed her up and down and realized that she had indeed 1/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? recovered. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but pinch Victoria¡¯s cheeks gently. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner that you don¡¯t like fish?¡± Victoria whined. ¡°That¡¯s because you like it, so I want to have a taste too. Initially, I thought I wouldn¡¯t throw up again since I¡¯m already an adult. However, who knew¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Grandma. I¡¯ll make sure to inform you next time about the food I dislike. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Alright now, dear. You must be starving. Come on, eat some food.¡± ¡°Okay. I want to have some chicken soup.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell the servant to prepare it for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Just as Victoria stood up and was able to push Griselda back home, udia whispered, ¡°Let me do it, Victoria. You must still be weak from all that vomiting.¡± 2/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? 73% When Victoria heard her words, she looked at udia and knew thetter was trying to get Griselda¡¯s liking. Thus, she didn¡¯t say anything. After udia left with Griselda, Victoria was about to follow them when she heard a voice from behind. 3/9 ¡°Did you really throw up after eating fish when you were young?¡± Only when Victoria heard ric¡¯s voice did she realize he was standing behind her. She turned around and was met with his sharp gaze. ¡°I never heard you say anything about it,¡± he added. Victoria averted her gaze and felt guilty when she looked into his eyes. ¡°Why should I tell you such an embarrassing thing?¡± Hearing her words, ric said with a snort, ¡°I have known every embarrassing moment about you.¡± Since they were childhood friends, ric had seen her grow from a child to an adult, which meant he knew all her awkward puberty moments. 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? Victoria was startled when she heard his words. That¡¯s right. ric and I have known each other for years. We know each other like the back of our hands. Sometimes, she wondered if ric wouldn¡¯t even love her, even if udia didn¡¯t rescue him. After all, they were too familiar with each other. Thus, how would ric be able to fall in love with her when he had seen all her downsides? Still, Victoria insisted and said, ¡°There are many things you don¡¯t know about me.¡± Then, she ignored him and left. On the other hand, ric pondered for a moment before following her footsteps. After what had happened, Victoria hadn¡¯t eaten any oily food and tried to eat as ndly as possible. She was afraid to let the cat out of the bag if she ate any of those foods again. However, she didn¡¯t notice that ric was watching her every move. After breakfast, Victoria suggested taking Griselda for a stroll, which udia insisted on tagging along. Thus, the duo left the house with 4/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? Griselda. Initially, ric wanted to tag along but was forced to stay back due to work. Therefore, he could only remind them not to go too far. At that moment, Hector said, ¡°I¡¯ll apany them, Sir. Since they are just taking a walk nearby, I don¡¯t think there should be a problem.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ric nodded. ¡°Keep a lookout for them.¡± It had been a long time since Griselda had left the nursing home. Thus, she was excited and enjoyed the moment she could leave the house and look around other than the nursing home¡¯s garden. She was in awe when she saw the people walking outside the vi and the house¡¯s structure. As Victoria walked behind them, she saw udia smiling while pushing the wheelchair. She looked gentle and patient as she talked with Griselda. Looking at them, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but admit that udia knew how to act like a gentle and sweet person. Plus, she knew how to win Griselda¡¯s heart. For the whole afternoon, Griselda had burst outughing because of 5/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? her words. When it was almost 11.00AM, Griselda felt tired. udia noticed it and said softly, ¡°Are you tired, Old Mrs. Cadogan? Why don¡¯t we go back and take a rest? It¡¯s almost noon. If you want toe out again, I¡¯lle by tomorrow and apany you.¡± Griselda nodded since she was exhausted. Then, udia pushed her back to the house while Victoria fell behind. When Hector noticed it, he slowed down. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan.¡± He called out to Victoria. Victoria turned to look at him with confusion. ¡°What is it, Mr. Bowen?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Seeing that she was looking at him with confusion, Hector felt resentful. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°You should be taking charge of the situation more.¡± 6/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? ¡°Huh?¡± At first, Victoria didn¡¯t understand what he meant. However, she soon realized it and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. As long as Grandma is happy.¡± However, Hector seemed to be opposed to her words. ¡°Old Mrs. Cadogan will be happy too if you apany her. Plus, you are her granddaughter¨Cinw. She would be thrilled.¡± Victoria looked at Hector with surprise. When she saw the resentment in his eyes, she sighed and said nothing. Seeing that she was calm, Hector continued, ¡°You can¡¯t always be passive, Mrs. Cadogan. She did a favor for the Cadogans in the past and is now trying to get on Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s good side. If you don¡¯t act soon, she will soon rece you.¡± Rece me? Victoria thought self¨Cdeprecating. The title of Mrs. Cadogan was never mine. Thus, there is no way someone will take it away from me. ording to our agreement, that title was never mine, to begin with. 7/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? Although the others may think I¡¯m ric¡¯s wife, I know my ce. Hector was anxious when he saw that Victoria remained calm and didn¡¯t seem to get worked up by his words. Is she going to divorce Mr. Cadogan? he thought. To be honest, Hector had taken a liking for Victoria. After all, Victoria wouldn¡¯t think lowly of them and have treated them well. As for udia, she was ric¡¯s savior, but that was it. ric wouldn¡¯t need to marry her because of this. After all, who would be willing to rescue others or to be rescued if one would lose their freedom after saving a person? Moreover, Hector could tell that ric had feelings for Victoria. However, he didn¡¯t make a move since udia had saved his life. Hector couldn¡¯t understand what ric was thinking. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t figure out why udia would leave two years ago if she truly loved ric and decided to return now. 8/9 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 69 Why Did She Return? As he thought about it, he realized he didn¡¯t understand what was on the younger generation¡¯s mind. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 After they returned and put Griselda to rest, udia looked at Victoria and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± She knew Victoria had the chance to stop her from getting close to Griselda if she wanted during their walk. Yet, she didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I have used you of being a liar.¡± Initially, she didn¡¯t believe it when Griselda postponed the surgery because she fainted. After all, how would a person suddenly faint when they were fine just a moment ago? She thought that Victoria had told Griselda the truth, which was why Griselda would y along. udia knew she had a dark mind. However, after some time, she realized that Griselda knew nothing about it, and Victoria didn¡¯t stop her from getting close to Griselda. At that moment, udia knew that she had made the right choice. Victoria was indeed a grateful person. When Victoria heard her words, she put up a forced smile and said This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. 1/8 11:42 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby nothing. ¡°I have to go back today. Otherwise, Old Mrs. Cadogan might suspect something. However, I still intend toe tomorrow. Can you invite me over?¡± Victoria frowned at her request. ¡°You can juste over whenever you like. Why should I invite you over?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Old Mrs. Cadogan will be suspicious about me. She would surely have doubts if I came here by my own will. However, things would be different if you called me over. She might think we have a close rtionship.¡± Victoria pursed her lips and stared at udia. She didn¡¯t ept or refuse her proposal. Looking at her expression, udia stepped forward and stood close to her, seemingly as if they were best friends. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Victoria? You 2/8 11:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby don¡¯t want Grandma to be sad after you leave, right?¡± udia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for her own good by spending time with her.¡± A glint shed across her eyes as she thought of something. ¡°You saw it yourself too. Grandma is happy. If she is in better health, the surgery can happen soon. At that time, you can take your unborn child and leave. Don¡¯t you want this to happen?¡± After spending a few days together, udia knew Victoria cared for Griselda. Although she didn¡¯t know if Victoria did this out of her wishes or ric¡¯s, she knew she wouldn¡¯t waste her time on a dying person if it weren¡¯t for ric¡¯s sake.. As expected, Victoria wavered at her words. Although she looked unhappy, she said, ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she looked at udia impatiently. ¡°Do you have anything else to say? If not, I¡¯m leaving.¡± udia didn¡¯t care about her attitude since she had gotten what she wanted. Thus, she smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m done talking. You can go and do 3/8 11:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby your business. Just don¡¯t forget to invite me over tomorrow.¡± 0 73% 4/8 To her surprise, Victoria turned around and left before finishing hearing her words. As udia stood on the spot, she was upset. Then, she left after calming herself down. When Victoria returned to her room, she sat by the bed and was exhausted. Although they didn¡¯t walk far from home, she was still worn out, even if she wore sneakers. However, she didn¡¯t think much since she still had things to do. She took out herptop and went to the study room. After all, she wanted Yasmin to be able to handle things herself as soon as possible. Although Yasmin worked hard to meet her expectations, there was a price to pay. The would be many issues, so Victoria had to help her. As soon as Victoria opened herptop and contacted Yasmin, she heard thetter crying, as expected. 11:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby 8.73% ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Miss Victoria¡­ I would be dead if you weren¡¯t here.¡± 5/8 Victoria was speechless by her reaction. ¡°Why is it so hard? Compared to these few days, I feel like I used to be in heaven. You had such a tough life, Miss Victoria. It¡¯s terrifying.¡± After Victoria heard her bbering, she cut her off and said, ¡°Alright now. Don¡¯t worry about it. If anything happens, just solve it. After all, you¡¯ll have to face it sooner orter.¡± She could still help Yasmin now that she was here. However, Yasmin would get scolded if she made a mistake after she was gone. ric wasn¡¯t a gentle boss. When he brought her to thepany to learn, he was extremely strict to the point Victoria thought he had changed to someone else. Whenever she made a mistake, he would scold her. Sometimes, he would scold her in front of his subordinates, which was humiliating. 11:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby At first, Victoria would get mad and upset about his doings. She would feel embarrassed being scolded by him since she had feelings for him. Thus, she threw multiple tantrums at him. Yet, whenever that happened, ric only frowned and said, ¡°Are you sad because I scolded you? What are you going to do in the future? Are you going to cry whenever you encounter a problem?¡± At that moment, Victoria was infuriated by his words. She wiped her tears and gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll do better next time.¡± Eventually, she did better than before. ric was still strict, as usual. Until the day he could not find any mistakes in her work, Victoria had be an outstanding secretary. Moreover, she learned many business strategies and ways to negotiate. As Vict¨®ria recalled what had happened, she was thankful for ric. After all, it was he who gave her a chance to elevate herself. Even if she were to quit working at Cadogan Group, she could start her ownpany without 6/8 11:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby relying on him. ¡°Miss Victoria?¡± Suddenly, Yasmin¡¯s voice snapped her back to her senses. She stopped thinking and started working. Fifteen minutester, she had solved all of Yasmin¡¯s problems and told her to try it herself. After Victoria was done with Yasmin, she was going to continue working. However, as she looked at herptop for mere seconds, she began to yawn uncontrobly. Tears formed in her eyes as she kept yawning. Why do I feel sleepy when I had enough sleepst night? As Victoria thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but caress her stomach. ¡°My baby, is it you who is tired? I didn¡¯t walk much, yet you are exhausted?¡± she said with a smile. More importantly, she felt hungry. She could feel that her food consumption was higher than before. However, on second thought, it was 7/8 11:43 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 70 For the Sake of the Baby normal since she now had two mouths to feed. 73% 8/8 ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stop working for your sake. Let¡¯s have some food. Then, we¡¯ll go to sleep.¡± As Victoria spoke, she closed herptop and headed out. Suddenly, the balcony door of the study room was pushed open, and someone entered the room. The man was handsome, and his deep dark eyes were like the deep ocean. He was approaching Victoria. As soon as Victoria saw who he was, her mind went nk. 8 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ric?! Why is he here? Victoria almost shrieked. I thought he was working. Why is he in the study room? I didn¡¯t even hear him here. Did¡­ Did I mention the child? Did ric hear it when he came in? As Victoria thought about it, her face went pale. She looked at ric nervously but could only purse her lips, trying to remain calm. On the other hand, ric didn¡¯t expect her presence as well. When he saw her bewildered expression, he frowned and recalled that she had been acting strange for the past few days, seemingly as if she was hiding something from him. Thinking about it, ric pursed his lips and squinted his eyes. His sharp gazended on Victoria¡¯s pale face as he spoke. ¡°Who were you talking to just now?¡± Hearing his words, Victoria was startled. Does this mean he hasn¡¯t heard what I said? she thought. However, she 1/9 11:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him 73%1 didn¡¯t dare jump to the conclusion since she feared it was a trap. What if ric has heard it and is just testing me? 2/9 As she thought about it, she suppressed her emotions and mumbled, ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you were at work.¡± She brushed off his question. ¡°It¡¯s a video conference. I don¡¯t have to go to work.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°I was using your study room since I thought you were at work. Yasmin is still unsure about certain things, so I was talking to her.¡± She tried her best to stay calm and acted like nothing had happened. ric stared at her and didn¡¯t say anything. He was looking at her with his deep dark eyes that seemed to be able to see through her. ¡°You seem nervous.¡± Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him Hearing his words, Victoria was at a loss for words. 273% ric walked toward her and stood close to her. They were extremely close to each other, and his scent surrounded her. In that split second, Victoria subconsciously took a step back. However, as soon as she made a move, she felt a pair of hands wrapped around her waist. With little force, Victoria bumped against ric¡¯s chest. 3/9 ¡°I guess I was right. You are nervous,¡± ric said casually. He held her waist tighter and squinted his eyes. ¡°Who were you talking to?¡± He was asking the same question. Victoria didn¡¯t know whether he had heard her words or not since she thought she was alone and was talking normally. If ric could hear her voice, it would mean that he might have heard what she was talking about. Yet, she didn¡¯t know which situation it was. Thus, she could only remain calm and avoid blowing up her cover. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? I was working and talking with Yasmin,¡± she replied as she raised her head and looked at him. ¡°Is that so?¡± ric didn¡¯t believe her. He clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Do you think you are a good liar, Snowball?¡± Victoria¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± Then, she gritted her teeth and barked, ¡°Don¡¯t ask if you don¡¯t trust me, ric!¡± As she spoke, she swatted his hands away. ric¡¯s expression turned cold when he saw her reaction. He looked at her with a darkened gaze and said, ¡°Are you mad because I guess it right? Fine then. Since you didn¡¯t lie to me, do you dare to show me your call history?¡± ¡°Call history?¡± Victoria was speechless by his words. ¡°How old do you think Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him you are? Don¡¯t you think looking at my call history is childish?¡± Then, ric grabbed her chin and demanded coldly, ¡°Are you trying to order me around?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I don¡¯t have that spare time, nor am I willing to order you around. You can do whatever you want.¡± Victoria shrugged. ¡°Show me your call history, then.¡± ric stretched his hand and looked at her with a stoic expression. ¡°Are you nuts, ric?¡± ¡°I thought you said I can do whatever I want.¡± ¡°I mean to say that you can do whatever you want to yourself, not me. Care to listen more attentively next time?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you having a call with Yasmin just now? Can¡¯t you 5/9 Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him show me the evidence? Does that mean you were talking to someone else?¡± Victoria fell silent. ¡°Is it Noel?¡± asked ric. 6/9 At that moment, Victoria knew why he was testing her and being entric. So that¡¯s how it is. He only heard my voice but didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. That is why he mistook me for talking to Noel instead of Yasmin when he saw my panicked expression. Yet, Noel¡­ This is the third time ric has gone mad because of him. As she thought about it, she went silent. At the same time, she was at ease. After all, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he had mistaken her for talking to someone else. Seeing that she remained silent, ric was on the verge of going berserk. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?!¡± Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him Silence means consent. Does that mean she is talking to Noel just now? Although he had not heard clearly what she was talking about, he could tell that her voice was soft. She has never spoken to me so gently. Moreover, he could vaguely hear her saying something about a baby and getting rest after lunch. Thus, as hebined the words, he realized that Victoria had called Noel her baby. Moreover, she was telling him to get some rest and eat well! He was infuriated as he thought about the woman who was married to him calling someone else their pet name. What was more frustrating was that Victoria seemed calm. She even shrugged when facing his interrogations. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. You are right with whatever you say.¡± When ric heard her words, he recalled that she had promised that she was talking to Yasmin. Yet, after he had seen through her lies, she decided to go with the flow. 7/9 Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him At that moment, ric grabbed her chin tightly. He used so much force that Victoria frowned from the pain. This time, when ric talked to her, he didn¡¯t use her nickname. Instead, he called out her full name with a cold voice. ¡°Listen here closely, Victoria Selwyn. If you dare to hook up with another man before our divorce, I will kill him.¡± 19 2 Initially, Victoria didn¡¯t want to acknowledge him. However, she was baffled that he would say such a thing. ¡°When did I ever hook up with someone else? Also, what makes you have the right to say that? Even if I were to hook up with someone else, what¡¯s that got to do with you? Do you think you and udia have a pure friendship?¡± If they were to argue about this matter, Victoria felt that she could make a ¡°You know clearly about my rtionship with Noel since we grew up 8/9 11:59 Mon, 19 Jun N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 71 I¡¯m Going to Kill Him together. However, what about you and udia? She hase looking for you. Do you dare to say that you have nothing with her?¡± ¡°She came to me because she knew the truth.¡± ric frowned. ¡°What truth? The truth of our fake marriage? Since she can find you after knowing we are a fake married couple, why can¡¯t Noel do the same thing? ric, don¡¯t tell me that you allow udia toe looking for you and even wear my clothes while I can¡¯t even have a phone call with a man.¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 As Victoria kept talking non¨Cstop, ric realized he couldn¡¯t make up a He knew how amazing Victoria was with her words. When he first took her to negotiation, she was timid since she had never experienced such a situation at a young age. However, as she participated in more and more cases, she began to work her way around and was able to take charge of the situation quickly. She was fast to react and had critical thinking skills. Thus, she could make aeback for herpetitor. For example, she was using the same method against him now, and ric realized he had no words to say. After all, udia had indeede looking for him and even wore Victoria¡¯s clothes. Seeing that he was quiet, Victoria smirked coldly. ¡°Why are you being quiet, ric? Think about it. How would you feel if I brought another man home and let him wear your clothes?¡± 1/10 Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite ric remained silent. Just the thought of Victoria bringing another man home would drive him insane, yet¡­ Knowing she had won the argument, Victoria pushed him aside, took her relief. ric must be stunned by my words. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be asking any further questions. Anything is fine as long as my secret is safe with me. As she thought about it, she kept herptop and went downstairs to the kitchen to find something to eat. At this moment, the chef was preparing the ingredients for lunch. When he saw her, he immediately greeted her. Victoria looked around and nodded. ¡°Did you make any snacks this morning, Mr. Campbell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Andrew, aka the chef, immediately turned around and opened the cab behind him. Then, he took out a small te of snacks for Victoria. t 11:59 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite Victoria¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the te was filled with cream puffs. Noticing her gaze, Andrew knew that he had made the right snacks. Thus, he smiled and said, ¡°Take it, Mrs. Cadogan. I will make some more in the afternoon if you like it. However, taking in too many sweets a day is unhealthy, so I¡¯ll be making other snacks.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t refuse since she was starving. Now, she would lose her appetite whenever she saw oily or raw foods. However, she had a craving for sweets. I have never craved sweets as much as I would now¡­ Gentleness filled Victoria¡¯s eyes as she thought about it. My baby must be a sucker for sweet foods. Oh dear, I must keep a lookout for my baby when I give birth to it. I need to watch their sweet intake. As she thought about it, she left the kitchen with the te of snacks in a good mood. 3/10 Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite When the others saw her leave, they surrounded Andrew. ¡°Did Mrs. Cadogan just take a te of snacks, Mr. Campbell?¡± Andrew nodded his head with a smile. ¡°It looks like she likes today¡¯s desserts. Prepare some flour and fruit. We¡¯ll be making some fruit snacks for her.¡± ¡°Okay. Though, do you know why Mrs. Cadogan has such a huge change in her food preference, Mr. Campbell? I remember that she doesn¡¯t crave sweet stuff.¡± ¡°What a silly question. People¡¯s food preferences will change over the years. This is a normal thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying Mrs. Cadogan is abnormal, Mr. Campbell. I¡¯m just saying that she has a different craving because¡­¡± The staff smiled mysteriously. ¡°Is what?¡± Andrew looked at him with confusion. 4/10 Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite ¡°Could it be that she is pregnant?¡± When Andrew heard his words, he was at a loss for words. 5/10 ¡°Umm¡­ I¡¯m just guessing. After all, the fish fumet you stewed was delicious. I didn¡¯t smell any odd scent when I served them. Yet, Mrs. Cadogan h¨¢d such a big reaction after taking a whiff. My sister¨Cinw has the same reaction as Mrs. Cadogan. She can¡¯t stand the smell of raw food and is more sensitive than us. Not only that, she has a change of food preference too.¡± The more Andrew listened, the more shocked he was. After all, he felt that the staff seemed to have a point. If Mrs. Cadogan is really pregnant, I have to change her food! Andrew thought. 12:00 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite After Victoria had eaten the desserts, she patted her stomach in satisfaction. 42% How did I never know that this food tasted delicious? It looks like my baby is a foodie. ¡°You are such a food lover,¡± Victoria whispered as she gently poked her stomach. 6/10 Since the baby was still small, her belly was t. Thus, it was apparent that it wouldn¡¯t respond to her words. However, Victoria was still pleased to talk to it. After some time, she was exhausted. Then, she brushed her teeth and went to bed. Initially, she wanted to take a small nap. However, when she woke up and looked at the time, it was already 2.00PM. At that moment, Victoria jolted awake. What? I overslept! The room was silent, so she quickly changed into a new set of clothes and went 12:00 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite 672% downstairs. However, no one was downstairs too. When the servant saw her, they greeted her. 7/10 ¡°You¡¯re awake, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Yes. Is Old Mrs. Cadogan awake yet?¡± Victoria looked at the servant. ¡°She has already woken up and had lunch.¡± Just as Victoria was about to ask Griselda¡¯s whereabouts, the servant took the initiative and said, ¡°Mr. Cadogan has taken her out.¡± ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m not sure about this.¡± To be honest, Victoria was worried since ric was a careless man. She was afraid that he didn¡¯t know how to take care of Griselda. Before she could take out her phone and call ric, the servant said, ¡°You just woke 12:00 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite up, Mrs. Cadogan. Why don¡¯t you have some food first?¡± When Victoria heard the word food, she felt hungry. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll eat first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell the chef to reheat the food.¡± When Victoria sat at the dining table, she took out her phone and sent a message to ric while waiting for the food to arrive. ¡®Where are you?¡® Just as she was about to send it, she suddenly recalled the argument they had earlier on. Will ric think I¡¯m trying to mess with him when he This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. sees the text? After all, we just fought. Thinking about it, she changed the message. Where did you bring Grandma to?¡¯ 8/10 12:00 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 72 A Change of Appetite After editing the text, she was happy with her message and sent it to ric. Before ric replied, Andrew had ced her food on the table. 72% 9/10 When everything was on the table, she noticed they were all light servings. At that moment, she was startled. Although she had a huge reaction this morning, she didn¡¯t tell the chefs anything. After all, she had to keep her pregnancy a secret. Plus, she wouldn¡¯t stay here for long anyway. Thus, she decided to leave it as it was. Though, never would she expect that the chefs would be so considerate. When Andrew approached her, she whispered tentatively, ¡°The food seems different, Mr. Campbell.¡± Andrew was an honest man. When he heard her words, he smiled and said, ¡°I specifically made it just for you, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± Victoria¡¯s heart dropped when she heard his words. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 @x7254 Andrew¡¯s earlier words contained too much information, making Victoria feel inexplicably uneasy upon hearing it. Did Mr. Campbell discover something from my eating habits? When he saw her bewildered expression and her fidgeting hands, he chuckled. ¡°You had a change in taste all of a sudden, so I made some adjustments ording to your preferences. Is there a problem, Mrs. Cadogan?¡± A change in taste¡­ It may raise suspicion if anyone hears this. At this thought, she pressed her lips together and looked at Andrew with a serious expression as she whispered, ¡°Are you sure my tastebuds have changed, Mr. Campbell? I just had a few extra pastries in the morning, that¡¯s all.¡± Hearing that, he became puzzled and rubbed the back of his head. Well, she has a point. She only ate a few extra pastries, so why do I think her 1/10 Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You tastebuds have changed? The moment he realized this, he felt a little embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Cadogan. I must¡¯ve been overthinking things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Campbell. It shows that you¡¯re attentive. I¡¯ve been eating too much greasy food recently, and I want to change my tastebuds. Besides, now that Grandma has returned to recuperate and will undergo surgery With each sentence, he found her words to be quite reasonable. ¡°No problem, Mrs. Cadogan. I will try to make the food lighter from now on. Indeed, you¡¯re a thoughtful one.¡± Victoria responded with only a smile and remained silent, hiding her real intentions. ¡°By the way, would you like some snacks after lunch? I¡¯ve specially made some fruit pudding for you.¡± 2/10 Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You Fruit pudding¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve tried them before¡­ 72% However, before she could think about it, she babbled, ¡°Sure.¡± By the time her brain caught up, she saw Andrew smiling and nodding before walking away. Speechless, she looked down at her small belly and secretly thought, You- little glutton! I¡¯m not the one who wants to eat that! She med the baby inside her belly, feeling no guilt whatsoever. Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and she lowered her head to take a look. ric sent a text that read, ¡®Out.¡® Seeing that, she didn¡¯t know what to say. I know you¡¯re out, but I was asking where you had taken Grandma. After being rendered speechless for some time, she had no choice but to send another message. ¡®Where?¡® 3/10 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You This time, he replied rtively quickly. ¡®Will be backter.¡¯ 72% Again, he didn¡¯t answer her question directly. It seems that he doesn¡¯t want to tell me where he is. Perhaps he¡¯s with udia. Come to think of it, it makes sense that he wouldn¡¯t want me to know if he is with her. At this thought, a hint of mockery shed across her eyes. ¡®I don¡¯t care where you are, but you took Grandma with you. You know her I condition, so be sure to bring her home earlier. She needs her rest. After sending the message, Victoria put her phone away and focused on her meal. In truth, she didn¡¯t need to worry so much. ric was filial, and Griselda was his biological grandmother¨Cnaturally, he wouldn¡¯t do anything harmful to her. Even if there was a need to worry, it wasn¡¯t her ce to do 1. SO. After she finished her meal, she went upstairs with nothing to do, and 4/10 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You ric didn¡¯t reply to her texts anymore. During breakfast the next day, Victoria proposed the idea of inviting udia over since she had promised udia to do so. 72% ric was drinking his coffee expressionlessly when he heard her words, and his gaze involuntarily fell on her face as he furrowed his brows. Didn¡¯t Victoria im that my rtionship with udia seemed ambiguous yesterday? Why is she inviting udia over now? Quickly, a thought appeared in his mind. She¡¯s probably being stubborn and trying to provoke me. We argued and gave each other the cold shoulder over this issue yesterday, so she probably wants to retaliate using the same matter. With this in mind, he calmly asked, ¡°Why do you want to invite her here?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t expect him to oppose the idea, so she was somewhat 5/10 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You surprised. After all, this would benefit him since he would end up with 72% 6/10 udia after their divorce. By then, udia would have developed a good rtionship with Griselda, and he would face less scolding. ¡°She gets along well with Grandma and knows how to make her happy, so I thought it would be nice to give her a call and invite her over.¡± Hearing that, he pressed his lips together and said icily, ¡°How can you just invite her like that? Do you think she doesn¡¯t have a job?¡± This morning, Griselda woke up and sensed that something seemed off between the two. However, it was normal for young couples to argue, which was a sign of a good rtionship. Therefore, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. Now, hearing them discuss this, she smiled and chimed in, ¡°He¡¯s right, Victoria. She probably has work to do, and she already spent the whole day with me yesterday. It might not be appropriate to ask her toe 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 73 Either You Walk or I Will Carry You :72% again today.¡± With that, she reached out and patted Victoria¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Victoria.¡± 7/10 Victoria had already promised udia yesterday and followed through, but ric was the one opposing the idea. Well, I¡¯m not the one breaking the promise, then. # # # # # # #wap it d With this in mind, she scanned ric before nodding at Griselda. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s not bother her. I just think she likes Grandma, and I thought she wouldn¡¯t refuse if we invited her over.¡± At her words, Griselda smiled and didn¡¯t say anything further. After that, everyone continued their breakfast, but ric¡¯s expression was still grim. Ever since Victoria suggested calling udia over, the atmosphere around him had been icy. This blood¨Ccurdling atmosphere persisted until the end of breakfast when Griselda suggested that Hector take her for a walk. 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You 72% 8/10 Hector agreed and was about to approach when Victoria interrupted, saying, ¡°Let me do it.¡± The moment she ced her hand on the wheelchair, ric grabbed her wrist tightly. ¡°Mr. Bowen, take Grandma for a walk, but be back within 15 minutes.¡± When Hector saw their sped wrists, he immediately nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± With that, he sensibly pushed Griselda¡¯s wheelchair and left. With Griselda¡¯s presence just now, Victoria endured the pain of ric¡¯s grip on her wrist without reacting. It was only when Hector pushed Griselda out that she forcefully freed herself from his grasp. ¡°What¡¯s up with you again?¡± At this moment, his gaze coldly swept across the hall, where the maids were present. Then, he pressed his lips together before whispering, ¡°Let¡¯s talk upstairs.¡± However, she ignored him and said calmly, ¡°I think we¡¯ve already made ourselves clear yesterday. What else is there to say?¡± 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You With a calm expression, he stared at her with his dark eyes. ¡°Either you walk, or I will carry you.¡± 42% 9/10 Hearing that, she was taken aback. ¡°You have three seconds to think about it.¡± ¡°Wait, you-¡± ¡°One.¡± She looked at him, not knowing what to say. Why has he be so childish? ¡°Two.¡± ¡°ric are you¡ª¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g 12:01 Mon, 19 Ju Chapter 73 Either You Walk, or I Will Carry You The next second, he took a step forward and carried her in his arms. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 42% As Victoria felt the world spinning around her, only one thought remained in her mind. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to count to three? What happened to that? 1/10 With ric¡¯s tall stature and long legs, they quickly made their way back to the room. Victoria originally thought that once they returned to the room, he would put her down. However, after ric entered the room, he remained standing as though someone had put him under a spell. ¡°Put me down.¡± It seemed like he didn¡¯t hear her, for he simply lowered his head and stared at her silently with his dark eyes. ¡°I will make things clear with udia.¡± 1201 Mon, 19 Jun C Cage 7400 Call Him Baby £¤72% At his words, she became startled. What does he mean? Why does he want to make things clear? 2/10 ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that my rtionship with her feels ambiguous? From today onward, she won¡¯t appear in front of you anymore. I won¡¯t let her go to the wear your clothes.¡± Hearing this, Victoria felt her heart skip a beat. What does he mean by that? Not letting udia go to thepany or visit our house? Why is he doing that all of a sudden? ¡°Why?¡± she asked, no longer feeling resentful. Meanwhile, ric stared at her seriously. His intense look made her slightly rmed, for she didn¡¯t understand why he was suddenly acting like this. 12:01 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® ¡°You can¡¯t call him anymore,¡± he suddenly said. At this moment, she was totally confused. What? ¡°Also, don¡¯t call him ¡®baby¡® or show concern for him anymore.¡± ric was gritting his teeth as he spoke. When she heard that, she was almost scared out of her wits. 72% 3/10 She finally understood why ric had gone mad and said those things in the study yesterday. Turns out he did hear something yesterday and thought I was referring to Noel when I said ¡®baby¡®! I thought he didn¡¯t hear anything. When he heard me mentioning the word ¡®baby, he thought I was referring to Noel. Is that why he brought up udia¡¯s matter to make it fair? There¡¯s nothing between me and Noel, though. Ever since bing Mrs. Cadogan, I have only asionally been in contact with him. Sometimes, we don¡¯t evenmunicate for months. How did ric have his eyes on Noel? Was it because we went out for a meal that day? Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® 4/10 ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Just as Victoria was lost in her thoughts, ric¡¯s icy voice suddenly rang out. When she snapped back to reality, she found him ring at her with a sharp gaze. As the corner of her lips twitched, she patted his shoulder gently. ¡°Could you please put me down first?¡± He¡¯s really something else. How is he still carrying me? Not only did he ignore her, he even held her tighter and looked at her with a piercing stare. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you put me down first? Do you think it¡¯s appropriate to talk like this?¡± she asked helplessly. His face remained cold as he replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡± Upon hearing his answer, Victoria became speechless. Well, whatever you say. 12:02 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® When he noticed her silence, the atmosphere around him grew even colder. ¡°You don¡¯t want to cut ties with him, huh? Victoria, do you realize that you are a married woman now?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. +2% 5/10 Since things hade to this, she didn¡¯t want to beat around the bush anymore and asked directly, ¡°What about you? Do you know that you are a married man? Do you realize the state you¡¯re in while saying all these things to me?¡± She then added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that our marriage is fake.¡± After saying that, she felt him freeze for a moment, and his grip on her seemed to loosen. Since she was in his embrace, she could sense it. Suddenly, she lowered her gaze andughed at herself. It seems that he¡¯s well aware of this fact, but he has momentarily forgotten about it. Perhaps his ego was clouding his judgment. It¡¯s ridiculous that I still have some hope in him. I¡¯m such a joke. I should have realized this when udia returned; he had been kissing me passionately but left abruptly when he heard the phone ringing. When hey beside me but brought up divorce, it Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® sealed off all possibilities between us. In the end, she pushed him away andnded on her feet. Even after she returned to her room to rest, ric didn¡¯t chase after her. 72% Strangely, on that day, udia didn¡¯t call or message her. She remained quiet throughout the day. Since she didn¡¯te to her, Victoria didn¡¯t feel inclined to reach out as well. The next day, Griselda insisted that she didn¡¯t need to be taken care of and pretended to be angry, fearing it would dy the young couple¡¯s work, so Victoria couldn¡¯t argue with her and went back to thepany. She and ric had mostly stayed at home these past few days to deal with work. However, their progress was still falling behind. It was still manageable when she wasn¡¯t at thepany, but once she returned, she was immediately swamped with work, hardly having any spare time to rest. 6/10 12:02 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® In the afternoon, Victoria finally had some time to rest, and she found herself lying on the desk, unable to keep her eyes open. 72% 7/10 In the past, she could handle such high¨Cintensity work for a day or two without any issues, but now, just a morning of work left her feeling drained. Yasmin even brought her lunch from the cafeteria. Yet, the cafeteria food wasn¡¯t particrly tasty, and Yasmin was probably afraid that she would go hungry, so she had ordered several meat dishes for her. Victoria felt a wave of nausea and immediately closed the lid on the container. ¡°Are you not eating, Miss Victoria? Is it because I didn¡¯t get something to your liking?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Victoria shook her head, denying it. ¡°I¡¯m just too tired, and I don¡¯t feel like eating something heavy. I¡¯ll go downstairs and get some congee.¡± 12:02 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® At her words, Yasmin immediately volunteered. ¡°Let me go and get it for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go myself.¡± She got up and left as she spoke, leaving Yasmin alone in the office, poking at her lunch dejectedly. Why do I feel like I can¡¯t be of any help at all? There was a congee store below thepany. It was usually more crowded in the morning than at lunchtime, so there weren¡¯t any lines when Victoria went there. ¡°I¡¯d like a bowl of congee and some custard bread, please.¡± While paying for her food, she thought to herself, To be honest, Mr. Campbell makes tastier food. Next time, I should ask him to prepare lunch for me in advance and pack it in a lunchbox. Then, I can take it to work and have it for lunch. 8/10 Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® While waiting, she felt bored and decided to look at the work she had to handle in the afternoon on her phone. Just as she was engrossed in it, she suddenly felt a piercing gaze on her back. After freezing for a moment, she blinked several times before lifting her head from the phone to look around. There were all sorts of people and cars around her, but everyone was busy with their tasks, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Perhaps I¡¯m just overthinking. With this thought in mind, she lowered her head again. However, after a while, that sensation of being watched intensified, even more so than the previous time. 9/10 As she pressed her lips together, she looked in that direction and realized a ck Bentley was parked there. Its body looked like a ck fog, and it was perfectly positioned in the parking spot. Is it just my imagination? Why Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Call Him ¡®Baby¡® do I feel like someone inside is looking at me? 10/10 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 As she pondered about it, the voice of the shop owner interrupted Victoria¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Miss, your congee and custard bread are ready.¡± At once, Victoria snapped back to reality and saw that the owner had already packed her order, so she reached out to take it. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve already paid.¡± ¡°Alright. Take care, and thanks foring!¡± She grabbed the bag and turned to leave. Throughout her journey back to thepany, she could feel someone watching her, and it only stopped once she entered thepany building. 72% Was there really someone inside that ck car just now? When she was walking back, she contemted going over to take a look. After all, she 1/10 12:02 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 75 Straightforward would find out by going over to check. However, on second thought, she -72% felt a chill in her heart and decided against it. Since the car was parked in the parking lot, no one would be inside the vehicle during the day. 2/10 At this thought, she rubbed her eyes and felt that she might have been overthinking things. Ding! The elevator arrived, and she stepped inside. During the busy afternoon, this little incident from lunchtime was Toward the end of the day, Yasmin came looking for her, ¡°M¨CMiss Victoria, Burke Corporation has scheduled a dinner tonight.¡± She nervously sped her fingertips together, her face slightly pale as she struggled to say the next sentence. ¡°Are you afraid of going?¡± Victoria easily deduced what she wanted to say. Hearing that, Yasmin nodded lightly and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Victoria. I seem to have be a little cowardly. I¡¯ll just go by myself. Please pretend I never mentioned it.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Victoria stopped her and stood up before saying, ¡°Go and get ready. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± This should be thest time, though. ¡°Thank you, Miss Victoria. I¡¯ll go and get ready at once.¡± Since she had to apany Yasmin to dinner, she sent a WhatsApp message to ric, informing him that she had to workte and asked him to return first. ric responded, ¡®Workingte? I don¡¯t recall hearing anything about the Victoria replied, ¡®Don¡¯t you know what secretaries need to do? I¡¯ll be apanying Yasmin to discuss a coboration.¡® Exness Markets 12:03 Mon, Chapter 75 Straightforward ¡®Why are you apanying her?¡® ric texted, not understanding why 4/10 she had worded it that way. Shouldn¡¯t Yasmin be apanying her? Why is it the opposite? Victoria answered, ¡®I¡¯m guiding my sessor. Otherwise, who will take over my work when I¡¯m gone?¡® She didn¡¯t want to be so blunt, but since a certain someone wanted to get to the bottom of it, she decided to be straightforward. As expected, after she sent that message, there was silence on the other end, and he didn¡¯t reply to her message anymore. After some time, Victoria and Yasmin went downstairs together. As they neared the ground floor, Victoria asked, ¡°Have you booked a ride?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­¡± Only then did Yasmin btedly take out her phone while saying apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Victoria, I¡¯ve forgotten. I¡¯ll call for one 12:03 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 75 Straightforward now.¡± Victoria wasn¡¯t angry and simply nodded. Before the car arrived, the two of them had already arrived at the 72%1 Victoria thought of something and subconsciously nced toward the spot where the ck car had been parked at noon. Sure enough, the car was no longer there. It was reced by a white Volkswagen. ¡°Miss Victoria, what are you looking at?¡± asked Yasmin curiously. At her question, Victoria snapped back to reality and shook her head. ¡°Nothing. Have you secured a ride?¡± ¡°I did. It should arrive in a few minutes. I¡¯m sorry, Miss Victoria. It seems like I¡¯m careless with everything.¡± 5/10 12:03 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 75 Straightforward. Victoria nced at her and smiled helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Everyone has a first. Others may not necessarily do better than you, and you¡¯re not 6/10 necessarily worse than anyone else. Show some confidence and courage. Don¡¯t be too afraid.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin regained her confidence after hearing those words. As Victoria turned around, Yasmin secretly observed her. Miss Victoria¡­ She¡¯s truly a great and capable person. When will I be like her? The designated meeting ce was a bar. As they got out of the car, Victoria frowned at the lively and colorful scene in front of her. ¡°Who chose this ce?¡± Instantly, Yasmin¡¯s expression turned nk. ¡°B¨CBurke Corporation did.¡± When Victoria heard that, her brows furrowed even deeper. ¡°Bars are crowded and noisy, making them unsuitable for business discussions. Did Chapter 75 Straightforward you try suggesting a different location?¡± Yasmin was dumbfounded upon hearing those words. ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t know. I thought we¡¯d meet them wherever they liked.¡± Moreover, she had no idea it was a bar beforeing here, and it didn¡¯t seem like a formal ce either. ¡°From now on, whenever someone suggests a meeting ce, be sure to check if it¡¯s suitable for work. If it¡¯s not, suggest an alternative.¡± Yasmin could only nod helplessly. ¡°Yes, Miss Victoria. What should we do now? Should we¡­ not go in?¡± With furrowed brows, Victoria pressed her red lips together. ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s go.¡± She was grateful that Yasmin had informed her about this. Otherwise, Yasmin would have been here alone tonight, feeling like a helpless little rabbit, and she would probably have been taken advantage of. 7/10 Chapter 75 Straightforward t 8/10 Before entering, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s have the HR department hire someone in a few days to help you¨Csomeone who is quick¨Cwitted.¡± Yasmin felt extremely guilty, nodding to everything Victoria said. After that, they found the designated private room with the help of the bar staff. As they pushed the door open, Victoria immediately caught the strong smell of cigarettes, alcohol, and various chemical perfumes. At once, her face changed, and she almost threw up on the spot. She had to take a few steps back to breathe in the fresh air outside. What¡¯s going on with me? Is it my decreased tolerance for smells after bing pregnant, or am I just being overly sensitive? Why do I feel nauseous from these smells? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never smelled these before. Although I felt ufortable in the beginning, I gradually became used to them. Chapter 75 Straightforward ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here. It¡¯s Miss Selwyn.¡± A voice of exaggerated surprise came from inside the private room. Caleb Burke, the son of Burke Corporation¡¯s president, had a girl with delicate features and fair skin nestled in his arms when he whistled in their direction. Caleb Burke¡­ I didn¡¯t expect it to be him. ¡°Come on in. You guys, make some room for Miss Selwyn.¡± At his words, his cronies immediately stood up and made space for her. Seeing that, Victoria became speechless. She pressed her lips together and looked at him. ¡°Mr. Burke, why don¡¯t we switch to somece else?¡± ¡°What?¡± Caleb looked at her in surprise. ¡°Miss Selwyn, why should we switch to somece else? Do you know how much I spent on this VIP suite?¡± ¡°The smell of cigarettes here is too strong. I can¡¯t tolerate it,¡± she said honestly. They didn¡¯t expect her to be so straightforward. The people in the private room were momentarily stunned, but Caleb smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that Miss Selwyn is pretty straightforward, and I finally got to witness it myself today.¡± ¡°Well, are we moving or not?¡± She couldn¡¯t be bothered with idle talk. Just then, he clicked his tongue, and his slender eyes assessed her from a distance. However, he still didn¡¯t answer her question. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Amidst the silence, a bad¨Ctempered man in the room spoke up. ¡°Why should we move somece else, Miss Secretary? We¡¯re all friends with Mr. Burke, so is there something we shouldn¡¯t witness? Don¡¯t worry, even if it¡¯s really something private, we¡¯ll just close our eyes.¡± When Victoria heard that, she frowned. She looked at the perverted man with a fierce re in her eyes. After being with ric for so long, Victoria was beginning to assimte his aura. As such, with just a re from Victoria, the man who spoke up was instantly scared into silence and withdrew slightly. When she moved her gaze away, the man finally realized what was going Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? 1. on. Damn, what¡¯s wrong with me? How can I be scared of a little girl? Was I possessed? he thought. ¡°Miss Selwyn, it might not be convenient for us to change ces. If you can¡¯t take the smell, we can leave the door open to regte the airflow. How does that sound?¡± As Caleb spoke, he was grinning like a predatory tiger. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. A man beside him was quick to shout orders. ¡°Hear that? Put out your cigarettes and stop smoking! What if Miss Selwyn chokes? She¡¯s here to discuss a partnership. If there are any losses, you won¡¯t be able to He sounded sarcastic, which Victoria found annoying. If she weren¡¯t guiding Yasmin, she would¡¯ve just turned around and left. She thought for a bit and decided to go over with Yasmin only after the 2/10 Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? smell had dissipated. 3/10 Yasmin had been following behind Victoria at first, but after some thought, she realized that she would have to handle most things herself after Victoria left, so she took a few steps forward and stood next to Victoria. The room was rowdy and filled with people. Victoria picked out a rtively clean spot and sat down. Yasmin took a seat beside her, then skipped all the nonsense as she immediately took out the contract and said to Caleb, ¡°Mr. Burke, this is the contract we¡¯ve drafted. You can have a look-¡± Before she could finish speaking, Caleb¡¯s friend fetched two sses for the women and immediately filled them up. Caleb was leaning back against the couch as he crossed his legs. He looked at them with a half¨Csmile, saying, ¡°Hey, beautiful. You don¡¯t have to rush things. We¡¯re here for fun, so you shouldn¡¯t just start talking business. Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? How boring that¡¯d be! Have a drink and chat with us.¡± Yasmin instantly retracted the contract she had produced, not knowing what to do for a moment. Meanwhile, Victoria didn¡¯t move as she sat there quietly. Her fair skin and beautiful features looked even more alluring under the lights. Caleb examined her, his fingers curling up as his gaze darkened considerably. She was wearing the simplest outfit, but she possessed a lethal dose of sensual attraction. Her long, porcin neck made her look like a proud swan as she sat there. Caleb gulped, feeling a little tempted. If it weren¡¯t for ric meddling in his business, this proud swan would¡¯ve been his by now. ¡°Come on, pretty secretaries, don¡¯t just sit there. Drink.¡± 4/10 Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? 5/10 Yasmin was a timid person, so when they said that, she moved to take the ss. However, when she saw Victoria staying emotionless and She remembered Victoria telling her not to feed the greed of those people. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Noticing herck of movement, Caleb let go of the woman in his arms and leaned closer to Victoria. ¡°Miss Selwyn, are you unwilling to humor me even once?¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. Miss Selwyn, it¡¯s Mr. Burke we¡¯re talking about. Can¡¯t you humor him by drinking just one ss?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here for fun, anyway. Just drink it.¡± The crowd was egging her on, but Victoria simply nced at him with a cold look in her eyes. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m here for fun?¡± Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? The smile on Caleb¡¯s lips faded a little. If it were before, he would¡¯ve been 6/10 more careful on ric¡¯s ount, but he had heard some rumorstely, so he began pining for her again. At that thought, Caleb curved his lips once more and picked up the ss, then scooted over to Victoria. ¡°Miss Selwyn, even if we¡¯re talking business, you don¡¯t have to be so serious. You worked so hard, but where did it get you? In the end, he still brought some woman to thepany in front of you. Now that things have turned out like this, you should make some ns for yourself, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Victoria wondered why Caleb was extra reckless today, but she never thought it was because he had received this piece of news. She red at him with a look of disdain as if she were saying, ¡®Even if I break up with ric, do you think you¡¯d have a chance?¡® Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? Caleb almost lost his smile. He knew that Victoria always looked down on him. Be it before or after the Selwyns went bankrupt, no matter how hard he tried to pursue her, she never spared him a nce. 7/10 ¡°You¡¯re giving me that look again.¡± He narrowed his eyes in annoyance, and his voice was tinted with unwillingness as he added, ¡°Victoria, the Selwyns have gone bankrupt, and you only have your current position thanks to ric. What right do you have to look down on me? Do you think you¡¯re still the oh¨Cso¨Cmighty daughter of the Selwyn Family?¡± He was on par with ric in all aspects, and if he got his hands on Victoria, he wouldn¡¯t be like ric who coveted other women and brought them to work. However, the woman in front of him didn¡¯t know what was good for her! Even though Caleb was furious to this extent, Victoria still looked at him coldly. ¡°Say something.¡± Caleb gritted his teeth and red at Victoria. ¡°Are you sure you want me to say it here?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seeing her finally budge, he was a little excited. When his friends saw him like that, they couldn¡¯t help but exchange nces. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not looking down on you. I just hate you.¡± When Caleb heard that, his expression froze. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Do you remember what you and your friend said at the hot spring vi five years ago?¡± ¡°Five years ago? That¡¯s too long ago, how can I-¡± Suddenly, Caleb Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? remembered something, and his expression shifted. Back then, he learned that Victoria would be going to the hot spring, so he got his friend to tag along and look for Victoria. 9/10 Caleb was a braggart, so when he went out of his room to look for Victoria, he boasted to his friend. ¡°Dude, with someone like Victoria, I only have to move a few fingers to conquer her, eh?¡± His friend even retorted, ¡°Forget it. The daughter of the Selwyn Family is super difficult to get. You have to work hard just to get her to give you another look.¡± ¡°Tsk, why should I work hard for a mere woman? I¡¯m just ying around, and I¡¯ll get sick of her after a few days. Just wait and see. When she falls for me, I¡¯ll break up with her right away.¡± Chapter 76 Do You Think I¡¯m Here for Fun? His boasts slowly became clear in his mind, and every single sentence was like a heavy blow to him. Turns out she heard me boasting back then. No wonder¡­ The two families were on good terms with each other, and every time he greeted Victoria, she would smile and nod in response. However, ever since that day, shepletely ignored him whenever he greeted her. 10/10 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Seeing Caleb¡¯s ashen face, Victoria guessed that he must have remembered. ¡°So, Mr. Burke? You didn¡¯t forget what you said back then, did you?¡± 72% His friend beside him asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Burke, what did you say?¡± Caleb¡¯s mind was a little nk. He always thought that Victoria looked down on his background and sought after more powerful people, but he never thought that she had heard his boasts. When he realized that his words caused him to lose out on a potential lover, Caleb wanted to p himself. ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Caleb gritted his teeth and exined with reddened eyes, ¡°That was nonsense I spouted just because I found it fun. I had no intentions of offending you.¡± 1/12 Chapter 77 Change 2/12 In reality, if he were just ying around, he wouldn¡¯t have gone all the way to the hot spring to look for her just because he heard she was there. ¡°Fun?¡± Victoria tilted her head as if she were pondering that word. A momentter, she slowly spoke up. ¡°Those words are fun to you, huh, Mr. Burke?¡± Caleb said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that! What I meant was- ¡°Alright, Mr. Burke. Let¡¯s get back to the topic at hand. We¡¯re here to discuss business. If you have no intention of working with Cadogan Group, we shan¡¯t stay here much longer.¡± Caleb refused to back down. He had finally figured out the reason, so how could he just let it go? Caleb immediately gripped Victoria¡¯s slender, porcin wrist. ¡°Miss Selwyn, I can exin.¡± Chapter 77 Change Victoria frowned. ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°No, please, I can exin. Back then, I was just-¡± Boom! The half¨Cclosed door to the room was suddenly kicked open, and everyone in the room was shocked by the noise. A few muscr men in ck attire rushed into the room. ¡°Who are you? Who let you guys in?¡± Someone had just questioned them when one of the muscr men held the person¡¯s head and mmed it onto the cold floor. As the host of this event, Caleb had a shift in his expression as he subconsciously let go of Victoria. He stood up and asked, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you know where this is? Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± 3/12 Chapter 77 Change Bang! Caleb had just finished speaking when a fistnded on his face, and he was immediately sent flying. ¡°Ah!¡± The girl sitting beside Caleb let out a terrified shriek. Yasmin was also startled as she gripped the hem of Victoria¡¯s clothes. Victoria never thought that she would encounter this scene today. Who exactly did Caleb offend? At any rate, she couldn¡¯t stay here longer. Victoria nced at the door, and her expression fell. A few muscr men were standing there,pletely barring the door. If she took Yasmin with her and got up to leave, would they allow passage? That was what she thought, but Victoria didn¡¯t dare act recklessly. She held down Yasmin¡¯s hand, gesturing for thetter to stay put. Yasmin was 4/12 12:06 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 77 Change so scared that she could only hide behind Victoria. The people at the scene could see that the muscr men were not to be reasoned with. After all, they had sent even Caleb flying with one punch. Without their backbone, the others were extremely terrified and dared not make a sound. An eerily heavy atmosphere hung in the room. Just when Victoria was wondering if she should move, the muscr man who hit Caleb suddenly walked up to her and bowed respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Miss Selwyn.¡± Victoria was stunned. What¡¯s going on? 5/12 Chapter 77 Change Why does he know me? she wondered. Victoria could only look at him suspiciously. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Miss Selwyn, our master requests your audience.¡± With that, the man even put on a gentlemanly attitude. ¡°Who is your master?¡± Victoria asked. The man smiled and retained his original pose, but he didn¡¯t answer Victoria. However, when she realized that he wouldn¡¯t attack her, Victoria finally let out a sigh of relief. She pursed her lips and remained motionless. ¡°Miss Selwyn, is anything the matter?¡± E 6/12 Chapter 77 Change Victoria then nced at Yasmin, who was right beside her. ¡°Can you let her leave first?¡± The muscr man was surprised, then smiled as he said, ¡°Of course.¡± After all, their master only told them to fetch Victoria. They couldn¡¯t care less about anyone else. This answer reassured Victoria greatly. Since they agreed to let Yasmin leave, it meant that they weren¡¯t trying to do anything bad, so they probably weren¡¯t enemies. If not, they would be worried that Yasmin might ask for help. ¡°Miss Victoria, I can¡¯t leave.¡± Yasmin gripped Victoria¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you no matter what.¡± When Victoria heard that, she creased her fine eyebrows. ¡°You should go back first.¡± 7/12 Chapter 77 Change She gave Yasmin a look. She wasn¡¯t sure if Yasmin understood it, but the After that, Yasmin kept looking back as she left, and under the gaze of the crowd, she walked out of the room. As soon as she left the room, she immediately ran outside and took out her phone to make a call. ¡°Miss Selwyn, can youe with us now?¡± The muscr man extended the invitation again. Victoria didn¡¯t move as she said calmly, ¡°Who is your master?¡± The man fell silent again at the mention of this. This was Victoria¡¯s second time asking. 8/12 Chapter 77 Change ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, can I not go?¡± She was testing their limits. The man was stunned, then seemed to be debating something in his mind. A whileter, he said, ¡°Miss Selwyn, our master is an old friend of yours.¡± An old friend of mine? Does that mean I¡¯ve met him before? A few names shed across Victoria¡¯s mind. Seeing how respectful the man was, she felt like there weren¡¯t many on her mind who fit the bill. No matter what, they probably came in peace. It would be better to follow them instead of staying here. With that, Victoria got up and left with them. 9/12 Chapter 77 Change As Victoria left, the muscr men who had barged into the room took their leave as well. When they were gone, the room was in a mess. 10/12 Soon, Victoria was taken to a presidential VIP room upstairs. It wasvishly decorated, and it looked very much like a ce for business talks. There weren¡¯t any disgusting smells of alcohol and smoke either. She never thought that the bar had ces like this, and she felt like she had learned something new today. ¡°Miss Selwyn, our master is still discussing something, so he¡¯ll be right here when he¡¯s done. Please wait here.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, someone came in and served some snacks and fruits. When Victoria saw the snacks and fruitsid on the table, her expression changed; every item on the table was her favorite. 12:06 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 77 Change It was apparent that this man knew her very well. Who was he, though? 11/12 For some reason, Victoria remembered the intense gaze she felt when she went out to buy congee at noon. Could they be the same person? She didn¡¯t touch the food on the table. Instead, she sat there in boredom, and she even took out her phone. The others didn¡¯t stop her, seemingly unafraid that she would call the police or something. After taking out her phone, Victoria happened to see a message from Yasmin. ¡®Miss Victoria, are you alright? I¡¯ve already left, but I¡¯m still outside the bar.¡® When Victoria saw that, she frowned. ¡®It¡¯s not safe for a lone girl to stay Chapter 77 Change here at night. You should go back.¡® ¡®No, I have to stick with you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already called Mr. Cadogan, and he¡¯ll be here right away.¡® Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Victoria never expected Yasmin to opt for the smart way by calling ric. She would¡¯ve praised Yasmin for her intelligence if it were not for the ongoing fight. 1/9 Furthermore, he might chew her out upon learning about tonight¡¯s incident. The sheer thought of his father¨Clike scolding caused frustration to bubble in her. Men would usually treat their partners with care and gentleness so as to not scare them. However, ric always showed her that sour face like how a brother would. That was why she figured that he did not have feelings for her. While she was immersed in her thoughts, there came the steady sound of footsteps. The big guy guarding the entrance greeted, ¡°Mr. Morison.¡± Mr. Morison? Victoria was stupefied by thest name. Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug The aloof yet familiar voice asked, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Miss Selwyn is right in there.¡± ¡°Okay. You may go ahead.¡± His voice was low and husky. Victoria stayed seated without moving a muscle. She was astonished to learn the identity of the iing person. The names of her old acquaintances had shed across her mind, bar one¨CBane Morison. Why is it him? 9 Bane topped her most¨Chated person list when she was young. Although he was one of ric¡¯s homies, Bane never respected her. That douchebag kept pulling her braids, hence the hatred. Forget about calling her Vixie¨Cinspired by the word ¡®Pixie¡®¨CVictoria resented him so much for telling her stories about ric and udia. 2/9 Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to udia¡¯s birthday party? ric gifted her a gorgeous ne. Have you seen it?¡± ¡°Yesterday, udia invited ric to a masquerade, and they won the Best Couple title! Why didn¡¯t youe?¡± ¡°udia gave ric a custom¨Cmade sweater. She personally designed the picture on the back and embroidered the words on the front right shoulder of it. Have you seen it?¡± Bane kept bbering about ric and udia in front of Victoria, and whenever he did, she would always say seriously, ¡°Stop telling me these, Bane. I haven¡¯t heard anything and I don¡¯t want to know any of them. Do you hear me?¡± However, it seemed like he could not understand humannguage because he never stopped. She gradually grew sick of it until she This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. overheard ric himself say that he only had eyes for udia in the mini 3/9 Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug garden one day. Victoria never threw tantrums at Bane anymore after that, not even when she felt jealous. Not wanting to hear about ric and udia wouldn¡¯t change the truth because he would only ever have eyes for udia. Later, when Bane noticed her silence whenever he mentioned the duo, he never brought them up again. On the day he left the country, everyone sent him off except Victoria. He texted her and asked ric to buy a present in his stead. ¡®See you soon, Vixie.¡¯ The present was a scarf. Its color and texture were to her liking, yet she kept it in the box after taking a nce at it, It was never opened again. 4/9 ¡°Have some more. You didn¡¯t touch your food after just one bite. Did your preference change? Or is it not to your liking?¡± Victoria turned around to face the iing person. Five years were enough to efface the teen¡¯s sentimentality, making him appear more mature and sharper with a tinge of wisdom sitting upon his raised brows. He was neatly dressed in that white shirt and dark¨Ccolored suit. Pinning on the light¨Ccolored tie was a clip, which was the cause for the nuance in her expression. She did not expect him to keep that tie clip despite all these years. Her scorching gaze of scrutiny made Bane lift a brow as he smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t recognize me, Vixie?¡± She lost her cool upon hearing that nickname. ¡°Who¡¯s Vixie? Who gave you the right to call me that?¡± Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug He grinned at her puffed cheeks. ¡°You look like a pufferfish. Isn¡¯t this my little Vixie?¡± Pufferfish? She frowned at him. ¡°Can you stop giving me nicknames?¡± 69 6/9 ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Bane approached her with an affectionate smile and ruffled her hair. ¡°Give me a hug.¡± A hug? Before she could react, the man already spread his arms and leaned forward. The smell of tobo became stronger. The wispy scent of Victoria wafted into his nose as he pulled her into his embrace, boosting the sense of satisfaction in him. It had been five years, and never once had he forgotten about her. Had shee to the airport five years ago, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to wait until today for a hug. The soft sensation and satisfaction filled him to the brim, but not the void Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug in his heart. He dared not to tighten his arms because it might scare her. ¡°You¡¯ve grown into a fine woman, Vixie. Pretty, but skinny.¡± Victoria suddenly recalled the message he sent her before he left. It was touching to be missed by someone despite the long years of separation. Still, she deemed it inappropriate to hug each other like this even though they had been friends ever since they were young. Right when she was going to shove Bane away, she noticed someone standing at the entrance over his shoulder. It was ric, who had rushed all the way here as soon as he received a message of help from Yasmin, in unkempt clothes. Fearing that Victoria mighte out, he jumped through hoops toe all the way here. While he tried to catch his breath, he saw the scene and his face turned cold. He could not recognize the man from the back. 7/9 Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug Under Victoria¡¯s baffled gaze, he let out an icy smile. ¡°Come here, Victoria!¡± Frustration was evident in ric¡¯s voice, implying the end of his patience. Bane was stunned momentarily by his voice, and he smiled thereafter. 8/9 Feeling Victoria pushing him, Bane quickly tightened his arms around her waist and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how he will react if you don¡¯t do as he says?¡± How will he react? Victoria did not have to think twice to know that ric¡¯s egoism would be hurt. This had already happened many times, so she knew the answer. ¡°I¡¯m not-¡± Before she could finish her answer, ric suddenly walked over with a somber expression. Chapter 78 Give Me A Hug Pow! 9/9 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Even though Bane had mentally prepared himself, he did not expect a full¨Cout punch from ric at all. ric did not see who the victim was as he yanked Victoria to his back. Lowering his head, he silenced her with a cold and warning gaze. It was as if he was questioning, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Why didn¡¯t you push him away?¡± Bane clucked his tongue and wiped off the streak of blood before looking This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. at ric with a smirk. ¡°Is this my wee gift? Wow. I don¡¯t think this is right, ric.¡± The familiar voice stunned ric. Only then did he shift his gaze from Victoria to Bane, meeting the man¡¯s gaze. Awkwardness filled the air. It took ric a moment to regain hisposure. He gazed at Bane and said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± 1/8 Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart Bane took out his handkerchief to wipe the blood off his hand elegantly. ¡°Seems like someone¡¯s not happy to see me.¡± ric pursed his lips as his gaze spoke of condemnation. ¡°What were you doing just now?¡± Nonchntly, Bane nced at Victoria¡¯s face before refocusing on ric with a smile. ¡°I was asking Victoria if she wants to know how you will react upon seeing us hugging.¡± ** ric fell into silence, and the cold air around him subsided. So, it¡¯s to check my reaction. I thought Bane had feelings for¡­ ¡°Tsk, tsk, I didn¡¯t expect you to overreact.¡± Bane raised a brow. ric only scoffed and didn¡¯t make anyments. He held Victoria¡¯s hand while talking to Bane. ¡°When did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± 2/8 12:08 Mon, 19 71% Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart Bane looked at the duo¡¯s hands and smiled. ¡°I took the morning flight. I 3/8 Hearing that, Victoria somehow recalled the ck vehicle at thepany and that scorching gaze that almost prated her this afternoon. As an afterthought, she looked at Bane, who was staring at her as well. ric did not notice, for his attention was solely focused on her small hand. He thought he was holding a wisp of marshmallow due to the soft and smooth sensation. They rarely spent time together nowadays, so he did not have the chance to hold her hand. Now that he had the opportunity to do so, he realized how much he had been missing it. Next, he evenced his fingers with Victoria¡¯s forcefully, causing her to look at him with a frown. He said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Not a time for a wee party. How about tomorrow?¡± 12:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart 3 ¡°Sure.¡± Bane nodded. ¡°Catch up tomorrow. Remember to call the gang over.¡± ric nodded. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll get going first.¡® ¡± ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Holding Victoria¡¯s hand, ric led the way out of the room. 71% 4/8 Once they were gone, the smile on Bane¡¯s lips vanished. Coldly, he cleaned the wound by his lips with a handkerchief before throwing it into a 1111 trash can nearby. After the duo left the bar, something came into Victoria¡¯s mind. ¡°Where¡¯s Yasmin?¡± We came together but she went to call for help when I was meeting Bane. She said she would wait. I wonder where she is right now. 12:08 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart ¡°She left,¡± replied the man aloofly. ¡°She left on her own will?¡± 5/8 ¡°What else? Do you think she would wait for you here? Do you know where we are right now?¡± ric snapped. Victoria was speechless. There he goes again. That parent¨Clike scolding. He¡¯s always like this! **** **** She freed herself from ric¡¯s hand indignantly. ¡°I know very well, but so what? If I¡¯m gone, Yasmin is the only person to take over my position, so, of course, I have to apany her to business dinners.¡± ¡°Did it have to be here?¡± Indifference filled his face. ¡°Yes.¡± His brows knitted together. ¡°What did you say?¡± 12:09 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart The ire from the encounter with Caleb had yet to dissipate. Caleb disrespected Victoria because ric had been bringing udia to work employees, saying that she was the abandoned one. She knew that she should not bear resentment because she did not have the right to do so. In fact, she owed him a debt of gratitude. Not only did ric teach the bullies a lesson, but he also helped her father without her knowledge. He even gave her the chance to learn and grow by inducting her into thepany. She should be grateful, but for some reason, resentment took root in her heart. Shrouded by darkness, jealousy sprouted and flourished rapidly. 6/8 Victoria was aware that she shouldn¡¯t feel this way, hence the suppression and self¨Crestraint. She tried to look at ric and udia in a positive way because they had helped her. 12:09 Mon, 19 Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart However, whenever she woke up from her dreams on those quiet nights, she recalled those weird gazes she received at work. Thoughts then began whirring in her mind. Why? Just why? It¡¯s only until Grandma¡¯s surgery is over. It won¡¯t take long but why does he have to bring udia to work right now and put me on everyone¡¯s lips? Why did I have to fall for him out of all? Things would have been better if I didn¡¯t fall for him. Needless to say, ric did not have an inkling of her thoughts at all. All he knew was she was standing there in a daze with reddened eyes. It was then that he realized how fierce he was just now. 7/8 But if I don¡¯t reprimand her, she won¡¯t know how evil the world is. What if the person she met tonight wasn¡¯t Bane but a stranger? What would have happened if I didn¡¯t pick up Yasmin¡¯s call? The situation would have been bad. 271% Chapter 79 Resentment Took Root in Her Heart He softened his voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to pick a better location for business dinners? If the other party doesn¡¯t agree, you don¡¯t have to meet them. You¡¯re Mrs. Cadogan. No one can pressure you.¡± 8/8 Victoriaughed at that. ¡°Mrs. Cadogan? No one can pressure me? What will happen once I lose that title?¡± He was riveted at the spot, and she looked at him while saying softly, ¡°How .0 will they perceive me if they find out that it¡¯s a fake marriage?¡± The Selwyn Family had long been bankrupt, consigning her to nil. For the past two years, she gave her all in work in an attempt to prove that she didn¡¯t gain respect from others by virtue of her title of Mrs. Cadogan. Even after all her effort, it turned out that she would still be nothing without that title. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ric and Victoria sat in silence on the way home. ric¡¯s expression was dark. He clutched the steering wheel so tightly that one feared he would identally pull it out. He was troubled by what Victoria said to him earlier. The idea that she would leave one day never crossed his mind, but he sensed that something was brewing when she purposely brought it up. He stole a nce at Victoria. After getting in the car, she closed her eyes and curled up into a ball on the passenger seat, as though she wanted to shut out the whole world. After all these years of living together, he witnessed her hard work and her ambition to prove herself, but today, she ran into a wall, On the way to Victoria, he heard about the incident today from Yasmin. In the end, Yasmin was stammering and hesitating. Seeing that, he quickly 1/8 12:09 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 80 Leave Soon 0271% forced her to tell him more. As Victoria¡¯s right¨Chand woman, Yasmin grabbed the chance to help Victoria air her grievances. ¡°Well, Mr. Cadogan, I hope you won¡¯t me me for telling the truth. And don¡¯t tell Miss Victoria that it was me who told you.¡± 2/8 ¡°Cut the nonsense.¡± He frowned. ¡°Okay. Here we go!¡± She took a deep breath and said loudly over the phone, ¡°Mr. Burke said that Miss Victoria doesn¡¯t need to work too hard because Mr. Cadogan has brought his mistress into thepany. Mr. Burke also told Miss Victoria that she was going to be abandoned soon, and since the Selwyns are bankrupt, she¡¯ll be bullied by others. Mr. Cadogan will never help her anyway.¡± ric¡¯s veins were throbbing. ¡°What did you say?¡± Yasmin emphasized, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, I didn¡¯t say that! I was just paraphrasing!¡± 12:09 Mon, 71% Chapter 80 Leave Soon He rubbed his temples and grunted. When he gathered himself, he felt a headache creeping up. 3/8 Half an hourter, he parked the car in the underground garage of Cadogan Residence. Victoria was still curled up in a ball as she finally opened her eyes and happened to meet ric¡¯s gaze. He gestured at her to leave with his chin. ¡°You should go up first. Grandma¡¯s probably staying up for you.¡± She understood what he meant and nodded at him. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll greet her.¡± Then, she unbuckled her seatbelt to get out of the car. ¡°Wait.¡± Victoria turned around with a confused look to see ric leaning over, surrounding her with his crisp alpine scent. His good¨Clooking face was only inches away, and she could see the cracks in his lips. Shocked, she widened her eyes and leaned backward. Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 80 Leave Soon Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g He paused for a moment, and his eyes turned cold when he realized what she had done. ¡°Why? Do you dislike me this much? Did you think I was going to kiss you?¡± 4/8 Staring at his mildly enraged face, she realized that she must have misunderstood his intention. She pursed her lips and turned her face away from him. She had wanted to exin herself, but any exnation seemed unnecessary at this point. She gave up and asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly He scoffed but didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he went back to his seat with a long face. ¡°You should go. Don¡¯t forget to get rid of the smell of alcohol before you meet Grandma.¡± She finally understood his action just now. He was checking if she smelled like alcohol. She wanted to say something to diffuse the awkwardness, but in the end, she left without a word. 12:09 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 80 Leave Soon Silence returned to the car after Victoria got out. He pulled out the car key, got out of the car as well, and leaned against it while using his phone. He said coldly to someone, ¡°Look into the recent acquisitions for me.¡¯ Since Victoria did not drink, she only needed to change out from the outfit that stank of alcohol from the bar. After that, she washed her face and greeted Griselda. The olddy had not gone to bed¨Cshe sighed in relief when she saw Victoria safe and sound. 5/8 ¡°You¡¯re safe. Everything¡¯s good.¡± Griselda patted Victoria¡¯s hand and advised her earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I will survive the surgery. I might not have a chance to see you again if the surgery fails. I don¡¯t wish for much, except for the health and safety of my children and grandchildren at this age.¡± Victoria¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Grandma, what are you talking about? The surgery will be ¨¢ sess, and you¡¯ll be with us for a long time! Don¡¯t say 12 10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 80 Leave Soon that again or you¡¯ll make me angry!¡± 3 71% 6/8 Sensing Victoria¡¯s change in expression and tone, Griselda chuckled. ¡°I know you care about me. Alright, alright. I¡¯ll try my best to survive.¡± Next, she poked Victoria¡¯s puffed cheeks and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret, girl.¡± ¡°Secret? What¡¯s it about?¡± Victoria looked curious. ¡°When ric heard that something had happened to you, he rushed out without changing. He didn¡¯t even put on a jacket on this chilly day.¡± Victoria was taken aback by Griselda putting in a good word for her grandson. She had probably noticed that something was amiss between them. Victoria was right because before she could reply, Griselda asked her, ¡°Are you both still not over the argumentst time?¡± 12:10 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 80 Leave Soon Victoria didn¡¯t want to talk badly about ric, so she pursed her lips and said in a hushed voice, ¡°No. This is a new argument.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She bit her lower lip and said helplessly, ¡°It was an argument about work We have different opinions, so¡­¡± This was the best excuse she could offer to convince Griselda. However, Griselda didn¡¯t believe Victoria. ¡°Is it only an argument about work?¡± Victoria stared at her with doubt. Griselda chuckled. ¡°Does it have nothing to do with that woman, udia Johnson?¡± Victoria tried not to expose her emotions, but her eyes gave her away. ¡°Grandma, you¡­¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 However, in the end, Victoria nodded in agreement. 1/10 She found ric sitting on the couch when she returned to the bedroom, and she inadvertently sized his clothes up upon recalling Griselda¡¯s words. Sure enough, he was only wearing a ck shirt, and his gloomy aura almost blended with the dark couch. Victoria didn¡¯t expect them to end up like this. Actually, even if they didn¡¯t be husband and wife, they had been good friends since childhood, just minus the intimacy of a married couple, and even that aside, he had helped her a lot. Victoria knew she should yield first, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t say anything even after gawking at ric for a long time. In the end, she silently went to the washroom to wash up. 12:11 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me By the time she came back out, ric was no longer in the bedroom. However, she did receive several messages. She checked them to find they were from an unknown number. ¡®This is my phone number, Vixie. Remember to save it.¡¯ 71% Though the sender didn¡¯t introduce themselves, Victoria knew whom it was at once, for only one person ever called her ¡®Vixie¡® her whole life. After saving the number under ¡®Bane Morison¡®, she replied to the text. ¡®I¡¯m already an adult. Can you please not call me that anymore?¡® Bane¡¯s phone was probably nearby, or he happened to be fiddling with his phone. Either way, his reply came in two shakes. ¡®What should I call you, then?¡® ¡®My name.¡® 2/10 3 x 71% Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me 3/10 Given her rtionship with Bane, addressing each other¡¯s first names was the best way to go. ¡®Your name?¡® Bane seemed to be contemting, for he only sent another text momentster. ¡®Very well. I¡¯ll call you Snowball, then.¡® Snowball¡­ The nickname made Victoria frown slightly, for only ric ever called her that, and even when he did, he was usually mad at her. Just when she was about to reply to him, Bane sent a third text. ¡®Alright, Snowball, it is. I still have work to do. Rest early. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± After reading Bane¡¯s texts, Victoria decided against telling him not to address her by her nickname. At that, she checked the time to find it was already near 10.00PM. ¡°To think he still has work to dote at night.¡± 4/10 Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me With that, ric, who was no longer in the bedroom, came to her mind, and she wondered where he had gone. She put her phone away andy in bed, drifting to sleep in two shakes. : The following morning, Victoria woke up to find ric¡¯s side of the bed empty. It seemed that the man didn¡¯t return at allst night. She sat there for a while, lost in thought, before getting up and heading downstairs after getting dressed. As Victoria passed by the study, she happened to run into ric as he opened the door and walked out. Their eyes met, and they both froze, clearly not expecting to see each other. Momentster, ric looked at her expressionlessly, his handsome face cold and indifferent, and asked, ¡°Bane has gathered everyone for dinner Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g tonight. Do you want to go?¡± Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me Victoria had assumed he would give her the silent treatment, given what had happened the night before, and she even thought about what she should say if Griselda were to ask her again at the dining table. Who¡¯d have thought ric would take the initiative to break the ice, though?! 5/10 Just as Victoria was lost in thought, she recalled how her fights with ric would get very ugly, and being young, she was pretty careless with her words. It wasn¡¯t until after their argument was over that Victoria wanted to take her words back. Then again, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to talk to him, so she always secretly decided to ignore him forever, but he would end up being the first to break the tension between them. Growing up, he would always be the one to break the ice. Of course, he remained grim even when he took the first step, and if she continued to ignore him, he would explode and talk to her with gnashed teeth. 12:11 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me Aftering to herself, Victoria nodded faintly and said, ¡°Sure.¡± Finally, ric¡¯s countenance brightened a little. 871% After breakfast, the two headed out the door together. she was going to drive herself, but she had just bypassed ric¡¯s car when the man rolled his window down and gazed icily at her, ordering her to get into his car. At the thought that they would have to attend the gathering together, Victoria obliged, and they drove in silence before heading to their respective offices after arriving at thepany. , 6/10 ** As Victoria sat down, she received a text from Summer. ¡®How are you doingtely? With Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s surgery postponed, will your thing with ric be postponed too?! ¡®Yeah. (¡®What?! Do you know how far into the future you are looking at?¡® 12:11 Mon, 19 Jur Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me ¡®It¡¯s still up in the air. Grandma¡¯s still resting. We can only wait and see.¡® 271% 7/10 Summer couldn¡¯t form a proper sentence in her reply, and Victoria understood at once. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll sort it out just fine.¡® Summer didn¡¯t reply to her after that, and it didn¡¯t bother Victoria either, as she believed her best friend had returned to her work. Just then, Yasmin came in with a stack of documents. ¡°Miss Victoria.¡± She gazed warily at her boss and asked with caution, ¡°Was everything between you and Mr. Cadogan okayst night?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Yasmin let out a sigh of relief after cing the documents on Victoria¡¯s table. She had asked the cab to wait outside when Victoria and ric went out 12:11 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me the night before. However, they didn¡¯t leave right away but were talking near the car. 8/10 After a while, they seemed to have broken into a fight, but Yasmin was too far away to hear anything. She felt a little guilty, for she had exaggerated when she spoke ill of Caleb to ric the night before. It was mainly because she found Caleb rude, and more importantly, she wanted Victoria to stay, so she deliberately said some things that would make ric sympathize with Victoria. Meanwhile, Victoria sensed Yasmine staring at her as she flipped through the documents, so she looked up and asked, ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡± ¡°No.¡± The assistant hurriedly waved her hands in denial, then scratched her (head awkwardly before announcing her departure. 12:12 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me ¡°Alright. Please close the door behind you.¡± ¡°Will do, Miss Victoria.¡± 9/10 At that, Yasmin left Victoria¡¯s office in defeat. She had wanted to apologize to Victoria for the night before. However¡­ She closed the door behind her. di She didn¡¯t apologize because Victoria didn¡¯t look so good. Hence, she worried she would piss Victoria off if she did say it. But Miss Victoria wouldn¡¯t end up in that situation if it weren¡¯t for me. At that, the young woman leaned against the door and poked her fingers sulkily. Just then, Peter approached her direction with things in his hands. At the sight of that young woman at the door, Peter smiled at her. But a voice came from inside the office just when he was about to open the door. 1212 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 81 Don¡¯t Worry About Me ¡°Would I be worried about you if you weren¡¯t pregnant?! You¡¯ll sort it out 10/10 just fine? What is even your n?! Do you think your belly will remain t if you keep this up?!¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 It was already toote when Victoria wanted to turn it off when the voice yed from her phone out of the blue, and by the time she got to it, the voice message had already finished ying on its own. Victoria was speechless. What the heck, Jones?! She thought Summer had returned from her work to rant about her *sshole of a boss, but who¡¯d have thought she would talk about Victoria?! A thought then came to Victoria, and she opened the door in a panic. Seeing that there wasn¡¯t a soul in sight, she breathed a sigh of relief. I had Yasmin close the door behind her. So, by right, she wouldn¡¯t linger around. She likely didn¡¯t hear the voice message, That said, Victoria still felt uneasy. As such, she took a few steps forward and searched the area before finally returning to her office when she was Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret certain there really wasn¡¯t anyone around. At that, she deleted Summer¡¯s voice message and reprimanded the girl, who apologized at breakneck speed, saying sorry, she was just too emotional and that it wouldn¡¯t happen again repeatedly. At the same time, at the stairwell not far away, a man and a woman stood face to face, one panting heavier than the other while their faces were enveloped in various emotions. The smile on Peter¡¯s face seemed to be frozen, half¨Csmiling and stiff, and standing right in front of him with an even wilder expression was Yasmin, whose eyes were wide open and her mouth agape. The two of them stood staring at each other just like that, reeling in shock. Finally, about a minuteter, Peter, who believed he had better mental resilience, calmed down and asked, ¡°Have we been here all this while?¡± 2/9 12:12 Mon, 19 Jun Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret ¡°Sorry?¡± His question stumped Yasmin. ¡°I mean, did I go to Miss Selwyn¡¯s office just now?¡± However, the assistant remained stupefied. 71% Judging from her expression, Peter knew what had just happened was real, and he finally came around. He and this secretary assistant had overheard a jaw¨Cdropping secret. A beat, he asked, ¡°Do you suppose Miss Selwyn is pregnant with Mr. Cadogan¡¯s child?¡± ¡°Of course, she is!¡± Yasmin, still reeling in shock, blurted subconsciously. ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± Peter was stumped. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like she wants anyone to know about it. I mean¡­ Mr. Cadogan might even be unaware of it.¡±/ 3/9 Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret But it doesn¡¯t make sense, does it? If I¡¯m not mistaken, what was said 4/9 meant that Miss Selwyn is scared of people knowing about her pregnancy. That¡¯s why she¡¯s worried about not being able to cover up her growing belly in the future. Yasmin had finallye to herself at this point, and she argued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal that Mr. Cadogan is unaware?¡± Peter was rendered speechless, his worldview shattered. He couldn¡¯t believe the young woman thought it was normal for a wife to hide her pregnancy from her husband! He instantly thought the young woman¡¯s mindset was problematic. But just as he was about to correct her worldview, Yasmin reasoned solemnly to him. ¡°Do you know there¡¯s been word going around in the udia is Mr. Cadogan¡¯s true love? Not only does she frequent Mr. Cadogan¡¯s office and sits in his front passenger seat, but she even brings him food all the time. I wouldn¡¯t want Mr. Cadogan to know either if I were Miss Selwyn.¡± Her words gave Peter a moment of epiphany. She¡¯s right! Johnson frequented the office for a time. Though I had a problem with her and even tried to deal with her myself, nothing changed because Boss is the root of it all! He was too shocked earlier to piece the puzzles together. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m right?¡± Yasmin asked, seeing that he remained silent. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is betrayal?¡± Peter had nothing to say. In fact, he could understand and even felt angry for Victoria when he put himself in her shoes. ¡°I¡¯ll take it as you agree with me if you don¡¯t say anything. In that case¡­¡± Yasmin whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll keep this between us for now.¡± Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret Peter nodded in agreement. ¡°I know. This isn¡¯t what we should be revealing in the first ce.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯ll pretend we know nothing. Miss Selwyn is already in a difficult situation. We can¡¯t add to her troubles.¡± 6/9 ¡°But¡­¡± Peter frowned. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it. Why wouldn¡¯t Miss Selwyn reveal her pregnancy to Mr. Cadogan? If she does, Mr. Cadogan might even cut off his ties with udia Johnson.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± Yasmin sneered. ¡°What age do you think we live in? Don¡¯t tell me you actually think using a child to hold a man down will work!¡± Her reprimand embarrassed Peter. ¡°Either way, no one else can know about this. Whoever talks about it will be cursed to remain single for the rest of their lives.¡± Yasmin threatened, rendering Peter speechless. Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret 7/9 Peter wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, taken aback by the severity of the consequence. ¡°Can we change it to something else?¡± ¡°No!¡± Yasmin growled. ¡°It¡¯ll have to be this since you mind it so much. That way, you¡¯ll think twice when you want to reveal it.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± At that, Peter vowed, ¡°I will be cursed to remain single for the rest of my life if I reveal it to anyone else.¡± Finally, Yasmin nodded with satisfaction. Soon after that, the two left with different thoughts in their minds. Yasmin couldn¡¯t help looking into Victoria¡¯s office after returning to her seat. She still couldn¡¯t believe she would overhear such a massive secret, and she cupped her cheeks and sighed helplessly, having a feeling that she would behave guiltily in front of Victoria from now on. Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret Suddenly, her heart ached for Victoria. She must actually be in a lot of pain Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g 8/9 despite her nonchnt appearance when everyone pointed fingers at her at the cafeteria the other day. On the other hand, Peter returned to his desk with multitudes of emotions. ¡°Mr. Levane, aren¡¯t the files for Miss Selwyn? Why did you bring them back?¡± someone asked when they saw the files in Peter¡¯s arms. It was only then Peter realized he had forgotten to deliver the files. He sighed and pped his thigh in despair. ¡°Oh, by the way, Mr. Levane. Mr. Cadogan asked to see you in his office.¡± Mr. Cadogan? ¡°Got it.¡± Mon, 19 3 9/9 Chapter 82 Overheard the Secret With that, Peter asked someone else to deliver the files to Victoria while he headed off to the CEO¡¯s office, where he found ric working away at his desk. The man had a handsome face, but his eyes were cold, and his pressed lips made him unapproachable. And having been in a position of power for many years, he exuded great intimidation. Normally, ric was handsome and powerful in Peter¡¯s eyes. Sometimes, the assistant even wondered how it was possible for a man as perfect as ric to exist in this world. But now, he thought his boss was nothing but an *sshole, mediocre and stupid, or how could he abandon a woman as wonderful as Victoria and hook up with udia instead?! ric was focused on his work when he sensed a gaze of anger on him, and he looked toward Peter with a frown. ¡°What is it?¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°*sshole!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ric squinted menacingly, displeased. His icy tone snapped Peter back to reality at once, and thetter though he was doomed. Wasn¡¯t I only ranting in my mind? How did I end up blurting it out?! That said, as exasperated as he was about himself, he countered it in tw shakes, given that he was already a seasoned veteran. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cadogan. I wasn¡¯t referring to you. It¡¯s just that I watched a cheesy soap opera with my motherst night, and the male lead was a total, *sshole!¡± Yes, that¡¯s right. Exin it like this! Cheesy soap opera? ric frowned and stared at Peter with displeasure. ¡°You¡¯re telling me this is what you have in your head during work hours.¡± Exness Markets INSTALL FREE Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? Huh, says the man who h ooks up with other women during work hours. So what if that¡¯s what I have inside my head?! Of course, Peter wouldn¡¯t dare think out loud anymore. 2/9 ¡°No, sir. It just popped into my head on my way here. I swear, the drama is super cheesy, and the male lead is seriously revolting. He keeps going back and forth between the two women. Tell me that¡¯s not a typical *sshole, Mr. Cadogan.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your nonsense. Get this acquisition proposal sorted out,¡± ric ordered while handing Peter a folder, unaware of his connection to the *sshole¡¯ and two women Peter referred to. Despite cussing ric, Peter knew work was still work, and it had to be done. So, he picked the folder up and huffed, ¡°Got it.¡± That tone¡­ ric couldn¡¯t help but look up at Peter only to find thetter ring daggers at him. Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? They had worked together for so many years, but when had Peter ever looked at him with such eyes? At that, ric squinted his eyes and asked, ¡°Peter, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re directing your animosity toward the *sshole on TV onto me?¡± ¡°Oh, I am.¡± Peter quirked his lips. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it, Mr. Cadogan. That *sshole looked very much like you. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll think of the *sshole. whenever I see you.¡± ric was rendered speechless. What could he say about being associated with a soap opera? That he had a superb assistant? ¡°So, you can¡¯t me me, Mr. Cadogan. me the actor who looks nearly identical to you. No, so be it that you two look identical, but he also does sh*tty things! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s absolutely absurd that he goes back and forth between two women?!¡± As dim as ric could get, he gradually came around after observing Exness Markets INSTALL 3/9 Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? Peter¡¯s behavior, and he narrowed his eyes dangerously at the assistant at once. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m an *sshole?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Peter denied dramatically at once. ¡°When have I ever said anything about you? I¡¯m talking about the *sshole on TV!¡± ric stayed silent, and Peter acted as though it just hit him. ¡°I see, Mr. Cadogan. You don¡¯t think I¡¯m actually implying you¡¯re the *sshole, are you? How dare I?! Miss Johnson might frequent your office and hang out with you, but I believe nothing is going on between you two, and you wouldn¡¯t do anything to betray Miss Selwyn like that *sshole from the TV. Am I right, or am I right? The veins on ric¡¯s forehead throbbed as he listened to Peter¡¯s insinuation, and he interjected when he had enough. ¡°Looks like you have quite a lot of time on your hands.¡± Exners Markets INSTALL Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? Five minutester, Peter left ric¡¯s office with a stack of files and dejection. He nced at the work he would have toplete for the next three days because of his insinuation and sighed. Should¡¯ve just kept my mouth shut. But whenever Peter thought about Miss Selwyn¡¯s pregnancy and how she couldn¡¯t tell Mr. Cadogan about it because of his unclear rtionship with udia, he felt a raging anger burn inside him. Just imagine the pain Miss Selwyn is going through¡­ As such, Peter decided to continue calling ric an *sshole even if the Victoria, who was oblivious to all of this, was still working on her tasks. However, she grew listless soon after, repeatedly yawning in front of the Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. 79% Yasmin happened to catch her yawning when she brought Victoria her beverage, and she quickly offered, ¡°Are you tired, Miss Victoria. Why don¡¯t I take over for you?¡± Her eagerness surprised Victoria, and she couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot from youtely, Miss Victoria. I¡¯m confident I can handle it.¡± Seeing that Victoria remained hesitant, Yasmin simply helped her up and said, ¡°Go ahead and get some rest, Miss Victoria. I got this.¡± Victoria had wanted to turn her down. After all, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to nap during work hours. However, she was pooped. So, she nodded in agreement in the end. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll rest for ten minutes.¡± ex Exness Markets FREE INSTALL Wed, Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? ¡°Alrighty!¡± With that, Victoria went into her private lounge. @x3.7 In actuality, given her current status, no one would dare do anything to her face but only talk behind her back even if she slept for a whole day, not to mention she was only taking a ten-minute break. After entering her lounge, Victoria caressed her belly and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re not only a glutton but also a sloth, huh, little one?¡± With that, she grabbed the throw on the couch and drifted to sleep. Meanwhile, Yasmine worked away at Victoria¡¯s desk. From now on, I will protect Miss Victoria at all costs! she vowed. Victoria had nned to only take a ten-minute nap, but it was an hour ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 ¡ö TIME Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? At that, she went out to find Yasmin still at her desk. At the same time, the young assistant turned around and beamed at Victoria when she heard noises behind her. ¡°Good morning, Miss Victoria. How was your sleep? It¡¯s only been an hour. You should sleep a little longer.¡± The young woman pulled a chair from the side and helped Victoria sit down as she spoke, baffling thetter. ¡°I got you some dessert, Miss Victoria. You must be hungry. Here, have a little something before lunch.¡± Dessert¡­ Victoria nced at the strawberry shortcake Yasmin got her. It looked delicious. However, she couldn¡¯t help thinking Yasmin¡¯s actions were suspicious. ¡°What would you like for lunch, Miss Victoria? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°Are you guilty of something?¡± Victoria asked, gazing at the young woman. 0 x Exness Markets INSTALL 41 TREE Chapter 83 Are You Guilty of Something? Or why would she suddenly behave so attentively? Victoria probed as such because she was worried Yasmine had overheard Summer¡¯s voice message. Sure enough, Yasmin¡¯s countenance turned unnatural at once, and her gaze averted as well. ¡°N-No. Why would you say that?¡± Exness Markets Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Shoot, have I overdone it? I knew I should¡¯ve yed it safe! However, Yasmin¡¯s heart ached for Victoria after knowing ric was h o oking up with other women while Victoria was pregnant. All she wanted to do was help Victoria, so she didn¡¯t care about everything else. ¡°Hmm?¡± Victoria¡¯s heart ski pped a beat when she saw Yasmin averting her gaze. She didn¡¯t really hear it, did she?! Yasmin might normally be a chicken, but she was quick-witted as well. So, she reacted immediately when she sensed Victoria¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s aboutst night.¡± Yasmin rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. ¡°I want to make it up to you. Mr. Burke wouldn¡¯t say all that to you if it weren¡¯t for me.¡± Miss Victoria wouldn¡¯t suspect a thing anymore when I put it like this, right? Chapter 84 Heartless Sure enough, Victoria brightened up a little after hearing Yasmin¡¯s exnation. It¡¯s aboutst night, huh? That exins why she¡¯s behaving like this. At that, Victoria chuckled and said, ¡°What happenedst night was an ident and also a lesson. Never forget that.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t! Don¡¯t worry, Miss Victoria, I will never make that mistake again!¡± Yasmin vowed, then changed the subject. ¡°So¡­. what would you like to have for lunch? I¡¯ll grab it for you.¡± 79% ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Victoria said as she grabbed the strawberry shortcake. ¡°If it¡¯s forst night, you¡¯ve alreadypensated for it with this cake.¡± She was getting hungry, and this cake was just perfect. Yasmin was quite happy when Victoria ate the cake she got, for she didn¡¯t know what to get for her boss. So, she got this when she saw it was Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE 2/ Chapter 84 Heartless delicately made, and it turned out to be Victoria¡¯s taste. If she couldn¡¯t get Victoria lunch, she would prepare some snacks for her, then. Her mother had said an expecting mother tended to crave something. Thank goodness I reacted quickly and apologized forst night, or I¡¯d be caught! When night fell, everyone came together for Bane¡¯s dinner party and chatted. ¡°Say, howe I didn¡¯t receive any news about Bane¡¯s return before this? When did hee back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Bane used to be super busy, and he never kept in touch either after going abroad. So, it¡¯s normal that none of us are aware Exness Markets INSTALL 3/ Chapter 84 Heartless of his sudden return.¡± While the group chatted away, the stars of the night were still yet to arrive ¡°Do you guys think ric will bring udia over tonight?¡± ¡°Probably not¡­ Isn¡¯t ric with Victoria now? It¡¯ll surely be awkward if udia shows up.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t ric used to have a thing for udia? How did he end up with Victoria?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s because the Selwyns were bankrupt, and ric wanted to help Victoria, so the two got married temporarily.¡± ¡°You heard? Did ric and Victoria tell you that?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t. That¡¯s what everyone is saying, and they didn¡¯t deny it either.¡± ex Exness Markets FREE INSTALL 5/9 Chapter 84 Heartless Everyone discussed the topic heatedly until they heard a series of footsteps approaching the private room door, and they all finally gazed at each other before lowering their voices. Very quickly, the door opened to reveal a tall, slender figure. 44 Bane showed up in a white suit and gold-rimmed sses, looking absolutely gentlemanly. Compared to five years ago, when Bane still had some youthfulness to him, he was now mature and refined, and it was nearly impossible to look away from him. ¡°Bane.¡± Everyone stood up and greeted him, and he nodded and smiled at everyone in response. After sweeping his gaze across the room, his gaze dimmed a little when he didn¡¯t see who he was looking for. This girl wouldn¡¯t be absent tonight, would she? No, ric hasn¡¯t shown up yet. Given her current situation, she¡¯s likely toe with him. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Just as he was deep in thought, a gentle voice rang from behind him. Exness Markets INSTALL 16-33 Wed, 21 Chapter 84 Heartless ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°udia!¡± Someone shouted, and udia knew right away she was exactly where she should be. Bane looked over his shoulder and nodded in acknowledgment after ncing at the sexily-dressed young woman. On the other hand, a hint of surprise shed across udia¡¯s eyes as she quickly made out the familiar face. ¡°Bane?!¡± The man nodded with a smile and pushed his sses a little. ¡°Hi.¡± The otherdies who came with udia were also amazed by Bane¡¯s gentlemanly appearance. Man, he¡¯s hot! udia also took some time toe to herself before extending her hand for a handshake. ¡°Long time no see. You¡¯ve changed a lot; I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± xe Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 FREE 79% 6/9 @K .79% Chapter 84 Heartless ¡°Have I?¡± Bane mumbled, stunned, as a hint of surprise shed across his eyes. He didn¡¯t care what other people thought or felt, but their expressions changed drastically almost immediately after they saw him, including this woman who imed to be ric¡¯s beau. It was evident that he did change significantly. So howe a certain girl didn¡¯t react at all when she saw him? Bane still remembered how calmly Victoria looked when he appeared before her. It might be that she didn¡¯t notice my change, or¡­ she didn¡¯t care. At the thought of thetter possibility, Bane¡¯s eyes turned grim, and he pressed his lips into a fine line. ¡°It has been a while.¡± He finally returned the handshake. However, he Exness Markets INSTALL 41 TREE 7/9 Chapter or 84 Heartless withdrew his hand almost immediately. udia was stunned as she gazed at the quickly retreated hand. 8.79% Is it me, or Bane seems to be disdainful of me? Also, he doesn¡¯t look too happy even when I say he changed a lot. Why is that? Just then, udia¡¯s friend suggested that they head into the room first, and udia finally came around and nodded in agreement. 0/9 With that, everyone took a seat, and udia happened to sit right across. from Bane. The man might appear amiable, but no one dared sit next to him, so he was the only one at that table. In response to everyone¡¯s inquiries, he spoke confidently and conducted himself with courtesy and elegance, like a modest gentleman, and it made udia lost in thought quite a few times. Exness Markets INSTALL TREE Chapter 84 Heartless Time ticked away, and nearly everyone had arrived. Only ric and Victoria were yet to show up. Bane chatted with everyone patiently at first, but as it gotter into the night, he couldn¡¯t help checking his phone every now and then. He had texted Victoria in the afternoon, but the young woman never replied to him. Tsk, heartless girl. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Just then, someone asked, ¡°Do you suppose ric wille to Bane¡¯s wee home party?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll miss it. They were pretty close back then.¡± ¡°But why hasn¡¯t he shown up, then?¡± Yeah, why hasn¡¯t he shown up? udia instinctively nced at her phone. She had sent ric a text message before setting off, asking for his whereabouts. However, he didn¡¯t reply to her. Hence, she assumed he was driving. But it had already been a while since she arrived, yet he still hadn¡¯t shown up nor replied to her text. She couldn¡¯t help getting a little worried. A scheme shed across udia¡¯s friend when she saw the young e Exness Markets TREE INSTALL Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety woman checking her phone. At that, she suggested in front of everyone, ¡°udia, why don¡¯t you give ric a call? Ask him where he¡¯s at. I¡¯m sure he answers all your calls.¡± At that, udia nced at her friend, who winked at her, suggesting that she make the call. udia knew exactly what she was trying. Her friends just wanted to help her confirm her rtionship with ric in front of everyone. However¡­ ric still hasn¡¯t replied to the text she sent before setting off. Will he answer if I call at this time? It wasn¡¯t a safe bet, and she would certainly embarrass herself in front of everyone if ric didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Nah, forget it.¡± udia shrugged it off. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. He¡¯s likely in the elevator or on his way here. He probably wouldn¡¯t answer it even if I called him.¡± Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE 2/9 16:33 Wed, 21 Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety To her dismay, the crowd¡¯s interest was already piqued. ¡°But you won¡¯t know until you try. C¡¯mon, call him.¡± ¡°Yeah, udia. We all know how much you mean to ric. He will definitely answer your call even if he¡¯s driving.¡± At that, everyone urged her to make the call. Feeling that she had been put in a tight spot, udia subconsciously turned to Bane when a thought hit her. Lo and behold, the man merely lowered his head and stared at his phone, seemingly unaware of themotion. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°C¡¯mon, udia. Call him. It¡¯s been ages since we heard ric¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Yeah, udia. Just do it to satisfy our curiosity.¡± Satisfy your curiosity? Huh! udia sneered. Who do you people think you ke ZX Exness Markets INSTALL 3/9 Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety are? Satisfy your curiosity. I wouldn¡¯t evene if not for ric¡¯s sake! At that, the young woman pulled a smile. Just as she was about to speak up, the door opened, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. 1 ric, in a ck coat, showed up, with Victoria following closely behind in a simrly designed beige trench coat. Her long hair had also been tied up behind her head, and her fair face looked clean and makeup-free. Even so, it didn¡¯t affect her beauty one bit. Her facial features were sharp, to begin with, and her skin was also fair and smooth. Applying makeup would roughen up her face instead. The number of guests in the private room stupefied Victoria for a second, whereas ric was unfazed the entire time. Seeing that the man had no intention of exining their tar diness, Victoria spoke up, apologizing, ¡°Sorry. The traffic was a little heavy.¡± Her voice was clear and melodious, like flowing water, and she looked. ke Exness Markets INSTALL 41. TRIE Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety slender and dainty standing next to ric. Plus, they were wearing simrly designed coats, so it gave people the illusion that they agreed on their outfits beforehand. 5/9 Back when everyone was still teenagers, Victoria and ric, who grew up together, were practically inseparable, and everyone was used to seeing. the two appearing anywhere together. But it was precisely because of that that no one thought they would end up more than friends. Childhood friends saw too much of each other¡¯s most genuine side, so it was impossible for them to end up together. More importantly, the two would¡¯ve long gotten together if they really had feelings for each other. Hence, the crowd felt somewhat mncholy when they saw them appear in simr clothing, and they couldn¡¯t help turning their gazes to udia too. Naturally, the young woman wasn¡¯t feeling her best, for the couple¡¯s stunt was like a p in the face. ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 ¡ö THEE Chapter 25 Growing Anxiety Her anxiety grew at that. Things were getting more and more out of hand, but what could she do? The least she could do was to not embarrass herself in front of so many people, right? At that, she walked toward Victoria and wrapped her arms around Victoria¡¯s arm affectionately. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. What matters most is that you guys arrived safely. Come and sit with me.¡± Having witnessed udia¡¯s true colors in the past, Victoria knew the woman had a thing for acting in front of a crowd. Hence, she drooped her eyelids slightly when udia wrapped her arms around hers. She didn¡¯t turn the young woman down but instead followed her to their seats. Everyone was surprised, and they gazed at the two with mixed emotions. ric, on the other hand, sat down next to Bane, who, despite greeting ric with a ¡®hey¡¯, was actually staring at Victoria. ¡°Hey.¡± ric took a gander at Bane after sitting down. When he saw the ex Exness Markets 41 TREE INSTALL 6/9 Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety sight to find who else but Victoria! Instantly, he turned slightly grim while his gaze deepened, exuding animosity. Sensing an icy gaze on her, Victoria turned around only to meet ric¡¯s frosty gaze. It took her aback, and she quickly frowned. Is he looking at me like that because I¡¯m sitting next to his precious beloved? Huh, I knew I should¡¯ve rejected her in front of everyone. But he¡¯d probably only be even more pi ssed off, right? udia was also looking at ric, and her anxiety grew further as he had been looking only at Victoria since he arrived. At that, she drooped her eyelids and bit her lower lip lightly while her fingers bunched up together. @XX ex Exness Markets INSTALL FALE 7/9 16:33 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety The four of them had seemingly plunged into an eerie atmosphere, and it was quite a while before someone finally asked for the menu and asked everyone if they wanted booze. Bane turned it down with a smile. ¡°I drove here. So, I¡¯ll have to say no. Feel free to drink if you guys want to, though.¡± ric, on the other hand, remained silent, and as usual, no one dared ask him when they sensed his frosty aura. In the beginning, everyone was just chatting about their recent years, but after a few sses of a certain beverage, everyone grew bolder. A guy in sses, who was a lightweight, was already tipsy, and he sized udia¡¯s face up for a long while before finally holding his ss and saying, Princess udia, it¡¯s not every day all of us get to meet up. Are you and ric really not going to drink with us?¡± Silence filled the private room momentarily before bursting into a tumult Exness Markets INSTALL FREL 8/9 16:33 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 85 Growing Anxiety again. ¡°Yeah, join us! It¡¯s quite a feat that you guys can be together for so many years.¡± ¡°Yeah! When are you guys finally going to invite us to your wedding?!¡± eximed the man in sses. udia reflexively nced at ric and found him sitting silently with his eyelids drooped, looking like he couldn¡¯t hear a word anyone said. At that, udia could only chuckle awkwardly and say, ¡°Cut it out, guys. Al isn¡¯t someone you guys can simply make fun of anymore.¡± Exness Markets Chapter 86 Chapter 86 0 udia was making a bet when she said that because ric had been acting strangely as ofte. If she hadn¡¯t restricted Victoria with the reason of thetter owing her a favor, she would¡¯ve assumed that Victoria had told the man about the pregnancy. Ironically, even though Victoria was a love rival, udia trusted her to keep her word. That was the reason she tried very hard to make Victoria owe her a favor back then. As expected, after she finished speaking, everyone was hyped up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Someone asked with a smile, ¡°udia, are you talking about Al being a husband now?¡± ¡°Gosh, the marriage is a sham! Everyone knows that you¡¯re the only one in Exness Markets INSTALL FREE 1/9 16:33 Wed, 21 Jun ? Chapter 86 Provocation Al¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Moreover, ric and Victoria have been good friends since childhood. There¡¯s no love between them.¡± ric frowned while listening to their conversation. He subconsciously took a look at Victoria to find her calmly sipping on juice. Her eyes brightened as though she realized the juice tasted wonderful. Following another sip, she started chu gging it down. ric was speechless at that. Victoria didn¡¯t expect that her taste for food and beverages would change. so much after she became pregnant. This kind of juice was her least favorite back then, but she loved it now. She finished the juice in barely a minute. udia noticed what Victoria had been doing as well. She frowned for a Exness Markets INSTALL 2/9 16:33 Wed, 21 Chapter FS Provocation moment before bing at ease. She must be embarrassed right now. That¡¯s how she¡¯s trying to cover it up. Pfft. 3/9 There were mostly alcoholic drinks on the table. Several people didn¡¯t like to drink wine, so they ordered juice, including Victoria. udia had ordered a ss of milk, but Victoria didn¡¯t like the taste. There was a ss of juice in front of Bane as well. Since he didn¡¯t like to drink wine, he asked for a ss of juice. After finishing her juice, Victoria seemed to be craving more. Despite feeling bashful, she had the urge to ask for another ss of juice from the waiter. After all, she couldn¡¯t ask Bane to pass her his juice. While she was deep in thought, everyone in the private room started urging ric and udia to drink. ¡°Let¡¯s drink!¡± ex Exness Markets 41 THEE INSTALL Chapter 86 Provocation ¡°Drink up!¡± Even udia¡¯s friends joined in the fun. ¡°ric, why don¡¯t you drink with udia?¡± 79% 4/9 ¡°That¡¯s right. Are you worried Miss Selwyn will be mad? We¡¯re aware of your rtionship with her, and she knows that you¡¯re fond of udia. I¡¯m sure Miss Selwyn won¡¯t mind, right?¡± Hearing that, Victoria sneered in secret. Not only are they trying to make ric and udia look like a couple, but they¡¯re also trying to keep my mouth shut. Do they think they can embarrass me by doing so? At the thought of this, Victoria lifted her head and looked straight at that Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g person before curling her lips. ¡°Why did you even ask me when you¡¯ve put words in my mouth?¡± 0: Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 # FREE 8.79% Chapter 86 Provocation At this point, Victoria finally realized that the person was one of the women who had warned her outside the clubhouse. 5/9 Her voice is also the same as the one who warned me over the phone. She¡¯s indeed a goodckey of udia. The woman was startled, as she didn¡¯t expect Victoria to counter. When she came to her senses a momentter, she lifted her chin and said, ¡°I had to ask, of course. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re so petty, but what if you¡¯re that kind of person?¡± ¡°ine¡­¡± udia took her arm with a dark expression. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Why are you stopping me, udia? I¡¯m just trying to have a friendly conversation with Miss Selwyn. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not so narrow-minded.¡± As the woman spoke, Victoria picked up a ss of wine in front of her. She swayed the wine as the red liquid radiated a charming glow under the lights. Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE 16:33 Wed, 21 hapter 86 Provocation ine¡¯s expression changed when she saw that. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Hearing that, Victoria was startled as she turned to look at the woman in shock. When she realized what was on the woman¡¯s mind a momentter, she broke intoughter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think I¡¯m going to ssh it on you? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not narrow-minded, so I won¡¯t let the winee into close contact with your face.¡± Although she did nothing, her tone was weird. ine¡¯s expression darkened at that. Just as she was ready to re up, udia ced her hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder and sent her a signal. Only then did ine calm down, but she pursed her lips with displeasure as a hint of gloominess shed across her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Victoria. I¡¯ll apologize on her behalf. She didn¡¯t mean it. Will you forgive her?¡± B Exness Markets INSTALL 6/9 Chapter 86 Provocation Hearing that, Victoria smiled. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m magnanimous, after all.¡± 7/9 udia was rendered speechless while balling up her fists. She¡¯s such a b*tch! All of them were ready to watch a good show the moment the blonde woman beside udia started mocking Victoria. They were not disappointed, as they had indeed witnessed a good show. The only problem was that the showcked the long-anticipated intensity. Victoria, who was ric¡¯s wife, was too calm. They felt like even though ine was haughty, Victoria could easily destroy her and render her unable to keep making a scene. They secretly chastised ine¡¯s foolishness. If she had been more adept at arguing, the show would¡¯ve been more interesting. Just as they assumed the show hade to an end, ine appeared agitated as she said through clenched teeth, ¡°udia has apologized to ex Exness Markets INSTALL AT THE 16:33 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 86 Provocation you, Victoria. Why are you still putting on an act?¡± Hearing that, Victoria shot her a nce. ¡°She told me to forgive you, and I did. How am I putting on an act? Weren¡¯t you the one who said I wasn¡¯t narrow-minded?¡± ¡°You!¡± ine was at a loss for words for a moment before sneering. ¡°So what if I¡¯ve said it? You¡¯ve been upying ric for many years. udia is magnanimous enough not to settle the score with you, but it doesn¡¯t mean we have to put up with it as well.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Victoria arched her brow and put on a smile. ¡°Are you saying udia has been putting up with it? Is that what she told you?¡± ¡°Of course not! putting words into my mouth!¡± ¡°In that case, why are you trying to imply that she has been putting up with my rtionship with ric? Are you ndering your friend?¡± Exness Markets 4.1 FREE INSTALL 8/9 Chapter 86 Provocation Victoria remained calm and collected. She had been in the business world for years, so her logic was impable when she argued with ine. She could also make the woman embarrass herself. 9/9 On the other hand, ine had made a fool out of herself because of her stu pidity. Her fury got the better of her as she yelled and tried to grab Victoria. Since she couldn¡¯t win the argument, she decided toy a hand on Victoria. At that moment, she had forgotten that she was udia¡¯s friend. She just wanted to teach Victoria a lesson. ¡°You b-¡± With a gloomy expression, ric mmed his ss on the table with a bang. Exness Markets 1 Chapter 87 Chapter 87 The private room fell into dead silence. Those who were jeering and watching a good show earlier kept their mouths shut. A sense of coldness seemed to permeate the air. ric sat there and red at ine with a gloomy and ruthless gaze. The woman no longer dared to be haughty as she hunched her back. When she was met with ric¡¯s gaze earlier, she felt like the man was ready to kill her. She could only hide behind udia in fear. udia could barely keep the smile on her face as she took a look at the woman behind her. Left with no choice, she pleaded with ric. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at her, Al. ine is straightforward, but she means no harm. ine, apologize to Victoria now.¡± ine was displeased. She would rather go to hell than apologize to Victoria. However, when she recalled ric¡¯s terrifying gaze, she turned to look at Victoria and said through clenched teeth, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Exness Markets INSTALL 1/10 Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her ¡°ine didn¡¯t mean to offend you, Victoria. Will you please forgive her?¡± Victoria sat there calmly without responding to her. On the other hand, a relentless ric curled his lips and sneered. ¡°Do you think an apology is enough? What were you trying to do?¡± Hearing that, ine was astounded. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± ¡°You were trying toy a hand on her, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I just ¡± ¡°Al,¡± udia called out anxiously. I¡¯ve pleaded with Al, but why isn¡¯t he willing to forgive ine? Hearing that, ric turned to look at udia as his emotions were slightly stirred. ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 FREE Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her 3/ The woman¡¯s eyes were red. It was as though she was about to break into tears. She had sacrificed herself to save his life before. After the incident, he swore that he would protect her for the rest of her life. Since she had pleaded with him, he was supposed to forgive her friend. However, all he thought about was a certain someone at that moment. He saw nothing else, but Victoria¡¯s determined and distant gaze. Despite being humiliated in front of so many people, she didn¡¯t seem to have been affected one bit. It was as though all of this had nothing to do with her. Nevertheless, ric remembered that wherever the woman felt wronged in the past, she would clench his shirt and look pitifully at him while sobbing, hoping for him to stand up for her. All of a sudden, he recalled what Victoria said to him that night. She asked ex Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her 4/10 him what everyone would think of her if they found out their marriage was a sham. Apart from her colleagues, even these friends started despising Victoria upon finding out the truth. udia¡¯s friend even wanted toy a hand on her. If today¡¯s incident never happened, ric would never have understood how Victoria felt when she said those words that day. Initially, he thought that Victoria wasn¡¯t happy about always being regarded as just his wife despite working hard to prove her worth. It wasn¡¯t until that moment that he realized what was on her mind when she said those words that night. Now, she was just like an outsider who looked at her own life without any emotions. If she were still not happy about her life, she wouldn¡¯t have. attended the gathering. Since she was there, It showed that she was no Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her longer bothered by what was going on around her. Upon that realization, ric felt his emotions undting in his heart. He pressed his lips into a thin line and rejected udia¡¯s plea for the very first time. ¡°I don¡¯t mind forgiving her, but she can never appear in front of me again.¡± Upon hearing that, everyone understood that the man was ordering ine to get out of the private room. ine clenched udia¡¯s clothes and widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°udia¡­¡± She had been haughty because she believed that udia was important in ric¡¯s heart. As long as udia pleaded with ric, the man wouldn¡¯t settle the score with ine. Much to her surprise, her assumption was wrong. Exness Markets INSTALL TREE 5/10 Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her ¡°Help me, udia,¡± ine pleaded in a small voice while tightening her grip on the woman¡¯s clothes. udia fell into a dilemma. She wanted to help ine because she was eager to prove to everyone that she was important to ric. However, the man was determined and didn¡¯t even spare her a nce. Norwood, who had remained silent all along, couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Stop trying to beg for his mercy, udia. Don¡¯t you see he¡¯s furious?¡± Hearing that, udia came to her senses and nced at ric. The man had hung his head low as his long eyshes concealed most of the emotions behind his gaze. Despite that, he was still evidently vexed. He¡¯s mad. udia understood that if she still tried to ask ric to forgive ine, he would see her in a bad light. No one can stop me from winning ric¡¯s heart. Not even ine. At the thought of this, udia pushed ine¡¯s hand away and said gently, Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Why don¡¯t you go home first?¡± ine stared at her in disbelief. udia bit her lip and sent the woman a signal. 5.79% It never crossed ine¡¯s mind that udia would readily give up on her. She wanted to growl and curse, but she couldn¡¯t afford to offend anyone at the scene except for Victoria. Victoria! She red at the woman resentfully before leaving the ce in embarrassment. After she was gone, the private room fell silent. All of them looked embarrassed. Those who urged ric and udia to drink together earlier sobered up in an instant and wouldn¡¯t dare to drink again. They were dumbfounded. It was said that ric and Victoria¡¯s marriage was a sham and that udia was indispensable to ric. Exness Markets INSTALL 7/1 Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her That was the reason they had been recklessly mocking Victoria. They assumed that ric wouldn¡¯t re up since udia was around. 79 Much to their surprise, it seemed that udia had lost her special ce in the man¡¯s heart. They couldn¡¯t help but think many things could change as time passed. After ine was gone, udia sported a dark expression. She could no longer keep the smile on her face. A momentter, she rose from the couch and said, ¡°Sorry, I need to use the restroom.¡± She then left the private room. Seeing that, her friends followed her in silence. In an instant, the atmosphere in the room turned awkward. Some of them were unaffected, including Bane. After udia was gone, he suddenly stood up with his ss of juice and sat down beside Victoria. ¡°Here you go.¡± . Exness Markets INSTALL 16.34 Wed, Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her Victoria looked at the juice in surprise. ¡°You seem to like this juice very much. It so happens that I don¡¯t have a sweet tooth. We¡¯d better not waste this ss of juice.¡± Victoria was startled for a moment. She subconsciously wanted to look in ric¡¯s direction, but she stopped herself from doing that. Since everyone knew their marriage was a sham, she didn¡¯t have to worry This is from N?velDrama.Org. about his feelings. She calmly took the ss and shed a smile at Bane. ¡°Thanks for giving. me your juice.¡± She had intended to order another ss of juice. If not for the farce earlier, she would¡¯ve been drinking it by now. The moment she took the ss, she felt a certain someone¡¯s re Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE 9/10 Chapter 87 Trying to Lay a Hand on Her shing across her like a knife. Exness Markets Chapter 88 Chapter 88 It was apparent to Victoria, who was glowering at her. Unbothered, she lifted the ss and took a sip. The juice tasted just like the one she had finished. Given their proximity, Bane could see her red lipsing into contact with the ss. The color of her lips was in stark contrast to the transparent ss. He gulped at the sight of it. He adjusted his sses and forced himself to look away before asking gently, ¡°Don¡¯t you mind?¡± Hearing that, Victoria was startled. With a smile, Bane exined in a small voice, ¡°I mean, don¡¯t you mind what they say about you?¡± Both of his questions were not so different. Since Victoria was no longer concerned, she didn¡¯t mind what others thought of her. At the thought of this, she curled her lips. ¡°It¡¯s the truth anyway.¡± Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 FREE 1/9 16:34 Wed, Chapter 88 Feel It With Your Heart Their marriage was a sham, so it was pointless for her to mind others. talking about it. Bane¡¯s gaze behind his sses darkened when he heard that. Instead of feeling pleased, he wasn¡¯t sure what to say when he was faced with the woman¡¯s attitude. A momentter, he sighed and ruffled Victoria¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re so mature now.¡± Victoria stiffened and subconsciously looked at him. What¡¯s wrong with him? Many years have passed, but he still loves ruffling my hair. It was fine. since I was a young kid back then, but I¡¯m an adult now. While she was deep in thought, ric rose from the couch and red at Bane. He demanded, ¡°Come with me.¡± Bane put on a smile. ¡°Go on and finish your drink. Perhaps Al has something to tell me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Victoria nodded. Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FRE 2/9 16:34 Wed, 21 Chapter 88 Feel It With Your Heart This is from N?velDrama.Org. After they were gone, the people in the private room exchanged nces. In the end, they couldn¡¯t contain their urge to glean information from Victoria. ¡°Victoria, many years have passed, but Bane still treats you very well.¡± Is that so? Victoria remembered that Bane always loved driving her crazy in the past. She almost broke into tears on several asions. Therefore, she only pursed her lips in response. Finally, someone asked, ¡°Is your marriage with ric a sham?¡± They were deathly curious. After all, they were shocked when they learned about the marriage back then. Since Victoria and ric had been friends since they were kids, it was inconceivable that they eventually got married. Then, they heard a rumor that their marriage was a sham. Griselda was critically ill at that time, and she was fond of Victoria. To help make Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 A THEE 3/9 Chapter 88 Feel It With Your Heart Griselda¡¯sst wishe true, ric got into a sham marriage with Victoria. Only then did they realize what had happened. They were aware that ric had been in love with udia for a long time, so it was unlikely that he would marry Victoria. Turned out it was only a sham marriage. However, after today¡¯s incident, they felt that the rumor might not be true, after all. They wouldn¡¯t dare to ask ric about it, so they could only go to Victoria. Before Victoria could respond, Norwood sneered. ¡°Where did you guys hear the rumor from? Why are you spreading the rumor when you haven¡¯t even verified it? You even have the nerve to ask Victoria about it. Have you ever considered her feelings?¡± Hearing that, Victoria looked at Norwood in shock. She didn¡¯t expect him to stand up for her. He was also the one who helped her clear up the misunderstanding in front of ric that night. ZX Exness Markets INSTALL TREE Chapter 88 Feel It With Your Heart Isn¡¯t he ric¡¯s friend? He should supposedly side with the woman ric loves. Why would he stand up for me? After hearing Norwood¡¯s words, they felt embarrassed and stopped) asking. Norwood lifted his ss with a smile and sat down beside Victoria before clinking sses with her. ¡°I wonder who started the rumor. I¡¯m sure Al will look into the matter.¡± He was trying to tell the woman that ric wasn¡¯t the one who exposed the nature of their rtionship. Victoria clinked sses with him and nodded politely. ¡°Thanks for getting me out of trouble.¡± Norwood smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. ric and I are best friends, and you¡¯re his wife. I¡¯m supposed to help you.¡± xxe 1 Z Exness Markets INSTALL TREE SA Chapter 88 Feel It With Your Heart Hearing that, Victoria fell into her thoughts. Perhaps his intention is not to stand up for me. He just isn¡¯t aware that our marriage is a sham. Just then, Norwood continued, ¡°Perhaps you should give him more time.¡± A surprised Victoria turned to look at him. Norwood said in a hushed voice, ¡°udia saved his life before he even knew what was love. Therefore, he might have mixed up gratitude with love.¡± At that instant, Victoria finally realized what he was trying to say. ¡°Is that SO?¡± She responded with a smile and didn¡¯t seem bothered. Seeing her expression, Norwood pressed his lips into a line for a moment before letting out a sigh. ¡°You grew up with ric, so you¡¯re aware that he almost drowned in the past. The incident was traumatizing for him. xe Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 83 Feel It With Your Heart Therefore, he¡¯s grateful that udia saved his life.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Victoria dipped her head. 79%! She understood that the incident had a profound impact on ric, which was why she regretted not being there to save him at that time. She couldn¡¯t remember where she was that day or why she wasn¡¯t at the scene. She even fell into the water and came down with a fever. All the same, she couldn¡¯t recall what happened that day. If she had been the one who saved ric, everything would¡¯ve been different. Sometimes, she thought that if love could be easily mixed up with other feelings, could it still be considered love at all? ¡°That¡¯s why I said you should give him more time.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Victoria was puzzled. ¡°So that he¡¯ll realize whom he loves,¡± Norwood exined. Exness Markets 1 INSTALL FREE TA 16-34 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 88 Feel It With Your Heart Victoria couldn¡¯t help but gape at him. ¡°Why are you saying this? Have you ever thought that he might already know who he loves? He might¡¯ve mixed up his feelings after udia saved his life back then. Many years have passed. Do you think he still doesn¡¯t know who he loves? Or are you the one who doesn¡¯t understand him at all?¡± Victoria became increasingly agitated. When she finished speaking, she finally came to her senses. Then, she tucked her hair behind her ears and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t take it personally. It¡¯s just my two cents.¡± Norwood was a mild-tempered person, so he only responded with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind it. I¡¯d be d if I could help you guys.¡± Victoria pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can help us in any way. Although I might¡¯ve said too much, it¡¯s the truth.¡± Hearing that, Norwood let out a long sigh. ¡°It¡¯s fine even if I can¡¯t help you, but I¡¯ll still give it a shot. Perhaps you haven¡¯t even seen through your own heart.¡± xe Exness Markets INSTALL #FAILE 8/9 ke Chapter 88 Feel It With Your He Your Heart ¡°Me?¡± A perplexed Victoria had no idea what he was trying to say. ¡°Yes.¡± Norwood nodded. His voice was as warm as spring water. ¡°Perhaps you should feel it with your heart calmly and seriously.¡± Exness Markets Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Victoria sshed her face with some water to calm herself down. Pressing her hands against the sink¡¯s edges, she looked at herself in the mirror and recalled Norwood¡¯s words. What did he mean when he said I should feel it with my heart? What am I supposed to feel? Victoria didn¡¯t understand Norwood since he didn¡¯t borate on that. Moreover, many people were in the private room, so she didn¡¯t ask further. She just found it ridiculous that Norwood¡¯s stance was different from ric¡¯s. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Norwood was trying to get ric and her together. Why, though? He¡¯s supposed to help ric and udia get together. Forget it. I¡¯ll stop thinking about it. xe Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 FREE Chapter 69 Nipping the Problem in the Bud She dried her hands and walked out of the restroom. 0.79 ¡°Stop being sad, udia. It¡¯s all my fault for what happened. If I hadn¡¯t said nonsense, ric wouldn¡¯t have treated you harshly.¡± Upon hearing the familiar voice, Victoria stopped in her tracks and looked speechlessly at the people outside the restroom. They were udia and her friends. The woman who wanted toy a hand on her was also there. Surrounded by her friends, udia sobbed. ¡°It has nothing to do with you. I know you¡¯re straightforward and you meant no harm. Al understands that as well. It¡¯s just that his heart is no longer with me.¡± A hint of ruthlessness shed across ine¡¯s eyes when she heard that. ¡°It¡¯s all Victoria¡¯s fault. She must¡¯ve seduced ric since she¡¯s his wife on paper. Otherwise, ric wouldn¡¯t have treated you distantly. Don¡¯t worry, Exness Markets 4.1 TREE INSTALL Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud udia. I¡¯ll teach her a lesson for you.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. 3/9 ¡°Forget it.¡± udia took her hands while her tears slid down her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to drag you into this. You¡¯ve suffered a lot for standing up for me. Don¡¯t worry, though. I¡¯ll plead with Al again on your behalf when he¡¯s no longer furious.¡± ¡°udia, we¡¯re best friends, so you¡¯re not dragging me into any mess. I¡¯m supposed to help you out.¡± Victoria sneered in secret upon hearing that. She finally understood she shouldn¡¯t deal with fools who couldn¡¯t distinguish right from wrong. They felt that they were righteous, but most of the time, they were used like pawns. It had to be said that udia had been making use of these people cleverly. While she was deep in thought, someone noticed her presence. ¡°Victoria?!¡± Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE BKS79% Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud It was a sensitive name for all of them, so they immediately shifted their attention to her. ine appeared resentful as she gritted her teeth and glowered at the woman. ¡°It¡¯s you, Victoria! Why are you eavesdropping on us?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Victoria let out a sigh. ¡°I was just using the restroom. When I came out, I heard your loud ensemble performance. Could it even be considered eavesdropping when we¡¯re in a public space?¡± ine looked at how calm Victoria appeared and shifted her attention to the sobbing udia. udia is crying, but Victoria doesn¡¯t seem to feel guilty at all. Doesn¡¯t she realize she has done something wrong? She¡¯s such a b*tch! A furious ine charged forward with a dark gaze. ex Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud On the other hand, Victoria was well-prepared. When she saw ine dashing toward her resentfully, she vigntly took a step back. However, ine was a crazy person who did things recklessly. She grabbed Victoria¡¯s hair the next moment and yelled, ¡°B*tch, how do you have the nerve to be smug after seducing another woman¡¯s man?¡± udia and her friends were stunned, not expecting ine to make a move when they were only talking behind Victoria¡¯s back. Only wealthy youngdies could be udia¡¯s friends. Although their families weren¡¯tparable to the Johnsons, they were famous people. As such, they wouldn¡¯t dare to embarrass their families by doing anything irrational. They would never curse at others or even get into a fight in public. Much to their surprise, ine had acted on a whim. udia was astounded when she saw that. Since she hated Victoria, she Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud certainly wanted to teach her a lesson. However, hurting the woman directly would only worsen her rtionship with ric. Therefore, such an idea never crossed her mind. When she saw what was going on, she subconsciously wanted to step forward and stop them. However, she soon stopped in her tracks. Wait a minute. Why would I stop them? Perhaps an ident will happen to her child amidst the chaos. Since no one else is aware that she¡¯s pregnant, I can nip the problem in the bud by making use of another person to get rid of the child. If I allow Victoria to give birth to her child, it¡¯ll prove to be a threat in the future. Even if ric finds out about it, it has nothing to do with me anyway. At the thought of this, udia remained in the same spot, pretending she was too stunned to move. On the other hand, her friends were all astonished, not knowing how to deal with the situation. Although Victoria had acted quickly, the woman still managed to grab her Exness Markets INSTALL FREE 6/9 Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud hair. At that moment, she felt a sharp pain as the woman pulled her hair. She was enraged at that while glowering at ine. Does she think I¡¯ll let her bully me and won¡¯t counterattack? She sneered and forcefully stepped on ine¡¯s foot while bearing the pain. Although she wasn¡¯t wearing stilettos, she made sure her heel came into contact with ine¡¯s toes, sending a sharp pain through her leg. As expected, ine groaned in pain as her expression turned hideous. She was in so much pain that she was no longer able to hold onto Victoria¡¯s hair. She red at Victoria and tried to grab her hair with the other hand. ¡°You b With an emotionless face, Victoria grasped her hand. ¡°Both of us are Exness Markets INSTALL JA Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud women. Do you think I have less strength than you?¡± At the same time, she exerted more force on her leg, causing ine to shriek. ine had lost all her strength while Victoria had gained the upper hand. None of them had expected the turn of events because Victoria looked like a beautiful and frail woman from a broke family. It surprised them to learn she was so ferocious. They finally came to their senses and rushed over to separate them. Victoria¡¯s expression changed as she instantly released the woman and moved away. On the other hand, the noise caught the attention of the people in the private room. The moment Victoria stepped backward, udia caught sight of the othersing over. Flustered, she quickly approached Victoria to pull her. Exness Markets INSTALL B/S Chapter 89 Nipping the Problem in the Bud Victoria didn¡¯t know it was udiaing to her. After all, they were a group of people, and she only saw someone charging toward her. Therefore, she subconsciously tried to push the person away. However, before she even made a move, the person shrieked and fell over. Following the scream, udia, who was wearing stilettos, fell toward the steps. D Exness Markets Chapter 90 Chapter 90 It was only when udia¡¯s forehead almost came into contact with the steps that she realized things had gotten out of hand. She only wanted to fall over, not injure her face. At the most critical moment, she subconsciously covered her face with her hands, but she still injured herself terribly. Everyone could hear her crashing into the steps with a thud. ¡°udia!¡± Her friends came to their senses and rushed over to help. The people from the private room also arrived at this point. Victoria was rooted to the spot, remaining in the same posture. She looked at her hand and squinted her eyes. I didn¡¯t touch her at all. How did she even fall over? Did she twist her ankle or something? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? Just then, an icy voice was heard asking, ¡°What happened?¡± Hearing the voice, Victoria seemed to realize something. ric and Bane arrived at the same time. When ric saw that Victoria¡¯s hair was a mess, his expression changed as he spun the woman around to face him. ¡°Did she hurt you?¡± At that moment, a startled Victoria looked at the man in disbelief. Was I the first one he noticed when he arrived? I¡¯ve always thought he¡¯s concerned about udia only. Is that what Norwood meant when he told me to feel it with my heart? Before she could ponder, someone called out, ¡°udia is bleeding, ric!¡± Hearing that, Victoria subconsciously lifted her gaze, only to be met with ric¡¯s dark gaze. He was also staring at her, but his gaze was conflicted. She pressed her lips together and remained silent. Let¡¯s see what he¡¯ll do. Exness Markets INSTALL THEE 16:35 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? I¡¯ll find out if I¡¯m significant in his heart this time. While she was deep in thought, she felt the man loosening his grip on her shoulders. Her pupils dted as her heart sank. She took a look at the man¡¯s hands. ric noticed her nce and pressed his lips into a line. As though having made up his mind, he whispered, ¡°She¡¯s injured. I have to take a look.¡± There you go. I¡¯m not so important to him, after all. Victoria put on an almost imperceptible sneer, which served as a response to the man¡¯s words. ric frowned at her reaction, so he clenched her shoulders and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Wait for me.¡± The next moment, he released Victoria as she watched the man shuffling toward udia. Her shoulders slumped as though she didn¡¯t have any energy left to support her weight. Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? Just then, a pair of hands came into contact with her shoulders. A startled Victoria turned her head. Bane sensitively caught sight of the sorrow behind her gaze. He calmly adjusted his sses and shed a smile at her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Victoria only pursed her lips in response. The next instant, a mu ffled cry caught her attention. Presently, udia covered her forehead with her hands as blood streamed through the gap between her fingers. The blood was in stark contrast to her fair skin. Victoria furrowed her brows when she saw so much blood, not expecting the woman to be badly injured. ¡°It was Victoria who pushed udia!¡± someone shouted all of a sudden. In an instant, everyone shifted their attention to Victoria. e: Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE 16.35 Wed, Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? While staying by udia¡¯s side, ine red resentfully at Victoria. ¡°Yes, it was her. udia went to talk to her, but she pushed udia away. That¡¯s how udia crashed into the steps!¡± Hearing that, those who came from the private room recalled seeing Victoria extending her hand. Did she push udia away? She¡¯s pretty ruthless if she really did that. All of them looked cautiously at Victoria, who remained unfazed. ric carried udia from the floor and said grimly, ¡°We¡¯ll look into the matter Then, he brushed past Victoria with udia in his arms while udia¡¯s friends followed them. When walking past Victoria, ine said smugly, ¡°Let¡¯s see how you¡¯re going to exin it.¡± She tottered away after mocking the woman. Those who came from the private room exchanged nces in embarrassment. ax Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? It was a wee-back party for Bane, but everything ended up in a mess. As such, they apologized to Bane, who gently told them it was fine. He asked them to go home first ande out for a gathering next time. Following the incident, they were no longer in any mood to party, so they went home respectively. After they were gone, Victoria turned around to leave. Bane extended his hand to stop her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you home.¡± Victoria pushed his hand away. ¡°Thanks, but there¡¯s no need for that.¡± With that, she ignored Bane¡¯s reaction and moved forward. When she rounded a corner, she saw Norwood standing there on his own. As their eyes met, Norwood appeared hesitant to speak. Victoria shed a smile at him and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. We¡¯ll meet again if there¡¯s a chance.¡± @ x ex Exness Markets 4.1 TREE INSTALL 6A 16:35 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? Norwood swallowed his words and nodded with difficulty. ¡°Sure. Stay safe.¡± 7A ¡°Thanks.¡± Norwood watched the slender figure leave. It wasn¡¯t until the woman was out of sight that he pocketed his gaze and shook his head helplessly. Are the two of them not meant to be together? The chilly wind at night made Victoria feel ufortable. Presently, she was seated on a long bench just outside the hotel on her own with a pair of wireless earbuds in her ears while she listened to Summer¡¯s intense cursing. ¡°Da mn it! Those women are shameless! How did they have the nerve to do that? Also, udia was so bold. She was even willing to risk deforming her face to frame you. That¡¯s pretty awesome, eh? I finally understand why Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin It? you¡¯re not a match for her. She can do everything just to achieve her goals!¡± udia had helped Victoria before. Even though Victoria regarded her as a love rival and couldn¡¯t be her friend, she still had a good impression of udia. She believed the woman wouldn¡¯t do any despicable things. However, she was certain that she didn¡¯t touch udia at all, so how did the woman fall over earlier? Was she trying to frame me? Or was it merely an ident? A doubt remained in her heart. ¡°She¡¯s been sent to the hospital. Let¡¯s see what she¡¯ll say.¡± Hearing that, Summer sneered. ¡°Not like it¡¯s hard to guess. She¡¯s trying to frame you and sow discord between you and ric. When they ask her about it, she¡¯ll anxiously say that she fell over identally. She¡¯ll also tell ric not to me you because it was her fault for losing her bnce. Let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ex Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 90 How Are You Going to Exin it? Victoria pressed her lips together and remained silent. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many b*tches like her. She¡¯ll pretend to put in a good word for you, but everything she says will imply that you¡¯re the culprit. Don¡¯t you see her motive? If she didn¡¯t want to frame you, why did she even approach you suddenly?¡± 8 Exness Markets AHHE IN Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Victoria stayed silent. Realizing that she hadn¡¯t responded, Summer sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯re biased toward her because she had helped you before, so your opinions are affected by that. But you should think about this for a moment. She might have the motives to set you up. Sure, she had helped you before, and you should repay her someday, but it doesn¡¯t have to be now. Honestly, just because she had helped you once doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t harm you now.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it.¡± Victoria nodded. Summer noticed that Victoria was feeling down. Thus, she suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to my ceter? I can keep youpany. We can chat throughout the night, and I can take the day off tomorrow.¡± 1/12 Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? 2/12 ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°Grandma is still at home. I have to go back.¡± Besides, the incident tonight had woken her up. When she initially heard Norwood¡¯s words, she still held onto a sliver of hope that the situation was not as bad as it made it out to be, but now even that hope had been destroyed. Whose fault was it? She could only me herself for pathetically clinging onto some hope that couldn¡¯t possibly exist. ¡°Alright. In that case, you should hurry back and stop sitting at the hotel¡¯s entrance. The wind is so strong tonight. Even I can feel my eardrums reverberating from the howling sound of the wind. Don¡¯t you feel cold at all?¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help but smile at her friend¡¯s care and consideration and Exness Markets 0 INSTALL Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? said quietly, ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯m heading back now.¡± Noticing that Victoria¡¯s voice had returned to normal, Summer sighed in. relief. ¡°Good. Hurry back home, and remember to tell me when you¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up, Victoria wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave, however. She closed her eyes as she felt the cold breeze tonight. The weather was getting cold. When she saw the weather forecast yesterday, it mentioned that the temperature would drop significantly lower tonight. There would be a sudden influx of cold air, so people were advised to keep themselves warm. Exness Markets INSTALL 3/12 Chapter 91 Does It Hum? When Victoria went out tonight, she hadn¡¯t felt the coldness in the air. However, she could now feel the cold. Victoria sniffled. It¡¯s so cold tonight, she thought. While sp ac ing out, she felt a presence beside her. 4/12 Just then, a warm coat covered her body, and she could smell the sharp. scent of tobo lingering in the air. She opened her eyes. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Bane¡¯s voice rang out next to her. He reached out, trying to touch the wound on her cheek, but his fingertips had just grazed her skin when she instinctively dodged to the side, avoiding his touch. ex Exness Markets ¡ö TREE INSTALL Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? His fingers froze in the air. 78% 5/12 Victoria had sustained the injury from when ine gripped her hair. ine¡¯s fingernails had scratched her skin, leaving a long blo ody line, across her cheek. If one hadn¡¯t looked closely, they would¡¯ve missed the mark since her hair was a mess and had covered the wound. Now that she had tucked her hair behind her ears, the wound was exposed for everyone to see. Perhaps, because the wind was so strong that it was already hurting her face, Victoria didn¡¯t feel any pain from the wound. It was only when Bane mentioned it that she realized there was a wound on her face. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Bane withdrew his hand before looking at her in slight exasperation. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you exin yourself?¡± ex Exness Markets FREE INSTALL Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? 6/1 ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Victoria¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°He loves her so much. If I said she fell on her own, would he believe me?¡± When Bane heard that, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he said, ¡°True. He has always prioritized udia since he was young. You¡¯re right not to exin anything.¡± With that, he couldn¡¯t help but caress her on the back of her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You haven¡¯t eaten much for dinner, so I¡¯ll treat you to supper.¡± Victoria noticed that Bane had changed quite a bit from his younger days. He was no longer so sharp-tongued when he spoke. ¡°udia has someone to pamper her, and you have me. Don¡¯t forget; we grew up together, too.¡± Victoria did grow up with Bane, but they only got to know each other a littleter. When she first met him, she and ric were already long-time friends, and she had also liked ric quite a bit. Exness Markets INSTALL 41 Chapter 91 Does It Hunt? So, any men who came after ric were just friends to her. ¡°What are you zoning out for?¡± Bane urged, ¡°Get up. Don¡¯t you feel cold sitting here?¡± It was only then that Victoria came to her senses. She pursed her lips before saying, ¡°Forget about supper; I¡¯m not hungry. Besides-¡± 7/1: ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m so pitiful now that the weing party turned out like this? Can¡¯t you make it up to me with supper?¡± When Bane put it like that, Victoria did feel a little sorry for him. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration of his return, but because of the incident between her and udia, the party ended on a sour note. Even though she wasn¡¯t the one who caused the trouble, she still bore some responsibility. ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1. FREE Wed, Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? After thinking about it, Victoria finally nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Bane curved his lips into a smile. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± The two had arrived at a food store specializing in making seafood congee 20 minutester. There weren¡¯t many people out for supper at this hour, so the store was quite empty. Victoria picked a table by the window and sat down. When she turned around, she saw Bane had remained standing, looking a little lost. It was only then that Victoria remembered something. She said, ¡°I forgot you¡¯ve been staying abroad all this while. Are you unustomed to food like this? Why don¡¯t we get something you want to eat?¡± When Bane heard that, he returned to his senses and smiled as he pushed his sses. Exness Markets 0 INSTALL ¦°¦§¦£¦¥ Chapter 91 Does Hurt? ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m so used to food in foreign countries that when I see local food all of a sudden, I feel very warm inside.¡± As he spoke, Bane pulled out a chair opposite Victoria and sat down. Victoria didn¡¯t know if he meant it, but his answer was decent and gentlemanly. When the two sat down, the waiter came over to take their orders. 9/1 Victoria wanted to get seafood congee at first, but when she saw the picture on the menu, she feared she might throw up when she caught a whiff of the fishy smell of the congeeter, so she ordered corn vegetable congee instead. After taking their orders, the waiter left. Bane took out some tissues and wiped the cutlery clean before passing it to her. Then, he asked naturally, ¡°Why do you like congee so much?¡± e= Exness Markets INSTALL 11 THE Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? 10/12 When Victoria heard that, she froze momentarily before looking up at him. As if remembering something, she asked, ¡°Was that car yours?¡± Bane nodded, smiling. ¡°Yes, it was me.¡± Victoria realized then that when she went downstairs to buy congee that day, he was the one watching her. No wonder she felt like she was being watched. ¡°I thought it was an illusion.¡± Bane smiled. ¡°What illusion? If you can sense it, then it¡¯s essentially real.¡± Victoria froze at his words. Then, she looked at Bane in suspicion as she felt like he was referring to something else. After thinking about it, she changed the subject. ¡°Where¡¯s your car? Also, why didn¡¯t you get out of the car? Why did you just O Z ex Exness Markets 4.1 FREE INSTALL Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? sit in the car and stare at me? It¡¯s really scary, you know.¡± ¡°I probably wanted to give you a surprise.¡± Bane sighed, still smiling. ¡°I heard you¡¯re working at Cadogan Group, so I came over as soon as I got off the ne. I wanted to test my luck during after-work hours to see if I could run into you.¡± 11/12 After saying that, he paused for a bit and curved his lips. ¡°And I was in luck. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. You really did go downstairs. It has been five years, Ms. Snowball. It¡¯s no easy feat to see you. But fortunately, I¡¯ll be living here from now on, so I can see you every day.¡± When Victoria heard that, she couldn¡¯t help but look up again. She coincidentally caught sight of the gray tie clip he was wearing. The tie clip was a gift to him from Victoria herself. More precisely, the man had pestered her to buy it for him back then. Under the excuse that it was a birthday present for him. It was his birthday Exness Markets 4.1 TREE INSTALL Chapter 91 Does It Hurt? that day, so Victoria couldn¡¯t decline. 12/12 However, she hadn¡¯t expected him to be wearing the tie clip even after so many years. Exness Marketa Chapter 92 Chapter 92 At that thought, Victoria averted her gaze to avoid making eye contact with Bane as she calmly said, ¡°So, you¡¯ve decided to stay and develop your career here for the long term?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll probably be on track after two weeks.¡± 1/11 Just then, Victoria said, ¡°Then, I wish you a smooth-sailing journey in advance. I might be swamped with workter on, so I probably won¡¯t have extra time for gatherings.¡± When Bane heard that, he could pick up hints of avoidance and rejection in her words. However, he wasn¡¯t the impulsive youngster he used to be. He was now a grown man, so he knew he shouldn¡¯t rush things. After so many years, he had already made ample preparations for a long Exness Markets 4.1 FREE INSTALL Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? battle. So, of course, he wouldn¡¯t rush things, much less back down because of her indirect rejection. 2/11 ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can meet up when you¡¯re free. I¡¯ll be happy as long as your don¡¯t forget about this old friend of yours simply because too much time has passed.¡± Victoria was a little confused by his reply. Did I misunderstand something here? Soon, she came up with an exnation. In Bane¡¯s five years overseas, he probably got himself a girlfriend there. Ast for why he was still wearing that tie clip, it was perhaps because it was a gift from an old friend. It should be normal to hold onto things of sentimental value. Victoria had been the same, too. She still kept the gifts her friends gave 3 Exness Markets INSTALL Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t Yo You Wait for Me? her in the past, but was it because her friends were special to her? No, it was because the memories themselves were precious to her. 3/11 After thinking things through, she rxed considerably and let down her guard around Bane. ¡°Well, okay.¡± The two ate supper. Victoria didn¡¯t have much of an appetite, and she thought that the vegetable congee wascking in vor, so she ate very little. As for Bane, he didn¡¯t eat much of the food he ordered, either. Probably because he had just returned from overseas and couldn¡¯t get used to having local food yet. When it was time to pay the bill, Victoria scanned the code first. Bane watched her from the side, smiling a little exasperatedly. ¡°Is this ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 ¡ö FREE Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? ¡°Yes. I ruined your weing party, so this is my treat.¡± After staying silent for a while, the man said, ¡°If we calcte the costs, I think I¡¯m the one who suffered losses.¡± When the two left the store, Victoria couldn¡¯t help chuckling as she said, ¡°Yes, indeed. I¡¯ll treat you to a grand meal next time.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take note of that. Remember your promise.¡± 4/11 When they got into the car, Victoria was reminded of the incident back at thepany, so she asked, ¡°I think you were driving a different car when you went to thepany yesterday, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bane nodded. He was opening the door to the passenger seat for her. ¡°That was my rtive¡¯s car.¡± Victoria thanked him before getting into the car. 1 Exness Markets 41 FACE INSTALL 17:02 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? It would take around 30 minutes to reach home. Victoria initially thought they probably wouldn¡¯t have much to talk about, but Bane was more talkative than he used to. ¡°How¡¯s Mr. Selwyn now? I heard that he went overseas to expand his business.¡± 5/11 ¡°Yes, Dad said that his field was doing better overseas, so he wanted to give it a shot.¡± ¡°It was quitete by the time I learned the news about your family, or I wouldn¡¯t have ignored it back then. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Victoria was quite surprised to hear him apologize. Truthfully, it was fine, even if he didn¡¯t help. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything was resolved in the end, anyway.¡± Still feeling guilty, Bane sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not okay for me. My friend 0: Exness Markets A FREE INSTALL Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? needed help, but I never heard a word of it and couldn¡¯t even contribute anything.¡± 6/11 In reality, even though he had gone overseas back then, he knew everything about Victoria¡¯s family. He even knew about the slightest detail of what she had been doing. This was because he had left an informant here, who would notify him as soon as something happened to Victoria. However, by the time he heard about the Selwyns¡¯ bankruptcy, ric had already settled everything for Victoria. This was because Bane¡¯s so-called good sister imed that this incident might affect his studies, so she forbade his informant from telling him. Later on, he noticed that something was off and inquired about it, and it was only then he learned about this huge news. To begin with, Victoria already had feelings for ric, so Bane was at a disadvantage in winning over her heart. ex Exness Markets FREE INSTALL Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? He never thought he was still a step too slow when it came to helping Victoria. ¡°Anyway, if you need help in the future, just tell me.¡± 7/11 This time, he wouldn¡¯t act like how he used to. He wouldn¡¯t let go anymore. The car steadily pulled up at the entrance of the vi. Victoria unbuckled the seatbelt and said, ¡°Thanks for sending me home. I¡¯m getting out now. Take care on the road.¡± Bane nodded at her. ¡°Alright. Rest early.¡± Then, he watched as Victoria got out and walked up to the main entrance. She turned around and waved at him, gesturing for him to leave. He smiled as he nodded and watched her enter the house. As soon as her slender figure disappeared into the house, the smile on Bane¡¯s lips vanished as well. X Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? 8/11 Just then, his phone rang. He nced at it and realized it was a phone call from his so-called sister. He sneered, ignoring the phone call as he drove away. When Victoria returned, she realized that Griselda had already gone to bed. Perhaps because Victoria had gone out with ric that night, thus Griselda wasn¡¯t worried in the least and went to bed early. Victoria let out a sigh of relief. She was wondering how she should exin to Griselda about her returning alone, so it was a good thing that the old ¡°How is Grandma doing recently?¡± After chatting with the housekeeper for a bit, Victoria prepared to go ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 FREE Wed, 21 In¡¯t You Wait! for Me? Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t upstairs. 9/11 However, when she was about to ascend the stairs, she noticed ric standing at the stairway, crossing his arms as he looked at her with a cold. gaze. Victoria froze, shock shing across her eyes. Why is he here? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be at the hospital with udia? ric lowered his gaze, his aura as chilly as the snow in winter. ¡°Where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± ¡°You called me?¡± Victoria took her phone out of her bag and pressed it a few times, but nothing happened. She could only shrug as she said, ¡°The battery ran out.¡± She had just finished speaking when ric grabbed her phone to examine ex Exness Markets INSTALL 4.1 FREE Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? 10/11 it. This action brought a self-mocking smile to her lips. He doesn¡¯t trust me. He didn¡¯t even believe me when I said my phone ran out of battery. Is it even necessary for me to exin anything else? After confirming that her phone had indeed run out of battery and that she wasn¡¯t ignoring his calls on purpose, ric finally looked a little better. However, he didn¡¯t return her phone to her. He just raised his gaze and locked his eyes on her. ¡°Where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± After settling matters with udia, he went back to look for Victoria only to find out she was already gone. He thought she had gone home, but then he discovered she wasn¡¯t home either. In contrast to ric, Victoria looked much calmer. ex Exness Markets INSTALL 41 FREE Chapter 92 Why Didn¡¯t You Wait for Me? ¡°Oh, I thought you would be taking care of udia at the hospital.¡± At the sudden mention of udia¡¯s name, ari unnatural look shed across ric¡¯s face as he responded, ¡°My assistant is there.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Victoria then nodded. ¡°Good to know. I¡¯m going upstairs now.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. With that, she was about to walk past ric and go upstairs when he grabbed her wrist. The man frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to exin?¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ric had meant to say he had caught sight of her returning in Bane¡¯s car However, he chose not to voice it out at thest moment, thinking Victoria would try to exin herself. Bane had dropped her off at the main entrance, after all. However, when Victoria heard his question, she thought he was referring to udia¡¯s injury. She was sure she didn¡¯t push udia, but would he believe her if she said that? He would only believe udia, wouldn¡¯t he? At that thought, Victoria looked at him and asked, ¡°What did she tell you?¡± 02 X Exness Markets INSTALL FREE Chapter 93 Reckless Words ¡°Sorry?¡± ric couldn¡¯t understand it for a moment, as he was still focusing on the fact that Bane had sent her home just now. After a moment, ric finally realized what she was asking about. ¡°You mean udia?¡± The tone he uses when calling her name sure is friendly, Victoria thought bitterly. She faked a smile. ¡°Yes. Wasn¡¯t she hurt? Would you believe me if I said she fell on her own?¡± After saying that, she put on a calm expression, seemingly not expecting any response from him. Her pretty eyes seemed to hide some degree of mockery. 17:02 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 93 Reckless Words She looked like she was saying, ¡®Even if I exin, I know you won¡¯t believe me at all, and I don¡¯t care whether you believe me or not.¡¯ Her behavior caused ric to deepen his frown. She truly has changed a lot. Just as expected. Victoria raised an eyebrow. ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t believe me. I¡¯m just saying.¡± After staying silent for a while, the man said, ¡°I knew that.¡± She was confused. ric looked straight at her with deep, dark eyes as he said, ¡°Her friend was causing you trouble, and she couldn¡¯t stop it. She didn¡¯t want to lose her pride, so¡­¡± When Victoria heard that, emotions broke through her calmposure. She raised her head and looked at him in disbelief. Cay You have boosters! y Now Chapter 93 Reckless Words It wasn¡¯t until she spoke that she realized her voice was shaking. ¡°So, your 4/12 knew that she fell on her own, but you¡¯d still clear her name and make me the culprit, is that it?¡± How pathetic. Having been married to him for so long, Victoria had never felt as pathetic as she was right now. She felt like a clown. So, even if she didn¡¯t do those things, as long as someone else needed a scapegoat, she would have to be one for them. What made it even more pathetic was that she had actually taken Norwood¡¯s advice and tried to look at things with her heart. In ric¡¯s eyes, she must have been a bona fide idiot. Somehow, ric felt slightly disturbed when he saw Victoria looking upset. Chapter 93 Reckless Words He felt an emptiness in his heart. He felt as if he was about to lose something. Under her despairing gaze, he gripped her hand tightly. ¡°She was quite seriously injured, and the doctor said it might leave scars, so I was justforting her.¡± 1000 ¡°Seriously injured? Scars?¡± Perhaps enraged by ric, Victoria failed to be mindful of her words. ¡°Even if she died, what does that have to do with me, ric?!¡± With that, she flung his hand away and red at him. ¡°If you want tofort her, go to the hospital. Get out of my sight, and don¡¯t try to use me of anything.¡± With that, she decided not to waste more time on him and quickly went upstairs. ric stood where he was. Her words had made his veins pulsate Candy Q 5/12 Chapter 93 Reckless Words 6/12 violently, and he didn¡¯t think much as he turned around and went after her. After getting upstairs, Victoria entered the bathroom. She wanted to wash her face and calm down. However, she had just taken a step into the bathroom when ric came in as well. When she caught a whiff of the mixed scentsing from him and remembered what he had just said, she was livid as she turned to re at him. ¡°Get out.¡± The man, however, walked up to her and said co o lly, ¡°Calm down. I can exin.¡± ¡°Exin?¡± Victoria sneered. ¡°Making excuses, more like. I don¡¯t want to hear any of it. Get out right now. I want to shower!¡± Can Stuck on a level? y Dow Chapter 93 Reckless Words 7/12 ¡°I know you¡¯ve been wrongly used of what happened tonight. I promise you, I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°Are you getting out or not?¡± She grabbed a bottle of body wash and threw it at him. ¡°Get lost!¡± ric was still trying to exin, but now he was stunned. Victoria had never spoken so harshly to him before. He stood where he was, staring at her with a dark look. His lips were drawn into a stern line, betraying his emotions. Victoria stood where she was, looking coldly at him. Her expression told him that she didn¡¯t want to see him again. *Chapter 93 Reckless Words After a moment of silence, he finally turned around and walked out with a foul expression. 8/12 After he left, Victoria felt like all the energy had left her body, and she almost crashed to the floor. She reached for the wall to steady herself, before leaning against it and slowly sliding onto the floor. She then closed. her eyes. After the burst of rage just now, she probably got too worked up by ric¡¯s words, hence the dizziness and nauseous she was feeling at the moment. Nauseous? Victoria suddenly opened her eyes as if she had just remembered something. Oh, no. My emotions are so unstable. Will it affect the baby in my tummy? She had also noticed that she was losing control of her temper more often these days. @ O 17:02 Wed, 21 Chapter 93 Reckless Words She always told herself to remain calm, yet she still failed in the end. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her. Victoria reached out and caressed her tummy. ¡°My baby, did I startle you just now? It¡¯s okay; I will keep my emotions in check next time.¡± However, she still found the dizziness unbearable, probably because she was too agitated. The bathroom floor was too cold, so Victoria could only endure the dizziness as she got up while leaning against the wall for support. She walked to the couch outside and sat down, and when she was feeling better after some rest, she finally got up and walked into the bathroom to wash up. After washing up, she looked at herself in the mirror. She noticed her eyes were bloodshot and knew that she had been too aggravated today. I mustn¡¯t let my emotions run wild again. Stuck on a level? y Now 9/12 Chapter 93 Reckless Words She quicklyposed herself before heading to bed. ¡ª At the hospital. ¡°udia, stop crying. You will be blind if you keep crying.¡± Ever since the doctor said that she would have to get stitches on her forehead and that it would leave scars, udia lost control of her emotions and kept sobbing. She buried her face in her arms, regret filling her eyes. If she had known that it would leave scars, she wouldn¡¯t have done something like that. She was only nning to take a light fall, but she had miscalcted. She didn¡¯t know the stairs were right beside her, so when she fell, she hit her forehead against the steps. Can You have boosters! y Now 10/12 Chapter 93 Reckless Words 11/12 At that moment, searing pain spread across her forehead. It hurt so much that udia curled up her body and almost fainted. And when she saw blood, udia finally realized what had happened. Now, she pinned all her hatred onto Victoria. If it weren¡¯t for Victoria, she wouldn¡¯t have done something like that. If it weren¡¯t for Victoria, her forehead wouldn¡¯t be injured. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g When udia imagined an ugly scar appearing on her clean and pretty forehead, she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. She was so furious that she grabbed an item on the table and smashed it onto the floor. The people who wereforting her at the side were taken by surprise. ¡°Ah! ¡°udia!¡± Cary Chapter 93 Reckless Words When they realized what was going on, they rushed forward to pin her down. ¡°Calm down, or your wounds might open up again.¡± Of course, udia wouldn¡¯t listen. ric wasn¡¯t here, anyway. So, what better time than the present for her to vent? 12/12 At the thought of ric, udia got even more enraged. The man had left her as soon as he sent her to the hospital, even after knowing she had sustained such a serious injury. As for where he had gone, she didn¡¯t even have to guess! Of course, he had gone to Victoria! Candy Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The more udia thought about it, the more hatred she felt. Despite everyone¡¯s efforts to stop her, she continued her rampage. Peter, who was summoned here by a call from ric outside of working hours, was standing at the entrance at that moment. He quietly watched the person inside fuming and throwing things. 1/1 He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. When he saw the scene, he could only secretly shake his head in exasperation. Just as expected, udia is simply faking her gentleness. Still, udia¡¯s forehead was seriously injured, and the doctor even said it might leave scars, so Peter pitied her quite a bit. After all, getting disfigured would be a huge hit to a woman. You have boosters! y Now Chapter 94 Get Lost However, when he remembered that Victoria was pregnant, his pity for udia vanished in an instant. udia¡¯s aplices kept telling ric that Victoria had pushed udia which was why udia fell and hurt herself. Peter was fuming inside just from listening in. Victoria had prepared to shoulder the burdens of pregnancy alone, so how could she possibly push someone down the stairs? Even if she did, she must have a good reason for it. Peter had always favored Victoria, so he didn¡¯t particrly like udia and her friends. As he was pondering, one of udia¡¯s friends suddenly turned around and red at him. ¡°Hey, you, where¡¯s your boss? Hurry up and call Mr. Cadogan. Ca Stuck on a level? y Now Chapter 94 Get Lost The tone and way of referring to him made Peter frown unhappily. 3/11 ¡°What are you zoning out for? Mr. Cadogan told you toe so that you can help out, but look at you! Aftering here, you did nothing but stand there. Are you a piece of wood?¡± ww The person speaking was none other than the bad-tempered ine. She had been mad because ric had chased her out of the room, but now that udia had gotten seriously injured, she had forgotten all her problems. Compared to the injury on udia¡¯s face, her problems were trivial matters. When Peter heard ine¡¯s words, his expression grew darker. ¡°What did you say?¡± Cag Stuck on a level? y Now Chapter 94 Get Lost ¡°Was I wrong? Should I repeat what I said?¡± Peter sneered. He was already disgusted with this group of women, so now that things hade to this, he had no reason to stay anymore. With that thought in mind, he swiftly turned around and walked away with a cold look in his eyes. ¡°Hey, where are you going? Stop right there! I said stop! I¡¯m speaking to you!¡± 4/11 However, no matter how loudly ine shouted, Peter simply walked ahead and left as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. When he was gone, ineined in disbelief, ¡°What is wrong with that guy? Mr. Cadogan asked him toe here and help, but what did he do? He just stood there, and now he upped and left! udia, do you think ric had been seduced by that b*tch? Even his subordinate is treating you like that.¡± You have boosters! y New Chapter 94 Get Lost 5/11 udia, who was still fuming moments ago, instantly calmed down when she heard those words. She turned to look at ine. ¡°What did you say?¡± Her eyes were still red and puffy from all the bawling, and ine was startled by the look in her eyes. After a long while, ine finally responded, ¡°Was I wrong? I told that guy to call ric, but he ignored me and just walked away.¡± When udia heard that, she finally remembered that ric had told Peter toe before he left. However, because ric wasn¡¯t around, she didn¡¯t pay half a mind to that man and ended up forgetting about his presence. That was why she threw a tantrum just now. Now that ine had reminded her about him, udia finally realized the Can You have boosters! y Now 17:03 Wed, 21 Ju Chapter 94 Get Lost 6/11 blunder she had just made. ric¡¯s assistant had even turned around and left. Would he talk bad about me to ric? When udia thought of that, her expression shifted. ¡°Where is he? Quick! Hold him back!¡± udia red at ine, upset. ¡°Why would you talk to him like that? Since ric had called him over, he was definitely on ric¡¯s side. If you treat him so rudely, what should I do if he talks bad about me in front of ric?¡± ine was stunned, for she didn¡¯t expect udia to reprimand her. ¡°1-1 just wanted him to call ric since you were sobbing so sadly. You seemed to have lost control of your emotions and all that.¡± udia, however, couldn¡¯t care less about ine¡¯s exnations. The current developments weren¡¯t in her favor, so she had nned to get hurt a little so that ric would focus all his attention on her. Can You have boosters! y Now Chapter 94 Got Lost However, she hadn¡¯t expected the supposed tiny injury to turn into a serious one. She really had done it this time. However, that was beside the problem. The main issue was that despite her severe injury, ric had left her at times like this. This was the thing udia was the most worried about. It wouldn¡¯t do if she was disfigured and ric didn¡¯t want her anymore. 7/11 udia was panicking. She couldn¡¯t care about anything else as she ordered, ¡°No matter what you have to do, call him back. Compensate him. and apologize to him if you have to.¡± Everyone was still rooted to the spot, so udia spoke even more sternly, ¡°Get going!¡± It was only then that the others came to their senses. Then, they turned around and went out of the ward. Candy You have boosters! y Now Chapter 94 Get Lost Peter was about to leave, but when he went downstairs, he bumped into ric, who had returned. He wasn¡¯t in a good mood, but he walked up to ric and greeted the ¡°Mr. Cadogan.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g B/11 Noticing his ashen face and the moody tone in his greeting, ric frowned lightly. ¡°Where are you going? Didn¡¯t I ask you to keep watch?¡± When Peter heard that, he was instantly worked up. ¡°Yes, you asked me to keep watch, but apparently, they don¡¯t need me keeping watch, so I came down.¡± ric fell silent. He narrowed his eyes as he examined Peter. He was acting weird these Chapter 94 Get Lost days, for he would never react like that with simr incidents in the past. Peter would always speak to him with caution, but for the past few days, 9/11 Peter had been quite impulsive with his speech and would always stare at ric with a weird look. This wasn¡¯t the behavior expected of a proper assistant. At that thought, ric spoke with an icy tone, his gaze turning cold. ¡°I told you to keep watch. Have I allowed you to leave?¡± The coldness in ric¡¯s voice sent shivers down Peter¡¯s spine, and Peter flinched a little. He feared that ric would get mad and take it out on him. However, despite subconsciously reacting like that, Peter was still defiant. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me to leave, but those women did. They don¡¯t need me.¡± ¡°So, they are the ones paying your sry?¡± Cap! You have boosters! y Now boosters!y Chapter 94 Get Lost 10/11 At the mention of sries, Peter stopped speaking, feeling a little timid for some reason. ric stared at him unhappily. ¡°What is wrong with you these days?¡± Peter shook his head. ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Cadogan? What can be wrong with me?¡± As soon as he said that, heined in silence, That¡¯s because you¡¯re a jerk. Your wife is pregnant, but you didn¡¯t even protect her, and you even However, unbeknownst to Peter, his expression had betrayed his thoughts. ric was speechless. He never got an answer to these questions, but Peter always reacted like that. Cugh! You have boosters! y Now Chapter 94 Get Lost ric¡¯s expression darkened as he scoffed. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, get lost. I don¡¯t want to see you hanging around and giving me that look.¡± You have boosters! y Now Chapter 95 Chapter 95 With that, ric walked up the hospital stairs with heavy and steddy footsteps. udia¡¯s friends, who had listened to her and wereing downstairs to look for Peter, stopped in their tracks when they saw ric had returned. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, C-udia- However, before they could finish speaking, ric didn¡¯t even spare them a nce as he walked past them. At that moment, he was in the worst of moods because of his argument with Victoria, and he had a foul expression on his face. 1/10 The few women could clearly feel the chill emanating from him. They were frozen on the spot, and none of them dared to step forward to stop him or say anything. Cap! You have boosters! y Now Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? However, ric seemed to have noticed something. He paused in his tracks and turned to look at one of the women. ¡°You, why are you still here?¡± ine was standing with the others, but she suddenly felt a cold gaze falling upon her. She looked up to meet ric¡¯s fierce gaze, and she was so terrified that she felt her scalp turning numb. She didn¡¯t know how to exin herself. ¡°Al!¡± Right at that moment, udia¡¯s voice rang out nearby. 2/10 Everyone looked in the direction of the voice to see udia running bare-footed over to them with a panicked expression. Even though she was quite far away, the blood seeping into the gauze on her forehead was a startling contrast to her pale face. Can You have boosters! y Now 17:03 Wed, 21 Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? ¡°udia, why are you here? The doctor said you shouldn¡¯t move around.¡± udia¡¯s friends ran up to her when they saw her, but only ine stood right where she was as if her feet were rooted to the ground. ric¡¯s gaze was cold, and it only warmed up slightly when he saw udia running up to him with traces of blood on her forehead. ¡°Why did you get out of bed?¡± udia nced at ine, giving her a look, and sounded a little flustered as she said, ¡°They seemed to have gotten into a conflict with Mr. Levane just now. I heard that Mr. Levane left angrily, so I wanted toe down to have a look and apologize to him on everyone¡¯s behalf.¡± Meanwhile, when ine received udia¡¯s look, she hastily fled. After ine left, udia smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Al. You left your assistant with me to help out, but my friends treated him like that. It¡¯s You have boosters! y Now 3/10 Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? my fault.¡± ric looked quietly at her, not saying anything. He had always been a cold person, so when he was looking at someone without saying a word, it would make that person feel like they were trapped in ice. This time was no exception. After udia apologized and exined everything, ric simply looked at her silently. His gaze seemed to pierce through her soul. It was as if he knew she was faking it. How can that be? Could it be that Victoria had told him something? When udia thought of that, transparent tears formed in her eyes. As her long, curly eyshes quivered, the tears rolled down her cheeks as she lightly held onto the hem of ric¡¯s shirt, saying pitifully, ¡°Al, are you You have boosters! y Now ww Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? staying quiet because you¡¯re mad at me? You were disappointed in me 5/10 because I didn¡¯t stop ine in time back in the private room, right? But Al, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to stop her; I just didn¡¯t know that ine would say those things. I¡¯m really sorry, so please don¡¯t be mad at me, okay?¡± Out of the corner of his eye, ric nced at her fingers, which were holding onto him. Then, he looked at her pitiful sobbing figure. His heart should be aching for her when he saw her crying like that, but for some reason, another face appeared in his mind. The face waspletely different from that of the person standing in. front of him. The countenance was exquisite and well-defined, especially those cold eyes. When she wanted to cry, her tears would well up in her eyes, but never once did they fall. In the end, those eyes would turn red from holding back the tears, and she would stubbornly turn her back to him and hide all her tears from him. Can You have boosters! y Now Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? ric was suddenly in a daze. 6/10 He still remembered her wailing in front of him when they were young, her This is from N?velDrama.Org. face covered in tears and snot. She even held lightly onto the hem of his shirt, like what udia was doing right now, looking pitifully at him as she sniffled, her eyes red. When did it start? Since when had she stopped crying in front of him and hid all her tears? ric finally understood why he felt so empty inside. It was because a gap had formed between Victoria and him now. She no longer treated him as someone she was close to. Someone she could freely share her emotions with. ¡°Al¡­ Are you mad at me?¡± Candy! You have boosters! y Now at¡¯s With Your Injury? Chapter 95 What¡¯s udia¡¯s soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts. 7/10 ric returned to his senses. When he saw the teary-eyed udia before him, he pursed his lips and asked, ¡°What was going on tonight?¡± When udia heard that, she was stunned. ¡°What?¡± ric moved his gaze upward and asked curtly, ¡°What is going on with your injury?¡± My injury? udia was a little shocked. Why would ric suddenly ask me that? Didn¡¯t my friends tell him that Victoria had pushed me? She realized that she couldn¡¯t quite grasp ric¡¯s thoughts at the moment. Sapdeals Discounts from top brands Open Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? However, he seemed to be in a worse mood after he came back, and udia had to keep up her nice impression, so she could only say tentatively, ¡°Don¡¯t me Victoria for what happened tonight.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ww ¡°Even though it might leave scars, I have no choice but to ept it. If only I had maintained my bnce, I wouldn¡¯t have tripped.¡± ric lowered his gaze at her, a dark look shrouding his eyes. For some reason, udia felt terrified when he stared at her like that. ¡°Al?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to say that she pushed you?¡± udia fell silent. Perhaps because she didn¡¯t expect ric to get to the bottom of this, she didn¡¯t know how to respond to his question. xe Discounts from top Open brands 0/10 Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? From the side, udia¡¯s friend walked up and replied in her stead, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, Victoria was the one who pushed her. Otherwise, udia wouldn¡¯t be hurt so badly.¡± When ric heard that, he narrowed his eyes and looked dangerously at the person. ¡°Did you see it?¡± The woman was instantly stunned when his cold gaze fell upon her. ¡°I¡ª¡± ric said mockingly, ¡°Did you see it with your own eyes?¡± The woman briefly nced at udia and didn¡¯t dare speak another word. Things were in such a mess back then, so no one saw it with their own eyes. She was merely taking udia¡¯s side. ax Discounts from top Open brands 17:03 Wed, Chapter 95 What¡¯s With Your Injury? With ric behaving like that, no one dared speak up again. 10/10 Even udia was stunned. She thought ric would take her side on this, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be so serious about it. Is he suspecting me? Or does he simply not want Victoria to be wrongly used? At that thought, udia gulped and bit her lower lip as she said slowly, ¡°AI, don¡¯t me Victoria for this. To be honest, I was the one to me. I should¡¯ve been more careful and watched my footing.¡± When ric heard that, he finally looked back at her. He pursed his lips before humming in acknowledgment. ¡°Since you know you weren¡¯t being careful, just watch out next time.¡± ex 5.pdeals Discounts from top brands O Chapter 96 Chapter 96 The color on udia¡¯s face gradually faded. udia never expected that ric would say such a thing. What did he mean by saying that if I knew I was being careless, I should be more careful next time? Did he think that it was my fault for falling like this today and had nothing to do with Victoria? And is he not going to hold her ountable for this? No, I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about these things right now. What I should be thinking about now is why ric suddenly changed his mind after going out anding back. Victoria must have said something to him. Could it be that¡­. At the thought of something, she didn¡¯t feel too good about the entire situation. In that instant, she disregarded everything else and threw herself into ric¡¯s arms, sobbing like an innocent child. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will keep the words. you said in mind. My wound just hurts so much, and the doctor told me it Discounts from top hrunds Open 1/8 Chapter 96 I¡¯m Here would leave a scar, so I was in a really bad mood. Where did you go just now, Al? Did you hear that it will leave a scar on my forehead and that you think I¡¯m ugly, so you don¡¯t want me anymore?¡± The warmth in his arms made him even more agitated. He furrowed his brows and instinctively wanted to push her away. However, udia hugged him even tighter and asked while sobbing, ¡°Do you know why I was willing to risk my life to save you when we were young?¡± His movements came to a halt. Childhood memories always had a way of touching his soft spot. With tears in her eyes, she buried her face in his chest and hugged his thin waist tightly. ¡°Because I can¡¯t lose you, Al. Can you please don¡¯t leave me?¡± At this moment, ric lowered his gaze and looked at her. He remembered how she had dived into the river to save him when he was @. Discounts from top brands Open 2/8 Chapter 96 I¡¯m Here struggling and on the verge of death. That was not what an ordinary 3/8 person could do. She must have valued me very much to be able to do so. Gradually, he relented, and the fact that she had saved his life made him feel indebted to her. At this thought, he gently patted her shoulder and answered in a soft tone, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Let me take you back to rest.¡± udia felt relieved when she noticed his tone had softened. As expected, mentioning the incident is useful. Luckily, I still have this as leverage. It seems that Victoria is notpletely useless after all. If it weren¡¯t for Victoria saving ric back then, he might have already drowned because she wouldn¡¯t have saved him. By the time she found someone to help, it would also be toote. However, because Victoria had saved him, not only did he survive, but she also gained the title of a life-saving hero. That was killing two birds with one stone, udia thought as she smirked Discounts from top Open This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 96 I¡¯m Here in secret. Back in the ward, the doctor came to re-treat her wound and gave her some instructions. At the thought of having a scar on her forehead, she felt distressed. ¡°Doctor, will it really leave a scar?¡± The middle-aged male doctor sighed when he saw her pitiful look. ¡°The wound is quiterge, so it¡¯s not very likely to avoid scarring. If you mind, we can look into treatments after the wound heals. Otherwise, you can have bangs to cover it up.¡± 4/8 udia already had bangs because her forehead wasn¡¯t beautiful, so she could only style her hair with bangs to cover it up and enhance her forehead and overall appearance. Even if she had a scar in the future, her bangs could still cover it up. However, this did not mean that she could. ept the scar. So, after the doctor left, she started crying again in front of ric. ¡°Al, I¡¯m so Discounts from top uado 3.77% Chapter 96 I¡¯m Here upset at the thought of having a scar. Will I be ugly? Will you dislike me and not want me anymore?¡± 5/8 His thin lips moved, but he couldn¡¯t say the words he should have. In the end, he could only say, ¡°Rest well and let your wound heal first.¡± Not hearing the reassurance she wanted, she felt disappointed. Even before shey down, she thought, could ric have fallen for Victoria in the past two years? No way. He¡¯s the man I have my eyes on, and I will never hand him over to anyone else. I have to make good use of my life-saving hero title and make sure ric focuses his attention solely on me. On the other hand, Victoria woke up feeling dizzy and nauseous. After lying down for a while, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She scrambled to her feet and crawled to the sink, where she spent a long time dry heaving. In the end, she leaned against the bathroom door, ex Discounts from top Open brands 17:04 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 96 Im Here feeling weak. Why do I suddenly feel so sick? She gently touched her stomach, looking worried. Is there something wrong with the baby? After resting for a while, she stood up and drank some warm water before calling her bestie, Summer. When Summer heard about how sick she was, she immediately said, ¡°You should take the day off today. I¡¯ll go with you to the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay. That¡¯s my n too.¡± After hanging up the phone, Victoria initially considered asking ric for a day off but eventually decided against contacting him. Instead, she reached out to Yasmin, exined that she had some urgent matters to attend to, and asked her to inform ric when he arrived at thepany. When Yasmin received the message from Victoria, she had just woken up and was still yawning. However, when she saw Victoria¡¯s message, she suddenly became energized. Discounts from top brands Open 6/8 Chapter 96 I¡¯m Here After a while, she suddenly realized that Victoria was asking her for the day off instead of ric. Why didn¡¯t she ask Mr. Cadogan for the day off? Is it because of udia? It sure is! 7/8 She angrily clenched her phone and couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, you sc*mbag! How dare you bully my Miss Victoria! I¡¯ll forgive you!¡± ever On the crowded subway, Summer turned around to look at Victoria with concern. Meanwhile, Victoria sat there, her puny face adding a touch of fragility to her stunning features, but her pale lips indicated that she had suffered a lot. Summer had heard of some pregnant women having severe morning. sickness and vomiting. Although I¡¯ve never seen it firsthand, I can imagine. how terrible it must feel to have one¡¯s stomach churning like a river. It Supdeals Discounts from top Open Chapter 96 Im Here seems like my dear Victoria is going through something simr. I knew she had morning sickness, but her vomiting was on another level. It¡¯s severel enough to make her face turn pale like she¡¯s sick. Worried, she held Victoria¡¯s hand. 0/8 Victoria opened her eyes and looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here,¡± Summer said, squeezing her hand tightly and transferring her warmth to her. Victoria gave her a faint smile, and then couldn¡¯t help but lean toward her. Immediately, Summer adjusted her posture, turning her shoulder to let Victoria lean on it. Just like that, Victoria rested her head on Summer¡¯s shoulder,pletely relying on her. ¡°Thank you, Summer.¡± It¡¯s honestly nice to have a true friend. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 At the hospital, Summer handled all the hospital registration and payment while Victoria sat in the corner, curled up in difort. When Summer was done with everything, she went to check on Victoria and became even more concerned upon seeing her pained expression. ¡°Are you okay? Why do you look like you¡¯re sick instead of just pregnant?¡± she asked, reaching out to feel her forehead. Once she confirmed that Victoria didn¡¯t have a fever, only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. If she has no fever, the difort is likely just from morning sickness and not other issues. Meanwhile, Victoria subconsciously rubbed her palm and chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling very sick actually, just sleepy and not wanting to eat anything when I¡¯m nauseous. I just want to keep eating sweet things.¡± ¡°Sweet things? Sweets are not good for you, even on normal days, let KIP3 Prepar Admissions Open Now Open 1/9 Chapter 97 Karma alone during pregnancy. Let¡¯s ask the doctorter,¡± Summer suggested. ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria nodded in agreement. As Summer watched Victoria agree to everything she suggested, she felt that she was so obedient that she was almost too cute, like time had turned back to when they were young. Although she found Victoria adorable, she also felt sorry for her. She could sense the loneliness behind her pretend happiness and the distress behind her obedience. She must have kept these feelings buried deep in her heart. ric should be by her side doing all these things with her, but now¡­ he¡¯s probably at the hospital with another woman. 2/9 At the thought of this, a lump formed in her throat, and she couldn¡¯t help but reach out and rub Victoria¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will always be here for you, no matter what happens. F*ck you, ric. You better not regret it KIPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open Chapter 97 Karma The two spent nearly an hour at the hospital for the checkup, and by the time they left, it was already noon. Victoria¡¯splexion looked even worse after she spent the entire morning at the hospital. As they left the hospital, Summer supported her and let her lean on her body. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re not sick. Otherwise, I would have been so worried about you. Let¡¯s find a ce to eat something first.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s have some dessert.¡± Victoria looked listless. Hearing that, Summer was speechless for a while and then said, ¡°We can go, but did you not hear what the doctor said? Even if you like it, you can¡¯t eat too much. Otherwise, it may affect some of the indicatorster on.¡± At her reminder, Victoria helplessly hung her gaze. ¡°I know, but I really want to eat.¡± When Summer saw her like this, she could only sigh inwardly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll make an exception today and eat with you, but you have to be careful KIPS KPS Preparations Open Admissions Open Now 3/0 Chapter 97 Karma ¡°I know.¡± Her voice was soft, like a child¡¯s, which was both adorable and heartwarming. 4/9 However, Summer still pressed her lips tightly together, her gaze filled with worry. Throughout this period, every time they met, Victoria seemed to be able to control her emotions very well. Yet, Summer knew deep down that some emotions, even if they weren¡¯t expressed, didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t exist. Just like the pain in Victoria¡¯s heart, it wouldn¡¯t disappear just because she didn¡¯t express it. She knew that those emotions would only pile up somewhere in Victoria¡¯s heart and hurt her even more. In the end, it would eventually explode one day. She couldn¡¯t predict when that day woulde, but as she nced at Victoria, she guessed that even Victoria didn¡¯t know when her emotions KIPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now uado Chapter 97 Karma would erupt. At this point, she only hoped that Victoria could leave this ce and leave ric before her heart shattered. So, during their meal, she couldn¡¯t hold her curiosity in. ¡°Although I know it¡¯s not a good time to ask you this now, I still want to ask when is Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s surgery? She¡¯s living at home now instead of the nursing home, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t mind Summer asking her. After all, she was her only good friend, and she had nothing to hide from her. ¡°She¡¯s staying at home. for care, but the exact time for the surgery hasn¡¯t been set. Because Grandma faintedst time, the doctor believes that her mentality needs to be adjusted, so they hope to give her a little more time to avoid causing secondary stress.¡± Upon hearing this, Summer couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°So, this matter will be KIPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open 5/9 17:04 Wed, 21 Ju Chapter 97 Karma dyed?¡± ¡°Yes. Grandma¡¯s condition is important, so we have no other choice.¡± Summer wasn¡¯t Victoria, so she couldn¡¯t think from her perspective and could only think from her own. This was why Victoria was the only person who mattered to her in this matter. Just then, she whispered, ¡°I know Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s condition is important, but your matter is also important.¡± She pursed her lips and finally expressed her concern. ¡°I¡¯m worried that the people on udia¡¯s side will harm you.¡± After all, what happenedst night showed that the people on udia¡¯s side had great resentment toward Victoria. Come to think of it now. It¡¯s also quite understandable for them to have great resentment toward Victoria. After all, Victoria has been by ric¡¯s side for two years, but so what if they have great resentment? KIPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open Chapter 97 Kama In her eyes, these emotions were simply unreasonable. Victoria isn¡¯t the 7/9 mistress here, and udia isn¡¯t exactly in a rtionship with ric, so who are they to have resentment toward Victoria? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and her eating movements became rough. Sitting across from her, Victoria noticed her movements and smiled helplessly. ¡°Alright, Summer, I know you care about me, but rest assured, I know what to do.¡± ¡°Hmph, you know what to do, but that doesn¡¯t mean others do. Not everyone has established good values and qualities. Otherwise, such a thing wouldn¡¯t have happenedst night. Speaking ofst night, how is udia? She fell so severely. Did she get disfigured?¡± When this matter was brought up, Victoria¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, and her tone became lighter. ¡°Not to the extent of getting disfigured, but I heard she was seriously injured, and it might leave a scar.¡± KPPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open 17:04 Wed, 21 Chapter 97 Kamma ¡°A scar?¡± Although Summer knew it was quite immoral, she still couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°If she leaves a scar on her face, wouldn¡¯t that be hideous? Didn¡¯t she bring this on herself? She must be regretting it now.¡± B/0 She originally had a sense of injustice for her bestie, but after hearing that udia would be left with a scar, she felt much better. It turns out that karma is real. So what if she tries to shift the me onto Victoria? She has already ruined her face. No matter how many people she tries to frame, This is from N?velDrama.Org. she can never go back to how her face looked. ¡°But do you think she will hold a grudge against you and continue to frame you because of this?¡± She became more and more worried for Victoria as she thought about it. ¡°No, actually, I think she will definitely hold a grudge against you. Even if she doesn¡¯t, the people around her might, and what if she tries to use other people to harm you?¡± Just thinking about it made her break out in a cold sweat. 0 KIPS *PS Preparations Admissions Open Now Open Chapter 97 Karma Will she hold a grudge against me? After hearing Summer¡¯s words, Victoria also fell into deep thought. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Earlier, Victoria and udia had made a verbal agreement because both sides had something to gain. However, based on the current situation, their rtionship would deteriorate due to this incident. Regardless of whether Victoria pushed her or not, udia would likely me her for everything that happened. It seemed impossible to live in peace with each other in the future. 1/10 Most importantly, after this incident, Victoria realized that she needed to be cautious of udia. udia was far different from what she had imagined. At first, Victoria thought she was just pretending to be a delicatedy, which was no big deal. After all, everyone wanted to maintain a good image in front of others. However, if beneath her guise of delicacy was a malicious heart that plotted to harm others, then it was not a simple matter anymore. Thinking of this, Victoria said to Summer, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will protect myself. Besides, she wanted to harm me this time, but she ended up harming KIPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Chapter 98 Thought It Through herself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Summer nodded. ¡°It¡¯s satisfying to see someone¡¯s evil n backfire on them.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As they talked, a waiter ced a chocte molten cake on the table. Seeing the second serving of dessert, she was surprised. ¡°Oh my g od! When did you sneakily order another one while I wasn¡¯t looking? Did you not listen to the doctor¡¯s advice, Victoria? You can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll just have a few more bites.¡± ¡°No, you just had a giant brownie with ice cream.¡± ¡°Then just one bite.¡± Victoria tried to bargain. KIPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open 2/10 17:05 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 98 Thought it Through ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± 3/10 After having lunch, the two of them went shopping at the mall and didn¡¯t return home untilte. 90% Victoria had turned on silent mode on her phone all day and only turned it off when she got home. The first thing she saw was several messages from Yasmin about work, so she replied to them one by one before exiting the conversation. Only then did she notice that ric had also sent her a few messages on WhatsApp. The first one read, ¡®Where did you go?¡± The second one was sent half an hourter, which was probably because she hadn¡¯t replied to the first one, so ric called her. ¡®Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone?¡¯ KIPS KIPS Preparations Admissions Open Now Open Chapter 98 Thought It Through The third one was in the afternoon, when he urged her because he couldn¡¯t get in touch with her. ¡®Are you angry because of udia¡¯s matter?¡¯ ¡®Answer the phone, Ms. Snowball. I have something to tell you.''¡± 4/10 After that, he didn¡¯t send any more messages, probably because he didn¡¯t receive a reply from her. Only after she exited WhatsApp did she realize he had called her 10 times. When she read the messages, she thought that he hadn¡¯t called her in the afternoon, but it turned out that there were more than 10 missed calls, with Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. the most recent one being 15 minutes ago. Now, that¡¯s unexpected. As soon as she entered the house, Hector, the butler, hurriedly came over to greet her before she could say anything. ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± He looked anxious and scrutinized Victoria from head to toe. When he KIPS Preparatur Open KIPS Admissions Open Now 17:05 Wed, 21 Jun 0 Chapter 98 Thought 11. Through made sure she was safe and sound, even holding a bunch of shopping bags in her hands, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked softly. ¡°Nothing, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± As he said that, he walked up to her to take the bags from her. ¡°Did you go shopping all day today?¡± ¡°Yeah. I haven¡¯t gone shopping in a long time, so I went around.¡± 5/10 Mainly because she went to the hospital and hadn¡¯t been home all day, so if she didn¡¯t bring anything home, she would feel guilty and wouldn¡¯t be able toe up with an answer when someone asked her what she did while she was out. So, shopping was the best answer, and with so many bags, no one would suspect anything. ¡°I see. Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone, Mrs. Cadogan? Mr. Cadogan has been calling you, and he was worried crazy.¡± XPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open Chapter 6 Thought Through Worried crazy? Victoria smiled imperceptibly, and a hint of sarcasm flickered in her eyes. This choice of word. If she didn¡¯t know that Hector always spoke positively about ric, she would really think that ric was worried crazy for her. He probably called from the ward where udia was staying. ¡°I turned my phone to silent before going to bedst night and forgot to turn it off when I woke up,¡± she exined calmly. Upon hearing this, Hector had a sudden realization, which showed in his expression. Seeing that he was about to take the shopping bags from her, she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take them for me. I¡¯m going upstairs to sort these out anyway. I can take them on my own.¡± ¡°Let me help you carry them upstairs, then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can do it myself.¡± She declined his offer and carried the bags KOPS Preparations KIPS Admissions Open Now Open 7:05 Wed, 21 Jun 0 apter 98 Thought It Through upstairs, leaving him to stand there awkwardly, scratching his head. Just when he was about to call ric, his phone rang. ¡°Sir, yes, Mrs. Cadogan just got back.¡± Victoria could still hear Hector¡¯s report as she had already climbed up the stairs, and at that moment, she smirked slightly. Wow, such care, tracking me with his phone all the time. Why note out of her ward first? Without turning back, she took the shopping bags upstairs. Since she had to sort things out, she didn¡¯t rush to take a shower. Instead, she opened one of the bags and first gave Griselda the gifts she had prepared for her. Only after that did shee back to sort out the rest. In fact, in addition to being a good excuse, she went shopping mainly because she wanted to buy some loose-fitting clothes. Before she was pregnant, her clothes were all slim-fitting styles. Although her belly was still small and she couldn¡¯t see any difference even if she wore slim-fitting KIPS KIPS Preparation Admissions Open Now Open 7/10 Chapter 98 Thought It Through clothes, she had to n ahead and slowly transition so as not to attract attention. Fortunately, it was also the winter season. 8/10 She put her clothes into a basket and wanted to take it downstairs to give to the maid, but she almost bumped into ric, who wasing upstairs. Luckily, ric stopped in time and supported himself against the wall, staring at her with unsteady breathing. Not expecting him toe back so soon, she furrowed her eyebrows slightly. ¡°Why-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, he grabbed her shoulder, and then she heard him panting as he asked, ¡°Where have you been? Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls? Do you know how long I¡¯ve been looking for you?¡± His grip was tight on her shoulder, and she instinctively frowned, wanting to break free. KIPS KIPS Preparations Admissions Open Now Open 17:05 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 98 Thought It Through 9/10 ¡°If you¡¯re angry about what happenedst night, then¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± She broke free from his grasp and took two steps back with. the basket in her hand, exining calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t answer your calls because I forgot to turn off silent mode. It wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you check your phone from time to time?¡± He squinted his eyes, clearly not believing her. With a calm expression, she replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t. I was out all day today shopping and didn¡¯t have time to look at my phone.¡± It was only then that ric noticed the clothes basket in her hand, filled with clothes she had bought today. At this moment, his gaze slightly changed. ¡°As for what happenedst night, you don¡¯t need to keep worrying about it. I¡¯ve already thought it through.¡± KIPS Preparation KIPS Admissions Open Now Open 17:05 Wed, 21 Jun Chapter 98 Thought It Through Upon hearing this, he squinted his long and narrow eyes, staring at her fiercely. ¡°Thought what through?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right. She couldn¡¯t get off the ho ok at that time, so it was right for her to shift the me onto me.¡± A smile tugged on her lips. His pupils contracted. ¡°What?¡± KIPS Preparations Chapter 99 Chapter 99 ¡°Nothing.¡± Victoria smiled at the man and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°All I did was just look at the matter from your perspective. So, I can now understand why you¡¯d me me. It¡¯s all because of the love and empathy you have for her.¡± ric only kept his eyes fixed on Victoria as she was speaking. ¡°So?¡± He clenched his jaw, his eyes turning sinister. ¡°I mean, I understand shees before everything else in your heart.¡± Victoria paused for a second and added, ¡°So, I think I¡¯d do the same thing as you did if I were in your ce.¡± Victoria hadn¡¯t been through a dire situation in which she was rescued. Thus, she had not experienced despair and hopelessness. Instead, all she could do was put herself in ric¡¯s shoes by imagining herself in his ce, although she could not feel the emotions he felt. After all, she understood it was easy for ric to fall for someone who saved him in a life¨Cand¨Cdeath situation. 1/3 Chapter 99 Keep a Distance ric red at Victoria unhappily. ¡°What would you do? You were convinced that I would pin the me on you, weren¡¯t you?¡± Victoria kept her head down, her eyes getting shaky for some reason. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Because what matters is that I just saw through everything yesterday. I should have seen thising sooner. If I still had feelings left for this man, I would feel nothing anymore after yesterday. Victoria felt surprisingly calm when she went ces and strolled around the whole day. Deep down, the only thing she wanted to do was to leave ric when his grandmother was done with her surgery. ¡°Really?¡± ric pursed his lips and glimpsed the new clothes Victoria just bought as the agitated gleam in his eyes slowly faded. ¡°Fine then, forget about it if it really doesn¡¯t matter.¡± What else can I do besides forgetting it and moving on? Victoria continued to stand there for a few moments, but when she looked up once again, ric was nowhere to be seen. She then blinked and 2/8 1318 Thu, 2 Chapter 99 Keep a Distance brought the basket of filthy clothes with her while walking out. Since that day, ric and Victoria found themselves getting along with each other in a way they had never before. While ric behaved indifferently without mentioning a single word about what happened the other day, Victoria went back to the way she got along with ric before udia returned from abroad. When ric woke up from bed early in the morning, she would help him put on his necktie; when they were eating, she would thoughtfully ce the dish on his te; when it was time for a bath, she would fill the bathtub for him. As Victoria did everything a dutiful wife should, they seemed like the perfect example of a lovely couple to everyone else, including the butler, who thought they were reconciled. Nevertheless, only ric knew Victoria was just pretending. After all, she had been pretending so well that she looked just like an actress who was ying her role. If it hadn¡¯t been for the disappointment that filled her eyes, ric would have thought she had reconciled with him as everyone 3/8 1238 Thu, 1 Chapter 99 Keep a Distance else did. Earlier that day, ric put on a jacket in an emotionless manner and wore a necktie, but before he could fasten it, he heard Victoria¡¯s voice. ¡°ric, the color of your necktie doesn¡¯t match your shirt.¡± 4/8 ric stopped upon hearing thedy¡¯s voice and turned around to look at her. While there was no one else around, ric looked at Victoria with a stony gaze as if she was a stranger. However, Victoria didn¡¯t seem to be concerned by that at all as she walked up to him and picked another necktie from the box. ¡°This one seems to match your shirt more.¡± When ric took the necktie with a cial look on his face, Victoria grabbed the end of the necktie and volunteered to help him put it on. ¡°Let me do it.¡± ric fixed his gaze on Victoria and smiled sarcastically. ¡°Fine.¡± It was then that Victoria walked up to him and tiptoed while helping him with his tie. As the two of them got closer to each other, ric was able to notice the Chapter 99 Keep a Distance facial hair on Victoria¡¯s fair skin and her full lips, even with just a quick glimpse. At the same time, the faint aroma that was wafting from thedy somehow reminded ric of their memories. Knowing Victoria never used perfume, he knew the smell came from her body and hair shampoo. Soon, ric felt a strong urge to pull Victoria into his arms as the scent continued to waft toward him. After all, he always did that to Victoria, but just when he was about to raise his arm, Victoria, retracted hers and looked at him. ¡°Done.¡± The nonchnce in her eyes became a de that plunged through ric¡¯s heart. In that instant, all the love and sentiment he had for Victoria disappeared without a trace. ¡°It must have been tough for you to put on a show all this while.¡± ric curled his lips and indifferently smiled. ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s what I should do.¡± Victoria reacted with a casual smile. While Victoria¡¯s unconcerned reaction seemed like a punchnded on a 5/8 1338 Chapter 99 Keep a Distance sponge, ric took his eyes off thedy, whereupon he walked off and made his way out the door with an emotionless look. ¡°Hold on,¡± Victoria called out to ric, who only stopped in his tracks without looking back because he wanted to hear what she was going to say. Upon pondering for a few seconds, Victoria organized her thoughts. and probingly asked, ¡°About Grandma¡¯s condition, has the doctor contacted and told you anything about it?¡± At first, ric thought Victoria was showing concern for his grandmother, but when he heard the few words toward the end of her sentence, he slowly began to understand the meaning behind her question. Thus, he curled his lips upward and sarcastically asked, ¡°Are you in a hurry or something?¡± In spite of ric¡¯s aggressive tone, Victoria didn¡¯t seem to be angry at all. Instead, she only responded coldly and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not in a hurry. I¡¯m just worried about Grandma¡¯s health if her treatment takes too long.¡± 4/8 Chapter 99 Keep a Distance ric turned around and gazed at Victoria, questioning her with an indifferent tone, ¡°Are you actually worried about her health? Or are you scared that it¡¯s going to go against your favor, Victoria? Do you really want to stay away from me so badly?¡± While Victoria was speechless, ric Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g continued to provoke her. ¡°It was Noelst time, so who is it going to be this time? Bane?¡± What?! Victoria couldn¡¯t believe ric would bring Bane up. After all, as Noel was the man whom her father desperately tried to make her date, she could understand why ric would suspect Noel. However, she failed to see why ric would drag Bane into their discussion. Was it because of the hug that night in the bar? But Bane exined everything to him there and then, didn¡¯t he? How egoistic! Fine, this is none of my business anymore because I¡¯m leaving him soon anyway. There is no need for me to dwell on these matters again. At the thought of that, Victoria smiled and said, ¡°There is no one, but if you insist on thinking that way, I¡¯ll be left with no choice.¡± 7/8 13:38 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 99 Keep a Distance ric was rendered speechless, which indicated that Victoria had just used the correct way of tackling the man¡¯s meritality. Not knowing what else he could say, he did nothing except re unhappily at Victoria. In the meantime, Victoria just stood there and met his gaze as she didn¡¯t seem to care what he said. A few momentster, ric coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you have in mind, Victoria, but you¡¯re still my wife, as it appears. So, it is in your best interest that you keep a distance from other men to avoid any unpleasant scandals.¡± ¡°Unpleasant scandals? Aren¡¯t the scandals in the office all about you? Here is a gentle reminder¨Cif you don¡¯t want those scandals to reach your grandmother¡¯s ear, you should probably also keep a distance from other women.¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 1/9 Without having to throw a tantrum, Victoria pissed ric off so much that he just stomped off like that. When he left with a darkened look on his face, he mmed the door hard, creating a loud bang. However, Victoria only shrugged her shoulders and gently rubbed her belly, speaking in a soft voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby. Forget about him, okay? When you grow up, you won¡¯t be like him at all. He has nothing but a short fuse.¡± Upon murmuring to her unborn baby, she packed her belongings and got ready to head to thepany. Meanwhile, ric heard his phone ringing as soon as he entered the garage. Still angry with Victoria, he reached for his phone with a gloomy face. Nevertheless, when he saw the iing call, the gloomy expression on his face began to disappear, whereupon he picked up the call and said, ¡°Dr. Sully.¡± ¨C O 94%1 Chapter 100 Just Curious The person calling ric was Benedict Sully, Griselda¡¯s doctor. ¡°Greetings, Mr. Cadogan.¡± Benedict¡¯s voice sounded as tender as he looked. ¡°I¡¯m Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s doctor, Benedict Sully. I¡¯m sorry to call you at this hour, but I¡¯d like to hear more from you about her recent condition. If possible, would it be convenient for you to bring her to me?¡± 2/9 Upon hearing that, ric knitted his eyebrows tightly. ¡°Today?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± ric hung up the call and sat in the driver¡¯s seat with his lips pursed. Initially thinking Griselda would need a bit more time to rest, he didn¡¯t expect Benedict to call back so soon. Is this fate or what? Victoria was just asking about Grandma earlier; now, I got a call from Dr. Sully. Are things supposed to unfold this way? While ric was still caught in his train of thought, he looked at the rear mirror and saw Victoria walking his way. 13:38 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 100 Just Curious Due to the cold weather, Victoria wore a loose, blue long¨Csleeve down jacket with a casual white sweater, as well as a pair of light¨Ccolored pants. To finish it off, she wore a pair of beige ts. 3/9 Since when did her style change so much? When Victoria walked past ric¡¯s car, the man rolled down the window and called out to her. Victoria then stopped in her tracks and looked at the man, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing Victoria¡¯s emotionless look, ric felt a stab of pain in his heart again. He then closed his eyes and said, ¡°Dr. Sully just called.¡± Victoria, who appeared calm all this while, seemed slightly stunned when she heard ric¡¯s words. ¡°Is he Grandma¡¯s doctor?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ric had his eyes fixed on Victoria. ¡°He wants us to bring Grandma to him.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t think she would receive news about Griselda so soon, and she was still wondering why Benedict hadn¡¯t called earlier. ¡°Sure. Grandma 13:38 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 100 Just Curious seems to be recovering pretty well, so I think she should be mentally fit thus far. Anyway, are you going to tell her, or should I do it?¡± ric kept his eyes on her for a while, so Victoria added, ¡°Well, if you¡¯re busy, I don¡¯t mind telling Grandma about it.¡± 40 4/9 ric forced a sarcastic smile and asked, ¡°You¡¯re desperate, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Victoria replied, whereupon the two of them found themselves in an awkward silence once again. She then let out a sigh and asked, ¡°So, shall we tell Grandma together?¡± When ric didn¡¯t say anything, she blinked and asked, ¡°Or do you want to tell Grandma by yourself?¡± Nevertheless, ric continued to remain silent, only staring at thedy with a darkened gaze. After a few moments of hesitation, Victoria pursed her lips and said, ¡°Maybe you need a little time to think about it. Let¡¯s get to work first for now.¡± She turned around after finishing her words. 13:39 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 100 Just Curious ¡°Come here.¡± ric called out to Victoria and uttered coldly, ¡°We¡¯ll tell her together. Get in the car now.¡± Are you asking me to get in the car? Victoria gave the front passenger seat a quick glimpse and thought to herself, To be honest, I don¡¯t feel like riding shotgun. Can¡¯t I drive myself? While Victoria continued to stand still, ric knitted his eyebrows and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you want to get along with me peacefully? How are you going to do that if you won¡¯t even ept a ride when you¡¯re given one?¡± Victoria soon snapped out of her trance and smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I was just wondering when we should tell Grandma about it,¡± she replied while opening the car door. As soon as she was seated, ric stepped on the gas pedal and drove off at lightning speed before she even managed to buckle up. 5/9 Chapter 100 Just Curious Startled by ric¡¯s unexpected reaction, Victoria turned around and gave the man an unpleasant re. Easy, Victoria. You won¡¯t have to put up with him much longer; once Grandma¡¯s surgery is done, you¡¯re going to leave him. Please control yourself and avoid any potential conflict with him. After the monologue where sheforted herself, Victoria managed to calm herself down and eventually fastened her seatbelt. When she was done buckling up, she heard ric¡¯s voice. ¡°Why are you dressed like that today?¡± While Victoria would usually be much calmer if she had been asked some other question, she somehow felt nervous and a little on edge upon hearing that. She nced at ric to observe his reaction, feeling a little speechless with how he was able to notice her change so easily even though she hadn¡¯t really changed her dressing style until that day. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my outfit?¡± She asked, feigning calmness. ¡°You look¡­ different,¡± ricmented. 6/0 13:39 Thu, 22 Jun T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. 94% Chapter 100 Just Curious Victoria felt a little suffocated as she tried to talk back. ¡°Why do you say so? Must I only stick to one style?¡± 7/9 ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you dress like this before.¡± In reality, ric was more concerned about how Victoria had changed her dressing style without letting him know about it. While it didn¡¯t matter what kind of outfit she was wearing, he couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he had no idea when she changed her dressing style. ¡°Well, that still doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t try new styles, right?¡± Victoria responded emotionlessly. ric didn¡¯t say anything else, looking as though he was either preupied with his own problems or tired of entertaining her. ric remained silent for some time, and Victoria heaved a sigh of relief. He¡¯s probably over it already, right? Despite the thought of that, ric¡¯s subsequent bodynguage seemed to suggest otherwise, making 13:39 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 100 Just Curious Victoria think it would be better to talk back rather than remain silent to keep him from doubting her. 94% 8/9 Thus, Victoria secretly made up her mind to do something about it when she arrived at the office so that ric wouldn¡¯t dwell on the change in her dressing style. Before getting out of the car, she asked, ¡°How is udia¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Nothing new,¡± ric answered after a brief pause. ¡°I see, but didn¡¯t you say it was going to leave a scar?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± At that moment, the car entered the dimly lit car park. Therefore, Victoria couldn¡¯t see ric¡¯s expression, only hearing his unhappy voice when the car stopped. ¡°What do you mean?¡± TIU, LA V Chapter 100 Just Curious In truth, Victoria was going to ask ric when and how they should settle their scores, considering the fact that udia¡¯s face was already scarred. However, before she was about to speak her mind, she swallowed her words, thinking an argument would likely ensue between them if she did that. Perhaps I should wait until Grandma is done with her surgery. Victoria then pursed her lips and said, ¡°Nothing. I was just curious.¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 After Victoria and ric returned to their work desks, Victoria began to get on with her work. Before the two of them parted ways, they agreed to bring Griselda to the hospital the next day and decided to tell her about it togetherter that night. For some reason, the duo didn¡¯t bring up the matter rting to their divorce as if they tacitly knew not to. After all, the fact that they rushed to the Civil Affairs Bureau early in the morning in a fit of piquest time didn¡¯t end well when Griselda¡¯s operation didn¡¯t carry on as usual. To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, Victoria decided to wait until Griselda was done with her operation this time before settling their divorce. With that idea in mind, Victoria believed ric felt the same way. Later that afternoon, Victoria headed downstairs and bought herself some congee as usual for lunch. However, before she could speak to the seller, 1/10 Chapter 101 Fated she was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. 94% She was stunned when she saw Bane calling her, and she subconsciously looked toward the parking lot she had noticed a few days ago. As she expected, she saw the familiar car parked there. 2/10 As Victoria turned around, the car window rolled down, whereupon Bane¡¯s handsome face came into view. With his phone in his hand, he waved and smiled at Victoria. Nevertheless, Victoria couldn¡¯t seem to believe they ran into each other there and then, but after hesitating for a few seconds, she decided to approach Bane¡¯s car. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Bane curled his lips and put his phone down. ¡°I happened to be nearby for business. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into you around here. Pretty lucky, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°A coincidence, you say?¡± Victoria had doubts about Bane¡¯s im, thinking there was no way he would park his car in the same spot she noticed a Chapter 101 Fated Love few days ago even though he might have been there for business. Furthermore, she found the coincidence uncanny for Bane to call her only when she came downstairs. When she noticed the necktie clip she had gifted to him on his necktie, her face darkened somewhat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you believe me?¡± Bane raised his eyebrows. Victoria reacted with a smile, neither admitting nor denying it. However, Bane wasn¡¯t desperate to rify at all as he smiled and asked, ¡°Anyway, would you like to join me for lunch? Since we just ran into each other¡­¡± 3/10 Victoria seemed hesitant. She wanted to turn Bane down, but he suddenly interrupted her and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would make it up to me for the ruined farewell party?¡± Victoria was rendered speechless, for she had only taken Bane to a congee ce despite her promise to make it up to him. What was more, he didn¡¯t eat much that day. Well, that was indeed awkward. Thu Chapter 101 Fated Love ¡°Alright, then.¡± Victoria eventually agreed to tag along. Upon hearing Victoria¡¯s answer, Bane stepped out of his vehicle to open the door for her, but at that moment, two men in ck came running toward them from afar. ¡°Mr. Morison!¡± They seemingly failed to notice Victoria standing there as they walked up to Bane cordially. ¡°I thought you were gone, Mr. Morison, but thank God you¡¯re still here. Would you like to join us for lunch?¡± Nevertheless, Bane only stepped aside and politely answered, ¡°Well, you¡¯re toote. I already have a lunch date.¡± ¡°A lunch date?¡± The two men were stunned for a second until they noticed a slim figure right beside them. As they took a closer look, they realized Victoria had been by their side all along. ¡°Miss Selwyn? What are you doing here? Are you going on a lunch date with Mr. Morison?¡± ¡°Greetings, Mr. Langstrom.¡± Victoria nodded at him. 4/10 13.30 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 101 Fated Love Upon learning that the two of them knew each other, Bane lightened up and became a little friendlier to them, raising his eyebrows in response. ¡°Victoria and I were neighbors when we were little.¡± 5/10 ¡°I see. I can¡¯t believe you two are neighbors.¡± Steven let out a sigh and said, ¡°In that case, I guess we should leave you two to it.¡± Steven left with his subordinate, whereas Bane opened the car door and invited Victoria into the car. ¡°Get in, Vixie.¡± However, Victoria remained still and stared at Bane awkwardly, refusing to enter the car. ¡°I thought we agreed that you wouldn¡¯t call me that way.¡± When Victoria and Bane were little, Bane always called her that. Although she didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with it back then, she seemed to have outgrown that nickname, which she found strange at her current age. 13 39 Thu, 22 Jun 9450 Chapter 101 Fated Love ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. What about Snowball, then?¡± 6/16 ¡°No, not this one too.¡± Victoria knitted her eyebrows. ¡°Why not?¡± Bane raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Is it because this nickname would remind you of someone else?¡± While Victoria was speechless, Bane went on to say, ¡°In that case, I guess I have stories to hear from you.¡± Nevertheless, Victoria continued to stand still until Bane tapped her forehead. ¡°What are you waiting for? Get in the car now.¡± As such, Victoria helplessly got into the car. After sitting tightly, she said, ¡°Please stop giving me nicknames. I don¡¯t think it suits me now, considering my status.¡± ¡°What status do you have right now?¡± Bane hit the gas pedal and said smilingly, ¡°Everyone else at my farewell believed you and ric were just putting on a show when you both got 1339 Thu, .. 94%0 Chapter 101 Fated Love married. Some of them even thought you were doing that because you wanted the power as someone close to ric. Bane¡¯s words sounded like. they hit the nail on the head, rendering Victoria speechless as she only pursed her lips in silence. 7/10 Meanwhile, Bane, who seemingly caught a glimpse of Victoria pouting, chuckled softly and asked, ¡°Are you mad?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re just telling the truth.¡± Victoria grunted. ¡°Good. Adjusting your mood is especially important, considering your current situation. If you fail to do that, you¡¯re going to be in deep trouble.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Victoria kept her head down, recalling when she nearly found herself in trouble earlier. Fortunately, she was mentally tough enough to endure the hardship, or it could have ended terribly for her. After exiting thepany, they drove onto the busy road. While keeping his eyes on the road, Bane asked, ¡°How is udia? She seemed pretty Chapter 101 Fated Love badly hurt that day. It¡¯s going to leave a mark, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Victoria replied indifferently. E ¡°What about ric? Is he going to spend the next two days looking after her in the hospital?¡± When Victoria heard Bane¡¯s question, she subconsciously knitted her eyebrows, thinking she would have misunderstood Bane if she hadn¡¯t known he came on purpose. Even so, she still went on to say, ¡°If you want to know so badly, why don¡¯t you give him a call yourself?¡± ¡°If I call him, wouldn¡¯t I ruin his mood?¡± Bane couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in amusement. ¡°Instead of that, you chose to ruin my mood, eh?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you unaffected by it?¡± 8/10 Chapter 101 Fated Love Fine. Victoria was rendered speechless once again. She then looked outside the window and said, ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t ¡®run into¡® me again next time.¡± ¡°What?¡± Bane chuckled in amusement. ¡°Are you mad or something? I thought everything went well that night.¡± When Victoria didn¡¯t say a word more, Bane continued, ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s going on between you and him? While I was abroad, I heard that ric fell in love with someone else.¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria shook her head and added calmly, ¡°He probably can¡¯t forget about the person who saved him back then.¡± ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t amount to love. If you don¡¯t have feelings for someone, you can¡¯t force it. It has nothing to do with indebtedness.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Victoria also thought the same way, thinking there were many other incidents like hers in the world, but not all of the men and women involved ended up together. Instead, most of them had more gratitude than love Chapter 101 Fated Love for each other. As for those who subsequently fell in love with each other, Victoria believed it was fate that brought the lovers together. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 As the car was filled with silence, Bane shifted his attention to his surroundings without continuing their conversation. Instead, he asked what she would like to eat. Nevertheless, Victoria didn¡¯t have an appetite for anything else besides congee. However, since she already had congee with Bane that night, she didn¡¯t think it would be appropriate for her to suggest having congee again. Thus, she said, ¡°Your call.¡± Bane paused, feeling stunned about Victoria¡¯s decision. ¡°Are you sure about that? I haven¡¯t lived around here for years.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Victoria calmly replied, thinking she wouldn¡¯t eat much anyway. Then, something crossed her mind as she added, ¡°Pick anything you¡¯re craving for. It¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Bane pursed his lips. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m going to take my pick carefully.¡± 1/9 Chapter 102 Talent Poaching In the end, Bane picked a Western restaurant. Upon arrival, Victoria stepped out of the car and immediately noticed the restaurant¡¯s high¨Cend interior. Before the Selwyn Family went bankrupt, Victoria always came to ces like that with her best friends, but after that, everyone else left her, except Summer. Back then, Victoria was the one who took Summer to high¨Css restaurants, but after she went bankrupt, their positions were reversed, though they frequented less luxurious restaurants. 2/9 The first time they went to one, Summer looked at Victoria cautiously and said, ¡°Victoria, I can only afford to treat you to meals like this, but don¡¯t worry, once I get rich one day, I¡¯ll treat you to a fancy one.¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help but chuckle with joy when she recalled that. Although she hadn¡¯t been to any other high¨Css establishments since going bankrupt, she felt a lot more fulfilled on the inside than ever before. Furthermore, she was happy that she got to see the grim reality when she was at her lowest, deeming it part of her growth. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Bane¡¯s voice pulled Victoria out of her train of 13:59 Thu, 22 Jun 15. Chapter 102 Talent Poaching thought. Victoria snapped out of her trance and smiled. ¡°Nothing. I was just recalling something interesting.¡± ¡°What¡¯s interesting?¡± He raised an eyebrow. She responded with silence and gave Bane a glimpse without showing any intention of sharing the matter with him. On the other hand, Bane was a man who knew his boundaries well, so he didn¡¯t press on with his questions or pry into the details. As the two of them sat down and ordered their food, Bane passed the menu directly to Victoria and asked, ¡°Take a look and see what you¡¯d like to eat.¡± Victoria was about to say she was fine with anything, but she quickly changed her mind; she didn¡¯t think it would be appropriate for her to do that. After all, she was supposed to show Bane some sincerity for the 3/9 Chapter 102 Talent Poaching farewell party that didn¡¯t go as smoothly as expected. Therefore, she went on to pick a few dishes and ced her orders before giving the menu back to Bane. When Bane took a look at their order, he couldn¡¯t help but give thedy a strange gaze. ¡°You seem to prefer nd food now, huh? Why has your diet changed so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing a nd diettely because of my health,¡± Victoria said without any change in her facial expression. Bane smiled and looked at Victoria silently, but Victoria was able to recognize the look in his eyes right away. If we weren¡¯t childhood friends, I would be scratching my head while trying to figure out what he is up to, not knowing him well enough. ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can take you to the doctor after our meal,¡± he asked a few momentster. 4/9 Chapter 102 Talent Poaching ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ve already been there.¡± ¡°Ah, it looks like someone¡¯s already grown up, always turning me down.¡± Bane then went on to tick a few other boxes on the ordering slip before giving it to the waiter. After that, something crossed his mind as he added, ¡°Could you please get a ss of juice for thisdy?¡± ¡°Sure, sir.¡± Victoria was stunned when she heard that. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exactly remember, but you drank two sses of juice during the farewell party that night, didn¡¯t you? Anyway, one ss should be enough, right?¡± Before Victoria came, she wasn¡¯t nning to order herself a ss of juice. Thus, she didn¡¯t pay attention to the menu, but Bane observed her closely. ¡°Thanks.¡± 5/9 Chapter 102 Talent Poaching ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to foot the bill, after all.¡± Victoria was speechless at once, finally remembering her purpose of treating Bane to the meal, Goodness, dining in a restaurant like this is probably going to cost me a fortune. With the amount of pay she was receiving, she could afford to foot the bill, but once her baby was born, her burden would most likely increase. After all, she would have to worry about putting food on the table for herself and her baby, as well as affording her child¡¯s education. Because of that, she reckoned it was important to start saving. Nevertheless, the thought of that was enough to give Victoria a headache, for she had no intention of marrying another man again. Therefore, she would be forced to raise the child alone, which meant she would have to look for more sources of ie besides her current job. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you regret treating me to an expensive meal T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. 6/9 Chapter 102 Talent Poaching right here,¡± Bane said in a probing manner when he saw her preupied look. When Victoria snapped out of her trance, the first thing she saw was Bane¡¯s ambiguously smiling eyes. ¡°Judging from the pay you¡¯re getting at Cadogan Group, I doubt it¡¯d trouble you to treat me to lunch.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Victoria was amused by Bane¡¯s words. He picked up his ss from the table and took a sip, casually saying, ¡°For old times¡® sake, I don¡¯t mind hiring you if the Cadogan Group doesn¡¯t pay you enough.¡± ¡°Are you trying to poach talents for yourpany?¡± ¡°Me, poaching talents?¡± Bane was slightly stunned when he heard Victoria¡¯s words, but deep down, he knew Victoria was right about what he 1/ Chapter 102 Talent Poaching 0494% had in mind. After all, it was true that he was trying to poach talents for his In the meantime, while Bane didn¡¯t admit it, Victoria was somewhat relieved. If the reason he ran into me today was that he was in search of talents for hispany, I guess I should have nothing to worry about. After all, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence we ran into each other. When he saw her expression, his eyes darkened. ¡°You seem nervous. Are you worried that I might have feelings for you?¡± Feeling as if the man was able to read her mind, she awkwardly blinked and subconsciously denied it, saying, ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t feel that way. After all, why would you have feelings for me in the first ce?¡± Bane looked at Victoria gently, curling his lips upward while pinching his nasal bridge. ¡°What if I told you I had?¡± Victoria, who was initially relieved, became stunned upon hearing Bane¡¯s 8/9 13 40 Thu, 22 JUN 94%8 Chapter 102 Talent Poaching words. ¡°What?¡± She thought she had misheard him as she stared nkly at the man. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you got scared.¡± Bane pointed at the table with smiling eyes. When Victoria noticed Bane¡¯s smiling eyes, she realized the man was joking with her. Not only did she take his joke seriously, but she was also frightened by him. Despite being speechless, Victoria felt a lot calmer than before. ¡°No, but I think some jokes are inappropriate among friends and should be avoided.¡± Bane curled his lips upward, his eyes filled with love and tenderness. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll quit joking.¡± However, only he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be this gentle or humorous anymore when he brought up this issue again. 9/9 13:40 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love Afterward, Victoria found time to go to the restroom to relieve the awkwardness. 94761 When she came out to the corridor outside the restroom, she unexpectedly ran into someone she knew. She stopped in her tracks when she looked at the sullen¨Cfaced youngdy. Victoria didn¡¯t exactly know the girl, but they did meet once at the hospital before. It was Samantha¡¯s daughter, Sandy. Victoria bumped into Samantha at the time she went to the hospital to Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g end her pregnancy. If it weren¡¯t for Sandy¡¯s situation, Samantha probably would have told the world about Victoria¡¯s situation. Seeing Sandy reminded Victoria of the day at the hospital when the girl 1/11 13:40 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love firmly told Samantha that she was in love with someone. 2/11 Presently, she was not here alone. There was a tall, lean, and handsome man standing in front of her. The man stooped to grab her by her shoulders, seemingly pleading as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, Sandy. Please abort the pregnancy. You are still young. You can¡¯t just drop out of school and have a baby now, can you? Besides, I¡¯m not ready to be a father. Give me some more time and we will have a child someday in the future, alright?¡± Victoria only heard the conversation after she got closer to them, and when she did, she was at a loss for words as she cast the man a nce. However, the two of them were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn¡¯t notice the people around them. . 13 40 Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love ¡°But that wasn¡¯t what you said before! Weren¡¯t you the one who said that we would get married if I got pregnant? Don¡¯t you like me? What¡¯s wrong with bing a father ahead of time?¡± ¡°I do like you, Sandy, but your parents don¡¯t like me. We need time to work things out. Think about it. If you have a child now, your parents would only dislike me even more. Will we have a chance to be together in the future?¡± Sandy must have been swayed by his words at this point, as she didn¡¯t say anything in reply. When the tall man noticed her hesitation, he gave it another push. ¡°Look, we are young and we can have a child anytime we want in the future. Didn¡¯t you say that you can do anything for me? I¡¯m at fault this time, but just this one time¡­ Do it for me, okay?¡± Victoria pressed her lips together when she realized that the man was a sc*mbag. What does he mean by asking her to do it for him? And he is 3/11 Chapter 101 You Will Always Be the One I Love even trying to manipte her into doing everything he wants for him? Delusional *sshole. Still, this wasn¡¯t her business to stick her nose in. Everyone had their own destiny and path to follow. Victoria walked past the two of them apathetically. When she was some distance away, she heard the girl say in a faint voice, ¡°O¨COkay¡­ I¡¯ll do as you say¡­¡± She promptly stopped walking and quietly sighed. Is this what it means to be blinded by love? Judging from the sidelines, she thought that the girl was pitiful for being deceived by the man. But what about me? Have I stepped back and taken a good look at myself? Do I look like a clown, sticking to ric and being his fake wife? 4/11 13:40 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love 5/11 After Victoria got back to the dining table, she became lost in her thoughts and started spacing out. When they were almost done eating, she went to the front desk to pay the bill before they left. ¡°Miss, the gentleman at your table has settled the bill already,¡± the staff informed her. When Victoria heard this, she paused for a moment before asking, ¡°How much was it?¡± She then went back to the table and told Bane about wanting to transfer him the amount he paid for her. ¡°You want to transfer money to me?¡± Bane chuckled andnguidly purred, ¡°You can just tell me that you want my phone number. We have known each other for too many years for you to beat around the bush.¡± 13:40 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love Victoria only huffed after a while. ¡°Who said anything about wanting your number?¡± ¡°What do you want, then?¡± ¡°We agreed that I will treat you.¡± She raised her chin toward his phone. ¡°There¡¯s no need to give me your number. Just show me your payment code so I can scan it.¡± As she spoke, Bane flicked her outstretched hand. ¡°You insisted on paying time.¡± Victoria¡¯s eyebrows furrowed lightly. ¡°If you still feel bad about it, you should resign ande work at the Morison Corporation.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Don¡¯t you think you are going a little off¨Ctopic?¡± 6/11 1340 13 40 Thu, 22 Jun 150. Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love ¡°Am I?¡± Bane lowered his gaze, seemingly contemting. ¡°But as you said, I do want to steal you.¡± ¡°You expect me to switch to anotherpany with just a meal? Nice try.¡± She then put away her phone and didn¡¯t insist on transferring the money to him. I¡¯ll let him pay if he wants to. After all, the heir of the Morison Corporation doesn¡¯tck this amount of money. I¡¯d better keep my money for my future child. ¡°Indeed, a single meal might not be enough to win you over. It seems I¡¯ll have to ¡®identally¡® run into you a few more times from now on, hmm?¡± Victoria had noticed that Bane had be much more light¨Chearted than before. Every word he said in the past would only leave her infuriated. He was a spending all these years abroad. 7/11 13:40 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love After a few minutes, he offered to send her back to thepany, which she rejected immediately. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Thepany is not far from here. I can get a cab in no time.¡± Bane seemed taken aback for a mornent, but he didn¡¯t insist on it. He simply nodded and uttered, ¡°All right, then.¡± The two of them proceeded to leave the restaurant together. As they went out the door, Victoria caught sight of the tall and thin guy she had encountered in the corridor earlier¨Cit was Sandy¡¯s boyfriend. They are still here? she wondered as she took a nce at them. However, her gaze ended up not leaving the couple. The woman in the man¡¯s embrace was not Sandy. Instead, it was a mature and powerful¨Clooking career woman. 8/11 Chapter 101 You Will Always Be the One I Love She sounded assertive when she demanded, ¡°Are you not done resolving that stupid problem you got? That girlie even followed you to the restaurant. She is pretty loyal, huh? How are you so good at winning her heart?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think she would suddenly change her mind, Jean. We already agreed to end the pregnancy, but she suddenly decided she didn¡¯t want to do that. Sh*t, I don¡¯t get it!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it, eh? You didn¡¯t ¡®get it¡® when you were f*cking her too, did you?¡± ¡°Jean, baby. I wouldn¡¯t have been deceived if she didn¡¯t seduce me in the first ce. A gangly girl like her is nothingpared to you. She is not even a fraction of what you are. Besides, you saved me before, Jean. You are my savior and the one I love. I will not fall for any other woman.¡± Victoria stopped walking upon hearing thatst sentence he uttered. She 9/11 13.40 180, 22 Jun Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love 2494% bit her lower lip as she refrained from approaching the couple, but her hands on the sides of her torso were tightly cleriched. You are my savior and the one I love. I will not fall for any other woman. These two sentences were like sharp swords that pierced through Victoria¡¯s heart, leaving her both in shock and pain. ¡°Jean, you can rest assured. You will always be the one I love the most.¡± While the tall, thin man was still expressing his loyalty to the older woman, a cool and indifferent yet pleasing voice suddenly rang out. ¡°You love her the most, and yet you kiss and hug another woman. Your love is dirt cheap, isn¡¯t it?¡± 10/11 The tall and thin man froze when he heard that. When he came back to his senses, he saw a stunning woman with clear eyes standing in front of him. 13:40 Thu, 22 Jun 00 Chapter 103 You Will Always Be the One I Love ¡°W¨CWho are you?¡° Chapter 104 Chapter 104 hapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On Thenky man looked shocked for a moment when he saw Victoria. She is super pretty, but I don¡¯t know her. The older woman by his side also narrowed her eyes when she saw Victoria and stared at her carefully. ¡°Who is she? Did you hook up with another one behind my back?!¡± The man hurriedly exined, ¡°No, Jean! I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s here talking to me. I don¡¯t even know her! H¨CHey! Who the hell are you?¡± He was actually a temperamental person. However, as much as he wanted to go off on Victoria for suddenly approaching him and talking to him, he didn¡¯t have the heart to get angry, considering how shockingly gorgeous she was. 1/11 13:41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On 2/11 ¡°Does it matter whether you know me or not?¡± Victoria only coldly stared at him. ¡°What matters is what you said. You im to love her, yet you have a child with another woman. Do you think you are being fair to any of the people involved in this?¡± When the man heard this, his face turned red. ¡°W¨CWhat does it have anything to do with you?¡± Unlike him, the woman beside him remained silent as her face grew somber. Victoria¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°I simply can¡¯t stand your pretentious disy of affection.¡± ¡°How dare you? Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t beat you up just because you¡¯re pretty!¡± Perhaps provoked by her words, the man suddenly raised his hand at Victoria, wanting to intimidate her. Thu, Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On 3/11 Even though he didn¡¯t intend to hit her, a strong hand surprisingly grabbed him the moment he raised his palm. ¡°Who the f*ck is touching me?!¡± The man looked up and found himself staring into a pair of deep, dark eyes hidden behind a pair of sses. Although the eyes were concealed, they exuded a profound coldness, sending shivers down his spine. With a gentle twist of his hand, the man let out a series of agonized screams while sweat rolled down his forehead. Bane only released his grip when he saw the man in pain. He then took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket to gently wipe his fingers as he raised an eyebrow and mentioned, ¡°This is what you get for wanting toy a hand on a woman.¡± After wiping his hands, he tossed the handkerchief into the nearby trash bin. Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± His voice was much gentler when he talked to Victoria. Victoria had never seen him in this light before. She instinctively nodded and hummed in acknowledgment upon hearing his voice. The two of them then left the restaurant together. Even from a distance, they could still hear the tall and skinny man hurling vulgar insults at them. It wasn¡¯t until his voice was drowned out by the bustling city traffic that they could finally find some respite. And when the cold wind blew, Victoria began toe back to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing you trouble.¡± When Bane heard her apology, he let out a leisurely chuckle. He couldn¡¯t resist the urge to reach out and rub the back of her head as he watched her me herself. 4/11 13:41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On Unfortunately for him, Victoria instinctively moved aside, avoiding his touch before his hand could touch her. 5/11 Bane¡¯s defined fingers lingered in the air for a moment. His gaze darkened, but he quickly regained hisposure and smoothly retracted his hand. He was back to his rxed and gentle self soon. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Victoria felt somewhat awkward about what Bane tried to do. It seemed that he was still subconsciously doing what he was used to when they were children. ¨C But has he ever considered the fact that we are no longer kids? Thinking about him casually tossing the handkerchief after wiping his hands, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Have you developed OCD after being abroad for five years?¡± They had only briefly touched each other¡¯s hands through ayer of clothes, but Bane immediately took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands. Not only that, he even threw the handkerchief away. He paused for a moment when he heard that before suddenly grasping Victoria¡¯s wrist. Although she didn¡¯t hate Bane, the physical contact made her feel embarrassed, She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Bane already released his grip as he shrugged. ¡°Do you still think I have OCD?¡± He did that to prove that he doesn¡¯t have OCD, huh? It seems his personality haspletely changed after spending five years abroad. He promptly added in a calm tone, ¡°I just thought that touching him dirtied my hand, considering how he is involved with two women.¡± 6/11 13 41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On Victoria¡¯s gaze dimmed slightly at that. She thought about ric again. Seeing her fall silent, Bane sighed and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m telling you too much, but everyone in our circle has always known about ric and udia¡¯s rtionship. As for your marriage with him¡­¡± He paused mid¨Csentence. I¡¯m not sure what exactly is going on between you two, but it seems that you are not fond of this kind of rtionship. If it is causing you pain, it will be better to end it sooner.¡± Although Victoria had known Bane since childhood, there was always a certain distance between them. She didn¡¯t want to share too much about her life with him. 7/11 Hence, she simply smiled and nodded at his advice. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Bane left the matter at that and didn¡¯t continue talking about it. 13:41 Thu, 22 Jun 6 Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On ¡°Do you really not want me to take you back?¡± ¡°Nope. You can go ahead.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll wait with you here until you get in the car.¡± Victoria could only agree as she felt hesitant to reject his offer. 8/11 When her ride arrived and she was about to get in, Bane suddenly took out his phone and opened a QR code. Victoria only nced briefly at it and noticed that it was a QR code. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to transfer money to me just now?¡± he asked. Victoria only snapped back to reality when she heard his words. She quickly took out her phone to scan the code, only for it to be a QR code for adding a contact on WhatsApp. 13:41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On Bane looked at her with gentle eyes. 10 ¡°Let¡¯s exchange numbers before you transfer the money.¡± Even though she was reluctant, she eventually agreed to it. After adding him to her contacts, she got in the car and left shortly after. Now that Bane had added her on WhatsApp, he stood by the roadside and watched her car disappear into the distance. Instead of leaving immediately, he clicked on her WhatsApp Status and carefully browsed through it. He only remembered something after he was done. ¡°Look into Victoria¡¯s recent activities and whereabouts,¡± he instructed after giving his subordinate a call. ¡°Yes. Find out where she has been specifically, and send me thepiled information.¡± 9/11 04% Chapter 104 It¡¯s the Woman He Had His Eyes On After hanging up the phone, he gazed in the direction the car had gone with dark eyes. 10/11 Victoria¡¯s rtionship with ric was by no means usual. But the most abnormal thing was her eating habits. He had seen her five times now, and three out of the five times was when he saw her enjoying her drinks, seemingly without any loss of appetite. However, she seemed to have a fear of greasy foods. This behavior reminded him of his young stepmother who hid from and avoided him because she feared that he would harm her during her pregnancy. Despite that, the woman couldn¡¯t hide her eating habits. It wasn¡¯t like Bane wanted to be suspicious of Victoria. It was just his past experiences that led him to think that way when he T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. tol 10x the Woman He Had His Eyes On saw her like this. Furthermore, she was the woman he had his eyes on. Since she was the woman he had set his sights on and wouldn¡¯t easily let go, he naturally wanted to know everything about her. 11/11 In fact, after experiencing five years of struggles abroad, the current Bane desired absolute control over what he wanted. He would never just yield to anyone. The incident when he lost her when he went abroad five years ago and her bing someone else¡¯s wife would never happen again. 1341 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? Chapter 105 Chapter 105 That evening, Victoria and ric conveyed Benedict¡¯s words to Griselda. Griselda had been in a good state of mind during this period when she stayed at home. Herplexion was healthier than when she was at the recuperation center, and she was also much livelier. Seeing the two of theming to talk to her about this together, she happily nodded without fear. ¡°An examination tomorrow? Sure. No problem.¡± Griselda was in a good mood now. She was surely enjoying the bustling atmosphere outside, which was why she wanted toplete the surgery as soon as possible and recover quickly. Victoria was relieved when she heard that. 1/11 13 Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? ¡°You look happy, Grandma.¡± 094% ¡°I am happy.¡± Griselda held her hand and sighed as she spoke. ¡°I thought I would be stuck in the recuperation center forever. But I have no regrets even if I die on the operating table if I could see the outside world again before the surgery.¡± Victoria was initially d because of Griselda¡¯s words, but she immediately turned pale upon hearing thatst sentence. ¡°What are you talking about, Grandma¡­¡± 2/11 However, there was not a hint of sadness in Griselda¡¯s eyes. She looked at ric and motioned for him toe over. ric then stepped forward with a heavy expression. ¡°Don¡¯t say something so ominous, Grandma. The surgery will be sessful. You will be able to see more of the outside world in the future.¡± Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at Al ¡°I¡¯m not jinxing myself. Of course, I hope the surgery will be sessful, but idents happen.¡± ric¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Nothing bad will happen,¡± he insisted. 3/11 ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Griselda smiled andmented, ¡°Anyway, if anything happens to me, both of you must live a good life. Don¡¯t be sad because of me, and don¡¯t quarrel with each other. Al, you are the man in this. rtionship. You should be more considerate of Victoria. Girls have it the hardest. Do you understand me?¡± Plop! Tears streamed down Victoria¡¯s face without warning. Since she was leaning against Griselda¡¯s side, the cascade of warm tearsnded directly on the elderly woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Victoria¡­¡± 13:41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? Griselda froze as she stared at the string of pearl¨Clike tears. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± 4/11 Victoria pressed her face against Griselda¡¯s hand while she tightly embraced her arm. Her eyes were teary when she sobbed, ¡°Please don¡¯t say such discouraging words. The surgery will definitely be sessful, and you can continue to experience the beauty of the world outside. Also, ric and I argue a lot. We need you to mediate, so please don¡¯t let anything happen to you, alright?¡± Griselda was only contemting the possibilities at first. In fact, she had had a healthy state of mindtely. She used to have some regrets but now, she realized there wasn¡¯t much for her to feel remorseful about. She was calm when she said what she said. No one wanted to die early but if death was unavoidable, Griselda would ept it with a peaceful heart. After all, death wasn¡¯t so frightening. Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? However, she never thought that her words would make Victoria cry so heart¨Cwrenchingly. Griselda had always known that Victoria¡¯s feelings toward her were not ordinary affection someone would have for their grandmother¨Cinw. Victoria grew up being attached to Griselda, and she would always confide in the elderly woman. Gradually, Griselda realized that Victoria felt differently for her. She only found out after asking around that Victoria grew up without her mother. It was then that Griselda realized a possibility¨CVictoria might have regarded her as a female elder to whom she could entrust her emotions. 5/11 And it was today that Griselda realized how deep Victoria¡¯s feelings for her were. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± 13:41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? Victoria started sobbing when Griselda didn¡¯t answer her. 6/11 ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Griselda quickly coaxed Victoria. Her heart had melted into a puddle as she murmured, ¡°I won¡¯t say these things anymore. Stop crying, hmm?¡± Thus, Griselda ended up being the one who kept consoling Victoria. It took her considerable effort to finally calm the young woman down. She then contentedly went back to her room to sleep after telling the young couple that she would be there again the next morning. ¡°Alright, now.¡± Griselda patted Victoria on the back of her head. ¡°Goodnight, my dear. It is time for you to rest.¡± After Victoria left, Griselda cast a piercing nce in ric¡¯s direction. ¡°Have you been quarreling with her a lottely?¡± ric came to a small pause before exining, ¡°She was just teasing you. Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at A You believed her?¡± ¡°Do you think my aging eyes are so clouded that I can¡¯t see the issue between the two of you?¡± ric only calmly asked in return, ¡°What issue are you talking about?¡± ¡°Hmph! You should know best.¡± When her words were met with silence, she asked again, ¡°Is it because of udia?¡± To ric¡¯s surprise, his grandmother¡¯s words hit the mark, causing a noticeable change in his expression. 7/11 ¡°udia holds a special ce in your heart because she saved your life.¡± When Griselda saw his lips twitch as if he wanted to deny it, she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be too quick to say no. I have keen eyes. You used to have such a good rtionship with Victoria, but you have been hit with one problem 13 41 Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? after anothertely, haven¡¯t you? There must be a reason for that. I initially thought it was just a normal argument between you two, but I changed my mind when I saw udia that day.¡± B/11 Pausing deliberately at this point, she took her time before speaking again. ¡°udia was here for you on the evening we returned from the recuperation center, am I right?¡± ric did not respond. After all, women who married into the Cadogan Family were not gullible. Griselda sighed when she noticed her grandson¡¯s silence. ¡°Just as I thought. Does she expect something more from you just because she saved your life? She must be delusional.¡± ric frowned and instinctively defended udia. ¡°She¡¯s not, Grandma.¡± 13 41 Thu, 22 Jun Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? Upon hearing this, Griselda, who had maintained a rtively calm expression until now, couldn¡¯t help the change in her expression as her tone grew sterner. ¡°So, are you the one with wishful thinking?¡± ric didn¡¯t say anything to that. ¡°Do you even realize your current status? You are a married man, yet you are involved with another woman. How do you think Victoria feels?¡± ric¡¯s lips were pressed into a straight line as he kept mum. Griselda¡¯s gaze became fiercer the longer she stared at him. That aura and gaze were not befitting an elderly person, let alone someone about to undergo surgery. ¡°Tell me honestly, ric. Do you not like Victoria at all?¡± she demanded. 9/11 13 Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at All? ric froze in ce upon hearing that. Like her? There was a hint of confusion in his dark eyes. 10/11 That being said, how could the astute woman not discern the emotions in his eyes? But the moment she understood what he felt, she was so angry she could barely speak. But immediately after that, she thought about something that made her anger subside. Griselda practically watched ric grow up. This is from N?velDrama.Org. The main reason she liked having Victoria as her granddaughter¨Cinw was ultimately because of ric himself. She wouldn¡¯t have entertained the idea of Victoria and ric being Chapter 105 Do You Not Like Her at AB? together if she hadn¡¯t seen how well ric treated Victoria or how much he cared about her. After all, Victoria was an exceptional young woman. If she were to marry, she should marry someone who she truly loved and reciprocated her feelings. Griselda let out another sigh at the thought of that. It has been so many years, ric. Don¡¯t tell me you still don¡¯t know what you want.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 On this cold night, West maneuvered his way around the crowd in the bar and headed toward the bar counter. Following closely behind him was Norwood. It waste at night but once again, they were summoned by ric. They expected to see him drunk and disheveled when they arrived. To their surprise, he was dressed impably while sitting at the bar counter, his gaze clear. He hadn¡¯t touched the ss of alcohol sitting right in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you call us here to drink?¡± West asked in surprise as he walked over to ric and greeted him. ¡°Are you okay, Al? You haven¡¯t had a drop of alcohol even until now.¡± Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? Hearing the familiar voice, ric came back to his senses and looked up. When he saw that West hade with Norwood, he nced at thetter with a gaze that seemed to be asking why he brought West along. Norwood paused momentarily and quickly understood what was going on when he saw the look in ric¡¯s eyes. 2/10 ric only called Norwood over, but Norwood also invited West because he wasn¡¯t aware that ric didn¡¯t ask West toe. But since they were already here, there was nothing they could do. The two men tacitly didn¡¯t say anything more. West, being his carefree self, plopped down and immediately started ordering. He muttered to ric, ¡°I have to say, you¡¯re really weird. You came to the bar to drown your sorrows because of Victoriast time, right? What about this time? Is it also because of her?¡± ric felt a knot in his chest when he heard Victoria¡¯s name, and he chose Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? not to answer West. 3/10 ¡°I thought you two were doing fine before. How did things turn out like this? Since udia hase back, shouldn¡¯t she reim her ce by your side? I heard that Victoria pushed udia at the farewell party Bane hosted. udia even got injured and has a scar. Al, you shouldn¡¯t indulge Victoria like this. Even if you were childhood sweethearts, you shouldn¡¯t let her harm udia like that.¡± udia was West¡¯s muse. He had gotten upset at Victoria the moment he heard about what had happened at the farewell party, which was why he was now angrily He wasn¡¯t satisfied with all that he said as he soon added, ¡°If someone dares to hurt udia in front of me, I swear I¡¯ll do what they did to udia tenfold. They are going to get more than they bargained for.¡± 1213 Fri, 23 Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? ric narrowed his eyes and his voice turned cold as he growled, ¡°What did you say?¡± Even though West shrank back from fear, he still braved himself and challenged ric. ¡°Am I wrong? If a man can¡¯t even protect the woman he loves, shouldn¡¯t he at least avenge her when someone hurts her? Dude, she is freaking scarred. Don¡¯t you know how serious scars are to women?¡± ric only coldly stared at his friend and demanded, ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Al!¡± West¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Did Victoria really bewitch you or something in thest two years? She scarred udia by pushing her. Everyone at the farewell party saw her do it.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t her.¡± ric subconsciously denied the usation for her when he recalled how she couldn¡¯t be bothered with exining herself during the party. 4/10 Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? West clearly didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°How is that possible? Everyone who came back after attending the party said that Victoria.was the one closest to udia at that time. Only she was close enough to push udia. Who else could it be if it wasn¡¯t her?¡± He then mocked in a disdainful voice, ¡°You are not going to say that udia tripped over herself, are you?¡± ric still had a grim expression as he remained quiet. West paused when he vigntly sensed something. He then turned his head to exchange a nce with Norwood, who looked back at him indifferently. ¡°What do you mean?¡± West couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You think udia tripped over herself too?¡± Norwood pondered for a moment and without confirming whether or not udia fell by herself, he simply asked, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you this-what made you 5/10 12 13 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? 6/10 think that it was Victoria who pushed udia? Just because she was closest to her?¡± ¡°Her being close to udia is one thing, but everyone is saying the same thing,¡± West insisted. ¡°Does having everyone say that make it the truth?¡± ¡°Well, if everyone is saying it is the truth even though it isn¡¯t, what is the actual truth then?¡± West looked at Norwood with a nk expression on his face. ¡°Norwood, I don¡¯t understand why you always take Victoria¡¯s side every time something happens.¡± ¡°Am I taking her side, or are you too biased toward udia?¡± The bartender brought their drinks right then. Norwood picked up one of 12 13 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? the sses and gently swirled it around, the specially crafted cocktail sparkling under the illumination of the bar lights. ¡°If one¡¯s subjective consciousness is constantly dominated by a single ideology, it makes it easy for them to overlook other possibilities.¡± ric¡¯s pupils contracted when he heard those words after staying silent the whole time. Meanwhile, West stared at Norwood with a strange expression on his face. ¡°What¡¯s this all about? Why are you suddenly so profound, talking about subjective consciousness?¡± Norwood only tilted his head and shed a small smile. ¡°You think of udia as your muse, hmm? Can you ept it if she did something to hurt others?¡± 7/10 E hapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? When West heard this, he eximed incredulously with his eyes wide 8/10 open, ¡°That¡¯s impossible! udia is such a kind hearted person. How could she ever do something to harm others?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your subjective consciousness at work. It is because you are partial toward udia that you firmly believe she is noble and incapable of doing anything wrong. You don¡¯t even believe that she can make mistakes. Whenever there¡¯s even the slightest negative news, you automatically shift the me onto others. That is why you perceive the person closest to her as the scapegoat.¡± ¡°When have I ever thought that?¡± West demanded. ¡°But am I wrong?¡± Norwood calmly gazed at him. ¡°Of course, you are!¡± West denied rather fervently. ¡°Norwood, what kind of person do you think I am?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not the case, why did you automatically assume it was Victoria who Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? pushed udia even though there is no evidence? Why didn¡¯t you investigate before letting Al take revenge on behalf of udia?¡± Norwood¡¯s gaze was sharp, and his words were direct and incisive as he went straight to the point. 9/10 ¡°I¡­¡± West was rendered speechless by Norwood¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t say anything at all for a moment. What was even more frightening was that he realized Norwood¡¯s logic was actually right. Everything he had said had been easily overturned. It was true that West hadn¡¯t witnessed it with his own eyes. He didn¡¯t go to the farewell party as he had something else to attend to. He only regretted not going that night after such a big incident urred. Something like that probably wouldn¡¯t have happened to udia if he had been there. 12 13 Fri, 23 Chapter 106 You¡¯re Not Bewitched by Her, Are You? 10/10 He believed that he could make everything revolve around udia when he T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. was near her. She was the center of his universe: Even if someone wanted to harm her, he would protect her and save her from harm. The udia he adored was undoubtedly the most beautiful and kind person in the world. How could she possibly do something to harm others? With these thoughts in mind, West stood up abruptly, his expression resolute. ¡°You are saying this only because I didn¡¯t look for evidence, right? Norwood, you think that I¡¯m being partial toward udia, but I think you are prejudiced against her. You want evidence, eh? Okay, I¡¯ll get you evidence!¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 West walked away in a huff, leaving his two friends at the bar. Norwood nced at ric who seemed lost in his own thoughts, and he decided to hold off on what he wanted to say. After a moment, ric asked him in a serious tone, ¡°What do you mean by what you just said?¡± Norwood smiled. ¡°You already know the answer, don¡¯t you?¡± ric raised his gaze and cast a somber look toward Norwood upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re referring to.¡± ¡°ric, do you recall thest time I asked you the same question here? Have you still not figured out what it is that you truly want even after all these years?¡± Norwood asked. 1/10 Chapter 107 It Had Been a Long Time Since He Last ric was taken aback when his friend said that. So, Norwood asked me about it before¡­ That exins why it sounded so familiar when Grandma brought it up earlier. However, he didn¡¯t pay much attention or take it seriously when Norwood previously mentioned it. Seeing ric remain silent, Norwood let out a soft sigh. ¡°You grew up with her and have witnessed all her joys and sorrows. You know her in every way possible. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you immediately came back when you learned that the Selwyn Family went bankrupt. Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ric admitted. He couldn¡¯t deny it. He didn¡¯t know about the bankruptcy at first, but as soon as he received the news, he dropped everything and hurried back. Norwood chuckled lightly when he recalled the incident. ¡°I heard you were -in the middle of negotiating a big deal at the time. Didn¡¯t you think that it 2/10 Chapter 107 It Had Been a Long Time Since He Last wouldn¡¯t be toote even if you only came back a few dayster after sealing the deal? Why did you abandon all your work and rush back right away?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because-¡± ric almost said something, but he hesitated right when his words were on the tip of his tongue. 3/10 ¡°It¡¯s because you were worried about her, right?¡± Norwood went ahead and finished the sentence for him. It was true that ric was worried. He only had one thing going through his mind upon hearing the news. ¡°You gave up a deal worth millions for her. Have you never seriously considered what your rtionship with her is? What you did isn¡¯t something childhood friends would usually do for one another, ric.¡± Chapter 107 H Had Been a Long Time Since He Last Norwood¡¯s voice was soft, but it sounded deafening to ric. His friend¡¯s voice seemed to be amplified countless times at this very moment. Have I seriously considered my rtionship with Victoria? ric thought. ¡ê10 ¡°It is not hard to see through your heart,¡± Norwood continued before ric could respond. ¡°But if you find it hard to decide, why not let her go? Don¡¯t hold her back. You can free yourself from the burden as well.¡± After saying that, Norwood patted ric¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t have the best of both worlds. That¡¯s life.¡± It waste at night when Victoria changed into the pajamas she recently bought. The plush fabric was soft and lightweight, and the warmth it absorbed from the sun made it particrlyfortable to wear. She had bawled her eyes out before she slept, and she even sniffled when she had fallen asleep. By the time she was peacefully asleep, ric stood tall and graceful by the bed. Victoria looked quieter and more lovable in her sleep, her features illuminated by the warm yellowmp in the room. Their rtionship could be said to have deteriorated to the extreme during this period. Although they politely talked on the surface, Victoria¡¯s attitude and gaze toward ric were constantly punishing and tormenting him emotionally. It was only after Victoria had fallen asleep that he realized that they had not grown distant. Their rtionship was still the same as before. ¡°You have the answer, don¡¯t you?¡± Norwood¡¯s words tonight echoed in ric¡¯s mind once again. Suddenly, Victoria¡¯s calm expression was reced by a frown. Is she having a nightmare? ric crouched beside the bed and instinctively ced his palm on her forehead, wanting to smooth out the frown. Hepletely forgot that his hands were icy cold after he had spent the whole night drinking at the bar. As soon as his fingertips touched Victoria¡¯s forehead, she shuddered and woke up abruptly at the cold sensation. Their eyes met unexpectedly right then. Victoria¡¯s eyes were still blurry from her sleep. Under the bedroom light, her clear gaze held a hint of warmth that stirred ric. His icy fingertips were still on her forehead. Victoria only came back to her senses and realized what was going on after a while. She quickly moved away from the man¡¯s touch and sat up, her eyes wary as she peered at him. ¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Seeing her acting all cautious made him frown unhappily. ¡°What can I do when you are being so defensive toward me?¡± At that, Victoria realized that her reaction might seem a bit excessive. She could only turn her head to the other side and avoid his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not being defensive,¡± she grumbled. Even if they were not husband and wife, they did grow up together. She doubted he would have any malicious intentions toward her. In the next moment, ric held Victoria¡¯s chin with his cold hand, forcing her to turn in his direction. ¡°Why can¡¯t you look at me, then?¡± he demanded. His gaze was hostile. As he spoke, he drew closer to her, enveloping her in his chilling aura. Despite Victoria¡¯s attempts to break free, she couldn 50. 50. prop her hands on both sides of her body while looking up at him. At this point, ric was close enough that he could smell the faint fragrance from her body. Her scent stirred something in him, and it made him gulp involuntarily as desire flickered in his eyes. ¡°What are you doing in the middle of the night, ric? Don¡¯t you need to sleep? Don¡¯t forget we have to take Grandma for a check¨Cup tomorrow morning!¡± Seeing her small, cherry lips open and close when she spoke, ric suddenly realized that it had been a long time since hest kissed her. He was so lost in his thoughts that he no longer cared to hear what she was saying after that. ¡± Halfway through her sentence, Victoria noticed that he was staring at her like a wolf eyeing its prey. He looked like he was going to devour her at any moment. Feeling a faint sense of foreboding, she pursed her red lips and pulled the nket tighter around her. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to sleep, I¡¯ll be sleeping first- mmph!¡± However, her vision turned dark before she could pull the nket closer. The man¡¯s aura hadpletely engulfed her. She was caught off guard by the familiarity of the softness she had not experienced in a long time. It wasn¡¯t until she felt a warmth on her lips that she suddenly came to her senses and pushed the person in front of her away. ric was so absorbed in the kiss that he didn¡¯t notice her shoving at him. When he opened his eyes, there was still a lingering desire in his gaze as he T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ogled Victoria¡¯s red lips, which were swollen from the kiss. He leaned in again shortly after, wanting to resume the kiss they were sharing. However, Victoria kept him away by pushing his chest. ¡°What the hell, ric?!¡± The man¡¯s eyes were dark, and his voice was hoarse with a hint of seduction when he rasped, ¡°Why are you pushing me away? Didn¡¯t you say this is just a physical need?¡± Victoria¡¯s face quickly fell as her pupils contracted. Does this mean that he is here because he has needs to fulfill now? What does he take me for?! Chapter 108 Chapter 108 At that thought, Victoria snorted and looked at him coldly. ¡°Go find your darling udia to fulfill your physical needs.¡± ric¡¯s eyes darkened as he gritted his teeth. ¡°I only want you and no one else.¡± After speaking, he leaned forwards to seek her lips again but instead received a p. ¡°Go! Go and find your darling udia. Don¡¯t touch me. Just go!¡± Victoria was shaking with anger since he still wanted to continue after being pped. However, ric caught her wrist and raised his voice as he asked, ¡°You¡¯re angry now? Your recent role as an obedient wife was yed so well. Why aren¡¯t you continuing with that?¡± She knew he wanted to use her for his physical needs, which was why she became utterly irrational. She felt more reluctant to answer him and merely struggled harder. Seeing Victoria act like this made ric feel angry yet sympathetic, but remembering what Norwood and his grandmother had said made him tighten his grip on her wrist slightly. ¡°You said that of your own volition back then, so why are you getting angry? Snowball, what are you angry at?¡± His eyes were fixed on her as he asked the question like he wanted to make sure of something. ¡°Are you angry that I said being with you was merely to fulfill my physical desires, or are you angry that I met up with udia?¡± Victoria, who had been struggling, suddenly understood after hearing what ric said. If she hadn¡¯t known why he had suddenly behaved like this, now she did. He wanted to test her. ¡°What do you really want to say?¡± She looked at his handsome face and Chapter 108 Hunt Fancy You ALAI still thought him attractive, She had fancied him intensely back then but that didn¡¯t mean she would give him everything without limitations. His lips moved briefly but he did not speak. However, it was clear what he wanted to say. They had been childhood sweethearts for so long, so they knew each other really well and took each other seriously. However, it was just because of thetter that some questions couldn¡¯t be asked, such as when it came to liking and concern for someone. Once such questions were asked and a certain boundary was crossed, their rtionship would never be the same. It was one thing for it to be less pure but entirely another if it deteriorated. What was more awkward than one person treating the other as a friend but the other fancying the other? They might not be able to continue being friends. That was why ric had to ask that question in such a restrained, controlled tone. However, Victoria wasn¡¯t like him and knew what he wanted to ask based on her knowledge of him. She smiled and replied coldly, ¡°Do you think I have feelings for you?¡± Chapter 108 I Don¡¯t Fancy You At All His chest felt tight since he did not expect her to mention it so directly. ¡°You 4/9 ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± She looked at him and continued mildly, ¡°I don¡¯t fancy you at all.¡± When ric did not respond, she continued, ¡°I did say it was for our physical needs, but that was based on the condition where you don¡¯t go about dabbling in rtionships. It¡¯s different now, though. You already have udia, so why do I need to go to you to deal with my needs? Do I seem so easy to you?¡± Her words were light, but they stabbed him right in the heart. His gaze had changed as he stared at her and snarled, ¡°Whom are you going to seek out, then? Noel or Bane?¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Bane sent you home the night of the farewell party, right?¡± Chapter 108 I Don¡¯t Fancy You At All Victoria frowned with surprise. How does he know about that? She had assumed ric¡¯s attention was entirely focused on udia. ¡°You went out with him yesterday too.¡± Victoria finally felt suspicious. ¡°ric, did you follow me?¡± rm bells sounded inside her head. She had recently gone to the hospital and while she had gone with Summer, he couldn¡¯t find anything even if he really wanted to do so. ¡°Do I need to?¡± ric threw the question back at Victoria. Does he not? Does this mean that he didn¡¯t get someone to shadow me? 5/9 ¡°How did you know?¡± It wasn¡¯t concerning that he knew about it when udia got hurt since he might have seen it when Bane escorted Victoria to the entrance of the vi. However, Victoria hadn¡¯t even expected to see Bane when she went out for a meal yesterday, so how did ric know about 1215 FI, Chapter 108 I Don¡¯t Fancy You At All that? She had even taken a cab back. 6/0 ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ric snorted. ¡°Snowball, have you heard of the adage ¡®what is done by night appears by day¡¯?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t know what to say in response. ¡± As he thought of something, his eyes moved down to regard her sleepwear. ¡°And your recent style. Are you trying to please them?¡± She had no words. ¡°What are you waffling on about? Can¡¯t I change my style since winter has arrived?¡± we While speechless, she thought the man was being ridiculous. He hadn¡¯t suspected that her change in style was due to the baby. Instead, he thought she was trying to pander to Noel or Bane. Even after knowing ric for so long, Victoria felt that she didn¡¯t really know him since he took everything she had been worried about differently. Chapter 108 I Don¡¯t Fancy You At All He hadn¡¯t been overly concerned about the baby and didn¡¯t even ask about This is from N?velDrama.Org. it, which didn¡¯t make sense. What if¡­ 7/9 As Victoria pondered this, ric¡¯s cool breath came closer and interrupted her thoughts. She saw his furious face getting closer when she gathered her thoughts. ¡°Of course, you can, but don¡¯t you think the timing is too coincidental? Besides, is Bane whom you fancy? He hugged you that night.¡± At the mention of that, Victoria¡¯s head started to hurt. ¡°Can we not talk about that right now? I don¡¯t fancy anyone, all right?¡± She couldn¡¯t help yawning. ¡°I¡¯m tired, so why don¡¯t we sleep first? We can talk tomorrow if there¡¯s anything.¡± Her main focus was taking Griselda for a checkup the following day, so she didn¡¯t want to worry about anything else. 1215 Fri, 23 Ju Chapter 108 I Don¡¯t Fancy You At All ric froze upon hearing that, probably not expecting her to be so unconcerned about such a serious matter and even wanting to go to bed. How can she fall asleep? While he remained quiet, she added, ¡°If you aren¡¯t tired, then I shall sleep first.¡± Victoria drew her hand back and pulled back the nket before carefully lying down, only bing reassured when she saw that ric was still standing there woodenly but not approaching her. The two of them remained silently in the room. Victoria had thought he would leave if she ignored him, but he stood there staring at her for some reason. She bit her lip. Is he nning on standing there for the rest of the night? Is he crazy? Never mind. I¡¯m now pregnant and need enough rest so as not to be as crazy as he is. After making up her mind, Victoria turned her back to him and quickly fell asleep. No Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Victoria¡¯s breathing was slow and regr when she slept. ric walked to the other side of the bed from where she had turned her back to him and saw that she really was asleep, and extremely soundly at that. He raised his hand to touch where he had been pped, feeling dazed. If his cheek wasn¡¯t still stinging, he would have wondered if the entire fiasco had been a dream. After all, how could someone be angry one second and fall asleep without any hesitation the next? Victoria had changed far too much, so much so that he almost couldn¡¯t recognize her anymore. He felt restless since some of his emotions couldn¡¯t be vented, yet he couldn¡¯t say anything after seeing her sleeping peacefully. He even made his steps lighter when he eventually left the side of the bed and soon settled on the couch outside. It was already midnight, but his brain was wide awake as he kept reying what Norwood had said to him before leaving. 1/8 B Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You When they left the bar, Norwood had stopped him. ¡°If you can¡¯t understand it, I¡¯ll change the question.¡± 2/8 ric had been feeling unsettled and he red sideways at Norwood. Even though the former¡¯s expression and gaze were filled with impatience, he did not step away. 9 Norwood chuckled as he stated, ¡°It¡¯s easy. Just think about whether you can tolerate Victoria being with other men after leaving you.¡± ric frowned in irritation. ¡°Norwood, what exactly do you want to say?¡± ¡°Can you tolerate it if Victoria hugs and kisses other men, or does whatever couples do with them?¡± ric couldn¡¯t help frowning at the mention of hugging, not to mention the rest. By the time Norwood had finished speaking, there was clear anger in ric¡¯s gaze. Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You As if already expecting this, Norwood smiled slightly. ¡°I was merely being rhetorical, yet you have be this furious. How will you turn out when T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. that really happens, ric? Don¡¯t wait until things can no longer be salvaged and regret it afterward.¡± 3/8 If that really happens? Victoria is extremely brilliant and will have plenty of admirers after bing single. After being freed from her marriage, she will be with someone else once she finds an ideal suitor. How can any man control himself when he¡¯s with her? They will surely¡­ Just the thought of it made ric clench his fists. After some time, he leaned backward andy his head on the couch before closing his eyes in exhaustion. Meanwhile, Victoria slept soundly the entire time in the bedroom. She felt energized and refreshed when she woke up the following morning. The minor interlude that had happened the night before had been 1215 Fri, 23 Jun E Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You forgotten as she sat up and stretched. She was about to get off the bed to wash up when she suddenly saw ric, who had been sitting on the couch. Their gazes met and Victoria could see how bloodshot his eyes were. She paused. Did he sit here the entire night without sleeping? If he did not sleep, does this mean he has been sitting there staring at me the whole time? The thought was scary. ric knew they had to bring his grandmother to the hospital, but he hadn¡¯t slept at all during the night. In the end, she chose not to reprimand him. After all, it was his dear grandmother and he should have considered that. Aftering to a decision, she got to her feet to prepare herself for the day. When she came out of the bathroom after finishing her routine, she saw that he was still sitting on the couch and couldn¡¯t help reminding him, ¡°Uh¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to wash up? We need to take your grandma for a check¨Cup.¡± 4/8 50% Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You A hint of impatience shed in ric¡¯s eyes before he got up. ¡°I know. I don¡¯t need you to remind me.¡± 5/8 He then walked past her and into the bathroom. Victoria was speechless upon hearing that. However, she reminded herself to keep calm as there were only a few days left. Due to her restful sleep, she had no dark circles under her eyes. As such, she decided to skip her makeup routine, going straight downstairs once she had changed her clothes. When she came down the stairs, she discovered that ric¡¯s parents were also in the living room and talking with Griselda, who was in a wheelchair. Victoria wasn¡¯t taken aback at the sight of them because they had mentioned the night before that they woulde today. They hadn¡¯t been able to catch their flight due to it being dyed when the operation was being considered. Even though Griselda hadn¡¯t gone into the operating theater, they had felt guilty about it and returned earlier. They had arrived early that morning even though they didn¡¯t know if an operation was 15 Fri, 23 Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You needed that day. Victoria had juste down the stairs when she heard Griselda say to her son and daughter¨Cinw, ¡°You are extremely upied with your business matters, so you don¡¯t have to rush back here just for this if you don¡¯t have any free time. I¡¯m old anyway, so no one will probably care if I die on the operating table.¡± Before hearing the second half, Victoria had thought Griselda was being genuine, but she promptly realized that the elderly woman was just being condescending. She thought to herself, Grandma can be rather cute at times. Mary, who had been ying with and studying the teacup on the couch, quickly put down the teapot and got up to kneel before Griselda. She held the elderly woman¡¯s hands as she murmured, ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? Our business may be important, but it is not as important as you are. You take up the most important position in Adrian¡¯s heart as well as mine, and nothing can everpare to you.¡± 6/8 Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You Mary was just as Victoria had imagined her to be, but Griselda withdrew her hand with a scornful look. ¡°Do you think I will believe such fanciful words?¡± ¡°Oh, Mom. If just a few fanciful words don¡¯t have much effect, I¡¯ll continue saying them all the way to the hospital.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll justin about you being noisy if you do that.¡± Griselda looked disgusted but there was a smile lingering on her lips. Victoria felt truly envious as she watched the scene unfold. Mary seemed able to resolve such circumstances well no matter how bad the person¡¯s mood was by perfectly restoring the atmosphere. How capable of her! Victoria herself didn¡¯t have such abilities. ¡°Victoria?¡± Griselda saw Victoria and called out to her. 7/8 Mary recovered and followed Griselda¡¯s gaze to find Victoria standing there. Her exquisite face looked delighted. ¡°Victoria.¡± Chapter 109 Can You Tolerate Her Leaving You Victoria smiled at Mary, forcing a smile despite feeling shy, and greeted everyone. ¡°Good morning, Grandma. Mom and Dad, why have youe so early?¡± Adrian was a very emotionally¨Creserved person but he had watched Victoria grow up. Their families were extremely close, and she was almost like a daughter to him. She had eventually be his daughter¨Cinw, making Adrian and her father rted and thus bringing the two families even closer. He nodded and gave her a sincere smile. ¡°I was worried about traffic, so I came earlier with Mary.¡± Mary came forward and hugged Victoria. ¡°Victoria, sorry for troubling you all this time. I heard that you have been responsible for taking care of Mom.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Mary bore a faint scent of lemons which felt refreshing. Victoria felt herself rx physically and emotionally when hugging Mary, and she returned the embrace with fervor. Her female elders were always her favorite. Mary had sensed that as well and couldn¡¯t help tapping Victoria¡¯s nose. ¡°Did you miss Mom?¡± Mary referring to herself as Mom stunned Victoria for a long while and she nodded after taking some time to recover. ¡°Yes, I missed you both.¡± ¡°Ha! Darling, we missed all of you too.¡± Mary then pinched Victoria¡¯s cheek lightly and couldn¡¯t help doing it twice more after thinking about how perfect Victoria¡¯s skin was. She then turned to Adrian. ¡°Did you bring the presents we got for Victoria?¡± Adrian felt around in his pocket before pulling out two boxes. ¡°I did.¡± Mary turned to take them before giving them to Victoria. ¡°Here. These are the presents we have gotten for you this time.¡± This hadn¡¯t been the only asion that this happened. Before marrying ric, Chapter 110 Naturally Have to Give Her the Best Adrian and Mary would always bring her presents whenever meeting her, and all of them were extremely expensive. If Victoria refused to ept their presents, Mary would talk Victoria into eventually epting them. Presently, the young woman smiled lightly as she reached out to ept them. ¡°Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡°At least you have the decency to bring her presents,¡± remarked Griselda. ¡°Of course, Mom. Victoria has put so much effort into taking care of you, not to mention that she¡¯s our daughter¨Cinw. We naturally have to give her the best.¡± As everyone chatted happily, Victoria soon forgot about all her woes. ric came down at that moment, his cold expression softening somewhat at the sight of his parents, though he didn¡¯t look good at all. Since he hadn¡¯t been resting enough recently and couldn¡¯t sleep the night before, his eyes werepletely bloodshot with dark shadows below them, and he looked very tired. The look in Mary¡¯s eyes changed just by ncing at him, but she did not say 2/7 1216 Fri, Chapter 110 Naturally Have to Give Her the Best anything in front of Griselda, so the elderly woman did not feel pressured by it. It was until Griselda had been escorted into the car that Mary dragged him to one side and asked him quietly, ¡°What happened to you during thest few days? Your dark circles are so prominent. What have you been up to every night?¡± 3/7 ric looked at where Victoria had joined Griselda in the car before shifting his gaze away. ¡°Nothing.¡± Mary snorted at that. ¡°Did you forget who gave birth to you? Trying to keep things from me, huh? Can you manage that?¡± He did not even turn around, but his expression was frigid. ¡°So what?¡± She wanted to roll her eyes at his behavior but did not show it due to her being the Judging by your unhappy look, did you argue with Victoria?¡± He did not respond. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m right. Why have you offended her again? She¡¯s so good¨Ctempered; how did you manage to fight with her?¡± 12:16 Fri, 23 Jun T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 110 Naturally Have to Give Her the Best Good¨Ctempered? ric snorted inwardly. Victoria¡¯s words are utterly infuriating. How can she be good¨Ctempered? My mother has just never experienced how infuriating Victoria can be, which is why she said that. ¡°Hmph! Al, just look at you. Why are you so picky with her? Just console her when she gets angry and do it again if that doesn¡¯t work. As long as you are stubborn, nothing is impossible.¡± ¡°Like how you pursued Dad back then?¡± Mary had been happily giving her son some excellent advice and did not expect him to use it against her. ¡°What are you talking about? Your father was the one who refused to give up on pursuing me, which made us what we are today, alright?¡± ric snorted again, no longer wanting to argue with her. Even if his mother had pursued his father relentlessly back then, all of it happened years ago. Besides, his father loved his mother so much that he would deny the truth and say he had been the one to pursue her. ric had already experienced things like this plenty of times. ¡°Why are you snorting? You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Mary asked in irritation. ¡°If you don¡¯t, ¦¡¦° Chapter 110 Naturally Haw to Give Her the feet why don¡¯t we go ask your father? ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± ric replied neutrally. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car. We still need to get to the hospital.¡± Not waiting for his mother¡¯s response, he immediately approached the car Meanwhile, Mary stood where she was, feeling annoyed by her son. She now knew why he and Victoria had argued. His personality ispletely simr to that of his father in that it is serious and boring but while his father is cold, ric is aplete blockhead. If Victoria¡¯s personality isn¡¯t like mine, both of them would¡­ Mary sighed internally and followed ric. They couldn¡¯t fit in one car, so Griseldal had said that she would ride in Adrian and Mary¡¯s car. Victoria had followed her inside at once, but the elderly wornan spoke after a short while. ¡°Victoria, go ride in ric¡¯s car.¡± Victoria froze, her heart stuttering, ¡°Grandma?¡± Has she noticed something? Why would she ask me to ride in ric¡¯s car? 1216 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 110 Naturally Have to Give Her the Best The next moment, Griselda patted her hand reassuringly. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your mother in a long time and want to say some things to her.¡± Victoria sighed in relief. If Griselda wanted to chat with Mary, then it was understandable. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay with you here, Grandma. I won¡¯t interrupt you both.¡± ¡°Silly girl. I want to talk about some other things with her. What are you doing staying here with me? Go.¡± Since Griselda had said so, Victoria could only nod helplessly. ¡°Alright, then.¡± She then got out of the car and promptly bumped into ric. Their gazes met for an instant before she looked away with pursed lips and walked toward his car. He took long strides and got into the car before she did. She had wanted to sit in the back but then chose the passenger seat after some consideration. As soon as she settled down and prepared to put on her seatbelt, she heard his mocking voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to ride in my car, no? Why are you here?¡± Her movements stopped for a moment before she calmly buckled her seatbelt. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but this might be ourst journey together. Let¡¯s just separate 6/7 Oluerer 115 teturally How to Grow Har the Best amicably Before getting in the car, ric had been thinking about what his mother had told him. He was already prepared for it, but the sight of her heading for the backseat and hesitate before settling in the passenger seat left him ufortable. Thus, his words had be more provocative. Meanwhile, her words were more infuriating than his, enough to make him grit his teeth. ¡°What did you say?¡± 70 12 16 Fri, 23 Chapter 111 Hurt Too Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Compared to ric¡¯s restlessness, Victoria seemed much calmer. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s not dy Grandma¡¯s check¨Cup.¡± Without any outsiders present, she didn¡¯t put on an act, and it made her sound and lookpletely different. When she finished speaking, she realized that he wasn¡¯t moving. She frowned slightly. She hadn¡¯t wanted to separate herself from him so soon, but his words were far too annoying, so she couldn¡¯t help herself. The results from Griselda¡¯s checkup weren¡¯t certain at all and Victoria had been far too hasty. At that thought, she took a deep breath and was about to turn to speak to him when the car suddenly set off at a great speed. She was extremely shocked and turned to look at ric, seeing that he was driving with apletely dark expression while exuding intense rage. For some reason, she felt herself tearing up as great sadness rose inside her. What is he doing? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong at all, so why do I have to bear all of this? How is his rtionship with udia any of my business? He was the one to suggest 1/6 Chapter 111 Hurt Too marriage as well as divorce, even asking me to abort the child. He has been the one controlling everything, so why is he angry with me? Her tears welled up and she turned to look outside the window before they could fall. She leaned backward and turned her head up slightly so her tears would umte without trickling out. Never mind. Just let it be. We probably can¡¯t even be friends anymore. What other choice is there? I shouldn¡¯t have fallen for him. The car went at a high speed before ric calmed down enough to let it return to a normal speed. When they arrived at the hospital and got out of the car, he saw that her eyes were red as if she had been crying. His stormy mood abated at once after seeing this. As Victoria was about to step inside the hospital, he caught her wrist. ¡°Were you crying?¡± She did not even turn her head. ¡°No.¡± He frowned. Her voice sounded normal and did not seem suspicious, yet her eyes were as red as that of a rabbit¡¯s. 75 12 17 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 111 Hurt Too This is from N?velDrama.Org. Why is she crying? Is it because I drove too fast? E 3/6 As ric considered this, he felt her hand trying to free itself. He lost focus for a while before gripping her wrist tighter. Remembering what his mother had said, he pursed his lips to form a straight line. ¡°It was my fault just now.¡± . Victoria, who had already calmed down, felt herself tear up again and nearly couldn¡¯t stop her tears. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to apologize. Let go.¡± She tried to draw her hand back, but he continued gripping it tightly, not letting go no matter how hard she struggled. ric wasn¡¯t sure if he was mistaken, but he could feel the sadness radiating from the back of her head. The emotions which had tormented him reached their peak and he opened his mouth, about to say something. ¡°There you are, Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan.¡± Two familiar nurses came out of the rehabilitation center at that moment and greeted them voluntarily. ric frowned, not expecting outsiders to interrupt them. Meanwhile, Victoria took the opportunity topletely shake him off and moved forward to talk to the two Chapter 111 Hurt Too nurses. Their attention was drawn to her immediately and they did not even notice him being angry. 416 After another ten minutes, Adrian¡¯s car arrived as well. Since the chauffeur had been the one driving, not to mention that Griselda was in it, the car moved extremely stably. As soon as Adrian alighted from the car, he shot a disapproving nce at his son and scolded sternly, ¡°Why did you drive so recklessly? It¡¯s fine if you are alone, but Victoria is there with you.¡± After reprimanding his son, Adrian went off to check on Victoria. Mary came forward while pushing Griselda¡¯s wheelchair as she shot her son a look. Seeing his dark expression made her snort inwardly before she shook her head. I gave him my secret weapon, but he still ended up like this. He deserves that. On the other hand, Griselda, who was sitting in the wheelchair, seemed to have sensed something too and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°They seem to have some issues since their emotions seem too unusual.¡± Mary paused before realizing what Griselda was worried about. After pondering for Chapter 111 Hurt Too a second, she chuckled. ¡°Mom, the younger generation likes to wear each other out. You don¡¯t have to be too concerned. Back in the day, Adrian and I would also argue every few days. I would either think he didn¡¯t care enough about me or that he wasn¡¯t being considerate enough. To be brief, their personalities will surely cause some friction when they get together before eventually bingpatible.¡± ¡°Your words make sense, but¡­¡± Griselda couldn¡¯t help worrying and decided to tell Mary about udia after some consideration. Her daughter¨Cinw was smart and would definitely find a way. If this could be dealt with, then Griselda didn¡¯t have to worry about it. udia¡­ Griselda couldn¡¯t really do much about her. It would be easier if udia had been any other girl, yet she was someone their family was indebted to, and it made things he couldn¡¯t ignore her or even treat her frigidly. Instead, he had to be warm toward her. Such a rtionship was hard to resolve as their elders. After hearing what Griselda had to say, Mary did not seem too worried. ¡°So, you¡¯re worried about that, Mom? I don¡¯t think you have to be so concerned. ric may be Chapter 111 Hurt Too slower on the uptake, but he definitely knows what he wants.¡± Griselda wasn¡¯t reassured and sighed instead. ¡°I agree with thetter, but I¡¯m worried about Victoria getting hurt.¡± Mary looked instinctively toward Victoria. The young woman was wearing an azure¨Ccolored long coat paired with a cream blouse underneath, with her waist¨Clength hair gathered into a low ponytail. When she lowered her head, several strands of hair came loose from its sides to conceal her wless face, making her look more delicate. 6/6 The nurse was saying something to Victoria, and she nodded slightly before smiling. She looked to be smiling, but she seemed sad and unhappy for an unknown reason. At that point, Mary, who had always been optimistic, couldn¡¯t help but frown too. She initially felt she didn¡¯t have to worry since she thought her son knew what he wanted, so there would not be an issue. However, Griselda¡¯s reminder made her realize she hadn¡¯t considered Victoria¡¯s feelings. Victoria had emotions and would feel unhappy or hurt too. Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Only Griselda could go inside for her check¨Cup, so the others had to wait outside. ric leaned against the window, instinctively feeling inside his pocket before recalling faintly that he hadn¡¯t touched cigarettes in a very long time. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t changed the habit of wanting to smoke whenever he felt anxious. He didn¡¯t really smoke much before, but it was about a year ago that hepletely quit smoking. It was after he and Victoria had identally slept together and he couldn¡¯t forget her body and scent. It was as if he was addicted to it. He started to kiss her from time to time, which happened anywhere and anytime since he refused to lose any opportunities for that. ric had once joined an hours¨Clong meeting where the contents put him in a horrible mood, so he started to smoke after returning to the conference room. After just a few puffs, Victoria came in with some documents and became concerned at the sight of him smoking. ¡°Why are you smoking now? Are you in a bad mood?¡± He did not answer and only stared darkly at her. Their rtionship had still been close back then, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of his frigid expression and quickly went 1/7 Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough forward to grab the cigarette. However, she did not seed and ended up being dragged onto hisp. After settling on hisp, she decided to y along and put her hands on his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Even if you are unhappy, it has already passed.¡± 2/7 Victoria¡¯s mouth opened and closed in front of him while she chattered on, glimmering so seductively that ric¡¯s gaze became darker as she continued. He lifted a hand and held her chin before kissing her, and she froze for an instant before kissing back. They kissed passionately in the office and when it ended, she leaned against him as she panted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel good,¡± she mumbled. ¡°What doesn¡¯t?¡± ric¡¯s voice was terribly hoarse. His first reaction was that he hadn¡¯t kissed her well enough and she wasn¡¯t satisfied with this. Her eyes were shiny while her mouth was still swollen. ¡°The cigarette.¡± He then realized she was referring to his cigarette, and he immediately stuck it on the ashtray and extinguished it. Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough She pouted. ¡°Not like that.¡± The tips of his fingers moved against her cheek and the pads of his fingers lingered on her ruined lipstick as he murmured, ¡°Not like that? Then, how?¡± ¡°I meant that you shouldn¡¯t smoke anymore,¡± Victoria answered, pulling on his necktie in annoyance. ¡°You knew that already but asked me that on purpose.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ricughed quietly and leaned toward her. ¡°So, you meant that it feels good and you enjoy it when I don¡¯t smoke?¡± Victoria was speechless upon hearing that. ¡°When did I say I enjoyed it? Don¡¯t tter yourself, all right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t enjoy it, hmm? Then, who was the one that kept asking me to kiss her after having too much to drink?¡± ¡°ric!¡± Her pouty voice and the good times they had together seemed to have happened yesterday, and only the cold wall stood before him when he came back to the present. They had been giving each other the silent treatment for a long time. 3/7 Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough ric looked toward Victoria where she was sitting beside his mother as they discussed something with their heads close together His phone vibrated inside his pocket at that moment, the ringtone making everyone look toward him. He recovered and took it out. After looking at the call notification, he pursed his lips and looked instinctively at Victoria, who was coincidentally looking at him. Their gazes met for a second before she discreetly shifted hers away. A/ After ric¡¯s phone rang for several seconds, he hung up and muted it, causing silence to fall once again, Mary understood everything from her son¡¯s reaction, since he would have picked it up had it been important. However, he had nced instinctively at Victoria after looking at the screen and didn¡¯t take the call either, which meant the caller was most probably udia. Marymented ric¡¯s ipetence before looking at Victoria, whose eyes were lowered. Victoria didn¡¯t seem affected by it, though no one knew what she was thinking. After the call was cut off, udia froze in disbelief. This was the first time ric had Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough hung up on her. Why? Is it because my face is about to be ruined so his feelings have changed? I¡¯m his savior, no? Even if my beauty is truly ruined, he should not treat me like that since he would always take my calls immediately. ine was beside udia and immediatelyined after seeing her unhappy look. ¡°That vixen Victoria must have seduced him! Why else would ric not pick up?¡± udia bit her lower lip. ¡°Stop talking.¡± ¡°Why not, udia? Hasn¡¯t she made a promise to you? See how it turned out. She is someone untrustworthy. You helped her out before, yet she stole your man. Why do you think she will fulfill her promise?¡± udia bit her lip, holding her phone tightly without speaking. ¡°udia, stop being so kind. The most terrifying thing is that she¡¯s pregnant and has said that she will get a divorce after Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s operation is finished. Have you ever thought about why Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s operation has suddenly been dyed? Why was she so healthy before but suddenly became so weak? Doesn¡¯t 5/7 Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough This is from N?velDrama.Org. Victoria have a hand in all this? She¡¯s been Mrs. Cadogan for so long, so why would she give up on that role so easily? It¡¯s impossible. Stop being so trustful, udia.¡± ine¡¯s words were difficult to take in, yet udia felt they were all true. If Victorial really wanted to fulfill her promise, why did she not sign the contract with udia? Victoria¡¯s unwillingness to sign the contract was proof of her not wanting to hold up her side of the deal. Many people would go back on anything they had agreed to verbally, so what could udia do besides scold Victoria if Victoria really did renege on their agreement? As udia was immersed in her thoughts, the door opened as one of her close friends came in. ¡°Bad news, udia. I bumped into Christopher on the way up, and he has bought flowers to visit you. I don¡¯t know where he got the information, but I didn¡¯t let him up.¡± udia was in a bad mood and felt speechless after hearing his name. ine rolled her eyes. ¡°Is Christopher crazy? Hasn¡¯t udia already turned him. down? What does he want?¡± udia was about to tell them to find an excuse to make him leave, but another 6/7 Chapter 112 Hadn¡¯t Kissed Her Well Enough person chimed in, ¡°Exactly. What can a rascal like him do besides cause trouble? I don¡¯t know where he found the courage to pursue udia. Does he think she will ever consider him?¡± She felt like she had heard the most important thing then. Cause trouble, huh? Her dejected gaze brightened once again. She had hated Christopher immensely before since she felt he damaged her reputation, but she hadn¡¯t felt so grateful for his arrival ever before. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 ine shot to her feet. ¡°Is he still downstairs? I¡¯ll chase him away. Honestly, what a delusional upstart.¡± 4 Just as she was about to leave the room, udia called out to her. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°udia?¡± To ine¡¯s surprise, udia smiled and gently said, ¡°Let him in.¡± 64 1/9 Everyone in the ward stared at her in shock as they all cried out at the same time. ¡°udia?¡± they shrieked. ¡°Did you forget what he did to you?¡± ine eximed. ¡°Christopher Drevel is a ruffian. If you let him in, you¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°ine,¡± udia interrupted in a soft voice. ¡°No matter what he did to me before, I am now hurt. If he knew of that and came here to visit me at the hospital, that Chapter 113 Prove Yourself means he cares about me. Should I not be touched by someone capable of showing me such concern? How could I chase him away?¡± 2/9 Everyone else disagreed with that sentiment. ¡°udia, he doesn¡¯t care about you. He likes you. If you acknowledge him, he will only get worse. Let¡¯s ignore him, please?¡± ¡°Yes, udia. I know you are so nice that you think he¡¯s being nice by visiting you, but why would he visit you unless he had an ulterior motive in mind?¡± ¡°Harden your heart. What if he does something to you?¡± However, udia was unexpectedly stubborn that day. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do anything to 1. me. I know you¡¯re concerned about me, but he¡¯s really here to visit me. Let hime in.¡± Seeing that they were going to continue protesting, she smiled and added, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve made up my mind. You can stop.¡± When they realized there was no way to convince her, they had no choice but to call Christopher in. Chapter 113 Prove Yoursel! Still, that did not stop them from grumbling as they went. ¡°What¡¯s going on with udia? She hates Christopher, right? Why would she let him in?¡± ¡°Perhaps she changed her mind due to how bad her injuries are. Somehow, that made her think he¡¯s really here just to visit her.¡± ¡°Oh, I just don¡¯t understand her.¡± They headed downstairs to find Christopher still waiting with a floral bouquet. He was a thug, someone who knew udia in school but had long since dropped out. However, he continued to bother her after dropping out. He only stopped when she moved abroad where he could not follow her. Recently, he had somehow heard about udia¡¯s return and was back to harass her. He was quite handsome but with an alcoholic father, a mother who worked at a massage parlor, and no proper job of his own, who would want to date him? Nevertheless, udia was the daughter of someone rich and powerful. Hence, 3/9 Chapter 113 Prove Yourself everyone went along with what she said. They soon led him up to udia¡¯s room. He had been so overjoyed to hear about being given permission to see her that he followed close behind them with his bright and gaudy bouquet. When Christopher walked into the room, he found udia sitting on the bed, looking miserable and pitiful with her head covered in thick loops of gauze bandages. ¡°udia!¡± He initially wanted to take a few steps forward in his excitement, but with consideration that she had potentially run away to spend years overseas because he had been too fervent in his pursuit, he decided to instead vibrate on the same spot as he stared at her. The passion in his eyes made udia¡¯s stomach churn with disgust. Every inch of him, including the so¨Ccalled trendy outfit he had curated for himself, was revolting to her. 4/9 Chapter 113 Prove Yourself She would never have allowed someone like him into her territory if he were of no use to her goal. ¡°How did you get hurt, udia? Are you okay? I¨CI bought you a bouquet. Do you like it? I was going to bring you some fruits as well, but I wasn¡¯t sure what you liked,¡± he said. He was so cautious and tentative in his speech. She found his voice grating. It was too coarse, too crass, and too insecure. She still suppressed her dislike to force a smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s good enough that you¡¯re here. You didn¡¯t have to buy me anything,¡± she said. ¡°How can I visit you with empty hands? That would be rude,¡± he responded. Disdain was painted all over the faces of the others in the room. ¡°No one¡¯s asking you toe empty¨Chanded, but you should at the very least bring something nice with you. Look at the flowers you brought! They¡¯re so ugly and gaudy. Did you find them on the side of the road?¡± someonemented. 5/9 Chapter 113 Prove Yourself ¡°Yeah! How could you even visit udia with that bouquet?¡± someone else said with a scoff. The disparaging remarks caused a dark look to sh in his eyes as his hands tightened around the bouquet. udia noted every twitch of his body. She pursed her lips and tentatively called out, ¡°Please stop saying that. It¡¯s good enough that he¡¯s willing to visit me. Mr. Drevel, you can juste empty¨Chanded next time. You don¡¯t have to buy anything special.¡± As expected, the dark look vanished the moment she spoke up. He then replied to her in a sweet voice, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°udia!¡± Everyone shot her looks of disagreement. She ignored them to continue to cheerfully chat with him. The longer the conversation went on, the more Christopher admired her. As expected, the woman he chose was not like other girls. udia did not look down on him at all. She was so different¡­ 6/9 Chapter 113 Prove Yourself Everyone merely thought that udia was behaving oddly. After all, she was actually talking to Christopher, a thug! They nced at each other and decided to turn their attention to him instead. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve seen her now. The bouquet is in her hands. You should go now,¡± one of them called out. ¡°L¡­¡± ¡°What? We only let you in to visit her. Did you think you could stay here? Look at yourself first. Do you think you¡¯re worthy of her?¡± someone else interrupted. ¡°Enough. Stop that. He¡¯s¡­ Ah!¡± udia suddenly fell to her side and let out a cry of pain in the middle of her sentence. ¡°udia!¡± Everyone hurried over in worry. ¡°Are you okay, udia? Is it your head?¡± 7/0 Chapter 113 Prove Yoursel With closed eyes and a pale face, udia shook her head while leaning into ine¡¯s T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. arms. It took her a moment before she forced a smile on her lips once more. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± she said. Her feeble appearance had her friends clenching their fists in anger. ¡°It¡¯s all Victoria Selwyn¡¯s fault. If she hadn¡¯t pushed you, you would not be hurt. You¡¯re even going to have a scar now.¡± udia weakly shook her head once more. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Please forgive her actions.¡± Christopher narrowed his eyes as he processed what he heard. ¡°What did you just say? Who pushed udia?¡± She froze. She was about to speak up when someone answered, ¡°Victoria Selwyn. She was one of our schoolmates. You¡¯ve seen her before, Christopher.¡± That jogged his memory. With udia still in her arms, ine smirked as if a thought suddenly struck her. ¡°You keep iming you like udia and that you would do anything for her. Now, 8/9 you have a chance to prove that. Victoria is the one who hurt her. Shouldn¡¯t you do something about that?¡± Chapter 114 Hold It in for Now Chapter 114 Chapter 114 The room fell into silence the moment ine said that. No one had expected her to say that. As for the reason they went quiet, it was because her words suddenly made them realize Christopher was not as useless as they thought. He was a thug, a gangster who wandered on the edges of society. He was the best at tasks like teaching others a lesson. Everyone admired how fast ine came to that realization. It seemed like her fight with Victoria had made her thoroughly hate Victoria. After a very long moment of silence, udia abruptly gasped in shock. ¡°What are you saying, ine? How could you tell Mr. Drevel to do that? She¡¯s just joking. Please ignore her.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°What if I take her words seriously? udia, I have never done anything for you before, but I swear, from now on, I will not allow any harm toe 1/9 Chapter 114 Hold it in for Now to you. Anyone who does so will be my mortal enemy. I will never forgive anyone who hurts you.¡± ¡°Mr. Drevel, the situation was very chaotic back then. It might not have been Victoria,¡± udia pleaded. ¡°udia,¡± ine said, interrupting with a stern look on her face, ¡°you don¡¯t have to defend Victoria. You have defended her for ages, but has she evene to visit you since you got hurt? She doesn¡¯t even feel any remorse for her actions.¡± udia looked down. ¡°I just¡­¡± ¡°Enough, udia. We know you¡¯re kind and can¡¯t bear to me her for anything, but we¡¯re not like you. We can¡¯t just do nothing when someone¡¯s being a bully.¡± Christopher kept quiet, but the murderous glint lurking in his eyes was an obvious indicator of his future actions. udia could make a good guess at what those would be. Deep down, she wasughing in glee. She had been worried that the people around her would be suspicious of her when they heard Christopher did something to Victoria after udia invited him up to her ward. 2/9 Chapter However, things were different now that the suggestion came from ine. She had not expected her n to go so smoothly. With ine as her scapegoat, what did she have to worry about? She tried to stop them. It was not her fault that they ignored her words. Griselda¡¯s test results were out, and they looked good. As the nurse brought her back to her room to rest, Benedict summoned the Cadogans to his office to inform them of her condition. ¡°Old Mrs. Cadogan is recovering well, and she seems to be doing well mentally. It looks like she¡¯s better suited to life outside a nursing home,¡± he stated. Mary happily smiled. ¡°Of course. She adores my daughter-inw. This must be all thanks to Victoria.¡± Everyone, including Benedict, in the nursing home knew about the fact that Victoria was taking care of Griselda. Hence, he nodded in agreement. Chapter 114 Hold it in for Now ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he said. ¡°When can she go under for the operation, Dr. Sully?¡± Mary asked. ¡°If preparations go by quickly, she will be operated on in the next two days. Otherwise, the operation would happenter this week.¡± She nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± After leaving the office, she turned to Adrian and said, ¡°Since she¡¯s going to be Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. operated on this week, why don¡¯t I stay? I¡¯ll let you know when the operation date is set.¡± While there was a lot of work to do, the elderly family members were more important. He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to hurry back in the next two days.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll book a flight for you now, honey.¡± ¡°Thank you, darling.¡± Chapter 114 Hold it in for Now They kept an affectionate exchange of endearments as they continued to walk away. As for the pair behind them, their interaction left the air cold and tense. GS 5/9 ric and Victoria walked separately. The sight of the couple ahead of them being so loving to each other contrasted with theck of affection between them made Victoria think that it might look bad if Griselda noticed the contrast. Eventually, she stopped and turned to ric. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the car.¡± He paused and turned to look at her. It was only then that he recalled the words he had left unsaid. Just as he was about to finish the conversation from before, Victoria was gone. A stormy look instantly took over his face as he marched after her. Meanwhile, Mary had finished booking a flight for Adrian and turned around to speak to ric and Victoria to find ric running after Victoria who was marching away. ¡°Those two¡­¡± Mary sighed and shook her head. She then shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s ignore Chapter 114 Hold It in for Now them and take care of Mom first.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Adrian said. He was not worried at all about his son. After all, ric was an adult. There was no way he could not even handle his own rtionship issues. Thus, the couple swiftly continued on their way to meet up with Griselda. Victoria had walked away from ric the moment she was done speaking. She left as fast as she could, worried that ric might catch up to her and refuse to let her leave. She marched out of the hospital doors and straight toward the parking lot. All she could think about was Griselda¡¯s operation. If Grandma Griselda has to undergo an operation in the next two days, should she remain at home or move back to the nursing home? Well, she does not like staying 6/9 in the nursing home, so there is no way she would agree with that suggestion. In that case, she should stay at home and onlye back on the day of the operation. This time, they could not leave her alone in the nursing home. They had to apany her until the very second she was pushed into the operating theater. Soon, she arrived at the car. It did not take her long. Lost in her thoughts, she had actually run to the car. Staring at the car before her, she suddenly encountered an issue. She did not ask ric for the keys. Now, she had no choice but to wait outside by the car since she could not head back in. ¡°Victoria!¡± A cold voice rang out with fury from behind her. Chapter 114 Hold it in for Now Her body stiffened in shock. Before she could turn around, her hand was grabbed and pinned against the cold metal of the car in front of her. The air around her was soon filled with ric¡¯s icy and overwhelming scent. She looked up into his dark eyes to find them zing with rage. His appearance stunned her. It took her a while before she could respond. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked. Should he not be with Grandma? ¡°Did you follow me?¡± she continued. ric was beyond himself with anger at her ability to speak calmly to him at such a moment. ¡°How else would I know you¡¯re here?¡± he spat out through gritted teeth. That rendered her speechless. 8/9 Chapter 114 Hold it in for Now She then tried to struggle out of his grip. As expected, she failed. In the end, she stopped and sighed. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± 9/9 Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, she softly continued, ¡°Even if you need something from me, you could just hold it in for now. Don¡¯t say anything. Can we not wait until Grandma¡¯s operation is over?¡± She truly did not want anyplications to arise. Everything had to step aside when it came to Griselda¡¯s health. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ric had actually not known what he wanted to say to Victoria, He merely chased after her because the stormy emotions stuck in his chest felt overwhelming but had nowhere to go. However, he knew for a fact that she was the cause of those emotions. The frustration made him uneasy. 1/10 When he continued to pin her wrist against the car, she scowled. Not wanting to just end the conversation without an answer, she asked one more time, ¡°There¡¯s no difference between saying what¡¯s on your mind now and waiting to tell me after Grandma¡¯s operation, right?¡± If he had anything he wanted to say to her, it would undoubtedly be about what happened between him and udia. They seemed to have moved past udia¡¯s fall. He did not bother her about it, likely because the family did not want to humiliate Griselda. However, that did not mean he did not hold a grudge against Victoria for the fall. Even though he did say he knew udia had fallen on her own, he did not step up to rify the circumstances and defend Victoria. Thus, if udia were going to target Victoria, she would only do it after Griselda¡¯s operation. By then, ric and Victoria would be divorced. Victoria would have nothing to worry about then. Hence, she did not want to fight with him about udia right now. She only wanted to focus on Griselda¡¯s health. At that thought, she tried to struggle away once more. To her surprise, he continued to hold on tight to her wrist. The warmth radiating from his grip felt hot against her skin. She silently stared back at him. Is he still not letting me go after all I¡¯ve said? Finally, ric spoke. ¡°Can we sit down and properly talk after Grandma¡¯s operation?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she immediately replied. If possible, she wanted them to part on good terms. Her swift response seemed like she was only brushing him off, but a careful observation of the look in her eyes did not show any of that intent. The two of them had known each other since childhood. She would not need to lie to him. Thus, he slowly let go of her hand. The force pinning her wrist against the car disappeared. She heaved a sigh of relief. Did that mean this situation could be put on pause until after Griselda¡¯s operation? As she massaged and rubbed her wrist, she asked, ¡°Did you tell your parents before Chapter 115 Make¨Cor¨CBreak Moment following me?¡± ¡°Tell them about what?¡± His voice might be as cold as usual, but his face looked more pleasant now. ¡°You ran after me, so we disappeared without a word. Wouldn¡¯t they worry? What if Grandma¡­¡± ric¡¯s lips twitched in a self¨Cdeprecating manner. 4/10 ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Grandma¡¯s greatest wish is for me to get back together with you,¡± he said, interrupting her. She could muster no retort to that deration. It was true that Griselda hoped for them to be together. ¡°Mom and Dad will take care of her,¡± he said. ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded. Silence fell once more, filling the air with awkward tension. Chapter 115 Make¨Cor¨CBreak Moment Momentster, she suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we head back in?¡± His dark eyes snapped to stare at her. ¡°Okay.¡± He did not say a word on the way back, but she could clearly sense he had slowed down to walk beside her. She pursed her lips as she internally sighed. It would be so nice if Griselda were not sick. If that were the case, Griselda would have a healthy body and not have to suffer through an operation at her age. Victoria would not have to pretend to marry ric then. If not for the fake marriage, their friendship would not have turned into this. Unfortunately, they were all past the point of no return. ric only messaged udia after Griselda¡¯s affairs were settled. He did not answer 5/10 Chapter 115 Make or Break Moment her call and only messaged her that Griselda would be operated on soon. 6/10 udia had thought he was avoiding her. Thus, even with Christopher avenging her, she was still unhappy since ric was not by her side. His message made her heart leap with joy once more. She would not be upset if he refused to answer her call only because of Griselda. She cautiously called him once more. This time, he answered her call. ¡°Al,¡± she called out. There was a note of exhaustion in his voice as he replied, ¡°Rest well in the hospital. I¡¯ll visit you when I have the time.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re busy. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t have the time to visit me,¡± she replied in a voice as gentle as a breeze. ¡°My head wound is nothingpared to Grandma¡¯s illness. You should focus on that first.¡± Chapter 115 Make¨Cor¨CBreak Moment 7/10 ric had been worried that she would feel neglected due to his absence, so he had felt relieved when he heard that. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Al, is Grandma¡¯s operation happening in the next few days?¡± After a moment of silence, he replied, ¡°Within the week.¡± Within the week¡­ She could not resist smirking when she heard that. ¡°Okay. Tell Grandma that I pray for her operation to go well.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Her smile vanished as soon as she hung up. Her fingers clenched around her phone. Hopefully, things would go smoothly without a hitch this time. Chapter 115 Make¨Cor¨CBreak Moment 8/10 Still, if Griselda were undergoing an operation within the week, Christopher¡¯s actions against Victoria during this time would affect Griselda¡¯s health. That would not do. No matter what, Griselda¡¯s operation had to be a sess. The longer the wait for the operation, the longer it would take for ric to divorce Victoria. This is from N?velDrama.Org. It seemed like they would have to wait before attacking Victoria. Still, Christopher would be too foolish to wait that long. From the menacing look in his eyes, he would probably make a move in the next two days. At that thought, she immediately turned to ine and asked, ¡°Do you have Christopher¡¯s number?¡± ine had been peeling an orange for her when she heard that. Her head snapped up in shock. ¡°Why do you want his number?¡± she asked. Chapter 115 Make¨Cor¨CBreak Moment ¡°Do you have it?¡± udia asked once more. ¡°No, but why do you want to contact him? Are you¡­¡± ine was honestly worried that after being neglected by ric, she would be depressed enough to throw her lot in with Christopher instead. It was impossible for udia to not hear the implicit question. She scowled. ¡°What nonsense is that? Just give me his phone number,¡± she barked out. ine had no choice but to tell udia his number to be saved on her phone. ine bit her lips and nced at udia. In the end, she could not resist speaking up once more. ¡°Why do you want to contact him, udia? I¡¯m not trying to mother you, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nothing important anyway. I¡¯m just worried he might do something to Victoria. That¡¯s why I wanted to talk to him,¡± udia softly exined. ine¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. 9/10 12:18 Fri, 23 Jun E Chapter 115 Make¨Cor¨CBreak Moment 10/10 ¡°udia, why are you defending her even now? She deserves to be taught a lesson! She had the nerve to seduce ric. Please let Christopher get rid of her.¡± udia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°The next few days will be a make¨Cor¨Cbreak moment. Al will only divorce Victoria after Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s operation. What do you think might happen to her if Victoria got into an ident?¡± she exined. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 ¡°How long have I had to wait because the operation was dyed? If not for that dy, ric and Victoria would be divorced by now. All of this would not have happened then,¡± udia stated. She then grabbed ine¡¯s hand. ¡°I know you¡¯re saying this for my sake, but Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s operation must be a sess. That is the only way for me to even stand a chance to get together with Al. Otherwise¡­ The greatest danger at hand is a divorce that is constantly postponed. I don¡¯t even know if I can warn Christopher off doing anything right now. You¡¯ve always been good with words. Can you help me talk to him? Tell him that he cannot be rash or do anything foolish. I won¡¯t forget what you¡¯ve done for me once I¡¯m Mrs. Cadogan.¡± To ine, udia¡¯sst sentence sounded like a promise. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, udia,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± udia shot her a grateful look. ¡°Thank you, ine. You are my very best friend.¡± After leaving the hospital, ine called Christopher to ask him to meet with her. Christopher felt no goodwill toward udia¡¯s friends due to how they always humiliated her. Hence, if not for the fact that ine knew udia, he would have punched her in the face. Still, just because he would not punch her did not mean he would be nice to her. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked bluntly. He returned to his usual thuggish attitude whenever udia was not around. His attitude infuriated ine so much that she wanted to curse him out. However, she had no choice but to suppress her rage due to udia¡¯s request. ¡°udia asked me to pass on a message,¡± she replied. ¡°udia? What does she want?¡± His entire stance changed the moment he heard udia¡¯s name. Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? ¡°She said you should not be rash and do anything to Victoria.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Even after all these years, she¡¯s still as kind as ever. Her wound will leave her with a scar, right? Thus, I must teach Victoria a lesson.¡± ¡°I understand your urge to defend udia, but if you attack Victoria so soon after the incident, people will gossip about udia. She¡¯s a kind woman who does not deserve to be bad¨Cmouthed.¡± He finally understood what she meant now. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to wait a while?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she confirmed with a smirk. ¡°Wait a few days before attacking her in a remote ce with no one around. Who would link the attack to udia by then?¡± He took a puff of his cigarette and shuffled to rest his weight on one foot. ¡°I see.¡± Deep down, ine was disgusted by the way he held himself. However, 3/9 12:20 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? udia had given her a task, so she suppressed her disgust and said, ¡°While she told you not to do that, as her friend, I want to avenge her as well. If you truly like her, you¡¯ll wait for me to tell you when you can act.¡± He shot her a look. ¡°What¡¯s your motive here?¡± His question stunned her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°udia asked you to tell me not to do anything to Victoria, but now you¡¯re telling me to wait for your signal. Do you have something against this Victoria?¡± he asked. Her face went pale. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. If you want to avenge udia, you¡¯ll work with me. Don¡¯t poke your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡± He coldly snorted. ¡°You¡¯re quite the schemer. I want revenge, but don¡¯t you think you can use me.¡± ¡°Use you? If I have something against Victoria, it¡¯s all because of udia. 4/9 12:20 Fri, 23 Ju Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? Can you say you have nothing against Victoria?¡± Her exnation actually made sense to him. Ever since he knew Victoria had injured udia, he had thought of Victoria as his enemy. He remembered her since they had studied in the same ce. In his memories, Victoria was an extremely beautiful woman. He had not expected her to do something so hurtful. As expected, only his udia was kind. Every other woman was just a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. ¡°Enough. That¡¯s all I have to say to you for now. I¡¯ll contact you when the timees. You either do as I say or get lost,¡± ine dered. She walked away right after saying that. When she was finally gone from his view, he spat on the ground as a murderous look shed in his eyes. ¡°Stupid woman. Once I have udia, all of you are doomed.¡± 5/9 12:20 Fri, 23 Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? Perhaps it was because ric and Victoria finally had a talk at the hospital, but after returning home, the two of them were surprisingly able to coexist peacefully. It was the first time that had happened since udia¡¯s return. As Griselda was going to be operated on in a few days, ric did not go anywhere but to his office and back. However, the couple continued to act the same as always around each other. Benedict told them to wait for his notice after that day¡­ Adrian flew off to deal with work while Mary stayed behind to apany Griselda on trips around the city. As she was an easily excitable woman, Griselda had a lot of fun touring the city with her. Hence, Victoria did not have to worry about Griselda. Once she was done with work in the morning, she headed down to the dessert shop, hoping to reward herself with some cake. 6/9 12:20 Fri, 23 Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? 7/9 With a Bluetooth earpiece in her ear, she headed over to the confectionery cab to select her cake as Summer lectured her. ¡°You¡¯re done with work, right? Have you had lunch yet?¡± Summer asked. ¡°I¡¯m getting some food right now,¡± Victoria replied. ¡°What? You¡¯re only eating now? Victoria, do you even realize that you are now a mother? Even if you¡¯re not hungry, the baby is.¡± ¡°I know. Look, I¡¯m getting food before that happens.¡± Summer¡¯s tone might be harsh, but her words filled Victoria with warmth. In this huge city, she actually had someone with whom she could confide about everything in her life. Summer was the only person Victoria trusted to know about the baby and not use the knowledge to hurt Victoria. Summer scoffed. ¡°You sound proud of yourself. What time is it? You¡¯re starving my future godson or goddaughter.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Victoria could not resist smiling as her voice sweetened in her reply. Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? ¡°I know. I know. I¡¯ll take a break earlier to get food next time.¡± ¡°Hmph! You actually think there will be a next time?¡± B Victoriaughed before pointing out the pink cake she wanted to the shop employee. ¡°I would like this.¡± There was a warm grin on the employee¡¯s face when she noticed Victoria was on a call the entire time. She thought Victoria was speaking to her boyfriend. Oh, how she envied Victoria, who was beautiful, sexy, and had a very caring boyfriend. She even ced Victoria¡¯s cake in a pretty gift box. Summer heard Victoria¡¯s exchange with the shop employee and immediately started her interrogation. ¡°Victoria Selwyn, are you eating desserts again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a slice.¡± ¡°No can do. Did you forget what the doctor said? You cannot eat anything. 8/9 Chapter 116 Do You Even Realize You¡¯re a Mother? sweet for now. What will you do if your cravings cause your blood sugar levels to increase drastically?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, right? I¡¯m only having one slice.¡± By then, the cake was packed away. Victoria paid and mouthed thanks to the employee before walking away with her cake. ¡°I know,¡± Victoria continued to say to Summer. ¡°You¡­¡± Just as she pulled open the ss door of the shop, someone suddenly gave her a hard shove on the shoulder. m Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Bang! Victoria¡¯s slender body loudly mmed into the ss door. The employee¡¯s eyes were wide with shock when she saw that. She hurried over. ¡°Are you okay, miss?¡± the employee asked. Over the phone, Summer had heard the bang as well. ¡°What happened? What is it? Victoria, are you okay?¡± Victoria frowned from the agonizing pain radiating from her shoulder. When the employee helped her to her feet, her first reaction was to reflexively stroke her stomach to ensure her baby was all right. When she was finally certain that the only pain in her body came from her shoulder, she heaved a sigh of relief. She then looked up at the person who mmed into her. 1/9 12:21 Fr. 23 Jun Chapter 117 Revenge Who was it? Why were they so careless when entering a store? Furthermore, so much time had passed since the crash. Why had they not offered an apology? The face she saw was strangely familiar. 2/9 It took her a few seconds before she could recall the man¡¯s name from her subconscious. ¡°Christopher Drevel?¡± ¡°What?¡± Summer was confused by the name Victoria called out. ¡°Why does that name sound familiar? How are you? Are you okay?¡± Even Christopher was shocked to hear his name on Victoria¡¯s red lips. He had not expected a beautiful and pampered youngdy to recognize him after all these years. She even remembered his full name. After all, to thedies in high society, the existence of ruffians like him was like ants. Chapter 117 Revenge ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter. I have to handle this,¡± Victoria said to Summer. She did not hang up, however. Summer cleverly kept quiet to listen in on what would happen next. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Victoria asked Christopher as she held her aching shoulder. She seemed to have forgotten he had crashed hard into her. This was not what he had expected. ine had told him to hold back for now. 1/4 However, it was impossible for him to sit back one second longer every time he recalled how Victoria had hurt udia so badly that udia¡¯s beautiful face would be scarred. He could not attack Victoria, but that did not mean he could not harass her. She would not be hurt from being shoved anyway. He only needed to say it was an ident and no one could do anything to him. He had not anticipated Victoria¡¯s response. It made him panic. Chapter 117 Revenge 4/9 It was a long while before he finally replied in a fierce tone, ¡°I¡¯m here to buy some cake.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Victoria nodded and smiled at him. ¡°Do you work around here? Are you new to the area? I don¡¯t recall seeing you around here before.¡± He was rendered speechless by that. After a few more moments of silence, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry that I crashed into you just now?¡± It was only then that she recalled she had been shoved into the ss door. Her shoulder was still aching, and he had not apologized for that yet. She had not expected the culprit to be someone she knew, however. At that thought, she replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It must have been an ident.¡± A menacing rage shed in his eyes. She just deduced it was an ident? Was she naive or stupid? Still, her response had him at a loss. After all, he was here to teach her a Chapter 117 Revenge lesson. All the schoolmates he bumped into over the years either did not recognize him or looked down on him. No one instantly knew who he was like how Victoria recognized him. She did not even get angry at him for crashing into her. The thought diforted him while also filling him with curiosity. ¡°How did you recognize me?¡± His lips tilted in scorn. ¡°Rich young women like you detest problematic people like me the most, right? I was a problematic student back in school, and I¡¯m not even a productive member of society now.¡± Hearing that, she paused and went silent. ¡°Was I right? Did you look down on me like those people?¡± he continued. She snapped out of her thoughts and turned to look him in the eyes. ¡°What do you think would make someone a productive member of society?¡± she asked. 5/9 12:22 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 117 Revenge Her question stunned him. ¡°Everyone has their own job and ce in the world. We¡¯re all humans. Why should I look down on you?¡± In the past, she might not have said anything to him. However, ever since the Selwyns went bankrupt, she had gained a better understanding of the world. A few momentster, a thought struck her. ¡°I have to get back to work. Excuse me.¡± She soon left the shop without spending a single moment scolding him for crashing into her. He stood there in thoughtful silence as he watched her leave. Momentster, he crushed the cigarette in his hands and walked away from the shop as well. Who was that? Why didn¡¯t he apologize for bumping into you?¡± Summer 6/9 Chapter 117 Revenge questioned. ¡°It was Christopher Drevel,¡± Victoria replied. ¡°Christopher? That name sounds familiar.¡± She spent a few minutes trying to recall who that person was. With her cake in hand, Victoria smiled. E ¡°Don¡¯t you remember him? We studied in the same school,¡± she prompted. The prompt that they had studied in the same school jolted Summer¡¯s memory as she eximed, ¡°I remember now! I know who he is!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°He was one of udia¡¯s admirers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He bumped into you just now?¡± Victoria nodded. She was about to respond when Summer continued, 7/9 Chapter 117 Revenge ¡°Shoot! Does this mean he wants revenge because he knew udia was T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. hurt?¡± Victoria froze when she heard that. ¡°Revenge?¡± she repeated. ¡°Yes. He likes udia. You know that, right?¡± Everyone in school knew that Christopher was udia¡¯s simp. That was because he had done a lot of shady stuff for udia even though she had always rejected his advances. Still, he was obsessed with his one¨Csided love. Due to his identity, everyone only looked down on him even more. ¡°From the conversation just now, this is your first time seeing him, right?¡± Summer asked. ¡°Yes.¡± 8/0 ¡°How long have you been working at Cadogan Group? Have you ever seen him around? Why would he appear the moment udia gets injured? Do Chapter 117 Revenge you think that¡¯s just a coincidence?¡± 9/9 Victoria pursed her lips. ¡°I had nothing to do with her injury,¡± she said. ¡°Boo, I know that. I only realized she injured herself because I have faith in you. What about Christopher? He has been herckey for ages. Would he trust you? Not only would he not believe your word, but he might also attack you for that.¡± Standing on the sidewalk, Victoria watched the people and cars going past her as she recalled what happened when she opened the door. She had not looked out of the door back then, so she could not know if he had crashed into her intentionally or by ident. However, there was one undeniable fact. The incident left her shoulder aching with sharp bursts of pain radiating from the spot. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 E Returning to the office, Victoria ced the cake on the table. Her mood was great before she went downstairs, and she even had the appetite to eat, but now, she had lost them all. Currently, the scene of bumping into Christopher Drevel downstairs upied her mind. Summer¡¯s words served as a reminder to her. As it was possible that running into Christopher was just a coincidence, she didn¡¯t want to assume anything bad about anyone. After all, the bakery downstairs was well known for its cakes, so it was only natural that it attracted many customers, but could there really be such a coincidence? Victoria had to bump into a ssmate who she hadn¡¯t met in years and that person happened to be udia¡¯s admirer at the same time udia was injured. At that thought, she opened the cake box, allowing the sweet scent of the cake to waft into her nostrils. 1/9 12 22 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 110 Are You Not Upset Anymore? Just as she cut a small slice of the cake and shoved it into her mouth, she made a decision. Whether or not it was a coincidence, she had to be extra cautious. If Christopher was here to avenge udia, then Victoria would try to avoid any potential threat that he could bring to her. If not, she would simply consider herself a narrow¨Cminded person. Even though udia had promised her that she wouldn¡¯t stop her from keeping the child in her belly, there was no guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t change her mind. What if something happenedter on? Victoria dared not imagine the possibilities. All in all, she just had to be extra careful for her unborn child¡¯s sake. Before getting off work, she went to ric¡¯s office and bumped into Peter, who wasing out of his office. As soon as he saw her, Peter walked up to her as if weing a close friend. ¡°Miss Selwyn, are you here for Mr. Cadogan?¡± 1222 Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? She halted in her steps and met his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is he busy?¡± 3/9 ¡°No, of course not.¡± Peter shook his head fervently. ¡°He¡¯s getting off work soon. I thought you wouldn¡¯te and see him, Miss Selwyn.¡°. Before udia showed up, ric would always wait for Victoria toe to his office before they left thepany together. P However, ever since udia showed up in thepany, Victoria no longer came to his office except during working hours, so Peter thought she would nevere again. At the mention of that, Victoria presented an awkward look without uttering a word. It had been a long time since she took ric¡¯s car home. If she hadn¡¯t. considered her safety, she probably wouldn¡¯t havee to see him. ¡°Go on in and look for Mr. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria nodded at him, and when she passed by him, she heard him say, ¡°Good luck, Miss Selwyn. Please take care.¡± Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? Victoria was stunned by his statement, but Peter had gone off with the documents in his hands. Standing on the spot with furrowed brows, she couldn¡¯t fathom his words. She could assume that Peter wished her luck because ric might favor her over udia, but why did he tell her to take care of herself? His statement sounded out of the blue as if he knew something. She believed that she was very good at concealing her pregnancy, though. Except for the time Summer yelled at her in the office, nobody should know about it because even Yasmin acted normally. Whatever. He probably doesn¡¯t know about it. Victoria shook off her thoughts and continued heading to ric¡¯s office. 4/9 The door to the office was closed, and just as she was about to knock on it, the door was opened, and out came ric with a nk face. Obviously, he did not expect her to look for him, so a slight hint of emotion appeared on his icy face. Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? ¡°Are you here for me?¡± Victoria withdrew her hand upon hearing that. Nodding her head, she replied, ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t feel so good, so I don¡¯t think I want to drive. Can I- At the sudden thought of something, she paused and continued, ¡°Will you give me a ride home for these few days?¡± ¡°What symptoms do you have?¡± She never expected him to ask about her condition as he scanned her from top to toe with a sharp gaze. Victoria froze for a moment. ¡°Erm, that¡¯s not the point.¡± The next moment, ric leaned down to hold her shoulders. ¡°Then, what is it? Are you sick?¡± He had noticed how abnormal she had been behaving as if she was hiding something from him. Even until today, he was skeptical of that report. 5/9 12:22 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? Initially, he thought that she was diagnosed with a disease, so she tore the report into pieces. However, her exnation to him afterward was wless. 6/9 She imed that the report was ced in her pocket when she was out under the heavy rain, so it waspletely normal for it to be wet. After that, she diverted his attention to other issues, and so the situation was forgotten. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with me.¡± While saying that, Victoria furrowed her brows. ¡°ric, I told you I¡¯m fine! Why don¡¯t you believe me? Do you wish This is from N?velDrama.Org. that I¡¯m sick?¡± At that, he frowned. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not it, then don¡¯t assume that I¡¯m sick. The reason I said I don¡¯t feel good is because I¡¯m toozy to drive. Is that okay? Must you get to the bottom of it?¡± Her tone gradually sounded impatient, and she even shook his hand away. Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? Nevertheless, ric was not upset at all. Instead, he stared at her with obsidian eyes. ¡°Are you not upset with me anymore?¡± ¡°What?¡± Victoria blurted. ric pursed his lips and uttered without much emotion. ¡°Nothing.¡± 7/9 ww However, a smile was evident in his eyes. Beingzy was an excuse, wasn¡¯t it? You just want to reconcile with me, so you came up with that reason. He took another nce at her and realized that she looked exactly the same as when she was younger. She had a hot temper, and every time they fought when they were young, she would stomp away and leave him alone. No matter how hard he tried to coax her, she would just ignore him, but when he became impatient, she would approach him like a little cub and make up all sorts ofme excuses in order to reconcile with him. That was what she was doing currently¡­ Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? Even though she wasn¡¯t sick, she came up with the excuse of beingzy in order to ride home with him. 8/9 ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ric grabbed his car keys and took the lead, the gloomy mood clouding his mind and heart instantly cleared up. thening Victoria, on the other hand, was entirely unaware of his wild imagination. Seeing him leave, she hurriedly tagged along. As soon as they arrived at the parking lot, however, udia¡¯s call came. When his phone rang, ric took it out, checked the screen, and froze. The subtle change in his expression made Victoria sense something. Without even looking at him, she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you over there.¡± After saying that, she left sensibly. ric pursed his lips and subconsciously clutched his phone in his hand. On the other hand, boredom overcame Victoria as she waited. Chapter 118 Are You Not Upset Anymore? Compared to her moodst time when she was standing on the side. while waiting for ric to talk to udia on the phone, Victoria carried a Back then, she hadn¡¯tpletely given up on him yet, so she felt uneasy and sad when he answered udia¡¯s calls. Now, however, it no longer affected her as much. It didn¡¯t matter anymore. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 ric answered the phone and heard udia¡¯s gentle voice sounding from the other end. ¡°Are you getting off work, Al? I suppose you must be free now, so I decided to call you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ric nced at Victoria and answered, ¡°I just got off work.¡± ¡°Great. I was worried that I might disturb you. How¡¯s Grandma? I¡¯ve been quite worried about her, so I couldn¡¯t rest well at all in the hospital. If only she liked me¡­ I could¡¯ve visited her in the hospital instead.¡± Every sentenceing out of udia¡¯s mouth always included ¡°Grandma¡°, and that made ric feel bad for her. His voice was lowered as he replied, ¡°You should focus on recovering now. Don¡¯t think too much. about everything else.¡± ¡°Okay, Al. I¡¯m just worried about Grandma¡­ Can you take me over to see her on her operation day? Perhaps she might not be upset if she sees me.¡± On the day of the operation? 1/0 Chapter 119 Poor Child ric pursed his lips and pondered on the situation. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that it might be doable. However, it still depended on the overall situation on that day. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know on the operation day.¡± 2/9 udia didn¡¯t expect him to agree readily, but she still decided to offer the suggestion. The fact that he didn¡¯t reject her immediately meant that she had a chance. ¡°Okay.¡± She hummed gently before asking tentatively, ¡°Are you free to my wound¡­ It hurts so bad. The doctor came to tell me that it might take a very long time to heal.¡± At the mention of her injury, ric knitted his brows. He did have time, and he also promised her that he would take the time to see her. However¡­ 58% Chapter 119 Poor Child ric nced at Victoria once again and uttered in a baritone voice, ¡°I¡¯ll drop by another day. Take care.¡± 3/9 Since she was rejected twice in a row now, udia pulled a long face. Despite that, she had no choice but to respect his decision. ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria waited for about three minutes and noticed that ric was still on the phone, so she fished out her phone and decided to arrange tomorrow¡¯s to¨Cdo list. However, after scrolling through her phone for some time, ric was mysteriously behind her all of a sudden. At the same time, he spoke up abruptly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Victoria was startled because she didn¡¯t expect that he ended the call as soon as she took out her phone. Hence, she shoved the phone into her bag and inquired, ¡°Are you done? That¡¯s quick.¡± ric¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that. Chapter 119 Poor Child ¡°Was it quick? How long did you expect me to be on the call?¡± Victoria twitched her lips awkwardly and changed the subject. ¡°Shall we go now?¡± Her tone was slightly raised at the end of the question. ric¡¯s expression looked even worse than before. ¡°Are you going to stay here then?¡± Leaving her with that, he went to start the car with a long face. Victoria stood on the ground, stunned. Wasn¡¯t he on a call with his lover? Why is he so moody after the phone call? m Anyway, she had no intention of getting into an argument with him. Even if it was just bickering or something simple that might ruin the mood between the two of them, she wouldn¡¯t risk doing them. After all, she needed his protection for now. if she were to follow ric around every day to and from thepany, 4/9 Chapter 119 Poor Child anyone who wanted to seek revenge on her might not easily attack if she was with a man. At that thought, she quickened her pace and tagged along. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Every day after that, besides familiar and safe ces, Victoria would follow ric to and from thepany. She didn¡¯t even touch her own car and made sure that she was never left alone. Her behavior made ric reminisce about the old times. When they were kids, she used to stick to him like gum. 5/9 Back then, he never felt annoyed by her existence. Instead, he found it follow him around for the rest of his life. Such thoughts hidden in the deepest part of his heart prompted him to analyze his feelings again. However, every time he had such thoughts, another woman would pop up in his mind. She looked pitiful and fragile, but she desperately risked her Chapter 119 Poor Child life to save him, and she was also always considerate of him. Moreover, he had promised her that his heart would always be open for her. After realizing that he was in a great dilemma, ric felt like the heavens were pulling a joke on him. Otherwise, how was it possible for one to fall for two persons at the same time? Having that thought in his mind, he simply tossed the pen on the table and lost the mood to work. On the fourth day, Benedict sent a message to inform them to bring Griselda to the hospital and that they should be on standby for the surgery. Hence, everyone from the Cadogan Family had to put aside any other thoughts or any other tasks at hand to focus on Griselda¡¯s surgery. Once Adrianpleted his task, he returned from overseas to take care 6/9 12:23 En, Chapter 119 Poor Child of Griselda at the hospital. After the registration was done, Griselda was pushed into the VIP ward in a wheelchair. The ward was well equipped with a water heater, TV, and floor heaters. Moreover, it was well¨Ccleaned, and they could even faintly smell the disinfectant in the room. ¡°The room smells of disinfectant,¡± Marymented as soon as she entered the ward. When she turned around, she already noticed Victoria had opened the windows for venttion. Even though it was just a small and seemingly insignificant act, Mary couldn¡¯t help shooting Victoria a thumbs¨Cup. Her daughter¨Cinw was indeed a sensible one. She wasn¡¯t just pretty, but she was also capable. Her son must¡¯ve lucked out to have married her. 7/9 The ¡°lucky¡± man mentioned was currently taking a call outside the ward, causing Mary to give him an eye roll. ¡°Isn¡¯t this ward great, Mom? It¡¯s spacious and bright.¡± Griselda scanned her surroundings after entering the ward. Subsequently, the nodded in satisfaction. ¡°I can¡¯t even be picky when they offer such good facilities in the ward¡± Adrian, on the other hand, blurted straightforwardly, ¡°There¡¯s no use in being picky because this is the best room avable.¡± Mary clicked her tongue and red at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything nice to say, just keep quiet¡± After being reprimanded by Mary, Adrian felt embarrassed and kept quiet. At the same time, ric returned after answering the call. ¡°Dr. Sully told us that the surgery will be held tomorrow afternoon.¡± Upon hearing that, everyone in the room turned toward Griselda in unison. Chapter 119 Poor Child She chuckled upon meeting everyone¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help but utter, ¡°Take it easy, Grandma. It¡¯s just a minor surgery. It¡¯ll be over before you know it.¡± Griselda nodded at that. ¡°Mmhm. I¡¯ve decided to move on and keep an open mind. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± 58% Initially, she wanted to say that even if she died during the surgery, she would have to ept her fate, but at the thought of how Victoria bawled the other day when she said that, Griselda decided against it. Then, she looked at Victoria, who was sighing nervously while looking at her. Oh, poor child. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 ¡°Is she going for the surgery in two days?¡± 9 1/9 udia clutched the phone in her hand, but she couldn¡¯t hide the joy and excitement in her tone. Finally, Griselda was going for surgery! Old Mrs. Cadogan wouldn¡¯t pull another trick, would she? ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m sure Grandma¡¯s surgery will go well.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± While in a cheerful mood, she asked, ¡°Al, remember what I told you that day? Can Ie over on Grandma¡¯s surgery day? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll just stay outside the ward and leave after a while. I don¡¯t need you to fetch me either. I¡¯ll juste over and take a peek. Can I?¡± However, the silence was all that greeted her. After some time, he uttered in a deep voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want any idents, Chapter 120 Take Advantage of udia.¡± Upon hearing that, she froze. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Grandma needs time to recover after the surgery.¡± Upon hearing that, she understood what he meant. Unreconciled, she bit her lower lip and argued, ¡°But I wasn¡¯t nning to expose myself. I¡¯ll just be there as your friend. Since she¡¯s undergoing surgery, I¡¯m justing over to visit out of concern. Can¡¯t I even do that? Perhaps, she might be happy to see me!¡± ¡°This is not a minor surgery, udia.¡± Calming herself down, udia took some time to recollect herself. ¡°Sorry, Al. You¡¯re right. I was full of myself earlier. Sorry¡­ I was too eager to visit Grandma because I¡¯m worried about her. I wasn¡¯t thoughtful enough.¡± ¡°Just focus on your recovery.¡± That was all ric could say to her. 7/9 T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 120 Take Advantage Df Without a choice, udia hung up. Then, she bit her lower lip and told ine toe in. ¡°I have good news.¡± She had to speak to ric on the phone earlier, so she told ine to leave the ward. In all honesty, ine wasn¡¯t happy with that. She had offered so much help to udia, so what was the problem with her listening to their conversation? Anyway, that wasn¡¯t important. She dared not speak out, hence she could only quietly wait outside the ward. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Al¡¯s Grandma will be getting the surgery in these two days, so I suppose it¡¯s tomorrow.¡± udia clutched the hem of her shirt in excitement. ¡°Once Griselda¡¯s surgery is over, Al will divorce Victoria. I shouldn¡¯t have to worry by that time, right?¡± Chapter 120 Take Advantage of ¡°Of course.¡± ine smirked. ¡°You¡¯re his life savior, remember? He¡¯ll be forever grateful to you.¡± Hearing the word ¡°grateful¡°, udia was slightly dissatisfied. After all, she didn¡¯t just want his gratitude. At that thought, she lowered her eyes and muttered, ¡°But if he is only grateful toward me¡­¡± ¡°No way!¡± ine quickly rebutted. ¡°Judging from how he treats you, I doubt that he¡¯s only grateful to you. Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s just temporarily blinded by Victoria, and that is amon mistake that all guys make. Once she leaves him, he will focus his attention all on you.¡± 4/9 ¡°Yeah. Thanks, ine.¡± udia raised her head and shot her friend a sweet smile. ¡°Right. These two days will be critical. You must help me keep an eye on Christopher and prevent him from doing anything impulsive. Otherwise, our n will go down the drain.¡± ine would have almost forgotten about it if udia hadn¡¯t brought it up. Once she left the ward, she gave Christopher a call. Chapter 120 Take Advantage Of ¡°Be on standby to attack within these two days.¡± Once Griselda finished her surgery, what was the use of keeping Victoria? The reason ric was still spoiling her was most likely to put on a show in front of Griselda. Christopher then questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it would be too soon for us to attack Victoria? Wouldn¡¯t it make people misunderstand udia?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that a few days ago? How many days have passed?¡± ¡°Is a few days a big difference?¡± ¡°Are you doing it or not? If you¡¯re taking the job, I¡¯ll send you the details. tomorrow.¡± Christopher went silent when ine spoke in such an aggressive way. ine waited for some time but didn¡¯t get his reply, so she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you pulling out now, Christopher? Turns out you¡¯re just all talk. I knew that men like you are never sincere! All you do is talk big! I thought you were different.¡± 5/9 Chapter 120 Take Advantage Of Christopher was instantly worked up due to her words. In a tone filled with dismay, he rebutted, ¡°Who the hell told you I¡¯m pulling out? Do you really think I can¡¯t beat women?¡± ine was taken aback by his sudden outburst of emotion, so it took her a while to recollect herself. ¡°I¨CI thought you didn¡¯t want to help udia anymore, so- ¡± ¡°I will help her, but not you, so you better be polite when you¡¯re speaking to me, or don¡¯t me me for teaching you a lesson too. Got it?¡± After hanging up the phone, only one thought was present in her mind- gangster. Christopher was a gangster. The fact that udia made friends with him would eventually lead her to her demise. Despite that¡­ he was a good candidate to be taken advantage of. After all, if he really did something out of impulse due to his hot temper, they could easily push the me on him, and no one would even question that. 6/9 Chapter 120 Take Advantage Of His character and background were enough to give off the impression that he wasn¡¯t a kind being. 7/9 The next day, Victoria nearly went without sleep for the whole night. Hence, she decided to get up early and take a ride with ric. While they were having breakfast at the dining table, he noticed that she looked paler than yesterday. Not only that, she didn¡¯t even seem to have any appetite for breakfast. Every time she picked up her fork and brought the food to her lips, she would put it down again after seemingly thinking about something. Just like that, she repeated the same set of actions many times. Eventually, ric couldn¡¯t hold back from asking, ¡°Do you want to pass out because of low blood sugar when Grandma is in the hospital?¡± Upon hearing that, Victoria finally shook herself out of her thoughts and noticed that she hadn¡¯t eaten even a bite of the food while ric¡¯s te was already empty. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Dr. Sully is a skilled doctor. There shouldn¡¯t be a 12 23 Fri, 23 Chapter 120 Take Advantage Of problem,¡± ricforted her. ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria forced a smile. ¡°I know.¡± E- Regardless of that acknowledgment, her body and heart just couldn¡¯t agree with his statement. Eventually, she only managed to eat a mouthful under ric¡¯s supervision. Before they left, Hector made her a banana oat smoothie and even added some honey to it. Victoria couldn¡¯t help but praise him, ¡°Mr. Bowen is really considerate.¡± ric had his hands on the steering wheel while he remarked, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re like a child who needs to be taken care of.¡± That statement took Victoria slightly aback. Once she divorced him, he wouldn¡¯t care for her like that anymore, would he? While in a trance, she suddenly felt a cold gazending on her. That feeling was like a snake tangled around her neck which sent a chill down her spine. 8/9 12:23 Fri, 23 Chapter 120 Take Advantage of Subconsciously, she looked in a certain direction. The car had just arrived at the entrance of the hospital, and the direction she was looking at was exactly where a dense forest could be seen. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 9 1/9 After the car left the premises of the Cadogan Group, Victoria felt the eerie feeling disappear. But even so, the feeling from earlier still made Victoria extremely ufortable. After the car drove out, she couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to look back at the dense forest. Was there someone there, or was she just being too sensitivetely? Recently, she had been hitching rides with ric to and from work; she was always by his side wherever he went, but nothing strange had happened. But that moment just now was really bizarre. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ric¡¯s voice came from the side, bringing Victoria back to her senses. 12 24 Fri, 23 Ju Chapter 121 The Last Meeting She jerked her head back and shook it. ¡°Nothing.¡± Victoria pursed her red lips, thinking that maybe she was just anxious because Griselda was going to have surgery soon, which might be causing her to be paranoid. ric nced at her and saw that herplexion wasn¡¯t as good as when she left the house, so he looked in the direction that Victoria had been staring at through the rearview mirror. E She had been looking in that direction the whole time. Nevertheless, ric took a few nces but didn¡¯t see anything special. In the end, ric thought that she was behaving as such because she was worried about Griselda. Perhaps, it was because of the past events that left a shadow on her. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ric¡¯s eyes darkened, and he gradually slowed down the car. After the car had gone far away, a figure walked out from the dense 2/9 Fri, Chapter 121 The Last Meeting forest. Christopher threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped on it with his foot, then took out his phone and called ine. ¡°You need to think of a way to get ric away from her.¡± ine was still with udia. As Griselda was going to have surgery that afternoon, ine nned to send a message to Christopher after Griselda was taken into the operating room and then have him take action. She just didn¡¯t expect that Christopher would contact her first. So, she frowned and said, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How can I make a move without getting the man next to her away?¡± There was a deep murderous intent in Christopher¡¯s eyes. He suspected that Victoria was wary of him since he bumped into her that day. Because of that, she had not only not gone downstairs during the day but also never gone out alone these past few days. In fact, Christopher didn¡¯t n to make a move on her these past few 3/9 Chapter 121 The Last Meeting days; he just wanted to familiarize himself with her movements and the times when she would be alone, but he didn¡¯t expect that she would be with ric all this time. If he was supposed to make a move today and there was no asion when she was alone, then he couldn¡¯t do anything either. After ine heard his words, she understood what Christopher meant. I got it. I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± After hanging up the phone, ine went into the hospital room. udia had been holding her phone since she woke up as if her phone was some precious treasure. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who was looking for you?¡± udia asked, looking up. ine thought carefully and didn¡¯t tell her it was Christopher who had contacted him, but instead asked, ¡°Old Mrs. Cadogan is having surgery; don¡¯t you want to go see her?¡± When udia was asked about visiting Griselda in the hospital, her eyes 4/9 Chapter 121 The Last Meeting dimmed a bit. ¡°I do want to¡­ But¡­¡± She thought of what ric had said to her that day. Instantly, she felt depressed. ¡°If Mr. Cadogan doesn¡¯t let you go, you can go on your own,¡± ine encouraged her. ¡°You¡¯re injured now, and if you just sneak out to the hospital to take a peek, I think Mr. Cadogan won¡¯t refuse, right?¡± After ine said that, udia was a bit tempted. The most crucial thing was that udia had eavesdropped behind the door when ine went out to make a phone call earlier. If Christopher was going to make a move today and had to get ric out of the way, then he would indeed need her help. But she couldn¡¯t agree too quickly, lest ine catch on. Thinking of this, udia only showed a slightly tempted expression but didn¡¯t answer quickly. 5/0 12-24 Fri, 23 Chapter 121 The Last Meeting Seeing her expression, ine continued persuading, ¡°udia, surgery is a big deal. You want to run out because you care too much. Besides, ric is going to divorce Victoria and be with you anyway. If Old Mrs. Cadogan finds out that you were sick but still went out to see her, she will definitely be touched.¡± udia hesitated. ¡°What you¡¯re saying seems to make sense.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Okay. Griselda¡¯s surgery is in the afternoon, so take your time.¡± By the afternoon, udia told ine, ¡°I thought about it and I think you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± With this, a shy smile appeared on udia¡¯s lips. ¡°I n to goter, but the hospital staff probably won¡¯t let me out. Can you help me then?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ine smirked triumphantly; this was the result she wanted, and udia¡¯s 6/9 Chapter 121 The Last Meeting willingness to cooperate was great. With that, she went out to call Christopher and told him she had it under control; he just had to wait for the right moment. After coordinating with Christopher, all they had to do was wait. 58% Before the surgery, Griselda went through various preparations. Currently, she was lying quietly in bed with Victoria and Mary by her side. ¡°You two don¡¯t have to stare at me all the time. Go rest on the side. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Maryughed. ¡°We¡¯re just apanying you. Why would we be tired?¡± Victoria nodded in agreement. 7/0 Just before entering the operating room, Victoria became tense. She held Griselda¡¯s hand, unconsciously tightening her grip. Griselda felt the force on her hand and looked at her. Victoria immediately forced a smile, but even so, Griselda could feel the stiffness in her smile. 12:24 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 121 The Last Meeting ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ We¡¯ll be waiting for you outside, so just sleep well and everything will be okay when you wake up.¡± When Griselda heard her, she noticed that Victoria¡¯s voice was trembling slightly. ¡°You silly girl¡­¡± Griselda¡¯s heart was warm. She reached out to hold Victoria¡¯s hand back. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid, so don¡¯t worry. You and ric will be waiting outside for me anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah. Grandma, you muste out safely. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Griselda was about to enter the operating room, Victoria still tightly held Griselda¡¯s hand, as if in a daze. She didn¡¯t move until ric came forward to hold her delicate wrist and encircle her waist with one hand. ¡°Grandma is going into surgery now. Don¡¯t worry. She will be fine.¡± His voice was deep as he spoke right next to Victoria¡¯s ear. 8/9 Chapter 121 The Last Meeting After he finished speaking, he pulled Victoria¡¯s hand back. Victoria let go of Griselda¡¯s wrist, but her gaze still remained fixed on Griselda¡¯s face. 9/9 ¡°Grandma¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Victoria. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Griselda reassured her. Finally, Griselda was pushed into the operating room. If it weren¡¯t for ric holding her back, Victoria would have rushed up to talk to Griselda again. In the end, Victoria realized she could wait until after the surgery to talk to her. After thinking it over, Victoria sat back down and nervously twisted her fingers, waiting anxiously for Griselda. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 The operating room lights soon lit up, and family members were left waiting outside. ric pulled Victoria to sit on a chair by the side. Although Victoria sat down, for some reason, she had a very ominous feeling. She furrowed her brows ufortably. She had felt that something wasn¡¯t quite right all morning, but she had been so focused on Griselda that she hadn¡¯t paid attention to anything else. Moreover, the person sitting beside her, ric, had been holding her wrist. ever since they entered the room. His grip was strong, and the warmth from his hand constantly reassured her. If it weren¡¯t for ric, she would have been even more anxious. While she was lost in thought, ric¡¯s phone, which he had put on silent, began to vibrate. 1/9 Chapter 122 When Did I me You? Since Griselda had entered the operating room, ric had put his phone on silent mode, and everyone at thepany knew that Griselda was having surgery and not to disturb him. The only person who would call him at this time was¡­ Victoria unconsciously looked at ric. ric pursed his thin lips and looked back at her for a moment before taking out his phone. Sure enough, udia¡¯s name appeared on the screen. When Victoria saw udia¡¯s name, for some reason, she bit her lip. At this point, he couldn¡¯t possibly still answer udia¡¯s call, right? Just as she was lost in thought, Mary, who was sitting opposite her, suddenly spoke up. ¡°You still haven¡¯t turned off your phone at this time?¡± Mary¡¯s words echoed Victoria¡¯s thoughts. At that moment, she also turned 2/9 Chapter 122 When Did I me You? to look at ric. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was Mary¡¯s words that made him realize it or if ric himself knew that it was inappropriate to answer udia¡¯s call at this time, but he hung up the phone. Mary looked away, no longer paying attention to him. Victoria felt relieved in her heart. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, she wanted to pull her hand back, but ric not only did not let go but tightened his grip. She frowned and looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m holding on,¡± ric said coldly. ¡°So, you won¡¯t be afraid.¡± Victoria was speechless. Who said she was afraid? Nevertheless, with his hand holding hers, she did feel a little safer. However, she had promised udia not to have any intimate actions with 3.9 Chapter 122 When Did 1 me You? him. Holding hands counted as intimate actions, right? ¡°Griselda has always been a fortunate person,¡± ric said again. After hearing ric¡¯s words, Victoria snapped back to reality, realizing that even if it was an intimate gesture, she couldn¡¯t afford to think of anything else at this moment. She nodded. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you cold?¡± ric suddenly asked. Victoria shook her head. The next moment, ric let go of her hand. At that moment, Victoria felt as if a weight had been lifted from her heart. But this feeling didn¡¯tst long because ric took off his jacket and draped it over her. The warm and refreshing scent of the jacket enveloped Victoria¡¯s body, and she was momentarily taken aback. Chapter 122 When Did I me You? She had just said that she wasn¡¯t cold, so why did he¡­ Just then, ric sat down beside her again and took her wrist in his hand. once more. Victoria was speechless. She didn¡¯t say anything in front of Adrian and Mary. Then, everyone waited in silence outside the operating room. But unfortunately, it didn¡¯tst long. About ten minutester, ric¡¯s phone vibrated again in his pocket, and Victoria could feel it clearly since she was wearing his jacket. She looked at ric subconsciously and their eyes met. ¡°Your phone is ringing again. Are you going to answer it?¡± she asked. ric pursed his lips and then said, ¡°It¡¯s in your hands now.¡± What does he mean? Does he want me to take the initiative and answer the phone? 5/9 Chapter 122 When Did I me You? At first, Victoria could pretend to ignore it and let ric answer it himself. But after the phone kept vibrating in his jacket pocket, she became annoyed. 58% ¡°Would you me me if I turn off your phone and you subsequently miss anything important?¡± she asked ric. ric¡¯s gaze fixed on her face. ¡°Have I ever med you before?¡± His words caught Victoria off guard. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s you against your words. I¡¯ll turn off your phone then. It¡¯s been annoying me,¡± she said, taking his phone out of his pocket. It was quiet now, but Victoria could see from the screen that udia had called him four or five times. Why now? Why was she calling him now? Did she want to ask ric about Grandma¡¯s surgery? As Victoria was thinking about this, ric¡¯s phone vibrated again. But this time, it wasn¡¯t a call. It was a message, and Victoria could see it 6/9 Chapter 122 When Did I me You? clearly. E ¡°Mr. Cadogan, this is ine. I¡¯ve been calling you, but you haven¡¯t answered. I don¡¯t know if something has dyed you from answering my calls, but I have something urgent to tell you. udia has run away. I don¡¯t know where she went, and she¡¯s injured. She left her phone in the ward, and I can¡¯t find her anywhere. I¡¯m very worried. If you see this message, please help me find udia.¡± Although the message was long, Victoria read it quickly. udia is missing? At this crucial moment? How could she disappear? Victoria¡¯s brows furrowed, and she looked at ric. Meanwhile, ric was still looking in the direction of the operating room and didn¡¯t notice her. If¡­ 7/9 24 Fri, 23 56% Chapter 122 When Did 1 me You? If she pretended not to have seen this message, turned off the phone, and ric asked her about itter, she could say she didn¡¯t see it and he wouldn¡¯t be able to me her. Moreover, even if she saw it, he couldn¡¯t do anything to her. After all, it was he himself who had said that the phone was in her own hands and it was up to her to decide. 8/9 Besides, even if udia was injured, she was an adult and had her own ns. She could take care of herself, right? Even if something happened, it was her own fault. Victoria held the phone in her hand, building herself up mentally. After some time, ric turned his head toward her and saw that she was still holding the phone. He asked, ¡°Did you turn it off?¡± Upon hearing this, Victoria gradually came back to her senses. She looked at him slowly and then bit her lip before saying, ¡°There¡¯s a message that I think you should see no matter what.¡± After speaking, Victoria handed the phone to ric. Despite all the mental preparation she had tried to make, it seemed like Chapter 122 When Did i me You? she couldn¡¯t ignore the message after all. udia had injuries on her face; what if she did something irrational? 9/9 Moreover, Victoria had feelings for ric, and udia saved him. Deep down, Victoria was grateful to udia as well. If it weren¡¯t for udia, she probably would never see ric again. ¡°You should go and check it out,¡± she said softly. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 When Victoria handed over the phone, ric also saw the content. Victoria clearly saw his pupils contract; it was probably because he was worried about udia running away, She turned her face away, wanting to take off her jacket to give it back to him. But at this moment, she heard ric say, ¡°I¡¯ll go out for a while.¡± Although she had guessed this, hearing him say it himself felt different. Victoria said softly, ¡°Okay.¡± She then stood up to take off her jacket to give it back to him. ric¡¯s gaze changed as he held her hand. ¡°No need. Just wear it. I¡¯ll be back in an hour.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s cold outside,¡± Victoria protested. ¡°I am a man.¡± ric¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°You wear it. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Then, he looked at the light outside the operating room. 1/2 12:24 Fri, B Chapter 123 ident ¡°There¡¯s still an hour to go for the surgery. I¡¯lle back before that. Call me if you need anything.¡± Victoria pursed her lips and spoke softly, ¡°Okay. Let your parents know.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ric nodded. Then, he let go of her hand and went to find Adrian and Mary.. When Mary heard that he was going out, she immediately red at him in displeasure. ¡°What are you thinking? Do you know what¡¯s going on right now? Do you even care about your grandmother?¡± ric pursed his lips, staying silent under the reprimand. Seeing him lowering his head and remaining silent, Mary poked his chest. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± He didn¡¯t speak, but his expression clearly indicated that he was going out. Seeing this, Mary sneered. ¡°Did Victoria agree to let you go?¡± ric finally looked up and nodded. 58% 2/9 Chapter 123 ident Mary couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What? She actually agreed?¡± Then, she looked at Victoria and made a sarcastic remark. ¡°She¡¯s so generous. She actually agreed to let her husband go out and look for some other woman at this critical moment.¡± Victoria felt her ears turn red at Mary¡¯s sarcasm, which was the first time she had ever experienced it. ric frowned slightly. ¡°I have something important to do.¡± ¡°What could be more important than your grandmother?¡± ¡°udia is missing and I need to find her.¡± 3/9 Hearing udia¡¯s name, Mary hesitated for a moment. She really didn¡¯t like her son¡¯s attitude toward udia, but unfortunately, udia had done them a great favor. When it came to a benefactor, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything unkind. She asked, ¡°Why did udia go missing? What happened to her?¡± Chapter 123 ident ¡°She suffered severe injuries to her face and will be scarred. She¡¯s not in a good state of mindtely,¡± ric said, looking at the time. 4/9 When Mary heard that udia had suffered serious injuries to her face, as someone who cared about her appearance, she was at a loss for words. If she was also injured on her face, she would probably go crazy. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first,¡± ric said, seeing that Mary and Adrian weren¡¯t saying anything else. Looking at his back, Mary could only say, ¡°Come back soon, and if necessary, let your assistant find someone to help you search for her.¡± In response to her, ric merely disappeared from view. When he left, Mary said helplessly, ¡°Why does it have to be udia? We can¡¯t say anything about her. If we do, we¡¯ll seem ungrateful.¡± She sat down and sighed. Adrian reached out and stroked her head indulgently. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Fate has its own n.¡± Chapter 123 ident Mary red at him petntly. ¡°What are you saying?¡± Adrian just smiled and said nothing. Mary thought of something and said to Adrian, ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll go over to Victoria.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria sat there wearing ric¡¯s jacket while looking at Mary walking toward her with a helpless expression. Sure enough, after Mary sat down next to her, Mary asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt. to watch him go find another woman? Aren¡¯t you heartbroken?¡± Victoria could only faintly reply, ¡°He¡¯s just going to find her and not do anything else.¡± ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s just like that?¡± Victoria remained silent. ¡°You are husband and wife; sometimes you don¡¯t need to be so 5/9 B Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 123 ident understanding. If you feel jealous, feel jealous. If you¡¯re always too amodating, he might think you don¡¯t really love him.¡± Yes, Victoria understood this principle. 6/9 But¡­ their marriage was fake from the beginning, so did she have the right to feel jealous. Seeing that Victoria didn¡¯t say anything, Mary suddenly felt a bit frustrated. ¡°Alright, forget it. As long as you two don¡¯t have any problems. As an elder, I won¡¯t say much.¡± After speaking, Mary got up and returned to Adrian¡¯s side. Victoria looked up and saw that after Mary left, Adrian carefully helped her sit down and adjusted her cor, full of affection throughout the process. Love for someone truly could not be hidden. Sometimes, she envied Adrian and Mary¡¯s love for each other. In this world, couples who loved each other and could stay together for a 12:25 Fri, 23 Jun = Chapter 123 ident long time without diminishing love were really rare. When she was young and secretly liked ric, she also thought of them as being like Adrian and Mary. 7/9 But because of her father¡¯s failed rtionship, Victoria felt that love was not so beautiful anymore. However, when she saw Adrian and Mary, she felt that she could do it too. Still, fantasies were just fantasies, and reality was far from it. She was her father¡¯s daughter, so her fate would probably end up like her father¡¯s. She would not be getting a happy ending in love, right? Thinking of this, Victoria could only sigh in her heart. After a moment, she suddenly felt nauseous, probably because she hadn¡¯t eaten much in the morning, and she even felt that the air here was stuffy. She wanted to go outside and take a breather. Victoria stood up and said to Adrian and Mary, ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Chapter 123 ident Upon hearing this, Mary immediately looked at her. ¡°Going to the restroom? Do you want me to apany you?¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°I can go by myself.¡± ¡°Alright, be careful.¡± As Victoria looked a little weak, Mary was a bit worried about her. ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria smiled at her and then walked outside. When she got to the door, she suddenly remembered that she still hadn¡¯t taken off ric¡¯s jacket. Nevertheless, she was toozy to go back, so she just draped the jacket over herself. 8/9 The air in the hallway was chilly, and Victoria subconsciously tightened the jacket around her. To be honest, the weather had been getting colder recently. 12:25 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 123 ident She looked out the window and guessed that it would snow in Gandra soon. As she was thinking, footsteps approached from behind. Many people came and went to hospitals, so Victoria didn¡¯t think much of 1. it. But when she heard the footsteps getting closer and the same creepy feeling from this morning returned, she sensed that something was wrong and wanted to turn around. A pair of hands suddenly wrapped around her from behind, covering her mouth and nose. Then, a strange smell came over her. Soon, darkness washed over her and she lost consciousness. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 When Victoria woke up, she was in an abandoned warehouse. Her head felt heavy; her body was limp and weak. Victoria surveyed her surroundings and realized she was in an abandoned warehouse filled with the damp, putrid smell of decay. Her hands and feet were tied separately, and the warehouse was cluttered with discarded cardboard boxes. She already had an idea of the culprit behind this. Victoria pursed her lips and took a deep breath. She didn¡¯t feel any pain in her stomach, so she breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried that they had injured her, but except for where the ropes had been tied tightly on her, she didn¡¯t feel any pain. Suddenly, she heard a noise outside the warehouse. The heavy iron door was pushed open, and the room was filled with light. Christopher walked in carrying a bag and closed the door behind him, 1/9 Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature plunging the warehouse back into darkness. Bang! He walked over to Victoria, dropped the bag next to her, and crouched in front of her. Victoria stared at him calmly. After a moment, Christopher said, ¡°I can remove the tape from your mouth, but if you dare scream, it will make me angry, and I will knock you out immediately.¡± Victoria hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Christopher peeled the tape off her mouth, and Victoria instantly felt her breathing be smoother. Still, the smell in the warehouse was so bad that she didn¡¯t take deep breaths. Her reaction surprised Christopher. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± he asked. Victoria looked at him and asked calmly, ¡°If I said I am, would you let me go?¡± 2/9 12:25 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature ¡°No.¡± Well, then. Victoria leaned against the cardboard boxes behind her and remained silent. Her hair was disheveled, and her face, pale from the cold, looked clean but haggard. Her hair covered most of her face, making her look even more sallow. Christopher watched her in silence. She was undeniably beautiful, but she had a poisonous heart. ¡°What should I do with you?¡± Christopher finally asked. ¡°You hurt udia, and I have to get revenge on you. However, you¡¯re the only child from the wealthy families I¡¯ve met who recognized me at first sight and knew my name.¡± Ever since he started school, Christopher had been looked down upon because of his identity. People never even looked at him directly. 3/9 12:25 Fri, 23 Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature Unexpectedly, Victoria called him by his name and recognized him. immediately. He felt like he had finally be someone with a real identity. But she was the one who hurt udia. * So, Christopher had been struggling with what to do with her. Victoria surprised him by asking calmly, ¡°Did udia tell you I hurt her?¡± 4/9 Christopher narrowed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°Of course not. How could udia juste out and say something like that?¡± ¡°Then it was herpanion who told you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re very smart. It was herpanion. So what? You don¡¯t think that just because udia didn¡¯t say it directly, you¡¯re not responsible for harming her, do you?¡± Victoria looked at Christopher and suddenly asked, ¡°You like udia, don¡¯t you?¡± 12:25 Fri, 23 Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature His feelings for udia were well¨Cknown in school, so Christopher didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°So what if I do? If I don¡¯t like her, why would I kidnap you for her?¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re willing to sacrifice yourself for her and seek revenge on me?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± When Victoria spoke, she didn¡¯t look at him but gazed out the window. Her voice was faint as she continued, ¡°I remember thest time you told me that you believe that we think you have no value to society.¡± When Christopher heard this, his eyes contracted. ¡°Do you remember what I asked you then? I asked, ¡®What do you think is helpful to society?¡® Is this your answer?¡± Christopher stood still in shock. Seeing him like this, Victoria sneered. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯ve created value for yourself? After hearing from udia¡¯s friend that I harmed udia, did 5/9 Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature you investigate the truth at all?* 5) ¡°Investigate?¡± Christopher had never thought of such a thing, let alone that Victoria would point out a new direction for him. Victoria looked at him with amusement. ¡°So, you never thought of investigating and just came to kidnap me, right? Then let me ask you, what about after the kidnapping? Do you think the police won¡¯t find you?¡± Hearing this, Christopher coldly said, ¡°Are you talking about the surveince? Do you think I didn¡¯t prepare in advance?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about surveince.¡± Victoria shook her head. Ever since Victoria had dealings with udia, who returned to the country, she had gained some insights. Moreover, with the phone call ric received in front of the operating room today, Victoria suddenly realized that this was actually a game set up by udia. Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature Negotiations, promises¡­ All of that was nonexistent. 58% udia was wary of the child in her belly. As long as she was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t stay calm even for a day. Despite that, she didn¡¯t want to be Since she couldn¡¯t get her hands dirty, someone else needed to do it. Last time it was ine at the farewell party; this time it was Christopher in front of Victoria. Even ric was included in her schemes. The entire disappearance and leaving only a phone at the hospital were all part of her carefully orchestrated n, weren¡¯t they? 7/9 ¡°If it¡¯s not surveince, then what is it?¡± Christopher asked curiously. He couldn¡¯t figure it out. He felt like the woman in front of him was speaking in riddles with him. Victoria snapped out of her thoughts and said in a soft voice, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the unpredictability of human nature.¡± Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature Christopher was speechless. It took him a while to figure out what she meant. ¡°Are you saying that someone will expose me?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Victoria replied with a t expression. ¡°But wrongdoings. always require someone to bear the unfortunate consequences.¡± Her words made Christopher understand. Victoria looked up and met Christopher¡¯s gaze. ¡°Everyone is born equal, and I have never looked down on you.¡± Christopher pursed his lips. If these words hade from anyone else, he T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. would have found themughable. Yet, these words came from Victoria. After so many years, she still remembered his name. Christopher still sneered, ¡°Do you think saying these things will make me let you go?¡± 8/9 12:25 Chapter 124 The Unpredictability of Human Nature ¡°Whether you let me go or not is up to you to decide. I just want to ask you, have you really decided to sacrifice yourself for udia? Even if you don¡¯t mind ending up going to prison in her ce, does it not matter to you if you be a person who not only has no value to society but also has the potential to cause harm?¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Griselda underwent surgery, and there was no assurance that Adrian and Mary would notice her absence in time. Even if they did, they probably wouldn¡¯t be able to intervene. Meanwhile, udia had taken ric away, and their current whereabouts were unknown. So, Victoria could only try to save herself. She had been deeply affected by Christopher¡¯s mocking remark from their previous meeting, and she could tell from what he said today that he cared a great deal about what others thought of him. Hence, she realized that this might be a way to manipte him and find an opportunity to escape for herself. After she spoke, he fell into silence, obviously deep in thought. Beforeing here, he had been hot¨Cheaded and only wanted to defend his lover. However, when she made it clear what the consequences of his actions would be, he hesitated. Despite his denial, he had to concede that she was right. Moreover, someone needed to take the me; he was the most obvious candidate. When Victoria saw Christopher suddenly be aware of the situation. and absorbed in thought, she realized she was on the right track to save 10 E Chapter 1251 Only Love udia herself. He appears to be even more concerned with his reputation than I 277 had anticipated. Everyone has their weaknesses. At that thought, she felt a sense of contentment. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this, do you?¡± Her voice was This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. soft and almost magical. ¡°You¡¯re young and have a bright future ahead of you. You shouldn¡¯t give up everything for love.¡± After hearing that, he seemed to snap out of his indecision and suddenly red at her. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty way of saying you want me to let you go.¡± His hostile gaze startled her, but she quickly regained herposure. ¡°Yes, I want you to let me go, but my request is for my sake. What about yours?¡± ¡°What about my request?¡± Christopher¡¯s gaze was ice¨Ccold as he red at Victoria and suddenly changed his tone. ¡°You hurt udia. How can you ask me to let you go?¡± ¡°Have you investigated this?¡± she inquired instead of answering him. When he heard that, he pursed his lips and remained silent. ¡°So, you haven¡¯t verified anything and have simply believed that I¡¯m guilty based on one person¡¯s ount,¡± she said bitterly, a sad smile forming on Chapter 125 | Only Love udia her fair face. ¡°In that case, what¡¯s the point of arguing with you?¡± She then lowered her gaze and looked like she had no intention of speaking any further. After seeing Victoria¡¯s reaction, Christopher narrowed his eyes in suspicion. ¡°A¨CAre you truly innocent of hurting udia?¡± He actually wanted to believe her. After all, anybody who remembers my name is probably not that bad. ¡°Of course,¡± she replied with utmost seriousness. ¡°I would never do something like that.¡± As he was contemting her words, someone pounded loudly on the warehouse door. ¡°Christopher, don¡¯t believe this woman. She¡¯s lying to you,¡± a familiar voice from outside said. 3/7 Victoria immediately recognized ine¡¯s voice, who had be enemies with her. Then, Victoria¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. When he heard ine¡¯s knocking, his expression changed, and after ncing uncertainty at Victoria, he turned to open the warehouse door. Chapter 1251 Only Love udia As soon as the door opened, ine rushed in. When she saw Victoria in a sorry state, lying amidst piles of cardboard boxes, she smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Victoria, you¡¯ve had your 58% ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Christopher asked ine, looking displeased. He probably didn¡¯t expect her to show up. ine red at him in response and uttered, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t shown up, you probably would have let the perpetrator who injured udia get away scot¨Cfree, right?¡± Exposed by her, he couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment. Then, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m udia¡¯s good friend. If you can seek justice for her, why can¡¯t I?¡± she retorted. After hearing that, Christopher couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°If you want to seek justice for her, don¡¯t use me. Get out.¡± Get out? That¡¯s impossible.¡± As ine spoke, she kicked Victoria with her Chapter 1251 Only Love udia foot. 7 58% Victoria¡¯s face changed instantly when she saw the iing kick, and she quickly curled up her body. Bam! ine¡¯s flying foot hit Victoria¡¯s leg directly. At that moment, Victoria felt a wave of pain wash over her, and tears welled up in her eyes. 577 ¡°What are you doing?¡± Christopher¡¯s face changed drastically, and he rushed forward to pull ine away before she kicked Victoria again. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Although she had lost her mind, her strength was not ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one. You have already caught her, and you are still here pretending? What, are you infatuated with this woman because she¡¯s pretty?¡± she taunted him while crossing her arms in front of her chest. ¡°You always said that you would retaliate a hundred times against anyone who hurt udia. Now the person is right in front of you. What are you going to do?¡± Christopher was speechless by her remarks. Then, he looked at Victoria, 12:25 Fri, 23 Jun. Chapter 1251 Only Love udia curled up among the cardboard boxes, and frowned. She appears in bad shape after ine gave her a brutal kick earlier On the other hand, ine had been watching by the side, and when she saw him looking at Victoria for a long time without doing anything, she sneered and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Haven¡¯t made up your mind yet, or are you pitying her?¡± He didn¡¯t say anything and just stared at Victoria quietly, seemingly making a decision. However, Victoria noticed he wasn¡¯tpletely hopeless, so she endured the pain and said, ¡°Christopher, she just wants to use you to get back at 1. me. If you leave now, she won¡¯t dare to hurt me.¡± How could he not understand what Victoria meant? She implied that if he left and something happened to her, ine would be responsible. That was why ine wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You should be thankful that Christopher is here, or else you wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to speak,¡± ine retorted. 6/7 12:25 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 1251 Only Love udia ¡°Is that so?¡± Victoria leaned against the cardboard box, panting lightly with. beads of sweat on her pale forehead. ¡°Then, tell Christopher to leave and stay here yourself. If anything happens to me, let¡¯s see if you can escape.¡± 77 ¡°You!¡± ine was struck by her words. She felt embarrassed and angry, but then she quickly came up with an idea. She sneered and said, ¡°Right, I can¡¯t run away, and I don¡¯t n on running away. So, we still have a lot of time left. Victoria, how about we y a game?¡± Victoria looked at her expressionlessly. After saying that, ine walked toward her but was stopped by Christopher halfway. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± ine squinted and stared at Victoria. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good, aren¡¯t you? Not only did you make ric fall for you, but you also seduced Christopher. Are you trying to steal everything that belongs to udia from her?¡± ¦£¦¥¦© Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Victoria frowned in response to ine¡¯sment. What did she mean. when she said I want to steal everything from udia? udia and ric have never been in amitted rtionship; if they had, I wouldn¡¯t still have feelings for ric and be willing to stage a wedding for him. It is simply because he and udia never established a rtionship. At that thought, Victoria sneered, ¡°Is ric the one who told you that he belongs. to udia?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stubborn, Victoria. I¡¯ll let you know whether or not ric is udia¡¯s,¡± ine said as she pushed Christopher¡¯s hand away and hunkered down in front of Victoria. ¡°Do you have your phone on you?¡± she asked as she got closer. Victoria looked at her warily in response. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? I¡¯m only conducting an experiment.¡± Then, ine flipped Victoria over to search her pockets. At that moment, Victoria was worried for her unborn child when she noticed ine rifling through her body, so she struggled in fear because 1/7 12:27 Fri, 23 Chapter 126 He Won¡¯t Pick Up she did not know what ine intended to do. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± ine warned her in a low voice. ¡°If you keep moving, I can¡¯t guarantee you won¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Victoria asked, her face turning pale. ¡°I just need your phone for a fun experiment. Are you worried about that little b*stard in your belly?¡± ine¡¯s voice was low, so Christopher couldn¡¯t hear her, and she even said proudly, ¡°I heard udia say that you wanted to protect that little b*stard. Why? Can you use him to keep your title as Mrs. Cadogan forever?¡± Victoria¡¯s eyes narrowed as she heard the word ¡°b*stard,¡± and she couldn¡¯t help but headbutt ine, who was right in front of her. ¡°Ah!¡± ine was knocked backward and yelped in agony. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him like that!¡± Victoria gritted her teeth and red at ine with a fierce look. A moment ago, Victoria had a gentle expression; now, she appeared angry and ready to fight. The sudden change was frightening even for ine. After being 2/7 Chapter 126 He Won¡¯t Pick Up headbutted, her ear was still ringing as she stood up. She was furious and This is from N?velDrama.Org. wanted retaliation, but when she met Victoria¡¯s eyes, ine was paralyzed with shock. It wasn¡¯t until Christopher ran over and grabbed her arm that she returned to her senses. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± he asked, pulling her up. On the other hand, ine didn¡¯t dare provoke Victoria anymore after the got hurt? At that thought, she turned to him and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s her phone? She can¡¯t have gone out without it.¡± After hearing that, he red at her and released her arm. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Yes, and I need to use her phone to make a quick call,¡± she said. Christopher frowned, feeling that ine would mess things up. ¡°Hurry up and give it to me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll call udia and tell her.¡± He was about to refuse when she threatened him with udia¡¯s name. Ultimately, he gave in and handed over the phone. She immediately took 317 12:27 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 126 He Won¡¯t Pick Up it and started to fiddle with it. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Just sit back and watch.¡± Christopher nced at ine in disgust, and then his gaze fell on Victoria, whose forehead was swollen from the headbutt. The contrast with her terrifyingly pale lips was startling. I¡¯m curious about what ine may have said to her because Victoria was veryposed when I brought her here. ¡°I found it.¡± ine browsed Victoria¡¯s phone contact list and effortlessly found ric¡¯s number. Due to the earlier attack, she didn¡¯t dare approach Victoria directly, so she crouched far away. ¡°Do you think ric will answer if I call him with your phone now?¡± Victoria looked at ine coldly with an indifferent gaze as if she didn¡¯t want to bother ine at all. Seeing her like this, ine couldn¡¯t help but angrily say, ¡°At this point, do you still think you¡¯re some pure and noble fairy? You clearly want to be Mrs. Cadogan, but you¡¯re still pretending. Just wait and meet your end!¡± Chapter 126 He Won¡¯t Pick Up ¡°Whether or not I choose to be Mrs. Cadogan is none of your business!¡± Victoria snorted. ¡°Or do you want to be Mrs. Cadogan too?¡± Hearing this, ine¡¯s face turned red, and her words stuck in her throat. ¡°W¨CWhat are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying casually. Are you so worked up because I hit the nail on the head?¡± Victoria sneered. ine¡¯s whole face twisted in anger, and her features resembled worms crawling across her face. ¡°Victoria, you¡¯ll regret this!¡± With that, she dialed ric¡¯s number on Victoria¡¯s phone. Then, she curled her lips and said, ¡°You probably already know who he¡¯s with now, but if his wife calls him for help, will hee?¡± After saying that, she paused and pretended to be surprised, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°Oh my, I forgot to mention that he might not even answer the phone, let alone hear your plea for help, right?¡± Beep. Beep¡­ The call was connected. Meanwhile, Christopher, standing next to ine, realized what she had in mind and frowned. ¡°Do you want others toe here? Are you crazy?¡± 5/7 Chapter 126 He Won¡¯t Pick Up ¡°Shut up! What are you talking about?¡± Then, she said impatiently, ¡°ric won¡¯t answer Victoria¡¯s call right now; he¡¯s with udia.¡± When he heard that, his eyes dimmed a bit. Here I am, desperately giving. up everything for the woman I like while she is with another man. At that moment, he recalled what Victoria had said and admitted that it made sense. udia will never like me, so everything I do now is self¨Csacrifice? At that thought, he suddenly regretted his actions. Beep. Beep¡­ On the other hand, ine¡¯s call from Victoria¡¯s phone went. unanswered until a robotic female voice answered. ¡°Hello, the number you dialed is currently unavable. Please try againter.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± After hearing the cold, mechanical female voice, ine couldn¡¯t. help butugh hysterically. ¡°Victoria, I told you he wouldn¡¯t answer your call, right? Look, he¡¯s with udia now, so you¡¯re not important to him. Victoria, you¡¯re not even worthy of beingpared to udia.¡± After speaking for a while without getting any response, she looked up to see Victoria¡¯s reaction. However, what ine saw almost drove her crazy. Victoria was staring at her with a nk expression; she didn¡¯t seem disappointed or upset that ric hadn¡¯t responded to her call. 677 27 FM, 23 Chapter 126 He Won¡¯t Pick Up Initially, I want to retaliate against her, but if this can¡¯t even elicit a smidgeon of anger from her, what is the point of what I¡¯ve done so far? ¡°I don¡¯t believe you can be indifferent to everything!¡± Enraged by Victoria¡¯s ¡°ine, what are you doing?¡± As soon as Christopher finished speaking, there was a loud bang, and the warehouse door was kicked open. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 After hearing the sound, the three people in the warehouse all turned their heads toward the door simultaneously. Before they could react, a group of people rushed in. Shortly after, someone grabbed ine and pushed her down to the ground, and Christopher also received the same treatment. Suddenly, the already dusty warehouse was exacerbated by therge crowd of people who rushed in. Due to that, Victoria instinctively closed her eyes. ¡°Capture them and take them out!¡± ¡°Ah! What are you doing? Let go of me!¡± With her eyes closed, Victoria heard ine struggling and screaming as they were taken away. Did I get rescued? The group of people doesn¡¯t look like police officers. Then, who saved me? As she pondered, Victoria felt lightheaded and nauseated. Is it due to the earlier headbutt with ine or the drug from before? I lost consciousness not long after Christopher¡¯s hand covered my mouth, and I¡¯m unsure if this will affect my health. As she thought about it, 1/7 12 27 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 127 Her Pregnancy Is Revealed she heard a steady sound of footsteps approaching her. She tried to lift her head to see who it was, but in the next second, she lost consciousness again. At that time, she was leaning against a pile of cardboard boxes, so even though she passed out, she didn¡¯t fall, but her head drooped down. 20 A few secondster, arge hand held her head before a pair of arms gently carried her up. She was carried by the man, her soft hair brushing against his chest. The man¡¯s gaze softened instantly, but his eyes and voice became cold again when he looked at his men. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As he spoke, he carried Victoria out. As soon as they left the warehouse, the man saw ine and Christopher being led away. While Christopher seemed defeated and remorseful, she was extremely unwilling and muttering curses. ¡°What are you people doing? Let go of me! You can¡¯t forcefully take people away like this; it¡¯s illegal.¡± ¡°Illegal?¡± The leader sneered and continued, ¡°So, now you know that forcefully taking people away like this is illegal?¡± After hearing that, she choked momentarily, then immediately pushed the 12:27 Fri, 23 Ju Chapter 127 Her Pregnancy Is Revealed me onto Christopher. ¡°He did it all; it has nothing to do with me.¡± Suddenly, Christopher stopped walking upon hearing her words. He wasn¡¯t taken aback by her attempt to shift all the me onto him. ¡°Did you hear that? He¡¯s responsible for everything, and I have no involvement whatsoever in this matter,¡± ine repeated. ¡°Is that so?¡± The leader raised an eyebrow. ¡°If it has nothing to do with you, why were you there? When we entered, you even rushed toward Miss Selwyn. Don¡¯t tell me you were trying to save her?¡± When she heard that, she stammered, ¡°I¨CI was trying to save her. I suspected that Christopher was trying to harm her, so-¡± After hearing this, the leader couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. He obviously didn¡¯t want to listen to her ridiculous ramblings, so he waved his hand and shoved her into the vehicle. When the surrounding noise subsided, he from her, I¡¯m afraid my IQ will drop.¡± As he turned his head, he was met with a pair of cold eyes, which caused 3/7 Chapter 127 Her Pregnancy is Revealed him to shrink back and quickly open another car door for the person. ¡°Mr. Morison, please.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Bane replied coolly and elegantly, bending slightly as he lifted the woman into the car. The guy who opened the door for him was Gus Sarders, who stood behind and watched his boss gently ce the woman in the car in the most unprecedented manner. On the other hand, the driver in front obviously noticed it too, and his voice unconsciously lowered when he asked, ¡°Mr. Morison, where are we going next?¡± After hearing that, Bane gave him a nce that seemed to say, ¡°Do you really need to ask me where to go?¡± The driver who caught Bane¡¯s eye swallowed nervously. Then, he heard Bane say, ¡°To the nearest hospital.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After saying that, the driver started the car and headed off in the direction given. Since he knew Victoria was inside the vehicle, he dared inot drive too fast. Art Chapter 127 Her Pregnancy Is Revealed pulled the needle out of her IV, causing her to gasp in pain. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Her sudden movement drew Bane¡¯s attention, who had been lounging quietly on the couch, and he quickly rushed over to help her and called for a nurse. While the nurse was handling her IV, Victoria asked, ¡°Can you remove this first? I have something urgent to attend to.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The nurse hesitated as she nced at Bane, who stood beside her. He chuckled lightly and replied, ¡°You can¡¯t have it removed. You are not feeling well, and there are still two bags of fluid drips to administer.¡± ¡°Bane, I¡¯m grateful you saved me, but I must be off to attend to a pressing matter.¡± ¡°If you are referring to Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s surgery, you have nothing to worry about.¡± Victoria froze up as soon as she heard the crucial words. ¡°You know? How did her surgery go?¡± 6/7 Chapter 127 Her Pregnancy Is Revealed ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He ced his hand on her head, and his smile was gentle. ¡°The surgery was very sessful, and she is resting well now.¡± After learning that the operation had gone well, she finally calmed down. Grandma wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her illness, and she wouldn¡¯t have to spend as much time in a nursing home. While contemting this, a hint of warmth crept into her eyes and expression. Then, she looked up and said, ¡°I want to see her now. This IV-¡± ¡°Victoria.¡± Bane¡¯srge hand moved from the back of her head to her shoulder, and his voice was soft. ¡°Right now, the most important thing is to take care of yourself, understand?¡± Although he didn¡¯t say anything important, Victoria felt that there was some hidden meaning in his words from his tone and expression. Soon, her mind started to spin rapidly. I awoke in a hospital, and without knowing my condition, the doctors would not have given me an IV. If I have an IV line attached to me, then¡­ Her face turned pale as she considered the possibility and slowly looked up at him. 7/7 12:28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 128 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child Chapter 128 Chapter 128 On the other hand, Bane¡¯s gold¨Crimmed sses obscured his deep¨Cset eyes, making it difficult for Victoria to read his expression, while he kept a smile on his face the entire time. After a moment of eye contact, he raised his eyebrows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± At his words, she lowered her eyes and remained silent. She also did not mention visiting Griselda again. Then, she quietly let the nurse reinsert the needle, at which point the pain gradually spread from her hand and heightened her alertness. After the nurse left, it was just the two of them in the ward, and Victoria figured now would be a good time to break the silence. As she fumbled for words, Bane abruptly kneeled before her, holding a clean handkerchief and gently wiping away the bloodstains from her wound that had seeped out from being aggravated earlier. Although the nurse had already cleaned it up, the blood had stained her sleeve and could not be wiped away. However, he appeared to be driven by an obsession with cleanliness as heboriously wiped away the blood stains repeatedly. 177 12 28 Chapter 128 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child After nearly ten seconds, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, just leave it. You can¡¯t wipe it off.¡± When he heard that, his movements paused, and he didn¡¯t continue wiping. After a moment, he said, ¡°Someone will bring you new clothes Victoria didn¡¯t respond and couldn¡¯t quite understand what Bane was trying to do. He probably knows I¡¯m pregnant but hasn¡¯t mentioned it since the nurse left. Since he and ric are friends, I doubt ric would keep it a secret from him¡­ Lost in thought, she finally heard him speak. ¡°Your hesitant look tells me you have something to say to me.¡± In response, she bit her lower lip and looked at him awkwardly. When he saw the look on her face, he raised his hand and lightly tapped her forehead. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for many years, and you still hesitate to speak to me? Do you regard me as an outsider?¡± She mused. I don¡¯t mean to make you feel like an outsider, but it¡¯s difficult for me to bring up this matter. 277 12:28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 128 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child When Bane noticed Victoria remained silent, he lightlyughed and broached the subject. ¡°Alright, then let me ask you, what do you n to do?¡± His word choice suggests that he already knows about it¡­ Even though the chances of him not knowing after he brought me to the hospital are slim, I still hold out hope. Before he asked me that, I had a glimmer of hope, but now it¡¯s gone. At that thought, her face turned ashen, and she said, ¡°So, you already know.¡± Then, she lowered her head and added, ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡± For a long time, she did not get a response from him. After a while, she felt his big hand ruffle her hair. This action made Victoria¡¯s beautiful eyebrows twist slightly. Why does he still treat me like a child? Soon, she heard Bane ask lightly, ¡°You don¡¯t want him to know?¡± However, she was taken aback by his question. As ric¡¯s friend, Bane¡¯s normal response to hearing me say this should be a surprise that ric is still unaware of it. Instead, his reaction is to ask if I don¡¯t want ric to know about this matter. As she pondered this, she saw him stuffing the handkerchief he had just used to wipe her bloodstain back into his suit 3/7 Chapter 128 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child pocket. 4/7 Suddenly, another scene yed out in front of her eyes. When they left the restaurant thest time, he identally bumped into someone, so he wiped his hands thoroughly with a handkerchief and then threw it away. Now, he¡­ For a moment, Victoria forgot what she wanted to say, feeling her mind in chaos. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will help you.¡± After hearing this, she felt that her mind became even more chaotic. Looking up at Bane, she asked, ¡°Help me?¡± He smiled slightly in response. ¡°I will also help this loving couple, ric and udia.¡± The words ¡°loving couple¡± made Victoria heartache, and she eventually T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. nodded numbly. Although her mind was still in chaos, hearing that he would keep her secret, she finally felt relieved. ¡°What¡¯s going on between you two?¡± 12:28 Fri, 23 Juni 57 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child After confirming that they shared amon objective, Bane finally asked her another question. ¡°You¡¯ve been with him day and night, yet he doesn¡¯t know about your pregnancy?¡± 5/77 When she heard that, her hands sped involuntarily, and she replied, ¡°He knows.¡± When he heard this, his eyes behind the sses slightly darkened. As his gaze flickered, his tone changed a bit as well. ¡°He knows?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victoria nodded. She instinctively touched the stray hairs around her ears as she thought about the message she had sent out that had fallen on deaf ears. Smiling faintly, she added, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want this child.¡± At this point, Bane understood everything. So, ric knows she¡¯s pregnant, but he doesn¡¯t want the child. On the other hand, she wants to keep the child but does not want ric to know. That exins why she seemed so wary thest time she went to the restaurant. ¡°So, he now believes you have already aborted the child?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± When he saw her ashen features and fake smile, his thin lips tightened 12:28 Fri, 23 Chapter 128 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child into a straight line, and his eyes grew distant. Then, he sighed after a moment. ¡°Why are you so foolish? You still n to raise the child yourself?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Victoria looked up, meeting his gaze. ¡°Although I¡¯m alone, I¡¯m sure I can raise the child well. After all, I grew up in a single¨Cparent family, and I¡¯m normal and healthy. My father gave me love which was not any less than others. I don¡¯t feel I¡¯m any different from others just because I don¡¯t have a mother. I-¡± Her speech became more rapid, and her voice diminished as she spoke, manifesting a loss of confidence. Bane held her wrist, and he said gently, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s merely raising a child. There¡¯s no need to exin so much. Just do what you want to do.¡± Due to the earlier emotional upheaval, her breathing became more This is from N?velDrama.Org. herself and said, ¡°Sorry, I was feeling a bit emotional just now.¡± She lowered her eyes and spoke softly. Bane looked at Victoria in front of him, feeling a bit helpless. At first nce, she appears to be no different from any other average person. She is not only sound in both body and mind but also possesses an impressive level of resiliency. Despite growing up without a mother, she is still extremely 6/7 12:28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 129 He Doesn¡¯t Want the Child sensitive to the mention of single¨Cparent families. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He still smiled. 70 gently. ¡°By the way, I took ric¡¯s call before you woke up. He¡¯s probably on his way here now, so be prepared.¡± Bang! As soon as the words fell, the door to the ward was pushed open forcefully. Immediately, a familiar figure appeared at the hospital¡¯s ward door. Before she could react, the person rushed to her and grabbed her shoulders, panting heavily as he asked, ¡°Are you hurt? Are you okay?¡± 12 28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 129 Self Awareness At this moment, ric¡¯s hair was disheveled, he had a worried expression, and the chill of the outside air lingered on his body. Although it seemed like he rushed over for her, Victoria knew he had probably been looking for udia beforeing to her. Besides, he was too busy to answer her call, or maybe it was inconvenient for him. Ultimately, she didn¡¯t want to specte too much on the matter. So, when he came to find her, she didn¡¯t feel any emotional response. However, they still had to maintain their rtionship looking good on the outside, so she calmly shook her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± She realized she was neither frightened nor dissatisfied when he did not answer her phone calls In the meantime, he didn¡¯t have the time to worry about these things. Then, he bent down and carried her. At that moment, Victoria suddenly felt weightless and instinctively wanted to wrap around his neck. When she moved, her hand pulled on the IV needle, causing pain that immediately brought her back to the present and halted her motion. 1/7 Chapter 129 Self Awareness Before she could say anything, Bane spoke up. ¡°ric, what are you doing?¡± ric¡¯s face turned cold as he replied, ¡°Taking her for a check¨Cup.¡± ¡°The check¨Cup has already been done,¡± Bane calmly replied. ¡°Let¡¯s do a moreprehensive one,¡± ric insisted. Bane smiled in response. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the needle in her hand?¡± After hearing this, ric paused and realized she was still receiving treatment. He was too hasty earlier and didn¡¯t notice this detail. Realizing this, he also admitted that he may have caused her pain by carrying her earlier, so he quickly put her back down and asked softly, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± 2/7 Victoria heard his gentle voice and felt a deep sense of irony. You weren¡¯t even there to pick up the phone when I called. So, what¡¯s the point of these questions now? Thank goodness I¡¯ve already made it clear to myself that we¡¯re not a couple, and he doesn¡¯t have to act like one. Hence, she smiled lightly and uttered, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ric frowned slightly as he observed her expression and wanted to 12:28 Fri, 23 Chapter 129 Self Awareness speak but refrained due to the presence of others in the room. Eventually, he said, ¡°Rest for now. After the IV infusion, I¡¯ll take you for aprehensive check¨Cup.¡± 3/7 On the other hand, Victoria knew she couldn¡¯t go for the check¨Cup. If she did, her secret would surely be exposed. Still, if she refused, then¡­ At this moment, Bane interjected in time. ¡°Al, do you not trust me? The necessary checks have already been done, and there are no problems.¡± When ric heard that, he red at him with an emotional look. However, Bane seemed not to notice, and his smile remained gentle. After a moment, ric thought of something, and his aura turned colder. Then, he suggested icily, ¡°Let¡¯s leave her to rest in the room, and we¡¯ll go out to speak?¡± Bane nodded in response. ¡°Sure.¡± Following that, the two men exited the ward. Before Bane walked out, Victoria exchanged nces with him. When ric caught sight of it, his hostility intensified. 12:28 Fri, 23 Junt. Chapter 129 Self Awareness After closing the door, they walked to the opposite side of the ward and ensured that she would not overhear their conversation. ¡°What happened?¡± ric¡¯s sharp gaze fell on Bane¡¯s face with a deep sense of inquiry. After hearing that, Bane removed his sses and wiped them gently before smiling and exining, ¡°I heard that Old Mrs. Cadogan was having surgery, so I went to the hospital to check on her. When I got there, I saw a familiar figure being taken away, but I couldn¡¯t confirm who it was without seeing their face. Later, I went to the operating room and found out it was Victoria, so I had her rescued.¡± ric also wanted to know the sequence of events, so he listened quietly. After Bane finished speaking, he frowned. ¡°What about the perpetrators?¡± ¡°We caught them,¡± Bane replied. ¡°Who is it?¡± ric couldn¡¯t figure out who would do that. Victoria doesn¡¯t have any enemies. So, who would target her at this time? Hearing his question, Bane fell silent. §¡§± Chapter 129 Self Awareness Suddenly, ric¡¯s brow furrowed in response to the silence. ¡°Bane?¡± Then, Bane lifted his gaze and spoke thoughtfully. ¡°Do you truly want to know?¡± This question made ric even more confused. Even though Victoria appears to be fine now, the kidnapping is a serious matter to which I could turn a blind eye. Putting his sses back on, Bane said sternly, ¡°The person who kidnapped her might surprise you. You need to be prepared to make a choice.¡± Hearing the word ¡°choice,¡± ric had a foreboding feeling in his heart. Sure enough, before he could ask further, Bane uttered, ¡°It¡¯s someone from udia¡¯s side.¡± When ric heard this, his gaze turned cold. ¡°My subordinates have already sent over their names. Take a look for yourself.¡± Bane handed his phone to him. ric took the phone and looked at the photo. He immediately recognized 5/7 12:28 Fri, 23 Junti. Chapter 129 Self Awareness Christopher, who had argued with Victoria at the farewell party and was not allowed to appear in front of udia again. As for the other guy, he wore a tough¨Cguy look, and ric didn¡¯t recognize him at all. ¡°Does he have any connection with udia?¡± He pointed at Christopher¡¯s photo. ¡°ording to the information, he and udia were ssmates in the same school before and were udia¡¯s pursuer. She¡¯s your lover, yet you don¡¯t even know her pursuer?¡± The word ¡°lover¡± made ric frown in displeasure. After that, he looked at Bane, who seemed to have a good temper. I¡¯d known him for a long time, but his lips were always set in a shallow smile. He wasn¡¯t like this before, but now it makes me feel¡­ Thinking of this, he narrowed his eyes and asked a question he had wanted to ask since earlier. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you contact me when you realized Victoria was taken away?¡± As he spoke, he fixed his gaze on Bane but found that he still looked calm and gentle. ¡°Sorry, Al. I didn¡¯t have time.¡± This answer made ric frown deeply. His voice suddenly turned cold, and he looked at Bane sarcastically, asking, ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t have time or didn¡¯t want to tell me?¡± 677 12 28 Fr, 23 Jun Chapter 129 Self Awareness Bane still smiled, but his words were different now. ¡°Since you already know, why bother asking me so clearly?¡± As soon as ric heard that, his breathing hitched for a moment. ¡°Do you like her?¡± Bane grinned and said nothing in response, confirming his suspicion. ¡°She¡¯s my wife now.¡± ric gritted his teeth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; you will divorce,¡± Bane replied. ric¡¯s face changed, and asked, ¡°Did she tell you?¡± Bane didn¡¯t confirm or deny that she did it, but he said lightly, ¡°ric, as a friend, I must remind you that you must have some self¨Cawareness. Why did you marry Victoria? Why are you still entangled with udia? Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s in your heart?¡± 70 12:28 Fri, 23 Junt. Chapter 130 I Won¡¯t Go Easy Chapter 130 Chapter 130 After hearing Bane¡¯s response, ric¡¯s mind was in chaos. He had always felt that something was off about Bane when they were young. Bane was always close to Victoria, and he often patted her head and called her ¡°little girl.¡± Still, Bane had always said she was just a kid who hadn¡¯t grown up. yet. So, he always thought Bane treated her like a younger sister. Although this was his opinion, deep down, ric always felt that something was off. This feeling continued until they lost contact and disappeared from each other¡¯s lives after he went abroad. However, he never expected that today¡­ Bane actually admitted it, and so quickly at that. ¡°Surprised?¡± Bane chuckled softly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that I have liked her since we were kids? I thought you knew all along.¡± After hearing that, ric said nothing, with his lips pressed into a straight line. ¡°Looks like you just found out. Well, it¡¯s not toote to know now.¡± Thinking about something, Bane added, ¡°So, what will you do about udia?¡± 1/8 12:28 Fri, 23 Chapter 1301 Won¡¯t Go Easy ¡°What?¡± ric¡¯s mind was still on the fact that his friend liked Victoria. As a result, he had no desire to think about anything else. Then, Bane put it delicately. ¡°I heard you left the hospital halfway because someone sent you a message saying udia was missing?¡± ric was astute, so he naturallyprehended what Bane was saying. Although ric also felt that the two incidents were too coincidental to the point of being suspicious, he couldn¡¯t believe that udia was involved, given that she had risked her life to save him by jumping into the river. On the other hand, Bane could tell ric¡¯s response by his silence. ¡°It seems our opinions are different now. In that case, as a friend, I have to warn you in advance. I can¡¯t stand it when anyone bullies Victoria. Hence, if I find out that udia is involved in this matter, I won¡¯t go easy on her.¡± ric frowned upon hearing that. ¡°What do you mean? Have you already assumed that it¡¯s her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for the results. Don¡¯t you want to know? Considering your feelings for udia, you should at least think about what you will do if it turns out she¡¯s involved, right?¡± 2/8 Chapter 130 Won¡¯t Go Easy Meanwhile, ric did not go to find udia after leaving the hospital but instead returned to Central Hospital. Griselda had already undergone her operation, but she remained in the observation room. When ric arrived, he asked, ¡°Grandma, is she-¡± p! A pnded on his handsome face. He didn¡¯t dodge, and he was hit squarely in the face. Mary¡¯s palm¡¯s hurt because she had to use all her strength to p her son, and her normally fair palms quickly turned red. She usually maintained such poise and beauty, but she lost her cool at that moment. Then, she red at him with bloodshot eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed in you!¡± 3/8 After Adrian saw that, he quickly stepped forward to pull his wife away. ¡°Why did you have to do that? Does your hand hurt?¡± he spoke to her while massaging her hand in a distressed manner. Soon, ric¡¯s handsome face was quickly marked with a handprint. After 12:28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 130I Won¡¯t Go Easy all, the p had used almost all of his mother¡¯s strength. After that, he appeared gloomy and disheartened. In his entire life, from childhood until now, his mother had neverid a hand on him until this one time. Despite his desire to exin himself, he was speechless at realizing he had let everyone down. He had left while his grandmother was in the hospital undergoing surgery, and he had not returned until now, which made him appear to be aplete jerk. After a while, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll see Grandma first.¡± After saying that, he walked away while Mary red at her son¡¯s back, with Adrian trying to calm her down. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be angry. Anyway, things have already happened.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Just because things have happened, I shouldn¡¯t care anymore? It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been too lenient that he¡¯s acting so recklessly now!¡± She was so angry that she lost the air of a refined and wealthydy. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t care, but since things are like this now, getting angry won¡¯t help. Let¡¯s take it slowly,¡± he exined. ¡°Take it slowly? With things like this, we can¡¯t take it slowly. Why don¡¯t you take care of your son yourself? I¡¯m done with it.¡± 4/8 12-28 Chapter 130 I Won¡¯t Go Easy Adrian sighed helplessly upon hearing that. ¡°You know I always listen to you. As for our son, what would you do if you were in his shoes? If you heard that your lifesaving benefactor was missing, could you sit still in the operating room?¡± When Mary heard that, she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°It¡¯s a dilemma. What do you expect him to choose?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say he couldn¡¯t go find her, but did he have to take so long? Even Victoria¡­ Fortunately, Bane found her. Otherwise, she would be in danger, and what¡¯s the point of his dilemma?¡± she argued. ¡°Yeah, fortunately, Bane was there. Don¡¯t me ric anymore. He¡¯s also feeling bad about it,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Feeling bad? He can feel bad all he wants but will regret it when something happens. He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s most important to him,¡± Mary replied angrily. However, when she thought of her son silently walking away after being pped by her just now, she felt sorry for him. He is probably feeling bad 5/8 12 28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 1301 Won¡¯t Go Easy too. Still, what could he do? Either choice is painful for him. Even as parents, we could not speak ill of udia lest we be deemed ungrateful to a benefactor. As decent individuals, we should be thankful. It¡¯s not easy to strike a bnce between everything, and poor Victoria is the one who has to suffer. The more she considered this, the more she felt for Victoria; she knew she couldn¡¯t stand in Victoria¡¯s shoes after what had happened today. Despite that, she wondered how Victoria remained soposed under such duress. 6/8 ric, on the other hand, stood up after approximately an hour of apanying his grandmother outside the observation room. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while.¡± Despite being pped by Mary earlier, he still informed the two of them before leaving. His mother immediately furrowed her brows upon hearing that. ¡°At this time, you still want to go out?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s something I need to take care of,¡± he said in a baritone. Looking at her son¡¯s serious expression, Mary initially didn¡¯t want him to go, but after thinking about it, she changed her mind. ¡°Okay, then go take care 12 28 Fr, 23 Chapter 1301 Won¡¯t Go Easy of it. Take care of it quickly, and as for Victoria-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will take care of everything,¡± ric replied. Then he left. Since udia returned to the hospital ward, she noticed that ine was not there. She waited for a long time, but ine did note back. My phone is quiet, with no calls or iing messages. As if ine and Christopher have suddenly vanished into thin air. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Soon, she began to feel anxious because she knew Christopher had acted at this time. She had already made great efforts to create time and opportunity for them, but ric was extremely astute and would eventually suspect her. Hence, she had only the fact that she had saved his life, despite her own wounds, to fall back on as her ace in the hole. In addition, she knew that everything would be fine as long as Victoria¡¯s unborn child was gone. Therefore, she could only hope that Christopher hadpleted the task, or else all her efforts would be in vain. While udia was lost in thought, the ward door was abruptly opened. 7/8 12:28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 130 I Won¡¯t Go Easy ¡°Who is it?¡± She looked at the door, thinking ine had returned with good news. However, to her surprise, she saw ric dressed in a dark suit with an icy expression and his entire being radiating hostility. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 When udia saw ric, she was startled. Then, it turned to excitement as she got off the bed and approached him. ¡°Why are you here all of a sudden, Al? How¡¯s Grandma doing? Was the surgery sessful?¡± However, she realized he had a cold expression when she stood before him. In that split second, she thought about what ine and Christopher had done. Although she felt guilty about it, she didn¡¯t dare show it on her face. She needed to calm down and prevent ric from sensing something wrong. ¡°Grandma is fine. What about you?¡± ric asked coldly. ¡°What?¡± udia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, wondering if she had heard him. wrong. Did he just ask about me? While she was in thought, ric spoke up. ¡°Where are your friends?¡± He scanned the whole room. ¡°Do you know where they went?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± udia shook her head and bit her lips. ¡°They must have gone out to look for me when I was gone.¡± 1/7 12:28 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 131 That Doesn¡¯t Mean You Can Lie to Me ¡°Is that so?¡± She didn¡¯t know what he was implying. Just as she thought she was being exposed, ric said nothing more and was quiet. However, his gaze made her shiver in fear. 2/7 This was the first time she felt like ric was a stranger. He was eyeing her with those wary eyes. No, how can this happen? thought udia. She felt as if her heart had broken into pieces. She couldn¡¯t stand the way ric looked at her and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Did something happen? I¡¯m sorry. Are you mad because I snuck out to see Grandma?¡± As she spoke, she reached out and gently tugged on the hem of his shirt. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at me, Al.¡± ric lowered his eyes and looked at her hands. Then, he slowly pried them off. ud¨ªa staggered and almost fell when ric pulled her hands away. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Are you sure you don¡¯t know where they are?¡± Chapter 131 That Doesn¡¯t Mean You Can Lie to Me ¡°Yes. I assure you that I have no clue.¡± udia shook her head. ¡°Is there anything you want from them, Al? Did they do something to upset you again? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll give them a call and scold them, okay? Don¡¯t be angry.¡± If it were any other day, ric would find udia pitiful and think of himself as unreasonable for saying such a thing. However, it was different this time as they had crossed the line and hurt Victoria. ¡°Yes, they¡¯ve upset me. If you want to scold them, do it now.¡± He smirked coldly. udia was baffled by his words, for she never expected him to be so straightforward. Then, she fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Who¡­ Whom should I call?¡± Mockery shed across ric¡¯s eyes as he spoke. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about.¡± udia¡¯s face was pale. Although she was nervous about his interrogations, she was also excited at the same time. With ric being angry and having his suspicions about me, that could 377 ri, 23 Chapter 131 That Doesn¡¯t Mean You Can Lie to Me only mean one thing¨CVictoria must have lost the child! It doesn¡¯t matter if ric feels sorry or sad toward Victoria because of the unborn baby; the threat is gone. Plus, it won¡¯t make sense for him not to divorce her just because of a miscarriage. As she thought about this, she felt it was the right move to take the risk. ine was normally a bad¨Ctempered person. To put it bluntly, she was dumb and had no sense of right and wrong. Thus, she was the perfect candidate for udia to use as a tool. That was why udia had allowed ine to stay by her side. Never did she expect that ine would indeed. be of help. On the other hand, since Christopher loved her, she felt it would be fine for him to suffer slightly for her. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± Coldness filled ric¡¯s eyes. He gripped her chin with his cold fingers and said, ¡°I¡¯ve always trusted you because you saved my life, udia. That is why I treat you with respect. However, that doesn¡¯t mean you can lie to me.¡± As he spoke, he tightened his grip, and udia could feel the paining from her chin. In that split second, besides his cold fingers, she could sense an intimidating auraing off him. 4/7 12 29 Chapter 131 That Doesn¡¯t Mean You Can Lie to Me This was the first time this had happened, and udia couldn¡¯t believe that ric would treat her like this. Hasn¡¯t he always trusted me? Why did things be like this? As she thought about it, she felt a pang in her chest, and tears rolled down her eyes. In just mere seconds, udia was a crying mess. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, Al. When did lever lie to you? If it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t get your permission before sneaking out to see Grandma, I have already apologized. Moreover, I didn¡¯t tell anyone about my whereabouts since I didn¡¯t want anyone to know. I was nning to return after taking a look. Is that too much to ask for? I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯ve done wrong, ric¡­¡± udia bit her lips and sobbed. Looking at her reaction, ric frowned and wondered if he had wrongly used her. Then, he released her and ryed what ine and Christopher did. Initially, udia was upset because ric had used her of lying. However, when she heard his words, she was stunned. After some time, her eyes widened. She quickly wiped her tears away and grabbed his arm. 5/7 12:29 Fri, 23 Junt Chapter 131 That Doesn¡¯t Mean You Can Lie to Me ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know about this. How¡¯s Victoria? Is she alright?¡± As she spoke, she released his arm and was going to walk out of the room bare feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on her.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Before she was able to leave, ric called out to her. Thus, she stopped in her tracks and looked at him. ¡°Sorry, I might be too anxious. I¡¯m just worried about Victoria. I didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen. Let¡¯s go and check on her, Al.¡± Hearing her words, ric had a grim expression since he recalled that Bane was taking care of her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Someone is taking care of her. She¡¯s now resting in the hospital.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. How is she, though? Did she get hurt?¡± I¡¯m sorry about what happened. I didn¡¯t think ine and Christopher would have done such a thing,¡± said udia. As she spoke, ric stared at her intently, trying not to miss out on any details of her expression. After she was done speaking, he said in a low voice, ¡°She is fine. However, she¡¯ll need a check¨Cup to know more about 6/7 Chapter 131 That Doesn¡¯t Mean You Can Lie to Me her condition.¡± At that moment, udia seemed to freeze. ¡°Hasn¡¯t she gone through a check¨Cup yet?¡± 777 Chapter 132 You Don¡¯t Trust Me Chapter 132 Chapter 132 What does he mean by that? Hasn¡¯t Victoria done a check¨Cup yet? Does that mean she¡¯s fine? After all, the only way she doesn¡¯t need to do a check¨Cup is because she isn¡¯t in a severe situation. This isn¡¯t right. After all, she would have lost a lot of blood if the baby was gone. As she thought about it, ric¡¯s voice snapped her back to her senses. ¡°She has already done a check¨Cup.¡± At that moment, she felt shivers crawling up her spine. She¡¯s already gone through a check¨Cup, yet nothing is wrong with her. In other words, ric probably knows that she is pregnant. If that¡¯s the case, does he know I deleted the message? If he knows about it, then¡­ As udia thought about it, she trembled in fear. In the meantime, ric did not miss any slight expression on her face. He narrowed his eyes when he saw that udia¡¯s expression had changed after he mentioned the check¨Cup. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you worried because she has not done a check¨Cup?¡± 1/6 12.29 Fri Chapter 132 You Don¡¯t Trust Me udia returned to her senses and forced a smile on her face. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m certainly worried about her. After all, ine and Christopher did such a horrible thing to her. Since ine is my close friend, I¡¯m also responsible for this.¡± 2/6 No, I have to stay calm. Although Victoria has already done a check¨Cup, that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ve found out about her pregnancy. At the very least, I need to keep calm before ric rifies things between us, she thought. ¡°You are responsible for this. I¡¯m pretty sure I warned you before not to let here again, right?¡± Hearing his words, udia didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± asked ric. Sh*t. udia hadn¡¯t thought much about this. She knew that ine had offended ric, and that was why she told ine to stay out of ric¡¯s sight whenever he was around. However, since ric hadn¡¯t been at the hospital for the past few days, she allowed ine toe and go as she wished. After all, she still needed thetter¡¯s help. 12:29 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 132 You Don¡¯t Trust Me ¡°Al, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t forget it. It¡¯s just that we have been friends for such a long time, and she insisted on visiting me because of my injury. I can¡¯t say T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. no to her, can I? Plus, I thought she only argued with Victoria because of her bad temper. I didn¡¯t know she would kidnap her. Don¡¯t worry. Now that I know what a terrible person she is, I won¡¯t stay in contact with her anymore.¡± After udia said many things to prove her loyalty, she realized that ric was still looking at her with the same cold eyes. At that moment, her heart dropped. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, Al? Do you not trust me?¡± ric pursed his lips and said nothing. While looking into his eyes, udia put on a mocking smile and said, ¡°I see. You don¡¯t trust me at all.¡± Only then did ric say, ¡°If anyone wants to hurt Victoria, they have to do it when I¡¯m not around. When the incident happened, you went missing. That was why I was forced to leave her side to look for you. The timestamp between your disappearance and the incident matches, udia. I¡¯ve told 3/6 Chapter 132 You Don¡¯t Trust Me you before that I trust you because you saved my life. Thus, you¡¯d better admit it if you¡¯re the one behind this.¡± 4/6 ¡°What should I admit to?¡± udia smiled bitterly. ¡°Should I admit the things. that I did not do? You said that I was the one who made you leave her, but weren¡¯t your parents by her side back then? Do you think I¡¯m able to predict when they¡¯d leave her side too?¡± As she spoke, tears started to fall again. ¡°You just don¡¯t believe me. You think that my disappearance wasn¡¯t a coincidence, yet¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to leave at that time. It was because of Grandma¡¯s surgery! I just wanted to check up on her!¡± ¡°Yeah, it was during Grandma¡¯s surgery, and you knew it as well. That¡¯s why you used the opportunity to cover up your tracks,¡± ric replied calmly. At that moment, udia¡¯s face went pale, and she staggered. ¡°I see¡­ You have already convicted me long ago. You never trust me. Why don¡¯t you believe me, Al? Is it because I deliberately hurt myself to save my reputation? Is that why you think I¡¯m a vicious woman?¡± Hearing her words, ric squinted his eyes and said, ¡°So you finally admit that you hurt yourself intentionally, huh?¡± 12:29 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 132 You Don¡¯t Trust Me udia trembled and replied, ¡°I admitted it thest time, didn¡¯t I? I will admit the things I did, but why should I also take the me for things that I didn¡¯t do? We have known each other for a long time. I hurt myself instead of others to protect my reputation. Moreover, I even risked my life to save you. Victoria is your friend, and she has a fake marriage with you to put Grandma at ease. I¡¯m grateful for what she¡¯s done, so why would I ever hurt her?¡± 5/6 ric¡¯s determination swayed at her words. After all, udia had indeed risked her life to save him. If things went downhill, she might¡¯ve even drowned in the river. Thus, she wouldn¡¯t have saved him if she had been vicious and selfish. No matter what, udia saving him would forever be a soft spot for ric. He couldn¡¯t force himself to use her after she had mentioned it. Thinking about this, he took out a handkerchief and gave it to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was worked up.¡± udia stood there without moving as her tears continued to fall. Technically speaking, if he had realized his mistakes, he would have helped me wipe my tears away when he saw that I was a crying mess. Yet, he¡­ Is he starting to get impatient with me? After all, he is unwilling to 29 Fri, @57% Chapter 132 You Don¡¯t Trust Me make such a small gesture. Instead, he just handed me his handkerchief. Does that mean he still doesn¡¯t trust me? As udia thought about it, she was upset. Initially, she would mention saving him in the past when he had doubts about her, and he would be soft¨Chearted. She was right; whenever she brought this up, ric wouldn¡¯t hold onto the matter anymore. Nheless, Victoria was still pregnant. Thus, not only did her n fail, but she also wasted a favor. Although udia knew she could bring it up no matter what, ric might soon be tired of hearing it. udia couldn¡¯t help but feel scared. After thinking it through, she didn¡¯t dare throw a tantrum and took ric¡¯s handkerchief to wipe her tears. Then, she said softly, ¡°Al, I don¡¯t care what the others say about me trying to hurt Victoria. However, if you are on their side too¡­¡± She lowered her eyes and looked devastated. ¡°Plus, my face is ruined. If you don¡¯t believe me, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s the point of living anymore.¡± 6/6 12-29 Fri, Chapter 1331 Make It Happen Soon Chapter 133 Chapter 133 ¡°Let me go. I am not his aplice. He was the one who nned everything out. You guys have gotten the wrong person!¡± At the police station, ine screamed as she tried to struggle out of the restraint. Hours had passed since ine had been captured. Initially, she thought the police would let her go after investigating the incident. However, she never expected that she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to leave as soon as she entered the police station. Moreover, Christopher looked defeated, seemingly as if he was done fighting back. Furthermore, he even admitted that he and ine were aplices. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Did you n this kidnapping with ine Sutcliffe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Christopher nodded. ¡°Is there anyone else aside from her?¡± When ine heard the police¡¯s words, she subconsciously thought about udia. However, before she could react and say anything, Christopher denied it. ¡°No. It¡¯s just the two of us.¡± 1/7 12:29 Fri, 23 Ju Chapter 133 II Make It Happen Soon. ine looked at him in disbelief. At that moment, a glint shed across the interrogator¡¯s eyes when he noticed her reaction. Then, he looked at her and asked, ¡°Is he telling the truth, Miss Sutcliffe? Were you two the only ones who nned this kidnapping?¡± ¡°No, he is lying! He did everything. It has nothing to do with me,¡± ine quickly exined. The police noticed that she was worked up. Since they couldn¡¯t get anything out of them, they could only separate the duo and investigate them individually. Soon, they were taken away. Before ine left, she continued shouting, ¡°I want to see udia. She is my friend. She can prove my innocence. Christopher was the one who nned this. We all heard it when he said he would get revenge on Victoria!¡± Hearing her words, the police got new information and quickly investigated it. 2/7 Chapter 133111 Make It Happen Soon In the meantime, Victoria was sleeping in the ward. Although she was being treated, she felt tense the entire day. Thus, as soon as she rxed her mind, she fell into a deep sleep. Beside her, Bane looked at her with soft eyes. After some time, he bent down and tucked the bedsheets for her before calling the nurse. When the nurse removed the needle, Bane stood beside her. After the nurse was done, he even warmed Victoria¡¯s hands before putting them back under the sheets. Seeing that Bane was tall and handsome, the nurse recalled that many of her colleagues were discussing him when he came. They said that Bane had carried a beautiful woman bridal¨Cstyle into the hospital. The girl had long hair and looked gorgeous. It was like a scene from a romance movie. Thus, many people were secretly looking at him. More importantly, another handsome man came over as well. 3/7 One of the men was soft and gentle, while the other was cold and alluring. They were both good¨Clooking. Plus, ording to an insider, the duo came from the riches. At that moment, many people were envious. Thinking about this, the nurse took another nce at Bane and said, ¡°You 12 29 Fn, 23 Jun Chapter 133 1 Make It Happen Spon treat your girlfriend well, sir.¡± Bane paused his actions when he heard her words. After some time, he smiled and looked at the nurse. ¡°Although she isn¡¯t my girlfriend yet, I¡¯m grateful for what you said. I will try to make her mine as soon as possible.¡± In that split second, the nurse was envious of Victoria after hearing such charismatic words. I see¡­ They are not a couple, but he still treats her with love. Plus, his voice is so soft when he exined it to me. He even thanked me! How in the world does such a gentle person exist? Just as the nurse was in a daze, someone opened the door. ric entered the room with a cold aura, and his expression was as cold as ice. As soon as he entered the room, he immediately looked at Victoria. Then, he scanned his surroundings beforending his gaze on Bane. After some time, he said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m here to take her home.¡± Home? The nurse was surprised when she heard that. She wondered if ric was Victoria¡¯s boyfriend since he put it that way. Chapter 133 11 Make It Happen Soon On the other hand, Bane didn¡¯t seem to be affected by ric¡¯s words. He was still as gentle as before. ¡°You can take her home, but she needs to rest first.¡± Hearing his words, ric had a grim expression. Before he entered the room, he had overheard Bane¡¯s words. In that split second, he felt the urge to take Victoria home immediately. However, he knew that it would affect Victoria if he did so. Still, he didn¡¯t want to leave her alone with Bane. Everything would be fine if she slept until he came. However, he couldn¡¯t imagine what would have happened if she woke up mid¨Cway and heard T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. the nonsense Bane said. ric didn¡¯t think any further and took a chair. He ced it on the other side of the bed and sat down, facing Bane. He would not leave when Bane was trying to get his hands on Victoria. Thus, the duo sat across from each other. The nurse didn¡¯t expect to see such a scene and was thrilled. She would have stayed to see what would happen if it weren¡¯t for work. Unfortunately, she had work to do and needed to leave. After telling them about the procedures, the nurse left. With the three of 5/7 12:29 Fri, 23 Junt. 57% Chapter 133 I¡¯ll Make It Happen Soon them inside the room, it was quiet. While the men looked at each other with hostility, Victoria slept soundly, unaffected by the outside world. 6/7 After some time, Bane suddenly smiled at ric and asked softly, ¡°Did you find out anything?¡± ric knew what he was talking about. He pursed his lips and said unhappily, ¡°This has nothing to do with her.¡± Bane wasn¡¯t surprised and smiled. ¡°It looks like love can blind a person¡¯s mind and senses. Don¡¯t you think so, Al?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ric red at him. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m unsurprised that you would say such a thing since you care for udia so much. However, I must tell you this, Al. I¡¯ll have someone look into this matter, and it better not have anything to do with her. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid what happens next will ruin our friendship.¡± Bane was telling ric that he would make udia pay the price if she was involved in hurting Victoria. ¡°Are you defending Victoria?¡± Chapter 133 I¡¯ll Make It Happen Soon ¡°Of course. Shouldn¡¯t I defend her since I love her? It¡¯s just like how you defend udia,¡± Bane retorted. Hearing his words, ric frowned and asked, ¡°When have I defended her?¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 ¡°I¡¯m not ming you for anything, Al. I understand why you¡¯re defending udia. After all, the feelings you have for her are the same as I have for Victoria. Thus, it is normal to defend her.¡± Bane chuckled. ric frowned and pursed his lips. He could tell that Bane kept mentioning Victoria while putting udia with him together. He was trying to be on the same line as Victoria and secretly helping her cut ties with him. As ric thought about it, his eyes were filled with hostility. He gritted his teeth and tried to make aeback. However, he realized he couldn¡¯t say anything. After some time, Bane thought of something and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Was I being too straightforward?¡± ric was speechless by his actions. After so many years of friendship, this was the first time ric felt that Bane was hard to deal with. Meanwhile, Victoria had a dream. She dreamt she was in the ward while 1/7 579 Chapter 134 I¡¯ll Help You ric and Bane talked on each side of the bed. She could vaguely see them arguing, but she didn¡¯t know what they were arguing about. She tried to read their lips but to no avail. She couldn¡¯t make anything out of it. Thus, she gave up. However, when she woke up, she noticed that her dream wasn¡¯t just a dream. 2/7 As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw two people sitting on each side of the bed. When Victoria felt their gazes on her, she froze momentarily before closing her eyes. I must be having too many dreams. That is why I can¡¯t differentiate between dreams and reality. On the other hand, ric¡¯s expression turned cold when he saw Victoria closing her eyes after looking at him. He wondered if she was unwilling to see him. In the meantime, Bane smiled and said to her, ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be asleep if you are already awake, Vixie.¡± ric was even more upset when he heard the pet name he gave her. 12:31 Fri, 23 Chapter 134 I¡¯ll Help You Yet, Victoria opened her eyes after hearing Bane¡¯s words. ric was speechless. This is real. It¡¯s not a dream, thought Victoria as she sat up while clutching her head. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± She thought she was dreaming, but it seemed to be reality. Victoria was confused. If this were a dream, I wouldn¡¯t have woken up mid¨Cway, right? As far as I can recall, ric wasn¡¯t here when I fell asleep. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you,¡± Bane said softly. As soon as his words fell, ric cut him off and said gruffly, ¡°If you are awake, get up. We are going home.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Victoria looked at ric and seemed confused. Her reaction made ric even angrier. However, he suppressed his emotions since Bane was here. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t you want to see Grandma?¡± Victoria kept quiet at the mention of Griselda. 3/7 Chapter 134 I¡¯ll Help You On the other hand, Bane grabbed her coat and phone. ¡°Here are Victoria¡¯s belongings.¡± ric had a grim expression when he saw it. However, he said nothing and took it. He wondered what Bane was thinking. After all, he admitted he had feelings for Victoria, yet he was willing to let ric take her home. In addition, he was even being considerate and gave him her belongings. However, ric soon knew his intentions. Just as Bane gave ric the belongings, Victoria thanked him gratefully while Bane smiled at her adoringly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Remember to get some rest once you¡¯re at home, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In that split second, ric looked at Bane speechlessly. He never knew Bane had a way with words. However, he couldn¡¯t care less and walked toward Victoria with a coat in his hand. Initially, Victoria was going to wear T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. it herself, but ric dodged her arm. Victoria was confused. 4/7 Chapter 134 | Help You Before she could say anything, ric spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Hearing his words, Victoria didn¡¯t know what to say. Why does he want to help me all of a sudden? Can¡¯t I wear it on my own? Before she was able to say anything, ric¡¯s cold voice sounded. ¡°Hands.¡± At first, Victoria wanted to refuse. After all, Bane was still in the room and knew they were getting a divorce. After all, Griselda was done with her surgery. In other words, things hade to an end between her and ric. Thus, she didn¡¯t feel the need to put up the act anymore. However, as she met his gaze, she couldn¡¯t say no. Therefore, as the two men stared at her, she slowly raised her hands and allowed ric to help her with the coat. Since the coat had been out in the air for too long, it was cold. Thus, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but shiver when she sensed the cold. Looking at her reaction, ric paused momentarily before taking off the coat again. What is it now? Victoria was confused. 5/7 Chapter 134 I¡¯ll Help You Then, ric threw her coat aside and took off his jacket. At that moment, Victoria was speechless. Before she could think any further, ric draped the coat around her shoulder. The coat was warm and cozy. Victoria was startled when she returned to her senses and realized what he had done. Did he just give me his jacket because I was shivering from the cold? Thinking about this, she got off the bed. However, as soon as her feet touched the ground, ric carried her. In that split second, Victoria wrapped her arms around his neck out of instinct. Bane¡¯s eyes darkened when he saw the scene. However, he still looked calm and seemingly unaffected. Since ric had to carry Victoria, he couldn¡¯t take any other stuff. Thus, he called out to Peter, who was waiting for him. ¡°Come in and help me take some stuff, Mr. Levane.¡± When Peter heard ric¡¯s voice, he thought, I finally have something to do. Then, he quickly rushed into the room and took Victoria¡¯s stuff. 677 Chapter 134 | Help You Looking at Bane, ric tightened his grip on Victoria. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± he said to Bane. Bane smiled and nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t be walking you out, then. Stay safe.¡± He acted like they were best friends and were not fighting now. ric nced at him before looking away. Then, he left while carrying Victoria. Before Victoria left, she met Bane¡¯s eyes. Only when thetter nodded his head did she avert her gaze. I¡¯m sure Bane will be able to do what he promised me, right? As she thought about it, she felt ric¡¯s chest rumble as he spoke. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not willing to leave?¡± Chapter 135 Chapter 135 After Victoria came to her senses, she quietly shook her head, but as soon as she thought of something, she withdrew her hand that was still clinging to ric¡¯s neck. However, before she could move away, ricmanded coldly, ¡°Hold on tight.¡± Truth be told, Victoria didn¡¯t want to obey him, so he deliberately loosened his grip on her when she was about to let go after sensing her intention. Almost reflexively, Victoria hooked her arm around his neck even tighter. Her wrist was delicate and fair, forming a vivid contrast against his skin. It wasn¡¯t until she realized what she had just done that her expression changed. ric, on the other hand, smirked when he felt the delicacy of her skin. ¡°Hold on tight, and don¡¯t fall.¡± This time, Victoria didn¡¯t let go, instead falling into her thoughts and 17 Chapter 135 Hold On Tight, and Don¡¯t Fall asionally ncing up at ric. The man walked effortlessly with her in his arms, his breath and steps both steady. From her angle, she could see the smooth and delicate contour of ric¡¯s jawline, as well as his slightly curved thin lips that had yet to retract. She became confused. If he hadn¡¯t answered her calls today¨Cno, if he hadn¡¯t answered her calls now? Did he even know what he was doing? They were both headed. toward divorce, yet he still acted so flirtatiously. Conversely, Peter huffed and puffed as he followed behind with their belongings. The sight of his boss embracing Victoria made his smiling face almost impossible to hide. This is how you should act as a perfect couple. My boss has finallye to his senses, asking me to grab their things just so he could carry Miss Victoria out. Hopefully, he will end his affair with udia. I never want a newdy boss to join the Cadogan Group. After he delivered the items to the car, he watched as ric held Victoria 2/7 Chapter Fight, and Dont Fall and sat inside, then he waved goodbye to them as they left. The car¡¯s air conditioning was turned on during their journey back, so it was much cooler in the car than outside. While wrapped in ric¡¯s coat, Victoria sat in silence. The temperature of the car made her feel drowsy. Just when she was about to lean against the seat to take a nap, ric, who was driving, spoke up. ¡°What do you think of Bane?¡± Hearing him speak, Victoria¡¯s drowsiness subsided slightly as she turned to look at him. ¡°What?¡± ric¡¯s thin lips twitched as he questioned coldly, ¡°He saved you. Aren¡¯t you grateful for him?¡± 3/7 ¡°Of course,¡± Victoria nodded without hesitation. He rushed to save her, took her to the hospital for an examination, and took care of her attentively. Most importantly, he found out about her pregnancy but chose to help her keep it a secret from ric. Such respect and understanding made Victoria deeply grateful. Seeing how she admitted to it without any hesitation, his brows furrowed Chapter 135 Hold On Tight, and Don¡¯t Fall tightly. ¡°Do you like him?¡± Thinking that she heard some kind of ridiculous joke, Victoria squinted at him. ¡°What does my gratitude have to do with liking him?¡± ric pursed his lips and replied impulsively, ¡°If you don¡¯t like him, why did you let him stay by your bedside? You even slept so peacefully for such a long time. Weren¡¯t you afraid he might¡¯ve had other intentions?¡± At this, Victoria had no more doubts. No wonder he acted so strangely in front of Bane today. Did he mistake my feelings and assume I like Bane? So, that¡¯s the case¡­ She initially thought he was flirting with her, but it turned out that she was just being presumptuous. With this in mind, Victoria closed her eyes and retorted without reservation, ¡°He saved me, but apart from being grateful to him, I don¡¯t feel anything else for him at the moment. You don¡¯t need to worry about that. After all, people like you are rare.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the car fell silent. Victoria suddenly felt that she might have gone too far, but after thinking about it, since he was already suspicious of her feelings for Bane, saying a few words to him 477 Chapter 135 Hold On Tight, and Don¡¯t Fall shouldn¡¯t be a problem. E If he wants to get mad, let him be. After all, Grandma has already finished her surgery, so there¡¯s nothing for me to worry about. Sure enough, ric sulked all the way afterward, not saying a single word. Instead of getting out of the car as soon as Victoria arrived at her house, she asked, ¡°How is Grandma doing now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s okay.¡± ric paused for a moment before he spoke. ¡°That¡¯s good. How long does she need to be observed?¡± ¡°Forty¨Ceight hours.¡± After that, both of them fell silent for a long time and thought of something simultaneously. ¡°Well¡­¡± Victoria looked at ric and said softly, ¡°Forty¨Ceight hours is a bit rushed. How about three dayster?¡± Hearing this, he looked at her. Th 5/7 T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 135 Hold On Tight, and Don¡¯t Fall In the dimly lit car, Victoria¡¯s expression remained calm. Her pale lips added a touch of sickly beauty and delicacy. Meanwhile, ric¡¯s thin lips pursed in a straight line. Just moments ago, she was cuddled up against his neck in his arms. But here she was, wearing his coat and discussing the day they would file for divorce. He ought to consent to it, for they previously agreed that once his grandma¡¯s surgery waspleted, this fake marriage would no longer be valid. However, for some reason, ric¡¯s heart was quietly rebelling as if a voice was urging him not to get a divorce. Once they got divorced, he would lose herpletely. ¡°Grandma¡¯s condition will probably stabilize within three days. We¡¯ll get the divorce certificate first, then-¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer,¡± said ric, cutting her off all of a sudden. Victoria was stunned by what she heard. ¡°What?¡± What for? Shouldn¡¯t he be eager to get a divorce? That way, he can finally be with udia. ¡°Yeah,¡± he answered in a hoarse voice, his eyes gloomy. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little 6/7 1231 FII, 20 Chapter 135 Hold On Tight, and Don¡¯t Fall longer. Grandma needs time to recover after the surgery. If we divorce too early, I¡¯m afraid it will affect her health.¡± 70 She remained silent and thought about it. ric¡¯s reasoning seemed valid, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any problem with waiting a few more days. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ric asked when she said nothing for a long time, the light in his eyes darkening. ¡°Can¡¯t you wait a few more days? Are you in a hurry?¡± Hearing him, Victoria came back to her senses and shook her head. ¡°No, I think you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s wait a few more days. I didn¡¯t think it through. Grandma¡¯s body does need time to recover.¡± Her understanding attitude left ric speechless once again. It was as if she had thought through the consequences and only agreed to postpone the divorce out of rationality. Suddenly, an unfamiliar pain made ric pause for a moment as it radiated throughout his body. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 The area where his heart was located suddenly became numb, even numbing his fingertips. ric couldn¡¯t help but let out a muffled groan, instinctively pressing his palm against his chest. Hearing his painful moan, Victoria looked over and noticed him leaning against the steering wheel with a terribleplexion. For all the time they¡¯d known each other, ric¡¯s health had remained great, hardly ever falling ill. This was the first time Victoria had ever seen him in such a bad state, so she was also taken aback as she quickly reached out to support him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± The dull pain did not disappear but instead intensified when Victoria supported him, and the feeling of emptiness in his heart continued to grow. However, when he saw the worry on Victoria¡¯s face, this feeling of emptiness was slowly filled with another emotion. ric wasn¡¯t answering, yet still sweating profusely and appearing to be in This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. great pain, so Victoria said, ¡°I¡¯ll call an ambnce for you.¡± But before she 1/8 Chapter 135 Are You Worned About Me¡± could even reach for her phone, ric grabbed her wrist tightly with his hot and strong paim, and it felt like a branding iron against her skin. He gripped her wrist tightly while suddenly leaning toward her. Victoria was startled, thinking that ric was only doing so because he wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she quickly reached out to support him once again. However, ric stopped just inches away from her lips, his dark and deep gaze piercing into her in the dim environment. The pain made his breathing unstable. Regardless, ric still held onto her hand tightly and pressed it against his chest as if doing so would ease the pain. Victoria lowered her head and nced at where her hand was ced, which happened to be over ric¡¯s heart, and it was pounding so hard that even she could feel it. She had never seen ric act as such before. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked as she looked at the agony on his face, wondering why he was so close to her despite being in so much Chapter 136 Are You Worried About Me? pain. ric¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down as he pursed his thin lips. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Victoria replied. Given the way he looked, it was only natural for her to worry. She didn¡¯t pick up on anything about ric¡¯s questioning, but she did sense that his breathing was bing more and more unstable. Thus, she suggested for fear of his safety, ¡°Let me call an ambnce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± ric growled, then used her, saying, ¡°You¡¯re not worried about me.¡± His words made Victoria furrow her brows in frustration. ¡°What are you talking about? Let go of my hand, and I¡¯ll call for an ambnce. If you don¡¯t want to get an ambnce, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± ric gazed at her silently as if trying to ascertain something, then only released her hand slowly after some time. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± While saying so, he sat back and closed his eyes while resting against the seat. 3/8 Chapter 136 Are You Worried About Me? The dull pain in his heart from earlier felt all too real, but it had subsided 4/8 somewhat now. Nevertheless, ric¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat, and a few strands of ck hair stuck onto it. Seeing him lean back in his seat, Victoria frowned. ¡°Why won¡¯t you go to the hospital? You¡¯re not feeling well.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t do any good,¡± ric muttered. Victoria¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°How do you know that if you haven¡¯t even gone to the hospital? Do you even know what your symptoms are?¡± He sat in silence with his eyes downcast, still reeling from the agony he had just endured. In the dingy environment, he looked almost defeated with a hint of sadness etched on his face that made her heart ache. Victoria couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on why she was feeling this way too. Truth be told, the way ric looked just now had scared her. Despite knowing him for so many years, she had never seen him in so much pain before. As she thought about it, Victoria narrowed her eyes and looked at ric intently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Do you have some incurable disease or Chapter 136 Are You Worried About Me? something?¡± ric, who had been hanging his head, looked at her speechlessly when he heard her words. He scoffed. ¡°An incurable disease? Are you hoping for me to die soon?¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you go to the hospital?¡± Victoria pressed. It was strange that he had seemed so pained earlier, yet he refused to seek medical attention. Didn¡¯t he find himself acting strange too? Before he could answer, Victoria wanted to continue questioning him, but she was stopped when ric abruptly unlocked the car door and said. hoarsely, ¡°Go up.¡± Victoria wanted to say more, but upon seeing his apathetic expression and the fact that he didn¡¯t seem interested in conversing any further, she suddenly lost her enthusiasm. She realized that even if ric had a medical condition, it wasn¡¯t her ce to care for him anymore. They were about to get divorced, after all. With a cold heart, Victoria undid her seatbelt and prepared to get out of the car. 5/8 Chapter 136 Are You Worried About Me? ¡°Wait.¡± Unexpectedly, ric called out to her again. She turned to look. Did he change his mind? Does he want me to take him to the hospital? The next second, ric turned the keys and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll go up with you.¡± With that, he opened the car door and got out, leaving Victoria wondering what he was up to. Nheless, she had no choice but to follow him out of the car. When she got out of the car, Victoria noticed that ric had alreadye over to her side. He helped her close her car door and immediately picked her up in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Victoria, instinctively refusing. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ric red at her, his breaths still rough. ¡°After what happened today, can you walk up by yourself?¡± 6/8 It was only a few steps, and Victoria didn¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t make it on her own with an injured foot. Chapter 136 Are You Worried About Me? ine kicked hard, but even if it didn¡¯t appear to break the skin on the surface, it ultimately hurt deeply. If she wanted to get better, she would have to put up with the difort for a few days at the very least. Regardless, walking a short distance was not a problem since she could just endure the pain. ric had looked so painful just moments ago, yet he was now holding her. ¡°Please put me down. Didn¡¯t you just-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ric interrupted her impatiently. ¡°I¡¯ll take you upstairs so that you can rest.¡± Knowing that he was a very stubborn person, Victoria didn¡¯t say anything and silently hoped that this journey wouldn¡¯t take long. After ric brought her back to her room, he nced at the wound on her leg and said, ¡°If you need to bathe, ask the servant toe up and help you.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Victoria nodded. ric looked at Victoria as she sat on the bed quietly and obediently, 7/8 Chapter 136 Are You Worried About Me? which caused him to feel a huge sadness in his heart. It was a long time before he finally said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about today.¡± Hearing this, Victoria became startled. She thought that the matter would just be skipped over and never expected him to apologize voluntarily. ¡°In the future, I will protect you.¡± 8/8 12:32 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him Hapter 137 Hapter 137 After saying those words, ric silently repeated them to himself. I won¡¯t let anyoney a finger on Victoria ever again. To his surprise, Victoria merely smiled faintly in response. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You were also looking for someone, after all. If I were in your shoes, I would¡¯ve done the same. It¡¯s all out of necessity.¡± ric couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. What should he say? His wife was so gracious andposed. Even at a time like this, she was actively trying to give him a way out. However, her calm demeanor also implied something else. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to rest now. You should too.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t want to stay any longer, fearing that the conversation between them would be more and more awkward. As such, she directly ended the topic. Hearing her say she wanted to rest, ric didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°You should rest first. I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡± Victoria paused for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright, be careful.¡± 1/8 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him As ric left the vi and got back into his car, his gaze became unfathomable; there was something lodged in his chest that he couldn¡¯t get rid of. H Even though such a big incident had urred, she still spoke to him politely and softly as if she had no resentment toward him. She even came up with an excuse for him when he hadn¡¯t protected her well enough. To ric, he¡¯d rather her act like how she used to; he wanted her to get mad and question him for running out at a time like this. But now, it seemed like she wouldn¡¯t do such things anymore. How did they get to this point? On the other hand, udia immediately called her father as soon as ric left and told him about what happened today, including ric¡¯s suspicion of her and ine¡¯s collusion. Ever since udia saved ric and became the Cadogans¡® savior many years ago, the Johnsons had received numerous favors from the 2/8 12:32 Fri, 23 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him Cadogans in the business world. Before that, the Johnsons always struggled to advance beyond a certain point and could never climb any higher, causing udia¡¯s father to worry endlessly. However, udia happened to save ric at that time, and news of it spread throughout the entire upper¨Css society overnight¨Cthe Johnsons were now the Cadogan Family¡¯s savior and the two families would be on good terms in the future. Since then, they suddenly found themselves in high demand as many sought to work with them, and even those who had grudges against them in the past came to make peace. As a result, the Johnsons began to flourish as they rose to prominence, eventually bing one of the top five enterprises in Gandra. In the past, they couldn¡¯t even make it into the top 20. udia¡¯s father was now highly respected in Gandra, and he even considered himself ric¡¯s future father¨Cinw. Subsequently, when he heard that ric was beginning to suspect his daughter, he panicked and immediately left work to meet his daughter. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Upon seeing his daughter in the hospital with a broken forehead, udia¡¯s father became enraged. ¡°What happened, udia? How did you get hurt 3/8 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him like this?¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± udia burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. Her pitiful appearance broke her father¡¯s heart, and heforted her before she told him everything that happened. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do now, Dad. Al has begun to suspect me. Although I told him I had nothing to do with this matter and he doesn¡¯t me me anymore, I feel like he won¡¯t treat me the same as before.¡± Upon hearing this, udia¡¯s father held his daughter¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°udia, you don¡¯t have to worry too much about this. No matter what, you are ric¡¯s savior, and as long as you hold this title, he will never treat you unfairly.¡± He¡¯ll never treat me unfairly as long as I¡¯m his savior, right? That¡¯s true, the Cadogan Family values this very much. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have risen. so fast these years. At that, udia thought of something else. What if ric finds out Victoria was the one who saved him, not me? Given his personality, he might kill me! 4/8 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him The thought of this possibility made udia break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, there were no other witnesses besides Victoria and herself at the time. If a third person knew about it, she would be finished. ¡°How about this? Let me handle the issue with those two. You just have to focus on pleasing ric.¡± When udia heard her father¡¯s choice of words, she was displeased. ¡°What do you mean by that, Dad? My rtionship with ric is equal. I¡¯m not like those women who try to please ric to climb up the ranks.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course, my daughter is the best. ric likes you so much that he can¡¯t get enough of you.¡± Just then, he noticed the wound on udia¡¯s forehead once again. ¡°As for the wound on your forehead, udia, it¡¯s best not to leave a scar. After all, men are superficial creatures. If you aren¡¯t beautiful in the future, they will be fickle.¡± Talking about the wound on her forehead made udia feel insecure. 5/8 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him ¡°I understand, Dad. I¡¯ll find a way to fix itter.¡± ¡°Well, you should rest first. Remember to coax ric well. Men like being pampered, after all. If he¡¯s still angry, then you¡¯ll have to figure it out. yourself. Just make sure you coax him well, understand?¡± After 48 hours since Griselda underwent surgery, she finally got transferred from the intensive care unit to a regr ward. The ric Family, who had been waiting all this while, finally breathed a sigh of relief. On the other hand, Victoria had already rested at home for a day, so her leg was no longer as painful as before. However, ric wasn¡¯t in favor of her visiting the hospital just yet. Upon learning of her injury, even ric¡¯s father and mother disagreed as well, insisting that she rest at home for another day. ¡°Your grandma is in the intensive care unit now. Even if you go, you won¡¯t be able to see her. You might as well rest at home for two more days. After that, ric will bring you to the hospital when she is out of the intensive care unit.¡± 6/8 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him In the end, Victoria was convinced and could only agree. Nheless, on the very next day before the 48 hours were up, she told ric that she wanted to visit Griselda at the hospital. At first, ric disagreed as he frowned and asked, ¡°Has your injury healed? Shouldn¡¯t you rest for a few more days at home?¡± Upon hearing this, Victoria shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need to rest anymore. I want to visit Grandma now.¡± Rather than waiting until now, she should¡¯ve gone to the hospital on the day she came back. If it weren¡¯t for ric¡¯s father and mother persuading her as well, Victoria would not have been so obedient. ¡°Are you sure you want to go?¡± Victoria pursed her lips and said softly, ¡°If you¡¯re too busy to take me, then I¡¯ll go by myself.¡± ric remained silent for a long time, then suddenly agreed to take her. ¡°Go and get changed, then. I¡¯ll take you there now.¡± 7/8 Chapter 137 Finding an Excuse for Him ¡°Alright.¡± Victoria¡¯s face lit up with joy. Immediately, she turned and ran to change her clothes in excitement, but with a strange gait due to her leg injury. While watching her, ric couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Be careful not to aggravate your leg injury.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 E After arriving at the hospital, Victoria was delighted to see that Griselda was recovering well, and she stayed by her side to keep herpany. When Griselda saw her looking like a cheerful young girl, it lifted her spirits considerably as well. ¡°Are you thirsty, Grandma? Does your wound hurt? Are you tired? Do you want to eat something or take a nap? If you can¡¯t sleep, I can tell you a story.¡± Perhaps due to her excitement, Victoria did not notice the contradictory nature of her words. Griselda didn¡¯t point it out but instead said, ¡°I¡¯m not tired, but since want to tell me a story, I¡¯ll listen for a little while before sleeping.¡± With that, Victoria began to tell Griselda various stories, and Griselda listened with relish, her lips curving into a benevolent smile. you Meanwhile, as Mary listened to Victoria¡¯s gentle voice, she couldn¡¯t help but watch her in admiration, thinking that her daughter¨Cinw was quite remarkable. After all, she did not have that much patience to tell an elderly person such stories. Moreover, Victoria could narrate different 1/7 Chapter 138 You¡¯re the President¡¯s Wife stories without any references. Eventually, Griselda fell asleep to the sound of Victoria¡¯s soothing voice. Only after Griselda fell asleep for a while did Victoria stop. Just as she was about to sit on the edge of the bed, she saw Mary waving at her. She seemed like she had something to say, so Victoria followed her to the balcony of the ward. Mary closed the ss door, blocking the sound from spreading to the ward, then pulled Victoria to sit on a chair on the balcony. ¡°How are you? Is your leg injury serious? It seems like you¡¯ve recovered when I saw you walking just now.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Yeah, it has healed quite a bit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. If you still feel ufortable, don¡¯t force yourself. Sit down and rest when you need to.¡± ¡°Okay, I will.¡± ¡°By the way, this is for you.¡± Suddenly, Mary took out a card from her bag and pushed it in front of Victoria. 2/7 Chapter 138 You¡¯re the President¡¯s Wife Seeing the bank card, Victoria was stunned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s some pocket money for you,¡± Mary said softly. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Instinctively, Victoria rejected the offer and pushed the card back to her. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t need it? You¡¯ve been married to Al for so long, but I¡¯ve never given you any pocket money. What¡¯s wrong with giving you some now? Do you think my money is not good enough?¡± Hearing that, Victoria could only exin in a fluster, ¡°It¡¯s not that. I have money. I work at thepany, and I get a sry every month.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s just your sry. Is it the same as the pocket money I¡¯m giving you? Besides, you¡¯re not even an employee of the Cadogan Group. You¡¯re the president¡¯s wife.¡± When Victoria heard those words, she smiled shyly out of embarrassment. The president¡¯s wife¡­ I¡¯ll be losing that title in two days, though. Even now, I¡¯m just the president¡¯s fake wife. ¡°Take it. It¡¯s something I¡¯m only giving you,¡± Mary said, pushing the bank 3/7 Chapter 138 You¡¯re the President¡¯s Wife card toward her. ¡°Buy yourself something you like. Girls your age need to spend more money on dressing up. You always dress too inly.¡± Suddenly, she thought of udia, who hade to the hospital to secretly visit Griselda. 47 Truth be told, the injury on udia¡¯s forehead looked shocking. Her face was pale, and she was still wearing a hospital gown. She was in such a hurry toe here that even her hair was messy. When she came with ric that day, she stood next to him cautiously, not even touching the hem of his clothes. With a paleplexion and a look of extreme fragility, she appeared pitiful. It was the kind of appearance that many men would likely find endearing and want to protect. Looking at Victoria in front of her, Mary sighed in secret. It¡¯s not that Victoria isn¡¯t good, but she¡¯s too independent and often solves things on her own. udia, on the other hand¡­ As a woman, how could she not see the affection udia had for her son? After all, udia was their family¡¯s benefactor, so she still needed to be polite to her. However, this politeness was only limited to being a guest. If she wants to take Victoria¡¯s ce and rece her, I will be the first to Chapter 138 You¡¯re the President¡¯s Wife disapprove as a mother. Am I dressing too inly? In actuality, Victoria never dressed inly before Mary returned to the country, for she had always been fond of fashion and beauty. Before the Selwyn Family went bankrupt, her clothes, jewelry, and bags were the trendiest of the season. She was also a premium customer of many brands, who would send her specific gifts each year and invite her to attend various events. However, after the Selwyn Family went bankrupt, she didn¡¯t have the money or the mood to be extravagant anymore. Even if ric gives me money, I¡­ She lowered her gaze without thinking about it anymore. After all, it was more reassuring to spend her own money. Since her marriage with ric was fake, she would feel guilty if she kept spending his money, but superficially, she still smiled and nodded in eptance. ¡°Okay, I will buy more clothes in the future. Thanks, Mom.¡± Afterward, she epted the bank card without any objection. At the same time, she thought to herself, I will return the card to ric after we get our divorce certificate and have him return it to his mother. With this thought in mind, she felt more at ease. 5/7 Chapter 138 You¡¯re the President¡¯s Wife ¡°By the way¡­¡± Mary, who had given her the pocket money, didn¡¯t n on letting her go that easily. After Victoria epted the bank card, she brought up the incident from the other day. ¡°Was it Bane who saved you that day?¡± Talking about that day, Victoria nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, that child is really thoughtful. I heard that he nned toe and visit when he heard that your grandma was having surgery, and he happened to see you being taken away.¡± At that, Mary couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Thank goodness he witnessed it. Otherwise, we can¡¯t guarantee what would have happenedter. Also¡­¡± Mary has a very agile mind, for she didn¡¯t wait for Victoria to answer before starting the next sentence. ¡°After you came back that day, did you go through aprehensive check¨Cup?¡± Check¨Cup? Not again! Whenever Victoria heard the word, she would get a headache. She had been hiding it well, but because of this sudden incident, her secret was discovered by Bane. Fortunately, Bane wanted to help ric and udia get together. Otherwise, if he had told ric about this matter without her consent, the trouble would have been on herself. 6/7 Chapter 138 You¡¯re the President¡¯s Wife ¡°Yeah, I did go through one.¡± Despite that, Mary wasn¡¯t too reassured and said softly, ¡°How about this? After your grandma recovers in the next few days, let¡¯s go for another issues.¡± In the next few days? I¡¯ll probably not be Mrs. Cadogan by then. Yet, Victoria nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me in Every Way Victoria was caught off guard when Mary¡¯s words turned out to be true in a few days. Just two dayster, Mary suddenly pulled her aside excitedly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do the check¨Cup tomorrow, Victoria.¡± Stunned by the sudden news, Victoria asked, ¡°Why has it been brought forward, Mom? I thought you said to wait for Grandma to recover after a few more days.¡± With a smile, Mary replied, ¡°That¡¯s because your grandma has been recovering welltely, and the doctor says she¡¯s in good condition. Also, I heard that a very skilled doctor is visiting, and he¡¯ll only be here for a few days. You should take this opportunity to do the check¨Cup, and we can show the doctor the resultster.¡± Upon hearing those words, Victoria finally understood why Mary wanted her to do the check¨Cup ahead of schedule. However, she could only awkwardly think of a way to refuse. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s just a regr check¨Cup, and normal machines are sufficient. Even a regr doctor can interpret them.¡± 1/7 57% Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me in Every Way ¡°That¡¯s true, but this is an opportunity that¡¯s right in front of us. Your 2/7 grandma and I have already talked about it. I told her that I¡¯ll take you for a check¨Cup in a day or two, and she has already agreed.¡± Instantly, Victoria turned speechless. She had thought of using Griselda¡¯s name if the previous excuse didn¡¯t work, but Mary had somehow managed to convince her too. Isn¡¯t she too efficient? If I refuse now, will she find me suspicious? After all, as women, our thoughts are quite simr. It seems that refusing at this point is impossible. I have to think of another way. That evening, when ric came to pick her up after work, she took the initiative to bring up the matter on the way. ¡°I heard that Grandma has been recovering well recently.¡± With just one sentence, he understood what she wanted to say. Immediately, he furrowed his brow and remained silent, but Victoria immediately noticed the change in his aura. For some reason, she felt her heart sink as she considered how to broach the topic with him. Unexpectedly, even at this point, she still wanted to part with him amicably. Although she would be raising their child alone and 12:33 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me in Every Way might never see him again in her lifetime, she still wanted to abide by her principles at this moment. ¡°Honestly speaking, my idea is to keep this from Grandma for the time being, but we can try telling Dad and Mom first. They are young and optimistic, so they should be able to ept it. What do you think?¡± He remained silent, but after a while, he asked, ¡°And the reason being?¡± His voice was icy andcked any warmth, which was even colder than she had imagined. ¡°Just say we can¡¯t get along anymore. You can also say that I¡¯m the one who asked for the divorce.¡± At this point, he sneered. ¡°So, you¡¯ve alreadye up with a reason so quickly and even thought it through so carefully, nning to take all the me for yourself.¡± Victoria pursed her lips at his words. Although she didn¡¯t want to do it, he had helped her when she went bankrupt, and the thought of leaving with their child made her feel guilty. As long as I can divorce him, I¡¯m willing to take the me for everything. If this drags on, it will be detrimental to me. 377 Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me in Every Way We are always together in our daily lives, so I don¡¯t know when I will be exposed. At this thought, she forced a smile that was difficult to maintain and said, ¡°Well, if you say that I asked for the divorce, it won¡¯t affect you being with. anyone else in the future.¡± Screech! Hearing this, ric suddenly turned the car at the next turn and made a sharp brake. The car made a screeching sound beforeing to a sudden stop at the side of the road. An After he stopped the car, he pressed his hands on the wheel and looked at her with a gloomy expression. ¡°So, you¡¯re considering me in every way. Should I thank you, Ms. Snowball?¡± He emphasized her name at the end of his sentence through gritted teeth. Initially, Victoria didn¡¯t want to say anything, but the words were on her lips, and she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. If it¡¯s okay with you, can we go to the city hall tomorrow?¡± Once again, he remained silent. He had been staring at her the whole time, his gaze as sharp as ever, never leaving her for a moment. Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me in Every Way He obviously heard me, but why isn¡¯t he responding? Looking at him acting like this, she felt a little helpless, for she had no klea what he was thinking at all. Previously, it was because of Griselda¡¯s condition that they had no choice but to postpone their divorce, but Griselda had been recovering well over the past few days. 5/7 Maybe it¡¯s just my imagination, but he seems to not want a divorce. That can¡¯t be right, though. He probably can¡¯t wait to get divorced so that he can marry udia. If it weren¡¯t for Grandma¡¯s illness, he probably would have married udia already instead of faking a marriage with me to make Grandma happy. Her heart turned cold uponing to this conclusion, and she didn¡¯t look at him anymore but turned around to the front. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s decided. We¡¯ll find a time to go to the city hall tomorrow.¡± She made the decision herself. After she turned away, ric¡¯s face turned extremely unpleasant, but he remained motionless in his original position. The car was still parked on the side of the road without moving, and the atmosphere inside the car was tense to the extreme. Sometimeter, she realized that he was still not driving. Her delicate Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me in Every Way eyebrows furrowed as she thought, Is he nning to stay here tonight? ¡°Aren¡¯t we leaving?¡± she asked. Yet, there was still no response from him, and his gaze was still fixed on her. Victoria had no idea what he was nning to do, so she thought to herself, Whatever. I¡¯m tired of all the talk. If he isn¡¯t leaving, I won¡¯t leave either. We can just spend the night here. Considering this, she didn¡¯t dwell on this matter anymore. She emotionlessly adjusted the temperature in the car two degrees higher and unbuttoned two buttons on her coat to have more space to stretch when lying down. Then she adjusted her seat backward. When she was doing all of this, she could feel ric still staring at her, but she ignored him. As soon as she adjusted the seat, shey down and closed her eyes. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. If he wants to buy time, I¡¯ll just sleep. The whole time, she could feel that even after she closed her eyes, his gaze was still on her face, so she had to pretend that she couldn¡¯t feel anything. 6/7 Chapter 139 You¡¯re Considering Me In Every Way At first, she felt a little ufortable when his gaze was on her, but as drowsiness gradually set in, she stopped paying attention to it. She had been especially tired since bing pregnant and often couldn¡¯t get enough sleep. Coupled with the frequent trips to the hospitaltely, she slept even less. As such, it didn¡¯t take long after lying down for her to fall into a deep sleep. After she fell asleep, she didn¡¯t realize that ric was listening to her even breathing and watching her peaceful face as she slept, his face gradually turning blue. How can she sleep so soundly in this situation? Yet, in the end, he couldn¡¯t bear to wake her up. As time passed, his gaze became helpless, and he couldn¡¯t help but use his fingertips to lightly touch her fair forehead. ¡°How can you be asleep? Are you that heartless?¡° Chapter 140 Chapter 140 The next day, when Victoria woke up, she found that it was already 8.00AM. She looked at the familiar surroundings and the snow¨Cwhite ceiling before carefully feeling the soft bed beneath her. Finally, she confirmed that she was in her bed at home. After a moment of daze, she sat up while holding her head. I can¡¯t believe I slept so soundly. I remember falling asleep in the carst night, which means that ric must have brought me back. She sat there for a while, then picked up her phone to check for any messages from ric. However, there were none, and their chat history was still empty. After some thought, she called ric while walking into the bathroom to wash up. The phone rang for a long time before he answered. ¡°What is it?¡± His voice was cold and clear. Victoria had already squeezed some toothpaste onto her toothbrush and was about to brush her teeth when she heard his voice, so her actions came to a halt. ¡°Regarding the matter I told you yesterday, we¡¯re 1/8 Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her supposed to go-¡± 2/8 Before she could finish speaking, he interrupted her coldly and said, ¡°I have a very important meeting to attend now. It will probably take three hours.¡± Hearing that, she became speechless. She pressed her lips together and tried to control her anger. ¡°Can¡¯t you postpone it a little? You can spare half an hour, can¡¯t you?¡± However, he replied directly, ¡°I can¡¯t. This meeting is urgent.¡± If it weren¡¯t for working at the Cadogan Group for so long, she would probably have believed him. However, before she could say anything else, ric said, ¡°I have to go to the meeting now. Bye.¡± He hung up the phone right away. When Victoria heard the busy tone on her phone, she stood still with the phone in her hand, speechless. Turns out it wasn¡¯t just my imagination yesterday. He doesn¡¯t want a divorce, but why? With these questions in her mind, she quickly got ready and took a shower since she hadn¡¯t taken onest night. Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her When she finished getting ready and went downstairs, she saw Mary in the living room. As soon as Mary saw her, she immediately walked up to her. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Victoria.¡± Only when Victoria saw Mary did she remember that the woman was taking her to the hospital for a check¨Cup today. Initially, she nned on talking to ric about getting a divorce on their way homest night. If he agreed, she could use that as an excuse to leave with him and go get their divorce certificate today. When they returned home, she could be honest with Adrian and Mary about the divorce. By then, they would be distracted by the news of the divorce and wouldn¡¯t think about taking her to get a medical check¨Cup. That was the n that she had in mind. However, she never expected ric to be uncooperative. Urgent meeting, my foot! It¡¯s just an excuse. She felt that he was deliberately avoiding her. ¡°Victoria? Victoria?¡± Mary¡¯s voice brought her back to reality. 3/8 57% Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You look so absent¨Cminded.¡± Mary looked at her with great concern and held her hand. ¡°Did you hurt yourself somewhere else that day? It seems like this check¨Cup today is necessary.¡± 4/8 ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to get another check¨Cup,¡± Victoria replied. With ric avoiding her, she couldn¡¯t go to the city hall alone, so she had to refuse the medical check¨Cup. However, Mary would never let her off so easily. She immediately frowned upon hearing Victoria¡¯s refusal. ¡°Why not? You were absent¨Cminded just now when I was talking to you. Maybe those people hurt you somewhere else.¡± Victoria could only maintain her smile and say, ¡°No, I only hurt my calf that day. It doesn¡¯t hurt anywhere else.¡± Furthermore, it was ine who kicked her calf. Although Christopher was the one who kidnapped her, it was a surprise he didn¡¯t do anything to her. Thinking about him and ine, Victoria became curious about what had happened to them. ¡°By the way, Mom, do you know what happened to those two after that day?¡± E Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her Mary shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but Bane said he would take care of it. He¡¯s reliable, so I trust him. Don¡¯t worry, I heard that Al also looked into this matter after that, so they will definitely be punished.¡± ¡°Bane is handling this matter now, eh?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± With that piece of information, Victoria nned on visiting Bane. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve already made an appointment with the doctor. Although it¡¯s a littlete now, we can still make it in time.¡± After speaking, Mary took Victoria¡¯s hand and led her out. Victoria wanted to refuse, but Mary had already pulled her out of the house. In the end, they arrived at the hospital. At this point, Victoria was bing nervous. Is there no way for me to escape today? If Mom finds out that I¡¯m pregnant, she will certainly tell the rest. ¡°Mom, I just remembered that I have something else to do, I¡­¡± ¡°Mary Statham?¡± A surprised female voice suddenly came from behind Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. them. 5/8 Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her This voice¡­ When Victoria turned around and saw who it was, the color on her lips gradually faded. How can it be her? Mary¡¯s full name was Mary Statham, and she and Samantha, the wife of the Rogers Family¡¯s patriarch, were considered frenemies. Samantha was jealous of Mary¡¯s excellence and beauty, whereas Mary couldn¡¯t stand Samantha¡¯s arrogance and stinginess, so the two of them always acted superficially like best friends. This was because the Cadogan Family and the Keith Family had business dealings, so they had to maintain their dignity when they met each other at various events. ¡°Samantha Keith?¡± Samantha took a few steps forward, looking at Mary in front of her with. some surprise. ¡°It¡¯s really you. When did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I could have picked you up from the airport.¡± Upon hearing this, Mary sneered in secret. ¡°I knew you were busy, so I couldn¡¯t ask you to pick me up from the airport.¡± ¡°How could I be busy? Even if I were, I would¡¯ve made time for you.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you know in advance the next time Ie back.¡± 6/9 12 Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her ¡°Please do.¡± The two of them insincerely exchanged pleasantries as though they were close friends. After the pleasantries were over, Samantha suddenly noticed Victoria standing next to them. At this moment, she remembered the incident. where Victoria saw her daughter at the hospitalst time. Her face changed, and she chuckled. ¡°Oh, Victoria¡¯s here too. What happened? Why are you guys here at the hospital?¡± As she spoke, her gaze kept shifting up and down Victoria¡¯s body, finally When Victoria noticed that, she became speechless. Meanwhile, Mary didn¡¯t know Samantha had some hidden motive, but she had always disliked her. When she saw Samantha using such impolite. eyes to scrutinize her daughter¨Cinw, she didn¡¯t like it and stepped. forward to block Victoria. ¡°What about you, Samantha? What are your doing at the hospital today?¡± At her question, Samantha finally remembered her purpose foring to the hospital, and her eyes shed with hostility. She then looked at 7/9 Chapter 140 He Was Avoiding Her Victoria, who was behind Mary, and a hint of resentment shed across her eyes. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 If it weren¡¯t for meeting Victoria at the hospital back then, Samantha wouldn¡¯t have been so cautious in her actions afterward. After all, she didn¡¯t want anyone to know about the things her daughter had done. Her family was wealthy and powerful, so she felt that her daughter had to be matched with the best man in the world. At first, she was close to Mary because she saw ric, the only heir to the Cadogan Family, as a potential match for her daughter. If the Keith Family and the Cadogan Family could be inws, theirbined developments would be unbeatable. In any case, they wanted to get on board the Cadogan Family¡¯s ship. However, they didn¡¯t expect the Johnson Family to intervene. In fact, she had openly and secretly disliked the Johnson Family¡¯s daughter for a long time. Yet, she didn¡¯t expect that the woman who would end up marrying ric would be Victoria. As such, she redirected her jealousy and resentment toward Victoria. Thest time she saw Victoria going to the hospital, she guessed that Victoria was probably going to have an abortion, but she didn¡¯t know why. With a family background like the Cadogan Family¡¯s, if the child was 177 12:34 Fri, 23 6 Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Try to Hide It From Me! ric¡¯s, Victoria would have revealed it directly to the Cadogan Family, and it would be even better for her to rely on the son. Yet, she had secretly gone to a small hospital to have an abortion. 2/7 Samantha never thought that Victoria, who seemed unattainable on the surface, would cheat on her husband. If it weren¡¯t for her daughter also doing things that she found unspeakable, she wanted to expose what Victoria had done. At the same time, she was afraid that Victoria would retaliate by exposing her daughter. Thinking of this, Samantha tugged at her lips and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling welltely, so I came for a check¨Cup.¡± After she said that, Sandy walked toward them while holding a registration form. ¡°Mom.¡± At her daughter¡¯s voice, her face changed. ¡°Is your daughter here too?¡± Before Mary could finish her sentence, Samantha said, ¡°I have something else to do. Let¡¯s catch up another day.¡± With that, she turned around and walked away with Sandy. 12:34 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Try to Hide It From Me! Mary wanted to ask more, but they had already gone out of sight. After a while, Mary said to Victoria, ¡°Victoria, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something strange about Samantha? She seemed very nervous.¡± Yet, even after she threw the question out, she didn¡¯t get a response. She looked at Victoria and saw that thetter was lost in thought, standing still. ¡°Victoria? Victoria?¡± Mary called her several times again, pulling her back to reality. When she saw Victoriaing back to her senses and looking at her apologetically, she sighed helplessly. ¡°Why have you been absent¨Cminded all day, Victoria? Did something happen? Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking about something. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Victoria chuckled lightly aftering back to her senses. When she saw Samantha and Sandy, she thought of what had happened in the restaurant that day. Perhaps she sympathized with Sandy, who was in a simr situation, and she felt sorry for the girl. I consider myself emotionally mature, but it seems like that young girl still living under the control of her mother. Does she know that the man 377 12:34 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Try to Hide It From Me! has other women in his heart? I want to tell her so badly. Suddenly, she had this thought in her mind. Before this incident, she had seen Sandy a few times. Despite Sandy¡¯s introverted personality, she would always smile shyly at her whenever they met. Victoria couldn¡¯t even imagine someone as malicious as Samantha could have such a cute and shy daughter. ¡°Victoria? Victoria!¡± Mary¡¯s voice rang in her ears once again. When Victoria came to her senses, she realized that she had zoned out in front of Mary for the third time today. It made her feel embarrassed and guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I¡¯m really not in the mood today. Can¡¯t we skip the check¨Cup for now?¡± This time, she was very straightforward. Mary was taken aback for a moment but finally nodded in agreement. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, we can do it another day.¡± ¦¡¦° ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°I have other things to take care of, so I¡¯ll deal with them first. I¡¯ll visit Grandma in the wardter.¡± Since Mary was an extremely understanding person, she agreed. ¡°Well, go 12:34 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Try to Hide II From Me! ahead and deal with it. I can see that your mind is not here today. I think you won¡¯t have the mood to do the check¨Cup if you¡¯re not done dealing with that.¡± Then, she waved her hand at Victoria. ¡°Go ahead. If you need my help, just let me know.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°If you can treat Grandma as your own grandma, you can also treat me as your own mom.¡± Victoria was originally nning to leave, but she didn¡¯t expect Mary to say these words. Her actions came to a halt, and emotions seemed to be surging within her. Treat her as¡­ my own mom? What a touching statement. If I had heard it earlier, I would have been happy for a long time. It doesn¡¯t seem toote for me to hear this now. At least from now on, I will always remember this statement. Thinking of this, she suddenly took a big step forward and hugged Mary tightly. Mary thought she was about to leave, but she didn¡¯t expect Victoria to suddenly hug her. At the same time, she could feel the emotions in this hug. For some reason, she felt a little strange. This little girl must be hiding 5/7 Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Try to Hide It From Me! something from me. Victoria held her tightly for a long time before letting go, and when she did, her face was still a little red, probably from her shyness. ¡°Thank you, Mom. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡± With a smile, Mary watched Victoria leave, and after she was gone, she pulled out her phone to call ric. The phone rang for a while before someone who should¡¯ve been in an important meeting right then picked up the phone. His voice soundedzy. ¡°What?¡± Mary was already full of doubts and wanted to ask her son for an answer, but she was taken aback to find that his attitude was so indifferent after he picked up the phone. Thest incident had already made her extremely dissatisfied, so her face immediately darkened. ¡°What? Can¡¯t I call you if there¡¯s nothing wrong?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± After denying it, ric had no choice but to soften his tone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± 67 Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Try to Hide It From Me! Hearing that his tone had returned to normal, she felt a little more at ease, so she talked about the situation. ¡°Did something happen between you and Victoriately?¡± 70 ric, who had no expression before, narrowed his eyes when he heard this question. Then, he quickly remembered what she had said to him in the carst night. I thought I could let this slide by finding an excuse not to see her this morning. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ At this thought, he frowned slightly and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Nothing happened. What¡¯s wrong? Did she tell you something?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mary instantly realized something amiss when she heard hisst sentence. ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide it from me!¡± Chapter 142 Chapter 142 ric frowned at Mary¡¯s reprimand. E He almost spilled the news that they would be divorcing, but when he was about to say it, he remembered trying to hide something when he was young, and his mother had tried to get the information from him. His mother had tricked him into saying it using her words. In reality, his mother didn¡¯t know the truth at all. This time might be no different. This is from N?velDrama.Org. While thinking of this, ric¡¯s dark eyes gleamed. His mother might be the same woman she had always been, but ric was no longer the little child from back then. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. You¡¯ve always known there¡¯s been conflict between us, right?¡± ric decided to take a step back. 1/9 Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar If Mary knew about the divorce, she would let it slip after he said that. Just as expected, when Mary heard him say that, she replied a little suspiciously, ¡°Was it just a minor conflict, though? Things are so tense between you two right now, so how can that be a minor conflict? Or do you not care about Victoria at all, and that¡¯s why you think it¡¯s minor?¡± ric fell silent. ¡°Don¡¯t me me for nagging, but if you keep treating the conflict between you and Victoria so nonchntly, minor conflicts will eventually turn into huge ones, and it¡¯ll be toote by then.¡± When ric heard Mary saying that, he didn¡¯t retort. Instead, he just stayed silent. ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t understand youngsters these days. Just don¡¯t regret it With that, Mary hung up right away. Since Victoria didn¡¯t have to undergo the check¨Cup, there was no point in Mary staying here. In the end, Mary decisively turned around and went to 2/9 Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar the ward to apany Griselda. After Victoria left, she discreetly followed Samantha and Sandy. 3/0 No matter what the others thought, she only wanted to do one thing at the moment; she wanted to tell Sandy the truth. As for Sandy¡¯s decision after knowing the truth, Victoria wouldn¡¯t interfere with that. However, she wasn¡¯t sure why they hade to the hospital. Weren¡¯t they always afraid that the others would find out? As she pondered, Victoria noticed Samantha whispering something to Sandy. Then, Samantha went to the consultation room with her number. Sandy waited for her outside. Sometimeter, before Samantha came back out, Victoria walked over to Sandy. Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar When Sandy heard the footsteps, she raised her head. She was stunned when she saw Victoria. However, she wasn¡¯t surprised. They had bumped into each other when they were in the hospital before. After a few seconds, Sandy put on a timid smile, the same one she had every time they met each other. ¡°Victoria.¡± Victoria smiled at her as well. Sometimeter, she sat down next to Sandy. Perhaps not expecting Victoria to sit, Sandy looked confused for a moment. ¡°Are you apanying your mom to the hospital?¡± 57% 4/9 After taking her seat, Victoria lightly started their conversation with a topic. Sandy thought Victoria was waiting as well, so she nodded. 12 34 Fri, 23 Jun. Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar ¡°Yeah, my mom hasn¡¯t been feeling well these days.¡± When Victoria heard that, she could more or less understand why Samantha would bring Sandy here. Perhaps because she was the one feeling unwell, and she was the one taking the number, she wasn¡¯t worried that people would start rumors. By the looks of it, Samantha wouldn¡¯t being out anytime soon, so Victoria could chat longer with Sandy. However, Victoria gazed at the people walking around them. A momentter, she said quietly, ¡°This isn¡¯t a good ce to talk. Shall we go somewhere else?¡± When she said that, Sandy¡¯s originally shy expression shifted, and the red tint on her lips instantly disappeared. ¡°W¨CWhat are we going to talk about?¡± Sandy asked, stuttering. Victoria smiled. ¡°Life, of course.¡± 5/9 Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar Sandy was speechless. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you want to?¡± Noticing that Sandy was getting so nervous that she was gripping her skirt, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Am I too scary?¡± ¡°O¨COf course not. I just-¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Victoria was already standing up. Sandy bit her lower lip, remaining seated with aplicated expression. When Victoria saw Sandy like that, she guessed that Sandy already knew what she was going to talk about. She wasn¡¯t in a rush either, so she found a middle ground. ¡°There¡¯s a street outside the hospital, and you can find a restaurant serving specialty breakfasts. Do you know which one I¡¯m talking about?¡± When Sandy heard that, she was a little stunned. She nodded after a 12 34 Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar while. ¡°Yes.¡± Victoria lifted her hand and nced at the time on her watch, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting there for you for 30 minutes. If you don¡¯t appear by then, I¡¯ll just leave. You can considering over in the meantime.¡± Sandy fell silent. When Victoria finished speaking, she didn¡¯t stand there and disturb Sandy¡¯s thoughts. Instead, she left the hospital quickly. Sandy stared at Victoria¡¯s figure thoughtfully, her nails digging into her. palms. Should she go or not? Victoria seemed to respect her, so if she didn¡¯t go, Victoria wouldn¡¯te back to look for her. ¡°Sandy.¡± 306 Just then, Samantha came out of the consultation room and called out to her. Sandy returned to her senses and hastily went up to ask, ¡°How was it, 7/9 Chapter 142 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar Mom? What did the doctor say?¡± Samantha was obviously in a much better mood than before. E ¡°The doctor said that I¡¯m fine, and he asked if I was overthinking things. He told me to be more optimistic, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with me.¡± When Sandy heard that, she couldn¡¯t help but lower her gaze. ¡°Is it because of me?¡± ¡°You should know that, Because of you, I was so worried that I couldn¡¯t even eat properly, and I lost so much weight. If you care about me, you should listen to me. You shouldn¡¯t-¡± When Samantha said that, she suddenly paused. ¡°Never mind. The walls have ears. It wouldn¡¯t do to have people eavesdropping. Anyway, you should decide quickly. You can¡¯t dy it any longer.¡± Sandy lowered her gaze and stayed timidly silent. Just like that, Samantha nagged her daughter all the way to the entrance of the hospital. When they were about to get into the car, Sandy suddenly 56% 8/9 12 Chapter 147 You¡¯re Going to See That Man Again, Ar said, ¡°Mom, you should go back first. I have something to attend to.¡± Samantha, who was already in a troubled mood, immediately said sharply, ¡°Where are you going, Sandy? You¡¯re going to see that man again, aren¡¯t you?¡± Samantha even grabbed Sandy¡¯s hand as she nagged. ¡°I¡¯ve told you so many times that you¡¯re not allowed to see him anymore, so why are you still so shameless? What¡¯s so good about that man? He¡¯s just a poor man, and look at how poor he looks! He just wants to be with you for your money.¡± When Sandy heard her mother ndering the love of her life like that, the look in her eyes changed. She wanted to explode, but since the woman in front of her was her mother, she controlled her temper in the end. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not going to see him. Why would you think that I¡¯m going to see him every time I want to go out? Do you think he¡¯s the only one left in my world? Don¡¯t I have other friends?¡± D 5/0 12:34 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? Chapter 143 Chapter 143 However, Samantha didn¡¯t trust her at all. ¡°Last time, you also told me that you weren¡¯t going to see him, but what happened next? You went to see him again, and you even got sad when you came back. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± When Samantha said that, Sandy couldn¡¯t even retort. After a long while, she patiently said, ¡°Mom, I know I was in the wrongst time, and I even lied to you. However, I¡¯m telling the truth this time. If your don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll definitelye back within 30 minutes.¡± ¡°Within 30 minutes?¡± Samantha narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the time frame. If Sandy wanted to see that man, she wouldn¡¯t be back within 30 minutes. Could it be that she had misunderstood Sandy this time? ¡°Mom, I really have something to attend to.¡± Sandy looked at the time, appearing a little anxious. She feared that if she went toote, Victoria 1/10 Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? wouldn¡¯t be waiting there anymore. Seeing that Samantha was still not open to negotiation, Sandy said urgently, ¡°If you keep acting like this, I¡¯ll leave the Rogers Family and never When she saw that her daughter was getting mad, Samantha finally realized that it would only damage their rtionship if she kept acting like this, so she said, ¡°If you¡¯re not lying to me, then I¡¯ll certainly believe you, Sandy. Go ahead. However, you have to keep your promise ande back within 30 minutes.¡± 2/10 Samantha paused for a moment before adding, ¡°Since it¡¯s just 30 minutes, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Sandy silently lowered her gaze. Just as expected, no matter what she said, her mother wouldn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Alright, wait for me here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With that, Sandy left without any hesitation. 12:35 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? Meanwhile, Victoria had been sitting alone in the restaurant for almost 30 minutes. She ordered the restaurant¡¯s specialty pasta even though she didn¡¯t have much of an appetite, for it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to sit in a restaurant without ordering anything for half an hour. Then, she ordered some soup. 3/10 There were quite a lot of customers in the restaurant at first, but the numbers dwindled after that, and Victoria was the only one left in the end. Victoria lifted her hand to nce at the time on her watch. There were only three minutes left before the time she and Sandy agreed on ran out. Sandy hadn¡¯t shown up after almost half an hour. Just a few minutes were remaining, so Victoria assumed that Sandy wouldn¡¯t being. It wasn¡¯t a surprise, though. Back in the hospital, Sandy didn¡¯t look like she wanted toe. Samantha was a forceful woman too, so it was only reasonable that Sandy wouldn¡¯te. Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? Victoria put down her fork and took a sip of the soup. Perhaps 30 minutes isn¡¯t sufficient. Why don¡¯t I wait for another ten minutes? As she was pondering, a slender girl entered the restaurant. The familiar figure caught Victoria¡¯s eye, and the two quickly met each other¡¯s gaze. ¡°Victoria.¡± Sandy held her skirt up as she swiftly walked up to Victoria. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Victoria was reassured to see her. ¡°I was worried that 30 minutes might be too short, and you couldn¡¯t find time toe here.¡± 4/10 When Sandy heard that, she panted as she said, ¡°Thirty minutes is plenty, but I took the wrong turn on my way here, and I had to take the long route to find this ce.¡± So that¡¯s what happened. This meant that Sandy had already decided to Chapter 145 Why Would Ab wrong ce. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?¡± Sandy wanted to decline, but when she saw the foodid out in front of Victoria, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll have some soup, please.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright.¡± After that, they both sat down. Sandy grabbed a spoonful of soup. ¡°Didn¡¯t you find it strange when I wanted to talk to you? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d be willing toe.¡± 5/10 When Sandy heard that, she raised her gaze and nced at Victoria, then put down her spoon. ¡°I did find it a little strange, but¡­ I know you won¡¯t harm me, Victoria.¡± Victoria smiled at her. ¡°If you put it like that, I¡¯ll get straight to the point, alright? Your mom will be upset if you go back toote, won¡¯t she?¡± Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? At the mention of her mother, Sandy could only smile bitterly. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s still waiting for me at the hospital. I¡¯ve already told her it wouldn¡¯t take more than 30 minutes.¡± Victoria wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that at all. ¡°I¡¯ll make it short, then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Perhaps this might be too sudden to you, but believe me, I have no intention of offending you. That day, I spotted you and your boyfriend in the washroom of a restaurant.¡± Sandy thought that Victoria had asked her out to talk about her pregnancy. However, she didn¡¯t expect Victoria to mention the incident at the restaurant. 6/10 ¡°I identally overheard your conversation when I passed by that day. I¡¯m sorry.¡± 125 H, Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Chi¡± Sandy smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We were talking too loudly that day, and it¡¯s only normal that someone overheard us.¡± 7/10 Seeing her forced smile, Victoria continued, ¡°After you left, I bumped into your boyfriend at the entrance of the restaurant again. There was another woman beside him, and when I heard them talking, they sounded like a couple.¡± At that, Sandy suddenly stood up in a rush of emotions. She moved so quickly that she even toppled the chair behind her. Victoria was startled at her movements. Even the owner of the restaurant looked over at them. When Sandy realized that her actions were being a nuisance to others, her pale face and neck turned red, and she hastily apologized. ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m so sorry.¡± As she apologized, she picked up the chair and sat back down. She didn¡¯t say anything as she stared at the table. The Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? embarrassment¨Cinduced redness on her face had disappeared. ¡°How¡­ is that possible?¡± E Victoria looked at her, fearing that the news might have been too much of a shock to her. Hence, she said carefully, ¡°I know you may not be able to ept this right now, but I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± With that, Victoria held Sandy¡¯s hand and said lightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice anything after being with him for so long?¡± Even though Sandy didn¡¯t reply, she subconsciously bit her lower lip, and her gaze was a little avoidant. Seeing her like that, Victoria understood. ¡°You already knew about it, didn¡¯t you?¡± After all, when two people were dating, they would expend effort on each other. A person¡¯s effort and energy had their limits. If there was another person involved, the effort expended would be halved, so the other party would 8/10 12:35 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? definitely sense that. She looked at Sandy in front of her, making guesses in her heart. Perhaps Sandy already knew about this, but she just refused to believe it. Just as expected, before Victoria asked again, Sandy admitted it herself. ¡°I suspected it before, but I never verified it.¡± When Victoria heard that, her eyshes quivered. ¡°Was it because you didn¡¯t want to, or you didn¡¯t dare to?¡± There was no reply. Victoria could only continue, ¡°Since you¡¯re aware of it, why did you continue the rtionship? You and him-¡± Halfway through her words, Sandy suddenly looked up. ¡°What about you, Victoria?¡± ¡°What?¡± 5/10 Chapter 143 Why Would You Abort the Child? 10/10 ¡°Why would you abort the child? Only people who want an abortion would visit that hospital, right?¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 For a moment, Victoria didn¡¯t know how to reply to Sandy¡¯s question, and she just sat there, stunned. Sandy sniffled lightly. Perhaps because she was ashamed that someone had learned about her boyfriend, her eyes were reddened as well. ¡°Victoria, even though I didn¡¯t know you before, and I don¡¯t like to gossip, I still hear rumors about you these days. You¡¯re not the only woman in your man¡¯s life too. Can¡¯t you deal with your own troubles?¡± When Victoria heard that, she finally understood what Sandy was getting 1. at. ¡°You feel that I¡¯m already in a mess myself, so I have no right to tell you this, correct?¡± Sandy originally had more or less the same intention. Sandy felt that Victoria couldn¡¯t manage her own rtionships well either, for ric had other women by his side. Victoria couldn¡¯t do much about it, and of course, she knew that one couldn¡¯t do whatever they liked when they were in a marriage involving prestigious families. 1/5 B Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? Since Victoria herself couldn¡¯t do anything, why should she boss Sandy around? 2/9 However, when Victoria put it that way, Sandy felt like she had gone overboard. After all, Victoria was just worried that Sandy didn¡¯t know any better, so she told Sandy about it out of kindness. At that thought, Sandy could only shake her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, Victoria, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I just feel-¡± What did she feel? Even Sandy herself couldn¡¯t exin it. Seeing her at a loss for words, Victoria more or less understood what Sandy meant. ¡°It¡¯s okay, there¡¯s no need to say more. I¡¯m not ming you.¡± Sandy bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Victoria. Did I hurt you just now?¡± As Victoria looked at the girl in front of her, she wondered if she should tell Sandy about her uing divorce. Suddenly, her phone rang. Victoria took a nce. It was a call from Bane. Why is he calling right now¡­ 12 35 Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? ¡°Is it an important call? Why don¡¯t you answer it?¡± Seeing Sandy¡¯s pitiful look, Victoria knew that she had to answer the call even if she didn¡¯t want to. As such, she could only nod. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll answer the phone.¡± With that, Victoria went out to answer the call, leaving Sandy alone to ponder. ¡°Hello?¡± Outside, Victoria had already picked up Bane¡¯s call. 3/9 ¡°Snowball.¡± Bane¡¯s voice sounded gentle even over the phone. Akin to clear running water, his voice was a pleasure to listen to, be it in person or over the phone. She had always known this fact, but even so, when she heard him calling her ¡®Snowball¡®, she felt odd, and she couldn¡¯t quite ept it. After all, throughout her entire life, only two people called her that¨Cher father and ric. Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? ric had always known her pet name, but he rarely called her that. He would only call her ¡®Snowball¡® at very specific moments. ¡°How are you these days?¡± Bane¡¯s voice was lined with a slight smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t get found out after going back, did you?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was asking about her pregnancy. Hence, Victoria¡¯s thoughts were quickly interrupted as she focused on this matter. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good. If there¡¯s anything you need help with, just tell me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to help with¡­¡± After all, how could a man help with something like this? ¡°Hmm.¡± Bane didn¡¯t expand on the topic as he quickly changed the focus. ¡°I¡¯ve said before that I would help you, right? Why don¡¯t we meet up and talk?¡± Meeting up at this time? Victoria thought for a bit, then shook her head. ¡°I 4/9 12:35 Fri, Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? can¡¯t make it today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can decide the time. I¡¯m okay with tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.¡± Victoria thought about it, then said, ¡°Maybe in a few days.¡± She was now stuck between a rock and a hard ce. ¡°Alright,¡± answered Bane in response. After hanging up, Victoria went back to the restaurant. The girl seemed to have thought things through. When she saw Victoria ¡°Victoria, about that thing you mentioned, I think I¡¯ll have to give it more thought.¡± When Victoria heard that, she paused slightly, then asked after a while, ¡°Are you reluctant to give up on him?¡± Sandy smiled bitterly. ¡°In that case, are you reluctant to give up on Mr. Cadogan, Victoria? I think you¡¯re the one who can understand my feelings 5/9 Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? the best. We¡¯re in simr situations, after all.¡± She was referring to the fact that they were both pregnant, yet both their men were seeing other women. When Victoria heard that, she smiled and said lightly, ¡°Do you think we¡¯re in the same situation?¡± ¡°Are we not?¡± ¡°Yes, they look almost the same on the surface, but have you considered the fact that we¡¯re of different ages?¡± When Sandy heard that, she was stunned. Then, she bit her lower lip in frustration. ¡°Victoria.¡± Seeing Sandy like that, Victoria sighed lightly. ¡°You have a future ahead of you, so don¡¯t hesitate about certain things. That¡¯s all I have to say today. It¡¯s gettingte, so you should head back first. Your mom might get worried.¡± Sandy could only nod, then got up to leave. 6/9 12:35 FNI, 23 E Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? When the girl was approaching the entrance of the restaurant, she seemed to have thought of something as she turned to look at Victoria. After a moment of silence, she dashed up to Victoria and asked in a small voice, ¡°Victoria, I have a few questions for you.¡± Victoria said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Will you give birth to the child?¡± Seeing the girl¡¯s sincere expression, Victoria pursed her red lips slightly. Sometimeter, she nodded gently. ¡°Yes.¡± When the girl heard that, she seemed to be surprised that Victoria would answer her. After taking a deep breath, she asked the question she wanted to ask the most. ¡°Then¡­ are you going to divorce Mr. Cadogan? Or¡­¡± Even though it hadn¡¯t happened, and she shouldn¡¯t talk about it, when Victoria looked at the girl in front of her, she decided to trust the girl for 7/9 Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? once. After all, she had gone to Sandy herself. At that thought, Victoria nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Her second reply was firmer than her first. ¡°I will give birth to the child, and I¡¯ll raise the child on my own.¡± Victoria¡¯s voice was light as her gaze fell upon the girl¡¯s face. Sandy seemed shocked at her determination. ¡°This is just my personal decision. We¡¯re different, so you don¡¯t have to do it my way.¡± Sandy originally thought that Victoria hadn¡¯t left ric because she had no ns for divorce. Through those questions, Sandy could see from Victoria¡¯s determination that Victoria must have nned this for a long time. This wasn¡¯t something she thought up a few days ago. Victoria had already made the decision early on, but Sandy foolishly thought that she couldn¡¯t let go of the rtionship like herself. At that thought, Sandy finally realized how pathetic she was. She lowered her gaze and said in a small voice, ¡°Thank you, Victoria. I know what to do 8/9 Chapter 144 Are You Reluctant to Give Up on Him? now.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± This time, Sandy turned around and left quickly without any hesitation. Victoria thought that perhaps her own decision had affected Sandy. However, no matter what, she wished that Sandy wouldn¡¯t be blinded by love. Victoria also wished Sandy could let go and move on. 9/9 Chapter 145 sit a Chapter 145 Chapter 145 After she bid Sandy adieu, Victoria visited Griselda at the hospital Then, Mary asked whether the matter was settled. Victoria wanted to say that it was all settled, but when she thought about the check¨Cup, she changed her mind and mentioned that there were still some final bits to deal with, At that, Mary was understanding and did not urge Victoria to undergo the check¨Cup. Victoria spent quite a long time at the hospital with Griselda, so she was happy when she saw the elderly woman recovering to the point where she had a rosyplexion. It was just that when Victoria returned home from the hospital, she heard that ric would be working overtime at thepany. As such, he would not be home for the night. When Hector ryed the news to Victoria and Mary, Mary immediately frowned. ¡°Is he really that busy in the office that he has to pull an all¨Cnighter after spending the entire day working?¡± Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments At Mary¡¯s line of questioning, Hector felt awkward and could only nod in agreement. ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry. Thepany¡¯s been busytely. Otherwise, things won¡¯t be like that.¡± Mary felt difort at that while Victoria, who heard the news, didn¡¯t reckon that there was a problem. When she looked for ric earlier in the morning, he mentioned that he needed to attend a meeting and eventually refused to speak to her over the phone. She had already guessed that ric was avoiding her. She just never expected that he would not even return home. At this thought, Victoria chuckled. You can avoiding back, but surely, you¡¯ll have to go to the hospital, right? Grandma is still recovering in the hospital. ric can avoid visiting her for one or two days, but can he maintain this routine? Victoria no longer panicked because a certain someone was surely more anxious than her. 2/0 Someone too susedonere she boog rose onto the tie Ro which caused the tem to shotter into a million pieces in all directions. However, the person who threw the vse don¡¯t seem to think that it was enough to relieve their anger Apart from the vase, there were some expensive decorations, all of which were smashed onto the ground. The servants were trembling as they stood outside the door,cking the courage to intervene. It was only when Mrs. Johnson came over and the servant reported the incident to her that udia stopped throwing a tantrum. However, udia was still in a bad mood, so she ended up lying t on her bed. I¡¯m not in a good mood, Mom. I don¡¯t want to talk either, so please leave.¡± When udia¡¯s mother saw the mess in the house, she hurried to udia¡¯s side and cajoled, ¡°You better ask someone to clear the mess. Come and rest in my room. I¡¯ll apany you tonight, alright?¡± Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments udia originally wanted to refuse the offer but quickly agreed after thinking of something. She burst into tears the moment shey next to her mother on the bed. 4/0 ¡°We clearly agreed that when Old Mrs. Cadogan undergoes her operation, ric will divorce that b*tch Victoria. But what happened in the end? It¡¯s been ages since Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s surgery, but the two of them have not signed the divorce papers.¡± It was one thing to not sign the divorce papers, but what made it worse was when she tried to call ric, he imed that he was busy and cut her call. udia felt that in all her years of knowing ric, these few months were when she suffered lots of grievances. ¡°Things were not like that when I left the country, Mom. Back then, ric would not have treated me this way, but now I suddenly feel scared. Is it because he doesn¡¯t want me anymore?¡± When Mrs. Johnson heard this, she was a tad bit worried because the Johnson Family¡¯s sess came from the Cadogan Family¡¯s reputation. If Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments Mary really doesn¡¯t want udia to be her daughter¨Cinw, what will happen? At this thought, Mrs. Johnson softly said, ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to meet you because thepany¡¯s really busy. Have you gone to have a look at the office?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± udia felt so down that she didn¡¯t have the heart or time to visit the Cadogan Group. ¡°See, before you can even search for the evidence, you already im that he doesn¡¯t want you. Old Mrs. Cadogan has just undergone surgery, so she¡¯ll need some time to recuperate. ric had been so focused on his grandmother¡¯s health that he couldn¡¯t sort out thepany matters. Now that he has the time, he has to pick up from where he left off. Isn¡¯t this normal?¡± ¡°But¡­ back then, even when he¡¯s sorting out thepany matters, he¡¯s never behaved like this.¡± ¡°That was before. After all, he¡­ He has been with Victoria for many years.¡± At that, Mrs. Johnson also realized the urgency of this matter. ¡°When you 5/9 E Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments wanted to head abroad, I disagreed because you wouldn¡¯t be able to This is from N?velDrama.Org. keep such an excellent man by your side when you¡¯re away. Someone mighte along and tempt him.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± An upset udia exined, ¡°I saved his life back then.¡± ¡°Silly child. It doesn¡¯t matter. Men are meant to be kept close to us. And for someone like ric Cadogan? Once you lose him, chances of you meeting another him will be close to nil.¡± ¡°What you mean to say is, being his benefactor doesn¡¯t make a difference? But-¡± ¡°Being his benefactor means that he¡¯ll be forever grateful to you, but how long can this go on? If you want him to not forget you, then you¡¯ll need to think of something to sway his heart.¡± ¡°Sway his heart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Mrs. Johnson then gave her daughter some ideas. ¡°At what stage are you two at now?¡± udia remained silent. 6/9 Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments When Mrs. Johnson saw udia¡¯s expression, she thought that her daughter was too embarrassed to say it aloud What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? Have you gone to that stage with him yet?¡± B At that, udia¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡± It was one thing to avoid the topic, but now that it was brought up, she felt like someone had stabbed her in the chest. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it, Mom. We¡¯re only at the stage of hugging.¡± Mrs. Johnson was taken aback when she heard that. ¡°At the stage of hugging?! Have you guys even kissed yet?¡± udia didn¡¯t want to answer the question, but as she closed her eyes, her disappointment was obvious. ¡°I mean, udia¡­ You guys have known each other for so long. You¡¯ve also sought him out often, so how can you guys not have kissed before? I-Is ric swinging the other way?¡± Such words were enough to make udia lose her temper. Of course, ric does not swing the other way. If not, how does that exin Victoria¡¯s 7/0 Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments pregnancy? 3 56% 8/9 Apart from being a normal man, ric was also restrained in his ways and would never be as dissolute as other men who would take advantage of their power and status. This was one of the main reasons why women would flock to ric. However, because of his restraining himself, the same women were also frustrated because they would not even have any chance to approach him, save for Victoria, his childhood friend, and udia, the woman who saved him. He had always respected himself and would never overstep the boundaries. udia was dignified and gentle in front of him, so if ric did not take the initiative, she wouldn¡¯t throw herself at him either. Otherwise, she would have no idea what he thought of her. She never felt that there was anything wrong with the way they socialized with each other and was even secretly ted that he respected her. That was until she heard about Victoria¡¯s pregnancy. 12:36 Fri, 23 Jun Chapter 145 He Has His Weakest Moments E At that point, udia felt like someone had whacked her head with a hammer. As it turned out, ric had his moments of weakness and was not as restrained as he projected himself to be every time. He could also do other things than cuddling with other women. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 ¡°udia, this is impossible.¡± Mrs. Johnson thought that udia and ric¡¯s rtionship was stable and that he would marry udia once he divorced Victoria. Who would have thought that the divorce never urred? If ric really fancied udia, then why didn¡¯t he sleep with her after all these years? ¡°I know it¡¯s impossible, Mom. I won¡¯t dare to take the initiative because I¡¯m worried about what ric thinks.¡± At this, Mrs. Johnson immediately advised, ¡°Who asked you to take the initiative? You can seduce him and let him make the first move. udia, I don¡¯t mean to say this, but why didn¡¯t you let me know earlier? Don¡¯t tell me he doesn¡¯t have any impulses!¡± Impulses? udia reflected on how they mingled with each other. I¡¯ve never felt any 1/9 12:02 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! impulses from him. What she felt was ric¡¯s respect and gratitude toward her. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that she was in a precarious situation. ¡°udia, you can¡¯t go on like this. You need to take action!¡± Mrs. Johnson, who was beside her, suggested. udia remained silent, but she agreed with her mother¡¯s words. She also knew that they couldn¡¯t go on like this. Back then, she always behaved demurely and in a gentle manner, but look at what happened. Victoria took advantage of the situation and got pregnant with ric¡¯s child. I can¡¯t just sit around anymore. I¡­ I must find a way to have his child! ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. ric is mine, so I won¡¯t let anyone snatch him from me.¡± It was after dark when ric finally returned home. 2/9 Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me71 To be exact, it was around 1.00AM when everyone was asleep. He gingerly headed to the bedroom and his gaze dimmed when he saw the sleeping figure. I¡¯ve been avoiding her for the entire day, but I don¡¯t know if she¡¯lle to the office tomorrow to look for me. If she really wants a divorce, then she¡¯ll probably be at the office in the morning. ric stood by the bed and watched the sleeping Victoria for a long time. He finally bent over and gently nted a kiss on her forehead. The man himself did not expect the kiss. It was a sudden reaction after observing her. Then, he couldn¡¯t control himself and kissed her upfront. It was only a peck on the forehead, but as soon as he approached her, ric smelled that faint fragrance that she always had. He suddenly did not want the divorce. He subconsciously rested his hands on either of Victoria¡¯s sides, after which he bent over and merely watched her. His gaze first slid across her 3/9 Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! long, curly eyshes and her small, delicate nose before her face came into his view. She is asleep with her pink lips slightly parted. Victoria had beautiful lips with a prominent Cupid¡¯s bow. This was his favorite part about her when they kissed. He had loved it so much that he would gnaw at it repeatedly. ric¡¯s eyes darkened before he slowly lowered his hands. Then, his trembling lipsnded on hers. The moment their lips touched, his negative emotions from these few days seemed to dissipate before other kinds of emotions overpowered him. He knew that he returned home in the wee hours of the morning because he wanted to avoid her. That was because he was worried that once she saw him, she would express her wish to divorce again. I should not be kissing her anymore. Otherwise, I¡¯ll only wake her up¡­ But now that our lips have touched, I can¡¯t stop. He then opened his lips to cover hers. 4/9 12:02 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! It was at this moment when ric¡¯s vibrating cell phone brought him back to his senses as he stood up and backed off. Even though she was asleep, Victoria¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she was about to wake up at any moment. ric rushed out of the bedroom before she woke up. He nced at his phone, only to realize that it was a spam message, and immediately threw the device aside. Victoria¡¯s taste still lingered on his lips as he slumped against the couch and closed his eyes. Not long after that, he reached out and touched his lips. It was as if a spell had been cast on him. What he really wanted was¡­ Maybe Norwood struck the bull¡¯s eye when he said those words. As ric thought about this, his gaze slowly darkened. The next day, when Victoria woke up, she heard that ric returned home 5/9 3 6/9 Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! in the wee hours of the morning. However, when she questioned for more. information, she was informed that he had already left for the office. Sheughed in her heart when she heard that. Do you have to take such steps to avoid me? Is it worth it? You¡¯re backte but out at the cr***ck of dawn? Does he want a divorce or not? After breakfast, Victoria said to Mary, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m heading to the office, so you¡¯ll have to go to the hospital on your own.¡± Mary nodded in agreement upon hearing Victoria¡¯s words. ¡°Go ahead. If you don¡¯t go, ric is as good as dead. He¡¯s at the office the whole day and refuses toe to the hospital. He¡¯s such a capable kid, huh?¡± After that, Victoria headed straight for the Cadogan Group in the family car. Peter reached out to her the moment she arrived at the office as if her presence was expected. ¡°Miss Selwyn, are you looking for Mr. Cadogan?¡± ¡°Yeap. Where is he?¡± ¡°What a coincidence. He just left.¡± 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! Victoria frowned at that. She had roughly expected ric to use such a method to avoid her, but she never expected him to be this useless. When Peter saw Victoria¡¯s frown, he asked in curiosity, ¡°Miss Selwyn, is there anything I can help you with?¡± She only regained her senses at his words. Then, she smiled at Peter before shemented, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll call him instead.¡± She originally thought of heading to her workce, but she asked after This is from N?velDrama.Org. some thought, ¡°Since he¡¯s not around, can I wait for him in his room?¡± Peter frantically nodded. ¡°Of course. You are Mrs. Cadogan. If you can¡¯t wait in his room, then no one else can.¡± When Victoria saw how he tried to butter her up, she couldn¡¯t help but After that, she went to ric¡¯s office. There was no one there, so she sat on the couch and gave the man a call, but it was to no avail. 7/ 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! She refused to give up after the first call was rejected, and she continued to make seeding calls. Still, there was no answer. It was only on her third attempt that ric finally answered. He sounded like he was somewhere noisy, but the voice that came through was colder than ice. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± What¡¯s up?! Victoriaughed at his greeting. She cut to the chase and asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what¡¯s up¡¯? ric, are you avoiding me?¡± Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, ric could see the hustle and bustle of the city, but he was disinterested in the city¡¯s traffic. He was instead overwhelmed by his own dark cloud of thoughts. His lips were pulled into a straight line as he retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s avoiding you?¡± Victoria was so angry that she burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re not avoiding me? Then, meet me now!¡± 8/9 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 146 You¡¯re Not Avoiding Me?! ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°A coboration.¡± ¡°Fine! When will you be free?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± ¡°And here you are telling me you¡¯re not avoiding me, ric Cadogan?!¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 ric pursed his lips in silence. So what if I¡¯m hiding from her?! ¡°What the hell do you want? Didn¡¯t we have an agreement? After Grandma undergoes her surgery, we¡¯ll divorce. Then, you said that we should wait until she recovers. She¡¯s close to a full recovery now, so are you still going to proceed with the divorce?¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t understand what he thought. If it had been before, ric thought that Noel, Bane, and she were involved, which resulted in his self-esteem taking a beating. But what¡¯s going on now? Her line of questions fell onto ric¡¯s ears like a sharp knife stabbing him. and causing his skin to bleed. Hostility shed in his gaze, and the tone of his voice dipped so much that he became a little unscrupulous in his choice of words. ¡°It¡¯s only been a short while since Grandma¡¯s surgery, and yet you are so eager. Didn¡¯t you mention before that she¡¯s like your own grandmother? Is 1203 Sal, 24 Jun Chapter 1471 Don¡¯t Want a Divorce this how you treat her? You¡¯re not even worried about informing her about the divorce. What if her illness recurs if we tell her now? Victoria Selwyn, where¡¯s your conscience?¡± If it had been the past, she might have been fooled by his words, but it was no longer possible. She gave a sarcasticugh. ¡°Yeah, I have no conscience. You don¡¯t want to divorce, but you¡¯re using Grandma as an excuse. Is that what you call having a conscience?¡± Victoria saw through his intentions perfectly, causing ric to suddenly freeze before he subconsciously refuted, ¡°Who said I don¡¯t want a divorce?¡± ¡°If you want to divorce me, then you shoulde over. I have the marriage. certificates, so we can file for the proceedings now!¡± ¡°Ms. Snowball, do you think I won¡¯t dare to do anything to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at your office now. Why don¡¯t youe over? We¡¯ll see what you can do to me.¡± At that, Victoria sneered. ¡°If you don¡¯te over today, I¡¯ll tell your parents the truth!¡± 2/9 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 147 I Don¡¯t Want a Divorce 3/9 The distinction that she used to describe ric¡¯s parents caused the man to narrow his eyes in displeasure. Although he was annoyed, he still went out of his way to remind her. ¡°Watch what you say. They are still considered your inws too.¡± At that, she was taken aback and almost immediately agreed with him. What he said made sense. They were still not divorced, which meant that Mary and Adrian were still her inws. ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯te over, then I¡¯ll tell them everything tonight.¡± ric fell silent as if he was considering his current situation. After what seemed like an eternity of thinking, Victoria heard his cold. ¡°I suddenly feel that what you said earlier is correct.¡± ¡°And what was it?¡± She only felt her heart racing. ¡°It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t want a divorce.¡± ric tugged on his tie and stared at the traffic with indifference. Now that 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun? G Chapter 1471 Dont Want a Divorce he had admitted it, his heart finally calmed down. It was like the moon had sessfully broken through the clouds to reveal itself. The corners of his lips curled upward as he added, ¡°Just tell them anyway. I won¡¯t agree to a divorce either way.¡± Victoria was speechless as she figured that ric was close to losing his marbles. Otherwise, it means I¡¯m the one going bananas. In what world will I hear that he doesn¡¯t want a divorce? It took her a while before she could respond to him. ¡°What did you say? You don¡¯t want a divorce? You were the one who brought this up, you know.¡± ¡°So what? I retract my words.¡± It was only after a few moments that Victoria spoke. ¡°Why are you going back on your word?¡± It¡¯s obvious that he does not like me. 4/0 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 147 I Don¡¯t Want a Divorce ¡°There¡¯s no reason. I still have something to do, so I¡¯m going to end the call. We¡¯ll continue this when I¡¯m backter.¡± Victoria held the cell phone and sat nkly on the couch while pondering their telephone conversation. Momentster, she pinched her cheeks. Ouch! What happened moments ago was reality and not a dream. ric really did not want to divorce her. Does he know what nonsense he has said? If he doesn¡¯t file for divorce, how is he supposed to marry udia? ric had always mentioned that udia was the one meant for him. Victoria remained in her position and held the phone in a daze until she heard footsteps and blocking sounds at the door. ¡°Miss Johnson, I¡¯ve already said that Mr. Cadogan is not in the office. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. There¡¯s no use going in there since it¡¯s empty now.¡± ¡°Mr. Levane, I know you don¡¯t like me, but I¡¯m friends with Al. Isn¡¯t it bad 5/9 Chapter 147 Don¡¯t Want a Divorce that you are lying that he¡¯s out?¡± ¡°Why should I lie to you? There are no benefits in doing so. He really is out of the office.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you let me decide for myself? If I don¡¯t see him, I¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± As they were arguing, they did not realize that they had arrived in front of the office. Peter never intended for udia to enter, but since she insisted on entering, he couldn¡¯t do much either. After all, he knew very well that udia held a special position in ric¡¯s heart. As a result, he tried to stop her, but he never expected that she would push her way through. As soon as udia arrived outside the office, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Isn¡¯t the door open? You lied, Mr. Levane!¡± At that, she pushed the door open and rushed in. ¡°Al!¡± 6/9 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 147 I Don¡¯t Want a Divorce However, upon entering, the person whom she saw was not ric but Victoria instead, who was wearing a white coat and seated on the couch. ¡°Why are you here?¡± udia was rather surprised to see Victoria. When she got her wits back, she covered the wound on her forehead but realized that it was bandaged, so there was nothing to hide. This was the first time that the two women met after udia¡¯s injury. ¡°Miss Selwyn, Miss Johnson said that she wanted to look for Mr. Cadogan. She refused to believe me when I said he¡¯s not around¡­¡± Victoria grunted in acknowledgment as she turned to Peter. ¡°I understand.¡± Then, she faced udia. ¡°Look at the entire room. ric is obviously not here today.¡± When udia saw how Victoria acted like the woman of the house, she felt suffocated. If the former did not decide to leave for abroad back then, there was a chance that they would be in opposing positions. 7/9 Chapter 147 I Don¡¯t Want a Divorce At this, her lips curled upward slightly. ¡°He¡¯s not around, but it makes no difference since you¡¯re here. I have something to tell you anyway.¡± Ever since udia tripped and fell on her own ord but med Victoria for it, Victoria felt that there was nothing left to say. However, udia quickly turned to Peter and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to have a word with Victoria.¡± Peter had no choice but to look at Victoria. He only nodded after he noticed that she did not have much reaction to hearing that. udia waited for Peter to leave before she closed the office door. Victoria silently watched udia¡¯s movements and calmly pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Victoria.¡± udia smiled kindly. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you since the injury. You didn¡¯t even visit me, which left me a bit sad.¡± When Victoria heard that, she stoically asked, ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us here. Are you sure you want to continue with your act?¡± 8/9 L-T Chapter 147 I Don¡¯t Want a Divorce The smile on udia¡¯s lips gradually disappeared before it was reced by indifference and coldness. She looked at Victoria, who sat in front of her, and questioned in a sharp tone, ¡°When the hell are you getting a divorce?¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°If I remember correctly, didn¡¯t you mention before that you¡¯ll divorce ric when Old Mrs. Cadogan undergoes surgery?¡± udia gazed contemptuously at Victoria and asked in a sarcastic tone. ¡°It has been so long since Old Mrs. Cadogan¡¯s surgery. So, why aren¡¯t you divorced yet? Victoria Selwyn, are you coveting the position of Mrs. Cadogan? Is that why you breach our agreement and choose to not divorce?¡± She is trying to give me hell just because she can¡¯t locate ric, huh? Victoria thought. She would have already gone off at udia if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that udia helped her before. Instead, she m***lly rolled her eyes while asking nonchntly, ¡°Speaking of this, I¡¯d also like to ask you, Miss Johnson, when will you have ric divorce me?¡± udia¡¯s expression changed at that. ¡°What did you say? Me having ric divorce you?¡± ¡°Duh.¡± Victoria raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m looking for him because of this, but 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends he¡¯s avoiding me. Since you are close with ric, maybe you can help me persuade him, Miss Johnson.¡± udia understood then that she had been fooled by Victoria when she heard that. Her expression became an angry one. She had no faith in herself, to begin with, and Victoria¡¯s words now only further provoked her. ¡°What do you mean? Don¡¯t tell me that ric doesn¡¯t want to divorce you. That¡¯s impossible.¡± The corners of Victoria¡¯s lips were raised. ¡°You can ask him if you really want to know.¡± Such words coincidentally stabbed udia¡¯s already bl**dy heart. She wanted nothing more than to call ric and ask him right away. However, he had been saying that he had matters to attend to since yesterday and that she should call him againter. And yet, he refused to answer her calls by the time she called him again. Never once in all these years had she been as flustered as she was today. She had a feeling that she was about to lose whatever she had! 2/8 Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends At the thought of this, udia balled her fists as she gritted her teeth and red at Victoria. ¡°Are you showing off to your savior?¡± When Victoria heard that, her expression turned into a calmer one. She then looked at udia and repeated, ¡°Savior?¡± ¡°Am I not? Don¡¯t forget that I helped you out before!¡± udia emphasized. ¡°Do you think you would still have your house after that incident that happened to your family if I didn¡¯t help you? Victoria, you are not an ungrateful person, are you?¡± ¡°Miss Johnson, if I am ungrateful, I wouldn¡¯t be here, wasting my time having this conversation with you. I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to your nonsensical requests either. You haven¡¯t forgotten how many favors you have asked of me, right? And I agreed to every one of them.¡± ¡°So what? Do you think that is enough to make up for it?¡± 3/8 ¡°We did mention this when we made our agreement. However, you admitted that you want me to repay you for what happened, right? Since you have asked me to return the favor, we no longer owe each other anything. Of course, I¡¯m not an ungrateful person. So, please tell me if you need any help in the future. I¡¯ll do my best to help you¡­as long as you aren¡¯t 12:03 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends asking me to hurt anyone.¡± udia couldn¡¯t help sneering after hearing thatst sentence. ¡°You seem sure that I will ask you to hurt someone.¡± Victoria remained calm despite the mockery. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, considering that you have done it before.¡± udia immediately blew her top upon hearing Victoria¡¯s words. Through her gritting teeth, she warned, ¡°Stop bringing that up. You know it is not the same thing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference? It¡¯s still a person¡¯s life.¡± ¡°A person¡¯s life? It was just a fetus!¡± ¡°Oh? Have you never been a fetus before, Miss Johnson?¡± Victoria threw a curveball at udia with that question. It felt impossible to continue the conversation at this point. As if she sensed something, she found herself narrowing her eyes and ring at Victoria. ¡°Why are you being hostile to me? What the hell? I don¡¯t remember us being enemies before this.¡± 4/8 12:04 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends ¡°You have misunderstood, Miss Johnson. I have never treated you like an enemy.¡± Victoria paused for a second before she continued, ¡°But we were never friends either, were we?¡± 70 5/8 udia had to agree to this. She had never regarded Victoria as her friend, not even for a second. Even though she knew that Victoria was ric¡¯s friend, she wouldn¡¯t truthfully treat Victoria as a friend. udia had always thought that this childhood friend of ric¡¯s was troublesome. Victoria was also someone whose existence bothered udia a great deal. Noticing that udia was silent, Victoria grinned and added, ¡°Looks like we share the same thought.¡± udia didn¡¯t deny it. She simply sat across from Victoria while holding her purse. ¡°Spill. What is up between you two? Why aren¡¯t you guys divorced yet?¡± ¡°How am I to divorce someone I can¡¯t find?¡± Victoria¡¯s answer put a frown on udia¡¯s face. She can¡¯t find him? She is not trying to say that ric is the one refusing to get a divorce, is she? Then 12:04 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends again, there is no other way to exin ric not being there when Victoria is already waiting for him in the office. However, udia wouldn¡¯t do something as shameful as agreeing with Victoria that ric was the one who refused to sign the divorce papers. She could only force a smile as she uttered, ¡°Looks like Al has been busy with work then. Wait for a little longer. I¡¯ll contact him in a bit.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Sitting across from udia, Victoria could guess what was happening from udia¡¯s current behavior and the way she rushed into the office earlier. It was evident that udia couldn¡¯t get in contact with ric either. She wouldn¡¯t have barged into his office and insisted on meeting ric otherwise. Victoria looked down and pursed her lips. Have I really misunderstood ric? Could he really be swamped with worktely? But why did he admit that he didn¡¯t want a divorce? Forget it, she eventually told herself. It is not like I¡¯ll have an answer no matter how hard I think about it. She then rose to her full height. ¡°Alright then. Please contact him. I¡¯ll make a move now.¡± 6/8 12:04 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends At that, she left the office. As udia watched Victoria leave, she angrily threw her purse on the couch. ¡°Piece of sh*t!¡± Her resentment was written all over her face as she cursed softly. She listened to her mother¡¯s advice and came over to look for ric. Since he mentioned that he was busy with work, she came over to see whether he was telling the truth or not. If he turned out to be lying, she would take the opportunity to cry andin while throwing herself into his embrace. udia had suppressed herself in the past because she was afraid that ric would think her an immodest and dissolute woman if she took the initiative to approach him. However, she would really lose him if she didn¡¯t start doing something. She would never allow herself to lose just like that. She didn¡¯t care if he thought she was a debauched woman or anything along the line in the end. She only wanted him. ric can only be mine! 7/8 12:04 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 148 Neither Enemies Nor Friends Unbeknownst to both udia, who was fuming, and Victoria, who already left the office, the surveince cameras in the office had recorded their every word and action. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 After leaving Cadogan Group, Victoria had only arrived on the ground floor when she received Bane¡¯s call. ¡°Why did youe to the office today?¡± His question stunned Victoria, who then replied, ¡°How did you know¡­.¡± 1/10 She had only spoken halfway when she thought of something and looked at the vehicle parked ahead. As expected, she saw a familiar-looking car there. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Bane, who was on the line with her, chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m here to settle the final bits of a contract negotiation fromst time.¡± Victoria did not suspect anything when he mentioned the contract negotiation. Even if Bane hadn¡¯t mentioned aboutst time, she wouldn¡¯t have suspected anything either. After all, she hadn¡¯te to Cadogan Group 12:04 Sat, 24 Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? He can¡¯t be here spying on me every day, can he? And since they ran into each other, she started to make her way toward him. 2/10 She hadn¡¯t even taken a step when Bane instructed, ¡°Stay where you are. I¡¯ll tell the driver to drive to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a short distance. I can walk over.¡± To her surprise, he suddenly asked, ¡°You want to get a divorce, no?¡± Victoria stopped in her tracks at that. ¡°Does that have anything to do with me walking to you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Victoria was speechless. She couldn¡¯t figure out what Bane was up to. What does my walking over and his caring to me have to do with my divorce? Chapter 149 id That Youll Owe Me? As she was still dwelling over it, the vehicle was already moving in her direction. Victoria had no choice but to wait at the curb instead. When she waited for his car, she saw the familiar employees of Cadogan Group walking in and out of the building. Many of them even approached her when they saw her and greeted her as ¡°Miss Selwyn¡±. It was also because of this that Victoria finally understood why Bane said that his caring over to her had everything to do with her divorce. She stood still while she waited for his car to stop in front of her. As expected, the car window did not wind down. Instead, Bane opened the car door and invited her to hop in. ¡°Get in.¡± He smilingly added, ¡°Now that we ran into each other, can we at least have lunch together?¡± It seemed that both Bane and Victoria had unknowingly grown closer ever since Bane discovered Victoria¡¯s secret. Sure enough, many gossipy people stopped to have a look at them. 3/10 Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? A Victoria could feel their enthusiastic gazes. She could also imagine what would happen in thepany chat groups once she entered Bane¡¯s car. 4/10 Her head was telling her that she should be mindful of her status and not enter the vehicle. However, she no longer hesitated when she recalled how ric unted udia at thepany. Not only that, the public kept talking about Victoria¡¯s rtionship with ric and udia, and Victoria ended up being the butt of the joke. She nodded before entering the car. ¡°Thank you.¡± Like a gentleman, Bane closed the door and entered from the other side. After he got into the car, his lips curled as hemented, ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t get in.¡± Victoria calmly replied, ¡°Why won¡¯t I when there is a free meal and free ride?¡± ¡°Sounds like you don¡¯t intend to pick up the tab for lunch?¡± ¡°Bingo.¡± She nced at him. ¡°Why would I offer to pay when you¡¯ll pay for anyway?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? ¡°Fine. What do you want to eat?¡± If it had been like before, Victoria would have said that she was okay with any cuisine. But now that Bane was aware of her secret, she would be pretentious if she didn¡¯t satisfy her food cravings. At the thought of this, she immediately rattled out a few food items she liked. Bane couldn¡¯t help chuckling when he heard her description. ¡°Whoa, you are really going all out.¡± ¡°Yup, I have a voracious appetite now. There¡¯s still time for you to regret.¡± He thought about it before responding, ¡°I can afford the bill.¡± What he wanted to say was that he could afford to take care of her, but considering the situation, it seemed like it was an inappropriate thing to say. She might even run for the hills! I have to approach her bit by bit. They were on the way to the restaurant when Bane asked her about her rtionship with ric. 5/10 Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? 6/10 Bane was slightly taken aback when he learned that ric avoided Victoria because he refused to divorce her. The shock in Ben¡¯s eyes was hidden by his sses, and his gaze quickly returned to normal as the corners of his lips curled upward. He wasn¡¯t expecting ric to make this decision. He then nced at Victoria, who was seated next to him, and casually asked, ¡°So, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Would you continue to be Mrs. Cadogan if he refuses to divorce?¡± Continue to be Mrs. Cadogan? Obviously not, she quietly answered the question. It didn¡¯t matter what caused ric to suddenly decide against divorcing her. As long as udia remained his savior, he would notpletely cut contact with her. And Victoria wasn¡¯t all that eager to be a homewrecker. She knew that there was no ce for a third person in a rtionship. 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? Furthermore, he had decided to divorce Victoria a long time ago. This meant that she was not his first choice. She never told Bane all these, though. She merely smiled at him without saying anything. Bane was someone who knew his boundaries. He cared, but he didn¡¯t care that much. He wouldn¡¯t insist on hearing an answer if she was reluctant to answer his question after he asked once. However, Bane suddenly thought of something interesting as he turned to Victoria and asked, ¡°Say, how long do you think it will take ric to know that I picked you up from thepany?¡± Victoria paused. ric is avoiding me. It doesn¡¯t matter if he knows. ¡°How about we make a bet?¡± ¡°What kind of bet?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll bet on whether ric will look for you as soon as he finds out that I have picked you up in my car.¡± 7/10 Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? Victoria was stunned into silence. After a while, she finally answered, ¡°I¡¯m surprised even you have your childish moments, Bane.¡± Baneughed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not interested to know? I could tell that he minded it when you stayed with mest time.¡± Upon hearing this, Victoria thought to herself, It¡¯s just his stu**id dignity as a man that is acting up. Still, she asked, ¡°What is the bet?¡± ¡°Tsk. I can¡¯t hide anything from you. Let¡¯s bet on whether or not he will ¡°What happens if he does?¡± ¡°If ric reallyes, you will let me help you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Help you with your divorce.¡± Victoria fell silent at those words. 8/10 12¡¯05 Sat, 24 Jun 50% Chapter 149 Afraid That You¡¯ll Owe Me? When Bane asked whether she needed his help, she never responded 9/10 because she felt that it was a personal matter and she shouldn¡¯t owe anyone a favor. She already owed too many favors to return them. When he noticed her silence, he put on a faint smile and asked, ¡°Why are you silent? Are you afraid that you¡¯ll owe me a favor?¡± Victoria came back to her senses upon hearing his question and gave a small nod. The man proceeded to flick her forehead before he added helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s just a bet. Even if you lose, you just have to agree to the terms of the bet. Why would it be you owing me a favor? I didn¡¯t even say anything about that, did I?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± His action made Victoria frown. She wanted to say something, but she ended up not doing that when she thought about how he had grown up with her and ric. ¡°Are you in or not? My bet is he will show up at the restaurant not long after we get there.¡± Chapter 150 Chapter 150 ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡± 1/10 Victoria thought it was possible if ric wanted toe after knowing that she was having lunch with Bane. However, the chances of him rushing over in a hurry were close to zero. ¡°Looks like we have different views on this. Our bet is confirmed, then. If he reallyes, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t say anything else since Bane had already expressed his wishes. She could only ask, ¡°How are you going to help me?¡± Bane smiled without saying anything. Why is he acting all mysterious? Victoria wondered. The restaurant where they had ced their reservation was still a distance away. It took them a good thirty minutes to arrive. When they reached and got out of the car, Bane came out and held the door for her again. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Victoria told him. ¡°I can get the door myself.¡± 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor ¡°If we want to put on a show, we might as well go all out.¡± 3 2/10 Having nothing to say to that, she went out of the car and followed him into the restaurant. Before they came, Bane had already instructed his assistant to reserve a table in a small corner by the window on the second floor of the restaurant in advance. It took about eight minutes for them to head upstairs, sit down, and ce their orders. Victoria, who still remembered Bane¡¯s words, remained absent-minded. She kept wanting to look back to see whether ric would show up as Bane had predicted, but she restrained herself every time she was about to give in to her curiosity. You can¡¯t look back! she reminded herself. ric will think that I¡¯m waiting for him if he sees me turning around. She intended to divorce him as she decided a long time ago. To make, she must break. There is nothing for me to have second thoughts about. 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor ¡°Nervous?¡± Bane suddenly asked. Victoria returned to her senses when she heard his question. When she realized what Bane asked, she subconsciously denied it. ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m asking you.¡± She was at a loss for words then. Right then, Bane, who sat across from her, looked at a distance not far behind her. The corners of his lips proceeded to curve upward. ¡°You are about to lose the bet.¡± Victoria¡¯s heart s***ed a beat the second she heard those words. ¡°I¡¯m going to fulfill my promise.¡± Right after that, she saw Bane getting up and approaching her. Before she could even react, he had suddenly wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in the clear smell of tobo. After she realized what Bane did, she froze and subconsciously tried to break free from the embrace. 3/10 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he whispered into her ears. ¡°ric is right outside.¡± Victoria only turned stiffer at those words. Bane¡¯s words continued to ring in her ears. ¡°Haven¡¯t you always wanted to get rid of him? This is your best chance.¡± He hugged her tighter as he spoke, closing the distance between them. Even though Victoria instinctively ced her palms on his chest, her body clearly showing her resistance to the intimacy, Bane remained in the same posture. Perhaps, just like he said, he was only fulfilling his promise of helping her out. He didn¡¯t harbor any other thoughts. ¡°Al is a highly egotistical man. If you tell him that you want to be with me, he won¡¯t force you to stay with him.¡± Victoria fell silent when she heard that. As she had known ric for many years now, she knew that Bane was right. Bane¡¯s suggestion was the fastest method there was at present. There was no reason to stop her anyway if she insisted on the divorce. 4/10 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor udia, ric, and I will be stuck in this entanglement if we don¡¯t get a divorce. Victoria felt nauseous at the thought of udia being the third party to their marriage if she and ric didn¡¯t get divorced. udia was ric¡¯s savior. ric was always going to look at her through rose-tinted sses and shower her with privileges. And what do I get out of this? Forget it. So be it. Bane¡¯s method isn¡¯t that bad after all. 5/10 Thinking about this, Victoria no longer resisted Bane andplied as if she epted her fate. Bane also felt herpliance. No, rather than saying that she waspliant, it was better to describe her as a piece of wood that had been adrift in the ocean for a long time. Worn out by the wind and rain, she no longer wanted to fight back. All she wanted to do now was follow the waves wherever they brought her. Seeing Victoria like this left him in a state of distress and helplessness. 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor Although she was a piece of drifting wood, she still needed to be carefully loved and cared for. 6/10 Without even being aware of it, Bane grabbed her hand and cautiously held it tight. At that moment, he raised his gaze, locking eyes with ric, whose face was contorted with anger as he strode angrily in their direction from outside through the maze of tables and chairs. There was a victorious glint in Bane¡¯s smile. This was the first time in their years of knowing each other that Bane had shown ric such an expression. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bam! ric rushed forward and punched Bane¡¯s jaw before he pulled Victoria behind him. However, one punch didn¡¯t douse the fire in his chest. After getting Victoria behind him, ric grabbed Bane by the cor of his shirt and punched him again, the veins on his forehead twitching. His eyes 12:05 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor were red as he red at Bane. 7/10 Blood trickled from the corner of Bane¡¯s lips, and even his sses had been punched off his face, revealing a pair of narrowed, chilling eyes. Those piercing eyes were now staring into ric¡¯s enraged and indifferent ck orbs. Ha! It¡¯s so easy to piss him off, Bane thought. He managed to restrain himself at the hospitalst time, so why can¡¯t he control his temper now? ¡°Why?¡± ric sounded like he was gritting his teeth as rage danced in his eyes. However, he saw a trace of humor in Bane¡¯s eyes. It even looked like Bane was teasing him. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know that I have feelings for her?¡± ¡°But I never knew that you were this shameless.¡± Bane¡¯s smile was stained with blood when heughed. ¡°So what if I¡¯m 12 05 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor shameless? I don¡¯t care as long as I can have her.¡± E The moment ric heard those words, he was so enraged that he raised his fist at Bane again. ¡°Stop!¡± Victoria finally snapped back to reality and grabbed ric¡¯s hand to stop his swinging arm. Although she had used all of her strength, there was still a huge difference between a man¡¯s and a woman¡¯s strength. She couldn¡¯t push him away at all. Her anxiousness shed in her eyes when she saw Bane bleeding from his mouth. ¡°Get the hell up, ric.¡± Bane helped her because she desperately wanted a divorce. He even masked his help under the pretext of a bet because he didn¡¯t want her to feel guilty. It resulted in Bane getting socked by ric because of her. 8/10 Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor She only felt she owed him a bigger favor after this episode. ric¡¯s eyes were emotionless and cold when he turned to Victoria. ¡°Let go.¡± Victoria subconsciously tensed up upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m not letting go.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Not if you get up first.¡± After saying that, she tightened her grip on ric¡¯s hand. She feared that he would continue to rain blows on Bane if she let go. Bane had already been punched twice for her sake. If he continued to get hit¡­ I can¡¯t imagine how sorry I would feel for him. ric red at Victoria with a gaze that could freeze an ocean. ¡°I¡¯m saying it again. Let go.¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°No!¡± He must have been instigated by her actions, as he kept staring at her before he suddenly got up. He then grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out of the restaurant with him. 9/10 Chapter 150 She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be With You Anymor Because of his powerful grip, Victoria st***red as she struggled to follow 10/10 him. And right when he walked out with Victoria behind him, Bane¡¯s gentle voice rang out. ¡°ric, let Snowball go.¡± ric stopped in his tracks and cast a fierce nce at Bane. Bane swiftly stood up and wiped the blood at the corner of his lip before he softly uttered, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be with you anymore.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 ric narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°Who are you to tell me she doesn¡¯t want to follow me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Bane smiled but was not angry, so he looked at Victoria instead. ¡°If that¡¯s how you want it, let¡¯s get Snowball to tell you herself.¡± Snowball. That¡¯s Victoria¡¯s nickname. ric red at her. Was it possible. that the person she chose was Bane? Was that why she let him call her by her nickname? Meanwhile, Victoria felt a pang in her heart. She knew Bane was helping her by letting her end things with ric so that she could sessfully get divorced. Yet, when she looked at ric, she pursed her lips. She should take this opportunity, but just as she moved her lips, wanting to say something, he gritted his teeth and red at her. ¡°Victoria, you¡¯d better think about what to say.¡± Having been interrupted, she was stunned. Bane raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Al, should I remind you that you guys are Chapter 151 Don¡¯t Touch Me in a fake marriage? What you¡¯re doing now is threatening and intimidating her.¡± Once he finished, he smiled and turned to Victoria. ¡°Snowball.¡± She knew Bane called her name to urge her to make a decision. Otherwise, there was no telling when such a chance would appear again. However, she could not bring herself to say anything while looking at ric. I wanna say it, but I just can¡¯t. In the end, ric grabbed her hand and demanded, ¡°Follow me home, and I¡¯ll forget about all of this.¡± Victoria was pulled a few steps forward when she felt a tight grip on her wrist-Bane held her back. At that moment, he seemed less gentle with his sses on. It was also then that she noticed a trace of harshness hidden in his eyes. When ric saw Bane¡¯s action, he narrowed his eyes and roared, ¡°Let her go!¡± Perhaps it was Victoria¡¯s constant urge to get a divorce and the fact that ric had watched Bane hugging her; she did not push him away and even let him call her by her nickname, Snowball. Also, ric might have been provoked by this incident, causing him to lose his calm. 27 Chapter 151 Don¡¯t Touch Me Seeing that Bane was not letting go, ric frowned while approaching them, wanting to pull Bane¡¯s hand away. He had only raised his hand when a small figure blocked him, prompting his fingers to hang in midair. His cold eyes were calm but looked sharp and red from anger. ¡°Are you protecting him?¡± When facing ric¡¯s piercing gaze, Victoria took a deep breath and spoke, ¡°That¡¯s between us. You have no reason to hurt him.¡± ric looked at her with his gloomy eyes. ¡°Are you heartbroken because I¡¯m about to hit him? Is that why you¡¯re protecting him?¡± After a silence, she suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this at home, okay?¡± He had been avoiding her recently, and they needed to talk, but it seemed like they could not end on good terms. Smiling, ric released his grip and gave her a sarcastic smile. ¡°Sure. I¡¯d like to have a chat with you too.¡± 3/7 Seeing that he had agreed, Victoria finally felt relieved. She could notice his unstable state, and if this situation persisted, he might get violent with Chapter 151 Don¡¯t Touch Me Bane. Since she was asking for a divorce, it made no sense for Bane to keep getting beaten up because of her. She already f¨¦lt sorry for him when he took those two punches earlier. At that moment, ric swept his gaze across Bane¡¯s face and fixed it on his wrist. ¡°I¡¯ll say this onest time. Let go.¡± When Victoria heard that, she immediately turned to Bane and exined, ¡°Let me deal with this myself.¡± At that, he quietly looked at her for a moment before smiling again. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Once he was done, he let go of her, after which ric dragged her away. Once they were gone, Bane¡¯s assistant entered and gave him a handkerchief. ¡°Mr. Morison, are you all right?¡± An This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Emotionlessly, Bane took the handkerchief and wiped the corner of his lips as his eyes filled with coldness and anger. The spot ric hit him was wounded, but he erased it heavily again as though he could not feel any pain. His act of a painless corpse caused his assistant¡¯s gaze to waver when noticing how Bane was acting. There he goes again. Mr. Morison looks like¡­ Chapter 151 Don¡¯t Touch Me The assistant dared not speak, so he stood by the side and quietly waited for Bane. A whileter, Bane threw the handkerchief into the trash and asked coldly, ¡°How are the preparations for the things I asked for?¡± The assistant nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Morison. There won¡¯t be any dys.¡± Everything went past like a gust of wind when Victoria was dragged away. Before she could make sense of the situation, she was already inside ric¡¯s car, speeding all the way home. Upon arrival, she remained in a state of shock. However, the man gave her no time to rest or recover. He held her hands and brought her to their bed before pinning her struggling arms to both sides. Then, he gnashed his teeth while looking at her angrily. ¡°Trying to divorce me so that you can be with Bane? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Once he finished, his hot breath came down on her. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, she turned her head in time, and his soft but cold lips He stopped for a second before moving to the side in search of her lips, but 5/7 1206 Sat, Chapter 151 Don¡¯t Touch Me she dodged while chastising, ¡°ric, what are you trying to do? Don¡¯t touch me!¡± In the end, he would follow her everywhere she dodged. After a while, the entangled bodies began to grow warmer. She panted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want to have a good chat with me?¡± When ric heard that, he looked at her and replied sarcastically, ¡°Aren¡¯t we currently in a deep chat?¡± While speaking, he pinched her jaw to stop her from moving. Then, he looked at her tightly pursed lips with his ck eyes before roughly covering them with his. ¡°Ouch.¡± Victoria felt the pain and used her unrestrained hand to push him. However, all of that was nothing before an angry ric. Moreover, her strength was nothingpared to him. He added more force to his actions, and everything got out of control. The deep kisses rendered her unable to breathe. After who knew how long, he finally retreated briefly to give her some space to breathe, afraid she would suffocate. Meanwhile, she took the opportunity to inhale deep breaths. 607 Chapter 151 Don¡¯t Touch Me When the man leaned in again, she pped him. ¡°I hate it when you act like this. Do you know that?¡± 7/7 His face was struck to the side. ¡°Who do you think you are? Do you think you can kiss or touch me at will? What right do you have to do that? Our whole marriage is a facade!¡± 12:07 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Don¡¯t You Want A Divorce? Fine The ambiguous atmosphere in the air instantly disappeared, and ric took a while before averting his gaze to Victoria. Secondster, he thought of something, and his eyes filled with desire. He grabbed her chin again. and pressed his thumb on her swollen, red lips. ¡°Our marriage might be fake, but what about our sex life?¡± She could not believe what she was hearing. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± He moved his fingers down her beautiful neckline and finally stopped on her corbone. He felt his breath hitch as he said something vulgar in his low voice, ¡°You weren¡¯t acting like this when you begged me to s**w you.¡± Victoria¡¯s irises contracted slightly before she delivered another p, striking ric¡¯s face to the side again. He sneered. ¡°You¡¯ve hit me twice. Do you think I won¡¯t hit you, Snowball?¡± Despite that, she pped him again. p! 1/7 Chapter 157 Don¡¯t You Want His face instantly fell, but when he looked at the angry Victoria with reddened eyes under him, he could not do anything about her. Seeming to have thought of something, he tugged his lips. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The harder you hit me now, the more I¡¯ll make you pay.¡± She knew he was speaking inappropriately again and wanted to give him another p, but it was a pity that he had grabbed her hand this time. ¡°You really are something, aren¡¯t you? You didn¡¯t show mercy when hitting me, yet you protected Bane after I touched him. Hm?¡± After her futile struggles, Victoria realized she could not do anything if the furious ric was determined to restrain her. So, she gave up and looked at him, asking, ¡°Do you know I hate it when you¡¯re acting this way?¡± The stunned man gave a sarcastic smile. ¡°Then, who do you like? Bane Morison?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The certainty in her voice shut him up, and the sarcastic smile on his face disappeared. A few secondster, he questioned with a gloomy expression, ¡°Come again?¡± 277 Chapter 152 Don¡¯t You Want A Divorce? Fine Even Victoria went quiet for a long while, not expecting that she would admit it just like that. She and ric were about to get divorced anyway, so rather than prolonging their rtionship, it would be better to rip off the Band-Aid. While thinking of that, she closed her eyes and admitted. ¡°I like him and want to be with him. So¡­ let¡¯s get divorced.¡± She felt her chin being grabbed by a strong force. Then, she heard ric¡¯s cold voice. ¡°Say it while looking at me.¡± Following his words, she opened her eyes and peered into his dark eyes, enunciating, ¡°I like him and want to-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Before she could finish her words, ric seemed intensely provoked and released her chin before springing to his feet. He stood beside the bed, and the emotions and desire in his eyes earlier had vanished, leaving only endless coldness and darkness. Such a gaze made Victoria feel chills run down her spine. Finally, she heard him say, ¡°You want a divorce, don¡¯t you? Fine.¡± 377 3 Chapter 152 Don¡¯t You Want A Divorce? Fine A/T At that moment, she could feel her heart breaking. Shey in bed unmoving and did not look at him. Instead, she watched him leave out of the corner of her eye. The door mmed closed. The previously intense atmosphere had suddenly quieted down, but there seemed to be remnants of the man¡¯s cold breath in the air. She closed her eyes and told herself, That¡¯s it. It¡¯s better this way. Half an hourter, Bane called Victoria, sounding apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I meant to help but seemed to have ruined things. Are you all right?¡± He got beaten up and might fall out with his best friend because of this, but he was now apologizing to her, doubling on her guilt. ¡°You didn¡¯t ruin anything.¡± She assured him, ¡°I¡¯m fine, and I should be the one apologizing because I caused your injuries.¡± Hearing that, he chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. I can take a few punches.¡± ¡°But you and him¡ª¡± Chapter 152 Don¡¯t You Want A Divorce? Fine ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We were best friends, so he might just ignore me for some time, and even if he does, I¡¯ll just apologize to him.¡± She felt more rxed after hearing that. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°So, is everything going smoothly?¡± She subconsciously nodded but realized it was a phone call, so she verbalized it. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s settled for now.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± Frustration overcame Victoria because she had reached her limit by taking the initiative to apologize to Bane first. She did not feel like doing an interview, and if he had not helped her before, she would have hung up long ago. However, she had to maintain her cool and requested, ¡°Bane, I want some time alone. Is that okay?¡± The caller on the other end stayed quiet for a long time before saying, ¡°Sure. Take some time to cool down. You can call me if you need anything.¡± After the phone call ended, she threw the phone aside and curled up in bed. Her stomach churned ufortably because of her emotion, so she gently 5/7 12 07 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 152 Don¡¯t You Want A Divorce? Fine E 50% rubbed her belly while silentlyforting the fetus inside. Baby, be good. We¡¯ll leave this ce once I get divorced. After that¡­ We¡¯ll live our lives together. 6/7 She fell asleep while lying on the bed. After some time, she woke up groggily and found herself in the same position, yet for some reason, a gently touched the corner of her eye. It¡¯s wet. Had I been crying in my sleep? She sat there for a long while before removing the wet pillowcase and exchanging it with a new one from the cupboard. Once that was done, she sat up in bed and continued to daze off. It would have been better if she had not slept because now that she had woken up, a massive void took over her N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. heart. The feeling was ufortable, but she could do nothing about it. While lost in thought, she heard footsteps from outside, causing her to sit up nervously and wipe the corner of her moist eyes. When she got off the bed, she saw ric entering the room with an icy expression. He looked at her with frosty eyes and a cold expression. Even the way he spoke was void of any emotion. ¡°Are you free?¡± Chapter 152 Don¡¯t You Want A Divorce? Fine Victoria was surprised and then nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± 7/7 After a moment¡¯s silence, he asked, ¡°Are the identity documents with you?¡± She continued to nod. ¡°How about the divorce papers?¡± * She froze before answering, ¡°They¡¯re with me too.¡± As if he were trying to confirm something, ric finally put on a sarcastic smile after hearing her response. ¡°Well, it seems like you¡¯ve got everything ready to go.¡± With that, he turned around and left, leaving a stunned Victoria in the room. What does that mean? ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get a divorce? Come on. We¡¯re going to the Civil Affairs Bureau.¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 On the way to the Civil Affairs Bureau, the two were silent. It was chilly inside the car, probably because ric was so angry that he forgot to turn on the air conditioning. Since Victoria left in a hurry, she came out with only a coat. At first, she was unbothered by the temperature, but as time passed, she felt her surroundings colder. She then shivered and wrapped her coat tightly around her. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. 1/7 Meanwhile, the man seemed lost in thought as his lips were constantly pulled into a thin line. From the corner of his eye, he saw her pulling on her coat without saying anything. Hence, he turned on the air conditioning with a cold expression. Not long after, the temperature inside the car rose, and Victoria could not help but nce at ric. His chiseled side profile looked so delicate that it resembled an artist¡¯s detailed sketch. Also, the defined features on his face seemed mesmerizing from the side. The only w to that face was the tense expression. Having known him for many years, Victoria knew he was upset, furious even. But even when he was mad, he noticed my tiny reaction and turned Chapter 153 What Was He Hoping For? on the heater for me. She withdrew her gaze and bowed her head. The air inside the car suddenly felt so stuffy that it became suffocating. It was the same situation as before when they arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau¨Cthey were required to queue. While waiting for their number, Victoria whispered to ric, ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mom and Dad when we return home.¡± Hearing that, he gave her a cold nce and replied with two words, ¡°No need.¡± She fell silent. It seemed like they no longer needed to talk with each other anymore. Just like that, they stayed speechless while waiting in line. Suddenly, a familiar couple came to greet Victoria, who instantly recognized them as she met them herest time. During theirst meeting, the couple was happy and were stuck together like glue. It was like they never wanted to separate from each other. Yet, this time, they stood so far apart as though they hated each other¡¯s guts. ¡°Are you guys¡­¡± 217 12:09 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 153 What Was He Hoping For? Although Victoria was gloomy, she was still shocked because it had not been long since theirst visit, which meant the couple had not been. 50% a married for long. They could not be divorced so soon, could they? However, the words the woman spoke frightened her. 317 ¡°We¡¯re here to get divorced.¡± Before Victoria could regain herposure from the shock, the woman crossed her arms and gave the man a death stare. After that, she married for a few days, and I found out he had a mistress.¡± Victoria was speechless. ¡°The things he said before we got married painted such a pretty picture in my mind, but it was all a lie. How can there be a third party?¡± She¡¯s right. How can three people fit into a romantic rtionship? Victoria agreed with that but was not in a good mood, so she did not respond. However, the woman seemed to have found an outlet for her emotions and Chapter 153 What Was He Hoping For? continued to vent, ¡°Why are men in this world so awful? If he can¡¯t let go of his ex, why get involved with me? Can¡¯t he just marry that woman? Instead, he insisted on marrying me and kept her on the side. Does he think I can¡¯t live without him?¡± After ranting, she thought of something and asked Victoria, ¡°If I remember correctly, you guys came to get divorcedst time, right? But you left after something came up. Are you here for that again?¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, so what¡¯s the problem with your man?¡± Perhaps because the woman was about to get divorced, she greatly resented men in general. Before Victoria could answer, she began chastising, ¡°Could your husband be like mine and have a mistress too?¡± Unluckily, she was right again. Victoria was cloudy inside, but when she heard that woman criticizing ric, she suddenly felt¡­ happy. Still, he was different from other men because they had agreed to a fake marriage. It was she who secretly fell in love with him. Art Chapter 153 What Was He Hoping For? I can¡¯t me him for being too excellent, can I? Sigh. I can¡¯t curse him out, but someone else can. ¡°To me, men are scumbags. Why marry someone you don¡¯t like and end up having toe here for a divorce? Isn¡¯t it ironic?¡± That woman also saw ric as an enemy and kept throwing sarcastic remarks at him. At first, he remained unfazed and ignored her, but that woman was too talkative, prompting him to frown and shoot her with a cold gaze. The woman was terrified by the cold gaze and immediately shut up. She even subconsciously gulped. What¡¯s going on? This man has a strong presence, and even his re looks scary. For a moment, I thought he was going to kill me. Simrly, Victoria also noticed ric¡¯s gaze; even she was terrified by it from the side. It was then she remembered he had been emotionally unstable throughout the day. What if his emotions get the better of him, and he does something irreversible? Having thought of that, Victoria dared not stand by and watch anymore. Instead, she secretly moved closer to ric. Fortunately, that woman seemed to be terrified of him and stopped speaking. She even stopped 5/7 Chapter 153 What Was He Hoping For? criticizing her husband, whom she was about to divorce. Even though she stayed quiet, ric kept his cold expression like someone owed him big time. The people before them finished their business ordingly, and it was soon their turn. When the clerk saw the displeased ric and the depressed Victoria, she asked, ¡°Getting divorced?¡± The man stood there motionlessly, not even a flickering gaze. As for Victoria, she barely squeezed out a smile and gave the clerk their documents while nodding. ¡°Yes. Please proceed.¡± During the process, ric was cooperative and did whatever the clerk mentioned, executing everything neatly without anyints. It was until thest stage that the clerk looked at them. Perhaps she could not bear to see such a good¨Clooking couple separated, so she asked, ¡°Are you certain about your decision? Once I stamp this, there is no going back, and you guys will be strangers.¡± The word ¡®strangers¡® rendered the two at a loss for words. 6/7 127 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 153 What Was He Hoping For? Watching their reaction, the clerk reasoned, ¡°It won¡¯t always be a smooth 7/7 sailing journey within a marriage. Think about all the good times you share. You guys must¡¯ve really adored each other to get married in the first ce, right?¡± With that, she smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you head home and think about this again?¡± ric frowned and tightly pursed his lips without a response. Perhaps, he was waiting for something until a soft voice sounded beside him and crushed all his hopes. ¡°Thank you for your advice, but we¡¯ve already thought it through. Please proceed to the final steps.¡± At that moment, the faint glimmer of hope dimmed in his eyes. We¡¯ve ended up here, so what was I hoping for? Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Not expecting such an answer, the clerk looked at Victoria and then at ric while asking carefully, ¡°What about you, sir?¡± When she was asking, she saw a glimmer of hope in the man¡¯s eyes. However, he did not even look up and replied coldly, ¡°Just do as she says.¡± That was it. It seemed like she could not change their minds anymore. As such, the clerk said nothing and quietly helped them finish their divorce. Thud! Thud! Once the divorce document was stamped, the clerk pushed them toward the two. Victoria and ric stood there, dazedly looking at the papers for a long while before retrieving their copies. Then, they left the Civil Affairs Bureau. After exiting the building, she felt the cold winter breezeing at her, blowing her hair and scraping her cheeks like paper cuts. While clutching the divorce papers, she reached out to ric and spoke calmly, ¡°Thank you for taking care of me all these years.¡± However, he did not hold her hand or even look at her. Instead, he left after 1/7 Chapter 154 Controlling Her Emotions saying, ¡°You¡¯re finally free.¡± There stood Victoria alone as the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau seemed to be noisier. Her soft hair was a messy creation of the winter breeze; it even felt wet and cold as it pped against her face. Unknowingly, tears raced down her cheeks uncontrobly like an open faucet. She had spent recent days mentally preparing herself and thought she would not care, but when it came to this moment, she felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. It was suffocating. 2/7 People wereing and going from the Civil Affairs Bureau. Some happily got married, while some dejectedly got divorced. It wasmon for people like Victoria, who were bawling their eyes out, to appear there. There were quite a lot of couples who ended up as enemies, but even if they had gotten divorced, they would still cry over the happy moments they had spent together in the past. Therefore, it was not peculiar for people like her to sob in front of the building. The tiny differencey in her beauty. She wore a white coat with her hair draping over her shoulders and had snowy¨Cwhite skin. When she cried, her Chapter 154 Controlling Her Emotions eyes and cheeks turned red, which made her look delicate and fragile. That rendered all the passersby to nce at her. When Summer called her, Victoria was crying hysterically into the phone. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Yes¡­ W¨CWe got divorced. We just did.¡± Summer was in the middle of work, but when she heard Victoria sobbing, she immediately stopped her action and went to ask her boss for a leave. ¡°Boo, stop crying, okay? Where are you now? I¡¯lle to get you.¡± Victoria remained right where ric had left her. ¡°I¡¯m at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.¡± ¡°Okay. It¡¯s cold today. Why don¡¯t you find somewhere warm nearby? I¡¯m boss. On the other hand, Victoria stayed where she was and did not listen to Summer¡¯s advice about finding somece warm. At that moment, her legs felt like they were made of lead. It was not because she did not want to leave but because she could not move her legs. She stood in ce, thinking she could only walk after Summer arrived. 3/7 12 11 Sal, Chapter 154 Controlling Her Emotions After some time, a figure suddenly appeared beside her. She nced up upon hearing the scuffles. In her blurry gaze, she could only make out that the person before her was thin and tall, but it was a pity that she could not see who it was. However, she looked back down after discovering that it was not Summer. 4/7 Secondster, an oversized warm coat draped over her, followed by a sigh. ¡°You must love him so much to be crying so hard.¡± It¡¯s¡­ Bane¡¯s voice. Victoria raised her head and looked at him with blurry eyes, sobbing. ¡°I thought you were a stranger.¡± Hearing that, he chuckled softly. ¡°A stranger wouldn¡¯t be so nice to give you a coat.¡± Then, he took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears. As her vision became clear, she could finally make out Bane¡¯s visage. His eyes were filled with worry, and there was a bruise on his chin and the corner of his lips from when ric punched him. Not long after that, her vision became blurry again. The tears that had been wiped away surged in guilt. It was fine when she was alone, but now that 12 11 Sal, E Chapter 154 Controlling Her Emotions Bane was here, she felt rather embarrassed. While crying, she apologized to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think¡­ I can¡¯t control myself at the moment.¡± A strange glint shed across Bane¡¯s eyes as he continued to wipe away her tears. However, her tears kept returning, and the handkerchief he took out was soon drenched with her tears. Since the weather was cold today, the handkerchief felt both wet and chilly. He could not help but suggest, ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Why don¡¯t we head to my car?¡± Victoria was still silently crying and did not give him a reply. Seeing her state, he wanted to carry her to the car but was afraid that might startle her. So, he put his arms over the coat and wrapped it around her 2 shoulder, urging, ¡°Come on.¡± With him leading her, she finally moved. However, her feet felt extremely painful after just one step. Perhaps she had been standing too long, and her feet had gone numb. She almost fell, but Bane managed to catch her just in time. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he asked out of concern. Seeing her tears¨Cencircled eyes, he added, ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t say anything. I¡¯ll bring you to the car, but your legs are numb, so pardon me for what I¡¯m about to do.¡± 5/7 Chapter 154 Controlling Her Emotions Once he said that, he picked her up in his arms. A few momentster, they finally made it to the car. Victoria¡¯s legs felt much better after she found a morefortable position. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been standing in the cold wind for too long, which is why your legs are numb.¡± I guess. She did not reply to Bane. The car¡¯s air conditioning was functioning well, so the warm temperature soothed her chilly body but not her rollercoaster emotions. When he saw her condition, he gently persuaded her, ¡°Stop crying. Even if you¡¯re sad, you should control your emotions. Don¡¯t forget. You¡¯re pregnant.¡± 6/7 Victoria, who had been sobbing, heard that and immediately stopped crying. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m pregnant. I need to act like a mom. My baby¡¯s gonna feel ufortable if I keep this up. When she thought of that, she quickly wiped away her tears and leaned against her seat to calm her emotions. Her tears remained surging, so she could only close her eyes and rest. In the end, her tranquilized state brought her to dreand. 12:11 Sat, 24 Jun DG. Chapter 154 Controlling Her Emotions While listening to her even breathing, Bane stared at her snowy¨Cwhite cheeks and tried to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes, whispering, ¡°If only you were willing to look at me.¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 The car was parked beside the Civil Affairs Bureau¡¯s entrance. Bane quietly watched her for a while and was about to drive away when Victoria¡¯s phone suddenly rang. Since she was asleep and did not hear it, he could only grab it and answer the call. ¡°Victoria, I¡¯m at the entrance but don¡¯t see you anywhere. Where are you?¡± A lively female voice came from the phone. Hearing that, Bane looked toward the entrance and saw a woman with a ck down jacket and a sling bag standing by the door, looking around for T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Victoria. He remembered her; she was Victoria¡¯s best friend, Summer Jones. Then, he replied in his deep voice, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Bane Morison.¡± The young woman scrutinizing the entrance heard that answer and stopped, asking tentatively, ¡°Bane Morison? Who are you? Where¡¯s Victoria?¡± Speechless, he wondered how she could have forgotten him. ¡°Did you forget about me? I used to be around Victoria a lot when we were young.¡± When Summer heard that reply, she thought about it momentarily before 10 12:11 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 155 Is She Asleep or Avoiding Me? recalling who it was. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Is she with you now?¡± 50% 2/7 ¡°Yes. She¡¯s tired from crying and is sleeping in my car.¡± ¡°Car?¡± She hesitated momentarily before looking around again. Then, she looked in Bane¡¯s direction, and he rolled down the window to signal to her. ¡°I see you. Is that your car?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes.¡± After confirming the right vehicle, Summer ran over. Bane thought about it and got out as well, meeting her outside the car. When she arrived, she leaned against the window to check on the sleeping Victoria. After a while, she suddenly turned her head, asking, ¡°Is she asleep, or is she avoiding me?¡± That question surprised him as heughed resignedly. ¡°What do you think?¡± Makes sense. Why would Victoria avoid me? Of course, she¡¯s asleep. With that, she rxed and began observing the man before her. She thought Bane¡¯s name sounded familiar when he mentioned it but could not remember who he was or where she had met him before. + 3/7 Chapter 155 Is She Asleep or Avoiding Me? After meeting the man, she realized he was ric¡¯s best friend, a handsome man that went abroad. It had been so long since then that she had forgotten about him. Now that they met, she was dumbfounded at how forgetful she was. Bane is such an excellent and elegant man. How could I have forgotten him? ¡°Hello.¡± While she was lost in her thought, he nodded as a greeting. Then, Summer returned to her senses and greeted the man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Victoria must¡¯ve brought you some trouble, but why are you here?¡± Oh, give me the tea. Victoria has just divorced, and you appeared the next second? Smiling, Bane gave her an ambiguous answer. ¡°I just happened to pass by and saw her.¡± She was at a loss for words. Just happen to pass by, eh? It was not her ce to say anything since Victoria had fallen asleep in his car. She was hesitating about whether she should wake her friend up. Although Victoria knew Bane, Summer did not, so letting Victoria sleep inside a man¡¯s car felt inappropriate. 12) Sat 24 Ju P Chapter 155 ? She sleep Still, the way Victoria cried hysterically on the phone caused Summer to hesitate. Victoria finally caught some shut¨Ceye, and if she woke her up now, would she start crying again? As she thought of that, her conflict deepened. At that moment, she heard Bane¡¯s voice. ¡°Get in the car.¡± Hearing that, Summer was startled and turned around to look at him. He smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll send you to where you¡¯re going, and we can let her get some rest.¡± How could Summer not understand what was going on after listening to that? ¡°Thank you.¡± She quickly put away her phone and entered the car. Since Victoria was asleep in the passenger seat, Summer could only get in the back and watch over her from behind. Bane got into the car, and it soon disappeared from the Civil Affairs Bureau¡¯s entrance. After moving steadily ahead and ensuring Victoria slept soundly, he asked, ¡°Where to?¡± Summer immediately answered from the back seat, ¡°Bring her to my house.¡± 4/7 Chapter 155 Is She Asleep or Avoiding Me? That was the best option at the moment. After all, she and ric were divorced, so they could not bring her home. Soon, Summer told Bane her address, to which he affirmed and changed their route. She looked at the driver and then at the sleeping Victoria. She pursed her lips, wanting to say something but decided against it. Forget it. I¡¯ll wait until Victoria wakes up and ask. Soon, they arrived, thanks to the close distance. When it was time to exit. the car, Summer noticed Victoria was still asleep and sighed. This heartbroken woman is sleeping so soundly. She wanted to wake Victoria but was stopped by Bane. ¡°Don¡¯t wake her up. Let her sleep it off.¡± At that, Summer could only hold back. Once the two got out of the car, Bane carried Victoria in his arms while Summer helped him close the car door and lock the car. Then, they headed upstairs. She was sprinting in the lead, pressing the elevator button and opening the door with her keys. Finally, she watched him carry Victoria into the house. She wanted to close the door but kept it open after thinking about it, followed by removing her shoes and entering the house. 5/7 Chapter 155 Is She Asleep or Avoiding Me? Gandra was developing quickly, but the ce Summer lived in was considered an old residential area. Since Victoria had helped her pay off her family¡¯s debt, she only had to make money to maintain her life. Perhaps because she had lived through disparity, she still lived like she was walking on thin ice despite being debt free. She would rent the cheapest homes. avable and save the money she had left every month. Several yearster, those savings had umted into a hefty amount. 677 That was on the basis that she was living alone. Now that Victoria would stay with her, such an environment was inappropriate for them. Although the Selwyns were bankrupt, Victoria was still a youngdy from a wealthy family. When Summer watched Bane cing Victoria on her ugly, small bed, she silently made a decision. Okay. Even if it¡¯s to repay Victoria, I must find arger house immediately. After cing the sleeping beauty on the bed, Bane was gentlemanly enough not to look around the room and left. Considering that Summer might feel uneasy staying alone with a man, he soon excused himself and left. After sending him away, she closed the door andmented, ¡°What a decent 12:12 Sat, 24 JunNG. Chapter 155 Is She Asleep or Avoiding Me? man.¡± 4 ¡± 50% Chapter 156 Chapter 156 E As dusk settled, Victoria slowly regained consciousness after being asleep for a long time. After waking up and taking in the dim yet somewhat familiar surroundings, she silently looked around for a while. Once she realized where she was, a warm feeling flooded her chest. She was at Summer¡¯s house. While she was lost in her thoughts, she heard a sound from outside. Summer soon pushed open the door and walked into the room. When she noticed the silence in the room, she murmured to herself, ¡°She has been sleeping for so long, so why hasn¡¯t she woken up? Nothing happened to her, right?¡± Right after she said that, Summer heard Victoria calling her name. ¡°Summer.¡± She lit up upon hearing her name, and she immediately rushed toward Victoria. ¡°My precious, you are finally awake!¡± 1/9 12:12 Sal, 24 Chapter 156 Thinking About Things I Shouldn¡¯t While speaking, Summer quickly turned on the bedsidemp. Victoria had previously only relied on the light from the outside to see the furnishings in the room. Now that the room was suddenly illuminated by the bright light from themp, she squinted ufortably and only rxed after taking some time to adjust. ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d! Are you hungry? I cooked ramen.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t notice that she was hungry after she had woken up, but she felt an emptiness in her tummy after Summer mentioned it. Even though didn¡¯t have the appetite to eat anything, she was sure that the child in her was hungry. And so, she nodded and said, ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Get up and eat something, then.¡± After saying that, Summer reached out to help her up. Victoria followed her movement and sat up. However, she felt a sharp, dull pain in her chest right when she got up. 2/9 Sal Chapter 156 Thinking About Things | Shouldn¡¯t ¡°Ugh.¡± The sudden pain prompted Victoria to involuntarily let out a soft cry as she immediately covered her chest with her hand, her face turning pale from the pain. Startled by her friend¡¯s appearance, Summer anxiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± However, Victoria was in so much pain she couldn¡¯t even straighten up her torso. Seeing this, Summer had to gently lower her back down. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What is going on? Should I get an ambnce?¡± As Summer spoke, she anxiously reached for her phone to call for an ambnce. However, Victoria stopped her as soon as she took out her phone. ¡°No! There¡¯s no need for an ambnce. It¡¯s just that my chest suddenly doesn¡¯t feel that good.¡± Victoria froze in ce when she said that. For some reason, she suddenly realized how familiar this all felt. It was as if she had experienced something simr not long ago. Suddenly, she remembered thest time when ric seemed to be in a 3/9 Sat, Chapter 156 Thinking About Things I Shouldn¡¯t 4/9 simr condition in the car. The sudden pain and cold sweat made him look off, but the man recovered not long after. She still remembered how frightened she was as she watched him from the side. Could it be that he and she had experienced the same thing? ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Summer¡¯s voice brought Victoria back to her senses. The pain only subsided after a while. ¡°I feel much better now.¡± Although she was no longer in any difort at the moment, her voice had changed and her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Summer¡¯s heart was breaking as she looked at her friend. As her eyes turned red, she immediately used her sleeve to wipe away Victoria¡¯s sweat. ¡°I¡¯m just d that you are okay. You almost scared me to death.¡± Seeing Summer¡¯s pale face, Victoria knew that she had probably given Summer the fright of her life. If she wasn¡¯t feeling so weak and powerless right now, she would have gotten up topare and see who had a paler face. *.501 Chapter 156 Thinking About Things I Shouldn¡¯t Thinking about this, she unhesitatingly voiced her thoughts to Summer. 5/9 Summer became angry after hearing those words, but she didn¡¯t dare to hit her weakened friend, even if she would only do it yfully. She muttered indignantly, ¡°You are still in the mood to joke around, huh? You almost gave me a heart attack just now! Getting chest pains like this is no joking matter, you know?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°I read the instructions. I have to go to the hospital if the pain is severe andsts for a long time, but I¡¯m fine now, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean by fine? Pain is a symptom of an underlying problem! Why would it hurt otherwise? You must have been resting poorly recently or have too many worries. This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll apany you to the hospital for a thorough examination in a few days. That will put my mind at ease.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Victoria could only agree when Summer started to nag. She realized that her not insisting ric go get an examination was not a smart move. I don¡¯t know if he has experienced any pain after that incident¡­ As she thought about this, her facial expression suddenly became strange, and she started to bite her lower lip. Chapter 156 Thinking About Things I Shouldn¡¯t Even though they were supposed to be strangers ever since the divorce, she was still thinking about him at this moment for some reason. When she saw him at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau today, he refused to shake her hand or even spare her a nce. So, why am I still thinking about him? she quietly scolded herself. It¡¯s time toe back to your senses, Victoria Selwyn! You and he couldn¡¯t be together from the start. ¡°What are you thinking, Victoria?¡± Summer asked curiously when she noticed Victoria¡¯s wandering gaze. At that question, Victoria snapped back to reality, and a shallow yet incredibly bitter smile appeared on her lips. ¡°I was thinking about things I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about.¡± There were no secrets between the best friends. Hearing her words, Summer immediately understood what Victoria was thinking. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Since you know you shouldn¡¯t be thinking about it, then stop.¡± Summer Sat, 24 Chapter 156 Thinking About Things I Shouldn¡¯t sighed, her voice sounding frustrated. ¡°After all, you¡¯re both divorced now. It¡¯s better to think about how you¡¯ll live your own life from now on.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Victoria lowered her gaze. Seeing her this way, Summer couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pat her head. ¡°Alright now. You have me no matter what happens. Also, you are not alone now. You have a baby, and the baby will give you strength.¡± ¡°You are right. I have my baby.¡± 7/9 If it weren¡¯t for the baby, Victoria didn¡¯t think she would have the courage to go through all of this. After sorting out her emotions, she raised her head again and smiled at Summer. ¡°Could you apany me to the Cadogan Residence tomorrow to pack my belongings? Some of my things are still there.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Summer replied with a nod. ¡°Are we not going tonight?¡± ¡°Not tonight. Let¡¯s go tomorrow. I want to visit Grandma at the hospital after I¡¯m done packing.¡± E- Chapter 156 Thinking About Things I Shouldn¡¯t The elderlydy probably didn¡¯t know about the divorce. Victoria wasn¡¯t even sure if she would be able to ept it once she found out. Still, she felt the need to go and see Griselda. After all, it could very well be thest time they would ever meet. Victoria probably wouldn¡¯te back after she left this ce. ¡°You can rest at my ce tonight, then. It¡¯s not the best ce to stay, but hey, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs are not noisy, and they won¡¯t make any loud noises. You can have a good rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria nodded slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°By the way, what about you and Bane Morison¡­¡± It was only when Summer mentioned him that Victoria suddenly remembered he was the one who picked her up and drove her when they were at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau. She didn¡¯t know what happened next after she fell asleep, but seeing as how she woke up at Summer¡¯s house, she could guess that he was probably the one who brought them there. 8/9 Chapter 156 Thinking About Things 1 Shouldn¡¯t. Sure enough, Summer briefly exined the situation. She then peered at Victoria with curious eyes but did not ask anything because she didn¡¯t want to upset Victoria. Noticing Summer¡¯s reaction, Victoria sighed helplessly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between me and him. He helped me solely because he wanted to y matchmaker. Got it?¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 ¡°y matchmaker?¡± Summer¡¯s mind went nk before she blurted out without thinking, ¡°For who?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Victoria fell silent for a moment. ¡°ric and udia,¡± she eventually uttered. After a brief pause, Summer grumbled, ¡°Seriously, I just want to strangle myself right now.¡± Knowing why she said that, Victoria looked up and reassured her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m okay. He wasn¡¯t wrong in the first ce. They are indeed a couple in love.¡± ¡°A couple in love, my *ss!¡± Summer gritted her teeth. ¡°Would ric even have paid attention to udia if she hadn¡¯t saved him? She only has the upper hand because he owes her one!¡± Victoria¡¯s eyes dimmed as she lowered her gaze when she heard that. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. It is what it is.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± Summer stuck out her tongue. ¡°You should rest up while I heat 1/9 Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One the ramen up for you. You can eat itter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The room fell back into silence after Summer left, and that was when Victoria gently wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. This was thest time. From now on, she would not shed another tear for ric. Victoria didn¡¯t return home that night. ric¡¯s mother, Mary, couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled the longer she waited for Victoria. In the end, she went to ask ric about it. ric, on the other hand, locked himself in his study after he returned home. When Mary pushed open the door, she found him sitting at his desk, engrossed in something. ¡°Where¡¯s Victoria?¡± she asked. Hearing the name, ric felt as if something was tearing at his chest. However, he only pursed his lips and remained silent. 2/0 Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One Mary had always known that the couple didn¡¯t have the best rtionship. Now that she was looking at his face, she could tell that something had happened. She pressed her lips together as well before probing, ¡°What happened? Did your rtionship get worse?¡± Instead of answering her question, ric only stated, ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°With what, exactly?¡± Mary pointed to theptop in front of him and scoffed. ¡°Busy staring at a ck screen?¡± He hadn¡¯t even turned on hisptop since he came home. ric frowned and remained silent. ¡°Just what is going on between you two? Your rtionship wasn¡¯t this bad before this, but now she¡¯s not evening back. Did you two fight?¡± As if unable to bear hearing more of those questions, ric walked away with a stern face. ¡°Stop right there!¡± 3/9 Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One Even though Mary called out to ric, the man kept defiantly walking as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. ric¡¯s attitude infuriated his mother, who took a few steps forward to block him. ¡°I¡¯m asking you where Victoria is.¡± As if finally reaching his limit, ric was clearly upset when he retorted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you call her if you want to see her? Why are you asking me? Am I her guardian? Do I have to be responsible for reporting her whereabouts?¡± His words left Mary in disbelief. ¡°What are you saying? If I can reach her on the phone, do you think I would bothering to you?¡± Upon hearing this, ric smirked and mockingly suggested, ¡°You can¡¯t reach her? Don¡¯t bother calling her, then.¡± ¡°You¡­ You!¡± His impatient and indifferent responses were driving Mary crazy. ¡°What kind of attitude is this? Is this how you talk to your mother? Have I been raising and teaching you for nothing? Are you taking your 4/2 12 Sat, 24 Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One failure to handle your rtionship out on your mother?¡± After saying that, Mary lost her desire tomunicate with her son when she realized that he remained as unaffected as a wall. ¡°Fine! I can¡¯t reach Victoria on the phone, and you won¡¯t tell me anything. You¡¯d better not regret it if anything happens to her.¡± She then turned around and left, leaving him alone in the same spot. As Mary walked away, she felt a throbbing pain in her temples from the anger surging within her. However, she suddenly stopped in her tracks when something seemed to havee to mind. ric was her son, and as his mother, she knew his personality best. She had seen him get angry from time to time since childhood, but this was the first time she had seen him showing this level of anger. He didn¡¯t even bother to respect her! With that, her expression instantly became solemn. Did something¡­ really happen? 5/9 Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One It was quiet in the study after Mary left. ric continued to stand there for a while, but he eventually returned to his original spot. Although he sat still with a gloomy expression, his mind kept reying his mother¡¯s words before she left. ¡°You¡¯d better not regret it if anything happens to her.¡± A voice seemed to be telling him that he would surely regret it if something happened to Victoria, and that he should go out and find her right now. However, ric found it utterly ridiculous. How can anything happen to her? She was so eager to be with Bane! I have kept her trapped for a long time. The reason she has been impatiently urging us to get a divorce is to be with Bane, right? Now that she is free, she is probably already in Bane¡¯s arms. Her not answering the phone must be because she is too busy being with him. What could possibly go wrong? She and I have be people who have nothing to do with one another. Still, every time ric thought about the possibility of her being with Bane at this very moment, he seemed to know what was happening. Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One It was easy to imagine what two adults could do together thiste at night. He couldn¡¯t control the images that appeared in his head. ¡°F*ck!¡± Just the thought of it made ric¡¯s anger burn beyond control. He soon swept his hand across the desk, knocking everything off. The room was immediately filled with the sound of heavy objects crashing to the ground and the shattering of ss. 7/9 However, not even making things fall and destroying things alleviated ric¡¯s restless mood. Instead, it intensified his grouchiness. His chest felt like a ball of fire that burned so fiercely he could hardly contain himself. ric mmed his clenched fist onto the table. Ring! Ring! At that moment, a melodious ringtone rang out from his phone. ric¡¯s expression froze and he took out his phone. When he nced at the screen and saw that it was a call from udia, the 2.49% Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One light in his eyes vanished instantly. He promptly tossed the phone onto the table and ignored the call. 8/9 The phone continued to ring for a while and it paused briefly before ringing again. However, ric never answered even one of those calls. After a while, the corners of his lips curled into a mocking smirk. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m still thinking she would call me now. What can she even talk to me about now that we are divorced? You are delusional, ric Cadogan. That night, no one in the Cadogan Residence could rest peacefully. It was the first time in the master and mistress of the house¡¯s long marriage that their mistress hadn¡¯te home. ric, too, had locked himself in the study and didn¡¯t evene downstairs for lunch or dinner after he returned home. When the servants tried to inform him that the meals were ready, no one dared to approach him the moment they heard the sound of things being thrown around. Hector went to the study twice, only to return with a sullen face both times. Chapter 157 People Who Had Nothing to Do With One The curious servants couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Hector, what is going on? Is he still refusing to eat?¡± Hector nodded. ¡°He¡¯s not even acknowledging my presence. I wonder what happened between sir and madam.¡± ¡°Right! Madam didn¡¯t evene home. Have you called her, Hector?¡± ¡°Her phone is off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s off? Why is sir not out looking for her, then?¡± Departure With A Belly Chapter 158 Departure With A Belly Chapter 158 Hector sighed inwardly. Seeing how bad the conflict must have been and topping it off with ric¡¯s stubborn and arrogant temperament, it would be difficult to get the man to go out and look for Victoria. One of the maids whispered, ¡°I could tell something was off between sir and madam when udia Johnson visited our house before. I thought that their situation got better after that, but it just wasn¡¯t the same as before. They couldn¡¯t have gotten a divorce, could they?¡± 1/0 When Hector heard that, he felt his eyelid twitch and he scolded in a dismissive tone, ¡°Stop it with that nonsense! Don¡¯t ever say that word as you please. It¡¯s normal for couples to have conflicts. Even if they argued today, This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. they might reconcile tomorrow. Now go and clean the windowsills again if you have nothing better to do.¡± The others pursed their lips and went their own ways after Hector said that. Meanwhile, he was getting a headache from frustration. He soon waved and said that he didn¡¯t care anymore and that he wanted to rest in his room for Chapter 158 Did I Interrupt You Two? a while. Once the maids were alone, they couldn¡¯t help but huddle together and gossip. ¡°Actually, I think that sir and madam have gotten divorced. They might not have officially done so yet, but they could be heading in that direction. You just wait and see. I bet the argument this time must have been terrible. We have worked for the Cadogans for so long, but when have we ever seen sir lose his temper like this?¡± ¡°You may be right. You didn¡¯t hear how loud it was in the study when I was near the door. Well, it¡¯s none of our business anyway. Even if the current madam leaves, it doesn¡¯t mean that udia Johnson will be easier to deal with. In my opinion, our current madam is nice. She never makes life hard for us.¡± ¡°True that.¡± At first, they had reveled in the joy of looking down upon Victoria, the heiress who had fallen into bankruptcy. But when they heard those words of truth, their expressions grew somber and troubled. 2/9 Chapter 158 Did I Interrupt You Two? They didn¡¯t even know why they were looking down on her. Even if she were to leave, a new mistress would eventually take her ce. However, there was no guarantee that the new mistress would be any better than her. And if the newdy of the house started giving them a hard time¡­ Rather than uncertainty, perhaps it would be better if Victoria was the one they served, after all. Their thoughts shifted back once more, and a collective sigh escaped their lips as they mourned the situation. Hoping against any drastic changes to their current circumstances, they yearned for Victoria¡¯s swift return. Thus, they spent the night in anticipation. The next morning, their first words to each other were, ¡°Did the madam ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t home at all.¡± A chorus of sighs echoed through the air. 3/9 Chapter 158 Did I Interrupt You Two? ¡°Madam won¡¯t just¡­ note back from now on, right?¡± ¡°My goodness, are sir and madam really divorced?¡± Once again, the crown sank into a state of mncholy. 497 The night passed quietly without the disturbances of noisy neighbors, yet Victoria remained sleepless throughout. Summer, who stayed by her side, had a restless night too. Despite that, she got up to prepare breakfast early the next morning. 4/2 Victoria was lying in bed when she suddenly sat up at the thought of giving her father a call. Her and ric¡¯s divorce was now an undeniable fact. She figured she should inform her father of this. As she reached for her phone, she realized it had shut down when it ran out of battery. She then quickly plugged it in to charge. 12 13 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 155 Did I Interrupt You Two? She only saw once the phone was on that she had missed numerous calls. Mary and Hector had both tried to reach her many times. Mary, in particr, had made at least ten calls. However, Mary hadn¡¯t been able to reach her because her phone was off the entire time. In the end, the older woman could only send her a series of inquiries and sour and tight feeling in Victoria¡¯s chest. After reading them, Victoria began to wonder, Did ric not inform hist parents about our divorce? Why is Mom still talking to me about these things? Suddenly, she received an iing call on her phone before she could ponder further. She was still holding the phone when her heart s***d a beat the moment she saw ric¡¯s name. Why would he call me after everything that has happened? 5/9 12:13 Sat, 24 JunG Chapter 155 Did I Interrupt You Two? She began to hesitate whether or not she should take the call. What can be worse than a divorce, right? It¡¯s probably fine to just pick up the phone. As she took too long to make a decision, the call had already ended by the time she finally decided to answer it. And so, she took a deep breath and dialed back. When the phone was picked up, Victoria quickly exined, ¡°Sorry, I was busy just now.¡± There was a brief silence on the other end of the line after she said that. A sarcastic chuckle then followed. ¡°Busy spending time with Bane? Did I disturb you?¡± Victoria was speechless upon hearing that. Considering how she and Bane were nothing more than friends, she instinctively wanted to refute his assumption of her being with Bane. However, her words were stuck in her throat when she remembered that she had, with her own mouth, admitted to her ¡®rtionship¡¯ with Bane to 6/9 12 13 Sat 24 Jun G Chapter 158 Did I Interrupt You Twe? him. He probably thinks that I¡¯m dating Bane now. Perhaps evenst night¡­ But there is nothing left for me to exin. In the end, she chose to stay quiet. And her silence, as it reached ric, became an affirmation. So, she was with Banest night¡­ There was a wretched feeling in his chest. Even though his jaw was clenched, he couldn¡¯t utter a word. After a moment, he finally heard Victoria speak. ¡°Some of my stuff is still at the Cadogan Residence. Can I¡­e over today to pack them up? And about our divorce, have you told your Mom and Dad-¡± 7/9 As if realizing that her choice of words was inappropriate, Victoria abruptly stopped at those words. She quickly corrected herself, ¡°Haven¡¯t you told Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan about our divorce?¡± She switched back to how she addressed Mary and Adrian before she and ric got married. Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan. 12 13 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 158 Did I Interrupt You Two? ric¡¯s gaze darkened slightly as he repeated her words in his head. Grinding his teeth, he let out a nonchnt chuckle and spoke without minding his words. ¡°Victoria, this is my family affair. Who are you to me? You think it is your ce to meddle?¡± Victoria¡¯s face fell when she heard those words, and she lowered her gaze as she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I overstepped.¡± He¡¯s right. We are divorced now. Mr., Mrs., and Old Mrs. Cadogan are no longer my family. Marriage sure was a strange thing. 8/0 His family had be her family when they got together, but now that they had parted ways, she had also suddenly lost a few of her family members. Hearing her apologize, ric felt a momentary pang of regret. However, it didn¡¯tst long before her next words shattered his guilt. ¡°Um¡­ So, when do you think is a good time for me to go and get my things?¡± After all, she had stayed at the Cadogan Residence for such a long time. Chapter 159 Did I Interrupt You Two? There were still some of her belongings she needed to retrieve. The man somehow sneered upon hearing that. ¡°What do you want toe over and pack up? You¡¯re already divorced and off to live a new life. So, tell me, does your current partner allow you to bring your past belongings while you stay with him?¡± It¡¯s those thorny words again. He¡¯s always p***g me with those words of his. Holding it in by biting her lower lip, she uttered, ¡°Some of those things are mine.¡± ¡°Find a time ande get them yourself, then.¡± With that, he promptly ended the call. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Beep! Beep! The busy tone from the phone that kept ringing in Victoria¡¯s ear felt like countless thorns piercing her heart. For a moment, she truly considered leaving everything behind and not going back at all. Then again, it was true when she said that she had some personal belongings there. Left with no choice, she decided to find a time when ric wasn¡¯t at home and get her things. After breakfast, Victoria shared her thoughts with Summer. ¡°You mentioned it to mest night, didn¡¯t you? I have the car ready and I even invited my friend toe along. We¡¯ll help you move your things, so don¡¯t worry. Just focus on packing.¡± ¡°Thank you, Summer.¡± Victoria hadn¡¯t expected Summer to be so thorough in her preparations. ¡°Geez, what¡¯s there to thank between us?¡± 1/9 12 13 Sat, 24 Jun 19 Chapter 159 Dah Victoria suddenly mentioned, ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask your friend to help. us, I don¡¯t have much to pack. Actually, I can go by myself.¡± When Summer heard this, she instantly set down what she was holding. ¡°You¡¯re going alone? No! I have to apany you. What if something happens?¡± ¡°What could go wrong? After all, it¡¯s a ce where I¡¯ve lived for so long, and our families are old acquaintances. What could possibly happen?¡± Summer suddenly realized that the Cadogan Family did hold a prominent position, and she had been overly concerned. ¡°You really don¡¯t need mypany?¡± ¡°Really. It¡¯s just a few things. I¡¯ll go to the hospital first and thene back after I get my stuff.¡± ¡°Well then¡­ Be careful on your own. Don¡¯t end up like yesterday.¡± A hint of sadness shed through Victoria¡¯s eyes at the mention of yesterday¡¯s events. She only reacted by giving Summer a faint smile. 2/9 Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night Victoria went to the hospital after she left Summer¡¯s ce. Since she didn¡¯te to the hospital yesterday, Griselda asked her about her whereabouts as soon as she saw the younger woman. Victoria didn¡¯t want to lie to Griselda, so she smiled and exined, ¡°Grandma, I couldn¡¯te because I had an important matter to attend to.¡± Being the understanding woman that Griselda was, she could tell that Victoria didn¡¯t want to go into it after she heard Victoria¡¯s vague answer. She knew that the younger generation had secrets of their own. Instead of pressing further, she held Victoria¡¯s hand and changed the topic. ¡°What story will you be telling me today?¡± Victoria chuckled. ¡°What kind of story would you like to hear, Grandma?¡± ¡°How about a story about family?¡± Griselda suggested. Victoria¡¯s heart s***d a beat when she heard that. She thought that Griselda might already know about the divorce from ric, and this topic might be a subtle hint. However, when she looked up at Griselda, she noticed that the elderly 3/9 12:13 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night woman¡¯s expression was normal and there didn¡¯t seem to be anything amiss. Then again, the Cadogans would consider Griselda¡¯s health and probably wouldn¡¯t inform her so soon even if they were divorced. ¡°Alright, then. Let me tell you a family story today.¡± Victoria carefully selected a story from her repertoire, choosing the most touching one she knew to share with Griselda. Griselda, who was touched by the story, eventually fell asleep with tears hanging at the corners of her eyes. Just the sight of the woman made Victoria bend over and give her a big hug before she whispered, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t think I cane to see you again from tomorrow onward.¡± Her voice was so soft that she was probably the only one who had heard that. And it was exactly because Griselda was asleep that she dared to say these words. 4/9 12 13 Sat, 24 JunG Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night ¡°You have to watch your health from now on, Grandma. There is nothing more important than your health. Also, you will definitely have a better granddaughter-inw to take care of you in the future.¡± After saying that, Victoria reached out to wipe away Griselda¡¯s tears before nting a kiss on her forehead. She stood there contemting for a long minute before turning around and leaving resolutely. But when she turned around, she saw ric standing at the door of the ward. Time seemed to stop the moment their eyes met. After a while, Victoria forced a smile and approached him. ¡°I came to see Grand-¡± She paused and changed the way she addressed Griselda. ¡°I came to see Old Mrs. Cadogan.¡± However, ric¡¯s gaze on her was clear and cold. There wasn¡¯t a hint of warmth in his eyes. He seemed as if he hadn¡¯t seen her when he ignored and brushed past her, 5/9 Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night leaving behind an icy gust of wind. Victoria remained rooted to the spot for several seconds. Knowing that she no longer had a ce there, she soon left without making a sound. Once she was gone, ric turned his head and nced at the spot where she had been standing before he slowly looked away. Victoria returned home to retrieve her belongings. As soon as she entered the Cadogan Residence, the housekeeper and s***ts immediately rushed up to greet her as if they were seeing a long-lost rtive. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve finally returned.¡± ¡°Madam, where did you gost night? You didn¡¯te back all night. We missed you!¡± ¡°Exactly! Wee home. Madam, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?¡± 6/9 12 13 Sat, Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night Nobody had treated her with such warmth and enthusiasm before this. Victoria wasn¡¯t sure what everyone was thinking, but she had to handle the situation calmly. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After dealing with their questions, Victoria went upstairs to pack her belongings. She didn¡¯t have much to pack. In fact, she only came back for a few of her personal belongings. As for her clothes, Victoria had no intention of packing them to avoid arousing suspicion from the s***ts when she went downstairs. Mary wasn¡¯t at home today and ric was also absent. Victoria would be able to leave quickly once she packed her things. The servants were currently chatting downstairs. ¡°The madam has returned today. Does that mean she has reconciled with sir?¡± ¡°Maybe! It¡¯s onlymon for couples to argue and make up.¡± However, as soon as they finished speaking, they saw Victoriaing 7/9 12 13 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night downstairs shortly after. She was holding a small bag, looking as if she was about to leave. The crowd was puzzled. She had just returned not long ago and now she was nning to go out again. They immediately approached and surrounded her. ¡°Madam, you have just returned. Where are you going now?¡± Seeing them crowding around her, Victoria felt relieved that she hadn¡¯t. packed many belongings. They would likely bombard her with various questions otherwise. And so, she could only smile and tell them, ¡°I have something to take care of.¡± ¡°Madam, where are you going? You¡¯ve only been back for a short while. Don¡¯t you need to rest for a bit?¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not tired. There is no need to rest. Alright, now. Please go back to your tasks. Stop flocking around me please.¡± The truth was, they couldn¡¯t shake off a sense of foreboding when they saw 8/9 12 13 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 159 Didn¡¯t Come Back All Night her with her bag. But since Victoria didn¡¯t have any luggage in her hands and didn¡¯t seem like she was leaving for good, the crowd could only disperse in the end. When they had all left, Victoria started to leave the building. She did end up bumping into the butler at the entrance. ¡°Madam.¡± Victoria stopped in her tracks. ¡°Mr. Bowen,¡± she greeted him in return. During her time at the Cadogan Residence, Hector had taken care of her in many ways. Her eyes soon shimmered slightly and she looked as if she wanted to tell him something. Hector must have sensed something, as he then nced at the small bag in her hand and asked softly, ¡°Madam, are you going on a long journey?¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 His question stumped Victoria, and just as she contemted how to answer Hector, he spoke up. ¡°Mr. Cadogan hasn¡¯t eaten anything sinceing back But what use is there in telling me this now? Victoria mused. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Mr. Cadogan, madam, but considering how long you¡¯ve been together, if the matter can be resolved¡­¡± ¡°It can¡¯t,¡± she mumbled, rendering Hector at a loss for words. Momentster, he said softly, ¡°If you have already decided, Mrs. Cadogan, then I can only wish you a safe journey.¡± Victoria was a little bewildered at first, but she smiled in relief moments hope you can help take care of her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Cadogan Family¡¯s butler.¡± Hector nodded solemnly and sincerely. ¡°I would do so even if you didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ You¡¯ve always been loyal and responsible.¡± Chapter 160 He Still Doesn¡¯t Know She¡¯s Pregnant, And shrewd as well, for only he saw through it when others couldn¡¯t. ¡°Take care, Mrs. Cadogan.¡± Victoria left the Cadogan Residence with a small bag in her hand. Before leaving, she paused and looked back at the ce that had been her home for nearly two years. She always knew she wouldn¡¯t stay for long when she first came, but to her surprise, it had already been two years by the time she came around. Time flew, and the years were truly unforgiving. Before their fake marriage, she and ric were friends-childhood sweethearts-and had a mutually supportive rtionship. But now, it came to a bitter divorce, and their rtionship became that of strangers. However¡­ she still felt grateful to ric, who appeared and helped her when she needed it the most. She would remember the kindness forever. Victoria turned around and left, her slender figure quickly disappearing at the end of the road. 2/7 12 13 Sal, 24 Chapter 160 He Still Doesn¡¯t Know She¡¯s Pregnant, The cold wind mercilessly blew the fallen leaves on the ground, causing them to spin on the street and eventually return to their original point. On the other hand, ine¡¯s life had been a living helltely. She had been imprisoned for some time after she was believed to be Christopher¡¯s aplice. Later, considering that they were first-time offenders, and the victim did not suffer any significant physical harm, they were released. However, after her release, ine returned home only to discover that her family had been subjected to endless retaliation. Her family¡¯s smallpany relied on the Johnsons for survival, taking whatever the Johnsons left behind. Hence, ine would often tter udia to gain favor. But this time, the retaliation directly led to the bankruptcy of the Sutcliffe Family¡¯s smallpany, leaving them with a massive debt. When ine returned home, her mother embraced her. ¡°ine, please beg udia for help. Your father is on the verge of giving up entirely. We¡¯ll all be doomed if anything irreversible happens. And your younger brother, yes, your younger brother. The school has suspended him too. Just who 37 12:13 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 160 He Still Doesn¡¯t Know She¡¯s Pregnant, have we offended, ine? Why is this happening to us?¡± ine¡¯s heart sank in response, and she knelt on the ground with weak knees. Whom have we offended? The only person who can be so ruthless can only be ric Cadogan! The man had already warned her the time she fought Victoria, telling her never to appear before his eyes ever again. However, she didn¡¯t listen. Worst, she even bullied Victoria, and now, he hade for her. Aftering to herself, ine hurriedly went to udia, hoping thetter could help her, but to her dismay, she was rejected at the door when she actually visited udia. udia didn¡¯t want to see her at all, and if she dared barge in, someone would kick her out. With that, ine lived a life worse than death. 47 Her mother was no better as she was overwhelmed by the pressure. She even contemted taking sleeping pills to end it all but was luckily stopped by ine¡¯s younger brother. In the end, her younger brother kneeled in front of her, begging, ¡°ine, N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. please, I¡¯m begging you. Who in the world did you offend? Please go and Chapter 160 He Still Doesn¡¯t Know She¡¯s Pregnant, plead for mercy. If this continues, our entire family will be utterly doomed!¡± 577 Even her mother begged on her knees. ¡°ine, our family has never mistreated you, even if you¡¯re a girl. Our family is now in dire states. Whomever you¡¯ve offended, please apologize and make amends. Our family can¡¯t go on like this anymore.¡± Whom had she offended? Of course, she knew who it was. Driven to desperation, she finally went to the gates of the Cadogan Residence. She stood outside the gates and gazed at the towering building before her. She bit her lip, thinking about her own broken and impoverished home. Her phone beeped, and ine took it out to check. It turned out that someone asked udia out for a shopping trip in the afternoon in a group chat, and thetter agreed eagerly. At that, she checked her chat history with udia, where it stopped at ine sending udia multiple messages with not a single reply in return. No matter how she begged, udia would only respond with Chapter 160 He Still Doesn¡¯t Know She¡¯s Pregnant, impassiveness. While pondering, she suddenly noticed udia had deleted the message, and she couldn¡¯t help sneering in response. Looks like udia had forgotten I¡¯m also in the group, huh? Did she delete it because she¡¯s worried I¡¯d see it? ine had assumed there must be a reason for udia¡¯s avoidance- udia could be injured, or the Johnsons were stopping udia because she offended them. At the end of the day, the revtion that udia refused to see her on her own ord was devastating. At that, a malicious idea crossed her mind as she gazed at the Cadogan¡¯s gate, and she gave udia a call. As expected, the young woman didn¡¯t answer. So, ine took her time to send udia a text. ¡®Do you know where I am right now?¡± With that, she took a picture of the Cadogan Residence¡¯s gate, and not five minutes after she sent it to udia that her phone rang. It was none other than udia herself. ine smirked in response. She did nothing but watch the phone ring 677 12:13 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 160 He Still Doesn¡¯t Know She¡¯s Pregnant, silently until it was hung up. udia didn¡¯t give up either, as her call came seconds after. Like teasing a mouse, ine waited until udia called for the fifth time before finally answering. As soon as the call connected, udia anxiously asked, ¡°ine, what are you doing at the Cadogan Residence?¡± Her tone was filled with urgency, showing no sign of weakness. At this point, ine couldn¡¯t even maintain the assumption that udia was sick anymore. ¡°Of course, I came here for a reason,¡± she enunciated with a smirk. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, udia? Why do you sound nervous? Are you afraid I might identally say something unfavorable to you?¡± udia fell silent for a moment before chuckling awkwardly, ¡°What are you talking about? Why would I-¡± ¡°ric still doesn¡¯t know Victoria¡¯s pregnant, does he?¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 It was all it took to silence udia at once, and her silence satisfied ine. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, udia? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Say, what do you think will happen if I mention it to ric?¡± ¡°ine Sutcliffe!¡± udia was instantly worked up. In fact, ine could even hear rushing footstepsing from the other end of the line. ¡°Please don¡¯t act so rashly, okay? We can talk this out.¡± udia tried to appease her, putting a smirk on her face. I¡¯ve made the right move! She really is scared of ric finding this out. Huh, to think¡­ ¡°But I¡¯m not acting rashly. I just want ric to know the truth, that¡¯s all. After all, everyone has the right to know it. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°ine¡­¡± udia stopped in her tracks, her tone filled with pain. ¡°Are you hating me for what happenedtely? I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to ignore you. It¡¯s just that my father has forbidden me from being in touch with you anymore, or he¡¯ll confiscate all my pocket money.¡± 1/8 Sat, Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru ¡°So, you really won¡¯t talk to me anymore? Have you forgotten what you told me?¡± ine snorted disdainfully. ¡°You swore you¡¯d repay me when you finally be Mrs. Cadogan. Is this how you¡¯re repaying me now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I want to repay you, really. But-¡± ¡°Alright, repay me, then. I want 300 thousand. Transfer the money to me now.¡± ¡°300 thousand?!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Too much?¡± ine taunted while taking a couple of steps forward, scrutinizing the Cadogan Residence¡¯s main gate. ¡°That¡¯s a small figure for you when your family has sessfully clung onto the Cadogans, right?¡± ¡°ine, calm down and listen to me. This-¡± However, ine was too agitated to listen to her nonsense. ¡°I want 300 thousand. If you don¡¯t transfer it within five minutes, I¡¯ll go inside and tell the Cadogans about Victoria¡¯s pregnancy!¡± With that, she ended the call and stood in front of the gates, feeling incredibly relieved when she saw how afraid and nervous udia looked. 2/8 B Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru She had thought she would need to plead to Victoria for mercy, but who¡¯d have thought things would take a dramatic turn?! udia sure has provided me with sweet leverage. If possible, I can control her wholly with this! In the past, she was always the one to tter udia, but even so, she never got much from it. Beep, beep¡­ A few minutester, arge sum of money was transferred to her ount, but she frowned in response, for she found that udia had only transferred her 150 thousand. But before she could even contact udia, thetter came to her instead. Still, ine questioned her as soon as the call connected. ¡°Why is there only 150 thousand?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ine, but that¡¯s all I have right now. I¡¯ll transfer the remaining money after I ask my family for some money, okay?¡± ine felt she could ept it if the reason was simply not having enough 3/8 12:14 Sat, 24 JunG Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru cash on hand. After all, the actual cash socialites like them could control was actually quite limited. Hence, she didn¡¯t feel so upset anymore. 4/8 150 thousand can at least alleviate the issue at home. As for the remaining money¡­ I can continue to hold on to this leverage as long as ric remains unaware of Victoria¡¯s pregnancy, no? P Sensing that ine had seemingly calmed down a little after receiving the transaction, udia coaxed her, ¡°ine, are you still in front of the Cadogan Residence? I¡¯ll go to you, okay?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± ine agreed readily. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Ist saw you too. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± udia fell silent for a couple of seconds before asking, ¡°Wait for me there, alright? I¡¯m already on my way.¡± With that, ine found a shady spot and sat down. In no time, udia showed up and dashed to ine with a wary smile after getting out of the car. ¡°You didn¡¯t go in, did you?¡± she probed after taking a gander at the Cadogan Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru Residence not far behind ine. Meanwhile, ine sized udia up. Compared to thetter¡¯s exquisite appearance, she thought she looked practically like a hobotely. Then, at the thought that udia, the very reason she ended up in this state, only came to see her after being threatened, her animosity for the young woman deepened several degrees. ¡°Why, Miss Johnson, are you afraid I did?¡± udia turned grim at once, but she quickly forced a smile and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at me anymore, ine. There wasn¡¯t anything I could do.¡± ¡°Oh, so you had no other choice before this. So howe you cane out now?¡± udia couldn¡¯t help but despise ine¡¯s triumphant and oppressive demeanor, wishing she could just p that expression off her face. However, thetter held the leverage in her hands. After all, everything would be over instantly if ine charged into the Cadogan Residence and asked for ric or rambled something at the gates. Thus, udia could only swallow the bitterness and force a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s 5/8 12 15 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru talk inside the car, okay?¡± However, ine remained unmoved, standing still and ring at her. At that, udia swallowed her pride and held ine¡¯s hand. ¡°I heard your family is going through a tough timetely. How about we talk about it in the car and see if there¡¯s anything I can do for you?¡± Thinking about her parents and younger brother at home, ine reluctantly nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± After bringing her into the car, udia nced at the Cadogan Residence gates and finally breathed a sigh of relief. For the past few days, ric had been ignoring her. Despite her multiple attempts to reach out to him, his response has been exclusively ¡®I¡¯m busy¡¯tely. Eventually, he stopped replying altogether, making it impossible for her to execute her n to seduce him. A major problem had seemingly risen between them, and udia knew all too well where it stemmed from. His mood seemed to be worsening, and yet they hadn¡¯t divorced yet. 6/8 Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru udia¡¯s mind even entertained some other spections-ric actually liked Victoria. The thought sent a chill down her spine. If he can fall in love with Victoria without knowing that she was the one who saved him instead back then, won¡¯t it only be worse if he does know it was actually Victoria?! Not to mention, that woman is now pregnant with his child! Looks like I have to keep ine entertained and make sure this secret doesn¡¯t go anywhere. But the pressing question now is when will they finally divorce?! If she still couldn¡¯t do anything about ric, then she would have to tackle Victoria. ¡°Earth to udia!¡± ine¡¯s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. 7/8 ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about how to get rid of me or nning to scheme against me, then let me tell you this. I¡¯ve already prepared myself fully regarding Victoria¡¯s pregnancy. Someone will immediately tell ric the news if you. 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Tru dare to do anything to me.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± udia held ine¡¯s hand, acting like they were best friends. ¡°How can I possibly do that to you? I¡¯ve been meaning to help after finding out what happened to you, but ric has been ignoring me all this while, so I was upset and couldn¡¯t spare the energy to think about anything else.¡± ine caught the key point at once. ¡°Has ric been ignoring you?¡± No, that can¡¯t be right! Is ric ignoring her? Isn¡¯t she his savior, though? Out of all the people in the world, he shouldn¡¯t ignore udia even if he ignores everyone, no? ¡°Yes. He hardly pays attention to me now. I¡¯m even beginning to worry that he doesn¡¯t want me anymore.¡± Just when I thought I could use Victoria¡¯s pregnancy to control her¡­ ine turned grim at once. If ric starts ignoring udia or abandons her entirely, my leverage will not be of much use anymore. No, this can¡¯t happen! I barely got a hold of this woman and obtained 150 thousand from her! 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 162 No Destruction, No Construction ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re still married.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s exactly going on between them either,¡± udia said, shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t even reach him.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Has it never urred to you to visit his house?¡± ine suddenly suggested. ¡°Now that it hase to this, are you going to wait until Victoria bes the real Mrs. Cadogan before you start regretting and going to ric?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± udia froze. It had crossed her mind to go to ric herself, but she was worried it would anger him. ¡°I¡¯ve tried visiting him at his office, but he doesn¡¯t want to see me now, and he¡¯s also often not there.¡± ¡°But he¡¯ll eventually show up, won¡¯t he? If I were you, I¡¯d wait there all day.¡± udia said nothing in response, and ine sneered. ¡°What are you thinking? You¡¯re his savior. No matter what, he won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± Having heard ine¡¯s remarks, udia seemed to gain more confidence. Most importantly, things needed to be broken down to be rebuilt. 2/7 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 162 No Destruction, No Construction Indeed, it had been a long while since shest saw ric, so after mulling over it for some time, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I get it now, ine. I¡¯ll go to thepany right away. Thank you for reminding me.¡± ine, however, waved her phone in front of her. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Remember to transfer the remaining 150 thousand to my ount. Also, regarding my family¡¯s issue¡­¡± You wretched b*tch! udia cursed ine repeatedly in her head but showed none of it on the surface. Once I be Mrs. Cadogan, several hundreds of thousands will be peanuts! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ine. You¡¯ll have your remaining 150 thousand.¡± It¡¯s only a few hundred thousand. Once I¡¯vepletely captured ric¡¯s heart, I will personally have you sentenced to jail under extortion! One day, Sutcliffe, one day¡­ Summer greeted Victoria the moment she returned to the rental. ¡°Well, you¡¯re quick.¡± At that, Summer¡¯s eyes widened with incredulity, for she found Victoria 3/7 Chapter 162 No Destruction, No Construction 40 carrying only a small bag in her hand. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me this is your only luggage.¡± ¡°This is it.¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°What about the rest of your stuff? Your clothes, your bags over the years? Don¡¯t you want them anymore?!¡± ¡°Material possessions serve no purpose in the end, no? Besides, I¡¯m leaving anyway, and most things aren¡¯t mine.¡± Many of them were gifts from ric after the two married. Speaking of which, ric enjoyed buying things for her, especially delicate trinkets and small items. He would always bring her something from his business trips, travels abroad, or anything that caught his fancy in an auction. Later, they even set up a space in the house that belonged solely to Victoria, which was dedicated to storing whatever ric gave her. Over time, it became filled with items, but she didn¡¯t take anything with her this time. She even left the wedding ring in their bedroom. 12:15 Sat, 24 JunG Chapter 162 No Destruction, No Construction She didn¡¯t have any money back when her family went bankrupt. Everything she owned was paid for by ric, so it was only natural that she took nothing when she left. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t say that. They still cost money even if they¡¯re material possessions!¡± Summer expressed her regret, giving Victoria a moment of epiphany. ¡°You think so?¡± she mused. ¡°Looks like I should¡¯ve taken a couple of valuable things with me. If anything, I can exchange them for money ¡°You know what? Forget it.¡± Summer changed her mind at once. ¡°It¡¯s normal that you¡¯d discard old belongings and start a new life when you¡¯re leaving soon. You¡­ I was just feeling a bit sorry, and here you are, joking with me.¡± At that, Victoria shrugged. ¡°You said it yourself-I¡¯m going to start a new life. How can I not be in the mood to joke?¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Summer could still remember how her best friend bawled like there was no tomorrow like the day before, so she softened her voice. ¡°We¡¯re best friends. You don¡¯t have to act tough in front of me. If you want to cry, just do it.¡± 5/7 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 162 No Destruction, No Construction Victoria¡¯s smile faded in response. ¡°I¡¯m not as fragile as you think, Summer. Yesterday¡¯s sadness is already in the past. Life goes on, and we need to look forward. Besides, I have a baby to take care of in the future. What time do I have to be mournful?¡± Summer wanted to press on, but seeing that Victoria was acting tough for once, she knew she shouldn¡¯t poke at her wounds anymore. Even if she pretends to be optimistic now, she will eventually be genuinely happy over time, right? Summer mused and smiled in response. ¡°Damn right, Miss Philosopher! I should learn from you.¡± With that, the two embraced each other with smiles. After entering the room, Victoria transferred the old items she had brought into her bag. 6/7 ¡°Are we going to live together from now on?¡± Summer asked while watching her move the things. Before Victoria could say anything, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely need to find a bigger ce. The neighbors here aren¡¯t noisy, but it¡¯s an old district with no great safety conditions. I checked out a few houses in the new district when you went out this morning, and I thought they looked pretty decent. By then-¡± 12 15 Sal, Chapter 162 No Destruction, No Construction ¡°Summer.¡± Victoria stopped whatever she was doing and gazed at Summer. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t n on renting a house.¡± Her words stunned Summer, and as though something struck the young woman, she hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Victoria. I know you need money to raise your child, so you don¡¯t have to pay rent. I was nning to save some money and move to a better ce anyway. Just consider it as leeching off your bestie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I would love to live with you, but¡­ I¡¯ll probably leave in the next couple of days.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± Summer¡¯s eyshes trembled. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Abroad, I think.¡± Though Victoria still didn¡¯t know where to settle down just yet, her father was abroad. As such, she certainly had to go to him first. ¡°Have you forgotten what I promised udia?¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 B Though she didn¡¯t sign the agreement back then, she was also worried there would be unnecessary trouble if she did so. As for the conditions she agreed to, she would try her best to fulfill whatever she promised. However, it was obvious Summer didn¡¯t share the same sentiment. ¡°Ugh! Don¡¯t even get me started on that shameless b*tch! To think she actually used the favor she did for you to make you leave the country. If everyone demands such shameless repayment after helping someone, they might as well not have done anything from the get¨Cgo!¡± Compared to Summer¡¯s anger, Victoria appeared much calmer. She smiled helplessly and said, ¡°Well, I do owe her, after all.¡± Summer still wanted tosh out, but Victoria stopped her. ¡°There, there. I know you feel bad for me, but it is what it is now. Let¡¯s be peaceful, okay?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Summer nodded reluctantly, turning woebegone quickly at the thought that her best friend would be leaving very soon. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to meet often anymore after you leave the country, huh?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Victoria mused. ¡°It¡¯s pretty convenient for us to meet whenever and 1/8 12 15 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back wherever since traveling is so convenient nowadays, no?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But¡­ I¡¯m still going to miss you a lot. Even if we can meet, it won¡¯t be as often as it is in the country.¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help ruffling Summer¡¯s head affectionately when she saw how glum thetter looked. But just as she wanted to say something, the doorbell rang. ¡°Huh, who could it be at this time? No one usually visits me,¡± Summer mused. ¡°Wait here, Victoria. I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± With that, Summer went to answer the door, and Victoria resumed her packing. While packing, she saw the bright red divorce certificate and fell into silence once again until she heard two sets of footsteps outside, apanied by a conversation. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect you to remember the address after just one visit.¡± Hearing the sound, Victoria quickly put away the divorce certificate and ced it in the innerpartment of her bag. When she looked up, she 2/8 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back found Summer jogging back in. ¡°Look, Victoria¨Cit¡¯s Mr. Morison.¡± At the same time, Bane arrived at the doorway of Victoria¡¯s room, stopping there politely. Bane? Victoria put the things in her hands down and approached the man. Bane ruffled the back of her head upon seeing her and cooed, ¡°I thought I would see a bawling girl. Looks like someone has really grown up.¡± Summer, on the other hand, pressed her lips together subtly as she watched their interaction from the side. ¡°I¡¯m going to head out and buy something. You two should talk. I¡¯lle back in a bit.¡± With that, she headed out the door at once. Victoria knew her best friend had intentionally created this opportunity for them to chat. ¡°Care for a drink?¡± Victoria wanted to pour Bane a drink in the kitchen, but the man stopped her before she could even get up. ¡°No need to bother.¡± Bane sped her wrist and brought her back. ¡°I¡¯m here today to ask about your thoughts on the future.¡± 3/8 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back Victoria lowered her gaze and looked at the hand sping hers. Though having known Bane for years, she still felt ufortable with this kind of physical contact even though they were separated by clothing. Fortunately, Bane was discreet. After stopping her, he withdrew his hand in a matter of seconds. His movements and demeanor were natural as if the touch earlier had been unintentional. Victoria pursed her lips, not wanting to judge him with a suspicious mind. She no longer went to the kitchen but sat down across from him with drooped eyelids and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t have any thoughts.¡± ¡°No thoughts, or undecided?¡± Bane tapped the table gently with a hint of a smile in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re going to raise your baby on your own, aren¡¯t you? Having no n won¡¯t help.¡± At that, Victoria looked up and met the warm, smiling eyes behind his sses ¡°How about you help me out in the office?¡± Bane suggested, and Victoria shook her head without even thinking. ¡°No thanks.¡± 4/8 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back ¡°That¡¯s quick. Are you worried I won¡¯t give you a good offer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re nning to stay and develop long¨Cterm in the country, are you not? I¡¯ll likely leave in the next couple of days.¡± Bane frowned at once. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Abroad,¡± Victoria replied inly, and Bane clenched his fingers before rxing them again momentster. ¡°Just as I suspected. I thought you¡¯d stay.¡± ¡°How do you know I¡¯m going abroad?¡± ¡°How can I not when your father is abroad?¡± Bane said with a smile. ¡°Interestingly enough, I even met Mr. Selwyn before returning to the country.¡± This news was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for Victoria. ¡°You met my father? Why didn¡¯t you tell me before? How is he doing now?¡± Bane paused his finger for a second before saying, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want you to worry.¡± 5/8 12:15 Sat, 24 JunG Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back ¡°What do you mean?¡± Victoria turned grave at once. ¡°What happened to my dad? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much,¡± Bane said softly. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor issue he encountered at work. Your father is competent and will resolve it quickly.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he tell me when he calls?¡± Victoria¡¯s eyes instantly turned red with anger. ¡°He always tells me everything is going well. Why won¡¯t he tell me anything? I¡¯m his daughter, but he always¡­¡± ¡°Victoria, don¡¯t think of him like that. It¡¯s precisely because Mr. Selwyn loves you that he chooses to hide them from you. If¡­ If you¡¯re really worried about him, why not leave the country with me?¡± His words took Victoria aback. ¡°But I thought you were staying and developing in the country.¡± ¡°That was the n.¡± Bane nodded in affirmation. ¡°But after surveying around, I realize the domestic market is almost saturated. I¡¯ll likely incur losses if I focus solely here.¡± Victoria knew about market research before entering a new market. She hadn¡¯t stayed years in the Cadogan Group for nothing. 6/8 12 15 Sat, 24 Jun G. + Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back 7/8 ¡°As such, I n to allocate only a portion of my time in the country, with the main focus being overseas. Your father¡¯s office is coincidentally near mine. Would you like to visit? Perhaps your sudden appearance will give Mr. Selwyn a pleasant surprise. Who knows?¡± However, Victoria stared at him. ¡°Why are you proposing this to me? Aren¡¯t you friends with ric? You-¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°What do you have in that little head of yours?¡± Bane tapped her head before she could finish her words. ¡°Aren¡¯t you my friend as well? What, do you not want me as a friend anymore now that you¡¯ve divorced him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Victoria rubbed her forehead in frustration. ¡°Then stop bbering and pack your things. My flight¡¯s tonight.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have a meeting tomorrow. Think about whether you want to join me tonight.¡± At that, Victoria sat motionlessly for about a minute before finally nodding in acknowledgment. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 163 Difficult to Turn Back Bane pursed his lips in response, and his voice deepened. ¡°Are you certain? Once you leave, it¡¯ll be difficult to turn back.¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Difficult to turn back, huh? Victoria smiled barely noticeably, and the dim indoor lighting softened the contours of her face. Strands of dark hair fell over her beautiful eyes, obscuring the expression in her gaze. Only her slow and gentle voice remained. ¡°I haven¡¯t had any way to turn back for a long time, nor have I ever thought about going back.¡± All of a sudden, the atmosphere seemed to be heavy and mncholic. Bane watched her in silence for a while, then ultimately let out a sigh and ruffled her hair. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not dwell on sad things anymore. They¡¯re already in the past, after all.¡± Victoria sighed as well. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all in the past now. There¡¯s nothing worth pondering over.¡± After all, mulling over it wouldn¡¯t change anything either. When Summer returned to find out her best friend would be leaving with Bane that very night, she became stupefied at once, and her eyes gradually 1/8 12:15 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me turned red¨Crimmed. Still, she fought back her tears and forced a smile. ¡°The flight is tonight? That¡¯s fast. Have you packed everything?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have everything with me.¡± ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t forgotten anything? Let me check.¡± At that, the young woman went straight into the bedroom. Victoria followed after her, watching her rummage through things only to find nothing. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget anything,¡± Victoria reminded her. ¡°Have you forgotten I only brought a small bag with me from the Cadogan Residence? I didn¡¯t even bring any clothes with me.¡± In other words, it wouldn¡¯t be here even if she had forgotten something, and Summer didn¡¯t have to bother searching. ¡°Look at me; I¡¯m such a klutz. I¡¯ll make you some food to eat on your journey. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be a long one. Since you¡¯re pregnant now, you¡¯ll definitely get hungry easily. I¡¯ll make you some of your favorites to eat on the ne.¡± 2/8 12 16 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through all the trouble.¡± Victoria pulled Summer back. ¡°Our flightes with airne meals. I can just eat what¡¯s avable.¡± 3/8 However, Summer argued, insisting, ¡°The food on the ne can¡¯tpare to what I make. Either way, I¡¯ll make a few pastries that taste good, even cold. Who knows when you¡¯ll have the chance to eat them again?¡± ** Victoria thought she had a point. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you out.¡± With that, Summer, a pro at pastry¨Cmaking, made quite an array. Plus, Victoria developed a sweet tooth after bing pregnant. Hence, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh when she watched Summer pack them up into a box. ¡°All my favorites. Thank you, Summer. I appreciate it.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Summer scoffed at her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have made all this for you weren¡¯t going abroad.¡± you if At the mention of Victoria leaving the country, the two fell silent again, and momentster, Summer choked up, asking, ¡°You¡¯re noting back anymore, are you?¡± ¡°You can always visit me.¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°Or, you cane abroad to develop your career after I¡¯ve settled down. The guys abroad are pretty hot 12.16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me too. By then, you can find a local and make beautiful children.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Summer yearned for it. ¡°In that case, you have to introduce someone to me. Don¡¯t keep the good ones for yourself. I call dibs!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all yours, how about that?¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The two of them continued chatting sporadically like that until Bane arrived in the evening. ¡°The car is downstairs. Are you all packed?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Where¡¯s your suitcase? I¡¯ll help you out.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I have very little luggage. I can handle it myself.¡± At that, Bane helplessly gazed at her. ¡°Victoria, you and I go way back. You don¡¯t have to be so polite with me.¡± promise you I¡¯m not.¡± 4/8 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me Bane didn¡¯t believe her at first, but when he saw the ¡®suitcase¡® in Victoria¡¯s hand, he finally realized she wasn¡¯t being polite, for all she carried was a small bag. Bane looked at her for a while and eventually reached his hand out to her, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡± Victoria hurriedly turned him down, feeling rather taken aback. ¡°No need. It¡¯s very little stuff.¡± However, Bane still took the bag from her on his own ord, rendering Victoria frustrated for a while. That said, she didn¡¯t say anything in the end. Summer got into the car with them and headed to the airport. After arriving at the airport, Summer eventually burst into tears, burying herself in Victoria¡¯s arms after holding her sadness back for the whole day. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Victoria Selwyn, you better not forget me, or I will fly to wherever you are and pester you!¡± Victoria¡¯s eyes were slightly red upon being influenced by Summer¡¯s emotions. She embraced the woman and said, ¡°I won¡¯t forget anyone, especially not you.¡± 5/8 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me ¡°Swear to me that I will forever be your best friend. Even if you go there, you can¡¯t have a better friend than me.¡± ¡°Alright, I swear.¡± ¡°And if you have handsome friends, you can¡¯t keep them all to yourself. You have to introduce them to me.¡± ¡°I will, I will.¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯ll visit you whenever I can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± A gentle smile formed on his lips as Bane watched the two young women go back and forth. On the other hand, his assistant, who was keeping an eye on the time, walked up to Bane and reminded him in a whisper, ¡°Mr. Morison, it¡¯s almost time.¡± The smile on Bane¡¯s lips faded a little at that, and he gave the person an icy re. 6/8 1216 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me The assistant instantly felt a chill down his spine and took two steps back, afraid to speak any further. None of them dared to provoke Bane, for he was a madman, after all. However, the assistant couldn¡¯t help pursing his lips as he looked toward Victoria, his gaze growing curious by the second. None of them imagined a madman like Bane returning to the country for a woman and even treating her with such tenderness. Victoria and Summer embraced each other for a long time, but it was Summer who pushed her away, sniffing while saying, ¡°Alright, we can¡¯t hug each other anymore. The ne is about to take off. You should go quickly.¡± With that, the young woman even gave Victoria a shove. Caught off guard, Victoria staggered a few steps back only to feel a firm grip around her waist¨Cit was Bane standing beside her, holding her to prevent her from falling. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave now. I won¡¯t watch you go in, or I¡¯ll start crying again.¡± Summer turned around at once, and she pretended to be casual as she This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. waved her hand and left without looking back. 7/8 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 164 You Better Not Forget Me Victoria stood in ce, reluctant to take her eyes off her best friend¡¯s retreating figure. Soon, Bane¡¯s gentle voice came from above. ¡°Come on, Vixie. Time to go.¡± Victoria snapped back to reality and nodded gently. ¡°Alright.¡± As the ne ascended to its highest altitude, Victoria sat by the window with her eyes lowered, gazing at the city that had receded below. The night in Gandra was incredibly dazzling, and the distant lights resembled flickering stars on the earth. The longing in Victoria¡¯s eyes gradually faded. Goodbye, Gandra. Goodbye, my past. Goodbye, ric. B/B 1216 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 165 Cute Children Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°Wee to Little Sun¡¯s cooking stream! Today, we¡¯re making two seafood dishes!¡± sh forward five yearster, in Little Sun¡¯s live stream on TikTok, two adorable children in cartoon outfits were removing the veins from the shrimps in front of the camera. Nicole was holding a toothpick as she earnestly picked the veins out. However, she identally lost her grip, and the shrimp fell onto the floor. ¡°Nicole!¡± Startled, Nicole hastily bent over to look for the shrimp. When she found it, she looked pleadingly at Nathan Selwyn, who was a little taller than her. Her dark pupils were filled with a pitiful look as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nathan.¡± They were both five years old, but Nicole was innocent and pure, whereas Nathan possessed a calm and collected aura not found in others his age. Even though he still retained some child-like qualities, one could see from his face that he would grow up to have looks girls would swoon over. 1/9 Chapter 165 Cute Children ¡°Nathan!¡± Seeing that Nathan was ignoring her, Nicole extended two tender fingers from her fist and tugged the hem of Nathan¡¯s shirt, saying cutely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nathan, so please forgive me, okay? I swear I¡¯ll only eat two shrimps for dinner, and you can have the rest!¡± 2/9 ¡°Still dare bring this up, huh? Who was the one who ate a whole te of shrimp and upset her tummy? You¡¯re not allowed to have any shrimp today!¡± Nathan seemed like he wasn¡¯t open to negotiation. When Nicole heard that, she pouted but dared not object. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve banned me from eating shrimp, I won¡¯t eat any.¡± With that, Nicole lowered her head and fiddled her thumbs, looking sad and wronged. However, the viewers in the live streamughed at the siblings¡¯ interactions and sent messages as they went. ¡®Nathan, you should be nicer to Nicole. She¡¯s already sad enough after getting diarrhea from eating too much shrimp!¡¯ ¡®Silly Nicole, when will you understand Nathan¡¯s kindness? He¡¯s doing it for your sake. Oh no, look at how you¡¯re pouting! Come, let me hug you.¡¯ 1216 Sat, 24 Chapter 165 Cute Children All the viewers in the live stream loved watching the two cute children. Every time the siblings started a live stream, they woulde to watch the siblings interact with each other. As the viewers flooded the chat with more messages, a notification caught their attention. ¡®Silent Night has entered the live stream.¡¯ * 3/9 Silent Night was a wealthy man, and regr viewers of the children¡¯s live streams knew about him. He was very generous and would always send expensive gifts in the live stream. As soon as Silent Night entered the live stream, he began spamming gifts for the children. In the blink of an eye, he had already spent huge a amount of money. Nathan stood in front of the phone screen, watching the gifts pile up. There was a frown on his little face as he said, ¡°Mr. Night, my mommy said that you mustn¡¯t send any more gifts.¡± Their mother had mentioned this a long time ago. She said that the children were live streaming just to share their lives, and if the viewers had 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 165 Cute Children gifts they got for free, they could send the gifts to the siblings. They didn¡¯t have to spend money to buy those gifts. However, this man called Silent Night always spammed gifts when he arrived, and nothing they said could change his mind. Nathan was a little upset. However, when Nicole saw the gifts, she grinned and made a clumsy heart gesture toward the camera. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Night! You¡¯re so generous!¡± In the capital city of Uspein, a man sat in front of a desk in a huge and quiet study. The man¡¯s gaze was dark. He had thin lips and dark hair, and his tightly pursed lips seemed to be frosted over. The emotions he expressed formed a sharp look on his handsome face. It seemed like a very serious situation, but the phone in the man¡¯s hand was ying the live stream of the two cute children. After he sent the gifts, the boy on the screen frowned sternly and said, ¡°Mr. Night, my mommy said that you mustn¡¯t send any more gifts.¡± 4/9 12:16 Sat, 24 JunG Chapter 165 Cute Children However, the little girl next to the boy winked. She blew a kiss toward the camera and even made a heart gesture. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Night! You¡¯re so generous!¡± The girl¡¯s voice was soft and adorable, and even her movements were a little clumsy. However, for some reason, she entered the most tender parts of his heart with great ease. The man¡¯s thin lips, which were freezing a moment ago, seemed to have melted as a faint curve appeared on them. He liked the little girl more inparison. She wouldn¡¯t tell him to stop sending gifts as that boy did, and she would always blow kisses and make heart gestures at him. If he also had a daughter¡­ He was still lost in thought when someone knocked on the door of the office. The assistant opened the door and walked in, reminding him, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, the meeting is starting soon. We have to go.¡± 5/9 12 16 Sat, 24 Jun 349% Chapter 165 Cute Children Terrance Levane froze when he caught sight of the smile that had yet to fade from ric¡¯s lips. A momentter, he realized what was going on when he heard the adorable voicesing from his phone. 6/9 He was watching the cute children again. Now that he thought about it, everything seemed so bizarre. A year ago, he apanied ric to Uspein for a meeting. After the meeting, ric went to a jewelry shop to purchase some jewelry as a gift for his mother. While he was doing so, he bumped into two olddies in the jewelry shop, but the olddies stood out quite a lot. This was because they were watching two cute children live-streaming while they picked out their jewelry. Terrance could understand olddies doing something unexpected, but he couldn¡¯tprehend why ric would stop in his tracks when he heard the two children speaking. ric stood next to the olddies, listening in and watching the live stream for a long while. In the end, he even walked up to them and asked how to watch the live streams. 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 165 Cute Children This change shocked Terrance terribly. After that, ric seemed to have picked up the habit of watching the cute children live-streaming. Whenever the two children went live, ric would enter the live stream and send them gifts no matter what he was doing. If he was in a meeting, he would leave after sending the gifts, then watch the videoter on. 49% At first, Terrance thought ric found the two children too cute and interesting, and that was why he behaved like that. Terrance assumed that ric would lose interest after a while but never expected the phenomenon wouldst until now. It had been one year since everything started, but ric wasn¡¯t bored with the children yet. 7/9 Terrance heard from his cousin, Peter, who was also ric¡¯s previous assistant, that ric had gone through a divorce before, and he was the one who made his wife so mad that she left him. Hence, Terrance began thinking. Could it be that ric¡¯s ex-wife had something to do with ric enjoying 12 16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 165 Cute Children the children¡¯s live streams so much? Could it be that something happened between him and his ex-wife, so ric could only watch other people¡¯s children holding live streams? However, he only dared make those guesses in his heart. He would never be bold enough to say those things out loud. Terrance was still pondering when he suddenly heard the children¡¯s joyful criesing from ric¡¯s phone. ¡°Mommy¡¯s back!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± ric was about to leave the live stream and set out for the meeting, but when he heard the children saying that, he stopped midway. He was about to get up, but he sat in his seat instead. On the small phone screen, a blurry and distant figure could be seen walking in through the door. Even though the woman¡¯s figure was blurry, ric felt his heart sk*p a beat N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. 8/9 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 165 Cute Children when he saw the figure. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 The woman¡¯s blurry and slender figure was shown in the corner of the screen for only a few seconds before disappearing. At the same time, the two children¡¯s footsteps could be heard as they ran toward the woman. ¡°Mommy.¡± ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back. You did great today, Mommy.¡± The two children were very considerate as they asked the woman caring questions. The woman was far away from the phone, so her mumbling voice was unclear. Soon, the two little children went back to the screen. ¡°Everyone, our mommy is home, so we¡¯ll stop streaming now.¡± When Nathan came back, he exined the situation to the screen. 1/9 Chapter 166 Shocking His twin sister began making heart gestures at the screen again. ¡°Bye, see you!¡± The viewers were a little sad about it since the two children only streamed once or twice a week, and this time, they had to stop streaming so soon. Despite their reluctance, the viewers bade the children goodbye. The screen turned ck with a notice that the stream had ended. ric was instantly stunned as he stared at the phone. Terrance¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, if we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll bete.¡± The next second, ric turned off his phone, then silently got up and walked outside. Terrance was standing outside along with a neer they recently recruited. There were lots of matters to deal with in thepany, so ric needed more than one assistant. When the two saw ricing out, they immediately greeted him. Chapter 166 Shocking ¡°Mr. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Greetings, Mr. Cadogan.¡± ric nodded coldly, expressionless as he walked past them. The two immediately went after him. ? ric¡¯s strides wererge, and the other two followed behind at a close distance. 3/9 The new assistant was a girl who had just graduated, and she was interning under Terrance. Seeing that they were quite a distance from ric, she asked Terrance, ¡°Terrance, was Mr. Cadogan watching the cute children¡¯s live stream again?¡± Terrance nodded and said in a low voice, ¡°Yes, I heard their voices when I was at the door just now.¡± ¡°I sneaked a peekst time. Terrance, have you seen the children before?¡± Terrance nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chapter 166 Shocking ¡°Really?¡± The intern seemed to have found arade as she scooted closer and whispered, ¡°Terrance, do you think that the children look a lot like Mr. Cadogan?¡± When Terrance heard that, his expression shifted as he immediately warned in a suppressed voice, ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The intern was startled by his stern expression. ¡°If Mr. Cadogan hears you, he¡¯ll throw a fit.¡± When the intern heard that, she put on a confused expression. ¡°Why? Mr. Cadogan loves the two children, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Terrance nced at the slender figure ahead of them, then exined, ¡°You just joined thepany, so you don¡¯t know this, but a woman once took a child to see Mr. Cadogan, iming that she had given birth to his child. The staff saw that the child looked a lot like Mr. Cadogan, but after some investigation, they found that the woman gave her baby stic surgery just to deceive Mr. Cadogan. Even now, the child hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. It¡¯s heartbreaking.¡± 4/9 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 166 Shocking The intern was speechless. Did she give the baby stic surgery? What in the world?! Why would people stoop so low? ¡°Doesn¡¯t she know that DNA exists?¡± ¡°Criminals never think about getting caught whilemitting crimes; they all hope to get lucky. Anyway, don¡¯t mention these things in front of Mr. Cadogan.¡± The intern was a little confused. She wanted to say that the two children in the live stream didn¡¯t look like they had gone through stic surgery. Even the most meticulous stic surgery would look slightly unnatural and lifeless, but the children were very lively. However, even if they looked like him, ric couldn¡¯t possibly have children that big. After all, in this world, if a woman truly gave birth to ric¡¯s children, she would¡¯ve brought them to ric right away. 5/9 12:16 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 166 Shocking All of this was too puzzling for the intern. Thus, she began asking about other things. ¡°But of all those children, hasn¡¯t Mr. Cadogan suspected even once that it might not be stic surgery, and the child is actually his?¡± When Terrance heard that, he sneered. ¡°Who do you take Mr. Cadogan for? Even if he¡¯spletely drunk, he wouldn¡¯t touch a woman he doesn¡¯t know. No normal person could achieve that amount of self-control.¡± As if remembering something, Terrance added, ¡°Forget strangers. Miss Johnson has been with Mr. Cadogan for years. She was considered his close friend and had saved his life before, but he wouldn¡¯t touch her even if he were drunk.¡± He had been ric¡¯s assistant for years, so he had witnessed ric¡¯s self-control with his own eyes. When he saw it, he could only describe it as shocking. The intern widened her eyes. ¡°Not even Miss Johnson? That¡¯s indeed some 6/9 1216 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 166 Shocking shocking self-control!¡± She had met udia before. The woman was gentle, beautiful, and elegant. In the intern¡¯s eyes, udia was the ideal partner for men, for she looked like someone entirely out of reach, but men still couldn¡¯t help coveting her. ric was even able to withstand udia¡¯s allure. At that thought, the intern remembered a piece of gossip circting, so she asked meekly, ¡°Terrance, I heard that Mr. Cadogan has an ex-wife. Was he very reserved toward her too?¡± At the mention of that, Terrance showed a face of regret. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. Mr. Cadogan was already divorced when I took over my cousin¡¯s job, but I think Mr. Cadogan treated her the same. After all, she wasn¡¯t pregnant even after so many years of marriage.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± The intern rubbed her chin, gossip filling her mind. ¡°But I heard from my cousin that Mr. Cadogan¡¯s ex-wife was extremely pretty.¡± 7/9 12.16 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 166 Shocking ¡°How pretty? Was she as beautiful as Miss Johnson?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met her before, but my cousin said that she¡¯s a thousand times prettier than Miss Johnson.¡± The intern couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes at that exaggeration. ¡°Your cousin seems to be fond of Mr. Cadogan¡¯s ex-wife.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that she¡¯s especially nice to the subordinates, and she¡¯s very capable as well.¡± The intern thought for a moment. It must take someone special to be Mrs. Cadogan. At that thought, she looked ahead and began imagining the sort of woman who could stand next to ric. However, before she could form an idea, a cold voice sounded in front of This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. them. ¡°What are you whispering about? Are you trying to get fired?¡± Terrance and the intern were still whispering, but ric¡¯s voice startled 8/9 Chapter 166 Shocking them. They parted ways and walked at their own pace as they hastily caught up with ric. The intern was also chilled awake by ric¡¯s cold voice. She thought that she must be hallucinating to even entertain the thought that a cold person like ric was capable of love. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 In the suburbs, there was a decently sized house with vintage decorations. ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± After ending the live stream, the two children leaped into Victoria¡¯s embrace from both sides. Their arms were wide open as they hugged her and breathed in her unique scent of body wash. The woman who crouched over and held Nicole had a slender figure. Her eyes were clear and cold like ss, and her eyshes were long and dark. She looked very radiant and beautiful. ¡°Did you stop streaming?¡± When Victoria spoke, her voice was clear and bright like a spring. ¡°Yes.¡± Nicole rubbed her face against Victoria¡¯s neck and chin, mumbling adorably. Nathan nced at his sister, then said in a rtively steady voice, ¡°Mommy, that man sent us lots of gifts again.¡± That man? Victoria was stunned. ¡°The same old Mr. Night?¡± 1/8 Chapter 167 Care Lots of th Nathan nodded, pursuing his tiny lips as he said, ¡°I ryed what you said to Mr. Night, Mommy, but he won¡¯t listen.¡± 22 When Victoria heard that, she reached out and ruffled his hair, smiling faintly. ¡°Never mind, then. Let¡¯s just leave him be.¡± Not wishing the children to be troubled by this problem for long, she quickly changed the topic. ¡°Are you hungry? What would you like to eat today?¡± The gluttonous Nicole immediately began listing out dishes. ¡°Mommy, I want to eat fried shrimp today and also desserts after dinner.¡± Victoria turned toward Nathan. ¡°What about you, Nathan? What would you like to eat?¡± Nathan¡¯s voice was reserved. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m okay with anything.¡± His thoughts were simple. If he asked for a dish, his mother would have to make more food. Even though he wanted to help her, both he and Nicole were too young. Their mother wouldn¡¯t let them into the kitchen for real. Victoria noticed Nathan¡¯s gaze, then sighed lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t want Mommy to overwork Chapter 167 Sent Lots of Gifts herself, right, Nathan? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have to work tonight, so I just have to make dinner.¡± 3/8 ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Even though Nathan was slightly more considerate than Nicole, he was still a child, after all. Adults could see through children¡¯s thoughts at a nce. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll make dinner, and you can do whatever you like. Give me one hour, all right?¡± ¡°Thank you, Mommy. Mwah!¡± Nicole freely nted a kiss on Victoria¡¯s cheek, then went back to her room to y with her dolls. After she left, Nathan whispered to Victoria, ¡°Mommy, let me help you.¡± ¡°Be good, Nathan. Go and y.¡± In the end, Nathan could only return to his room. After getting the two children into their rooms, she reached up and tied her hair, which reached her waist. Then, she grabbed an apron and put it on before walking into the kitchen. For the past few years, she had been taking care of the children on her own. When she first started, she didn¡¯t know a lot of things, and she even Chapter 167 Sent Lots of Gifts scrambled to boil eggs, but for her children¡¯s sake, Victoria learned a lot of things. She might be a hypocrite, but she simply wanted to care for her children well. She had to go to work but spent every minute of her free time with her children. 4/8 They were a single-parent family, so she wanted to do as much as she could for the children, just like how her father raised her back then. Save for work, all her time was spent on her children to make up for the other missing parent. She didn¡¯t know how to cook back then, but now, cooking was a piece of cake for her. Victoria cleaned the meat she bought, then marinated it. Marination required time, so Victoria went to deal with other tasks. When she was free, she remembered something, so she turned around and went to the living room. She took the phone the children used for live streaming. During the live stream today, her two darlings gained a lot of fans, and the were cute and dramatic. Among thements, the one that had the most likes was ¡®How do you raise such obedient children?¡¯ Sent Lots of Gifts She smiled, then replied mischievously, ¡®This is my first time raising children, so I probably can¡¯t provide any useful suggestions.¡¯ After that, she went to look at the day¡¯s earnings. She wished she hadn¡¯t. She found that Silent Night had given the two children lots of gifts again. She roughly calcted the day¡¯s earnings, coupled with what they had earned in the past, and realized that they had earned a lot. Victoria didn¡¯tck money to raise her children. The children were also live-streaming because of interest, so she didn¡¯t This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. mind it as long as the children were happy. However, she never thought that they would earn so much from live-streaming. Anyway, the fans were quite interesting. She told them not to give gifts, and if they had to, they ould just send some gifts they got for free. However, this man called Silent Night would always give gifts in huge amounts. Victoria navigated out of the dashboard and found Silent Night¡¯s ount. He had given so many gifts that it would be rude not to follow him back. However, even if they were mutual, Silent Night never posted anything on his ount, and the only ount he was following was the children¡¯s. It was as if¡­ The ount was made purely to watch her children¡¯s streams. Also, they had followed each other for so long, but they never chatted. Victoria had never seen someone like this, who would silently watch the live streams and give gifts but never asked for anything. When Victoria found the ount, she noticed that the person was online, so she navigated to the chat room. ¡®Hello, I¡¯m Nathan¡¯s and Nicole¡¯s mother. May I know your name? Can I chat with you?¡¯ She wanted to pay him back. However, after the message was sent, there was no reply. Victoria thought that he must be busy, and the meat was about ready at the Sent Lots of Gifts time. So, she put the phone aside, then turned around and went into the kitchen to continue cooking. In the meeting room, there were quite a lot of foreigners at this meeting. ric sat on the leader¡¯s seat as he listened expressionlessly to their vivid presentations paired with slides. Somewhere close by behind ric, Terrance was earnestly tidying the documents, and the intern beside him was scrambling to take notes and recordings. The intern was sweating as she felt the pressure weigh upon her. She felt that she had been too naive. A meeting like this was toorge for her, but ric was sitting there, looking calm as if he were sitting in his own office. She couldn¡¯t help but be amazed, and she gave him a thumbs-up in her mind. Suddenly, ric¡¯s phone vibrated twice in his pocket. ric never looked at phone messages in a meeting. It was the same today. So, the message didn¡¯t affect him much. However, a momentter, he seemed to have thought of something as he Sent Lots of Gifts took out his phone in front of everyone. When the intern and Terrance saw him doing that, they were shocked. ric navigated to the app and realized that it was a message from the live-streaming ount. He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. The ount had never messaged him since they were mutually connected half a year ago. They never tried to get on each other¡¯s good side, so why did it message him of its own ord? Chapter 168 Chapter 168 48 When ric saw the person iming to be the children¡¯s mother, he didn¡¯t reply as his gaze darkened. Just like that, he looked indifferently at his phone with his gaze lowered, and he didn¡¯t do anything else. However, the people in the meeting room were discreetly looking at him because of his actions. Even the person presenting in front of the projector was beginning to stutter. The intern had never encountered such a scene before, and she was so terrified that she gripped the pen in her hand, wishing she could just bury her head into her notebook. Terrance was shocked at first, but he calmed down after that. He was a veteran in thepany, having encountered every possible situation. After all, there was once when the two children were live-streaming during a meeting, and ric simply took out his phone in front of everyone. There was supposedly a rule that no one was allowed to use their phones at a meeting. But ric was the boss. 1/8 Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young If he insisted on doing that, who would dare reprimand him? A 40% 2/8 They could only pretend it never happened. Thepany was his, after all. As was happening now, Terrance gave a light cough, then pretended nothing had happened as he said, ¡°Continue.¡± In the next second, ric had already put away his phone nonchntly and sped his hands together on the table as he put on a cold and stern look. Everyone was speechless. They wished he could stare at the phone instead of staring at them with a look as cold as this. At least they wouldn¡¯t have to be so nervous. Hence, they began to regret it and hoped that ric would look at his phone again. However, they were met with disappointment. The meeting went on for another few hours before ending, and the man in the main seat never once looked at his phone. When they adjourned, many people were trembling as they almost passed out in fatigue from maintaining their concentration for too long. ric closed his folder and got up, walking expressionlessly out of the Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young meeting room. It was only then that everyone let out a huge sigh of relief. ¡°Goodness, he¡¯s finally gone. God knows how torturous this meeting was.¡± ¡°Same, I felt like my bottom was on fire, but I didn¡¯t dare to move. Why does ric have such a strong aura?¡± In truth, most of those in the meeting weren¡¯t from the Cadogan Group. It was an international meeting, so many of them were employees from other However, as soon as ric appeared, everyone was instinctively fearful. ¡°He held a high position at a young age, and he always did things resolutely. Who would have a strong aura but him?¡± As they chatted, they began to gossip. ¡°Hey, tell you what, I heard that our president is going to send a woman to his room tonight.¡± When the people heard something unrted to work, they instantly switched to gossip mode as they scooted closer to ask for more details. 3/8 Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young ¡°What? Sending a woman to Mr. Cadogan¡¯s room? Are you serious?¡± F ¡°I heard that Mr. Cadogan has shocking self-control, and he keeps himself pure. What is our president thinking?¡± ¡°What else? He¡¯s just delusional and thinks that every man is like him, so he wants to gain Mr. Cadogan¡¯s favor by doing this.¡± ¡°Tch, he might fail miserably and make Mr. Cadogan angry instead.¡± After dinner, Nathan moved the dishes into the kitchen. Nicole went to the kitchen to fetch a clean cloth, then took off her shoes and tried to get on a chair to help Victoria wipe the table. ¡°Nicole, let Mommy do it.¡± Victoria took the cloth from Nicole¡¯s hands, then carried Nicole onto the floor with one arm. Nicole, who didn¡¯t get to wipe the table, pouted in dissatisfaction. ¡°But I want to help Mommy.¡± 4/8 Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young ¡°Be good, Nicole. I know you¡¯re trying to help, but you¡¯re still small. You can help me when you¡¯ve grown up, okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. With that, Victoria reached out and poked Nicole¡¯s small nose. When Nicole heard that, she stared at her with herrge r***es. She was wearing milky white pajamas, and she looked so soft and tender that she looked like fresh mochi. She seemed to be pondering Victoria¡¯s words, and when she was done, she nodded earnestly. ¡°All right, when I¡¯ve grown up, I¡¯ll help Mommy with lots of chores.¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a promise, then. Go and y, Nicole.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. Mommy, kiss me.¡± Nicole pointed at her forehead. Victoria couldn¡¯t help smiling as she lowered her head and nted a kiss on the child¡¯s wless forehead. It was only then that Nicole turned around and left, satisfied. Nathan witnessed this scene when he came out of the kitchen, and an envious look shed across his eyes. 5/8 48% Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young He strode in his little steps up to Victoria, but he didn¡¯t make any sounds. 6/8 Victoria was wiping the table, and when she lowered her head, she found Nathan standing by her legs, looking at her with an expectant gaze. His lips were tightly pursed, and he looked like a mini adult. Victoria was stunned. After a while, she lowered her head and nted a kiss on his forehead as well. ¡°Go y with your sister.¡± Nathan, who was a little upset, turned visibly happy when he received Victoria¡¯s kiss. However, no matter how happy he was, he simply pursed his lips tightly before leaving. As Victoria watched his receding figure, she somehow thought of someone. Nathan looked like a younger version of a certain someone. That person also behaved like that when he was young. He wouldn¡¯t openly express his joy, so if one didn¡¯t observe him closely, one couldn¡¯t even fathom his expressions. Just as expected, the genes had a hand in this. Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young Victoria never thought that she would have twins at first. When she went overseaster on, she finally went for another checkup with her father and created a file. After that, she heard from the doctor that she was having twins. Then, she used up a lot of energy to give birth to Nathan and Nicole. Nathan was reserved, and he didn¡¯t like to talk. He also frowned very frequently, just like his father. Nicole, on the other hand, was cheerful and active. She was a glutton, and she would eat more than anyone else since birth. Her eyes were bright, and her cries were loud and clear. Victoria even suspected that Nicole was the reason she became a glutton when she was pregnant. Even though the siblings were born one after the other, and there was only a slight difference in the times they were born, Nathan became the older brother while Nicole assumed the position of the younger sister. After that, perhaps because of his position or because of his personality, Nathan had always taken extra care of Nicole. 7/8 E Chapter 168 Looked Like Someone When He Was Young All in all, one of the two children never worried her, whereas the other made her worry a lot. No matter what, their arrival brought warmth and At that thought, Victoria curved her lips into a faint yet good-looking smile. Her phone rang, and when she looked at it, she found that it was a call from her bestie, Summer. Victoria had to wash the dishes, so she put the call on hands-free mode, then went into the kitchen as she talked to Summer. ¡°You¡¯re finally free?¡± Summer stretched and yawned, then said, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling me even when you¡¯re not free?¡± ¡°Come on. I just wanted to ask you something. What do you think ofing back home?¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 The smile on Victoria¡¯s lips vanished when she heard Summer¡¯s words. Then, she turned off the water and wore the dishwashing gloves. ¡°Just look at you. Whenever I mentioning back to Gandra, you would keep quiet.¡± Summer was upset by Victoria¡¯s reaction. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, Victoria. It¡¯s been a long time since that happened. Even if you had made a promise to udia, it should be over by now.¡± However, Victoria remained silent upon hearing that. Then, Summer continued, ¡°The industry isn¡¯t doing well in other countries. Yet, our country made it, and it is one of the toppanies that want to hire you. They wouldn¡¯t have kept the position for you if you weren¡¯t outstanding. Did you know they called me multiple times and told me to persuade you? They didn¡¯t want to lose a talented person like you.¡± After hearing that, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°So? What benefits did they offer you toe and persuade me?¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t even think about using me of being a conspirator!¡± Summer huffed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that kind of a person? I just think the job suits you since it pays 1/7 Chapter 169 A Deep Discussion well and is helpful for your future. That is why I want you to go. There is no way I will ept what they offered me. Though, they have indeed given me quite the treat.¡± ¡°So¡­ What did they offer you?¡± ¡°Ermm¡­ It¡¯s just a small benefit. They told me they would give me a sum of money worth your sry point if you worked at theirpany for a whole year.¡± ¡°The Floyd Corporation sure is generous.¡± Victoria smiled. ¡°Yeah. They are quite remarkable. I¡¯ve heard their CEO is young, handsome, and, most importantly, single. He is the one that wants to invite you to work in his ¡°How can I find the time to meet him when I¡¯m busy with work? Furthermore, I must care for my children when I get home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Summer¡¯s heart softened when Victoria mentioned the children. ¡°Where¡¯s Nicole and Nathan?¡± she asked. ¡°They are in the living room.¡± ¡°Even if you choose to take care of them yourself, you do not have to do all the work. 207 Chapter 169 A Deep Discussion The least you can do is hire someone to do the cooking.¡± 3/7 ¡°I would prefer cooking by myself. Plus, I did hire a cleaner to clean my house.¡± W ¡°Nheless, cooking requires a substantial investment of your time and energy.¡± ¡°Summer!¡± Victoria called out all of a sudden. Her voice was soft but firm. ¡°The constant demands of motherhood will leave any woman exhausted. Nevertheless, I believe it¡¯s worth it if I¡¯m happy. Do you agree?¡± When Summer heard those words, she kept quiet. After some time, she said, ¡°Technically speaking, yes. However, I can¡¯t understand since I¡¯m not a mother myself. I think it¡¯s best to have a deep conversation with you about this topic after I have started a family.¡± In response, Victoria chuckled but said nothing. Yet, Summer wasn¡¯t nning on letting it slide. ¡°Enough of that. Are you sure nothing is stopping you from working at Floyd Corporation? It¡¯s not because of the promise you made to udia, right? Truthfully, I can¡¯t understand what you are afraid of. After all, thepany isn¡¯t at Gandra.¡± At that moment, Victoria sighed under the weight of Summer¡¯s annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s not Chapter 169 A Deep Discussion because of her,¡± she replied. 4/7 ¡°If it¡¯s not because of her, what is it? I can¡¯t think of any other reasons to exin your choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I n on starting apany myself.¡± ¡°What?¡± Summer wondered if she had heard it wrong and asked, ¡°Are you saying you n to start apany?¡± ¡°I was going to tell you after everything is settled. After all, I¡¯m still going through the procedures, so I still can¡¯t say for sure if I¡¯ll be able to realize my goal.¡± In that instant, Summer¡¯s shrill voice could be heard on the other end of the phone. ¡°Ahhh!¡± At that moment, Victoria was relieved she had put the call on speaker before Summer¡¯s loud voice echoed through the kitchen because otherwise, she might have lost her hearing. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to start apany? If you had told me sooner, I wouldn¡¯t have tried to persuade you to go to Floyd Corporation, saying that they had specifically left you a ce for a high¨Cpaying job. After all, nothing beats Chapter 169 A Deep Discussion the freedom of starting your ownpany.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t done, though. Won¡¯t you be disappointed if I fail in the end?¡± ¡°Why would I be disappointed? I will never be disappointed in you because you can always aplish whatever you set your mind to. You can do it, Victoria!¡± When Victoria realized Summer was rooting for her, a smile spread across her face. ¡°Thanks for yourpliment, but I have failed many times too. Anyway, all I have to do now is to try my best.¡± ¡°Good luck then. I will undoubtedly apply for an executive position after you have established yourpany.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll leave a spot for you, alright?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Don¡¯t even think about giving it to someone else.¡± After conversing for a little while, Victoria finished washing the dishes, and only then did Summer hang up the phone. After Victoria had cleaned the kitchen, she decided to take an afternoon nap. After giving the kids some reminders, she went back to her room. Before she fell asleep, 5/7 B Chapter 169 A Deep Discussion she opened Tik Tok and saw that Silent Night had not yet replied to her message. However, she didn¡¯t think much and put away her phone: Since she only had twenty minutes to rest, every minute was precious. When her head hit the pillow, she N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. promptly fell asleep. She had trouble sleeping for the first two years but could now fall asleep instantly without medication. Meanwhile, a waitress delivered lunch to a customer in the presidential suite. She couldn¡¯t help but sneak a few nces when she saw the man on the couch who exuded a sense of intimidation and elegance. At that moment, Terrance told the waitress to ce the food on the table before asking her to leave. Then, he said to ric, ¡°Your lunch has arrived, Mr. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ric hummed but remained seated on the couch. However, Terrance held his tongue because he could tell ric was still upied with his work. After all, ric was a workaholic and didn¡¯t like it when someone interrupted him while working. If ric hadn¡¯t skipped lunch, Terrance wouldn¡¯t have requested lunch delivery. A few minutester, Terrance couldn¡¯t help but remind ric again. ¡°The food will 6/7 Chapter 169 A Deep Discussion get cold if you don¡¯t eat it sooner, Mr. Cadogan.¡± * 7/7 As soon as his words fell, ric gave him a cold re. Immediately, Terrance froze as he felt chills run down his spine. Then, without saying anything more, he turned around and left. On the other hand, ric pursed his lips and continued to work. After some time, he finally finished his work. When Terrance noticed it, he immediately ran over and put the things away. Seeing that ric had forgotten to take his phone, he gave it to ric and said, ¡°You forgot your phone, Mr. Cadogan.¡± When ric took the phone, he suddenly remembered the message. Ever since Victoria had left him five years ago, his life had been upied with work. Other than working, he would spend the rest of his time looking at the live stream of two kids. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt it might be because they were cute and could soothe his loneliness. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 ric could have guessed why Victoria wanted to contact him. He knew she must have wanted to return the money he sent in the live stream, so he avoided. responding to her. Aside from a single instance five years ago, he had never reimed any money he had given to others. At that moment, he recalled what had happened five years ago. When he returned home, he discovered that she had not taken the checks he had given her or the bank card his mother had given her. Whether it was money he gave her or Victoria asked for it, she had never once spent a single penny of either source. Instead, she returned everything to him, and it seemed she was trying to convey that she owed him nothing from that point forward. Although it had been five years since that happened, ric was still infuriated whenever he thought about it. What a ruthless. woman she is, he thought. Since the food had been left cold for a long time, it tasted terrible. When Terrance saw that ric had only taken a few bites, he said, ¡°Please eat more, Mr. Cadogan. You still have a meeting in the afternoon.¡± However, the response he got was ric mming the door behind him. As Terrance stood there and looked at the leftovers, he sighed and called the waitress 17 Chapter 170 ric Is Suffering From Gastric Pain to take them away. After the meeting ended, it was already nighttime. When ric left the meeting room, he rubbed his throbbing temple and said deeply, ¡°Is there anything else I need to do tonight?¡± Concerned, Terrance shook his head and said, ¡°There is nothing more, Mr. Cadogan. You can now go back and rest. However, are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± ric replied with a stoic expression. Since Terrance could tell by ric¡¯s pale face that he wasn¡¯t feeling well, he was concerned for ric¡¯s health and wondered what kind of food he should order. Meanwhile, ric appeared exhausted as they returned, closing his eyes for a nap. At that time, Terrance was tidying the papers about today¡¯s meeting. When he felt slightly tired, he turned to look at ric. His face looks pale. It was already pale during the meeting but is even paler now. Is he having gastric pain? When he thought about it, he was anxious. He wanted to ask ric about his condition but feared that he would disturb ric. Thus, after a moment of hesitation, he chose to keep quiet. He texted the intern, who had already returned to the hotel after finishing work, telling her to prepare ric¡¯s medication beforehand. 2/7 Chapter 170 ric Is Suffering From Gastric Pain When they were about to arrive at the hotel, Terrance got a call from their business. partner, Mr. Welson. ¡°Are you guys back at the hotel yet, Mr. Levane?¡± ¡°We are almost there. Is something the matter?¡± After hearing that, Mr. Welsonughed c***ly and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. I just want to tell you that I have prepared a surprise for Mr. Cadogan. I hope he likes it.¡± 3/7 ¡°A surprise?¡± After spending nearly a day in meetings, how did he have the energy to n a surprise? Moreover, I don¡¯t think Mr. Cadogan will enjoy his surprise, seeing that he suffers from gastric pain. After Terrance hung up the phone, he nced at ric and sighed inwardly. When they arrived at the hotel and entered the elevator, he told ric about what Mr. Welson had said. After hearing that, ric had a stoic expression and breathed unevenly. However, Terrance didn¡¯t notice it and was still in deep thought. What surprise will Mr. Welson prepare for Mr. Cadogan? Is it a gift? But¡­ Mr. Cadogan doesn¡¯t need anything. After all, he is rich. Then, Terrance recalled when many people sent them gifts, including wine, jade, Chapter 170 ric is Suffering From Gastric Pain and many others, because they desired to coborate with ric. However, none of them knew that ric was only interested in coborating with reputable they were so close to finalizing the contract, Terrance had a hard time understanding what Mr. Welson¡¯s goal was trying to aplish. As he thought about it, they arrived at ric¡¯s room. Terrance immediately swiped the room card and opened the door. ¡°After you, Mr. Cadogan.¡± In the meantime, ric pursed his lips and walked into the room, but he stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he set foot inside. Terrance was curious when he saw ric standing there without being moved. ¡°Is something the matter, Mr. Cadogan?¡± he asked. As soon as Terrance finished his sentence, ric stepped back a few paces and exited the room immediately afterward. Terrance was confused by his action. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t smell right,¡± ric remarked, and the rhythm of his breath was off. 4/7 ¡°Huh? What kind of smell?¡± Terrance stepped forward to get a whiff, but he detected Chapter 170 ric Is Suffering From Gastric Pain nothing. At this moment, cold sweats began to form on ric¡¯s forehead, and he had a grim expression. ¡°Go inside.¡± Nheless, Terrance detected nothing amiss and continued sniffing as he walked forward. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, Mr. Cadogan.¡± After hearing that, ric seemed to be lost for words. He looked at Terrance incredulously and insisted, ¡°Walk further inside.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± However, Terrance did not dare to defy ric¡¯s orders because he was the boss, so Terrance walked further inside. 5/7 Meanwhile, ric stood by the door with a cold expression, seemingly as if he was waiting for something. Soon, Terrance became anxious as he took a few more steps and turned around to look at ric, but ric only signaled him to keep walking. Consequently, Terrance had toply, still unsure of what was happening. Isn¡¯t everything fine? What¡¯s wrong with this room? There is no way a burr is inside, right? While deep in thought, he noticed a white figure fling itself toward him with a strong perfume scent. Before he could react, the figure had snuggled into his This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. embrace, and when he came to, he realized he was hugging a sexy blonde woman. Instantaneously, he was rendered speechless by what had just urred. Chapter 170 ric Is Suffering From Gastric Pain At that moment, the blonde threw her arms around his neck, leaning in so that he could see the curve of her body, and called out to him intimately. 67 Terrance became red in the face after he realized the source of Mr. Welson¡¯s surprise. It¡¯s this woman! I now understand what Mr. Cadogan means when he says, ¡°Something doesn¡¯t smell right.¡± Suddenly, the blonde woman¡¯s perfume overwhelmed him to suffocation. ¡°Darling!¡± The woman called out to him sweetly with a weird Corynthean tone. ¡°Let go of me!¡± He struggled to push the woman away. On the other hand, ric saw the unfolding scene and frowned. He took another few steps back, keeping his distance from the room. Initially, he was only perspiring on his forehead, but he soon began to sweat on the tip of his nose, and his face. became noticeably paler. With great force, Terrance pushed the woman away, and it was then that he heard ric¡¯s icy voice. ¡°Hurry up and take her away!¡± Although Terrance panicked, he could still hear something wrong with ric¡¯s voice. As Terrance grabbed the woman¡¯s wrists, he turned around and looked at 12:20 Sat, 24 Chapter 170 ric Is Suffering From Gastric Pain ric. In that split second, he noticed ric leaning against the wall, clutching his stomach with a pale expression. ¡°Mr. Cadogan!¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 B In the meantime, ric was perched precariously on the edge, looking like he could fall at any moment. However, the blonde woman¡¯s yful interaction with Terrance abruptly stopped when she noticed ric¡¯s distressed appearance and realized something was wrong. Ultimately, she abandoned her attempts to captivate Terrance and followed him while awkwardlymunicating with him in Corynthean. ¡°Is he alright? Should I call for an ambnce?¡± When he found out their coborator had sent this woman to them, he initially wanted her to leave. However, after seeing ric in such a state¡­ Instead, he uttered, ¡°Please, refrain from touching me.¡± Nheless, when she attempted to assist Terrance in propping ric up, she was met with an icy reprimand from ric. In response, Terrance swatted her hand away and deftly tranted what ric had said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for your help here. You should go and attend to your own matters.¡± On the other hand, the blonde woman gazed reluctantly at the feeble yet undeniably handsome man before her. Such an exceptional man is truly a rare gem; it¡¯s just that¡­ As she observed ric¡¯s frailty, she realized he would be unable to return her 1/8 171 Thinking MC interest tonight even if she managed to arouse him After realizing this, she relinquished her persistence and departed After the woman left, Terrance, who was clearly struggling under the burden of ric¡¯s weight, led him into the bedroom As ric settled on the couch, the arrival of the young intern disrupted the silence, bursting through the door when she saw that it wasn¡¯t opened with a gastric medicine in her hand Mr Levane, I¡¯ve brought the g-gastric medicine When Terrance heard this, he quickly grabbed the medication, unscrewed the bottle, and prepared to pour the medicine onto his palm Midway through, he was abruptly reminded of something as he quickly turned her, urgently demanding, ¡°Water! Past me water!¡± ¡°Ah, water! I¡¯ll go get it immediately¡± Then, she promptly turned her head and hurried into the kitchen to grab a ss of water for ric Due to nic¡¯s stomach condition, the scene became a whirlwind of chaos and attending to the matter. By the time nc had consumed the medicine and been tenderly guided to the respite of the guest room, half an hour had quietly slipped away. As for their choice Chanta 75 Thekro of the quest room, it was because the blonde woman had slept on the bed, so not only were the bed and sheets soiled, but the entire rigter room was also scented with perfume After emerging from the room, Terrance immediately ordered, ¡®Once Me Cadogan is feeling slightly better, we shall relocate him to a fresh suite on the lower floor The young intern readily nodded and said, ¡°Okay, no problem. What was that woman doing? How did a woman end up in Mr. Cadogan¡¯s room When he heard that, he responded helplessly, ¡°She was sent by the coborator thinking Mr. Cadogan would be interested¡± She was speechless upon hearing that and eventually grumbled, is the person in charge of the coboration dumb? Have they not heard that Mr. Cadogan is uninterested in such things? It would bemon knowledge if they had asked around Ultimately, Terrance chose not to borate further, his countenance darkening ¡°By the way why did Mr. Cadogan¡¯s stomach act up again?¡± ¡°He barely ate a few bites for lunch and didn¡¯t have time for dinner. Of course, with Chapter 171 Thinking Mr Cadogan Would Be Intereste his pre-existing stomach condition, if he doesn¡¯t eat properly, his stomach will act up again.¡± When the matter was brought up, he couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head in frustration. Then, he continued, ¡°Mr. Cadogan has been suffering from this illness for a long time. If this persists, who knows if it may take a turn for the worse? Despite our earnest efforts to counsel him, he remains unyielding. Not only does he disregard proper meals, but he¡¯s also consumed by his work.¡± 4/8 The young intern couldn¡¯t help but shudder upon hearing that, recalling ric¡¯s dreadfulplexion from earlier. Then, she inquired, ¡°Won¡¯t he listen even after his family intervened?¡± Terrance¡¯s expression turned somber in response. ¡°It¡¯s useless. If it had worked, Mr. Cadogan would not be suffering as much as he is now.¡± ¡°Right.¡± As the conversation progressed, a palpable air of hopelessness pervaded the room. Suddenly, a glimmer sparked in her eyes as she recalled something. ¡°What about Miss Johnson? Haven¡¯t we been told for years that she is Mr. Cadogan¡¯s sole presence? Can¡¯t she persuade him?¡± ¡°You mean udia?¡± he sighed and added, ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that. Initially, I believed it would make a difference. I even beseeched her for assistance, but it was useless.¡± Chapter 171 Thinking Mr Cadogan Would Be Intereste After hearing that, the young intern said, ¡°If even Miss Johnson couldn¡¯t do anything¡­ Then, it seems there¡¯s no solution. We¡¯ll just let things develop as they are. Mr. Cadogan won¡¯t pass away prematurely, right?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. Don¡¯t talk nonsense! You¡¯re just an intern, so don¡¯t utter ill wishes!¡± Terrance scolded, causing her to pout. ¡°Mr. Levane, let¡¯s be honest. Am I really cursing anyone? I am genuinely concerned about Mr. Cadogan. If things persist like this, even a healthy individual couldn¡¯t endure such turmoil, right?¡± Terrance sighed, acknowledging the young intern¡¯s point. ¡°Yes, but if even his family members are powerless, what can we do?¡± She said nothing after that, and they fell into a shared silence. 5/8 Meanwhile, ric awoke two hourster and changed rooms. The new chamber weed fresh air, free of unpleasant odors, and he quickly fell into a deep slumber on the bed. Afterward, Terrance opened the window to allow venttion and told the young intern, ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may return now.¡± 12:20 Chapter 171 Thinking Mr Cadogan Would Be Intereste ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Mr. Cadogan is not feeling well; someone needs to stay here with him at night.¡± She pursed her lips, pondering for a while before suddenly suggesting, ¡°Should Mr. Cadogan take his stomach medicine without eating anything? It can¡¯t be good for his stomach, right? How about¡­ I go downstairs and see if I can find some in congee?¡± ¡°This is a foreign country; finding in congee won¡¯t be easy.¡± 6/8 ¡°When I returned, I noticed a Corynthean restaurant nearby. Perhaps, they have it? I¡¯ll go and check.¡± With those words, she hurriedly dashed out. Initially, Terrance intended to tell the young intern not to bother, considering that even if she managed to buy it, there was no guarantee that ric would eat it. However, she was so enthusiastic that he didn¡¯t stop her and could only sigh before. taking a seat. About an hourter, she returned, clutching a container wrapped in multiple stic bags. ¡°Mr. Levane, I¡¯m back.¡± He promptly stood up upon hearing that. ¡°You got it?¡± A Chapter 171 Thinking Mr Cadogan Would Be Intereste She nodded and smiled. ¡°Yes, I got it. The owner of the restaurant downstairs is a This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Corynthean. As soon as he heard about Mr. Cadogan¡¯s stomach condition, he immediately cooked a pot of congee.¡± 7/8 After hearing this, Terrance hurriedly approached and verified that it was congee. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t fathom how the owner prepared it, but it exuded a fragrant aroma that aroused one¡¯s appetite. ¡°I¡¯ll call Mr. Cadogan, and you go to the kitchen and fetch a bowl. Fill it up to slightly less than halfway.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± On the other hand, ric had only slept for approximately two hours. Not only did his appetite suffer, but his sleep was also restless; it was only due to his stomach condition today that he could indulge in a deep slumbersting a mere two hours. After waking up, whether in his thoughts or before his eyes, all he could see was the sweet smile of a particr woman from his past. Aside from his stomach, there was another source of excruciating pain for him-A heartless woman. Who in this world. could be more inhuman than her? A momentter, he was gasping for air as the searing pain in his chest forced him to lean against something and reach for his Chapter 171 Thinking Mr Cadogan Would Be Intereste phone. Suddenly, he felt the urge to check the ounts of those children. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 It had been a day since ric hadn¡¯t replied to Victoria¡¯s message. Now, it was already approaching midnight. The two children¡¯s social media ounts were well-maintained with no random things cluttering their profiles. Their bios were simple and even their posts were infrequent. asionally, they would share edited videos with music and captions. It was evident that the person managing the ounts didn¡¯t have much free time. ric clicked on one of the videos and the smiling faces of the two children. immediately appeared on his phone screen. At the sight of their smiles, he suddenly felt the restlessness and irritability in his chest dissipate. He sat back against the edge of the bed, scrolling the ount with. his finger, and quietly watched for a long time. Gradually, his mood became increasingly calm. When Terrance pushed open the door to the room to find him, his restlessness had ¡°Why are you awake, Mr. Cadogan?¡± Terrance quickly walked up to him. ¡°I thought you were resting.¡± 17 Chapter 172 What Do You Want to Talk About? Although ric¡¯splexion hadn¡¯t fully recovered, his gaze was noticeably sharper. He nced at the person before him and pressed his thin lips together before asking, ¡°Do you need me for anything?¡± Only then did Terrance recall his purpose and quickly say, ¡°Well, Joe bought some chicken soup from the restaurant downstairs. The owner specially made it after hearing about your condition. The smell is quite enticing. Would you like to have some?¡± As he finished speaking, he rubbed his hands together. ¡°Since you¡¯ve taken the medicine, it¡¯s better for you to eat something to fill your-¡± However, before he could finish his sentence, he heard ric coldly reject his suggestion. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can take it back.¡± Terrance hadn¡¯t expected to be rejected so quickly, but he didn¡¯t want to give up either. He hesitated in ce, reluctant to leave. ¡°Is there something else?¡± ric nced at him. ¡°It¡¯s not that, Mr. Cadogan. Your stomach is not good and you can¡¯t go on like this. You must eat something.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± 277 Chapter 172 What Do You Want to Talk About? Hearing that, Terrance pouted. I wish it had nothing to do with me. After all, I¡¯m not the one feeling the pain, but when you are in pain, I end up being busy. In the end, I¡¯m the one worried about you instead of yourself. Also, if you were to die from the illness, I would lose my position. Where would I find another high-paying job? Although there are many things to do when working with Mr. Cadogan, he is extremely cold. He is different from other people. As long as Iplete my work during office hours, he doesn¡¯t inquire about other matters. The end-of-year sry and bonuses are also very generous. In short, if he could work at the Cadogan Group for a lifetime, he wouldn¡¯t consider going anywhere else. At this thought, he nned to use a bunch of polite words to respond to ric. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that, Mr. Cadogan. You are my superior. So, as your subordinate, I should be concerned about your health. If you¡¯re sick, Joe and I will worry.¡± However, no matter how he expressed his concern, ric seemed as if he hadn¡¯t. heard his words. Seeing that ric¡¯s expression seemed imprable, Terrance was extremely worried. He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, you already have a stomach problem. Even though you took your medicine, no matter how good the medicine is, not eating or drinking like this will¡­¡± ¡°Get out.¡± 377 Chapter 172 What Do You Want to Talk About? ¡°Mr. Cadogan.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± ric¡¯s expression turned cold. Terrance stood still for a while, but in the end, he had no choice. With a sigh, he turned around to leave. As ric closed his eyes, he felt a headacheing on, but at this moment, a soft, adorable voice echoed in his mind. ¡®Mummy said that we have to eat well and on time to have a healthy body. So, everyone must have their meals on time. This is¡­ Nicole¡¯s voice. Why did I think of that child¡¯s voice at a time like this? Is this a sign? Although he had taken his stomach medicine, his stomach still ached faintly. He pressed his lips together, and just as Terrance was about to leave the bedroom, hel called out to him, ¡°Wait.¡± Terrance stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at ric with a dejected expression. ¡°Yes, Mr. Cadogan?¡± ¡°You mentioned¡­ chicken soup?¡± At his question, Terrance, whose eyes had lost their spark, immediately brightened up and nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes, Mr. Cadogan. It¡¯s chicken soup specially made by the 40 Chapter 172 What Do You Want to Talk About? restaurant downstairs.¡± ric pondered for a moment. ¡°Bring it in.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go get it immediately.¡± When Terrance left the room, the young intern, Joe, was anxiously waiting outside. ¡°How did it go, Mr. Levane? Is Mr. Cadogan willing to eat something?¡± ¡°Yes. Hurry up and bring me the chicken soup.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Joe handed a small bowl of chicken soup to Terrance.¡± Once he received it, he hurriedly made his way back to the bedroom, fearing that ric would change his mind if he was a few minuteste. In any case, when he felt like eating, it was better to let him have a bite than not eat anything at all. Instantly, the aroma of the chicken soup filled the room. Furthermore, it was still warm when it was handed over. Terrance handed a spoon to ric and said considerately, ¡°Be careful, Mr. Cadogan. It¡¯s hot.¡± After ric took it, he looked at the bowl of chicken soup and scooped up a 5/7 This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 172 What Do You Want to Talk About? spoonful, but instead of eating it, he lifted his head and looked at Terrance. ¡°How long do you n to stay here?¡± Terrance, who originally intended to watch him eat, retracted his gaze. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll be outside.¡± After the bedroom door was closed, the room fell silent. ric stared at the bowl of chicken soup. In fact, he had no appetite at all. He had never been enthusiastic about food in the first ce. Food, to him, was merely sustenance to keep himself alive. He always ate very little. It was the woman who used to be by his side who had a great interest in food. It was even more pronounced when they were younger. Every time, after school or on weekends, she would always drag him to try out delicious food and ask him to take her there. When he was with her, his appetite grew a little, but after she left¡­ At this thought, his eyes grew slightly heavy. He pushed aside the unnecessary thoughts in his mind, picked up the bowl, and without even using a spoon, he reluctantly drank the chicken soup straight from the bowl. The food in his mouth held no vor whatsoever. It was as tasteless as chewing 6/7 12:21 Sat, 24 JunG¡¤ Chapter 172 What Do You Want to Talk About? wax. After finishing the congee, he nced at his phone again and thought about the message Victoria had sent during the day. Against his better judgment, he sumbed to the temptation and opened it. Then he stared at the message for a while before crafting a reply. On the other hand, Victoria was busy with work tonight. By the time she finished, it was alreadyte at night. She felt a little hungry, but she was toozy to cook, so she settled for a few pieces of biscuits to fill her stomach. After washing up and checking on her two little ones to make sure they were asleep, she nned to go to bed too. Unexpectedly, her phone vibrated at that moment. She was worried that it might be something important from work, so she wiped her hair while picking up her phone to check. When she saw the message, she realized it was a reply from a man named ¡®Silent Night¡¯. After a whole day had passed, he chose to reply at such ate hour. ¡®What do you want to talk about?¡¯ Chapter 173 Chapter 173 E To be honest, this answer sounded rather strange no matter how one looked at it. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this person had silently supported Nicole and Nathan with donations for such a long time without any intent, Victoria would probably have ignored him directly. But no matter what, she was the one who contacted him first. Time was precious for Victoria even at night, so she didn¡¯t want to waste it. With that, she directly asked for his contact information. ¡®Can I please have your contact number?¡¯ At this sight, ric stared at this sentence for a while and then entered his own contact information. Victoria looked at the contact information he sent her and then opened her WhatsApp to add it. The profile that came up was very simple, with the simple letter ¡®Y¡¯ as the nickname and a profile picture of a beach at night. The nickname was simr to his Tik Tok handle. She then quickly added the person¡¯s number. After ric sent the message, he waited for a while but didn¡¯t receive a reply from her. He pursed his lips as he nced at the time and thought, Could it be that the person is not responding because it¡¯s toote and had fallen asleep? While contemting, he opened WhatsApp and saw a new message. He subconsciously looked at the person¡¯s profile picture. 1/6 12:21 Sat, 24 Chapter 173 Give Me the Door ess Code Originally, he thought that people who had children usually used their own children¡¯s pictures as their profile pictures, but unexpectedly, the person¡¯s profile picture was a ray of sunshine at twilight. Looking at this picture, ric somehow felt that the person was someone with a vibrant spirit, unlike himself¡­ While in thought, he saw a message appearing above the chat box, ¡®The other person is typing¡­¡¯ Soon, the other person¡¯s message came through. ¡®Hello sir, how should I address you?¡¯ Sir? ric pursed his lips upon seeing this. He typed a word in response. ¡®Al.¡¯ Al? When Victoria saw this word, she was momentarily taken aback, but soon she felt relieved. The world was vast, and over the years, she often heard the same surnames, words, and even simr first andst names. At first, Victoria¡¯s heart would pound when she heard the same name. But now¡­ she was just momentarily taken aback and soon regained herposure. ¡®Hello, Mr. Al.¡¯ It was indeed simr to his handle on TikTok. Mr. Al? This address made ric slightly tug at the corner of his lips, but he didn¡¯t reply. Shortly after, she sent another message. ¡®Thank you very much for liking my two children. You have given both my children a lot of gifts throughout this year. Nicole and Nathan both really like you. However, we mentioned during the livestream that we won¡¯t ept gifts. So, after excluding the portion deducted by 2/6 Chapter 173 Give Me the Door ess Code the tform, I roughly calcted the remaining amount, and it¡¯s this sum.¡¯ E ric paused upon reading the message. He knew that she added him just to talk about money-rted matters. He never expected that she had already calcted everything. The figure she sent was alsorger than he had anticipated. It wasn¡¯t that he cared about therge sum of money he had given out but rather, he hadn¡¯t realized that he had been tipping the two children that much money. ¡®Mr. Al, this is a substantial amount. May I ask for your ount number? I¡¯ll return this money to you.¡¯ After receiving Victoria¡¯s message, ric silently stared at the phone screen. She¡¯s serious about returning the money? Although he could tell from the live stream that the two children came from a well-off family, who in this world, apart from a certain foolish woman, wouldin about having too much money? Victoria waited for a long time until she finally received a response from him. She thought he had gone to look for his bank ount number, but after a few minutes, he only replied with a brief text. ¡®There¡¯s no need for that.¡¯ She was speechless upon seeing that. From the beginning of the conversation until now, she realized that he was a man of few words. It was unclear whether it was how he normally was or he simply didn¡¯t 3/6 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 173 Give Me the Door ess Code want to engage in further conversations. However, based on her observation, it seemed more likely thetter reason. After all, when Victoria sent him a message, it was marked as read, but he didn¡¯t reply untilter in the evening. Perhaps, the reason he replied to her message at night was that he thought it would be impolite not to reply. After making sense of the situation, Victoria dismissed the idea of chatting further with him. She fell silent for a moment and then left a message that read, ¡®It¡¯s getting number. Goodnight and sweet dreams.¡¯ When ric saw this message, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It was evident that she was trying to end their conversation. However, he was caught by surprise when she requested his bank ount details. She¡¯s still thinking of returning the money? If I were to send my ount number, would she actually transfer the money to me? Considering how well-behaved and polite the two adorable kids were, he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that if he dared to provide his ount number, they would genuinely transfer the money. Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t take back what he had given away. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The next day, the half-asleep Victoria seemed to hear some noise in the living room. 4/6 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 173 Give Me the Door ess Code They were rustling sounds. She stayed silent for a second, then quickly woke up and pulled back the covers before getting out of bed barefoot. The morning light peeked through the gaps in the tree leaves, illuminating the living room with flickering fragments of light. 5/6 The window in the living room was opened, and the sounds of birds chirping could be heard which added liveliness to the atmosphere. The next moment, a tall and slender figure was seen being busy by the dining table in the living room. The sleeves on his off-white shirt were rolled up, revealing the muscr arms. He paired the white shirt with simple ck trousers, which exuded an extraordinary temperament. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± The man¡¯s warm voice echoed while his gaze fell on Victoria. The next moment, he noticed her bare feet, making him furrow his brows lightly. ¡°You¡¯re up, but why aren¡¯t you wearing shoes?¡± Hearing that, Victoria looked down and nced at her bare feet. Before she could respond, she heard Bane¡¯s gentle voice again. ¡°Quickly put on your shoes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victoria went back to her room and put on her shoes beforeing out. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Victoria walked over and sat opposite him. Bane ced the te of breakfast on the table and put the bag away before saying, ¡°If I didn¡¯te, were you nning to have sandwiches again today?¡± Victoria 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun G ¡¤ Chapter 173 Give Me the Door ess Code paused for a moment and then retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t eat sandwiches every day. I only do that asionally when I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°You should still eat properly even if you¡¯re busy.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t say anything and looked at Bane helplessly. Since Bane knew she was busy, he would often have his chef at home prepare meals and send them over. At first, he would call Victoria before sending the food over, but after some time, Victoria couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and directly told him, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stoping over in the morning? I want to sleep a bit longer.¡± At that, Bane raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°If you want to sleep more, you can. Just give me the entrance code.¡± Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything Chapter 174 Chapter 174 E Thus, that was how Bane obtained the entrance code to her house. Afterward, he would often personally bring breakfast over. As the frequency increased, Victoria also felt embarrassed and said to him, ¡°Actually, you can have your subordinates deliver it.¡± Bane then ruffled her hair and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to sleep a bit longer? If they deliver it, they¡¯ll have to give you a phone call which will wake you up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have the entrance code?¡± Upon hearing that, Bane sighed, ¡°Do you think I would trust others with the entrance code to your house?¡± ¡°Not even your subordinates?¡± ¡°Not even them.¡± Unless he was truly busy, he would take care of her no matter what. ¡°Have you washed up?¡± Victoria was lost in thought when she suddenly heard Bane ask her a question. She snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. ¡°Not yet. I got up to check 1/8 Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything because I heard a sound in the living room.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still not used to it?¡± Bane ced a cup of warm water in front of her and continued, ¡°What difference does it make if you¡¯re awake as soon as I arrive?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a difference. From the time you wake me up with a phone call to the time you spend arranging things in the living room, I can at least sleep a few more minutes.¡± Victoria smiled. Hearing that, Bane was amused by her and yfully tapped her delicate nose with his finger. ¡°You¡¯re so cheeky.¡± With that, Victoria paused and blinked her eyes gently beforeughing. ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± When Victoria finished washing up and came out, Bane was already sitting in the seat next to hers with a newspaper in hand. Upon hearing her movement, he folded the newspaper and put it in his bag. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Victoria nced at her seat and thought for a moment before deciding to sit opposite him. 2/B 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything Bane noticed her actions and his gaze darkened slightly. However, he didn¡¯t show it on his face. He then pushed the te of breakfast toward her. ¡°Have some.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Maybe it was due to the fact that she had just chosen to sit across from him, the atmosphere between them became a bit strange, and they both had breakfast quietly. As Victoria looked at Bane¡¯s handsome face, she felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. He was treating her so well, yet she was still concerned about something as trivial as the seating arrangement¡­ The thought of it gave her a sense of guilt. After swallowing the food in her mouth, she was about to speak to break the awkward silence when she heard Bane say, ¡°How are things going with the business?¡± Upon hearing that, Victoria paused. ¡°What business?¡± ¡°Are you still half-asleep?¡± Bane gently reminded her. ¡°I¡¯m talking about thepany you¡¯re starting.¡± It was only then did Victoria understand what he meant. ¡°Oh, you mean that.¡± She lowered her gaze and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve already thought it through, but I might make a slight change in the location.¡± ¡°Location?¡± 3/8 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything ¡°Yes, I n to open thepany domestically.¡± When Bane heard the mention of the domestic market, his hand paused for a moment, but it was so subtle that it was almost undetectable. Not to mention, Victoria wasn¡¯t even looking at him at that moment. ¡°The domestic market?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve done market research, and the domestic market is the most suitable in recent years.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really grown. You¡¯ve even learned how to do market research.¡± Victoria was speechless upon hearing that. She was already a mother of two children, and it had been five years. Why did Bane still treat her as a young girl? After praising her, Bane fell silent for a moment, then spoke gently, ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better to set up yourpany overseas? Set it up near mypany so I can help.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve helped me so much in these five years and I shouldn¡¯t rely on you for everything.¡± Victoria felt a bit embarrassed. ¡°Rely on me for everything?¡± Bane chuckled lightly at the description. ¡°Victoria, if you 4/8 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun? G Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything were truly willing to rely on me for everything in these five years, I wouldn¡¯t have had to go through so much trouble.¡± Although she now agreed to let him bring her breakfast, it was the result of Bane¡¯s efforts. Even if he didn¡¯t do these things, Victoria could still live a good life. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯ve already helped me a lot. If you do more, I won¡¯t be able to repay you.¡± ¡°Who said you have to repay me?¡± Bane looked at her with a deep gaze, and he spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m doing it willingly so I can¡¯t do anything to you even if you don¡¯t repay me.¡± Victoria remained silent upon hearing that. It was true that he couldn¡¯t do anything. to her as he had always respected her. But the more she owed him, the more guilty she felt. If she couldn¡¯t repay him, she wouldn¡¯t be at ease for the rest of her life. ¡°Alright, rx. It¡¯s not an issue if you want to go back to the country. I can even go back with you.¡± Upon hearing that, Victoria, who had been looking down, suddenly raised her head. ¡°You¡¯ll go back with me?¡± 5/8 12 21 Sat, Chapter 174 Shoulda Rely on You for Everything ¡°Why not? Since you¡¯re going back to start apany in your home country, shouldn¡¯t I go there to help?¡± Victoria was speechless after hearing that. The truth was, her decision to return to her home country to set up apany wasn¡¯t just based on market research. There were other reasons as well. She simply felt that Bane had done too much for her, and she wanted to go somewhere far away from him. But she never expected him to make such a significant decision for her or for him to decide that immediately. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you startled by my words?¡± ¡°Before this¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Did you really think I wanted to go back to the country with you? Victoria, I¡¯m a businessman. I won¡¯t do anything if I don¡¯t gain from it. Even if you don¡¯t want to go back to the country this time, I will still go back. I n to expand my business domestically as well. As for the market research report, my assistant handed it to mest month. Do you think I did it for you?¡± Upon hearing about the market research report, Victoria heaved a sigh of relief, but at the same time, she became suspicious. ¡°Last month? Are you telling the truth?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t believe me?¡± Bane took a sip of coffee and smirked. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, Sat Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything go to thepanyter and have Ethan show you the report.¡± 6 ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll believe you just because you say so. I will really go and see it.¡± ¡°Sure, go take a look. There¡¯s nothing in mypany that you haven¡¯t seen before.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. His frankness made Victoria feel that she had been too presumptuous. Come to think of it, if he hadn¡¯t made any preparations in advance and just gone back to the country with her, his business abroad would definitely suffer a huge loss. How could a businessman allow himself to lose so much money? ¡°By the way¡­¡± Bane remembered something and took out an invitation letter from his pocket. ¡°There¡¯s an auction in the country next month, in Riverdale. Will you apany me?¡± Victoria took the invitation letter and opened it while asking, ¡°Is there something specific you¡¯re looking at?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s Old Mr. Morison¡¯s birthday, and there¡¯s a particr antique he¡¯s interested in that is said to be avable in this auction. I n to bid for it and give it to him as a birthday gift.¡± Victoria nodded upon hearing the reason. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll apany you then. I need to 7/8 12:21 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 174 Shouldn¡¯t Rely on You for Everything see what gift I should prepare for Old Mr. Morison as well.¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 E Victoria handed the invitation letter back to Bane upon finishing her words. However, Bane didn¡¯t put it away immediately. Instead, he tightened his grip on the invitation letter while gazing at Victoria. ¡°The best present one can give Grandpa is probably a granddaughter-inw.¡± Victoria froze for a moment; she had a feeling that Bane was hinting at something. She was about to respond to him when he continued speaking, ¡°It¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t fulfill his wishes. The best I can do for now is to get him one of the antiques that he might like¡± After saying that, he finally kept the invitation letter away. He let out a chuckle when he saw how stiff Victoria seemed. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She snapped out of her daze before letting out an awkwardugh. ¡°Is that so? Could it be that you thought I was trying to give you a hint earlier?¡± the man asked. She eyed him speechlessly before responding, ¡°Well, not really¡­ Why would I think so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if that¡¯s what you thought. Grandpa is quite fond of your two kids, and I¡¯m sure you know how I feel about you,¡± Banemented. 1/7 12 22 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 175 She Cant ept t Victoria pressed her lips together without saying much after that. Two years ago, he had seized the perfect opportunity to confess his feelings toward her, but she had rejected his advances then. She tried her best to avoid him after that incident, and it took a while for Bane to finally get in contact with her again. 777 ¡°If you¡¯re avoiding me because of my feelings for you, I want to let you know that you don¡¯t have to do that, Victoria. I¡¯m responsible for my own feelings. I¡¯m sure you can tell I haven¡¯t forced you to do anything for me in the past three years. I might not even have brought this topic up today if we hadn¡¯t had this conversation. So, are you sure you want to continue avoiding me because of this? Would you rather lose me as a friend?¡± His tone was sincere and warm. If I continue to avoid him, I¡¯d feel bad about it, Victoria thought. Bane had been nice to her throughout the two years after his initial confession, and he hadn¡¯t dated any other women since then. He would reject anyone that came close to him. Thus, Victoria was the only woman in his life, along with her two children. Even. though he never brought up the topic of his feelings and never once forced Victoria. to date him, she still found herself in a tough spot. She couldn¡¯t reject him since he didn¡¯t voice his feelings, and sometimes, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was the cause that hindered him from finding someone better. ¡°Alright. You shouldn¡¯t worry about these things. You¡¯re about to start apany, so Chapter 175 She Can¡¯t ept It you should focus on that.¡± Bane¡¯s voice brought her back to reality, and she nodded lightly upon hearing his words. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m probably going to be very busy if I start my own business,¡± she muttered. After breakfast, Victoria packed some leftovers into a lunch box and left a sticky note on it. Then, she headed off to the office with Bane. It was rare for both of them. to show up in the office together, and their gorgeous looks made the people around turn their eyes on them as they walked into the office. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Mr. Morison ising in with Miss Selwyn. How rare!¡± someone ¡°What¡¯s so rare about this? Mr. Morison is in love with Miss Selwyn. Everyone in the ¡°But the wholepany also knows Miss Selwyn isn¡¯t interested in Mr. Morison. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve gotten together by now,¡± someone else stated. ¡°Why do you guys think Miss Selwyn keeps rejecting Mr. Morison? He¡¯s a handsome and capable man. He¡¯s gentle and sweet, too! Just the sight of him makes me excited. Furthermore, he¡¯s so nice to Miss Selwyn. Can any woman resist our boss¡¯ alluring charms?¡± 3/7 12-22 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 175 She Cant ept it This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Well, I heard that Miss Selwyn only rejected Mr. Morison because of her history. Apparently, she reckons that she isn¡¯t up to Mr. Morison¡¯s standards because of what she encountered in the past, and that¡¯s why she refuses to date him.¡± ¡°What? What happened?¡± Everyone was intrigued by this topic of conversation. Gossip was to be found in any corner of the world as long as it was a space upied by people. ¡°Miss Selwyn had a divorce, and she¡¯s a single mother with two kids now.¡± The people who hadn¡¯t heard about this were shocked at first. They had expected Victoria to have some dramatic ex-lover, but they hadn¡¯t expected her to be a divorcee, much less a mother of two children. ¡°I heard that the Morison Family is pretty strict about these things. I¡¯m sure Old Mr. Morison wouldn¡¯t allow a woman like Miss Selwyn into the family since she¡¯s a mother of two kids,¡± someone uttered. ¡°It may be possible for a divorcee with two kids to marry a regr man, but I would agree that she¡¯s no match for someone like Mr. Morison. There¡¯s no way that Old Mr. Morison would agree to such a marriage! That exins why they aren¡¯t dating- she¡¯s simply not a good fit for him!¡± Another person sneered. DV ¡°Where did you hear about that? Didn¡¯t Mr. Morison¡¯s father also have a second wife? HOW COULD YOU say that the Morson Family is strict about these things another staf member rebuked THETITLE. WT. Monson has a brocher who¡¯s only about seven years old. Isn¡¯t that the chic of his farmer¡¯s second wife? I heard that Mr. Morison¡¯s stepmother is pretty mean too.¡± The workers had been gossiping about Victoria and Bane at first, but they eventually steered in the direction of Bane¡¯s private life since they were more merested in him. The workers only stopped when they heard the team leader bearing his throat. They scurried back to their respective seats after that. ¡°If you guys could apply the same amount of effort you put in gossiping to your work, I¡¯m sure you guys wouldn¡¯t have been stuck with your current positions for so long. You guys are just sozy sometimes!¡± The team leader shook his head before waking off. Victoria had no idea that the other staff members were gossiping about her. Even if she knew about it, she wouldn¡¯t be too bothered as she didn¡¯t care what others said. about her. That was because she knew everyone was free to have their own opinions and that the only person whom she had control over was herself. After parting ways with Bane, she headed to her own office. While on her way there, she recalled something and took a detour to Ethan¡¯s office. ¦¥ Chapter 175 She Can¡¯t ept It Knock! Knock! Ethan had been preparing the schedule for the day. He looked up when he heard the knock, and his eyes lit up when he saw Victoria standing by the doorway. ¡°What brings you here, Miss Selwyn?¡± He got to his feet with a smile on his face. ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± 67 Victoria shot him a side-eye. ¡°Am I not allowed to drop by for no reason?¡± ¡°Of course not! You¡¯re free to do that,¡± Ethan replied. He was the assistant who had been present at the airport all those years ago. He had witnessed the special treatment that Bane gave to Victoria, and he had been continuously learning about their rtionship in the past five years. Ethan was surprised that Bane had not managed to win Victoria over even after five years, and he even looked down on Bane¡¯s flirting skills sometimes. However, that didn¡¯t stop Ethan from treating Victoria like his boss¡¯ wife. ¡°I wanted to ask if Bane has any ns of developing the business within the country,¡± Victoria uttered. At her question, he froze for a moment before returning to his senses. Is that why Mr. Morison told me to prepare all the market research reports? ¡°Yes, he does. Mr. Morison told me to do some research on that. What is it, Miss Selwyn? Are interested in this?¡± he asked. you 12:22 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 175 She Can¡¯t ept It ¡°Do you have the market research report with you? Can I take a look at it?¡± she asked. I don¡¯t care how I might look here. I need to find out if that market research report does exist or if Bane had juste up with something to trick me. I simply can¡¯t ept all of his support for me. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Ethan handed the report to Victoria in the end. Victoria flipped through the pages to realize that it was the same copy that Bane had been talking about¨Cit was also dated from a month ago. The market research report wasn¡¯t just a general report, as it also included a lot of specifics. After Victoria went through the whole thing, she let out a huge sigh of relief. She was d to learn that Bane genuinely had the intention of developing the business locally and that he wasn¡¯t doing all of this just for her. ¡°Thank you. You can have it back,¡± Victoria uttered as she handed the files back to Ethan. ¡°Do you need more time to study it, Miss Selwyn?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I went through it already,¡± she replied. ¡°Alright. Feel free to text me if you ever need it again and I¡¯ll send it to you,¡± Ethan offered. After he walked Victoria out with a polite smile on his face, he returned to his own seat and wiped off theyer of sweat that had formed on his forehead. Then, he lowered his head to nce at the research report on the table as he recalled what 1/7 Chapter 176 Neglected Your Kids Bane had told him in the past. ¡°It has to be done meticulously,¡± Bane had said when he first told Ethan to prepare the report. ¡°Meticulously?¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t sure what Bane meant by that. ¡°How meticulous do you need me to be, Mr. Morison?¡± 277 ¡°As meticulous as possible,¡± he replied. Ethan had left the research report around for a long while after it was done, and no one seemed to need the report for anything. It was only when Victoria dropped by that day that Ethan realized why Bane required the report to be meticulous. I bet all of this is done just for Miss Selwyn, Ethan thought. Mr. Morison¡¯s even hiding the truth from her just to protect her. Ethan couldn¡¯t help but sigh when he thought about the situation. Is he still the same madman that I once knew? He seems so different now. Well, he¡¯s still a madman in his own ways¨CI guess he won¡¯t change that part of him for anyone. Ethan shuddered at the thought of all the wild and insane things that Bane had done in the past. Sometimes I wonder¡­ Is Miss Selwyn really lucky, or really unlucky, to have captivated the heart of a man like Bane? Chapter 176 Neglected Your Kids Ever since Victoria decided to start her ownpany, shepletely immersed herself in work. In the past, she would still have the time to take an afternoon. nap, but she barely had any time to rest in recent days. She even had to sacrifice her sleep. There were simply too many things that she had to prepare¨Cshe only managed toplete her initial draft of her business n after staying up for a few consecutive nights. 377 She finally managed to get some rest in the afternoon after shepleted her first draft. Coincidentally, Summer paid her a visit on that day, and they decided to have a meal together. When Summer saw the look on Victoria¡¯s face, she shook her head. with a sigh. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t overwork yourself even if your goal is to start apany! Have you taken a look at yourself in the mirror in the past few days?¡± Summer cried. ¡°Why would I look in the mirror?¡± Victoria sipped on her coffee without seeming too concerned. ¡°Do you think I have the free time to do that?¡± she sighed. ¡°Well, you might be hard at work, but don¡¯t you think you should also pay some N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. attention to your health and your image?¡± Summer scanned her friend from head to toe. ¡°Do you know what you look like right now?¡± she asked. Victoria stared nkly at Summer, and Summer was also quiet for a moment as she couldn¡¯t find the right words to describe her friend. In the end, Summer simply pulled a pocket mirror out of her bag before handing it to 12 22 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 176 Neglected Your Kids Victoria. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say it. You can take a look at yourself¨Cperhaps you¡¯d understand,¡± Summer muttered. Victoria was exhausted from her days of hard work, and all she wanted was a peaceful lunch. She hadn¡¯t expected Summer toment on her looks and to even hand her a mirror. ¡°Stop messing around, Summer-¡± Victoria stopped abruptly when she actually saw her reflection in the mirror. An ¡°I know, right?¡± Summer let out augh when she saw the stunned look on Victoria¡¯s face. ¡°Do you know what you look like right now?¡± Victoria instinctively ced a hand on her cheek after a few seconds of just staring at herself. ¡°My image is ruined,¡± she muttered. Her reflection in the mirror was of a woman with huge, swollen eye bags. She had been too busy to put on any makeup and she looked especially pale as she hadn¡¯t been getting enough sleep. On top of all that, she had also lost a few pounds, which made her look like a drug addict. If my reflection is a shock to myself, I can only imagine how shocking it must be for others, she thought. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me this is how you¡¯ve been showing up in the office for the past few days,¡± Summer muttered. ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡± Victoria nodded solemnly. ¡°Pfft.¡± Summer nearly choked on her food. ¡°Did you really go to work like that?¡± 12:22 Sat, 24 Jun G Chapter 176 Neglected Your Kids Summer couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue when she saw the helpless look on Victoria¡¯s face. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s one of the perks of being naturally good¨Clooking. You¡¯re still pretty even when you don¡¯t care about your looks,¡± Summer uttered. Summer didn¡¯t actually think that Victoria looked bad¨Cshe simply looked less presentable than her usual self. Furthermore, with Victoria¡¯s naturally gorgeous looks and sharp features, the addedyers of eyebags and theck of color in her cheeks only made her look like a pretty vampire. Summer couldn¡¯t help but sigh at this thought. She¡¯s still a beauty even when she¡¯s at her worst. Meanwhile, if someone like me were to be in that state¡­ I¡¯d probably be a mess, Summer thought. ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t overwork yourself. You don¡¯t expect yourself to start a whole business within the span of a few days, do you? You should allow yourself more time. There¡¯s no harm in dying the opening a little, right?¡± Summermented. 5/7 ¡°I know,¡± Victoria replied with a nod. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡± Victoria¡¯s attention was quickly drawn back to herpany after Summer first mentioned it. She quickly asked Summer for some pointers,pletely forgetting that she looked like a mess. Summer knew that there was no point in lecturing Victoria when Victoria was in a workaholic mode, so Summer no longer bothered to make any They spent lunchtime talking about work, and Summer only realized that she didn¡¯t 12:22 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 176 Neglected Your Kids B 6/7 have much to eat when it was time for them to leave. Forget it. I guess this helps me to lose some weight, Summer thought. ¡°Have you been neglecting your kids with all that¡¯s going on at work recently?¡± Summer wondered. Victoria felt especially guilty at the mention of her kids. ¡°Yeah, but Nathan and Nicole have been really sweet about it. I promised that I would bring them to the yground once I¡¯m done with all my work,¡± she uttered. ¡°The yground, huh? Do you want me to take them out instead?¡± Summer offered. Victoria shot the woman a puzzled nce. ¡°You? Are you free to do that?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Summer replied while wiggling her eyebrows. ¡°Did you apply for a day off today?¡± Summer chuckled. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a rare asion, but I¡¯ve taken three days off work. I¡¯m going to move in with you for a bit.¡± Victoria wasn¡¯t too surprised to hear this. After all, Summer woulde over to stay with her every time Summer had a holiday. She would help with caring for the kids and preparing meals every now and then. Their friendship had been steady throughout all these years. ¡°Alright. You can head over first, then. I have other Chapter 176 Neglected Your Kids matters to handle. Can you do it all on your own?¡± Victoria asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Summer waved at Victoria. ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone else to help if I need. anything. You should hurry off and get back to work. I don¡¯t want to stop you from making big bucks,¡± she uttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Summer. When I¡¯m done with this, I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just waiting for you to get rich so that you can cover all my expenses,¡± Summer teased as she gave Victoria a yful push. ¡°Hurry up and get to work. I¡¯ll take care of the kids.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 After keying in the passcode to the room, Summer could hear the babbling of the two kids. When she took a good look at them, she realized that the kids were doing a live stream. Summer had been about to say something at first, but she held. herself back at the veryst moment. Since Nicole and Nathan hadn¡¯t noticed her yet, she figured that she would head over to clean the kitchen first. Summer assumed that Victoria would¡¯ve been too busy to do her dishes in the past two days, but to Summer¡¯s surprise, the kitchen was s**ck and span when she entered the area. The bowls were all washed, and the tabletop had been wiped down. There was a chart ced on a rack by the side, and there was a tick next to that day¡¯s date. ¡°Did the maidse over?¡± Summer muttered to herself. Then, she walked out to the balcony from the kitchen, and she only returned to the hall after the kids were done with their live stream. ¡°Miss Jones!¡± When Nicole saw Summer, she ran over excitedly. Before Summer had the chance to bend down and pick the girl up, Nicole had already wrapped her arms around Summer¡¯s legs. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in so long, Miss Jones. I missed you!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Summer narrowed her eyes and knelt down in front of the girl. Before Nicole could say anything, Summer reached her hand out and squished the young 1/6 = 2/6 Chapter 1771 Love You to Death! girl¡¯s cheeks before rubbing and pinching them gently. Nicole¡¯s cheeks had turned pink and flushed by the time Summer stopped. Summer then leaned forward to nt a kiss on Nicole¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too!¡± Nicole¡¯s eyes widened as she blinked a few times. ¡°You¡¯re a little odd, Miss Jones¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s allowed to treat you like this, okay? You¡¯re not allowed to let anyone else touch your face!¡± Summer was grinning like an idiot at this point. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Nicole was just a young child-she didn¡¯t know better than to agree with Summer even though her cheeks were all pink from Summer¡¯s affection. Summer couldn¡¯t help but give Nicole another kiss after hearing Nicole¡¯s words. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t want anyone else to kiss your cheeks! Aside from me, only Mommy and Grandpa can do it,¡± she added. Nathan happened to walk over right then. ¡°Miss. Jones,¡± the boy uttered politely. Summer¡¯s eyes lit up once more when she saw Nathan, and she loosened her grip on Nicole and made her way toward the boy. However, Nathan was quick to take a step back. ¡°Nathan! Hurry up and give me a kiss!¡± Summer protested as she narrowed her eyes to form a mean look. Nathan took a few more steps back as he felt his cheeks turn red. Summer rushed over to catch him before picking him up and sitting him down beside Nicole. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder Victoria does so much for you guys. I would do the same if I had kids as cute as you two!¡± Summer said. What a shame! It has been five Chapter 177 | Love You to Death! years-I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m still single! Her best friend had gotten married, pregnant, and then divorced, and she had also given birth to two kids. However, Summer was still single. Back then, when Summer first left her country, she had hoped that Victoria would be able to introduce her to some quality men. It was Summer¡¯s dream to marry a foreigner and to have a child who was of mixed descent. However, having a child. seemed like too far away of a dream then-she couldn¡¯t even find a partner! This was all because of that mean superior of hers! Summer¡¯s superior happened to be a biracial man-his mother was of Corynthean blood. When Summer first met him, she had envisioned a future with him. However, the more time.she spent with him, the more she realized that he was just a workaholic who would find all sorts of ways. to suck up the free time she had over the weekend. 3/6 Sometimes, Summer would be out on a date when her superior would give her a call and tell her to get back to work. He would threaten to deduct her year-end bonus if she refused to return. Summer would have no choice but to ditch her dates and head back to work. As time went on, Summer began to me her superior for the reason she couldn¡¯t find a partner. Summer felt frustration boiling in her as she thought about this matter. ¡°You guys need to pray for me to get married as soon as possible. I want to give birth to kids as cute as you two so that I won¡¯t have toe over all the time to squish your cheeks.¡± 12 26 Sat, F Chapter 177 I Love You to Death! Nicole, being the thoughtful one, was quick to wrap her arms around Summer¡¯s neck. ¡°I hope you get married soon, Miss Jones!¡± ¡°Oh, my sweetie! You¡¯re so adorable. I love you to death!¡± Summer eximed. Bane came over to visit Victoria when it was nearly time to get off work. ¡°Are you still working?¡± he asked. Victoria was too busy to even look up from her work and simply muttered a short response. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to take a while more.¡± Moments ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked. Bane had his keys in one hand and his zer hanging on the other arm. There was a warm smile on his face as he walked over to her. ¡°I wanted to drive you home, but it looks like you¡¯re not done with work.¡± Bane walked over to the couch as he continued speaking. ¡°Should I wait for you here? How much longer will you need?¡± he asked. Victoria had intended to reject his offer at first, but she gave in eventually. ¡°I¡¯ll need about an hour,¡± she replied. ¡°Sure. Go ahead and do your thing.¡± Bane was an understanding man, and he no 4/5 Chapter 177 I Love You to Death! longer spoke to her after that. Victoria was quick to get back into her flow of work. Since he had to wait for an hour, Bane picked up a book and began to flip through it This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. on the couch. He had been interested in the book at first, but after a while, he found himself more drawn to Victoria. Victoria looked earnest when she was at work. All of her focus was ced on her even notice the strands of hair that were covering her face-all of her attention was on the screen. Every now and then, Victoria would slow down when she was faced with an issue that she had to think about. Then, she would rest her chin on her palm as she knitted her brows and pursed her lips. If she managed to think things. through and find a solution, the muscles around her brows would rx, and she would go back to typing. Victoria had no idea that Bane had been observing her the whole time even though he looked like he was reading a book. Bane didn¡¯t mind waiting for Victoria at all, but he thought one hour was too short because he wanted to watch her forever. It felt like he had only just sat down when Victoria finished her work. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m done. Let¡¯s go,¡± she uttered. ¡°Are you done already?¡± he asked as he lifted his wristwatch. It had only been 45. minutes. That exins why it feels like it hasn¡¯t been an hour, he thought. ¡°Hmm, yeah? I mean, my superior is keeping an eye on me as I work. My productivity increases in stressful situations, so I get things done a little faster than usual,¡± she 5/6 12:26 Sal, Chapter 1771 Love You to Death! uttered. Bane smiled upon hearing her words. ¡°It seems like my presence is pressuring you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pressure, but it¡¯s also motivation. Come on-let¡¯s go.¡± Victoria stuffed her notebook into her bag. She had been about to walk over to grab her coat when she realized that Bane had already taken it for her. He opened the coat and waited for her to slip her arms in. ¡°It¡¯s getting cold outside, so you should dress a little warmer. Don¡¯t you know how frail you are?¡± Bane muttered. Victoria froze for a second as she felt the man getting closer to her. Before she could do anything, she heard his deep and mesmerizing voice sounding from above her head. ¡°Hold your arms out,¡± he ordered. Victoria felt rather embarrassed at first. ¡°Why don¡¯t I-¡± ¡°Am I not even allowed to help you put on a coat?¡± Momentster, Victoria helplessly held her arms out as she allowed Bane to put the coat on for her. She only resisted his efforts when he began to help her button her coat. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll button the rest on my own.¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Bane¡¯s hand seemed to tremble for a moment, but he continued holding onto the button on her coat. ¡°Victoria,¡± he uttered with a slight chuckle. ¡°Are you that repulsed by me?¡± he muttered. ¡°No, I¡¯m just¡­¡± Victoria was trying to find the words to exin herself when Bane pulled his hand away with a soft sigh. ¡°You can do it on your own, then.¡± Once he pulled his hand away, Victoria hastily turned her back against him before she buttoned up her coat. After she was done, she turned back around to find that Bane had already picked up herptop bag and walked ahead of her. Victoria jogged after him. Most of the people in the office had gotten off work by then, but there were a few workers who stayed to work overtime. They greeted Bane and Victoria when they saw them. ¡°Mr. Morison, Miss Selwyn,¡± they uttered. Both Victoria and Bane nodded in unison. Upon entering the elevator, Victoria began to tell Bane about how Summer had ended up in her house. ¡°She¡¯s on holiday, huh? How rare. I can¡¯t believe her boss gave her a holiday,¡± Banemented. Victoria couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the mention of Summer¡¯s boss. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s really rare for her to be on holiday-I was surprised to hear that her boss gave her three days off.¡± The two of them continued to chat about their daily life as they headed to the car and drove out of the parking 1/ Chapter 178 Love Is in the Air lot. When Victoria and Bane got home, they were greeted by a mouth-watering smell. The hall was dimly lit, and both Nathan and Nicole were watching a cartoon on the couch. ¡°Mommy! Mr. Morison!¡± The kids hadn¡¯t seen Bane in a few days, so they were both excited to see him now. They reached for a hug, and the man stretched both his arms out to pick one kid up with each arm. Nathan was slightly timid-he hung his arms loosely around the man¡¯s neck. Nicole, on the other hand, exaggerated all her actions-she looped her arms tightly around Bane¡¯s neck while crying out in a childish voice, ¡°Thank you for sending Mommy home, Mr. Morison. You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Am I not the best when I don¡¯t send your mother home?¡± Bane teased. ¡°No. You¡¯re always the best,¡± Nicole replied sweetly. Bane nced in the direction of the woman who had slipped into her indoor slippers and headed toward the kitchen. ¡°If you think I¡¯m that great, what do you say I be your father?¡± he asked in a whisper. ¡°Hmm.¡± Nicole tilted her little head sideways as she fell deep into thought. Moments me if I allowed you to be my daddy?¡± 27 Chapte ¡°Of course.¡± Bane chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll buy anything you want for you, I¡¯ll make sure to fulfill all of your requests.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bane replied as he lifted his arm to hold her closer to his face. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± Nicole replied. ¡°Aren¡¯t I the best? Do you still need more time to consider this offer?¡± he asked again. ¡°Mhmm. I really like you, but I have to ask for Mommy¡¯s permission,¡± Nicole exined. Tsk. Bane bit his bottom lip gently. He was about to say something when he heard Summer¡¯s voiceing from the kitchen. ¡°Are you trying to fool the kids again, Bane? Aren¡¯t you a little too shameless?¡± Summer had just walked out of the kitchen with tes in her hands, and she happened to overhear Nicole¡¯s conversation with Bane. She couldn¡¯t help but tease Bane a little. ¡°You always fail at these little tricks of yours. Why won¡¯t you just give up?¡± Summer continued. Bane brought the two kids over to the dining table, and he watched Summer serving the dishes as he lowered the kids into their seats. ¡°I believe that I¡¯ll 37 12 27 Sat Chapter 178 Love Is in the Air get what I want if I¡¯m stubborn enough,¡± he replied. Summer froze for a moment before she let out a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. I wish you all the best. You know I¡¯m on your side-I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll win her over someday,¡± she stated. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure not to let you down,¡± Bane replied. Summer hadn¡¯t been as friendly with Bane when they first met. Even though Bane seemed like a warm and gentle. man, he was from an extremely influential family, so Summer had been reluctant to treat him like just any other person. However, after spending time with him, Summer realized how nice he was, although she sometimes wondered if this was merely because she was Victoria¡¯s best friend. Bane was generous when it came to the things that he had to offer to her. Soon enough, Summer jumped ships to side with Bane instead. She even put in a good word or two for him with Victoria every now and then. On top of everything, Summer felt certain that Bane was a decent man. After all, he had stayed by Victoria¡¯s side for the past five years, and he didn¡¯t have any other women with him throughout the years. I don¡¯t think I can find another man who¡¯s as loyal and that Victoria is divorced and has kids. He treats her kids like his own. If this isn¡¯t love, then¡­ AIT Chapter 178 Love is in the Air ¡°What is there to win over?¡± Victoria happened to walk out of the kitchen as they were talking. She didn¡¯t hear the front part of their conversation-she only heard the back. Summer quickly cleared her throat before lying with a straight face. ¡°What else can we win over? We¡¯re nning to win over one of the client¡¯s projects, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Let me do it,¡± Bane offered as he took the tes from Victoria. Victoria handed it to him as she continued talking. ¡°It¡¯s dinnertime. Why are you guys still talking about work?¡± ¡°Tsk. What¡¯s wrong with that? This just shows that we¡¯re motivated people. Work is our source of life,¡± Summermented. Victoria then turned around to shoot her a re. ¡°Is that so? Why don¡¯t I call your superior now, then? Should I tell him what just said?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. you Summer immediately frowned. ¡°Why would you bring up that man at a time like this? Stop talking about him!¡± After they all sat down, Victoria continued to giggle as she thought about the look on Summer¡¯s face. ¡°Why do I feel like the two of you are in some kind of a love-hate rtionship?¡± Victoria teased. ¡°Pfft. Who¡¯s in a love-hate rtionship, huh? I¡¯m warning you, Victoria-don¡¯t you 5/7 3 6/7 Chapter 178 Love is in the Air dare put that guy and I in the same sentence when you talk about us. He¡¯s the reason I¡¯ve been single for the past five years. He¡¯s the person I despise the most!¡± Summer hissed. Both Victoria and Bane simply exchanged nces and smiled without saying much. ¡°I specially made these chicken wings for you two, Nicole and Nathan. Dig in!¡± Summer ced some food into the two children¡¯s bowls. The whole atmosphere in the hall felt really warm and loving. ¡°By the way, how are things going with yourpany? When are you heading back to the country?¡± Summer asked. Victoria thought about her question for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll probably finish up the projects that I have on hand before I head back,¡± she replied. ¡°Are you still working on projects? It¡¯ll take a while for you toplete them. Wouldn¡¯t you-¡± ¡°You should arrange a flight to head back in the next few days,¡± Bane interrupted their conversation. Both women turned to stare at him, and he shed them a bashful smile. ¡°Why are you guys looking at me like that? You should speed things. up if you want to start a business. If you continue dragging things out, how would you be sure that the market is suited for your business in the near future?¡± 12 27 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 178 Love Is in the Air ¡°You have a point, but¡­¡± Victoria muttered. ¡°Thepany wouldn¡¯t go bankrupt even if I was the one who left, Victoria. So, you shouldn¡¯t worry about me and should just focus on what you want to do,¡± Bane uttered. Victoria froze when she heard his words. At that moment, Summer felt like she was a third wheel sitting at the dining table with them. Summer took a nce at Victoria before looking at Bane. Then, she rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°That¡¯s enough, guys. We¡¯re having a meal here. Must you guys act all lovey-dovey right now? Do you guys want me to flip the table?¡± Victoria¡¯s expression faltered for a second. There seemed to be love in the air after she heard what Bane said, and now that Summer was pointing out how sweet they seemed, Victoria felt as if there was actually something going on between the two of them. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 After dinner, Bane rolled up his sleeves and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wash them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. You just need to rinse them and put them in the dishwasher.¡± Unfortunately, Bane was too quick in his actions and Victoria didn¡¯t even have time. to react before he took the dishes away. Summer, who was standing by, couldn¡¯t help but make fun of them again. ¡°Alright, Victoria. Let him do what he wants to do. If you don¡¯t agree, how can he show off?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he added. ¡°Just let me show off.¡± Since he had insisted, Victoria gave in and handed the remaining tasks to him. When it was time to rest in the evening, Summer had her own room to sleep in, but she insisted on bringing her pillow and squeezing in with Victoria. It was drizzling outside, and the temperature in the room had dropped significantly. However, the warmth in the nket increased when the two of them squeezed together. 1/8 12:27 Sat, 24 Chapter 179 Rewarding Too Much? ¡°I remember when we were in school, I used to sneak into your house and sleep together, but your bed was so big back then. I kept wondering if all rich families had such big beds.¡± Talking about the past, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Probably because my dad was afraid I would fall off the bed, so I always slept in custom-sized ones ever since I was little.¡± ¡°Yeah, now that you mention it. I remember rolling around on your bed back then, but no matter how far I rolled, I wouldn¡¯t fall off.¡± Time flew, and when talking about the past, one couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic. It turned out that they were so happy back then, and so many years had already passed. Summer happily chirped like a little bird when talking about the past. ¡°Oh, do you remember when we used to sneakily eat while still in bed, and then we were caught by your nanny?¡± There was no response to this statement. 2/8 Chapter 170 Rewarding Too Much? Thinking that Victoria had fallen asleep, Summer looked at her only to see her looking down, seemingly absent-minded. ¡°Victoria. Victoria?¡± Summer called her several times in a row before Victoria snapped out of her thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Victoria could only force a smile and replied, ¡°Nothing, I just got lost in thought for a moment.¡± 3/8 Unexpectedly, Summer grabbed the back of her head and said sternly, ¡°After being friends with you for so many years, I¡¯m dead sure you have something on your mind. Come on, spit it out.¡± At that, Victoria finally nced at her and pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Can you please not say those things anymore?¡± ¡°What things?¡± The sudden request left Summer puzzled. Knowing that she was confused, Victoria reminded her. ¡°At dinner tonight.¡± Chapter 179 Rewarding Too Much? When Summer heard this, she immediately understood. ¡°You mean the jokes I made about you and Bane?¡± 4/8 Victoria remained silent. ¡°So, is your mind elsewhere because of this?¡± Summer asked as she puzzled. Victoria muttered, ¡°I feel it¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Do you feel awkward because of the things I said, or is it because you don¡¯t want to be with Bane, so you think it¡¯s not appropriate?¡± ¡°-¡± ¡°Victoria, I don¡¯t understand.¡± Summer tapped her chin. ¡°It¡¯s been five years, and Bane has been extremely caring toward you. He is so amodating as well. You still don¡¯t have any feelings for him?¡± Victoria pursed her lips and remained silent. ¡°But if he were unattractive, or poor, or treated you badly, I could understand if you didn¡¯t like him, but he isn¡¯t any of those things. He¡¯s incredibly good-looking, not to mention his wealth. You know how he treats you.¡± Chapter 179 Rewarding Too Much? After hearing this, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows in protest. ¡°But feelings aren¡¯t about these things.¡± ¡°Then, what are they about? Tell me, what are you looking for?¡± Summer smiled. ¡°Instead, why don¡¯t you just tell me, have you liked anyone in these five years? There¡¯s more than just Bane being interested in you.¡± ¡°Summer, I have children. I don¡¯t want to think about these things.¡± ¡°But those people don¡¯t mind that you have children. Bane practically treats Nicole. and Nathan as his own children, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know. I owe him a lot.¡± Victoria owed him so much that she might never be able to repay him in this lifetime. ¡°Ah, if Bane heard you say that, he would definitely be heartbroken.¡± Summer couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. ¡°I really think he¡¯s great and good-looking, and his family background is good too. The most important thing is that he¡¯s virtuous. and has no other women around him. There¡¯s only one woman in his life, and that¡¯s you. If you could date him, you¡¯ll definitely live a happy life in the future.¡± 5/8 12 27 Sai, 24 Jun Chapter 179 Rewarding Too Much? ¡°Summer¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Regardless of how good he is to you or what impression you have of N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. him, you have to trust me that I¡¯ll always be on your side. I¡¯m only suggesting it because I think he¡¯s a good person. But if you really don¡¯t like him, let¡¯s just forget it. It¡¯s not a big deal. I won¡¯t mention it again.¡± Victoria was somewhat surprised as she had expected Summer to strongly persuade her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to persuade me anymore?¡± ¡°Why should I persuade you? Are you silly? You¡¯re my best friend. How could I force you to do something you don¡¯t like? Besides, even if I did force you, it might not work.¡± Victoria gave her a heartfelt smile. She rarely smiled like this ever since bing a mother. If Summer had known that saying such things would be so effective, she would have said it from the start. After all, as her best friend, protecting her smile was her duty. 1/2 Sat, Chapter 179 Rewarding Too Much? After setting the date to return to Uspein, Victoria told the two children about it. The two little ones were obedient and they would always listen to her. Nicole even snuggled into her arms directly. ¡°Wherever Mommy goes, I go too.¡± Nathan also shyly said, ¡°Hmm, Nicole is right.¡± Victoria patted their little heads and said softly, ¡°Thenter, you can go live and tell everyone about our recent situation where we¡¯ll temporarily stop broadcasting for now. After we settle down in our new home after returning to Uspein, we can start broadcasting again, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy. We¡¯ll live and talk about itter.¡± While Victoria was packing her things, the two children went straight to their room to start the live stream. 7/8 When the viewers of the live stream noticed that the background for today¡¯s stream was different from usual as they were not in the living room but in a cozy little room, they started asking in the chat. Nicole took the chance to share the news. ¡°Friends, we won¡¯t be doing live streams anymore.¡± 12 27 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 179 Rewarding Too Mutil Huh? The viewers of the live stream were momentarily perplexed. No more live streams? Why? Among those who felt ¡®perplexed¡¯ was ric, who was sitting in his office at the moment. He had put down his work and was watching the live stream of the two adorable children. After hearing the announcement that there would be no more live streams, his face fell and he gripped his phone tighter. No more live streams? Why? The first thought that came to his mind was-Could it be that she thinks I¡¯ve been rewarding her too much? Chapter 180 Chapter 180 At this thought, ric remembered the previous incident when he had added Nicole and Nathan¡¯s mother¡¯s contact information. As he didn¡¯t reply, they lost touch with each other. They wanted to avoid epting the money he sent as a reward. Are they afraid I will continue to send them money if they continue to live stream? So, they just stop live streaming altogether? But what if¡­ I gave them my card number? ric indeed liked those two little kids. Although they didn¡¯t live stream frequently, they always managed to dispel the darkness in his life. The two kids were adorable. Over the past year, watching them had be a habit for ric. He hadn¡¯t found anything else that could rece them in relieving his mood. If they stop live streaming because of this¡­ In an instant, various thoughts on how to resolve the situation crossed his mind. However, before he could indulge in his wild thoughts for long, Nathan in the live stream corrected Nicole. 1/8 12:27 Sat, 24 Jun G. Chapter 150 Respecting Your Choice ¡°It¡¯s not that we won¡¯t live stream anymore in the future. It¡¯s just that we¡¯re moving, so we won¡¯t live stream until we¡¯re settled in our new ce.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Nicole nodded along. ¡°We¡¯re moving.¡± After hearing that they were just moving and not discontinuing their live streams, ric finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they were just moving. He clicked on their homepage to check their IP addresses and found out they were abroad. He was taken aback when he saw that the location matched his current whereabouts. He never specifically checked where these two kids lived before. This time, while on a business trip abroad, he naturally didn¡¯t realize that they were in the same area as him. However, they might not be in the same city considering the vast size of the country. As a result, numerous people in the live stream were asking where they were moving to. However, the two kids were clever and didn¡¯t disclose their exact 218 Chapter 100 Respecting Your Choice address. They only mentioned that they might return to Corynthea. §¢ A thought flickered in his mind upon hearing they were returning to Corynthea. Their nativenguage was Corynthean, so there was no need to say much about where they could be. Strangely, ric had the fleeting thought that if they returned to Corynthea, he could pick them up, but he quickly suppressed the thought as soon as it emerged. To them, he was just an audience who sent them rewards online. If he randomly offered to pick them up, they would probably consider him a weirdo or think that he had mental issues. The live stream had already ended when Terrance came to look for him. ric had just put away his phone when he heard Terrance say, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, it¡¯s time for your to take your medication.¡± ric pursed his lips and ignored him. After a moment of silence, ric still remained indifferent, so Terrance reminded him again, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, please take your medication.¡± Finally, ric nced at him reluctantly. ¡°Do you have nothing better to do?¡± 3/8 Sat. Chapter 150 Respecting Your Choice ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Terrance walked up to him directly, opened the drawer, and took out the gastric medicine from inside. He then poured a cup of warm water for ric. ¡°But right now, my top priority is to remind you to take your medication. Please take it.¡± ric was dumbfounded. He looked at Terrance, who was even more exasperating than Peter. He couldn¡¯t figure out why he had agreed to let Peter¡¯s cousin be his assistant in the first ce. ¡°Mr. Cadogan? Mr. Cadogan, the water is warm. With this weather, if you leave it for a while, you¡¯ll have to drink cold water. Please take your medicine now. Your health requires it.¡± Terrance¡¯s mannerisms were such that he was about to force¨Cfeed the medicine to ric. He wouldn¡¯t have dared to behave this way toward ric a few days ago. However, ric¡¯s mother got furious during the phone call when she heard that his stomach ailment red up when he was attending a conference. ¡°Terrance, starting today, I¡¯ll double your sry. Your other job is to make sure Mr. Cadogan takes his medication. Don¡¯t worry. If he dares to have any objections toward you, tell him it was my decision for you to do this. If he¡¯s unhappy with you 4/9 12:27 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 180 Respecting Your Choice asking him to take his medication, then he is unhappy with me too. Feel free to call andin to me.¡± With Mary backing him up, what did Terrance have to fear? It was like borrowing the tiger¡¯s might to scare others. He had to make sure Mr. Cadogan took his medicine. The best thing was he only had to remind him to take it and could receive double the sry. Wasn¡¯t this great? ¡°Mr. Cadogan, if you don¡¯t take the medicine, it will be hard for me to exin when Mrs. Cadogan calls.¡± As soon as Terrance finished speaking, he felt a cold gaze and immediately felt a chill down his spine. 5/8 It was at this moment that he realized that even with Mary¡¯s support, ric was still her son. If he became too arrogant andcent, Terrance would undoubtedly be the one to suffer in the end. However, Terrance was pleasantly surprised by ric¡¯s subsequent behavior. It was because he took the medicine and even drank the cup of warm water that Terrance had poured for him. He then ced the cup heavily on the table, making a loud sound. 12 28 Sat, 24 Chapter 180 Respecting Your Choice ¡°Satisfied?¡± 6/8 Terrance quickly nodded and bowed. He then expressed his satisfaction and quickly left. After Terrance left, ric seemed to have thought of something and took out his phone. He looked at the screen that showed the finished live stream and pursed his thin lips. He wondered when the next live stream would be and hoped it would be sooner rather thanter. ¡°Is the live stream over?¡± Victoria just finished packing some things into a bag when she saw the two kids walking in with their phones. ¡°Yes, Mommy.¡± Nathan obediently handed the phone to her. ¡°Did you tell everyone that you won¡¯t be live streaming for a while?¡± ¡°Yes, Mommy. We¡¯ve told everyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. We¡¯ll take a few days to pack up. There¡¯s no rush. Once we¡¯re done 12 28 Sat, Chapter 180 Respecting Your Choice packing, we can go back.¡± Suddenly, Nathan asked, ¡°Mommy, did you tell Grandpa?¡± At that, Victoria paused and suddenly realized she didn¡¯t. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ve been so busytely that I forgot about that. We¡¯ll visit Grandpa¡¯s house in the evening.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± 7/8 Five years ago, when Victoria first arrived abroad, Tony¡¯spany was struggling Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. and even had debts. Victoria used her meager savings to fill the shortfall, but when Tony found out, he scolded her harshly. However, upon learning about Victoria¡¯s divorce from ric and her pregnancy, Tony, who initially wouldn¡¯t ept help from others, started to change his mindset. He no longer insisted on starting from scratch but began tapping into hiswork. During the prosperous times of the Selwyn Family, many people received care and assistance from them, so he visited them one by one to ask them to repay their Chapter 180 Respecting Your Choice kindness to him. Eventually, thepany that would have taken several years to establish thrived within a year. Later, Tony bought their current house. As for why Victoria didn¡¯t live with him, it was because, in the third year after the ¨C house purchase, her father suddenly had a close female friend. She was a widow who came abroad to make a living on her own, and she had a son who was much younger than Victoria and was studying abroad. At first, Victoria felt a bit ufortable with the sudden presence of this woman around her father. In her impression, her father had always been around her, so she was not used to someone sharing his attention. However, when she saw her father¡¯s different expression when he was with that woman, Victor¨ªa decided to respect her father¡¯s choice. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 B Most importantly, she felt that her father had been alone for too long now. Now that he finally met someone who had mutual feelings for him, it would be too cruel of her to break them up. Furthermore, the woman was very upfront about it too. After knowing that she found out about the rtionship, the woman approached her and cautiously said to her, ¡°Miss Selwyn, your father told me a little bit about your family. I know your family situation¡¯s different from a regr family. I swear that I¡¯m not in a rtionship with your father out of greed. If you don¡¯t trust me, I¡¯m willing to sign an agreement to guarantee that I won¡¯t take anything from the Selwyns. It¡¯ll just be an agreement between the two of us. No one else will know about it.¡± ¡°An agreement, huh? Alright. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Thus, Victoria had Bane¡¯swyers prepare an agreement for her and got the woman. to sign it. Sure enough, the woman was prepared to sign the agreement without even reading the terms first. 1/8 Chapter 181 One Last Nigh This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Victoria stopped her. 7 2/8 ¡°Were you nning on signing without even reading it first? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might¡¯ve set a trap for you?¡± The woman smiled bashfully. ¡°Tony¡¯s a good man and you¡¯re his daughter. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t harm me.¡± Victoria was won over by the woman¡¯s graciousness. She didn¡¯t want to hurt her father, so in the end, she decided against getting the agreement signed. The woman was flustered to see Victoria taking back the agreement. ¡°Miss Selwyn? Why aren¡¯t we signing it? Are you disapproving of my rtionship with Tony?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Victoria looked straight at the woman and smiled faintly. ¡°You can just call me Victoria. You shouldn¡¯t be so formal with me if you n on continuing your rtionship with my father. Also, the next time you sign something, remember to read through it carefully. Don¡¯t do what you did today. You¡¯d be an easy target for those w**e trying to trick you.¡± As a daughter, she had her own reasons for having thewyers draw up the Chapter 181 One Last Night agreement. 3.47% She came from a single-parent family. Her father was the only family she had apart from her children, so she had to test the person who wanted to get involved with him. Now that Tony was embarking on a new rtionship, Victoria moved out of the house. She bought a ce that was just big enough for her and her two children. When the trio returned to Selwyn Residence, the s***ts quickly came out to greet them and picked up the two children. ¡°You¡¯re back, Miss Selwyn. Mr. and Mrs. Selwyn were just talking about you.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°They just finished dinner and are resting right now.¡± As soon as the s***t responded, someone appeared in the hallway behind the door. ¡°Victoria.¡± ¡°Oh. Mrs. Selwyn¡¯s here,¡± the s* said.*** 3/8 Chapter 181 One Last Night Victoria looked over and saw Sasha Floyd, her father¡¯s new wife. Sasha was looking brightly at Victoria and she quickly came over. ¡°Hi, Grandma!¡± When she reached them, Nicole was the first to greet her. Nicole then stretched out her arms for a hug. ¡°My dear Nicole. Come and give Grandma a hug.¡± Sasha took Nicole from the servant¡¯s arms, and once she did, she couldn¡¯t bear to put her down again. She could see just how well Victoria was taking care of the children. Not only was Nicole nice and soft to cuddle with, but she also had a faint scent of milk that made Sasha feel like she was holding a squishy bundle of milk pudding. ¡°Look at you! How on earth are you this adorable, hm?¡± 419 Both the kids were extremely attractive. They had good genes. However, as Victoria¡¯s married life was rather tumultuous, Sasha didn¡¯t want to bring up any topic that was rted to the children¡¯s father. 12 28 Sat, Chapter 181 One Last Night Now that Sasha had Nicole in her arms, she went over and nudged Nathan¡¯s cheek to make sure she gave him just as much attention. Then, she turned to Victoria and said, ¡°It¡¯s chilly outside. Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Victoria followed Sasha into the house. ¡°Your father just went upstairs to take a shower,¡± Sasha informed. ¡°I keep telling him not to take a shower immediately after a meal, but he just won¡¯t listen.¡± Her grumbling made Victoria smile. ¡°You must have a hard time taking care of Dad, Sasha.¡± At this, Sasha immediately defended Tony. ¡°Not at all. Your father does a lot of things by himself. I feel like he¡¯s the one taking care of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that the two of you look out for each other.¡± Sasha nced at Victoria and gave her a shy smile before setting Nicole down. 5/8 Chapter 181 One Last Night ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs and tell your father to hurry up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sasha. We¡¯re not in a rush today.¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes lit up at once. ¡°Do you n on staying over tonight?¡± Victoria turned to Nicole and Nathan. ¡°Grandma is asking whether you want to stay here tonight, so how about it?¡± ¡°I do!¡± Nicole immediately hugged Sasha¡¯s legs. ¡°I want to sleep with you tonight, Grandma.¡± She stuck out a tiny finger and said, ¡°Onest night.¡± Sasha was pretty happy at first, but after hearing Nicole¡¯sstment, she froze. ¡°L-Last night? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nicole, you should be more careful when you speak. You scared Grandma,¡± Victoria chided. Nicole tilted her head to the side in confusion. ¡°Mommy?¡± Victoria poked Nicole on the nose. ¡°What you meant to say is ourst night before we head back to our home country.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nicole instantly put her lesson to use. ¡°Grandma, what I meant is ourst night Chapter 181 One Last Night before we head back to our home country.¡± Sasha realized what was happening. She looked at Victoria in shock. ¡°You¡¯re heading back? When?¡± ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll be leaving in a few days.¡± ¡°Why are you heading back all of a sudden? Your father never mentioned it to me.¡± ¡°We came over today to tell him about this.¡± Atst, Sasha had the full picture. She didn¡¯t press further. Tony was startled to hear that Victoria wanted to head back and start her own ¡°Snowball, why do you want to head back and start a newpany when things. have been fine all along? If you want to run apany, I can always retire and hand the reins over to you.¡± ¦° Victoria was stunned into silence. After a brief pause, she exined, ¡°Dad, you finally managed to build up yourpany after putting in all that hard work. How 7/8 Chapter 181 One Last Night can you just hand it to me like that?¡± ¡°Why not? What¡¯s mine is yours.¡± The father-daughter duo was in the study right now. There was no one else but the two of them around-the two who had no one but each other to depend on all these years. Therefore, Tony openly expressed himself. ¡°Why do you think I started apany? Isn¡¯t it all because I want to make sure you can have a good life? Sooner orter, the everything I have will go to you. When I die, I¡¯ll leave her a bit of thepany shares -just enough to cover her living expenses. After all, she did marry me. I should provide for her too.¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Victoria never thought about getting Tony to leave everything to her. Nevertheless, the fact that he was leaving the entirepany to her touched her deeply. ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t head back. You should stay here and help me with the Although Victoria was moved, she raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡± Tony was confused. ¡°Why not? Snowball, it¡¯ll be very hard on you to raise two kids and start apany at the same time.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯ll be tiring, but it¡¯ll give me a great sense of aplishment too. I want to start my ownpany, Dad.¡± She wanted to give her children a good life herself. Victoria didn¡¯t know other people¡¯s views on parenting, but when it came to her, she figured that since she was now a mother and had the means of providing a better 1/9 Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? life for her children, why shouldn¡¯t she work hard and do so? 24 With that thought in mind, Victoria walked over to her father and hugged his arm the way she did when she was a child. ¡°Most importantly, Dad, yourpany¡¯s doing This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. very well right now, so I have a safety. Even if I fail, I have nothing to worry about because I know you¡¯ll be there to back me up.¡± Tony¡¯s heart melted. As Victoria¡¯s father, he was her rock and support. She would probably face hardships, but he wanted her to know that he would always be a safe harbor she could return to. As long as she had a safety, she would never have to be afraid of failure. At longst, Tony sighed. ¡°Starting apany is hard work, Snowball.¡± Victoria had been waiting for him to say this all along. After hearing this, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of hard work, Dad.¡± She realized it was true that a mother would be strong enough to do anything for Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? the sake of her children. Everything that she didn¡¯t want to do or was afraid to do was no longer an issue for her once she became a mother. ¡°No matter what happens, Snowball, remember this. I¡¯m your father, and if you ever run into any difficulties, you must give me a call.¡± ¡°I know, Dad.¡± A few dayster, the family went to the airport together. Tony and Sasha reluctantly said their goodbyes to Victoria and the two children. ¡°When you¡¯re back there, remember to take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°I will.¡± 3/0 ¡°It won¡¯t be easy for you to look after the two children by yourself. It¡¯s best if you hire a trustworthy nanny.¡± Victoria took note of all her father¡¯s advice. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll look into that as soon as I settle down.¡± Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? Once Tony was done, it was Sasha¡¯s turn. Victoria patiently took everything in. §¦ Once the two older ones finished saying all they wanted to say, Summer came over with reddened eyes. ¡°It has been five years since west parted. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to say goodbye to you again. Don¡¯t worry, Victoria. Once I resign from my job here, I¡¯lle over and help you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Why would you want to leave such a good job? You might not be able to find another suitable position again.¡± ¡°Oh, please. What do you mean it¡¯s a good job? I¡¯m so busy that I can¡¯t even get a boyfriend.¡± Then, Summer noticed something. ¡°By the way, why isn¡¯t Bane here? Does he not n on heading back with you?¡± ¡°An urgent matter came up so he can¡¯t leave with us.¡± ¡°An urgent matter?¡± Summer scoffed quietly, ¡°Is there anything more important to 4/9 Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? him than you three? That¡¯s a miracle.¡± ¡°Hey, now. Don¡¯t speak so carelessly.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not too bad. Even though he can¡¯te with you, he left you his best subordinate.¡± Summer nced at Ethan who was standing nearby with his luggage in tow. Ethan caught her gaze and quickly smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah. Mr. Hudson is heading back because he has urgent matters to attend to as well.¡± 5/9 Summer didn¡¯t tease Victoria this time. She simply hugged her and said, ¡°Remember to call me when you get there. I¡¯lle and look for you soon.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You told me a thousand times already. I got it.¡± All of a sudden, Nicole, who was still in Sasha¡¯s arms, called out, ¡°Mommy, I want to use the restroom.¡± ¡°Grandma will take you.¡± hapter 142 Whose Child is Thin? ¡°I¡¯ll take her, Sasha.¡± Victoria passed her luggage to Ethan for safekeeping before taking Nicole into her arms. Then, she looked at Nathan. ¡°Nathan, do you want to use the restroom?¡± Nathan thought about it and nodded. ¡°Come on then. I¡¯ll take them to the restroom.¡± Summer quickly said, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll line up at the security check for you. It¡¯s right over there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tony, Sasha, and Summer were just enough to help save a spot for Victoria and the two children. Victoria and her two kids went to the restroom nearest to them. As Nathan had to use a different restroom, Victoria didn¡¯t follow either of her children in. Instead, she stood outside and exined to them what they needed to 6/9 Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? do. E Once they understood everything, she let them enter the restrooms on their own. ¡°If you¡¯re not sure how to use something, just ask someone, okay? Remember to wash your hands when you¡¯re done. I¡¯ll be waiting for you right here, okay?¡± The two children nodded obediently before entering the respective washrooms. Victoria waited for them outside. As soon as Nicole entered the women¡¯s restroom, a loud exim ¡°Oh, my! What an adorable little girl!¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help but smile at the praise. rang out. The airport at the capital hadrge restrooms that were well taken care of. The janitors came over to tidy things up rather frequently. When Nathan opened the door, he saw a man in a ck suit who was on the phone. Even his side profile was handsome. His cold gaze and thin lips made him look rather stern and he gave off a chilly aura. 7/9 Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? The person on the phone said something that made the man sneer. Nathan blinked and walked further down the corridor. He had to open another door to reach the restroom. The door creaked as he pushed it, but he only managed to create a tiny gap. Nathan was only five. He wasn¡¯t strong enough yet, so he had to try and push with. all his might. The creaking sound echoed in the empty corridor. ric frowned at the noise. He turned around to see where it wasing from. 8/9 He didn¡¯t see anyone, but the door was still creaking. His gaze lowered and he finally saw the young boy who was doing his best to open the door. ric¡¯s brows furrowed even more. Whose child is this? Why did hee to the restroom alone? ric was an aloof man who didn¡¯t like to get involved with other people¡¯s matters, even children. Chapter 182 Whose Child Is This? Yet, at this moment, his body moved before his mind could keep up. His hand was already pressing against the door to help the little boy before he even processed what was happening. ¡°Mr. Cadogan.¡± 9/9 Just then, he heard someone calling his name over the phone, so he carried on with his conversation with his hand against the door. Nathan, who had been doing his best to open the door this whole time, was startled when the door finally moved easily. He looked up and saw therge hand holding the door open. He immediately thanked the person. ¡°Thanks, mister.¡± The somewhat familiar-sounding voice made ric pause. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 A few secondster, ric looked back down, but there was no sign of the little boy he had seen earlier. As it was, the little boy had shuffled off into the restroom after thanking ric and was currently in one of the stalls. ric pursed his lips and frowned. 1/5 He couldn¡¯t concentrate on what the person was saying on the phone. Was it just an illusion? Was he starting to miss the two children who announced they were taking a break Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. from their live streams? Was that why he thought he heard the voice of the little boy named Nathan? ¡°Mr. Cadogan, I have a few other thoughts regarding this coboration. Why don¡¯t we set a time to-¡± ¡°Did you hear something just now?¡± ric cut in before the person on the phone could finish his sentence. The person was startled by the abrupt interruption. ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 13 Not Over Him Yel ¡°Did you hear somethinging from my side?¡± 2/9 If it hadn¡¯t been an illusion, the person he was on the call with should have heard the boy thanking him too. Meanwhile, his business contact couldn¡¯t quite understand what ric meant, but he recalled hearing that ric didn¡¯t like noise. I did hear some unpleasant sounds earlier, but can I really tell him about it straight to his face? In the end, the person decided not to tell the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard anything, Mr. Cadogan. Did something happen on your end?¡± he asked tentatively as if nothing happened. ric narrowed his eyes and stared at his hand which was still pressed against the door. Was it truly just an illusion? He didn¡¯t have the time to dwell on this as Terrance came running over and huffed breathlessly, ¡°I have the documents you asked for, Mr. Cadogan.¡± Chapter 183 Not Over Him Yet ric nced at him in displeasure. Terrance straightened up and pressed his lips together. 3/2 After a while, he suggested, ¡°Shall we get past the security check first? There¡¯s a cafe on the other side. It¡¯s rather inconvenient for you to discuss work matters here.¡± ric¡¯s business contact immediately seconded the idea. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, Mr. Cadogan. If this is an inconvenient time for you, let¡¯s hold off on our discussion for a little while until you get through the security check.¡± ric mulled it over for a second before nodding and ending the call. He then walked off with a grim expression. Terrance quickly followed close behind. There were a lot of people passing through outside the restroom. As Terrance tailed behind a stern-looking ric, his eyes were subconsciously drawn to a specific spot. He was a little dismayed. As he was heading over to the restroom earlier, he saw a woman whose attractive figure was prominently visible despite her simple get-up. Just the view of her from behind made his heart skip a beat. E Chapter 183 Not Over Him Yet Unfortunately for him, the woman had her back toward him earlier, and he was too much of a coward to go around to take a peek at the woman¡¯s face. He nned on taking a closer look when he came back out, but in that short amount of time, she had left. Oh, well. Terrance figured he wasn¡¯t the type who would get so lucky. Meanwhile, Summer was clutching her bag as she dashed through the crowd and headed for the restroom. When she was about to reach the restroom, she started breaking out into a smile, but the handsome and aloof face she spotted made here to an abrupt halt. She immediately turned around. ¡°Wait for me, Mr. Cadogan!¡± Once the two men had walked past Summer, she finally looked up and watched their retreating backs. Her eyes widened with shock. That was¡­ ric Cadogan, right? ric Cadogan! 4/9 Chapter 183 Not Over Him Yet She didn¡¯t think she would run into him at the airport after all these years. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ he came from the restroom, didn¡¯t he? In that case¡­ Shoot! ¡°Victoria!¡± 5/9 Summer sprinted toward the restroom. While she was standing in line earlier, it suddenly urred to her that Nathan was a boy and Victoria wouldn¡¯t have brought him into the women¡¯s restroom, and neither would she have followed Nathan into the men¡¯s restroom either, so it would be rather inconvenient for her to look after the two children. Thus, Summer came over to see if she could help out. She didn¡¯t expect to run into ric. It had been ages since shest saw him. After five years, ric seemed to have be a lot more solemn. At the same time, his aura became even colder and more dominant. Chapter 1h1 Not Over Him Yet Just a fleeting nce from a distance was enough for Summer to sense the chilly aura that emanated from deep within him. His features had also be even sharper and more refined than before. That was how Summer was able to instantly spot him in the crowd. 6/9 He¡¯s handsome, alright! It¡¯s not surprising that Victoria fell in love with him back then, and still hasn¡¯t gotten over him yet after all these years. Summer would¡¯ve fallen in love with him for his looks too if he hadn¡¯t been the man her friend had feelings for. Once Summer got to the restroom, she saw Victoriaing out with Nicole. She rushed forward and called out while huffing, ¡°Victoria!¡± ¡°Summer?¡± Victoria was a little puzzled. ¡°Why did youe over?¡± Thanks to her running and her nervousness, Summer was still trying to catch her breath. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be difficult for you to handle both kids, so I came to help. How are you? Are you okay?¡± Sat, Chapter 183 Not Over Him Yet Summer scrutinized Victoria from top to bottom and even circled her twice. Victoria was confused. She didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Where¡¯s Nathan?¡± Victoria handed Nicole over to Summer and waited outside the men¡¯s restroom. Earlier on, Nicole hade running back out for her so she had to enter the women¡¯s restroom, but it had only been for a moment so she figured that Nathan wouldn¡¯t havee out yet. True enough, after a minute or so, she saw a tiny silhouette. ¡°Mommy.¡± Victoria brought the two kids out to themon area and washed their hands for them. She was focused and delicate with the task. It didn¡¯t seem like she had been affected by anything. Summer saw that Victoria seemed perfectly normal, but she had to be sure, so she asked, ¡°You¡¯re really fine, right, Victoria?¡± 7/9 Chapter 153 Not Over Him Yet Is she just putting up a brave front? Victoria wiped the children¡¯s hands dry before turning to look at Summer. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be fine? What¡¯s up with you today?¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s nothing. What I mean is, did you see anyone strange in the restroom?¡± ¡°Someone strange?¡± Victoria narrowed her eyes. ¡°What counts as strange?¡± Victoria¡¯s response made Summer¡¯s heart settle back down again. 8/0 She was worried that Victoria was secretly upset, but thetter¡¯s calm didn¡¯t seem to be just for show. She probably didn¡¯t run into ric. Though Summer didn¡¯t understand how the two could¡¯ve possibly missed each. other inside such a small restroom area, that was just how fate worked sometimes. Even though two people were in the same ce, they could still walk past each other without ever knowing that the other was right there too. If I hadn¡¯t seen ric, perhaps Victoria would never know that she and ric ended Chapter 183 Not Over Him Yet up at the same airport today. ] Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Since she would never know, there¡¯s no reason for me to tell her. It¡¯s nothing more than an ill-fated rtionship that has already ended anyway. Victoria deserves a better man. With that in mind, Summerposed herself, smiled, and jokingly said, ¡°Yeah. You know, maybe someone with a dog or perhaps a panhandler.¡± Victoria was non plussed. ¡°Are you okay? Pets aren¡¯t allowed inside this airport, and panhandlers wouldn¡¯te in either.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Well, I guess I¡¯m just a little out of it because you¡¯re leaving. Why don¡¯t you stay?¡± Victoria rolled her eyes and ignored Summer¡¯s nonsense. She bent down to adjust her children¡¯s clothes and heard Nathan saying, ¡°Mommy, I ran into a handsome man at the restroom just now. He helped me with the door.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t know whom Nathan had run into, so she simply asked, ¡°I see. Did you thank the man, Nathan?¡± 1/9 Chapter 184 Wait On Them ¡°I did, Mommy.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re a polite little boy.¡± Victoria kissed his forehead. Nathan beamed with pride. Nicole immediately scooted over too. ¡°I want a kiss too, Mommy.¡± Summer observed the family of three with envy. 3 2/9 If she could, she wanted to have a child of her own without the need for a man, just like Victoria. Once they were done, they went back to the security checkpoint, ¡°We wanted to line up for you, but Mr. Hudson said it wasn¡¯t necessary because you¡¯re flying first ss, so you can head straight to the dedicateer. It slipped my mind just now.¡± ¡°Oh. Alright.¡± Once Victoria came back, the others watched as they went through the security 12 30 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 184 Wait On Them check. When it was over, Summer waved to them with a look of mncholy. ¡°Wait for me, Victoria! I¡¯lle and find you!¡± However, as she watched Victoria walk away, a thought urred to her and her smile slowly faded. Oh, no! Why did I forget such an important detail?! 39 If I ran into ric at the airport just now, there¡¯s a high chance it means he¡¯s heading. back too. Could they be on the same flight?! A businessman like ric would fly first ss. If they all end up on the same flight¡­. I can scarcely allow myself to consider what would happen! It wouldn¡¯t be such a big deal if it were just ric and Victoria, but Victoria has the kids with her. Even though it might¡¯ve escaped other people¡¯s attention, Summer could clearly tell that the kids shared a close resemnce to ric, especially Nathan. Chapter 184 Wait On Them After all, his genes were involved in their making. Perhaps ric might not recognize them, but what about the people around him? Summer swiftly grabbed her phone to call Victoria. However, as she was just about to press the call button, she paused and thought, Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. What if they¡¯re not on the same flight? Wouldn¡¯t I just be making Victoria worry for nothing if I told her about this only for them to not be on the same flight after all? Who¡¯s to say that ric¡¯s heading back anyway? 4/9 Maybe he¡¯s flying off to some other country, and even if he¡¯s heading back, he would be flying back to Gandra while Victoria and Mr. Hudson are heading to Jasea. Victoria was attending a charity auction right after her return to the country. The auction was being held in Jasea, so to avoid needing to make any transfers, they bought flight tickets straight to Jasea. After calmly considering all possibilities, Summer was no longer quite so anxious. B Chapter 184 Wait On Them At the recollection of her initial reaction, she began to chide herself for being so easily flustered. I should learn to keep my cool next time. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Summer?¡± Tony and Sasha had walked off for a while now, but after turning around to find that Summer hadn¡¯t moved at all, they paused in their footsteps and looked at her. Their voices drew Summer back to reality. She smiled at them. ¡°Are you having a hard time letting Victoria go? Well, she¡¯s only a ne ride away. You don¡¯t have to feel too sad about it.¡± Sasha came over tofort Summer. ¡°I know, Mrs. Selwyn. I¡¯ll be sure to go and see her when I miss her.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As they were leaving, Summer couldn¡¯t help but turn around and take onest look. at the security checkpoint. 5/9 Chapter 184 Wait On Them Please don¡¯t let Victoria run into ric. Let their ill-fated meeting be like ships passing in the night never to be seen again; let them miss each other the way they did at the restroom earlier. After getting past the security checkpoint, Victoria carried on walking while holding onto her children¡¯s hands. She didn¡¯t need to bother with the luggage. That was because as soon as they were done with the security check, Ethan said to her, ¡°Give everything to me, Miss Selwyn. I¡¯ll take the luggage.¡±.. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mr. Hudson. We have a lot of things with us. You won¡¯t be able to take everything. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Just leave them to me, Miss Selwyn. Mr. Morison instructed me to apany you back so that I can wait on you hand and foot. He will surely cut my pay if I don¡¯t do a good job of taking care of you.¡± Since he put it that way, Victoria felt as if she couldn¡¯t refuse his help. She sighed to herself and passed the luggage to Ethan. As a result, she and the two children didn¡¯t have to carry anything with them. Chapter 184 Wait On Them They walked ahead while Ethan did as he said and waited on them like a porter. It wasn¡¯t as bad when Victoria was looking up ahead. But, when she looked behind her, she felt as if she were taking advantage of him. Even if he¡¯s helping me with the luggage, I shouldn¡¯t have handed everything off to him. In the end, Victoria slowed down, and when Ethan came up beside her, she wanted to offer to share the load with him. However, Ethan beat her to it and said, ¡°Miss Selwyn, please don¡¯t refuse me the chance to wait on you, and don¡¯t think it¡¯s hard for me to handle all the luggage by myself either. My life will be ten thousand times harder if I don¡¯t get my bonus at the end of the year.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not here right now. You can always just lie to him when you report back to him,¡± Victoria suggested. However, Ethan¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at her in disbelief. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep at night if I had to lie my way into receiving a bonus, Miss. Selwyn.¡± 7/0 Chapter 184 Wait On Them Victoria was dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t know what to say. 3 8/9 Well, this matter pertained to his year-end bonus, and Victoria didn¡¯t want to be the reason why he failed to get one. Therefore, she didn¡¯t press the issue. They were walking past a dessert cafe when Nicole said, ¡°Mommy, I want ice cream.¡± Victoria paused for a moment before denying the request. ¡°It¡¯s winter right now. Having cold foods is bad for your health.¡± ¡°But, Mommy¡­ I want some.¡± Nicole was a little foodie who wanted to eat anything sheid her eyes on. Even if her request was denied, she didn¡¯t mind. She would immediately request a different kind of food instead. She figured that as long as she asked to have arge enough variety of food, her mother was bound to agree to let her have one of them. Unfortunately for her, she was five now and Victoria had a good read on her. Therefore, as soon as she tried to use her same old tactic, Victoria gave a hard refusal. 9/9 ¡°No, Nicole. You can have something when we get on the ne. The friendly air stewardesses will give us something to drink.¡± E Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Nicole licked her lips. The gluttonous side of her was still unsatisfied. Since her mother denied her request, she had to distract herself with thoughts about the snacks she would get when they boarded the ne. Nevertheless, she stared pitifully at therge posters pasted by the door to the cafe. Ethan¡¯s heart melted from how adorable Nicole was. He had the urge to give her anything she wanted. ¡°Children enjoy these things a lot, Miss Selwyn. Why don¡¯t I get something for the two of them? Victoria smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯re here to wait on us, right, Mr. Hudson? Why don¡¯t we get you something in return for all your hard work?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t need anything, Ethan said after a pause. ¡°By the way, Mr. Hudson, you don¡¯t have to treat me like I¡¯m still a manager at the Ethan thought about it and nodded. ¡°Understood, Miss Selwyn.¡± 1.8 Chapter 185 Getting Her Period The group continued making their way forward. B Just then, Victoria felt her phone beep with a notification, so she took it out and saw a text from Bane. ¡®How are things? Have you gotten past the security checkpoint?¡® Victoria smiled. ¡®We have.¡® A few secondster, Bane called. ¡°How¡¯s everything? Is Ethan taking good care of you?¡± She was reminded of what Ethan said and chuckled. ¡°Did you tell him to wait on us hand and foot and that he won¡¯t be getting a year¨Cend bonus if he didn¡¯t?¡± Ethan¡¯s expression stiffened. He wanted to stop Victoria, but he was too slow. Victoria had finished her sentence and it was toote. I¡¯m done for! Ethan had only said those things so that Victoria would let him handle the luggage. He didn¡¯t think she would tell Bane about it. His boss was a lunatic. 2/8 12:31 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 185 Getting Her Period What if he thinks I¡¯m trying to badmouth him in front of her? It won¡¯t just be my bonus that gets cut. He would cut my pay too. However, Bane readily admitted to it with augh. ¡°Since I can¡¯t be with you, I had to find someone else to take care of you. What of it? Does Ethan think that being told. to attend to your needs means he has to wait on you hand and foot?¡± Victoria nced at Ethan and chuckled when she saw the morose look on his face. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m happy that you asked him to help me, but seeing him saddled with all the luggage does make it seem like he¡¯s waiting on me hand and foot. Are you unhappy that I¡¯m saying this about your assistant?¡± Ethan, who had been hanging his head low out of despondence as he thought that his year¨Cend bonus had flown out the window by now, looked up at once. He stared at Victoria with sparkling eyes. He saw the smile on Victoria¡¯s face and instantly knew that she was helping him. Bane chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m the one who sent him over to help you. You can say anything you want about him.¡± ¡°Thanks. You¡¯ve seen to my every need despite not being here yourself.¡± 3/8 12:31 Sat, 24 Chapter 185 Getting Her Period ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. After all, I have to trouble you to get something at the auction. in Jasea for me. Sorry about that. I just couldn¡¯t get away.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Being able to help Bane with something made Victoria feel less indebted to him. She felt a lot better about it too. ¡°If you need anything, just have Ethan do it. Don¡¯t feel like you owe me. I still have some matters to attend to here, but I¡¯ll meet up with you as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The call ended. Just as Victoria put her phone away, Ethan began thanking her profusely. ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Selwyn. If you hadn¡¯t helped me, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡­¡± 4/8 Victoria¡¯s smile slowly disappeared. She felt a tinge of pain in her abdomen, followed by something trickling out of her, just as her expression stiffened. ¡°Miss Selwyn?¡± Having worked for Bane for quite some time, Ethan had learned to 12:31 Sat, 24 Chapter 185 Getting Her Penod be observant and pay attention to other people¡¯s expressions. He saw the troubled. look on Victoria¡¯s face and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Ethan was a man, so Victoria didn¡¯t feelfortable sharing about her situation. Nevertheless, she needed to head over to the restroom to deal with this at once. Thus, she pursed her lips and said, ¡°Please excuse me for a moment. I need to use the restroom.¡± ¡°You two stay close to Mr. Hudson, okay? I¡¯lle over when I¡¯m done.¡± Once Victoria left, Ethan looked at the two children. ¡°So¡­ you two cane with me first, I guess.¡± Nathan looked concerned. He thought of something and asked Ethan, ¡°What¡¯s the date today, Mr. Hudson?¡± Ethan checked his watch and reported the date. ¡°Is there something special about today?¡± After hearing the date, Nathan figured out what was happening. He counted with. his fingers to be sure before answering, ¡°I think Mommy is getting her period today.¡± 5/8 Chapter 185 Getting Her Period Ethan¡¯s expression stiffened. He scratched his head awkwardly. She¡¯s having her period? Just then, his phone buzzed with a text. He checked his phone and saw the text from Bane. 6/8 ¡®I forgot to tell you that she¡¯ll be getting her period today. Make sure she stays warm. Don¡¯t let her touch anything cold.¡¯ Ethan froze. Well, okay. Women do have things to look out for during their menstruation period. He looked around and spotted the tastefully furnished cafe up ahead, so he suggested to the children, ¡°Why don¡¯t we get a hot drink for your mommy?¡± He had a girlfriend before. At the very least, he knew that women should drink warm water to help with their menstruation cramps. Since they were at the airport, it felt a little weird to order just a cup of hot water for Victoria, so he decided to get a hot drink instead. Nicole¡¯s eyes lit up with eagerness. ¡°Can you get one for me too, Mr. Hudson?¡± Chapter 15% Getting He Ethan didn¡¯t know what to say. A few minutester, Ethan and the two children stepped into the cafe. It was arge, brightly¨Clit cafe with an exquisite interior. As the space was separated into several sections, everyone was able to have some privacy without being disturbed by others. Upon entering the cafe, Ethan saw that many of the patrons were busy working on theirptops. They were so engrossed in their work that they spared no attention to others. He had far too many suitcases to lug around, so the two children walked by themselves beside him. The sound of the suitcases rolling on the ground made Terrance look up. His eyes widened with surprise when he saw a man hauling multiple suitcases by himself. That¡¯s remarkable. How can he manage to handle that many suitcases with him at once? ¡°Pay attention.¡± The man opposite Terrance gave him a warning as soon as he nced away. Chapter 185 Getting Her Period ¡°Yes, Mr. Cadogan. I¡¯ll sort out the details right away.¡± E However, despite Terrance¡¯s response, he was actually grumbling on the inside. He didn¡¯t think he would have to be dealing with work just before the flight.. ¡°Hi there. What would you like to order?¡± The server came forward to take Ethan¡¯s order and was surprised to see two adorable children behind him. The children wore cute clothing that matched their features which made it clear that they had to have attractive parents too. ¡°Give me¡­¡± Ethan looked back to find two tiny faces peering back at him. ¡°Three cups of hot cocoa.¡± Chapter 186 Chapter 186 1/7 ¡°Very well. Three cups of hot cocoa. You can find a table and wait there,¡± the cashier said. ¡°Okay,¡± Ethan said. He looked around and led the children to a table by the window. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s go there,¡± he said to them. Nicole swiftly ran over to grab a corner of Ethan¡¯s shirt. When he looked down, he spotted a tiny pink fist clenched around his shirt. It was so tiny that it was barely a third of the size of his palm. It might be small, but it still clung tight to his shirt. He was the stereotypical tough guy, but he felt his heart melt into a puddle at the sight of that fist. It was no wonder that most people liked kids. Thus, he slowed down to ensure Nicole was able to keep up with him. He also Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret t nced at Nathan to check on him. As expected of the boy, Nathan maintained a distance from him as he walked beside his sister in aposed manner. The solemn look on his face made him look just like a miniature adult. Ever since ric¡¯s warning, Terrance had been too afraid to be distracted by anything else. When he heard Ethan walking past with suitcases, he had the strong urge to look over. However, the memory of ric¡¯s warning re forced him to suppress it. He waited until Ethan walked past them before sneaking a nce at Ethan. He had expected to see a pile of suitcases being moved, not the backs of two adorable children. The children were dressed in outfits that were identical in every way except for color. Ah, children. Finally, Terrance realized why Ethan had so many suitcases with him. ¡°You will not be getting on the ne if you can¡¯t resolve this matter before the 2/9 Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret It boarding time.¡± ric¡¯s frigid voice and warning caught him by surprise. Terrance snapped back to his senses to find ric ring at him with icy eyes. 346% As Terrance¡¯s face went pale, he hurriedly replied, ¡°Right away! I promise I won¡¯t be distracted again.¡± 3/9 The very thought that he might not get on the flight scared him so much that he did not have the guts to think about anything else but his work. With his head ducked down, he focused all of his attention on the work. The women¡¯s bathrooms. The capital¡¯s airport was so huge that Victoria had to spend several long minutes searching for the bathrooms. After locking herself in the stall, she found that her period had arrived as expected. She had been so busy throughout the month that she forgot her period was supposed to start today. Thankfully, she always kept a stash of emergency supplies in her bag. ¡± Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret t Otherwise¡­ N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Once she was done, she headed outside to wash her hands. 46% The water was ice cold. She would usually be fine with it except during her periods. The cold sensation was unbearable then as every drop of water flowing down her hands felt like shards of ice scraping past her skin. Her face was ghastly pale, including her lips. The pain radiating from her abdomen felt stronger than before. That was likely caused by the cold drink she hadst night. She would never touch anything cold during the days before her period was due to start, but she had been so very busy that she forgot what day it was. She also did not have the time to thinkst night. Food was all that she could think about. She was in for it now. Today, she would be dying from pain. She did not bring any painkillers either. In the end, she had no choice but to stumble out of the bathroom with her arms wrapped around her abdomen. 4/9 Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret t As she walked out, she bumped into a middle¨Caged woman who steadied her with a concerned look on her face. ¡°Goodness! Are you okay?¡± Victoria stered a friendly smile on her face and nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied. ¡°But, you don¡¯t look so good, love.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my period.¡± The woman instantly understood what was happening then. ¡°Take care, then.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Victoria responded with another wan smile. 5/9 Right outside the bathroom was a boarding gate, so she sat down near it and pulled out her phone to message Ethan. ¡®Have you arrived at the boarding gates yet, Mr. Hudson?¡® When Ethan received her message, he had been waiting in the cafe for a very long. time, frustrated that his order had yet to arrive. The workers here were way too slow. 46% Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret it As he thought that, his phone buzzed with Victoria¡¯s message. 6/9 ¡®We¡¯re in a cafe near where we parted,¡¯ he started to reply. ¡°Your hot cocoa, sir.¡± Before he could finish his message, the cafe staff called out to him. ¡°Okay,¡± he called back, putting away his phone to grab the suitcases. Then, he turned to Nathan and Nicole and said, ¡°Come. Our hot cocoas are waiting for us.¡± The two children followed behind him as he walked off with the suitcases. As they passed by ric, Nathan, who was walking at the back, nced at ric. With one nce, Nathan recognized ric as the man who had opened the door for him in the bathrooms even though he was on a call. Nathan had not expected to see ric here. He opened his mouth to greet ric but was interrupted by Ethan. ¡°Hey, kiddos, stay close to me. I¡¯ll be doomed if I lose you,¡± Ethan said. 40 Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret It Distracted from his initial train of thought, Nathan turned and toddled over to Ethan. with his tiny legs. With three cups of hot cocoa sessfully acquired, Ethan made sure to ce straws in the children¡¯s cups. He then ruffled their hair. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go find your mom.¡± Nicole took a tentative sip of her warm drink. Her beautiful eyes squinted with joy. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hudson.¡± Her thanks were repeated by Nathan who had curled his fingers around his cup as well. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ethan repeated. ¡°Phew!¡± Terrance heaved a huge sigh of relief and looked up from his paperwork. ¡°All done.¡± He then stretched his arms out in his usual stretch. However, halfway through the motion, he froze as he suddenly spotted the cold re directed at him. He looked just like a glitching robot. 7/9 Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret it Terrance awkwardly blinked in response before slowly pulling his arms back and looking around to hide his awkwardness. As he scanned the area around him, he spotted the man who had walked past their table with two children. They were walking out of the cafe. Previously, Terrance had only been able to see the children¡¯s backs. Now, he had a clear view of their faces. His eyes went wide with shock upon the first nce. Shoot! Was this truly just a coincidence? These two children were featured in the stream ric usually watches! He had not imagined they would bump into the children at the airport. ¡°M¨CMr. Cadogan, I feel like I must inform you of some major news,¡± he started. He then pointed out to the children and continued, ¡°The two kids who just walked past us¡­¡± 8/9 12:31 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 186 You¡¯ll Regret It Unfortunately, ric¡¯s phone started ringing then. ric ignored Terrance and promptly answered the phone in a cold¨Chearted manner. ¡°Hey,¡± ric greeted. Terrance had no choice but to hold back the words he was about to say. One momentter, he pursed his lips hard as he stared at ric. In his mind, he swore that ric would regret what he had just done. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 The person who called ric was none other than their business partner. By the time all the details were hashed out, ric immediately hung up before leaving the rest of the work to Terrance. Terrance had no choice but to continue working. Deep in his mind, he was still thinking about the children he had just spotted. After a few moments of contemtion, he decided to take the risk of mentioning them to ric. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, I¡­ I just saw two kids,¡± he said. Before he could finish speaking, ric shot him a warning re. 1/10 Terrance forced himself to ignore the re and continue, ¡°They look like the children. in the stream you watch.¡± ric¡¯s fingers twitched. He froze midway through packing up his bag. Then, his head snapped up to look at him. Chapter 187 Why Butt loto Their Lives ¡°What did you just say?¡± he demanded. Terrance awkwardly scratched his cheek. ¡°I-I¡¯m not too sure. I only saw one of their faces from the side. Still, they look very simr. They¡¯re identical twins, so I¡¯m guessing¡­¡± ¡°Where?¡± ric interrupted. He shot to his feet before Terrance could finish his statement. ¡°Huh? They¡¯re gone¡­¡± Terrance pointed out of the cafe. As soon as he said that, ric¡¯s tall figure vanished from view. Terrance stared into thin air for a moment in shock before snapping back to his senses. He hurriedly packed up everything on the table and ran after ric. 2/10 The airport was huge with crowds of people heading in all sorts of directions. By the time ric ran out of the cafe, not a single familiar face was to be seen. asionally, he would spot someone walking around with children by their side, but those children were not those twins. He searched and he searched, but he never found a single sign of them. 12:32 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 187 Why Butt Into Their Lives Finally, Terrance came running over to him, panting. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, the airport is a massive ce. It¡¯ll be hard to find them here. W-Why don¡¯t we just forget about it?¡± he suggested. ric turned to stare at him upon hearing that. The stare felt like ric was shooting daggers at him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± he snapped out. As expected, d*d if **he spoke up, d***d if he did not. Either way, he was to me for everything. ¡°I was going to tell you, sir, but someone called you. I was afraid¡­¡± ¡°Next time, just tell me,¡± ric interrupted with a scowl. ¡°Next time? Will there be a next time?¡± Terrance blurted out. Destiny was a strange thing. Some people would only appear in one¡¯s life once. Some people would be 3/10 Chapter 187 Why Butt Into Their Lives impossible to meet. There might not be another encounter. ric¡¯s eyes lowered slightly in astonishment. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. True. Would there even be a ¡°next time¡±? After a brief moment of contemtion, he pursed his lips and coldly stated, ¡°Get ready for boarding.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Terrance followed behind him with his bag in hand. Due to his curiosity, he could not resist posing a question to ric halfway through their walk. ¡°Why do you like those children so much, Mr. Cadogan?¡± ric¡¯s face went dark as he ignored Terrance¡¯s question. However, he did not look angry. Thus, Terrance continued to ask, ¡°If you really like the kids, why don¡¯t you contact them? After all, you have given them so much tips 4/10 Chapter 187 Why Butt Into Their Lives on the stream. Surely, they wouldn¡¯t refuse a request to meet up?¡± ric finally nced at him then. ¡°Meet up with two children? Do I look like a human trafficker?¡± ¡°Erm, well¡­¡± Would a human trafficker pay the kids that much money in the first ce? Human traffickers were not idiots. ¡°Didn¡¯t their mother keep telling you to stop with the donations? Has she tried to return the money to you? If that¡¯s the case, you could seize the chance to meet up.¡± ric remained silent. Terrance¡¯s words echoed in his mind, however. Seize the chance to meet up? Frankly speaking, ric did not know why he was so obsessed with the children. Perhaps it was because of how bright their smiles were. 5/10 Chapter 187 Why Butt Into Their Lives Looking at them felt like looking at the sun. They were so cute, so energetic, so radiant, so full of joie de vivre. They were theplete opposite of his life which was drowning in darkness. He was the epitome of a cold heart, irritable and hard to get along with. However, his adoration might have others wondering if there was something wrong with him. After all, why would he like the two children for no reason? At that thought, he closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± It was good enough that he could watch them through the phone. The two children were so happy that it was proof that they were leading great lives. He was only one of their audience members who was leeching off their warmth through their streams. Why butt into their lives? He might end up annoying them. Terrance sensed the abrupt change in ric¡¯s thoughts. All of a sudden, ric radiated a dark aura that turned the air around him incredibly cold. 6/10 12:32 Chapter 157 Why Butt Into Their Lives Well, Terrance had grown used to ric¡¯s abrupt mood swings over the past five years. Victoria was waiting by the boarding gate. Ethan had messaged her to say that they would be looking for her, so she stayed in her seat and waited. With suitcases in tow, Ethan spotted her from afar, sitting in one of the seats near the boarding gate with an extremely pale face. No wonder Mr. Morison told me to take care of her. She looks to be in so much pain being on her period. ¡°Miss Selwyn,¡± he called out. ¡°Mommy!¡± Nathan and Nicole cried out. He walked over and handed the warm cup of hot cocoa to her. ¡°We just bought it, so it¡¯s still warm. Drink up, Miss Selwyn. It¡¯ll warm you up,¡± he said. Victoria paused and stared at him for a few moments before realizing that he had 7/10 Chapter 157 Why Butt Into Their Lives guessed what was going on with her. She did not y coy and promptly epted the cup. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Drink up.¡± After a few sips to warm herself up, the pain radiating from her aching abdomen finally eased up. However, she was still feeling the effects of having eaten something cold the night before. Hence, her face remained pale. Nathan, who had been watching the entire time, lovingly ced his warm cup against Victoria¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Here, Mommy. My hot cocoa will warm you up,¡± he said. Nicole blinked upon hearing that. She wanted to hand over her cup of hot cocoa as well but realized that she had drunk so much of it that there were only a few sips. left. It would not be of use if she did the same as Nathan. Standing next to them, Ethan sighed. ¡°How nice it would be to have a hot water E 8/10 12 32 501, Chapter 167 Why Butt Into Their Lives bottle.¡± He also realized just how tough periods were on women. It would be painful for Victoria to run all the way to their boarding gate. At that thought, he pushed a suitcase over to her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit on this, Miss Selwyn? I¡¯ll push you over to the boarding gate,¡± he said. Victoria, who had been preupied with the torment her abdomen was putting her through, stared at him in confusion. She nced at the suitcase before her then back up at Ethan who had a concerned and kind smile on his face. Her lips twitched uncontrobly. It was unnecessary, absolutely unnecessary. ¡°Go on, Miss Selwyn,¡± Ethan said. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mr. Hudson. I can walk,¡± she responded awkwardly. She was only suffering from cramps, not a broken leg. 9/10 12:32 Sat, 24 Jun. Chapter 187 Why Butt Into Their Lives Moreover, the idea of being pushed around on a suitcase? She still had her dignity to uphold. ¡°It¡¯s really fine, Miss Selwyn. Hurry up and sit. I¡¯ll push you,¡± he said. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¡°No, no,¡± Victoria repeated, ¡°There¡¯s really no need, Mr. Hudson,¡± she continued, ¡°Please, Miss Selwyn. I¡¯m strong enough to push you along while pulling the other suitcases,¡± Ethan insisted. ¡°If you must push someone¡­¡± Victoria said, ¡°Nicole, get on the suitcase and let Mr. Hudson push you around.¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy,¡± Nicole responded, She was a smart kid. Soon after Victoria¡¯s suggestion, she climbed onto the suitcase. However, she had a somewhat difficult time with the climb. She held a tiny hand out to Ethan and sweetly called out, ¡°Mr. Hudson, help me.¡± Ethan subconsciously grabbed her arm and helped her up to sit on the suitcase. Ethan only realized what had happened after Nicole was properly seated. ¡°Wall, Miss Selwyn, what I mean is¡­¡± 1/9 ¡°Nicole is tired. I leave her in your hands, Mr. Hudson. Nathan, grab your suitcase. Pull it yourself,¡± Victoria interrupted. ¡°Okay,¡± Nathan said. The two children were especially obedient. They basically did anything that Victoria told them to. Eventually, Ethan had no choice but to push Nicole along on the suitcase. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hudson,¡± Nicole apologetically repeated to Ethan. She was so cute that the only reply Ethan could muster was, ¡°Good girl. Hold on tight. We don¡¯t want you falling.¡± They had booked first¨Css tickets. Ethan had nned on leading Victoria to the lounge to rest for a while, but they had spent so much time dilly¨Cdallying that boarding had started by the time they arrived at their gate. Thus, they had to board the ne first. Victoria was eager to finally sit down. The ne should be warmer than the airport, 2/9 Chapter 188 Boarding and she could even ask the air hostess for a nketter. ¡°We can board the ne now, Mr. Cadogan,¡± Terrance remarked from beside ric. ric nodded with a nk face. ¡°Oh, right. Mr. Cadogan, I have more news,¡± Terrance said, ric turned to look at him in confusion. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°We have to line upter,¡± Terrance continued. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ric froze in his tracks. ¡°Well, when I bought the ticketsst night, there were no first¨Css seats avable.¡± With ric¡¯s intense gaze trained on him, Terrance forced himself to continue his exnation. ¡°They were out of business¨Css seats. In the end, I had to book economy¨Css tickets.¡± Everything seemed toe to a standstill once he was done speaking. Terrance looked at ric with a conflicted look in his eyes. 377 Chapter 188 Boarding ¡°Mr. Cadogan, we were unlucky when we booked our tickets. These seats would rarely be sold out. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with today¡¯s flight. Don¡¯t worry, though. I¡¯ll ask aroundter to see if anyone in the first ss is willing to swap seats with you. I¡¯ll ensure you can get through your flight infort. For now, we¡¯ll have to line up.¡± 4/9 Terrance led ric over to the queue as ric continued to stare at him with sharp eyes. ric was a tall and handsome man whose beauty was not hard on the eyes and constantly radiated an air of elegance. Thus, as he waited in line, many girls stared at him. The flight they were taking had a lot of foreign passengers. These passengers were bolder and more friendly than the others. Their gazes burned as they looked at him up and down. They even began whispering to each other about him. Some of them would wink or shoot flirtatious looks at him as they passed by. ric did not respond in any way at all to the reactions he garnered. Terrance sneakily nced at ric. When he saw how dark the look on ric¡¯s face. Chapter 188 Boarding was, he swiftly looked away. He, too, did not want to line up if it was at all possible. Once they were past the gates, ric grimly marched ahead while Terrance raced to keep up. ¡°I¡¯m so very sorry, Mr. Cadogan. It¡¯s my fault. I had not expected the flight to be booked out,¡± he said. ric abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned to shoot Terrance with a sharp look. ¡°Terrance Levane, if this ever happens again, you¡¯ll be terminated immediately,¡± he snapped out. ¡°Yes, sir. It won¡¯t happen again, sir. I promise, sir. This was unexpected,¡± Terrance hurriedly replied. Once on the ne, ric headed to the first¨Css seating area as usual. ¡°Wee onboard,¡± the air hostesses greeted. The eyes of every air hostess they walked past lit up with delight when he walked past them. 5/9 Chapter 188 Boarding ¡°Sir, your ticket¡­¡± The moment the air hostess spoke up, Terrance promptly handed over their tickets. from behind ric. The air hostess took one nce at their tickets and stopped ric from moving toward the first¨Css seating area. ¡°Excuse me, sir, but your seats are this way.¡± ric paused. The air hostess continued to smile as she gestured toward the economy¨Css seating area. ¡°This way, sir.¡± The people who were boarding were now looking at them. Their eyes betrayed their curiosity and judgmental thoughts as they stared at ric. Terrance was at a loss for words. He was doomed. He would be yelled at again. ¡°Sir?¡± the air hostess asked once more when ric did not move. 6/9 Next thing she knew, he snatched his ticket from her and coldly marched to the economy ss seating area. As he passed by Terrance, he barked out, ¡°Do not let me see you again once we¡¯re back.¡± Terrance was bawling on the inside. He quickly said to the air hostess, ¡°Excuse me, but we have a friend up ahead in the first ss. Since the ne isn¡¯t leaving just yet, can I head over for a minute?¡± The air hostess paused in astonishment before nodding. In the first¨Css seating area. Victoria¡¯s group had bought their tickets early on. Thus, they were mostly seated together. As Victoria was not feeling well, they decided to give her the seat by the window. Once they boarded the ne, her cramps increased in intensity. Ethan helped her ask for a thick nket from the air hostess. Then, she curled up in her seat and fell asleep. Not long after she closed her eyes, she heard Nathan softly call out to her. ¡°Mommy.¡± 12 33 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 188 Boarding No matter how much pain she was in, she still swiftly opened her eyes in response to her child¡¯s call. ¡°What is it, Nathan?¡± ¡°This is for you,¡± he replied. He was holding out an eye mask to her. She paused upon seeing it and chuckled. ¡°Thank you, Nathan. Could you help me put it on?¡± she asked. ¡°Okay.¡± 8/9 Nathan leaned over to slide the eye mask over her eyes. His motions were as gentle as could be, just like the caring boy he was. ¡°All done, Mommy.¡± ¡°Thank you, Nathan. Well, I¡¯m going to sleep now. Can you help me take care of Nicole and yourself?¡± Nathan instantly nodded. You Ane to take owe of yourself 200. All right. I¡¯m going to sleep now Dont worry, Miss Selwyn. I take care of them. You focus on resting. Thest sentence was spoken by Ethan who had abruptly chimed in He was a very thorough man in his work, and he was on a mission from Bane. He could take care of both the children and her Indeed, Victoria did not need to wONTY, She soon fell into a deep sleep. Due to how cold it was, she pulled her nket up high, covering her entire neck and jaw. The only part of her that was visible was her nose which was left unobscured for breathing. Just then, Terrance arrived at the first¨Css seating area. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Terrance walked into the first ss seating area and immediately began scanning the seats to see if anyone would be willing to switch seats with him. Finally, he set his sights on a middle¨Caged man who appeared to be from Lyria. ¡°Hello, sin¡± He approached and gave his business card to the middle¨Caged man. After he saw Terrance, the man froze, a surprised grin spread across his lips, and eximed, ¡°Mr. Levane?¡± Terrance looked at him nkly, seemingly perplexed, and asked, ¡°You know me, sir?¡± ¡°I do, Mr. Levane. I¡¯m Mack Bard from Goodman Corporation. We¡¯ve met before, the man introduced. After hearing that, Terrance scoured his memory long and hard for a square¨Clooking face with tiny eyes and a stubby nose. Unfortunately, he did not recall ever meeting anyone like that. However, Mack was not annoyed by Terrance¡¯s nk look. He merely reached up to scratch his nose in response. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mr. Levane. You¡¯re a busy man. It¡¯s normal for you to have forgotten about me.¡¯ 12:33 Sat, 24 Jun 6 hapter 18) Swapping Seats Terrance had no choice but to nod in agreement. ¡°Oh, right. If you¡¯re here, that means Mr. Cadogan is also here, right?¡± Mack got to his feet, looked around, and added, ¡°I don¡¯t see him anywhere.¡± Realizing that Mack was making a scene, Terrance hurriedly reached out to press his hand against the man¡¯s arm as he whispered, ¡°Well, here¡¯s the situation. Are you willing to swap seats, Mr. Bard? The seat is in economy, but if you¡¯re willing to swap seats, I can immediately provide you with the appropriatepensation. Alternatively, you can decide on a price.¡± he On the other hand, Mack was a man with a sharp mind, so there was no way didn¡¯t grasp what Terrance meant. ¡°I understand, Mr. Levane. So, Mr. Cadogan is in the economy seat in the back? You are looking to swap seats for him?¡± he asked. Terrance gave him a thumbs¨Cup upon hearing that. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. You¡¯re a smart man.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t im that. Hurry up. Let¡¯s swap my seat for Mr. Cadogan¡¯s,¡± Mack immediately responded. After saying that, he stood up again with a grin. After seeing that, Terrance hurriedly pulled out his phone and stated, ¡°About the 277 12:33 Sat, 24 Jun 05 Chapter 189 Swapping Seats When Mack heard that, he interrupted him with a chuckle. ¡°Oh, Mr. Levane, let¡¯s not speak ofpensation. I don¡¯t need any of that. It is my honor to be able to swap seats with Mr. Cadogan.¡± Terrance was at a loss for words. If he doesn¡¯t want marypensation, we owe him a favor. If so, what percentage of the profits should be spent to ¡°Where is Mr. Cadogan now, Mr. Levane? Why don¡¯t you lead me to him?¡± How should I respond? I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to swap seats at this point. Nheless, I¡¯m afraid that if I let ric fly in economy ss, I will be fired as soon as wend. After giving it some consideration, Terrance said, ¡°Very well. Let me lead you to him.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Mack said with augh. The two men then proceeded to the economy ss to look for ric. 377 Meanwhile, ric was not seated, as his seat was by the window. Arge man and a middle¨Caged woman, who appeared to be married, upied the aisle and middle seats, respectively. ric stood there with a disdainful expression, making it clear that he was not pleased with his window seat. If he sat down in that space, his legs Chapter 189 Swapping Seats would be unable to find afortable position because he was a tall man with long legs, and the seat was too cramped for him. At that moment, Terrance was about to pass out after observing the situation. So, he promptly approached ric and said, ¡°I have swapped your seat, Mr. Cadogan. This is-¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Cadogan. I¡¯m Mack Bard from Goodman Corporation. I-¡± Mack had approached with a fawning smile, eager to shake ric¡¯s hand. However, he came to a halt when ric red at him coldly. His feet felt like they had been nailed to the ground as he did not dare take another step closer. Instead, he chuckled awkwardly andmented, ¡°Ah, you truly live up to your reputation, Mr. Cadogan. No wonder people say you have a powerful presence.¡± On the other hand, Terrance quickly briefed ric on the seating arrangements, after which ric shot him a stern look before walking away. 4/7 After that, Mack had no choice but to step aside for ric when he observed ric¡¯s hasty departure. When ric was no longer in sight, Mack turned to Terrance and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we exchange contact information, Mr. Levane?¡± Terrance silently stared at the man. Still, he owed Mack a favor, so he had to give in and take out his phone. 12:93 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 189 Swapping Seats Meanwhile, ric marched stoically toward the seat that Mack had previously upied. He sat down and was still in a gloomy mood, giving off such a cold air that everyone nced in his direction. It wasmon for passengers to swap seats, and as long as everyone was willing to do so, the air hostesses would not say a word. Furthermore, ric looked like someone among the cream of the crop, so the air hostess quickly walked over to check on him once he sat down. ¡°Do you need anything, sir?¡± she asked. He was still in a bad mood and coldly answered, ¡°Wine.¡± After hearing that, the air hostess stared at him momentarily before nodding. ¡°Very well. Please give me a few minutes.¡± When he was finally served, he immediately downed half of his ss. After that, he wiped the drops of red wine from his lips before leaning back in his seat with an expressionless face. In the meantime, the air hostess who had served him returned to her post, and she 5/7 Chapter 189 Swapping Seats noticed her colleague reading a financial magazine. The first photo the air hostess saw was of ric dressed in a ck suit, and she realized the man in the magazine looked exactly like the man on the ne. ¡°Is that¡­¡± The air hostess studied the photograph again and drew back the curtains. to look at the seated man. ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± her colleague confirmed with a nod. ¡°Goodness! He was so unusually handsome that I knew something was off when I saw that he had bought an economy¨Css ticket,¡± the air hostess eximed. ¡°We have a lot of people on the flight today who bought first¨Css and business¨Css tickets. His assistant had likely been too slow to book a ticket,¡± her colleague exined. When they finished gossiping, they returned the magazine to its shelf. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. 6/7 On the other hand, Nathan and Nicole were sitting together and watching a cartoon. Ethan remained by their side, never once letting his guard down. Once in a while, he would check on Victoria, who was sound asleep, to ensure he adequately cared for all three. Before the ne took off, he texted Bane before turning off his phone. 46% Chapter 189 Swapping Seats First¨Css passengers on this flight were notably quiet. Since Nathan and Nicole had been raised as well¨Ceducated children, they did not fill the air with chatter despite watching cartoons. If they wanted to talk to each other, they would lean. close to the other¡¯s ear and speak into it with a hand over their mouth. That way, their conversations would not disturb the others on the ne. 77 As he observed the interaction between the two children, Ethan felt love and warmth fill his heart. He finally understood why Bane was willing to ept Victoria¡¯s children into his life. In addition, he had always known Bane loved her. However, when she had two children out of wedlock, it was clear whose brows those children inherited¡­ Ethan knew everything because he had apanied Bane during his trip to Gandra. After all, Ethan had met that man before, and he knew that man was equally attractive as Bane and, in fact¡­ That man might be even better than Bane. Naturally, Ethan wouldn¡¯t tell Bane something like that. Despite this knowledge, he couldn¡¯t understand why Bane would let her keep the two children. Even though Bane seemed nice on the surface, to Ethan, he was a psychopath who could do anything. For this reason, Ethan was surprised to learn that Victoria could give birth to twins. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 If Bane wanted Victoria to be his, he could have used other methods to ensure her children never saw the light of day. Where there was a will, there was a way, right? Not only had the children been sessfully born, but Bane also saw them as his own. He even remained as devoted to Victoria as ever. As a man, Ethan thought that he would rather die than be so generous. However, now that he had spent some time with the children¡­ He thought that the children did not need to be gone. From that point of view, he seemed to be rather¡­ generous as well. 1/9 After all, they were both so cute and mature. Who would not like beautiful and polite children? The envy he now felt for Bane was equal in intensity to how badly he felt for Bane. back then. As he pondered, Nicole suddenly turned to Ethan and said, ¡°I need to go to the Chapter 100 Kind Hearted bathroom, Mr. Hudson.¡± Ethan stared at her, astonished. Did they not go to the bathrooms just before boarding the ne? Soon, he realized what was happening. While they had gone to the bathrooms. before boarding, she also had arge drink during that time. 7/9 Ethan was about to say that he would help her, but his words were stuck at the tip of his tongue. Nicole might be a little girl, but she was still a girl. It would be fine if he were her father, but it was strange for a man to bring her to the bathroom. ¡°Give me a moment. I¡¯ll call for an air hostess to help you,¡± he eventually said. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hudson.¡± Ethan pressed the call button, and an air hostess soon arrived to lead Nicole away. ¡°You¡¯d like to go to the bathroom, right? Come with me, little girl,¡± said the air hostess. Chapter 190 Kind-Hearted Nicole looked up at her and held her hand out for the air hostess to grab before softly saying, ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± She was so sweet that the air hostess was instantly enthralled by her. Deep down, the air hostess was screaming in joy over how cute Nicole was. On the surface, there was a calm and collected look on her face. 3/0 Nicole was an obedient girl who listened to instructions and washed her hands after she was done. As she stepped out of the bathroom, she thanked the air hostess once more. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite, sweetheart. Come. I¡¯ll lead you back,¡± the air hostess said. Before returning Nicole to her seat, the air hostess could not resist pinching Nicole¡¯s. cheeks. Just as she thought, Nicole¡¯s cheeks were soft and squishy, like a marshmallow. Nicole seemed to be used to that kind of behavior, however. She did not find it weird and just let herself be led back to her seat. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. As they walked to Nicole¡¯s seat, they suddenly heard an icy voice call to them. Chapter 190 Kind Hearted ¡°Could you pour me another ss? Please.¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded cold and aloof, yet he added a ¡°please¡± at the end. The air hostess turned around and found that the man who had called out to her was the man she had just seen on the finance magazine cover. She promptly nodded. ¡°Very well, sir. I¡¯ll get you another ss right away.¡± The air hostess swiftly grabbed his ss to refill it with wine. At that moment, Nicole was left behind, standing by herself. She blinked up at the handsome man who was seated nearby. It might beughable, but ric was still sulking over what happened. The question was whether he was sulking over Terrance¡¯s failure at his job or over the two children he had missed. After the air hostess left, he pursed his lips into a thin line as his narrow eyes squinted. Out of the blue, he smelled something sweet in the air. 4/9 Chapter 190 Kind Hearted What was that smell? Then, a realization struck him, and he turned around. Within a second, two pairs of eyes locked. The girl continued to stand there with her hands in her cute little pockets as her wide, lively eyes blinked at him. Her shoes were clean without a single speck of visible dirt. All of that painted a clear image that the child¡¯s parents were taking great care of her. Her eyes shimmered with pure ric¡¯s breath hitched. Was he hallucinating? innocence.. Why else would the girl who had only ever appeared on his phone screen suddenly be in front of him? As he wondered about the reality of what he was seeing, she suddenly tilted her head and sweetly said to him, ¡°You¡¯re really handsome, mister!¡± He froze. 5/0 Chapter 190 Kind Hearted That sweet voice¡­ That was the same voice he had heard over and over again in the streams. However, it was more realistic and softer in person. ¡°Nicole?¡± he asked. The name seemed to have been blurted out on reflex. Her eyes lit up. ¡°You know me?¡± she asked. The moment she heard her name, Nicole seemed to have let down her guard against him. Previously, she had remained where she was. Now, she was walking over to his seat. ¡°You know me, but why don¡¯t I know you?¡± she asked. By then, she was standing beside his legs. He subconsciously held his breath due to how close she was, his brows also furrowed in a frown. 6/9 Chapter 190 Kind-Hearted Nicole was not as cautious as she should be. She had been standing far away, too afraid to get near him before. Now, just because he called out her name, she was standing right next to him. Had her family never taught her about stranger danger? Moreover, she was currently initiating a conversation with a stranger. For some reason, her actions made him want to lecture her. However, he soon realized that would only scare her off. Thus, his only choice was to slow down his breathing to lower his voice to cautiously speak in a soft voice. ¡°That¡¯s because I watch your streams,¡± he answered. Disappointment shed on her face when she heard that. He noticed her reaction and felt himself holding his breath once more. Had he misspoken? 7/9 12:33 Sat, Chapter 190 Kind Hearted Was that why she was disappointed? If she were disappointed, would she walk away and ignore him? As he wondered if he should tell Nicole he was Silent Night, her bright smile suddenly returned. ¡°I thought you knew Mommy. It¡¯s fine. Mommy said that anyone willing to watch our streams would have kind hearts.¡± He was surprised by her words. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± After all, he did not think he was that kind. In fact, he was rather mean-spirited at times. All of a sudden, someone was calling him kind. Nicole looked up at him and spoke in a solemn tone. ¡°That¡¯s because only kind people would have the patience to watch the live streams of two kids,¡± she replied. 8/9 Chapter 190 Kind Hearted She was whole-heartedly imitating Victoria when she spoke. She even imitated the exact tone and face Victoria used when she said that. ric could not resist chuckling upon hearing that. ¡°Your mommy is a very good woman,¡± he said. 9/0 ¡°Of course!¡± There was a proud gleam in her eyes when she heard apliment for Victoria. Despite the childish ring of her voice, she sounded absolutely serious when she dered, ¡°Mommy is the very, very, very best person in the whole world!¡± The serious look on her face made his lips tilt upward. ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked. He lifted his hand to ruffle her hair. Unfortunately, the air hostess returned with a tray just as he did that. ?? Chapter 191 Chapter 191 ¡°Here¡¯s your red wine, sir,¡± said the stewardess. Suddenly, she noticed Nicole. standing next to ric, and her countenance changed at once. 0% After setting the ss of red wine down before ric, she hurriedly apologized to him, ¡°Sorry, sir, is this child bothering you? I¡¯ll get her out of here in a minute.¡± After that, she turned to Nicole with a benevolent smile. ¡°Sorry, sweetie, I forgot about you just now. Return to your seat with me now, okay?¡± Nicole looked at the stewardess, then at ric, who pursed his lips and was also quite reluctant to be parted from her. Still, Nicole was a child, after all. After listening to the stewardess¡® words, she nodded obediently and then turned to wave ric goodbye without the slightest reluctance. ¡°I gotta go, mister. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you today.¡± ric nodded and replied in a deep voice, ¡°Mm¨Chmm. It¡¯s my pleasure to meet you, too.¡± He had no choice but to watch the stewardess take Nicole away. No matter how much he loathed to part from her, she was someone else¡¯s child, after all. After she had left, ric found that much of his inner vexation had subsided. He was no longer as ill¨Ctempered and tetchy as when he first boarded the ne; even the red wine in front of him didn¡¯t appeal to him anymore. He had stomach trouble 177 12:34 Sat, 24 Jun. Chapter 191 He Wasn¡¯t Hearing Things and thus had to abstain from alcohol in the first ce. Since he had only ordered the red wine on impulse just now, he didn¡¯t touch it again. Furthermore, his mind had gone to Nicole, to whom he couldn¡¯t help feeling a peculiar attachment. ric never found himself liking children before, but now¡­ He fought back the urge to go over and say hello to the two little ones. First of all, they must be on board with their family. Not only the two of them, but their parents would certainly be there, too. What was he supposed to say after abruptly going over to say hello? Hi, I¡¯m Silent Night, the one who regrly watches your children¡¯s live stream?! He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to imagine what the scene would look like. Pursing his lips, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Never mind, I¡¯ll just wait and see. Perhaps she¡¯ll pass by here again, or we might run into each other again as we get off the ne. It won¡¯t seem that odd if we meet by coincidence. Aftering back, Nicole immediately told her twin brother Nathan what had happened just now. The two little ones got together while exchanging whispers. Watching them from the sidelines, Ethan couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of loneliness. He also wanted to have some adorable kids whispering to him. I must¡¯ve 20 Chapter 191 He Wasnt Hearing Things fallen under the spell of this lovely pair of twins. A momentter, he decided to check on Victoria. Seeing that she was still deeply asleep, he was finally relieved. Victoria slept through most of the flight home. When the flight prepared fornding, she woke up for a while, but despite her knowing she was supposed to get up, her bodily functions made her feel drowsy again. As a result, she sank back into sleep soon afterward. The first¨Css passengers were privileged, so the stewardess came after the ne came to aplete stop. Ethan was almost done with the packing when he realized that Victoria was still asleep. So, when the stewardess came over, he said, ¡°Sorry, please let other passengers get off first. We¡¯ll get offst.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The stewardess nodded in understanding. Naturally, with Victoria still asleep and Ethan staying put, Nicole and Nathan had no choice but to also sit in their seats waiting. 377 12:34 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 191 He Wasn¡¯t Hearing Things Sitting alone in his seat, ric stared ahead with his thin lips pressed together. The ne hadnded for a long time, but the two little ones had yet to show up. After the little girl had left, ric¡¯s mind shed back to the boy he had met in the washroom, who was dressed in the exact same clothes as her. Seeing the little boy struggle to open the door, he opened it for the boy, who then thanked him in return. When he heard the boy thanking him, ric thought the boy¡¯s voice sounded like Nathan¡¯s, but the boy then disappeared so quickly that he thought he was hearing. things. ANT However, the chance encounter with the little girl on the ne made him realize that the ¡°Thank you, mister,¡± he had heard in the washroom wasn¡¯t his hallucination at all. Therefore, after thinking it over, he decided he would like to see the two children together. The sight of them standing before him in the exact same clothes would. surely look as though they hade straight out of their live stream. He waited for a long time, but there was nothing ahead until his assistant Terrance came to him. ¡°Mr. Cadogan? It¡¯s time for us to get off the ne.¡± ric fell silent for a moment. ¡°Have all the other passengers gotten off the ne?¡± Sat, 24 Chapter 191 He Wasn¡¯t Hearing Things ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Terrance nodded. He continued as if it were a matter of course, ¡°Everyone else has gotten off the ne, while you¡¯ve been sitting here for a long time.¡± Could Mr. Cadogan be afraid of seeing the economy¨Css cabin and thus wanted to stay in the first¨Css cabin for a while longer? he wondered, but he dared not ask or speak about it. Seeing that ric didn¡¯t respond, he could only ask again, ¡°Mr. Cadogan?¡± Returning to his senses, ric looked at him coldly. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Terrance summoned up his courage and urged, ¡°We have to get off the ne. Those sent by the Villower Group have been waiting for us for a long time.¡± ¡°One minute,¡± said ric. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°One more minute and we¡¯ll get off the ne,¡± replied ric. I¡¯ll wait for another minute. If the two children still don¡¯t show up, then I¡¯ll leave. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Not in a position to say anything else, Terrance had no choice but to stand where he was and wait alongside the man. I mustn¡¯t get the wrong seats for Mr. Cadogan again next time. Look how he¡¯s starting to get traumatized. He actually stays in the first¨Css cabin and is reluctant to get off the ne! he thought. 5/7 Chapter 191 He Wasn¡¯t Hearing Things A minute passed very quickly, but the ne remained quiet. ric never got to see the two children again. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. His tall build cramped the space the moment he stood up. Unwilling to give up, he stepped forward, wanting to go over to see what was going on with the two children. Why aren¡¯t theying over? Normally, with everyone else gone, they¡¯d have to get off the ne as well. However, no sooner had he walked a few steps than Terrance stopped him, saying, ¡°Wait a minute, Mr. Cadogan. You¡¯re heading the wrong way. The exit is this way.¡± ric was speechless. Sometimes, he really wished he could smack this Terrance guy, who always did more harm than good. Why would I agree to let Peter have his cousin fill in for him after he resigned back then? As he was pondering on it, the stewardess came over, too. ¡°Sir.¡± Though not explicitly, she was clearly indicating that they should get off the ne. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mr. Cadogan. We can¡¯t stay on the ne anymore. In any case, you¡¯re a half¨Cpublic figure now,¡± Terrance said before bracing himself to drag ric away. ¡°Goodbye, sir. Enjoy your trip!¡± said the stewardess. 6/7 Chapter 191 He Wasn¡¯t Hearing Things Dragged off the ne by Terrance, ric red at him with a sour face. He said in an icy voice, ¡°Let go of me.¡± Realizing what he had just done, Terrance instantly rxed his grip on the man before smiling apologetically. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Cadogan. I¨CI didn¡¯t mean to touch you. We were really in a hurry just now-¡± he said while starting to anxiously wipe his sweat away. After all, ric hated it when others touched him without his consent. 717 Surprisingly, the next second, the man walked past him right away with a stony face, as if nothing had ever happened just now. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 When Victoria was woken up, she and her bunch were the only passengers left on the ne. She got off the ne feeling deeply embarrassed. Rubbing her temples, she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guys wake me up earlier?¡± She had awoken to find herself being the only passenger left on the ne. Everyone else had been waiting for her, she event saw the pilot eyeing her as they left. She wouldn¡¯t want to go through such an embarrassing experience twice. Ethan replied, ¡°I saw that you weren¡¯t feeling well, Miss Selwyn, so I thought I¡¯d let you sleep a little longer. It¡¯d take time for other passengers to get off the ne, anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mommy. You¡¯re unwell,¡± Nicole chimed in. Nathan nodded as well. Apparently, he and Nicole both agreed with Ethan, or they wouldn¡¯t have obediently waited alongside him. Seeing the way that they looked, Victoria continued rubbing her temples while deciding not to dwell further on the topic. Embarrassing as it was, it had already. happened, after all. And besides, she had to admit that she had slept well during the 12:35 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 192 Where Did You Hear That From flight and had woken up feeling much better. Just then, her phone started vibrating. She took out her phone and took a look. before answering the phone with a smile. ¡°Hey, Fiona!¡± ¡°Oh, my God! I got through to you atst! I found that your flight hadnded, yet I just couldn¡¯t get through to you when I called. I was worried to death, darling.¡± Fiona Garza was a friend whom Victoria had gotten to know after going abroad. She was on good terms with both Victoria and Summer, and a year ago, she returned to Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. her home country and started to learn airport management. She was the daughter of an airline owner. Her father was a native, but her mother was a foreigner, thus making her a mixed-race child. ¡°Sorry, Fiona. I forgot to turn on the phone.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. Where are you now? I¡¯ll have somebody pick you up.¡± Victoria paused for a moment. Just when she was about to look around, she heard Fiona screaming, ¡°My friend said she just saw you! Just stay there and don¡¯t move. My friend¡¯s going over to pick you up now.¡± Standing where she was, Victoria soon saw an airport staff member trotting up to 217 Chapter 192 Where Did You Hear That From her in a uniform. ¡°Hi, are you Victoria Selwyn? I¡¯m Fiona¡¯s friend, and I¡¯m here to pick you guys up on her behalf.¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Victoria gave her a smile before shaking hands with her. ¡°Well then, pleasee with me.¡± Everyone thus followed thedy. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, how much longer do we have to wait here?¡± 3/7 The ones sent by the Villower Group had already picked up ric. However, their car had yet to start moving, because he asked to wait at the exit for a moment without exining why. Since they were here to pick him up, they dared not go against his will, of course, so they had no choice but to park their car there and wait at his request. Terrance noticed that ric¡¯s eyes were focused on the exit the entire time. Back in the first-ss cabin, he had thought that the man was traumatized by the economy-ss cabin, but now, he didn¡¯t think so anymore. This was because the man seemed to be waiting for somebody at this very moment. Chapter 192 Where Did You Hear That From Suddenly, he had a sh of inspiration. Could something have happened to Mr. Cadogan while he was alone in the first-ss cabin earlier? At the thought of this, he took another look at ric. Even though it wasn¡¯t obvious with his cold temperament, the way ric kept staring at the exit did suggest a hint of anxious anticipation. ¡°Mr. Cadogan.¡± He leaned closer to ric. Then, he cautiously asked, ¡°Did youe across some babe aboard the ne?¡± Speechless, ric shot a look at him as if looking at an idiot. After his thin lips moved for a moment, he said, ¡°If you¡¯re not using your brains, you may as well give. them away.¡± Terrance was lost for words. Just say no if you didn¡¯t. Whysh out at me instead? Despite feeling hurt, he was nheless curious about it. ¡°If you didn¡¯te across anyone, then why did you keep staying on the ne just now? You¡¯re even waiting at the exit right now.¡± After he said a bunch of stuff, ric merely replied, ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Fine, it seems that I didn¡¯t manage to coax it out of him. Terrance had no choice but to keep on waiting alongside the man in their seats. After they waited for a long time, the ones sent by the Villower Group got a phone call, perhaps to ask them why they had yet to arrive after all this time. The staff 407 Chapter 192 Where Did You Hear That Fre members whispered on the phone, and only after hanging up the phone did they gingerly look back at ric. Their lips parted slightly as if hesitating to speak, but in the end, they turned their heads back without daring to say anything. About a few minutester, ric suddenly looked back and said in a cold voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He had waited for a long time, but it seemed that he wouldn¡¯t get to see the children again today. Perhaps it¡¯s destiny that I only got to meet that little girl on the ne. ¡°Can we get going now?¡± The driver was visibly surprised. Nevertheless, he drove immediately without daring to say another word. They eventually got going, but after that, everyone sensed that the temperature in the car had apparently dropped so much as though they were in an ice cave. The driver almost trembled with fear as he drove along the way. After dropping ric off at their destination, he and his assistant exchanged a brief look and heaved a long sigh. ¡°We¡¯ve got him here atst! Let¡¯s go lest they call us again for something.¡± With that, the car quickly whizzed away. As soon as ric entered the lobby, Jordan Floyd, the Villower Group¡¯s new heir, came up and greeted him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Cadogan. Shortly after assuming his position as the new heir to the Villower Group, he secured heads of agreement 3 Chapter 192 Where Did You Hear That From with the Cadogan Group. Now, those who had looked down upon him dared not underestimate him anymore. Darting a nce at the man, ric nodded expressionlessly before shaking his hand. 6/7 Other people would¡¯ve found his attitude disrespectful, but Jordan didn¡¯t mind it at all. After bonding with ric over horsemanship, he was already used to this side of the man. He said with a smile, ¡°Wee here, Mr. Cadogan. Come on in.¡± With that, he invited ric into the Villower Group. ¡°So, what did you gain from going abroad this time? I heard there are lots of prettydies over there. Did youe across some babe?¡± This was already the second time ric heard the word ¡®babe¡¯ today. He darted at sideways look at Jordan, asking, ¡°Do you want to talk to me about our coboration, or do you want to talk about something else?¡± Jordan changed color slightly at his question. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be angry. Our coboration. ¡°But speaking of it, the right hand I¡¯m looking for this time is a greatdy from the country you just went to. I heard she¡¯s interested in returning to her home country, so I tried to recruit her to mypany. Unfortunately, she turned me down.¡± 12:35 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 192 Where Did You Hear That From ric wasn¡¯t at all interested in the topic of women, though. Seeing the way he looked, Jordan said with a smile, ¡°Fine, it seems that I can¡¯t talk to you about women. I don¡¯t think you have eyes for any other woman other than udia Johnson.¡± ric paused at his words. The next second, his eyes narrowed menacingly. ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± Stunned, Jordan stood frozen in ce, not knowing what he had said that had pushed the man¡¯s buttons. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 193 Chapter 193 ¦§ 1/8 ¡°What do you mean I don¡¯t have eyes for any woman other than udia? Where did you hear that from?¡± Jordan honestly had no idea that ric would actually be angered by this remark. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. For a moment, however, he didn¡¯t know if the man was angry because he disagreed with this statement or because someone else had mentioned udia. After a while, he had no choice but to reply with some deliberation, ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor that they¡¯re talking about for fun. You don¡¯t have to pay too much attention to it.¡± ¡°A rumor?¡± ric stared at him coldly. ¡°If it¡¯s just a rumor, then why bring it up in front of me? Has the heir to the Floyd Corporation inherited the people¡¯s gossipy disposition as well?¡± Jordan dared not say anything else upon hearing this, of course. He had no choice but to quickly apologize, ¡°Fine, ric, it¡¯s my bad, okay? I shouldn¡¯t have gossiped about you. It¡¯s my fault for shooting my mouth off. What can I do to reduce your anger?¡± ric didn¡¯t say another word. However, his temper just now made it clear that Jordan couldn¡¯t casually gossip about him in front of him anymore. Sat Chapter 193 Id Love It After escorting the man to the break room, Jordan heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Well then, please rest here for a while. I¡¯m going out and will be back in a minute.¡± ric closed his eyes and reclined on the couch while ignoring himpletely. Having angered ric just now, Jordan dared notin about being ignored by the man at this moment. After all, he knew that he was in the wrong. However, after he left the break room, his assistant audaciouslyined, ¡°Mr. Floyd, this ric guy is really going too far! Even if the Cadogan Group is very powerful, he can¡¯t treat you like this, no? In any case, you¡¯re the Villower Group¡¯s new heir!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Jordan darted a look at him. ¡°So, you also know that I¡¯m the new heir, huh? How do you think he should treat me, then? Does he have to bow and scrape to me?¡± Hearing the question, the assistant rubbed his nose. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I just. think he¡¯s too arrogant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he has the right to be arrogant. When I can reach his position, I¡¯ll be even more arrogant than he is. Do you understand?¡± 2/8 Chapter 103 Id Love It The assistant fell silent for a moment. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Look at you. Why didn¡¯t you say that while we were in there just now? Go say that to Mr. Cadogan¡¯s face instead. What¡¯s the point of saying that to me?¡± Hearing his words, the assistant replied sullenly, ¡°I was scared of getting you into trouble.¡± Jordan replied, ¡°So you know these words would get me in trouble, huh? Do you know that walls have ears, then? The first thing to keep in mind as my assistant is to understand what to say and what not to say. If there¡¯s anything that shouldn¡¯t be said in public, keep it to yourself even in private. Got it?¡± Displeased as he was, the assistant knew that what Jordan said was true. In the end, he just nodded. ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°By the way, what about that Summerdy whom I asked you to get in touch with? Has she persuaded Victoria Selwyn?¡± The assistant looked even gloomier at the mention of this. ¡°Mr. Floyd, I think you¡¯d better forget about this. That Summerdy promised to help us persuade her at first, but for some reason, she suddenly went back on it and told us not to call her anymore.¡± 3.8 Chapter 193 Id Love it At hearing this, Jordan instantly gave him a puzzled look. ¡°Was it because the offer you made was too low?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible. The offer we made to her would be tempting to anyone, and no one else could possibly make the same offer.¡± ¡°Tsk, not even a lucrative offer could entice her to work for me, huh? Seems like I¡¯ve got to find another way.¡± Jordan rested his chin in his hand while pursing his lips. thoughtfully. Suddenly, however, his assistant thought of something, and his eyes lit up. He suggested, ¡°Mr. Floyd, if you really need her talents, why don¡¯t you sacrifice yourself instead?¡± Jordan¡¯s eyes narrowed at his words. ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re telling me to seduce her?¡± The assistant let out a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve juste in, after all. If you want to nurture talents of your own, you¡¯ve got to focus on the big picture.¡± ¡°Get lost! Stoping up with such bad ideas, will you?¡± 4/8 ¡°Really, Mr. Floyd, I¡¯m not joking. Miss Selwyn is not only pretty but also very capable, and more people are courting her than people trying to poach her.¡± Jordan had only heard of Victoria¡¯s name and had never seen her in person, but he knew that his assistant was telling the truth. Still, there was no way he would. sacrifice himself. There¡¯s no way that I, Jordan Floyd, will bemitted to a single partner when there are plenty more fish in the sea. He dared not even think about. the idea of being bound to a woman or loving one singledy. ¡°Just find another way to approach her through her friend again and increase the offer.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Floyd.¡± Situated in the best part of Jasea, Park View Residence was purchased by the biggest real estate developer in the city before being made into an antique-style manor with a small bridge over a murmuring brook. Be it the bridge, the flowers, the vegetation, or the gazebo, everything in the manor was built with historical uracy, not to mention the house itself, which was designed in a ssic old-fashioned style. ¡°I heard that the real estate developer dreamed of living like one of the ancient people and had money to burn, so he went out of his way to get this property. At first, he just wanted to fulfill his dream, but to his surprise, the property became 5/8 Chapter 193 rd Love it quite popr when it waspleted, and many young people moved in here.¡± Victoria rolled down the car window and looked at the scenery around her. Indeed, the scenery around her was quaint; had she not been sitting in a very modern. vehicle, she would¡¯ve thought that she had been transported to a different era. ¡°I hear that this area is worth a lot of money and was sold at an exorbitant price back. then. It¡¯d be harder to build it like this. How much is it priced now?¡± Fiona shook her head in depression. ¡°It¡¯s true that the area is worth a lot of money. But the house¡­¡± Victoria looked puzzled at her words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The developer refuses to sell it, so it¡¯s only avable for rent at the moment.¡± Victoria was stunned for a moment. It surprised her that the developer would actually refuse to sell the property. However, if there was a market for renting such an antique manor, it would indeed make more money than selling the property. Fiona exined, ¡°The developer said that if he were to sell the property, it would surely end up being bought by scalpers who would then rent out the property at a higher price. In that case, he might as well rent it out himself so that those who liked it didn¡¯t have to spend more money.¡± 6/8 Chapter 193 Love it ¡®I see. It seems like the developer is a nice person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought businessmen were all profiteers.¡± The two women¡¯s lips curled into a smile at the same time as they spoke. ¡°Now that you¡¯re finally back in the country, I¡¯m renting this property for two full years in order for you to stay here. Don¡¯t me me for not renting it for longer, though. The longest lease avable here is for two years, so I can¡¯t rent it longer than that.¡± Upon hearing this, Victoria realized something. ¡°How much is the price? It must cost a lot to rent this ce. You-¡± Fiona interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you wanna pay the money back to me. I¡¯m not gonna listen to that. I¡¯m renting this ce to live here on my own; it¡¯s just that the house is too big. It¡¯s too lonely for me to live here alone, so I¡¯m inviting you to live. here with me. You¡¯re not gonna pay any rent for this.¡± Victoria got the point. ¡°Which means you¡¯re going to live with us?¡± ¡°Of course! Now that we¡¯re reunited atst, we should live together, of course. You won¡¯t object to it, will you?¡± 7/8 Chapter 193 I¡¯d Love It ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t! I couldn¡¯t ask for a better arrangement.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Victoria realized that her life became far better after she left ric. 3 When she was married, she couldn¡¯t even meet up with her best friends at all. 1/7 However, after the divorce, Summer and Fiona would always visit her and they wouldy on the same bed to look at the stars as they gossiped about things like children without a care in the world. On the other hand, Ethan helped carry the luggage upstairs. It was a double¨Cstory house with a balcony filled with a variety of nts. Therefore, the house had a screen window installed to prevent bugs from flying in, and repellent packs were ced on the windowsill as well. Victoria fell in love with the environment as soon as she stepped into the house. At first, she was worried that she needed to spend time looking at houses when she returned, but Fiona had settled it for her in a jiffy. Besides that, she didn¡¯t even need to worry about cleaning the house because Fiona had hired professional help to clean the house. She even went as far as to ce scented candles and nts that she loved around the house. Chapter 194 Fell in Love With Someone Ethan secretly took a nce at Victoria¡¯s expression before quietly sending a message to Bane when he exited the room. ¡°Mr. Morison, I¡¯ve got something to report. The house you prepared for Miss Selwyn isn¡¯t needed anymore. We bumped into her friend at the airport, who has already rented a house for her.¡± After he sent the reply, Ethan couldn¡¯t help but regard the house once more. Not bad. She¡¯s more thoughtful than Mr. Morison. The house Bane prepared was free of any procedures that Victoria needed to handle since it was already under her name. He even hired people to check the environment and location. Unfortunately, he lost to Fiona¡¯s creativity. Fortunately, Bane lost to a woman. If it was a male friend, Bane¡¯s position would be at risk. Soon, Bane replied to him, ¡°Fiona Carza?¡± Ethan answered, ¡°Yes, Mr. Morison.¡± As expected, Bane¡¯s reply was calm, ¡°Then, that¡¯s alright. Fiona¡¯s pretty detail 277 34 Fell in Love With Someone oriented. Make sure to check whether there¡¯s anything else you can help with.¡± ¡°Sure, Mr. Morison.¡± Ethan kept his phone away and helped arrange Victoria¡¯s things. 3/7 Once everything was about done, Fiona told Ethan, ¡®Mr. Hudson, did youe over on Bane¡¯s orders? I heard that you took care of the three of them. Thank. you for your hard work.¡± He hastily waved his hands when he heard that. ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s in my job description. There¡¯s no need for thanks.¡± That was an overstatement. The three of them didn¡¯t need his care at all since Victoria fell asleep the instant they boarded the ne while the two children were. sensible and cute throughout the ride. All that he did was push the luggage around. ¡°You¡¯re too nice, Mr. Hudson. You¡¯ve done more than you should. Anyhow, you¡¯re. probably tired from the long journey. Why don¡¯t you get some rest? Everything is more or less settled.¡± He instinctively looked toward Victoria with a questioning look in his eyes. Victoria nodded when she noticed his questioning gaze. ¡°You should rest, Mr. Hudson.¡± F Chapter 194 Fell in Love With Someone After some thought, Ethan nodded as well. ¡°Alright. The auction is tomorrow night. Do remember to prepare for that, Miss Selwyn. Please call me if you need anything else. I¡¯lle right over.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Then, Victoria asked the children to bid goodbye to Ethan. After he left, Fiona and Victoria went to the balcony upstairs and made a pot of jasmine tea. The rich floral sweet smell of the jasmine flower apanied by billowing heat. Fiona, who once was bibulous, was drinking jasmine tea now. Victoria couldn¡¯t help but tease her, ¡°I thought you¡¯d whip out a few bottles of alcohol and told me to drink that here.¡± Fiona froze slightly beforeughing, ¡°Alcohol? That¡¯s not appropriate right now. Both its smell and appearance will spoil the current atmosphere. Besides, I quit drinking. I¡¯m never gonna drink again.¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯re turning over a new leaf? You were the best drinker among us.¡± 417 Chapter 194 Fell in Love With Someone Fiona became forlorn when that was brought up. ¡°Forget that. I¡¯ve got gastritis now. The doctor said I can¡¯t drink anymore. I still want to live. Besides, jasmine tea smells great.¡± Victoria was suddenly worried when she heard Fiona was sick. ¡°How did that happen?¡± Fiona pursed her lips as if she didn¡¯t want to tell her. After a while, she finally came clean. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve got my eyes on a man.''¡± Victoria gave a quizzical look. ¡°I met him in a bar. He¡¯s absolutely exquisite. With that face of his, I feel like my life will beplete if I married him.¡± ¡°Wait. What does this have to do with your gastritis?¡± ¡°Big time.¡± Fiona sighed before saying dejectedly, ¡°He¡¯s a good drinker. I can¡¯t beat him, but I wanted him to notice me. So, I practiced drinking. That¡¯s why¡­¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t help but feel utterly exasperated as she didn¡¯t expect that Fional would do things harmful to herself for a man. ¡°Are you dumb?¡± She flicked Fiona¡¯s forehead. ¡°Who would practice drinking for a man they like?¡± 5/7 Chapter 194 Fell in Love With Someone Fiona let out a smallugh at that. ¡°You probably think I¡¯m crazy, Victoria, but I really, really like him. I knew he was the man for me from the moment I looked at him.¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes turned dreamy when she talked about him. Then, she propped her chin on her hand before recounting. ¡°The first time I saw him, he was sitting there with sharp eyes. The downlight illuminated his features perfectly. I fell in love with him. immediately.¡± Even though Victoria didn¡¯t know what that man looked like, she could guess how handsome he looked based on Fiona¡¯s description. 6/7 Fiona had seen many men during her time in foreign countries. For her to still praise him like so, it meant that he was beyond gorgeous. ¡°Even if you like his looks, what about his personality? Family background? Do you know what his family is like?¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to get closer to him, but he¡¯s so indifferent. I can¡¯t get to know him at all.¡± Victoria was slightly surprised by that revtion since Fiona¡¯s beauty and you¡¯re so stuck on him is because he¡¯s ignoring you?¡± Chapter 194 Fell in Love With Someone ¡°No!¡± Fiona gritted her teeth. ¡°If he¡¯s willing to talk to me, I will treat him the nicest | can. Victoria, you don¡¯t know how handsome he is. l¡¯even secretly took a picture. Here. Take a look.¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Then, Fiona took her phone out with a silly grin on her face while Victoria scooted closer with a doting smile. ¡°Okay. Let me have a good look and see if this man is worthy of you.¡± However, Fiona clicked open the photo album, but couldn¡¯t find that picture at all. ¡°That¡¯s weird. I was sure I took a picture. Although it¡¯s not that clear since I was standing far away, the entire atmosphere was perfect. Judging by his aura, I¡¯m sure. he¡¯s not an ordinary man, Victoria.¡± s, Fiona still couldn¡¯t find that picture after scrolling for some time. ¡°Argh! Where¡¯s my picture? Why is it gone? I tried so hard to get that picture!¡± Victoria grabbed her hand as she saw the frustration in Fiona¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t find it. You can take as many as you want once you¡¯re together with him.¡± Fiona¡¯s gaze suddenly turned miserable at that. ¡°I don¡¯t even know when that¡¯ll happen. I took that picture while I was hiding in a corner. Even though he was drinking, he was very alert. S¡¯it! It¡¯s probably because he looked over when I was 1/8 Chapter 195 Concerned About Her Love Life about to take the picture¡­ I probably forgot to press the button.¡± Fiona felt sad that she let that opportunity slip by her fingers just like that. ¡°Besides, he doesn¡¯t usually go there. I¡¯ve only seen him a few times.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you go ask for his number the next time you see him? Be brave!¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to here? He didn¡¯t even answer me.¡± Victoria was speechless. She was certain that the man Fiona had her eyes on was an ice king. ¡°It seemed like he was troubled. My heart ached for him seeing how lonely he was when he was drinking.¡± Victoria stayed silent. Sure enough, a woman in love would be blind. He was just drinking and still Fiona¡¯s imagination ran wild. 2/8 ¡°What about this, then?¡± Fiona suddenly grabbed her arm and suggested with smiling eyes, ¡°You should join me tonight. I¡¯ve been waiting for him for two weeks and he hasn¡¯t shown up. You¡¯re my lucky charm. Maybe I¡¯ll see him when youe Chapter 195 Concerned About Her Love Life with me!¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria rejected her suggestion without a second thought. ¡°I¡¯ve got to stay home with Nicole and Nathan.¡± ¡°They¡¯re both good children. I¡¯m sure they can stay home without parental supervision for a while. You¡¯ll only be out with me for two hours at most. If you¡¯re still worried, you can ask Mr. Hudson toe over and look after them.¡± ¡°You were the one who asked Mr. Hudson to rest. Are you saying that he has to not too long ago?¡± ¡°So what? He¡¯s Bane¡¯s employee. He¡¯ll do anything for you. You¡¯re going to be his sooner orter anyways.¡± Thatst sentence made Victoria change her expression. ¡°Fiona, don¡¯t ever say that again.¡± ¡°Gosh. I¡¯m just joking. I don¡¯t understand you. Bane¡¯s a great guy. Why don¡¯t you like him? He has his mind set on you. Do you really not feel anything for him after so long?¡°. 3/8 12:36 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 195 Concerned About Her Love Life Victoria was at a loss about how to exin this to her and sighed helplessly, ¡°Just. Don¡¯t joke about this anymore.¡± ¡°Okay. Okay. I¡¯ll stop it. So, are you going with me or not?¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria turned around and left. Fiona immediately chased after her and hugged her arm. ¡°Oh,e on. Please. Go with me.¡± When they passed by a room, Nathan just so happened toe out. So, Fional urged him, ¡°Nathan, quick! Tell your mom to go out with me tonight.¡± Then, he lifted his little head and looked at her, ¡°Aunt Fiona?¡± Fiona was still insistent about going out with Victoria but got sidetracked by Nathan¡¯s cuteness and turned into a kooky aunt. ¡°Oh, my, my. Come here and let me kiss you.¡± Victoria just looked at them, utterly speechless. In the evening, Victoria was cooking, and Fiona went to change her clothes and nned to help Victoria out in the kitchen. 4/8 Chapter 195 Concerned About Her Love Life When Fiona passed by the living room, she took a nce inside and stopped in her tracks when she saw Nathan sitting in front of the coffee table. The night was fast approaching, and the rays of the setting sun reflected off Nathan¡¯s delicate yet sharp features. The young child sat there focused on studying while a sense of maturity and indifference that didn¡¯t match his age showed on his young face. Fiona stood there and stared at Nathan with her mouth agape in disbelief. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Was it because she¡¯s not seen that man in the bar for too long, so she was imagining things? Why did she see the shadow of that man in Nathan? After a few seconds, Fiona rubbed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m probably just hallucinating from theck of sleep.¡± Then, she turned around and went to the kitchen to help Victoria. Nheless, she was still flustered by that scene in the living room. His side profile and that aura he emits. How could they be so alike? 5/8 Chapter 195 Comcemed When she was washing the vegetables, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Victoria, can I ask you a personal question?¡± Victoria stopped cooking and turned her head to look at Fiona helplessly. ¡°Is it about Bane again?¡± Fiona immediately denied it, ¡°No. No. What I wanted to ask had nothing to do with him.¡± If it¡¯s nothing to do with Bane¡­ ¡°Then, ask away.¡± As long as she¡¯s not asking about my love life.. I ¡°Really?¡± Fiona was still a little concerned. ¡°Can I really ask anything?¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Victoria was fine as long as Fiona didn¡¯t talk about Bane. It felt as if she was going. to explode if anyone mentioned him in front of her. Before she left, her father had asked about her rtionship with Bane. He event questioned when she was going to open up to Bane. She didn¡¯t want to listen to his lecture and started packing her things before returning to her room to sleep. Bane did treat her well. Everyone knew this. That was why everyone just presumed they were together, Regardless, Victoria didn¡¯t like that presumption because nothing should be assumed, especially feelings. So, she didn¡¯t like that people felt that she should be with Bane just because he treated her well. ¡°Just ask. As long as it¡¯s not about Bane, I can answer you.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m gonna ask now.¡± Fiona realized what bothered Victoria the most now was Bane. So, she was chill about the other matters. If that¡¯s the case, she could finally ask her question with confidence. s, as she thought of the question she was about to ask, she still took in a deep. breath, mustering her courage. ¡°I actually wanted to ask this a long time ago but was afraid it¡¯ll bring up bad memories. Since you don¡¯t seem to mind anymore, then I¡¯ll ask¡­¡± 7/8 3 Chapter 195 Concerned About Her Love Life Victoria had a bad feeling when she heard that, but before she could stop Fiona, the 8/8 question had already escaped her mouth, ¡°What I wanted to ask about is the identity of Nathan and Nicole¡¯s father¡­¡± 12:36 531, 24 Chapter 196 Numbing Himself Chapter 196 Chapter 196 ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¦¥ Even before Fiona had finished asking her question, the answer that she received truly caught her off guard. As a result, her jaw was practically on the floor as she froze on the spot, staring at Victoria in astonishment. ¡°Huh?¡± Victoria simply met her eyes calmly before askingposedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°H-He¡¯s dead?¡± This was thest answer Fiona was expecting. Although she knew that her reaction was rather rude, especially since she blurted the same words that fell from Victoria¡¯s lips, she really couldn¡¯t help it. By the time she snapped back to reality, she was overwhelmed with awkwardness and guilt. My god, what am I doing?! I just repeated her answer! I might as well be stabbing her in her sore spot! At the moment, no words could express the guilt she was feeling, and she regretted it so terribly that she wished she had asked about Bane instead. That exined why Victoria never mentioned her past, and whenever Fiona asked Summer about it, she wouldn¡¯t speak a word about it as well and merely sighed. before telling her, ¡°This is a sad past and you shouldn¡¯t ask her about it.¡± Finally, Fiona understood why Summer¡¯s description of Victoria¡¯s less-than-fortunate 1/7 12 36 Sat 24 Jun Chapter circumstances. It also exined why she was raising two kids all by herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± After Fiona gathered her thoughts together, she immediately sincerely apologized, stammering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Victoria¡­ I really had no idea about your¡­ situation. I wouldn¡¯t have breathed even a word about it knew.¡± Hence, she continued to apologize profusely to Victoria. s, the damage was done, and her guilt lingered for quite a while. In the end, Victoria didn¡¯t know what else she should say anymore. At first, she told others that the father of her children. was dead because she didn¡¯t want anyone to ask about him. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Fiona, her friend, but she had already decided to seal some things to the back of her mind and didn¡¯t want to talk about it ever again. Nevertheless, if she had known that she would startle Fiona so terribly¡­ Well, she wouldn¡¯t have changed her answer, but she could have been a wee bit more tactful about it. Regardless, it seemed that her answer also served to save her from apanying Fiona to the bar as the other woman felt so guilty that she had probably decided against inviting Victoria out for drinks for the time being. On the other hand, Victoria went to bed very early because she had spent the day on a ne. Plus, she was on her period whilst suffering from jeg. Thus, even though she had slept for quite a few hours on the ne, her body was still tired. 12:36 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 196 Numbing Himself When she woke up the next morning, she was greeted by an energetic Fiona, chirping, ¡°Victoria, guess whom I bumped intost night in the bar?¡± Victoria instinctively furrowed her brows. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to bed earlyst night?¡± We said good night to each otherst night, but she still went to the bar afterward? A sheepish smile spread across Fiona¡¯s face. ¡°You look unwell, so I went by myself.¡± ¡°So, you bumped into him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fiona couldn¡¯t help but smile sweetly as she recounted her experience yesterday, ¡°My long hours of waiting have finally paid off and I bumped into him. I you that you¡¯re my lucky star, didn¡¯t I? I got lucky the minute you arrive.¡± told ¡°So, did you get his number?¡± A look of disappointment and dismay took over Fiona¡¯s originally excited face. ¡°No¡­ He seemed to be in a foul moodst night and had lots of drinks. After that, he even cked out on the counter, and just when I wanted to approach him, his friend. arrived.¡± Victoria¡¯s expression turned thoughtful at her words. She could understand that people asionally tend to have a few drinks to destress because adults in modern 2/7 Chapter 196 Numbing Himself society are under a lot of pressure. Yet, ording to Fiona, this man often went to the bar and even knocked himself out after drinking so heavily. In all honesty, Victoria didn¡¯t have a good impression of this man because he sounded like he was using alcohol to numb himself. Can his problems be solved by getting drunk in bars? She sneered silently, but seeing how deeply infatuated Fional was, she didn¡¯t say anything about this. A In the hotel suite, the curtains were drawn back by a man, and the room instantly turned bright. The ring light poured over the face of the gorgeous man in the bed, and the man who wasying on the bed like a corpse finally reacted as he opened Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. his eyes with a frown. ¡°Are you awake?¡± The crisp voice of a man echoed from the couch. The sleepy ric was able to recognize the owner of the voice-Norwood-and he shut his eyes again in difort due to the ring light, not moving an inch on the bed. Unfortunately, Norwood was well aware that he was awake. Although he knew that ric was deliberately ignoring him, Norwood began, ¡°How much longer do you Chapter 196 Numbing Himself n to go on like this?¡± The man on the bed continued to treat him as though he was air, which was exactly what he expected. So, he added without waiting for an answer from him, ¡°The doctor has already told you that you shouldn¡¯t be drinking anymore, right?¡± Still, he received no answer. Eventually, even the usually gentle Norwood couldn¡¯t help but snort derisively, ¡°Or do you n to wear out your body and let your parents organize your funeral?¡± After that, he said no more, deciding to patiently wait the man out. A long whileter, the man got up from the bed and dragged himself into the bathroom expressionlessly. Norwood was beyond speechless at ric¡¯s nonchnt attitude. Ever since Victoria left with Bane five years ago, ric had turned into a walking corpse. However, that wasn¡¯t to say that he wasn¡¯t entirely dispirited. In contrast, he was performing better at work than he used. Due to his workaholic. tendencies, the Cadogan Group was almost unmatched in their field of business. But this was all because ric had turned himself into a robot. If he wasn¡¯t working, then he was drinking. He refused to participate in any entertainment activities. But somehow, he barely slept, and even developed gastritis due to his appalling lifestyle. 5/7 12 36 Sat, 24 Chapter 196 Numbing Himself In the beginning, he could still drink himself to a stupor, but as time passed, even alcohol couldn¡¯t numb his sorrows. It was clear to Norwood that he wasn¡¯t trying to get back at anyone or anything; he was simply doing something that could help him escape from reality. At the thought of this, Norwood rose to his feet, paced to the bathroom, and knocked on the door. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the charity auction tonight.¡± When no reply came from the other side of the door, he contemted and said, ¡°udia is here. I picked up her call in your steadst night because you were drunk, and she¡¯ll be looking for you now that you¡¯re awake. I¡¯ve already passed the message, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave now. See you.¡± After that, he simply picked up his coat and left the hotel without further ado. The sound of running water came from the bathroom after he left. As ric had cked outst night, he could only take his shower now and it was thirty minutes ringing. He swept his gaze across the screen and saw that the iing caller was none other than udia. He pursed his lips as he recalled the message Norwood left him. A few secondster, he twirled around, grabbed a towel, and continued drying his. hair, ignoring the call. His phone rang a few times, but he didn¡¯t pick up even once. About fifteen minutes 67 Chapter 196 Numbing Himself face. udia had her cell phone in hand when she stood outside. Nheless, she was a little startled when she saw him answering the door. ¡°Al, I thought that you were still asleep. Why didn¡¯t you pick up my call?¡± He merely cast a dispassionate gaze at her and answered indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear my phone ringing.¡± 777 Then, he spun and went into the room, leaving her standing awkwardly at the door before she finally mustered her courage to trot after him. Although she knew that she shouldn¡¯t say it, she still couldn¡¯t stop herself frommenting, ¡°I thought that¡­ you didn¡¯t want to answer my calls.¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 1/7 Although udia had already brought it up, ric didn¡¯t bother exining himself gently as he used to the moment she was aggrieved. Instead, he remained rooted to the spot, nonchntly staring at her with unwavering, empty eyes until she felt so ufortable that she just had to turn to a different topic. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Why won¡¯t you pick up my calls, right? Oh, by the way, where¡¯s Norwood? He told me that you were drunk when I called youst night. Are you okay? Does your head hurt?¡± After all that, ric merely mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, he went into the bedroom to dress up. udia didn¡¯t move a muscle as she stared at his retreating figure and felt her heart. wrench. Five years ago, ric sessfully divorced Victoria, and thetter left the country without a word, disappearing from their lives ever since. While udia was surprised that Victoria actually kept her word, she was also looking forward to the day when ric would marry her as quickly as possible after the divorce. Yet, before. she could rejoice, ric had changed his mind. He asked her and simply said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t fulfill my promise.¡± udia gaped at him in stunned silence for a long while before forcing out a smile. ¡°Why? Is it because of the kidnapping case? Are you still suspicious that I was behind it? Al, I have to admit that for a tutte envious that Victoria was by your ande, but Fm grateful to her for taking ca for taking care of you in m ¡°She¡¯s not your substitute.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°udia, she¡¯s not taking care of me in your ce. We were not dating back then.¡± When udia heard that, blood drained from her face, and her body swayed along as she felt her blood freeze in her veins. ¡°I¡¯ll forever remember that you risked your life to save me, udia, and if you run into any difficulties in the future, Fil Before he could finish, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from cutting him off angrily, hissing, ¡°Al, what do you mean by this? Are you dumping me? Didn¡¯t we already agree that we¡¯ll get together after your divorce? How could you do this to me Yet, it didn¡¯t matter how hysterical she was acting as ric remained calm throughout her tirade. Whether it was the look in his eyes or his expression, they were as still as ake. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of difort from his body simple ¡®sorry¡¯ before departing In the end, she utterly lost it and kept pestering him about this matter, Sill, G 3/7 Chapter 197 Im Willing to Wait whenever she brought up their rtionship, he wouldn¡¯t even consider meeting her or he would just stand up and leave without another word. So, she eventually figured that things couldn¡¯t go on like this, especially after receiving such cold treatment from him. Thus, she decided to change her approach. ¡°I was wrong in the past and know that you haven¡¯t sorted out your feelings. Don¡¯t worry, Al. I¡¯ll wait for you. I¡¯ll wait for the day you¡¯re willing to ept me.¡± Back then, she meant every single word she said. After all, she assumed that ric. was only unable to ept the fact that Victoria had left. Therefore, he had merely gotten his feelings tangled. Given a little time, he would walk out of it and decide to return to her. Thus, she was willing to wait, but she never imagined that this wait wouldst five years. Five years¡­ It may seem like just a number but it¡¯s five years of my life. She could only watch helplessly as her youth seemed to be slipping away. To make matters. worse, even her suitors, who were pursuing her, had moved on and had families of their own. Yet, she was still waiting for her happy ending.. She did think of giving up, but after waiting for so many years, she was unwilling to give up just like that. Furthermore, the thing that gave her the biggest hope was, ric didn¡¯t have any other women by his side. So, it didn¡¯t matter even though he wasn¡¯t dating her. As long as she was willing to wait-in addition to her role as his 12:37 Sat, 24 Chapter 197 Im Willing to Wait savior as the buffer-he would be moved by her feelings for him sooner orter. All these years, even his parents were touched by her patience. At first, they were. unwilling and didn¡¯t want to ept her. They only felt gratitude toward her, and she couldn¡¯t even get a shard of any other intimate emotions from them. As time passed, she had made an impression on his parents, instead of ric, who was her prime target. Take the auction this time for instance, it just so happened that his mother had her eyes on one of the auction items. So, she deliberately got two invitations so they could attend this event together. udia knew that it was Mary¡¯s way to create an opportunity for them. With this Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. thought in mind, she stepped forward and knocked on the bedroom door. ¡°Al, are. you going to the auction tonight?¡± she asked, not daring to go in. An expressionless ric slipped into a white shirt and paused at her question. He had no interest whatsoever to attend the auction, but when he remembered that his mother wanted that item, he finally decided to y the part of a good son despite his impatience at the idea. ¡°I got it,¡± he answered coldly. udia sighed in relief upon hearing his agreement. Thank G***d. It¡¯s great that he¡¯s going to the auction. ¡°Okay, see youter. I¡¯m going to prepare the dress for tonight.¡± 4/7 Chapter 197 Im Willing to Wait ¡°Okay.¡± Finally, a sweet smile spread across her face at the fact that they were going to the auction with her. Indeed, it pays to persevere. As long as he¡¯s willing to go to the auction with me, it means that I still have a chance. Back home, she immediately called the stylists to have them design the most elegant, stunning look for her, and in the evening, she went to look for ric in six-inch stilettos. The charity auction tonight was organized by Villower Group. To secure his position, Jordan had put a lot of effort into this, and this auction was one of his tactics. After the word got out, several members of the upper-ss society specially came to attend. The grand finale item for tonight was a secret surprise, and it even brought many big names in the archeological field to the scene. When udia got out of the car, she almost lost her bnce due to her stilettos. Hence, she stood on the spot to wait for ric, nning to hold onto his arm. In the end, she didn¡¯t know whether it was intentional on ric¡¯s part, but the way he walked forward just so happened to avoid her touch and she almost fell. 5/ udia heard people giggling softly around her. She could barely maintain the polite. smile on her face as she turned to the source of the schadenfreude whispers. When Chapter 197 I¡¯m Willing to Wait she finally found the origins of those noises, she found that they came from a gaggle of youngdies of wealthy families, and she was usually in contact with them, but their friendship was, frankly, stic. udia bit her lower lip as she was. aware of what they were sniggering about; they were making fun of her for clinging. on to ric like a leech. Damn it, if this had happened in the past¡­ I won¡¯t have to go through this. embarrassment, she cursed. Sadly, she was very humble in ric¡¯s presence and didn¡¯t have the nerve to ask him for anything at all, so she could only sulkily trudge. after him. After a while, she suddenly regretted wearing such high heels because she was just making things difficult for herself. While she was brooding over this, the person in front of her came to a stop, and she approached him in confusion. ¡°Al?¡± He looked at her stoically. ¡°Now that you know you can¡¯t walk in such high heels, your shouldn¡¯t pick such shoes next time.¡± udia smiled awkwardly at that. ¡°The stylist picked it for me. I didn¡¯t have a say in their decision process.¡± ¡°Are you still able to walk?¡± he inquired. 6/7 Chapter 197 Im Willing to Wait She contemted before saying, ¡°It¡¯s a little tough.¡± Actually, what she wanted to say was, Will you hold me? Unexpectedly, he answered, ¡°If you can¡¯t, then you should ask the driver to drive you home or you could change into a different pair of shoes.¡± Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Never once did it cross udia¡¯s mind that ric would think of sending her away. Her lips turned pale, and she instinctively shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to go. back. Not when I finally have the chance toe here with you. Al, please¡­ It¡¯s really been a long while since Ist went out with you. So, don¡¯t drive me away, okay?¡± she begged, and her eyes instantly reddened with tears as she looked at. ric aggrievedly. To udia¡¯s dismay, ric merely looked at her expressionlessly. you. But ¡°I know you have been feeling pressured about the fact that I had saved Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. now, can you try to forget that I am your savior and consider me as a mere ordinary. girl who wants to pursue you?¡± udia truly applied the art of speaking when she uttered these words. Outwardly, it looked as though she didn¡¯t want ric to regard her as his savior, but in reality, her words served as a reminder and a hint to ric. Well, I¡¯m not appealing to pathos on purpose. It¡¯s just that I have no other reasons I can use to stay by ric¡¯s side except this, and I will be truly at my wit¡¯s end if ric doesn¡¯t care about this matter. Fortunately for her, he was always grateful to her for saving his life. Hence, the indifferent look on his face only lingered momentarily before he moved his elbow and said, ¡°Just this once.¡± 177 Chapter 198 The Power to Control the Purse Strings udia nearly wept with joy as she took ric¡¯s arm. ¡°Thank you, Al.¡± As expected, no matter how many years passed, ric¡¯s heart would always go soft whenever I bring this up. Clearly, he ultimately knows that he might have perished in this world. if it wasn¡¯t for me. I gave him a second chance in life. And if that doesn¡¯t melt hist heart, then what else will? udia took his arm and shot a nce at the girls from earlier before heading into. the hall with her head held high. 2/7 After udia left, the girls, who mocked her just now yet were forced to witness her petty revenge. They instantly got together and kept rolling their eyes at her attitude. ¡°Did you see how arrogant she was? Those who are clueless might even think she¡¯s marrying ric tomorrow.¡± ¡°She has been actively pursuing ric for five years, yet there¡¯s still no news about a proposal. I truly don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s so proud of.¡± ¡°Damn right! The Cadogans would surely ignore her if she hadn¡¯t saved ric¡¯s life back then.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, what happened to Victoria? Why would she divorce ric when their marriage was fine? Does she not care about losing to someone like udia?¡± Chapter 198 The Power to Control the Purse Strings ¡°Perhaps she isn¡¯t as experienced as udia. That¡¯s why she had no choice but to leave ric.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why hasn¡¯t udia be ric¡¯s girlfriend yet?¡± Everyone fell silent as soon as someone pointed this out. No one had a clear grasp of the entanglement between ric and Victoria¡¯s rtionship. Therefore, these. girls were curious too. Still, although they had many, many, theories, none of them. even came close to the truth. 3/7 As for ric, he caused a greatmotion as soon as he entered the auction hall. In fact, thanks to his appearance, everyone¡¯s view of Jordan took a turn. Since ric. hadn¡¯t shown up at public events for a long time, they couldn¡¯t believe the Young Master of the Floyds actually seeded in achieving such a difficult feat. Given his prestigious status, ric naturally became a guest of honor and was seated at the best seat avable. Meanwhile, udia sat down next to him. She naturally sensed the gazes from the crowd around her and chuckled to herself in her heart. Then, she straightened her posture and revealed her fair neck, posing like a white swan. Chapter 198 The Power to Control the Purse Strings The sky was drizzling before the charity auction even started. Victoria and Ethan. were still on their way to the venue. Victoria reflexivelymented upon seeing the weather changing so unexpectedly, ¡°What¡¯s with this weather? The weather forecast didn¡¯t report that there will be rain today.¡± When the driver in front heard her, he smiled and added, ¡°It rains frequently and rather unexpectedly in this season. Not to mention, the weather forecast isn¡¯t so urate sometimes.¡± ¡°Have you brought an umbre?¡± asked Victoria, who sat in the back passenger seat. with her two children. Ethan shook his head. ¡°No. I didn¡¯t think it would rain today.¡± After she gave a brief nce at her surroundings, she made a quick decision. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s a 24¨Chour convenience store in front. Sir, can you pull over there. A77 The light rain at first eventually turned into a downpour, causing the driver¡¯s visibility to be restricted. As a result, Victoria and Ethan were alreadyte by the time they arrived at their destination. There were very few people in the venue. Ethan took out the invitation letter, and the Chapter 198 The Power to Control the Purse Strings attitude of the entrance reception staff instantly became reverent and respectful. ¡°Sir, Miss, this way, please.¡± Since Victoria attended this charity auction on behalf of Bane, she naturally became the guest of honor. That was why the staff took Victoria and Ethan to the VIP area. Still, due to theirte arrival, the auction had already started. Therefore, they would interrupt other guests of honor if they were to make their way to their VIP seats. After Victoria gave it a thought, she immediately said to the reception staff, ¡°We¡¯ll just sit in the back row seats.¡± The reception staff¡¯s face took on a ghastly expression after hearing that. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly allow that. You are-¡± Victoria smiled softly and reassured by saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s on us. We arrivedte. Besides, sitting in the back row wouldn¡¯t affect us from bidding.¡± Even so, the reception staff still figured it was unprofessional of them to agree to let their VIP guests abruptly sit in the back row seats. After all, things would be awful for them if the higher¨Cups med them for such an arrangement. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Victoria was already making her way toward the back¨Crow seats. When Ethan saw this, he had no choice but to follow her. 5/7 Chapter 19 The Power to Control the Purse Strings When the staff saw that the dice had been cast, they simply ran over to report this unexpected incident to the management staff instead of dwelling on it. The first lot had been sold by the time Victoria and Ethan took their seats. Ethan handed over the auction catalog right after they sat down.. Once she was done browsing through the catalog, she said, ¡°The item that Mr. Morison wants to bid on isn¡¯t in these beginning lots.¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes. I suppose that item would be the finale of this auction.¡± ¡°Finale¡­¡± Victoria seemed lost in thought. ¡°If it¡¯s the finale lot, it looks like Mr. Morison will blow a huge hole in his bank ount tonight.¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t help but smile after he heard Victoria¡¯s metaphor. ¡°Miss Selwyn, don¡¯t. worry about it. Mr. Morison can still afford to take out this amount of money.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t answer. Of course, I know Bane can afford it. After all, this amount of money is, at any rate, like a drop in the bucket and just asmon as ordinary folks buying gifts for their elders to Bane. ¡°How I wish I could spend as freely as him,¡± shemented casually. Frankly speaking, 6/7 Chapter 198 The Power to Control the Purse Strings she was envisioning that she might also have such a chance once she established. and further expanded herpany. Nheless, she would never dare assume. that she coulde close to Bane¡¯s financial status. After all, her family background wasn¡¯t on par with Bane¡¯s. Still, the profit earned was enough for her. and her two children to spendvishly. To her surprise, Ethan chuckled and abruptly blurted, ¡°That¡¯s easy. Just marry Mr. Morison if you want to spend as freely as him.¡± Victoria fell silent. At the same time, the initial rxed atmosphere turned stagnant due to Ethan¡¯s words. He immediately realized that he had made an improper remark. Regrettably, it was already toote as the atmosphere had gotten too awkward. Even so, he tried to salvage the situation by saying, ¡°Well, Mr. Morison fancies you. So, he will undoubtedly let you have the power to control his purse strings.¡± 7/7 If Ethan had known that the atmosphere in the air could get even tenser than it was before this, he would have kept his mouth shut instead of attempting to salvage the situation, for things instantly turned even stranger as soon as those words escaped. his lips. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Victoria didn¡¯t answer him, which made Ethan awkwardly touch his nose. It was probably because the atmosphere was too rxed, so he identally blurted that out. Now, Ethan started to regret what he said. Luckily, Victoria took the initiative to break that awkward silence after a few minutes. ¡°Mr. Hudson, can you help me bid for the next item?¡± ¡°The next one?¡± He flipped the catalog open to find that it was a beautiful bracelet. ¡°You like this one, Miss Selwyn?¡± Ethan was a little blunt, making it evident that he hadn¡¯t thought of the possibility that Victoria would be interested in such an item. Besides, he had never heard that Victoria was particrly fond of crystal essories. Fortunately, Bane had ordered him to help Victoria bid on anything she liked, no matter the cost. He even instructed that everything would be under his tab. However, Victoria merely smiled and didn¡¯t say a word. Alright. I understand.¡± 1/8 D Chapter 100 Wan 2/8 When the next item was presented, Ethan straightened nervously as if that item was thest item of the night. She kindly reminded him when she noticed how anxious he looked, ¡°Don¡¯t name your price so soon. Let everyone else bid first.¡± Ethan nodded vigorously in response. Soon, bids were called out, and the price of the crystal bracelet went up to 4.5. million. Once the price became so costly, the number of people joining the bid gradually lessened. When it got up to 5 million, only two people were still in the running. Then, Victoria nced at Ethan to gesture to him that it was time. He nodded and raised the card to bid. ¡°5.5 million,¡± Someone in the VIP seats at the front suddenly interjected before Ethan could. That was the same amount he wanted to bid. He honestly didn¡¯t expect someone to beat him to it. 12 37 Sat, 24 Chapter 199 Want To Please Her As he had stayed by Bane¡¯s side for some time, he was influenced by his extravagant ways and continued to ce his bid. ¡°6 million.¡± s, Victoria couldn¡¯t react fast enough to stop him from doing so. Her lips twitched, but she eventually retreated into herself as she thought of something at his determined stance. After udia named her price, she didn¡¯t expect someone else to follow her bid. Frankly, she didn¡¯t n on bidding for anything at first, but several people kept throwing their nces at them after ric entered. She couldn¡¯t let this good opportunity pass. She was going to use this chance to show off her position by ric¡¯s side. After all, this was merely an auction. ric wouldn¡¯t reprimand her for anything. Then, she looked at him from the corner of her eyes to find his head ducked down, scrolling his phone with a face utterly devoid of expression. It seemed like he didn¡¯t care about her bidding at all. Thus, she let out a breath of relief. If he wasn¡¯t reacting, it meant that he didn¡¯t care. 3/8 Chapter 199 Want To Please Her Hence, udia was relieved and continued cing the bid. CH ¡°6 million from Miss Johnson. You seem to have your eyes on the crystal bracelet. tonight, Miss Johnson.¡± When Victoria heard that, she was shocked and looked at the VIP seats. Unfortunately, the VIP area was blocked, and she couldn¡¯t see anything from her seat. 6 million had surpassed her initial budget. So, she patted Ethan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mr. Hudson.¡± Ethan looked at her with wide eyes. ¡°Miss Selwyn, are you going to give up like this? It¡¯s something you wanted.¡± ¡°Yes, but the price is more than what I expected. So, there¡¯s no need to continue.¡± She initially estimated to win the bid at around 5.5 million. Nevertheless, if it didn¡¯t. work out, she would let other people take it.. ¡°But¡­¡± Ethan bit his lips. ¡°Mr. Morison instructed me to bid everything you wanted. no matter the cost.¡± Just as Victoria was about to tell him not to heed Bane¡¯s words like he was The Chapter 199 Want To Please Her King; Ethan had already raised the card again. ¡°6.5 million!¡± H 6.5 million wasn¡¯t a huge sum for influential families. Still, udia didn¡¯t expect someone would continue bidding against her for that crystal bracelet. Besides, she was standing right beside ric at that moment. Smart people. wouldn¡¯t go against her. Who knew that she was still looked down upon? As she thought of that, udia bit her bottom lips. ¡°7 million.¡± Then, Ethan continued the bid. ¡°7.5 million.¡± 5/8 Victoria was rendered wholly speechless. She felt wrong¨Cfooted and couldn¡¯t help regretting showing a hint of interest in that bracelet. The crowd started to gossip. They didn¡¯t expect a crystal bracelet could attract such intense bidding. Now that it had be such a farce, udia had no choice but to continue to bid. as it reached this stage. ¡°8 million.¡± Ethan was about to raise the card when Victoria desperately grabbed his hand. Chapter 199 Want To Please Her ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mr. Hudson.¡± ¡°But Miss Selwyn, Mr. Morison ordered¡­¡± G Victoria looked at him calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t like that bracelet any longer. Are you sure you still want to bid for something I don¡¯t like?¡± Ethan was stunned when he heard that. Even though he wanted to help Bane get on Victoria¡¯s good side, he couldn¡¯t insist in this situation as he might offend Victoria and all Bane¡¯s efforts would be in vain. After some thought, Ethan finally decided to give up. ¡°Okay, then, Miss Selwyn, but please let me know what item catches your eyeter.¡± Victoria attempted a smile and nodded. Regardless, Ethan had a hunch that she wouldn¡¯t tell him anything of the sort even if she indeed saw something she liked. Sigh. It¡¯s so hard to please a woman. I don¡¯t know how Mr. Morison does it after so many years. In the end, udia got the crystal bracelet at the price of 8 million and the whispered discussion around her made her throw her head proudly. Chapter 100 Want To Pease Her 8 million was enough to make her the center of attention. Soon, everyone would know that she apanied ric to the charity auction and spent 8 million to buy a crystal bracelet. Even though she was the one to ce the bid, the media would still title the news as ric who gave her a crystal bracelet worth 8 million to garner more attention. That sort of attention was beneficial to the Johnson Family. Then, the auction continued with the next item. The organizer was an expert at handling the atmosphere and presented the next item before people¡¯s emotions. calmed down. So, the atmosphere of the scene gradually got heated and everyone was pumped toward the end. Suffice it to say, several people in attendance highly anticipated ther Ethan flipped through the catalog and announced, ¡°There are two items left.¡± Victoria knew what he was referring to and inquired, ¡°Do we have an estimated. value?¡± He nodded seriously. ¡°The first estimate was around 90 million, but¡­¡± Then, he 7/0 Chapter 100 Wan o Pease Hei N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. scanned the crowd before continuing from where he left off. ¡°There are too many people here today. I figure we might have to increase such an estimation.¡± Victoria also swept her gaze around her when she heard his remark. Just as expected, several people had their backs ramrod straight. It was obvious. they came prepared. Therefore, she nodded in understanding before musing, ¡°It is after all the only one in the world. It¡¯s precious.¡± 8/8 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Quite Capable udia flipped through the auction catalog, then carefully leaned in close to ric and reminded him, ¡°Al, the item Mrs. Cadogan wants ising up soon.¡± ric responded coldly with a grunt as his gaze was still on his phone. She pursed her lips. ric had been looking at his phone ever since he sat down. They came with a clear purpose, so before the grand item was presented, he wouldn¡¯t have any interest in the other items at the venue. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. However, no matter how uninterested he was, he was never this engrossed in his phone in the past. Also, what was he looking at, and what was so good about it? At that thought, udia looked in the direction of ric¡¯s phone screen. She was stunned when she caught sight of it. Two children? Why was ric looking at two children? Was she seeing things? B 46% Chapter 200 Quite Capable Yet, before udia could take another look, ric¡¯s phone screen turned ck. 2/9 Right after that, udia was faced with ric¡¯s cold gaze. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± udia recovered herself, then instinctively shook her head. ¡°N¨CNothing. I just wanted to remind you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ric kept away his phone and maintained a steady gaze forward, no longer distracted. When she saw that, she straightened herself as well. For some reason, she felt that something was off. Since when did ric start looking at children¡¯s photos on his phone? There never were such things on his phone. Moreover, he had turned into a workaholic in recent years, so how could he have time to look at children? In an instant, when udia remembered the image she just saw, her expression B Chapter 200 Quite Capable shifted. The color quickly drained from her face, and she immediately turned pale. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the children in the photos seemed to resemble ric. In recent years, because ric had gotten drunk before, many women were vying for a chance to sleep with ric when he was drunk and give birth to his child. Some even went so far as to make their child go through stic surgery. udia didn¡¯t even know how those people managed to find ways to do such horrendous things, but such women truly existed in this world. She was only startled when she saw the child that looked like ric at first. This was probably because udia knew that Victoria was pregnant when she left back then. Later on, after an investigation, they found that it was stic surgery carried out by depraved people. Simr incidents happened quite several times, and the entire farce only ended after Cadogan Group released an announcement. There was a time that udia would be utterly worried, but then after receiving such fake news over and over again, she became exasperated. Toward the end, she stopped worrying about it entirely. 3/9 Chapter 200 Quite Capable Ever since then, whenever she saw a child simr to ric, she wouldn¡¯t even be the least bit bothered about it. After all, ric would never give the children another nce, but today¡­ he was looking at those two children. 4/0 Also, even though she only caught a quick glimpse of the pictures, she felt that the two children were extremely simr to ric. She was originally feeling gleeful because she had sessfully shown off to the young heiresses who were also vying for ric¡¯s attention. Yet, in just a few hours, her triumphant glee fell into depths of despair. After thest item was auctioned off, the host spoke over the microphone. ¡°There has never been apetitive mood as strong as the one in this auction today. Our auction ends here, but don¡¯t blink or you¡¯ll miss it. Next, we¡¯re presenting¡­¡± Once the staff received his cue, they carried the grand item onto the stage. Then, the host introduced the item animatedly on stage. The participants were intrigued by his introduction, and the atmosphere was brought to a boiling point. Chapter 200 Quite Capable Victoria lowered her head to recheck the catalog. The item currently presented was the only one of its kind. It was an artifact from some ancient kingdom. Thest time it appeared was at an auction overseas. In the end, it was bought by a mysterious person at a high price. Everyone was wondering who this mysterious person was, but unexpectedly, the artifact ended up in the hands of the Floyd Family. Victoria suddenly remembered something, so she asked Ethan, who was beside her. ¡°So, about the Floyd Family¡­¡± He seemed to have read her mind. Before she could finish speaking, he exined, ¡°Miss Selwyn, it¡¯s the same Floyd Family that was trying to get you on their side.¡± She never thought that it would be the same family. As Victoria studied the atmosphere, the corners of her lips curled into a smile. ¡°It looks like the new heir is quite capable.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ethan nodded. ¡°Quite capable, and bold too, especially since they could get. their hands on such a fantastic item.¡± Chapter 200 Quite Capable The auction had already begun. He sighed. ¡°By the looks of things, I have no idea what the final price will be.¡± Since it was an item reserved for the finale and the only one of its kind, the starting. price was extremely high. Bids could be heard here and there, and in just a few minutes, the item was going for 60 million. 60 million then turned into 75 million. Numbers were called out so easily at the venue that they seemed to be just numbers instead of real money. ¡°90 million!!¡± The host suddenly eximed, then announced the name. ¡°Mr. Cadogan is offering 90 million! Do we have a bigger number?¡± When Ethan heard thest name, Cadogan, he reflexively tilted his head to look at Victoria. Victoria acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard thest name. She simply sat there as usual with a calm expression on her face. However, he couldn¡¯t be as calm as she was. Chapter 200 Qute Capable They weren¡¯t overseas¡­ They were in Corynthea. Also, they were in Jasea, the city next to Gandra. Not just Jasea, even among all the people in the country, there truly wasn¡¯t another man with thest name Cadogan who could offer this price. Ethan felt that since he already had a person in mind, then Victoria, who was so intelligent, should be able toe to the same conclusion. Yet, considering how calm she was acting, she probably didn¡¯t care whether it was really ric. After all, it had been five years since then. It wasn¡¯t a long time, but it wasn¡¯t short, either. Still, it was enough for most emotions to fade away. Ethan gradually felt himself rxing. Then, he followed up with a bid of his own. 90 million was the highest price most people could offer. No matter how desperately they wanted to get their hands on the item, they wouldn¡¯t ce another bid after it exceeded their estimated budget. 7/0 Chapter 200 Quite Capable So, just like the jade bracelet from before, two parties were leftpeting. The staff at the venue turned their gazes from the VIP area to the furthermost end. of the venue. When they saw that the two people sitting there were unfamiliar faces, they couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s going on today? This item is reaching 105 million, but they¡¯re still at it.¡± ¡°Also, more weirdly, the two who are bidding at the back aren¡¯t from the VIP area, but they¡¯re bidding so boldly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them before. Who are they? Are they trying to raise the Cadogans¡® price on purpose? If they offend the Cadogans, they won¡¯t be able to survive.¡± ¡°If they dared to go against the Cadogans, they¡¯re probably not afraid of them, right?¡± Every time Ethan raised the paddle, countless gazes turned toward him, boring into him. He didn¡¯t mind, but he was worried about Victoria, so he said to her, ¡°Miss Selwyn, you¡¯ve been sitting here for quite a while. Are you alright? Why don¡¯t you go and have a rest first?¡± He was mainly afraid that some of the participants would recognize Victoria. Plus, 8/9 Chapter 200 Quite Capable Bane wasn¡¯t around at the moment¡­ More importantly, he never thought that that person would be here. 3.. 46%} Victoria nodded at Ethan¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go outside for some fresh air and rest for a bit. Contact me once you¡¯re done.¡± With that, Victoria stood up and left the venue. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 The rain grew heavier, and the corridor was almost flooded. Victoria tugged at the scarf around her, surprised that the weather in Corynthea was this cold. She fell into a daze after standing still, recalling the ¡®Mr. Cadogan¡® she heard earlier¡­ As usual, she didn¡¯t feel anything when she heard the surname. That said, she knew the ¡®Mr. Cadogan¡® from tonight was different from the person she had encountered at her job earlier. This was Corynthea; she was in Jasea. Only one person with thisst name could casually afford 85 million and be invited here. It¡¯s been five years since west met¡­ She took a deep breath and walked in another direction. ¡°Miss Selwyn,¡± She had only taken a few steps when a tall, dashing figure blocked her path. Victoria looked toward the man, slightly stumped. 1/7 45% Chapter 201 Return It to Him Personally He was dressed in a blue suit with a meticulously tied tie. When he saw her look up, he smiled and introduced himself, saying, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jordan Floyd.¡± 2/7 Jordan Floyd? The heir of the Floyd Family that Ethan and I were talking about? At the sight of her being lost in thought, Jordan quirked a brow. ¡°Do you not recognize me, Miss Selwyn? I¡¯ve sent you several job invitations. Isn¡¯t it a little hurtful that you don¡¯t know who I am?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Victoria returned the handshake. ¡°I was just wondering why you¡¯d be here.¡± She¡¯d be lying if she said she recognized the new heir of Floyd Corporation, for she was too busy to check. However, that didn¡¯t stop her from faking it. If she were to open apany in Jasea, she¡¯d have to establish good rtionships with these enterprises. Her hand was soft and lovely, and Jordan was stumped for a moment when he held it before eventuallying around, for she had withdrawn her hand as soon as their palms made contact. In the meantime, Jordan sized her up for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Why are you 12:40 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 201 Return It to Him Personally out here, Miss Selwyn?¡± ¡°To catch some fresh air.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jordan quirked a brow. ¡°By the way, Miss Selwyn, may I ask why you¡¯ve repeatedly rejected my job invitations? After all, the conditions I offered were much better than what you received in your previous job.¡± Victoria thought for a moment and decided not to mention her n of starting a personal reasons. It has nothing to do with your offer.¡± He wasn¡¯t an unreasonable hooligan either, so he didn¡¯t press on when she said it was personal. ¡°Well, I can only hope that your private matters can be resolved soon so that I can invite you to join Floyd Corporation.¡± She was taken aback by that, and she was just about to speak up when Jordan removed his suit jacket and draped it around her. ¡°I suggest that you dress warmer next time, Miss Selwyn, lest you catch a cold.¡± While the young woman was still processing the situation, Jordan bid her adieu, walking away with his assistant. ¡°I have something else to attend to. See you.¡± 3/7 Chapter 201 Return It to Him Personally Victoria parted her lips, wanting to call him back when Jordan returned with his assistant. ¡°By the way, Miss Selwyn, I forgot to ask for your contact information earlier.¡± After that, Jordan left beaming, satisfied. Meanwhile, his assistant followed behind him cautiously and asked, ¡°Mr. Floyd, do you not feel cold when you¡¯ve given your jacket to Miss Selwyn?¡± ¡°The cold never bothered me anyway.¡± Jordan quirked a brow with delight. ¡°The most important thing now is to win her favor.¡± His assistant gazed silently at him in response. ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Weren¡¯t you the one who suggested that I win her over with my looks?¡± The assistant scratched his head. How has it be my fault now? Besides, I was only joking! Victoria only came to her senses after Jordan left, and she quickly removed his jacket. She tried to catch up to him, but the man was nowhere to be found. At that, she could only turn back around and hand the jacket to a staff member at Chapter 201 Retur Personally the venue entrance. ¡°Hi, could you please help me return this jacket to Mr. Floyd 50 The staff member had been eavesdropping on their conversation earlier. There were rumors about Jordan being flirtatious and having various romantic encounters, but they didn¡¯t expect him to be so forward as to give his jacket to a beautiful woman he just met at the venue. As staff members, they dared not take the jacket from her. After all, it was given to her by Jordan, which was a signal of his interest in her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but I suggest you return it to Mr. Floyd personally since he was the one who gave it to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s gone off to, though!¡± Victoria argued, to which the staff member countered, ¡°Haven¡¯t you exchanged contact information with Mr. Floyd?¡± Victoria fell silent at that. Let me guess¨Cyou¡¯ve been standing here watching the drama unfold, haven¡¯t you? Seeing that she remained rooted on the spot, the staff member aside exined, ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to help you, miss, but we¡¯re only staff members of the venue. We barely have any chance of meeting Mr. Floyd, so it¡¯s improbable that we can Chapter 201 Return It to Him Personally return the jacket on your behalf even if you hand it to us.¡± Victoria thought they had a point, so she gave up insisting. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± After taking a nce at the hall and the lobby, she asked, ¡°Can I take a break. outside?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The staff members immediately offered their assistance. ¡°Allow me to escort you.¡± To head from here to the other side, an umbre was needed. The staff member held an umbre and escorted her, and after they arrived, Victoria thanked them with a smile. ¡°Thank you for apanying me.¡± Victoria was beautiful with fair skin. Her waist¨Clength hair was naturally ck, giving her a pure and charming look when it cascaded down on both sides of her shoulders. Moreover, anyone standing close to her could smell a faint and pleasant fragrance from Victoria. It was indiscernible which perfume it was, but it felt pleasant. The staff member blushed instantly when the beauty thanked him. ¡°No, you¡¯re too kind. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± 45% Chapter 201 Return It to Him Personally ¡°Sure.¡± Victoria surveyed the lobby after the staff member left and ultimately went toward a corner. 77 After sitting down and texting Ethan, she received a text from Fiona, asking, ¡®Has the auction ended, love? Will you apany me to the bar tonight?¡® Victoria had intended to decline, but thinking about how Fiona had stayed at home to watch her babies for her, she softened up. ¡®I¡¯ll go to you once it¡¯s over.¡¯ Sometimeter, people began dispersing from the venue, and Victoria noticed the crowd moving toward her. However, because of the downpour outside, many people gathered in the lobby. When Victoria got up to search for Ethan at the exit, a familiar figure inadvertently Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. entered her line of sight. The man was slender and wore a ssic white dress shirt and ck suitbo, with a cold and aloof expression, his exposed emotions giving his handsome face a sharp and intense aura. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 By his side was a slender and beautiful figure in a pink floor¨Clength dress. Althought the hem of the dress was slightly disheveled by the rain, it still couldn¡¯t conceal her gentle and elegant temperament. She nestled by his side, holding his hand gently. In the chaotic crowd, the couple was a perfect match. It had urred to Victoria that they would eventually run into each other one day, but never had she expected for it to be like this. It¡¯s been five years. They must¡¯ve gotten together long ago. Their kid is also about Nicole and Nathan¡¯s age, right? Just as she was lost in thought, ric seemed to have sensed something and looked in her direction. Victoria¡¯s breath hitched, and she quickly turned around. He¡­ He didn¡¯t see me just now, did he? At this moment, Victoria stood still as if she were frozen, unable to move. 1/8 12:40 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 202 Sever Attachments ¡°Miss Selwyn? Miss Selwyn!¡± Just then, Ethan¡¯s voice rang out behind her. Victoria¡¯s fingers twitched, but she dared not turn around, so Ethan could only move to her front. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss Selwyn?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Ethan. Is it over?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ethan nodded in affirmation. ¡°The handover is done.¡± ¡°Did you manage to win the bid?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ethan nodded with a tinge of pity. ¡°We spent more than expected, though. The Cadogan Family-¡± He had wanted to express how extravagantly the Cadogan Family spent and that he had to overspend to obtain that item. However, he stopped speaking at once when a thought hit him. The two of them knew exactly why. Momentster, Victoria finally said, ¡°Since it¡¯s all taken care of, let¡¯s go.¡± Ethan nodded in acknowledgment. 270 Chapter 202 Sever Attachments Meanwhile, Victoria observed Ethan. Seeing his natural and rxed demeanor, she believed ric was long gone, or the assistant would likely behave even more nervously than she would. At that, she slowly turned around, and sure enough, the bustling crowd from earlier had dispersed by now, and the conspicuous couple in the crowd was nowhere to be found. Finally, Victoria eased up. Upon learning that Victoria and Fiona were going outte at night, Ethan instantly. became worried. ¡°Miss Selwyn, isn¡¯t it a bad idea to go out at this time?¡± he asked worriedly. However, Fiona refuted him at once. ¡°Come on, Mr. Hudson. How is 10.00PMte? You¡¯re so young, yet you act like an old man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for you two girls to still be out sote, though.¡± ¡°What sort of danger is out there? Don¡¯t worry. Jasea is very safe.¡± Victoria also felt helpless about Fiona¡¯s response. In the end, she could only say to 3/9 12:40 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 202 Sever Attachments Ethan, ¡°I¡¯ll leave Nicole and Nathan in your care. I¡¯ll try toe back as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Miss Selwyn¡­¡± Ethan furrowed his brows with concern, but before he could voice his worries again, Fiona had already dragged the young woman away. After they left, Ethan thought for a moment and decided to report the news to Bane, taking out his phone. ¡°What do you think? Pretty sweet, right?¡± Victoria looked around the bar. This bar was unlike any she had imagined. In fact, this one even had a very poetic name¨CRaindrop Lounge. Plus, the music ying inside was not the kind of ear¨Csting, rhythmic dance music she expected. Instead, soft and melodic piano tunesplemented the right lighting, creating a great atmosphere in the bar. ¡°It is,¡± Victoria agreed. ¡°Right? Also, no one dares to cause trouble here. The owner has connections in both legal and illegal circles. No one would dare to make a scene on his turf. People 4/8 12 40 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 202 Sever Attachments must respect their choice.¡± Victoria smiled upon hearing the news, and at the thought of something, she checked the time and asked Fiona, ¡°Where¡¯s your crush?¡± Fiona¡¯s expression instantly fell as soon as the topic was brought up. ¡°Judging at the time, I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯ll still show up.¡± Seeing her visibly deted, Victoria smiled and patted her shoulder. ¡°Come on, cheer 1. up. We were only trying our luck, no? If he doesn¡¯t show up, I¡¯ll hang around with you for a while. The atmosphere here is great, so I don¡¯t mind spending an hour or two with you here.¡± Fiona brightened up at once and immediately wrapped her arms around Victoria intimately. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Vic. We have to be best friends forever.¡± Following that, the two hung around in the bar, and during that time, a few men approached Victoria with their drinks, hoping to have a drink with her and make friends. However, Victoria politely declined all of them. The previous men who were rejected left gracefully, but thest one didn¡¯t want to leave after Victoria declined with a tactful excuse. Instead, he stood there and looked at her curiously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but may I ask why?¡± he asked. 5/8 Chapter 207 Sever Attachmente Victoria was stumped for a second, unable to catch up with his train of thought. ¡°The reason for rejecting me.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°After all, I think making a friend. wouldn¡¯t be a loss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m already married,¡¯ she replied, seemingly realizing his idea. A brief expression of surprise shed in the man¡¯s eyes at that, and he shrugged regretfully momentster, saying, ¡°Alright, I shall leave you to your drink, then.¡± After the man left, Fiona teased Victoria, saying, ¡°You sure are a heartbreaker, rejecting young guys like that. You used to be more subtle, but now, you just crush their hopes directly.¡± Victoria shrugged in response. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is a better approach? It saves a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°It also helps you avoid any romantic entanglements. Don¡¯t you want to get out of singlehood?¡± ¡°Why should I? I have my two babies. Why should I look for a man?¡± Victoria¡¯s two adorable children came to Fiona¡¯s mind at once, and she couldn¡¯t help Chapter 202 Seve: Attachments feeling envious. ¡°Damn it, I wouldn¡¯t want a man either if I had such cute babies. Say, should I ask that hot guy for some sperm the next time I see him?¡± Victoria choked on her hot drink, rming Fiona at once. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She hurriedly grabbed some paper napkins to wipe Victoria down, only to identally spill the hot drink on Victoria¡¯s white coat, leaving obvious stains. ¡°It¡¯s noting off. I¡¯ll fix it in the washroom,¡¯ said Victoria, stopping her. ¡®I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯re still waiting for your crush to arrive, no?¡± Fiona hesitated for a few seconds before finally saying, ¡°Thank you for your sacrifice, my sweet girl friend. I will make you my honored guest at my wedding!¡± Victoria chuckled at that and left for the washroom. There was no way around cleaning the coat other than washing it with water. She also felt fortunate that it was her coat that got stained. If it were her shirt, she¡¯d probably have to freeze to death. A long time had passed by the time she came back out, and because the coat was Chapter 202 Sever Attachments still wet, she held it in her hands as she returned to her seat, only to find Fional missing when she arrived. Hence, she nced around and spotted her in another corner in no time. Sitting across from Fiona was a man who was drinking with his head down. The man had slender and distinct joints as he held the ss. Above that were strong and powerful forearms, and there was an exquisite wristwatch on his wrist. The design of the watch, though¡­ Victoria felt as though a string in her mind snapped the moment she saw the design. That wristwatch¡­ Chapter 203 Chapter 203 When Victoria caught sight of the wristwatch, the rm in her mind rang at once, and she almost bolted to leave. However, she was still a step too slow, for the man sitting across from Fiona nced inadvertently in her direction. Their gazes collided mid¨Cair, and in that instant, it felt like two trains derailing and crashing, sparking countless fireworks, causing the world to shatter. The man, who was holding a ss of wine, froze in his previously dignified and indifferent expression. Fiona, on the other hand, was still oblivious to the turn of events. As she attempted to obtain his contact information, she appeared bashful. Since they were so close to each other, Fiona dared not even look into ric¡¯s eyes but only stole nces at him. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ve been talking to you for so long. Do you mind if we exchange numbers? Don¡¯t worry, though¨Ceven though I¡¯m interested in you, I won¡¯t call you all the time or anything like that.¡± However, the man remained unresponsive when she had rambled for so long. At that, Fiona lifted her head to look at him. ¡°Can you-¡± 1/7 Chapter 203 He¡¯s Had One Too Many s, the man stood up before she could finish her words, moving so swiftly that Fiona couldn¡¯t react in time, and by the time she did, the man had rushed out of the bar. At the same time, a slender figure disappeared around the corner too. Fiona stood there, feeling a bit bewildered, having no idea what was going on. Why did he suddenly run out? Also, was that¡­ Victoria? Victoria fled, wishing she had wings to immediately escape from this ce. She never expected him to be the man Fiona had her eyes on. What kind of person has he be after five years? Doesn¡¯t he already have udia in his life? How dare hee to a bar and deceive an innocent young woman? Victoria¡¯s mind was in utter chaos as she ran and thought. She didn¡¯t even know why she was running. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, and they had divorced peacefully five years ago. What was there for her to run from? However, as she heard the hurried footsteps approaching from behind, Victoria couldn¡¯t stop. 2/7 12:41 Sat, 24 Jun B Chapter 203 He¡¯s Had One Too Many The toilet cubicles were right ahead, and Victoria, in a state of panic, nned to hide inside. However, before she could take another step, someone grabbed her shoulder. 3/7 Immediately after, she was pressed against the cold, hard wall. The strong scent of alcohol overwhelmed her senses as the man leaned in, gripping her hands tightly, his gaze locked onto her incredulously. His actions startled Victoria, and she struggled with all her might to break free when she came around. It would¡¯ve been fine if she hadn¡¯t struggled. However, as she did, the eyes of the man turned grim, and he leaned in to kiss her as though having been triggered. ¡°What are you doing? Let me go, let go¡­¡± Victoria fought to resist. Unfortunately, the difference in strength between a man and a woman was too vast. Victoria could only watch helplessly as he held her wrists and closed the distance between them inch by inch. The man got closer until Victoria could see the tiny pores on his face and even smelled the scent of cedarwood masked by the smell of alcohol. Victoria red at him and threatened through gritted teeth, saying, ¡°ric, if you dare kiss me, I will Chapter 203 He¡¯s Had One Too Many bite your mouth until it bleeds.¡± Unfortunately, the man seemed deaf to her words and stubbornly persisted in his actions. Just when Victoria thought she couldn¡¯t escape, the man suddenly dropped onto her with a bang, lying motionless. The corridor fell silent at once, starkly contrasting the previousmotion. Victoria was still breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling. The man who had fallen onto her shoulder remained motionless. After calming down, she gave the man a gentle shove. However, he remained unresponsive. What is going on? He was just- 4/7 ¡°Snowball¡­¡± the man suddenly slurred by her ear just as she was about to shove him away the second time. With his head resting on her shoulder, she heard him clearly. She stood frozen in ce, lowering her head to get a closer look at the handsome and gaunt figure in front of her. 12 41 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 203 He¡¯s Had One Too Many He had just called her by her nickname, and now, he was exuding the scent of alcohol, clearly sloshed out of his mind. In that moment of confusion, Victoria heard a distant voice. ¡°Victoria?¡± Fiona! Alerted, Victoria forcefully shoved ric away at once. Thump! Naturally, ric, who waspletely intoxicated at this moment, fell backward. Seeing that he was about to hit the ground, Victoria hurriedly grabbed his hand. s, the man was too heavy for her, so she was pulled toward him instead. Coincidentally, Fiona appeared, and when she saw Victoria falling onto ric, her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Vic, you¡­¡± Victoria didn¡¯t exin herself at once. Instead, she took a deep breath, calmly ced her hand on ric¡¯s chest for support in front of Fiona, then stood up. Fiona, who was still reeling in bewilderment, pointed at Victoria and ric. ¡°You two¡­¡± After standing up, Victoria casually fixed her clothes, tidied her hair, then nodded. 5/7 12:41 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 203 He¡¯s Had One Too Many ¡°You¡¯re here, Fiona.¡± Facing Fiona¡¯s puzzled and inquisitive gaze, Victoria, without any hesitation or breathlessness, said, ¡°This drunkard appeared out of nowhere and tried to molest me and even tried to barge into thedies¡® washroom.¡± Her statement shook Fiona to her core. ¡°What? No, that can¡¯t be right!¡± That said, she quickly remembered that this was her friend making the usation, and she chose to believe Victoria. Still, the man on the ground¡­ At that, she exined at once. ¡°Vic, listen to me. He¡¯s the guy I¡¯ve been telling you about. What you just mentioned might be a misunderstanding. He¡¯s had one too many and probably didn¡¯t know what he was doing.¡± Victoria initially thought that striking first would nt a negative impression in Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Fiona¡¯s mind, but to her surprise, her friend spoke up for ric instead. In fact, Fiona had already squatted beside ric and attempted to help him up before she could even counter Fiona¡¯s statement. It left Victoria feeling suffocated. 6/7 12:41 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 203 He¡¯s Had One Too Many ¡°Fiona, a true gentleman remains a true gentleman even when drunk. It doesn¡¯t expose their true nature.¡± Fiona paused her actions in response. Then, she looked up at Victoria and argued, ¡°But¡­ I¡¯ve been checking him out for over half a year and have never seen himy a hand on a woman. It even stumped me earlier when he suddenly ran out. Although I¡¯m not entirely sure what happened, Victoria, please trust me. He didn¡¯t do it intentionally, I promise.¡± Victoria fell silent at once, shocked that her friend was continuing to defend ric. If Fiona knew that the man she was helping up already had someone else in his life, would she still act this way? Chapter 204 Chapter 204 The situation turnedplicated instantly. Victoria wanted Fiona to know that ric already had a significant other so she couldpletely give up her feelings for him. However, she didn¡¯t want Fiona to know about her involvement with ric as well. Suddenly, she found herself in a dilemma. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for today, Victoria. Why don¡¯t you go back first?¡± Fiona¡¯s voice traveled to her ears while she was lost in thought. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with me?¡± Victoria asked after recovering from her stupefaction. At that, Fiona bit her lower lip and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t feel easy leaving him alone when he¡¯s in this state.¡± ¡°And you think I feel easy about leaving you with him?¡± Fiona smiled in response and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Victoria. Even if something does happen, it¡¯s on me.¡± Victoria was rendered speechless. Having known the woman for many years, she never realized until now that Fiona could be such a hopeless romantic. 10 12:41 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 204 It¡¯s On Me Momentster, Victoria said resolutely, ¡°No way. I can¡¯t leave you alone here.¡± ¡°Victoria, please believe me! He¡¯s not a bad guy, I promise. Whatever happened earlier was a misunderstanding. He won¡¯t do anything to me!¡± ¡°How long have you known him?¡± Though exasperated, Victoria felt that as a friend, since she hade along with Fiona tonight, she should fulfill her duty to advise her. ¡°Come on, half a year is a pretty long time.¡± Victoria sneered at that. ¡°Is that so? Do you know his name, then? How old is he this year, his height, weight, profession, or even¡­¡± Victoria paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°You don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s married!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not!¡± Fiona was guilty of not being able to answer any of the previous questions. However, she refuted instinctively upon hearing thest question. ¡°Why are you so sure that he¡¯s not? You couldn¡¯t even answer any of the previous questions, yet you retorted thest one immediately. Is he not married, or do you think he¡¯s not married?¡± 7/7 12 41 Set 24 Jun Chapter 204 Its De Fiona wrinkled her nose at once and furrowed her brows. ¡°Would he constantly get drunk in a bar if he¡¯s married?¡± How many people have you really met for you to make such a judgment?¡± Victoria decided not to argue further and went straight to the point. ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°Victoria Fiona eximed. ¡®I really don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on with you today! Among the three of us, you used to be the most softhearted and kind¨Chearted. But today, this person is lying unconscious on the ground, on a winter¡¯s night at that, yet you¡¯re telling me not to care about him. This doesn¡¯t sound like you¡± Victoria said nothing in response, leading Fiona to size her up. ¡°Just what¡¯s up? Are you in a bad mood because you¡¯re having your period?¡± Exasperation overcame Victoria at this point. Great, all that for nothing. After a long while, she finally uttered, ¡°This has nothing to do with my period.¡± However, Fiona had already decided not tomunicate with her anymore. She helped ric up and said to Victoria, ¡°Either way, I won¡¯t leave him behind today. You should go back first, Victoria.¡± 3/7 Chapter 204 It¡¯s On Me Victoria gazed silently at her for a long while before finally sighing as if conceding. ¡°Alright, what are you going to do with him?¡± She nced at ric, mixed emotions surging within her while musing, He¡¯s already with udia, and he looked so morous at the auction venue earlier. Why did he run off to a bar, then? What on earth is he doing? Meanwhile, Fiona nced around andmented, ¡°In the past, his friend would alwayse and get him every time he got drunk. I¡¯m not sure why, but they don¡¯t seem to be here today.¡± His friend? ¡°A woman?¡± ¡°As if. It¡¯s a guy!¡± A guy and a friend? Could it be Norwood? ¡°Well, given his current state, he can¡¯t continue staying here.¡± At that, Victoria pondered and said, ¡°If you¡¯re really worried about him, you can leave him with the bartender and have him call his friend.¡± That was the best way to deal with strangers; it was also what Victoria intended to 4/7 Chapter 204 It¡¯s On Me 1. do. However, Fiona had long had a crush on ric and didn¡¯t want to go with Victoria¡¯s n. As such, she bit her lip and said decisively, ¡°It might be too much trouble to find the bartender. Why don¡¯t I just get a cab and take him to a hotel?¡± ¡°And then?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t seem surprised by her response. ¡°And then¡­ Oh, I¡¯ll figure it out as I go. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Victoria took a deep breath, suppressing her temper so that her voice didn¡¯t sound off. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll apany you. We¡¯ll take him to a hotel and make sure he¡¯s okay, then we¡¯ll leave.¡± Fiona wanted to continue refuting, but when she saw that Victoria was possibly pissed, she worried thetter would really flip out if she continued. As such, she nodded reluctantly. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Afterward, the two of them called a bartender over, and they lifted ric into a cab together, taking him to a nearby hotel. s, the hotel required a person¡¯s ID for check¨Cin. ¡°Victoria, could you help me support him for a moment? I¡¯ll find Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. my ID.¡± Chapter 204 It¡¯s On Me Reluctantly, Victoria stepped forward to help support ric. As soon as she took hold of him, all of ric¡¯s weight pressed onto her, and she took a couple of steps back to steady herself. 67 The scent of alcohol mixed with male hormones invaded her breath, and the familiar sensation from five years ago made her chest tighten. Victoria bit her lower lip at that. If it weren¡¯t for Fiona¡¯s sake, she wanted to shove ric away. After the hotel staff took the ID, they asked, ¡°How many people will be staying?¡± Fiona initially wanted to include herself, but considering Victoria was here too, she changed her words. ¡°Just him.¡± ¡°Alright, ma¡¯am, we¡¯ll need this gentleman¡¯s ID.¡± ¡°His ID?¡± Fiona blinked. ¡°He¡¯s drunk, and I don¡¯t know where his ID is. Can¡¯t you use mine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. ording to our hotel¡¯s policy, we need the ID of the person checking in.¡± His rendidas portask the part backpartner Manhat To song, mdam, it¡¯s the hard pedig mak mall the past the receptionist could only offer an apodrepair strade ty Fiona was instantly caught in a disma Just then, Victoris, who was supporting ns, spice up Frava, dopet bater Fiona didn¡¯t know what had happened, but when it cams to supporting her brush, she immediately obliged Once she did, Victoria reached for ric¡¯s pants pocket, startling Fiona. What are After taking a gander at her, Victoria pulled out ric¡¯s wallet, opened it proficiently, then handed his ID to the receptionist Meanwhile, Fiona watched silently Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much Chapter 205 Chapter 205 The two exerted a lot of energy when they sent ric to the hotel. 0445% After tossing the man onto the bed, Victoria was so exhausted that she kept gasping for air as she stood in ce. Then, she turned around and nced at Fiona. Fiona instantly understood what she meant. ¡°Victoria, can I-¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria promptly cut thetter off. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to go back. He¡¯ll be fine here.¡± ¡°He¡¯s drunk, though. Will he be okay in the hotel alone? What if something happens to him?¡± Victoria replied, ¡°So? Don¡¯t tell me you want to stay behind and take care of him.¡± Fiona smiled awkwardly. ¡°No. Why don¡¯t we take his phone and call up his friends instead? How does that sound?¡± ¡°Do you know how to unlock his phone?¡± 1/9 12:42 Salt, 24 Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much ¡°No.¡± 2/9 ¡°Then how are you going to make the call?¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± Fiona twiddled her thumbs, feeling troubled. ¡°It¡¯s worrying to see him like this, though.¡± ¡± ¡°He¡¯s an adult, not a child. Also, he¡¯s just drunk. You¡¯ve gotten drunk a lot in the past, haven¡¯t you?¡± That was true, but when she saw someone else in the same predicament, Fiona finally realized that she was seriously worried. Now, she understood how her parents felt when she got drunk in the past. They were extremely worried that something would happen to her. Despite her worries, Fiona was slightly more assured when she heard Victoria¡¯s reminder. After all, she ended up fine after getting drunk. ric was a man, so what challenges could he possibly face that would be greater than hers? 12:43 Sat, 24 Jun 1 Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much ¡°Well¡­ Alright, then.¡± Fiona left with Victoria, still feeling troubled. After they left the hotel, Fiona began to get curious. ¡°Say, how do you know that he puts his wallet in his pocket? You seem like you¡¯re quite familiar with him. Also, how do you know where he puts his ID card?¡± Fiona recalled the string of events. Back then, Victoria didn¡¯t waste any effort as she took out the wallet from the man¡¯s pocket. Most importantly, after she opened the wallet, she immediately found the man¡¯s ID card in the second slot. If Victoria hadn¡¯t stayed abroad for five years, Fiona would have suspected that the two knew each other. After all, it was normal to find a wallet in a pocket. However, after finding the wallet, Victoria was able to swiftly avoid all sorts of bank. cards and VIP cards as she took out the ID card straight away. This was very suspicious. When Victoria heard that, she paused and said, ¡°If I told you it was just a wild guess, 3/9 Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much would you believe me?¡± Fiona blinked, then maintained her focus on Victoria. ¡°I¡¯d rather believe my suspicions that you¡¯ve known each other for a long time, and you two even dated each other in the past.¡± Victoria fell silent. She wondered if she should tell Fiona that thetter had stumbled upon the truth. However, before Victoria could speak up, Fiona came up with an excuse herself. 4/9 ¡°Still, I¡¯ve always known how capable you are, and you¡¯re very good at observing people. Even though I don¡¯t know how you managed to develop those skills, can you teach me your secrets in the future? Perhaps, with your tutge, I could get my crush to fall for me.¡± No matter what Fiona talked about, the topic would always go back to ric. If this went on¡­. After getting into the car, Victoria received a message from Ethan. Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much ¡°Miss Selwyn, when will you being back? We¡¯re considered strangers in the ¡°Got it. I¡¯m on my way back.¡± After Victoria sent the message, Ethan didn¡¯t send any more replies. He seemed to have stopped worrying. As Victoria put her phone away, she thought of something and asked Fiona, ¡°What did you stuff into his pocket just now?¡± When Fiona heard that, she froze, then her gaze instantly became avoidant. ¡°What are you talking about? I have no idea what you¡¯re getting at.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t say anything, and she just stared at Fiona silently. Despite that, Fional still felt very pressured. 5/9 ¡°Alright, I left him a note. I can¡¯t unlock his phone since it requires a passcode, so I can¡¯t get his number, but I can still leave him a note with my number, right? After all, I helped him tonight, so won¡¯t he treat me as a savior when he wakes up tomorrow morning?¡± Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much A certain keyword instantly pierced Victoria¡¯s thought. Her expression shifted, then she looked away and fell silent. After talking for some time, Fiona realized that Victoria wasn¡¯t responding, so she turned to look at thetter. Fiona hadn¡¯t realized it, but Victoria was already looking out the window. Victoria¡¯s reflection could be seen in the window, and her face was void of expression as she gave off a deste aura. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. What¡¯s going on? Fiona thought. Was it something I said? Fiona was troubled in an instant. She twiddled her thumbs, wondering if she had identally said something that offended Victoria. However, after thinking about it, she couldn¡¯t figure out anything wrong with her words just now. In the end, Fiona leaned closer to Victoria and asked in a small voice, ¡°Victoria, did I say something that upset you?¡± Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much Fiona¡¯s voice shook Victoria out of her daze. ¡°Nothing.¡± E When Victoria saw Fiona staring at her worriedly, she realized the woman had been in a daze just now. ¡°Really?¡± Fiona put on a doubtful expression. ¡°Just now, you-¡± ¡°Yeah, I was thinking about something just now, so I was kind of in a daze.¡± ¡°Are you really alright? Did I say something just now that upset you?¡± Victoria reached out and pinched Fiona¡¯s cheek. ¡°What can you say that might upset me? Don¡¯t overthink it. We¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡± Seeing that Victoria was still capable of teasing her, Fiona finally stopped worrying. ¡°I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re not mad at me.¡± Since it was a specialmunity, cars weren¡¯t permitted entrance without registering. 7/9 Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much In the end, Victoria and Fiona could only go in on foot. When they almost arrived, Fiona suddenly pointed ahead of them, saying, ¡°There¡¯s someone at our door.¡± Hearing that, Victoria looked in the direction Fiona was pointing to see a slender figure at the door. Judging by the figure¡­ Before Victoria could think any further, the person turned around. Their gazes met midway. Victoria hadn¡¯t opened her mouth when Fiona screamed in excitement, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Bane! He¡¯s here for you!¡± Victoria was speechless. Victoria was about to greet Bane, but her words were forced back into her throat by Fiona¡¯s excited reaction. ¡°Goodness, Victoria, why would he be here all of a sudden? Could it be that he discovered you went to the bar with me and got worried, so he came here to see 8/9 hapter you?¡± ¦¥ Fiona was chattering away, and Victoria could only say in exasperation, ¡°Can you be quiet for a bit?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t have to walk over to Bane; he was walking over to her already. He took off his coat as he approached them, and when he arrived in front of Victoria, he didn¡¯t say a word as he draped the coat over her shoulders. ¡°Wow!¡± Fiona hid her grin behind her hand as she said, ¡°He loves you so much.¡± Victoria was speechless. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 2 7 The thick jacket was draped over Victoria in an instant, bringing some of Bane¡¯s warmth with it. 1/ Bane was much warmer than she was. As the warmth spread over her body, the cold breeze of the night didn¡¯t feel as cold anymore. Victoria smiled at him. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bane gazed at her with a mix of exasperation and tender love. ¡°It¡¯s so cold outside. You should wear more clothes when you go out. You¡¯re prone to sickness, remember?¡± Before Victoria could answer, Fiona stepped in from the side. ¡°Oh, Bane, stop reprimanding Victoria. If she doesn¡¯t wear this outfit, you won¡¯t have a chance to show your love, will you?¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Victoria interrupted their conversation. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, so let¡¯s go in and talk.¡± The three entered the house together. After going in, Victoria took off Bane¡¯s coat and returned it to him. Hurry and put it on. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± He reached out and epted the coat, but he didn¡¯t put it back on, merely holding it Fiona looked at the two, her eyes darting back and forth before she said, ¡®T¡¯ll make my exit and leave the space for you two.¡± With that Fiona walked in the direction of her room. Unexpectedly, she bumped into Ethan, who was walking out. When Ethan saw that Victoria hade home, he was about to greet her, but before he could make a sound, Fiona stepped forward and covered his mouth, dragging him away. ¡°Learn to read the room! Give your boss some alone time with the girl.¡± Bane was still holding the coat in his hand as he followed Victoria into the living room. Throughout the process, he kept observing her expressions. At first, Victoria didn¡¯t notice it and even asked him what he would like to drink He answered that he would have some in water. After fetching the water, Victoria came back to see that he had always been staring at her. She ced the ss of water in front of her, then raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you find some treasure on my body, that you would keep staring at me Cracter 20 Some Changer since you came?¡± E Bane¡¯s thin lips slightly turned up at the corners. His gold¨Crimmed sses glowed faintly as they reflected the lights in the living room, and his voice was very gentle. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a while. I missed you, so I couldn¡¯t help but steal more nces at you.¡± He was as straightforward as they came. Victoria was a little stunned by that. After her initial shock, Victoria raised an eyebrow. ¡°Fine, then you can look at me longer.¡± Then, she changed the topic and sessfully deflected the conversation. ¡°Are you done with your work?¡± Bane nodded. ¡°Yes. I rushed here as soon as everything was done.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry. With Mr. Hudson around, everything you want to do will be dealt with.¡± When Bane heard that, he was silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m worried about that?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Victoria replied hastily. 3/9 B Chapter 206 Some Changes When she finished talking, she finally realized that something was off about it. When she looked up once again, she saw Bane looking at her smilingly. ¡°Victoria, what do you think?¡± Victoria wasn¡¯t sure if it were just her, but she felt that Bane seemed to have Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. changed a littlepared to the period abroad. She had always known about the fact that he liked her. He knew she would reject him, so he never once gave her any hints. However¡­ Victoria¡¯s silence caused Bane¡¯s gaze to darken. He pursed his thin lips as he sat there, waiting quietly for her answer. Sadly, after the long wait, Victoria only said, ¡°It must have been tiring to rush back by ne. Have you booked a hotel?¡± With Ethan around, of course, the hotel room would be booked beforehand. However, faced with Victoria¡¯s query at this moment, Bane suddenly wanted to find. out how she would react if he said no. With that in mind, Bane did exactly that. 4/9 Sat, 24 Chapter 206 Some Changes ¡°No.¡± He denied. When Victoria heard that, she instantly frowned. She subconsciously wanted to However, before Victoria could voice those thoughts, she remembered that Ethan. was busy with the auction, and when he came home, he had to babysit her children. She quickly realized that she shouldn¡¯t say those things. After all, she was partly ountable as well. At that thought, Victoria immediately took out her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll book for you right now. Where do you n on staying?¡± Despite the question, Bane stared at her, not moving. ¡°This ce is quite nice.¡± Victoria froze. She watched in shock as Bane smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here. for quite some time, anyway. I heard from Mr. Hudson that some houses are for rent here?¡± 5/9 Chapter 206 Some Changes ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great. Do you have a number I can call?¡± ¡°Fiona might have one, but it¡¯s gettingte now. Even if you want to rent a house, you have to wait at least until tomorrow, right? You also have to clean up the rented house and purchase furniture and all that.¡± 6/9 ¡°Yes, you have a point. So, does Miss Selwyn have time tomorrow to apany me to the supermarket for some shopping?¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t say no to those words, so she could only agree. ¡°All right.¡± A few secondster, Victoria spoke again. ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll book a hotel for you, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Bane stood up. ¡°You should let Mr. Hudson do it. Tell him toe out. It¡¯s gettingte, so we shouldn¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± In the end, Bane admitted defeat. I mustn¡¯t rush the matter of the heart. Before Bane left, Victoria told him, ¡°I¡¯ll send the number to you after I get it from Fiona.¡± Chapter 206 Some Changes Bane nodded. ¡°All right. Sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°Please, you helped me so much. This isn¡¯t a problem for me at all.¡± 7/9 After that, she stood at the entrance as she watched the two leave. When they were gone, Fiona suddenly appeared behind Victoria. ¡°Mr. Hudson is amazing. Nicole and Nathan are fast asleep.¡± When Victoria heard it, she paused before a faint grin creeped on her face. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s also their bedtime now.¡± ¡°I heard from Mr. Hudson that Nathan and Nicole wanted to go to sleep after you came back, but we came back toote, and they couldn¡¯t hold it out any longer, so they fell asleep.¡± When Fiona said that, there was a guilty look on her face. ¡°Sorry. If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have toe back sote, and the children. wouldn¡¯t have to wait so long for you.¡± ¡°Come on. It¡¯s totally fine.¡± Afterforting Fiona, Victoria said, ¡°I¡¯ll check on them.¡± Chapter 206 Some Changes ¡°All right.¡± 45% Victoria went back to her room. The two children usually slept in another room, but perhaps they were ying in her room while waiting for her toe back, so they fell asleep there as well. 8/9 Nicole hugged her favorite pillow as she curled under the nket, facing a corner of the wall. Meanwhile, Nathan slept on the outer side of the bed, protecting her like ant adult. Hey in a straight posture, protecting his sister as if he were worried that she would roll off the bed. As soon as Victoria came in, Nathan woke up. He opened his eyes wide in the dark, then got up carefully. ¡°Mommy.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Victoria subconsciously gestured toward him. Then, she walked over and turned on the night light. She took a small nket from the bed and draped it over Nathan¡¯s shoulders, suppressing her volume as she asked, ¡°Why did you get up? Weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± 12 43 Sat, E Chapter 206 Some Changes Nathan wrapped the nket around him as he leaned into Victoria¡¯s embrace. He exined in a small voice, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep as long as Mommy¡¯s not back yet.¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 hapter 207 The little guy¡¯s words warmed Victoria¡¯s heart. She reached out and caressed Nathan¡¯s head, saying in a gentle voice, ¡°Mommy is home now, so you can sleep without worries.¡± Nathan leaned in her arms, blinking. ¡°Can I sleep in your room tonight?¡± Victoria looked at the enormous bed. She had already agreed in her heart, but she couldn¡¯t help but want to tease her son. ¡°But Nathan, you¡¯re already 5 years old. You should sleep on your own.¡± When Nathan heard that, disappointment colored his tiny face, perhaps because he thought that Victoria would say yes. A momentter, he lowered his head and nodded obediently. ¡°Okay, Mommy. I¡¯ll sleep on my own.¡± She just wanted to tease him, but when she saw how disappointed he was, she felt like she was an evil person. At that thought, Victoria said, ¡°Come on, I was just joking. It¡¯s cold tonight, so let¡¯s all 1/8 Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom sleep together.¡± Nathan instantly put on a joyful look. ¡°Mommy, do you mean it?¡± ¡°Yes, so get into bed first. I¡¯ll grab a nket.¡± 345% 2/8 He thought for a moment, but he didn¡¯t get into bed as he was told to. Instead, he stared earnestly at Victoria as he said, ¡°If you¡¯re fetching a nket, I¡¯ll get a pillow for you.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Victoria agreed. Then, she went back to her room for her nket as Nathan carried her pillow for her. When the two were walking back, Victoria heard the sound of a door closing, but the sound seemed toe from the entrance of the house. She was a little confused, but she didn¡¯t say anything. After taking Nathan back to the room, she said to him, ¡°Nathan, go ahead. I¡¯ll check on Fiona to see if she¡¯s asleep or not.¡± Since Victoria would be apanying them from now on, Nathan wasn¡¯t worried Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom anymore. Hence, he nodded obediently. ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡± Victoria carried Nathan onto the bed, then ced him in the center spot. Then, after pulling the nkets over Nathan and Nicole, she put on her shoes and went out. She went to Fiona¡¯s room first. She knocked on the door for some time, but nothing stirred within. ¡°Fiona?¡± Still, no one responded, so Victoria opened the door and walked in. Just as expected, the room was empty. Fiona wasn¡¯t there. Victoria pursed her lips, then had no choice but to turn around and close the main. door of the house. It was only then that she realized Fiona¡¯s outdoor shoes were gone. Even the coat she ced on the couch when she returned had disappeared. Victoria knew very well the reason Fiona ran out at this hour. After all, she had just 3/8 12 44 Sal = Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom She simply didn¡¯t expect Fiona to be so bold that Fiona would sneak out after she do that? 4/6 Victoria could only dial Fiona¡¯s number. Fiona was probably feeling guilty because she didn¡¯t pick up the few calls from Victoria. Victoria could only go for the second¨Cbest option as she sent Fiona a message. ¡®Do you want me to abandon the two children at home in the middle of the night just to look for you?¡® This time, Fiona replied in no time. ¡®No, please don¡¯te out, Nicole and Nathan. need someone to look after them. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be careful on my own. I¡¯m an adult, Victoria, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Perhaps fearing that Victoria would keep bothering her, Fiona sent another message before Victoria could reply. ¡®Honestly, Victoria, even though we¡¯re living together, I want us to have freedom in our own lives! After that, even though Fiona didn¡¯t state anything explicitly, Victoria understood what Fiona meant. Victoria pursed her lips and put her phone away. 12:44 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom It was true that adults shouldn¡¯t interfere too much in others¡® business, but¡­ since. she knew that ric was dating udia, she was obliged to tell her friend about it. She originally wanted to tell Fiona the news after thetter woke up the next day. However, she didn¡¯t expect Fiona to go out tonight. Fiona can¡¯t even wait one night. After thinking about it, Victoria sent Fiona a message. ¡®Fiona, I have something to talk to you about. Let¡¯s call, all right?¡® However, after Victoria sent the message, she never received another reply from Fiona. Victoria tried to be patient as she waited another 2 minutes, but she still didn¡¯t get any reply. Out of options, she could only dial Fiona¡¯s number. Sorry, the phone you are calling is turned off. Please try againter. The cold machine¨Clike voice sounded from the other end of the line, causing Victoria¡¯s heart to sink. She suddenly stood up from the couch. Turned off? Did something happen to Fiona, or did she turn off her phone on purpose to ignore Victoria? Victoria couldn¡¯t decide. She knew people needed their own space, and there should. 5/8 12:45 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom be a certain distance between every individual. However, she couldn¡¯t just ignore everything and go to sleep. When she remembered what Fiona said before turning off the phone, she felt that at that moment, if she did something, Fiona might be offended. Even though she and Fiona hadn¡¯t been friends for very long, they had always been on good terms with each other. If possible, she sincerely didn¡¯t want to hurt her friend. After some thinking, Victoria suppressed her urge and went back to her room, then proceeded to lie down. Nathan wasn¡¯t asleep; he was still waiting for her. Seeing that Victoria was back, he immediately scooted to the side and patted the spot next to him with his little hand. ¡°Mommy.¡± Withplicated emotions, she took off her coat andy down. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She had justid her head on the pillow when the little guy immediately found hist way into her embrace and hugged her. ¡°Mommy, are you troubled?¡± 6/8 Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom When Victoria heard that, she returned to her senses and looked at Nathan in apology. She didn¡¯t think that Nathan would figure out her feelings so soon. Nathan and Nicole were twins, so they were supposed to be the same age. However, perhaps because of the few extra seconds Nathan had ahead of Nicole, he was especially caring and considerate. He could immediately sense her tiniest changes in emotion. Even though he was only 5 years old, he was even more considerate than most adults. 7/8 Victoria pushed herplicated emotions out of the way as she hugged him tightly. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Nathan. It¡¯s gettingte, so let¡¯s get to sleep.¡± Nathan blinked, looking at her in half¨Cconfusion. He didn¡¯t say more as he obediently closed his eyes and went to sleep. Soon, Nathan¡¯s breaths turned slow and regr. ¡°Nathan?¡± Victoria whispered his name a few times. After making sure that there was no response from Nathan, which meant that he was fast asleep, she finally got up slowly and took her phone to the living room to make a call. H Chapter 207 Want Us to Have Freedom After about half an hour, Victoria got up and opened the door, letting Bane in. ¡°What happened?¡± As soon as Bane came in, he saw Victoria in her loungewear, and his expression instantly shifted. 8/8 ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you over sote in the night, Bane, but I just arrived in Jasea, and I don¡¯t know many people-¡± Before she could finish speaking, Bane suddenly gripped her wrist. Victoria was shocked. ¡°Your hands are ice¨Ccold! Didn¡¯t you realize how little you¡¯re wearing?¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 As Victoria thought about it, she opened the door and ran outside without shoes. Just as she was about to sprint to the living room, Bane walked in, and she flung herself into his embrace without any warning. He was surprised and took a few steps back to keep his bnce. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he asked while hugging her, preventing her from falling. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else and asked, ¡°Where is Fiona? Is she back yet?¡± Hearing her words, Bane sighed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here to tell you about her.¡± Only then did Victoria calm down. She took a few steps back and looked at him. He saw her barefoot and was wearing the same clothes asst night. However, he knew she would not leave before hearing about Fiona¡¯s matter. Thus, he said, ¡°She is safe. Nothing happened to her. My men had guarded the hotel and just came back.¡± ¡®Guarding the hotel?¡± 1/7 Chapter 209 She Had Never Appeared in His Dreams ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you guys guard it? Which part of the hotel is she at? Did she get in?¡± asked Victoria. After all, there was no way Fiona could get into the room since she didn¡¯t. have the room card. Bane didn¡¯t reply and stared at her, seemingly trying to see her reaction. After some time, he chuckled and asked, ¡°How would you feel if I told you she got in?¡± 20 At that moment, Victoria stiffened. Then, her expression darkened. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s fun to test my limits?¡± The smile on Bane¡¯s lips vanished when he saw her grim expression. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°You have been testing me ever sincest night.¡± Bane paused for a moment before staring at her. ¡°Well, you might as well think it is. I¡¯m testing you because I care about you. I want to see if you still had feelings for him and if I still had the chance to be with you.¡± At that moment, Victoria didn¡¯t say anything. She was startled by how straightforward he was. ¡°I¡­¡± Chapter 200 She Had Never Appeared in His Dreams ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough of it. Since you know Fiona is safe, go and wear a coat.¡± At his words, Victoria looked down and saw she only wore pajamas. ¡°It¡¯s freezing outside, so don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± In the meantime, at the hotel. The sun was already up, and Fiona was leaning. against the wall tiredly. She had been here all night and heard nothing happening. inside the room. Thus, she felt that ric should be fine. Is he already awake? Did he see the note that I left? As she thought about it, she felt her legs numb from squatting too long. She tried to stand up but identally dropped her phone. Then, she quickly picked it up and checked for any damage. After seeing that it was fine, she breathed a sigh of relief. However, she soon had a grim expression. Last night, she turned off her phone since she feared that Victoria would call her again. She wondered if Victoria had been worried about her for the whole night. Thinking about it, Fiona turned on her phone and saw countless missed calls from Victoria. In that split second, she felt guilty. After all, she wouldn¡¯t have abandoned her best friend if she hadn¡¯t loved the man deeply. However, she only had this one Chapter 209 She Had Never Appeared in His Dreams chance that she couldn¡¯t miss. Once I am done with him, I will ask Victoria for forgiveness. As Fiona thought about it, she kept her phone away and stretched her limbs before pressing the doorbell. While pressing the doorbell, she wondered whether ric had awoken from his sleep or not. Thus, she could only try her luck. 4/7 She pressed the doorbell twice the first time, and there was no response: Then, she stood there patiently. After some time, just as Fiona had lost count of how many. times she had pressed the doorbell, the door finally opened. ric stood by the door and emitted a cold aura. He was ring at her coldly since he was disturbed in his sleep. When Fiona met his gaze, she felt chills run down her spine. ¡°H¨CHello?¡± Bang! In that split second, the door was shut, almost hitting Fiona by the nose. When she returned to her senses, she pressed on the doorbell again. After pressing it for the second time, ric opened the door again. 12 46 Sat, 24 Chapter 209 She Had Never Appeared in His Dreams ¡°Is that something you need?¡± ric¡¯s cold expression suggested that she was not weed. He recognized that Fiona was the woman bugging him at the bar. However, never would he imagine that she would chase after him to the hotel he stayed in. Fiona nodded and tried to enter the room, fearing ric would shut the door on her again. However, ric blocked the door and looked at her coldly. It was evident that he had no intention of letting her go inside. ¡°I¡­ Please let me in. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°You can say it here. I¡¯ll give you one minute to speak,¡± ric said coldly. Fiona didn¡¯t expect him to be so cold¨Chearted. On second thought, she felt he might not know what happenedst night since he had just woken up. That was why he was acting cold toward her. Thus, she immediately said, ¡°You were drunkst night, and I am the one who brought you here.¡± At that moment, ric stiffened. ¡°I am also the one who paid for the room.¡± She smiled awkwardly. ¡°However, I¡¯m not asking you to return my money. I just don¡¯t want to be misunderstood.¡± 5/7 12 47 Sat, 24 Jun Chapter 209 She Had Never Appeared in H He fell silent when he heard that she was the one who helped him when he was drunkst night. However, something shed across his mind, Among the chaos, he vaguely remembered seeing the woman he longed for at the bar. Yet, when he woke up, Fiona told him she was the one who helped him. Thinking about it, ric narrowed his eyes. Could I be delusional since I was drunkst night? No. That¡¯s not it. For the past five N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. years, Victoria has always been on my mind whenever I close my eyes. However, she had never oncee into my dreams. No matter how much I yearned for her, she had never appeared in my dreams, not even when I was drunk. Thus, it wasn¡¯t at dream when I saw herst night. She is actually at the bar! As ric thought about it, his expression changed drastically, and he immediately. walked into the room. On the other hand, Fiona didn¡¯t know what happened. However, seeing that ric had not closed the door, she quickly followed him into the room. ¡°How do I put this? Although I helped you yesterday, you don¡¯t have to thank me. If you want to repay. me, though¡­ How about we exchange our numbers?¡± As Fiona spoke, she took out her phone. ric nced at her coldly before giving a set of numbers. After Fiona had typed it. Chapter 209 She Had Never Appeared in His Dreams into her phone, he said, ¡°This is my secretary¡¯s phone number. He will give you the money you need if you tell him about what happenedst night.¡± As he spoke, he had already worn his suit and took his phone. Then, he turned around and left the room. Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Fiona had memorized the number, but when ric left after mentioning that it was his assistant¡¯s number, it made her anxious. Thus, she chased after him on impulse. She followed ric to the elevator and called out to him, ¡°Wait, the reason I¡¯m asking for your contact information is not to ask for a reward. I just want to be friends with you. Can you please give me your contact information?¡± Hearing that, ric took big steps forward before stopping at the elevator door and standing there expressionlessly. Seeing that, Fiona bit her lower lip and looked at him nervously. ¡°Please, please, I really want your contact information. I promise I won¡¯t be constantly bothering you.¡± He nced at her coldly as he raised his hand to button up the top button of his suit. He replied coldly, ¡°Miss, if you have any ulterior motives toward me, I suggest you put that thought away, or else I can¡¯t guarantee what might happenter.¡± Ding. The elevator arrived just on time, and ric entered expressionlessly. Fiona¡¯s face turned pale, but after she watched him enter the elevator, she couldn¡¯t help but 1/7 Chapter 210 Doesn¡¯t Recognize Her Ex¨CHusband slowly follow him in. E Only the two of them were in the elevator, and Fiona could almost feel the chilling aura that ric emanated as soon as she entered. Though she liked him a lot, she had never been rejected by anyone so harshly before. His cold gaze and tone made her feel undesired, which instantly shattered her confidence. She almost didn¡¯t dare to speak to him again, so she numbly stood there as she waited for the elevator to descend. Every minute and second felt like an eternity. Finally, the elevator reached the first floor, and Fiona followed behind him as they exited. When ric approached the elevator door, he paused his steps and said. coldly, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t follow me anymore.¡± Fiona, who was still numb from what happened earlier, bit her lip without looking up or responding. Suddenly, the phone in her hand started ringing, and ric started. walking away. She nced at the caller ID and answered the call weakly, ¡°Victoria¡­¡± Victoria, who heard Fiona¡¯s voice, heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Fiona, you¡¯re finally answering my call.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Fiona bit her lip. She had felt fine just a moment ago, but now, after 277 Sat, 24 Chapter 210 Doesnt Recognize Her Ex¨CHusband hearing Victoria¡¯s voice, she felt wronged and had the urge to cry. ¡°I didn¡¯t intentionally turn off my phonest night. It¡¯s just that¡­ I really like him.¡± When Victoria, who was in the living room, heard Fiona¡¯s words of grievance and her quavering voice, it broke her heart. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°I know, I know, you¡¯ve been wronged. Where are you now? I¡¯ll have Ethan pick you up, alright? There are some things I want to talk to you about after youe back.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m currently at¡­¡± Fiona was about to say her location when she caught sight of those familiar shoes in front of her and raised her head in astonishment. She saw ric, who should have left, return. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Fiona?¡± ric furrowed his brow while looking at her oddly. His unexpected return gave Fiona a glimmer of hope, and she immediately said to Victoria on the phone, ¡°I have something to do now. I¡¯ll call youter, okay?¡± With that, Fiona hung up the call. She did it so quickly that ric couldn¡¯t stop her. Victoria was speechless when Fiona hung up the call. Why did she suddenly hang up again? And her tone seems to have be more cheerful. Could it be that ric is with her? The thought of this gave Victoria a bad feeling. 3/7 Chapter 210 Doesn¡¯t Recognize Her Ex Husband of her eyes and looked at the man in front of her. ¡°You¡­¡± She wanted to ask why he hade back, but she was so embarrassed that she hesitated to speak. Just as she was struggling with how to start the conversation, the handsome man. in front of her nced at her phone and pursed his thin lips before asking, ¡°Were you on the phone just now?¡± This question caught Fiona off guard, and she slowly nodded. ¡°Yes, I was.¡± ¡°Your friend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± H ¡°You helped mest night, didn¡¯t you?¡± ric squinted his eyes as he asked, and Fiona continued to nod. A0 ¡°Yes, you were drunk and passed out on the ground. I was afraid something would happen to you, so I thought of taking you to a hotel to rest. But¡­¡± At this point, Fiona seemed to recall something, and her words came to a halt. ¡°But what?¡± ric¡¯s keen sixth sense told him that whatever followed the ¡®but¡® was important. information. Fiona was usually quick with her words, and she didn¡¯t expect to reveal Chapter 210 Doesnt Recognize Her Ex Husband what had happenedter. Firstly, she didn¡¯t want to betray her friend, and secondly, she felt it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to say such things in front of ric. What if he got. angry? She didn¡¯t expect herself to blurt it out. Fiona awkwardly smiled. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing.¡± At this, ric¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± The way ric acted disyed his dominance. Fiona didn¡¯t know what came over her because she had nned not to say it, but when she saw ric¡¯s gaze, she suddenly felt a chill running down her spine. She couldn¡¯t help but confess everything truthfully. ¡°Y¨CYesterday¡­ something happened. You were drunk, and you tried to make a move. on my friend. At first, she misunderstood you, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve exined to her that you¡¯re not that kind of person. After that, she helped me bring you to the hotel.¡± ¡°Made a move on your friend?¡± Suddenly, specific images that ric had forgotten. earlier shed through his mind. He only remembered seeing her, the one who had haunted his dreams, at the bar, but he had no recollection of what happened. afterward. Now with Fiona¡¯s reminder, ric instantly remembered. He had pinned someone against the wall and wanted to¡­ but then he suddenly lost. consciousness. So, something like that had happened. Chapter 210 Doesn¡¯t Recognize Her Ex Husband ¡°No, no,¡± Fiona tried to defend him. ¡°I know you were drunk, and you may have done something that made her misunderstand, but you¡¯re not that kind of person. I¡¯ve already exined it to her on your behalf.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ric said calmly. ¡°Yes,¡± Fiona nodded vigorously. ¡°My friend didn¡¯t know you before, so she misunderstood you, but she won¡¯t anymore.¡± As soon as he heard this, his expression froze momentarily before he chuckled. ¡°She didn¡¯t know me?¡± That¡¯s just great! How dare she im that she doesn¡¯t know me! ¡°Yeah, do you know my friend?¡± Fiona nodded innocently. 677 Not only did he know her, but they had even slept together. The next second, ric raised his head and asked, ¡°Can you take me to meet your friend?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Fiona was startled at his request and wondered why he wanted to meet her friend out of the blue. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯ve made a move on your friend? Take me to meet her, and I¡¯ll personally apologize to her face to face.¡± On top of that, he also wanted to ask her Chapter 210 Doe | Recognize how she didn¡¯t recognize her ex¨Chusband. 3 7/7 Chapter 211 11 Definitely Say Something Good Abo Chapter 210 Chapter 210 The twists and turns of events always arrived unexpectedly. Just moments ago, Fiona, convinced that her story would end in misery, was heartbroken. She had nned to return home and seek sce in tears with Victoria while mourning her first time being rejected. To her surprise, the man came back. As Fiona sat in the car, her emotions surged like a roller coaster. She pursed her lips when she felt an overwhelming sweetness in her heart. Her courage also grew, and she attempted to strike up a conversation with him during the ride. ¡°Uh¡­ Can I ask you a question?¡± she started. ric stared ahead without a hint of emotion on his face. ¡°Go ahead.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Well, so¡­ What¡¯s your name? Don¡¯t get me wrong. I simply don¡¯t know how to address you. After all, I don¡¯t even know yourst name.¡± ¡°Cadogan,¡± he replied sinctly. 1/8 Chapter 211 1| Definitely Say Something Good Abo ¡°Cadogan?¡± Fiona seemed surprised. ¡°Yourst name¡¯s Cadogan?¡± Her reaction made ric think of a possibility, and the man soon raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Fiona murmured. ¡°I just thought that you have a beautifulst name.¡± ric was rather speechless. So, she has never mentioned a word about me even though they are best friends? he thought quietly. She is even pretending to not know me. Did she forget about me after five years? Ha! After learning hisst name, Fiona greedily desired to know his full name. She held back at first but in the end, she couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Mr. Cadogan, am I really not allowed to know your full name?¡± ric maintained a serious expression and offered no reply. Undeterred, Fiona asked, ¡°What about your contact information?¡± s, he paid her no heed. Nevertheless, the woman wasn¡¯t discouraged. She sat in the same car with him after he was willing to apologize to her friend for a mere ¡®misunderstanding¡®, which 7/8 Chapter 211 11 Definitely Say Something Good Abo was why she could tell that this was a man of admirable prospects. He might be someone who could be a decent long¨Cterm partner. Also, she didn¡¯t mind his indifference. Fiona knew all too well that the seemingly aloof and indifferent facade, which appeared as icy as an iceberg to others, would melt into a fervent passion once. someone had captured his heart. She loved how special she would feel being someone¡¯s whole world. However, she had never encountered a man like ric before. Most men wouldn¡¯t be able to control their desires and would always treat women, especially those who were beautiful, with extra care. 3/8 Not many men of her type existed, which was why her rtionships were always short¨Clived. They would attract her at first sight, but as they spent time together, she would realize how extremely boring there were. It wouldst about a week before her rtionships be dull. It¡¯s not like she hadn¡¯t taken notice of Bane, who was by ric¡¯s side. E Chapter 211 I Definitely Say Something Good Abo Although Bane wasn¡¯t an icy mountain and seemed gentle and kind to everyone, Fiona could sense that he maintained a certain distance despite being polite to others. Other than Victoria, it was difficult for anyone of the opposite sex to enter his safe distance. Unfortunately, this was her best friend¡¯s man. She couldn¡¯t possibly make a move on him. It wasn¡¯t easy for Fiona to bump into such an exquisite man like ric aftering back to Corynthea. She wasn¡¯t going to give up just like that. The more she thought about it, the more enthusiastic she became. Once she sessfully conquered ric, she probably wouldn¡¯t need to change boyfriends so frequently in the future. Upon arriving at the destination, ric looked at the quaint residential area before. him with squinted eyes. He finally spoke then. ¡°Do you and your friend live here?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a prettyfortable and quiet location. My friend just 4/0 Chapter 211 13 Definitely Say Something Good Abo returned from abroad, so I thought of finding her a ce that might bring her luck to live in. It will probably help her career too.¡± ¡°Her career?¡± ¡°Mhm. My friend wants to open her own business.¡± ric raised an eyebrow subtly. He never would have thought that there would mouth. At the thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help feeling somewhat insulted. Despite that, he was still curious to know about her life. ¡°A business?¡± ric interlocked his fingers and ced them in front of his knees. ¡°Are you starting a business together?¡± ¡°No.¡± Fiona shook her head. ¡°I work for my father at the airport. He doesn¡¯t allow me. to start a business. After I graduated, he asked me to help with the family business. and learn management there.¡± However, he showed no reaction as he sat there even after she said those words. 2011 Definery Sin Something Good Abo She looked at his expression and pondered for a moment before she spoke again. ¡°My friend wants to start apany.¡± As expected, ric¡¯s eyebrows twitched again when Fiona mentioned Victoria. ¡°Whatpany is it?¡± Fiona grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. I only have a vague idea, but I haven¡¯t asked about the specifics.¡± She found it strange that this man seemed really interested in Victoria. Is it because of the mistake he made after getting drunkst night? When she brought up the matter earlier, he had acted as if he had already forgotten about it. He made Fiona think that he wasn¡¯t interested in Victoria. So, the only possible reason left must be because he feels sorry. It¡¯s because he feels sorry for her that he pays more attention to her. Fiona understood this kind of feeling to some extent. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. My friend is a kind and gentle person. She¡¯s really easygoing. After you apologize to her and exin yourself, we can all have a meal together. Everything will be just fine.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± 12:48 Sat, Chapter 211 Definitely Say Something Good Abo ¡°Mhm! You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll definitely say something good about you on your behalf. My friend will surelye to ept you.¡± Say something good about me, huh? After their conversation, ric finally turned to Fiona with a serious gaze. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes shone and she immediately replied, ¡°Myst name¡¯s Garza. I¡¯m Fiona Garza.¡± As if to confirm, ric asked again, ¡°What about your friend?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How should I address her when I see herter?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about her. Her name¡¯s Victoria. Victoria Selwyn.¡± ¡°Victoria Selwyn.¡± As ric uttered those three words, it felt like an entire light¨Cyear had passed. 7/8 The once familiar name that used to roll off his tongue like water now felt unfamiliar, as if it had been a long time since that name wasst said. Chapter 211 i¡¯ll Definitely Say Something Good Abo Fiona, who was beside him, was stunned when she heard those two words from him. She realized how his voice sounded particrly deep and pleasant when he said Victoria¡¯s name. Why isn¡¯t he calling my name, though?! Is it because my name¡¯s not as pretty as Victoria¡¯s? Thus, Fiona began to regret not giving herself a nicer name. With a gloomy mood, she and ric finally reached the entrance where Fiona led him inside. ¡°Victoria!¡± As soon as they entered, Fiona began calling Victoria¡¯s name. B/B ric followed behind her but when he stood at the entrance, his feet wouldn¡¯t take another step as he started looking around the room. It was probably because the women had just moved in here that there was no trace of Victoria¡¯s presence in the house. It looked unfamiliar, but from now on, Victoria would be living here. After taking off his shoes, the man slowly and impassively walked into the room. Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid Of Chapter 211 Chapter 211 ¡°Victoria?¡± Fiona searched almost every corner of the house but couldn¡¯t find Victorial anywhere. ¡°Where is she?¡± In the end, Fiona had no choice but to return to the living room, where she saw. ric standing, surveying the room. She hesitantlymented, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cadogan. It seems like my friend isn¡¯t home. I¡¯m not sure if she went out.¡± She then changed the subject. ¡°How about you take a seat first? I¡¯ll give her a call and see what she¡¯s up to.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Fiona thought he would decline, but to her surprise, ric sat down on the couch in a manner that suggested he had all the time in the world to wait. She immediately ran to the balcony to call Victoria. ¡°Victoria, where are you?¡± P 1/9 Chapter 212 What is He Afraid Of ¡°Are you home?¡± Victoria, who received her call, instinctively asked in response. ¡°Yeah. I just got home, but I don¡¯t see you here.¡± 2/9 After hearing that her friend was already home, Victoria breathed a sigh of relief and exined, ¡°I had something to take care of. If you¡¯re okay, just stay at home and wait for me. I have something to talk to you about when I get back.¡± ¡°Sure, and I have something to tell you too. You-¡± ¡°Is it Fiona?¡± Bane¡¯s voice suddenly came through from the other end of the line. ¡°Mhm. She¡¯s home now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Fiona initially intended to tell Victoria that ric was currently at their ce to apologize to Victoria and that they should have dinner together. But after hearing Bane¡¯s voice, Fiona immediately swallowed the words about to leave her lips. She wouldn¡¯t be so ignorant as to not adapt now that she knew Victoria was with Bane. Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid Of? And so, she quickly changed the topic. ¡°Be careful outside, both of you.¡± Victoria must have been concerned as she reminded Fiona not to wander around. before they finally ended the call. Listening to the busy tone on her phone, Fiona took a deep breath as the corners of her lips lifted into a smile. It seems like only Mr. Cadogan and I will be having lunch. together. With these thoughts in mind, she put away her phone and went back to find ric still sitting in the same spot, maintaining his original posture. As soon as she entered, his gaze fell straight on her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cadogan. My friend went out to deal with something. It looks like it will only be you and me for lunch-¡± ¡°Where did she go?¡± ric¡¯s cold voice interrupted her abruptly. 3/9 Fiona hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure. She only told me she had something to take care of.¡± Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid of? This can¡¯t be a coincidence, right? Upset, ric pulled his eyebrows together. Did she really leave right when I got here? Did she know wasing and deliberately avoided me, or was it unintentional? Considering this, ric asked in a cold tone, ¡°Did she know I wasing?¡± Fiona shook her head in confusion. ¡°Nope. I was nning to tell her when she got here.¡± Since Victoria doesn¡¯t know, it¡¯s probably a misunderstanding. Seeing him fall silent, Fiona asked, ¡°Is something the matter, Mr. Cadogan?¡± ric sneered upon hearing her question. ¡°Nothing. I was just in a hurry to see her.¡± Those words caused a slight change in Fiona¡¯s expression and gaze. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, you¡­¡± ric raised an eyebrow. ¡°What? Is there a problem with wanting to apologize as soon as possible?¡± ¡°No problem! Of course not,¡± she replied. 4/9 Sat, 24 Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid of? That subtle hint of emotion vanished. Mr. Cadogan sure is nice. As expected of the man I have my eyes on. And so, Fiona became even more determined to win his heart. After ending the call, Victoria put her phone back into her pocket. Nicole, who was beside her, immediately took advantage of the opportunity to climb onto herp. ¡°Mommy, huggie!¡± Before Victoria could react, Nicole was suddenly scooped up by a sturdy hand. Bane had lifted her onto hisp. Although Nicole didn¡¯t end up in her mother¡¯s embrace as she had wished, she didn¡¯t mind Bane¡¯s familiar embrace. She even snuggled into his arms as she asked in her incredibly tender voice, ¡°Mr. Bane, can I sleep in your arms?¡± Bane reached out and lightly tapped the girl¡¯s small and delicate nose. ¡°Go ahead. When have lever refused you?¡± 5/9 Chapter 212 What is He Afraid Of? ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bane.¡± Something seemed toe to Bane¡¯s mind when he turned his head and looked at Nathan sitting beside him. ¡°Want toe over too, Nathan?¡± Nathan sat there, looking somewhat reserved because he didn¡¯t smile or whine like a cute child would. In response to Bane¡¯s invitation, Nathan politely thanked him before declining. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bane, but it¡¯s not necessary.¡± Banemented, ¡°You are always so distant from me, Nathan.¡± Before Nathan could think of an answer himself, Victoria spoke up on his behalf. ¡°You know that he¡¯s more introverted. ¡°Also, you already have Nicole clinging to you. Is that not enough?¡± Having one clingy child was already exhausting as it was. To her surprise, Bane smiled upon hearing her words. ¡°Definitely not. After all, you 6/9 Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid of? know that I hope all three of you will stick to me.¡± While Victoria didn¡¯t say anything, Nathan, who sat beside them, nced at hist mother. He then heard her say, ¡°Only children cling to people.¡± ¡°Mhm. You can act like a child in front of me.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Fine! I understand now, Victoria thought. Bane hasn¡¯t been able to control himself from talking more from the moment he returned to the country. Just what is he afraid of? Does he think that I will turn back. now when it has been five years since then? With these thoughts in mind, Victoria somewhat helplessly nced at Bane. 7/9 She had initially wanted to ask the man if it was really necessary for him to speak to her like this. But thinking about how the two children were present, Victoria had to hold back her words and ultimately said nothing. Bane seemed to understand what she was thinking, and he changed to a different Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid Of? topic instead of continuing with what they were talking about. ¡°So, you are nning to live with Fiona over there?¡± 10 7 ¡°Yeap. She has been renting it for quite a long time. I¡¯ll probably be staying there.¡± ¡°Will you still live there if thepany is going to be located somewhere far away?¡± Victoria became somewhat conflicted upon hearing this. Indeed, herpany¡¯s location was quite far from Fiona¡¯s ce. Previously, Fiona only knew that Victoria was going to start apany without knowing the specific location. Victoria also hadn¡¯t expected Fiona to rent a house for her. ¡°The beginning stage of starting apany is going to be hectic. Commuting will be troublesome if it¡¯s too far away.¡± ¡°Right. I know.¡± Victoria nodded. However, since her busy schedule hadn¡¯t started yet, she would figure out how to handle the issue only after she got into it. 8/9 Sane only passed her a set of keys. ¡°Take this.¡± 41 When Victoria didn¡¯t take it, he added, ¡°I prepared this from way back. It¡¯s close to the location where you¡¯re going to open thepany, and someone will clean up the ce regrly. You can stay there if you end up workingte.¡± Seeing that Victoria still didn¡¯t take the keys, Bane simply handed them to Nicole. ¡°Nicole, if you don¡¯t want your Mommy to be tired, will you ept this set of keys from me on her behalf?¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 ¡°Victoria?¡± Fiona searched almost every corner of the house but couldn¡¯t find Victorial anywhere. ¡°Where is she?¡± In the end, Fiona had no choice but to return to the living room, where she saw. ric standing, surveying the room. She hesitantlymented, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cadogan. It seems like my friend isn¡¯t home. I¡¯m not sure if she went out.¡± She then changed the subject. ¡°How about you take a seat first? I¡¯ll give her a call and see what she¡¯s up to.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Fiona thought he would decline, but to her surprise, ric sat down on the couch in a manner that suggested he had all the time in the world to wait. She immediately ran to the balcony to call Victoria. ¡°Victoria, where are you?¡± P 1/9 Chapter 212 What is He Afraid Of ¡°Are you home?¡± Victoria, who received her call, instinctively asked in response. ¡°Yeah. I just got home, but I don¡¯t see you here.¡± 2/9 After hearing that her friend was already home, Victoria breathed a sigh of relief and exined, ¡°I had something to take care of. If you¡¯re okay, just stay at home and wait for me. I have something to talk to you about when I get back.¡± ¡°Sure, and I have something to tell you too. You-¡± ¡°Is it Fiona?¡± Bane¡¯s voice suddenly came through from the other end of the line. ¡°Mhm. She¡¯s home now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Fiona initially intended to tell Victoria that ric was currently at their ce to apologize to Victoria and that they should have dinner together. But after hearing Bane¡¯s voice, Fiona immediately swallowed the words about to leave her lips. She wouldn¡¯t be so ignorant as to not adapt now that she knew Victoria was with Bane. Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid Of? And so, she quickly changed the topic. ¡°Be careful outside, both of you.¡± Victoria must have been concerned as she reminded Fiona not to wander around. before they finally ended the call. Listening to the busy tone on her phone, Fiona took a deep breath as the corners of her lips lifted into a smile. It seems like only Mr. Cadogan and I will be having lunch. together. With these thoughts in mind, she put away her phone and went back to find ric still sitting in the same spot, maintaining his original posture. As soon as she entered, his gaze fell straight on her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cadogan. My friend went out to deal with something. It looks like it will only be you and me for lunch-¡± ¡°Where did she go?¡± ric¡¯s cold voice interrupted her abruptly. 3/9 Fiona hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure. She only told me she had something to take care of.¡± Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid of? This can¡¯t be a coincidence, right? Upset, ric pulled his eyebrows together. Did she really leave right when I got here? Did she know wasing and deliberately avoided me, or was it unintentional? Considering this, ric asked in a cold tone, ¡°Did she know I wasing?¡± Fiona shook her head in confusion. ¡°Nope. I was nning to tell her when she got here.¡± Since Victoria doesn¡¯t know, it¡¯s probably a misunderstanding. Seeing him fall silent, Fiona asked, ¡°Is something the matter, Mr. Cadogan?¡± ric sneered upon hearing her question. ¡°Nothing. I was just in a hurry to see her.¡± Those words caused a slight change in Fiona¡¯s expression and gaze. ¡°Mr. Cadogan, you¡­¡± ric raised an eyebrow. ¡°What? Is there a problem with wanting to apologize as soon as possible?¡± ¡°No problem! Of course not,¡± she replied. 4/9 Sat, 24 Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid of? That subtle hint of emotion vanished. Mr. Cadogan sure is nice. As expected of the man I have my eyes on. And so, Fiona became even more determined to win his heart. After ending the call, Victoria put her phone back into her pocket. Nicole, who was beside her, immediately took advantage of the opportunity to climb onto herp. ¡°Mommy, huggie!¡± Before Victoria could react, Nicole was suddenly scooped up by a sturdy hand. Bane had lifted her onto hisp. Although Nicole didn¡¯t end up in her mother¡¯s embrace as she had wished, she didn¡¯t mind Bane¡¯s familiar embrace. She even snuggled into his arms as she asked in her incredibly tender voice, ¡°Mr. Bane, can I sleep in your arms?¡± Bane reached out and lightly tapped the girl¡¯s small and delicate nose. ¡°Go ahead. When have lever refused you?¡± 5/9 Chapter 212 What is He Afraid Of? ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bane.¡± Something seemed toe to Bane¡¯s mind when he turned his head and looked at Nathan sitting beside him. ¡°Want toe over too, Nathan?¡± Nathan sat there, looking somewhat reserved because he didn¡¯t smile or whine like a cute child would. In response to Bane¡¯s invitation, Nathan politely thanked him before declining. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bane, but it¡¯s not necessary.¡± Banemented, ¡°You are always so distant from me, Nathan.¡± Before Nathan could think of an answer himself, Victoria spoke up on his behalf. ¡°You know that he¡¯s more introverted. ¡°Also, you already have Nicole clinging to you. Is that not enough?¡± Having one clingy child was already exhausting as it was. To her surprise, Bane smiled upon hearing her words. ¡°Definitely not. After all, you 6/9 Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid of? know that I hope all three of you will stick to me.¡± While Victoria didn¡¯t say anything, Nathan, who sat beside them, nced at hist mother. He then heard her say, ¡°Only children cling to people.¡± ¡°Mhm. You can act like a child in front of me.¡± Fine! I understand now, Victoria thought. Bane hasn¡¯t been able to control himself from talking more from the moment he returned to the country. Just what is he afraid of? Does he think that I will turn back. now when it has been five years since then? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. With these thoughts in mind, Victoria somewhat helplessly nced at Bane. 7/9 She had initially wanted to ask the man if it was really necessary for him to speak to her like this. But thinking about how the two children were present, Victoria had to hold back her words and ultimately said nothing. Bane seemed to understand what she was thinking, and he changed to a different Chapter 212 What Is He Afraid Of? topic instead of continuing with what they were talking about. ¡°So, you are nning to live with Fiona over there?¡± 10 7 ¡°Yeap. She has been renting it for quite a long time. I¡¯ll probably be staying there.¡± ¡°Will you still live there if thepany is going to be located somewhere far away?¡± Victoria became somewhat conflicted upon hearing this. Indeed, herpany¡¯s location was quite far from Fiona¡¯s ce. Previously, Fiona only knew that Victoria was going to start apany without knowing the specific location. Victoria also hadn¡¯t expected Fiona to rent a house for her. ¡°The beginning stage of starting apany is going to be hectic. Commuting will be troublesome if it¡¯s too far away.¡± ¡°Right. I know.¡± Victoria nodded. However, since her busy schedule hadn¡¯t started yet, she would figure out how to handle the issue only after she got into it. 8/9 Sane only passed her a set of keys. ¡°Take this.¡± 41 When Victoria didn¡¯t take it, he added, ¡°I prepared this from way back. It¡¯s close to the location where you¡¯re going to open thepany, and someone will clean up the ce regrly. You can stay there if you end up workingte.¡± Seeing that Victoria still didn¡¯t take the keys, Bane simply handed them to Nicole. ¡°Nicole, if you don¡¯t want your Mommy to be tired, will you ept this set of keys from me on her behalf?¡± Chapter 213 Rely on Me More cagain. ¡°Mr. Bane holds you and takes pictures of you to help you, no?¡± Nicole blinked and countered, ¡°But Mommy, I didn¡¯t ask Mr. Bane to help me. Besides, Mr. Bane likes you, right? I saw on TV that a boy has to show sincerity when he is pursuing a girl. How can he win someone over otherwise?¡± Even though Nicole was young, she had gone straight to the point and cleverly exposed theplexities of rtionships between men and women. Eventually, Victoria was also persuaded. Even so, she decided that she would have to talk to Nicoleter when they returned home after seeing the girl take the keys from Bane. 2/8 Chapter 213 Daly on Me Mo After all, Victoria couldn¡¯t possibly ept something as valuable as a house! And if she had to take it, she would insist on paying for it. She already owed Bane too much. There was no further conversation in the car. When the driver arrived at their destination, he turned his head and announced, ¡°Mr. Morison, Miss Selwyn, we have arrived,¡± The car hade to a stop in front of a private school. ¡°This is the best private school in Jasea. If the young master and young miss wish to go to a school, this is the optimal choice.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you for bringing us here. We¡¯ll get off and take a look.¡± As they got out of the car, the two children warmly bid the driver farewell. Victoria had originally nned to look for a school for the two children. In fact, shet had previously researched this private school. Since it was close to herpany, it would be convenient for her to pick up the children. Bane also got out of the car with her. F Cracter Rely on Me More ¡°Ethan has been working here for many years and is familiar with Jasea. He says this school has the best reputation, so you can rest assured about letting Nicole and Nathan study here.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡± ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± Bane chuckled helplessly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this school on your list of considerations? If you want to thank me, you should be thanking me for apanying you on this trip. I didn¡¯t help with anything else.¡± Bane tried his best to integrate himself into her life, but Victoria was too independent. She had already taken care of most things herself. He used to admire how determined she was and how she never gave up, but over time, he found himself wishing she would be softer and rely on him more. That way, he could feel needed. The school¡¯s representative soon came to guide them around while introducing the different ces to them along the way. 4/8 Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Daly on Me Mo After all, Victoria couldn¡¯t possibly ept something as valuable as a house! And if she had to take it, she would insist on paying for it. She already owed Bane too much. There was no further conversation in the car. When the driver arrived at their destination, he turned his head and announced, ¡°Mr. Morison, Miss Selwyn, we have arrived,¡± The car hade to a stop in front of a private school. ¡°This is the best private school in Jasea. If the young master and young miss wish to go to a school, this is the optimal choice.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you for bringing us here. We¡¯ll get off and take a look.¡± As they got out of the car, the two children warmly bid the driver farewell. Victoria had originally nned to look for a school for the two children. In fact, shet had previously researched this private school. Since it was close to herpany, it would be convenient for her to pick up the children. Bane also got out of the car with her. F Cracter Rely on Me More ¡°Ethan has been working here for many years and is familiar with Jasea. He says this school has the best reputation, so you can rest assured about letting Nicole and Nathan study here.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡± ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± Bane chuckled helplessly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this school on your list of considerations? If you want to thank me, you should be thanking me for apanying you on this trip. I didn¡¯t help with anything else.¡± Bane tried his best to integrate himself into her life, but Victoria was too independent. She had already taken care of most things herself. He used to admire how determined she was and how she never gave up, but over time, he found himself wishing she would be softer and rely on him more. That way, he could feel needed. The school¡¯s representative soon came to guide them around while introducing the different ces to them along the way. 4/8 Chapter 213 Rely on Me More They were then taken to the ssrooms for an inspection. Having seen everything, Victoria was quite satisfied with the school. 3 The atmosphere during the children¡¯s sses was pleasant. Not only did the teachers speak softly, but the children cooperated well. Overall, everything was good. 5/8 After the tour, Victoria didn¡¯t make an immediate decision. She simply said she would consider it and get back to them. The school representative quickly agreed and provided her with their contact information. ¡°Our school offers transportation services, but there¡¯s something I need to mention in advance. Some parents are notfortable with their children traveling together in one vehicle, so they either personallye to pick them up or have their own drivers take the children home.¡± ¡°I understand your point. Thank you. I will think it over.¡± ¡°Sure. Take care, then. Goodbye, little ones!¡± Chapter 213 Rely on Me More When they got in the car, Bane asked her, ¡°What do you think?¡± a ¡°This seems like a decent school, but I want to check out some other ces.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± 44 6/8 Afterward, Victoria and Bane went to see two or three nearby schools, but the results were somewhat disappointing. Somecked cleanliness, while others fell short in terms of their meal preparations. In the end, Nicole was so tired she fell asleep in Bane¡¯s arms. While Victoria watched the girl asleep, she realized they had covered quite a lot of ground today. She stopped walking and looked at Nathan beside her. ¡°Nathan, are you tired?¡± Nathan was considerate and obedient. Despite being tired after the long journey, he forced himself to appear energetic and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not, Mommy.¡± Hearing that, Victoria bent down and picked him up. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± 12 49 Sal, 24 Chapter 213 Rely on Me More ¡°Yes, Mommy is tired, so hurry up and let Mommy hold you.¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t utter a reply at that. ¡°Alright, now. We¡¯re not far from home. Let Mommy carry you.¡± Nathan didn¡¯t struggle anymore. He gently rested his head against Victoria¡¯s chest. He could still open his eyes and say a few words to her at first, but as time went on, he gradually grew silent. When Victoria was near the door, she realized that the child in her arms had fallen. asleep. Looking at his peaceful expression, Victoria couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pinch his tiny nose. She then quietly mused, ¡°You fell asleep so quickly even though you said you were not tired.¡± Nathan, who felt the pinch, made a muffled sound and nestled closer to her chest. Victoria was immediately caught off guard and almost dropped him. Luckily, she was quick to react as she held him in a secure hold. 7/8 Bane was beside her when he saw this. He couldn¡¯t help but offer, ¡°Let me hold him.¡°. 12 49 Sat, 24 Chapter 213 Rely on Me More Victoria was somewhat surprised to hear that. ¡°Is holding one not enough?¡± ¡°What?¡± Bane raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. ¡°Think I can¡¯t handle two?¡± He was still speaking when he took Nathan from her arms. ¡°But it¡¯s inconvenient to hold both by yourself,¡± Victoria insisted. ¡°I¡¯m strong. This is nothing.¡± Both children slept peacefully in his arms. Even the usually sensitive Nathan didn¡¯t. wake up when Bane took him. The boy must have been exhausted. Instead of refusing, Victoria followed Bane as they walked ahead. The man was probably thinking about something. When they were near the car, he couldn¡¯t help bringing up something as the children were asleep. ¡°I just want to do a little more for you, Victoria. There¡¯s no need to be in such a hurry to reject me. Give me more chances to prove myself. Maybe, if you give me a little more time, you¡¯ll find that I¡¯m not so bad after all.¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Such humble words¡­ B Despite not being the first time Victoria heard those words from Bane, she still felt a pang in her heart each time he said them. If she was honest, Bane was truly good to her. There probably wouldn¡¯t be another person in this world who would treat her so well. Her heart wasn¡¯t made of stone. Over the years, she had witnessed his kindness toward her, and if she didn¡¯t have two children of her own, perhaps she would truly choose to be with him. However, Victoria came from a single¨Cparent family, and she had very little to offer her children. She couldn¡¯t possibly spare any more energy for a romantic rtionship. Or rather, she couldn¡¯t divert the energy she spent on her babies to someone else. At the thought of this, Victoria could only inwardly sigh. She finally chose to be clear with Bane. 44% 1/8 C Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Worried About You ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Bane. You¡¯ve always been good to me. But¡­ I can¡¯t keep epting your kindness without giving any response in return.¡± When Bane heard that, he smiled softly and replied, ¡°Give me a response, then. Victoria, I don¡¯t ask for much.¡± 2/8 When he noticed her silence, he continued, ¡°You can try me if you don¡¯t believe me. I won¡¯t give you pressure if you choose to be with me. I¡¯ll take good care of you and the children.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°I simply can¡¯t spare any effort on you.¡°¡± ¡°Who told you to do that? You¡¯ll still be yourself if you¡¯re with me. You can do whatever you want. However, I¡¯ll be right behind you, supporting you through everything.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What? This won¡¯t do too?¡± Bane thought seriously for a moment and suggested, ¡°How about we give it a go? Three months. I¡¯m sure you can figure out whether it¡¯s nice being with me within three months. What do you say?¡± ¡°Bane.¡± Victoria bit her lower lip as she mumbled, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this.¡± 12:50 Sat, 24 Ju E Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Womed About You Seeing her reaction, Banemented, ¡°You are still refusing me even though I¡¯ve said so much. Alright, then. I¡¯ll just try harder.¡± The driver then came over and opened the door. When Bane bent over and carried the children into the car, Victoria hurried over and assisted him. They were on the way home when the children woke up. The first thing Nicole said after she woke up was that she was hungry. Victoria held her daughter in her arms and whispered, ¡°We¡¯ll be home soon. Sleep at little longer. I¡¯ll wake you up when we¡¯re there.¡± Dazedly, Nicole leaned against Victoria¡¯sp and fell asleep again. Fiona leaned against the railing of the balcony as twilight merged into total darkness and the lights lit up. Eventually, she saw the familiar vehicle returning. Her gloomy mood instantly brightened upon seeing that car. In no time, she turned around and rushed downstairs to open the door while waiting for Victoria and the others toe in. 3/8 Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Worried About You ¡°Victoria, you¡¯re finally back! I didn¡¯t expect you to be gone for the whole day. Did you go on a date with Bane?¡± 4/2 Her use of the word amused Bane, who smiled and drawled, ¡°You can say that.¡± Victoria could only awkwardly exin from beside him. ¡°We went to visit a few schools for Nicole and Nathan today.¡± ¡°Schools? Have you decided on one? Oh my!¡± Fiona instinctively held her head, her expression bitter. ¡°I totally forgot about such an important matter. I¡¯m sorry, Victoria. I should have gone with you today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t go. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Although Victoria said it was okay, Fiona still med herself. After all, they were best friends, and she had missed such an important event because of a man. Victoria proceeded to take the children inside to change intofortable clothes. After she left, Bane discreetly nced at Fiona. ¡°How was your day today?¡± Bane initiating the conversation caught Fiona off guard. Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Worried About You ¡°What?¡± Seeing the confused look on her face, Bane had to remind her. ¡°Last night,¡± he uttered. Fiona¡¯s face dimmed when she heard that. ¡°How did you know aboutst night? Did Victoria tell you?¡± 5/8 Fiona¡¯s expression turned dark as she thought about Bane knowing that she had gone to a man¡¯s roomst night. She couldn¡¯t help but get angry as she continued to together, we¡¯re still free to do our own things and we shouldn¡¯t interfere with each. other. Why did she tell you about my business?¡± The resentment in Fiona¡¯s words made Bane pause. He hadn¡¯t expected that his probing would cause trouble for Victoria. Still¡­ Thinking about how Fiona would continue to get entangled with ric, he couldn¡¯t allow Victoria and Fiona to live together in this ce. Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Worried About You He was sure that something bad would happen. With this in mind, Bane had a sharp glint flicker in his eyes behind the gold¨Cframed sses. He looked at Fiona, who was grumbling in front of him, and his lips curled in a subtle, mocking smile. ¡°Fiona, you¡¯re roommates. She¡¯s just worried about you when you sneak out in the middle of the night.¡± Fiona grabbed her head, her expression conflicted as she muttered, ¡°Of course I know she¡¯s worried about me. But I¡¯m an adult now and I have my own thoughts. Couldn¡¯t she just send me a text if she¡¯s worried? Why did she have to tell someone else about it?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bane pursed his lips and casually mentioned, ¡°It seems like I haven¡¯t left a good impression on you.¡± When Fiona heard this, she btedly realized that her previous words were likely offensive to Bane. She quickly snapped back to her senses and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to me you. I just¡­ I just want a little freedom.¡± 6/8 Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Wored About You ¡°When you¡¯re living together, there are many things to consider.¡± Bane added thoughtfully, ¡°If you still n to stay in contact with that person in the future, it would be best if you didn¡¯t live with her. Otherwise, incidents like today will happen again.¡± Fiona fell silent at those words. She knew he was right. She was happy to live with Victoria at first, but there was some sort of tension now. She had a feeling that she would have a mental breakdown if Victoria started to interfere with her life. If they ended up arguing, it might even affect their friendship. Just as Fiona was entangled in her thoughts, Victoria returned. When she saw that Bane was still here, she asked, ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare dinner now. Would you like to join us?¡± Bane was just about to agree to it when his phone rang. He ended up stepping out to take the call. By the time he returned, five minutes had passed. 7/2 Chapter 214 She¡¯s Just Worried About You ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but something came up. I have to leave now,¡± Bane said to Victoria, who was busy in the kitchen. Victoria was understanding. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Go do your thing.¡± Bane often had to leave for work during their time abroad, which was why Victoria had gotten used to it. ¡°Alright. Let me know if you need anything.¡± He was gone immediately after that. After he left, Victoria called Fiona into the kitchen. ¡°Did you have something to tell me when you called me this morning?¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Fiona¡¯s expression changed. 44 I was going to tell Victoria about Mr. Cadogan wanting toe and apologize, but¡­ After hearing what Bane said, Fiona felt she didn¡¯t need to tell Victoria about it any longer. Thus, she simply chuckled awkwardly and stammered, ¡°I¨CIt¡¯s nothing.¡± Victoria looked puzzled. ¡°But you called me up when you came back and said you had something to tell me, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Fiona was a little flustered as she exined, ¡°I was emotional at the time and wanted to talk to you about something, but I don¡¯t need to anymore.¡± Victoria raised her eyebrows. ¡°Is that so?¡± Fiona fervently nodded. Despite their rtively short acquaintance, Victoria still thought she understood Fiona fairly well. She can¡¯t hide it when she¡¯s lying. Her eyes will flicker around, and she will bob her head up and down like a chicken every time she does. Chapter 215 Leaving Thus, Victoria could immediately tell that Fiona was lying. She probably doesn¡¯t want to tell me about it anymore. Victoria sighed to herself and decided not to press any further. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll drop it then.¡± Fiona nodded away again. Victoria tied the apron around her and got ready to slice up the meat. Fiona felt bad and quickly offered, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Ordinarily, Victoria would readily hand over the knife. This time, she knew what she was going to say next, so she didn¡¯t hand the knife over. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± Fiona stood beside Victoria and watched a little dispiritedly. Victoria¡¯s eyes flickered with thought. After mentally preparing what she was going to say, she piped up, ¡°How did it go? Did you get his number?¡± As soon as Victoria mentioned this, Fiona recalled what she told Bane and her expression soured a little. The look on Fiona¡¯s face made Victoria assume that she had failed. 28 R Chapter 215 Leaving Victoria secretly sighed in relief. In her opinion, this oue wasn¡¯t all that bad. At least, she would not have to put in any more effortter on. 3/8 With that thought in mind, Victoria continued quietly, ¡°This morning, I told you I wanted to talk to you about something, right? It actually has something to do with him. You-¡± ¡°Victoria!¡± Fiona¡¯s head shot up and she cried out Victoria¡¯s name. ¡°You went out with Bane today, right? He¡¯s so good to you. He prepared a house for you to stay in now that you¡¯re back in the country, right? Wouldn¡¯t it affect your rtionship if I keep you here?¡± I Victoria stopped cutting the meat. She turned around and eyed Fiona in silence. Fiona sheepishly averted her eyes and chuckled awkwardly. ¡°D¨CDon¡¯t take it the wrong way. I¡¯m just worried that I might end up affecting your future, so I just wanted to create more opportunities for you two. I¡¯m also afraid that Bane might. one day say that I¡¯m the reason why he failed to get together with you, so that¡¯s why¡­¡± Her voice got progressively softer until she was speaking barely above a mumble. Chapter 215 Leaving There were no fools here. B Naturally, Victoria understood what Fiona¡¯s words implied. She stared at Fiona in silence for quite some time before she finally said, ¡°You can wait outside. The food will be ready soon.¡± Fiona didn¡¯t know what to say, so she turned around and shuffled out of the kitchen. During dinner, the two children sensed that something was amiss. Although Nicole usually failed to pick up such things, she too noticed the awkward silence. The children exchanged nces and quietly tucked into their food. Once they were done, they set their cutlery down in unison. ¡°We¡¯ve finished, Mommy, Miss Fiona.¡± Fiona forced herself to smile weakly at the children. Victoria looked at them and stroked their heads. ¡°Nathan and Nicole, you two have been very good today. Head back to your room to rest for a while and then start packing your things, okay?¡± Fiona paled and bit her lip. 4/8 44 Chapter 215 Leaving The two children immediately looked up at Victoria. They didn¡¯t expect things to be this serious. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. 5/8 However, at the very next moment, Victoria smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ll be starting at your new school tomorrow.¡± At this, the children rxed and left to pack their things. Once they were gone, Victoria carried on finishing her food. Meanwhile, Fiona looked despondent ever since she heard Victoria telling the children to pack their things. She only snapped out of her reverie when Victoria stood up to clear the table, and she quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Victoria.¡± Victoria gave her a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You were just trying to be considerate of 1. me. I¡¯ll find the time to talk to Bane.¡± Truth be told, as soon as the words came out of Fiona¡¯s mouth, she started regretting it. s, now that she heard Victoria saying she was going to talk to Bane, she couldn¡¯t take back her words anymore, so she simply stayed quiet. After clearing the table, Victoria cleaned up the kitchen and threw out the trash. -Once she was certain that the house was spotless, she went back to her room to Chapter 215 Leaving pack. ¦¥¦® They had only just moved in so there was not much for her to pack. Soon, she was done. She then sat down on the bed and took out her phone to book a hotel. Once the booking was made, Nathan came over. ¡°Mommy.¡± Victoria put away her phone and smiled at him. ¡°Have you packed your things, Nathan?¡± ¡°Yes, Mommy.¡± ¡°Good. What about Nicole?¡± ¡°Nicole¡¯s ready too. She¡¯s in the room waiting for you.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go then.¡± Victoria got up and dragged her suitcase to the door. On the way out, she ran into Fiona who came to look for her. Fiona seemed hesitant. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± 6/8 Chapter 215 Leaving ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll stay somewhere near the school tonight so that we can make it to school on time tomorrow.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t seem angry, but that only made Fiona feel worse about it. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯ve already booked us a ride.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Okay. Stay safe. Let me know when you get there.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Victoria nudged Nathan. ¡°Tell Nicole toe out, Nathan. We¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°Yes, Mommy Victoria watched as Nathan entered the room, and once he disappeared behind the door, she turned to Fiona and said quietly, ¡°Fiona, I know you might not like what I¡¯m about to say, but as your friend, I want to remind you anyway. Before you develop feelings for someone, you should first check and see if he¡¯s single. Don¡¯t get into a situation where you¡¯ll only end up hurting yourself. That¡¯s all I have to say. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± She didn¡¯t bother to check Fiona¡¯s reaction. She simply smiled and dragged her 7.9 Chapter 215 Leaving suitcase over to Nathan and Nicole. E As they were leaving, the children cheerfully said their goodbyes to Fiona, who could only wave back to them with a mncholic smile. Thud. The door closed, and Fiona was the only one left inside the house. All was still and silent. It was as if no one hade over in the first ce. [ Chapter 216 Chapter 216 It was still fairly early when the family of three arrived at the hotel. Victoria got them. a suite for two weeks. Once they were all checked in, the hotel concierge brought them up to the suite. ¡°The suite you bookedes with an outdoor pool, ma¡¯am, but it¡¯s winter so the pool area is closed right now. Since you have two children with you, it¡¯s best if you keep it closed too.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Victoria nodded gratefully in response to the person¡¯s kind reminder. ¡°I got 1. it. Thank you.¡± The hotel suite was excellent. There was even a faint scent of potpourri and no hint of mustiness. The hotel staff gave the suite a thorough check, including the pool area, and only left once he confirmed everything was fine. Victoria swiftly unpacked their necessities and the two children followed suit. They only stopped when she did. Then, they syed out across her legs and looked up at her. 1/9 Chapter 216 Turning Grim ¡°Mommy, did you and Miss Fiona have a fight?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t want the children to know about the disagreements between the adults, so she came up with an excuse. ¡°We¡¯re not fighting, Nicole, but Fiona needs some time alone right now. It¡¯s the same with you and Nathan sleeping in separate rooms. Understand?¡± Nicole cocked her head to the side and said, ¡°But, when we were staying there, you and Miss Fiona didn¡¯t sleep together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We didn¡¯t sleep together. However, Fiona is renting the ce and she refused to let us pay her rent. In that case, we can¡¯t possibly take advantage of her by staying there, right?¡± Atst, Nicole nodded approvingly. ¡°That makes sense.¡± On the other hand, Nathan remained quiet. He and Nicole had different personalities, and he was a far more pensive person. Victoria could only softly exin, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Either way, you¡¯re going to 2/9 Chapter 216 Turning Grim follow me no matter where I go, right? In that case, all you need to do is stick with. me.¡± Once the children went to sleep, Victoria opened herptop to prepare a n. They couldn¡¯t stay in the hotel forever, and if she wanted to rent a ce, she would need to find one near thepany. Thus, she began to search for properties. Soon after that, she looked at listings for live¨Cin maids. Thankfully, the children would be in school during the day. That gave her enough time to prepare everything. Victoria stayed upte and tapped away at herptop until she finally fell asleep at the table. The next day, she was woken up by the ringing of her phone. Her mind was still a blur as she answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± Her voice was so hoarse that even she got a shock. ¡°Victoria?¡± Bane called out in concern. 3/9 Q 44 Chapter 216 Turning Grim Victoria covered the microphone and cleared her throat before speaking up again. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Nevertheless, her voice was still hoarse. She wasn¡¯t sure if she had caught a cold. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Maybe I had too much spicy foodst night.¡± 4/9 Bane was silent for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m at the door right now. I brought you breakfast, but I don¡¯t have the password to the house.¡± Victoria was speechless. Half an hourter, she opened the door to her hotel suite and let Bane in. The breakfast Bane brought was stone cold by now. As soon as he entered, he looked around the suite, but once he saw how pale Victoria was, his face turned grim. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I didn¡¯t see the need to go into detail.¡± 3 Chapter 216 Turning Grim Bane paused for a second before asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stay at the ce I prepared for you then? Nicole has the keys.¡± ¡°Well, Nicole took it. Not me.¡± ¡°Victoria¡­¡± 5/9 ¡°Let me see what you bought.¡± Victoria took the food from him. It had gone cold, so she took it to the kitchen to reheat it.. Bane¡¯s eyes darkened as he watched her leave. He was partly the reason why she moved into a hotel at night. However, he didn¡¯t expect her to move so soon. She didn¡¯t even tell me anything. When will she let me into her heart? Fiona didn¡¯t sleep well. It was nearly dawn before she finally dozed off, but she woke up just a few short hourster. Chapter 216 Turning Grim She was preupied with the lunch appointment today. It all seemed strange to her. I still can¡¯t believe that man, Mr. Cadogan, asked for my number and extended a lunch invitation. He left once she promised she would bring Victoria with her. However, she couldn¡¯t bring Victoria over today. I¡¯ll need to think of an exnation to give himter. Evidently, Fiona had forgotten everything Victoria said to her yesterday. By the time she showered and dolled herself up, it was nearly time for lunch. She headed straight for the restaurant. It was a ssy restaurant. She and her friends had a meal here a few times. After informing the restaurant host that she was meeting someone, a server led her to a private room upstairs. ¡°This way please, miss.¡± When the server opened the door, Fiona was surprised to see the handsome and N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. aloof man who was already seated inside. 6/9 Chapter 216 Turning Grim She instinctively checked the time. A Fiona ced a lot of importance on this appointment and had purposely left the house early to avoid getting stuck in traffic or to have some buffer time in case she ran into unexpected situations. She was afraid of making him displeased in any way. lest he refused to have anything to do with her anymore. Therefore, she did not expect him to be even earlier than her when she had already left the house half an hour early. It was still twenty minutes before their agreed¨Cupon meeting time. Fiona became even more attracted to him. ¡°Hi, Mr. Cadogan. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this early.¡± Fiona greeted him warmly. However, his eyes weren¡¯t on her. He kept looking behind her, but after a few moments, he still didn¡¯t see the person he was looking for. ric¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked grimly. 7/9 Fiona knew he would ask this question and had prepared her answer ahead of time. Chapter 216 Turning Grim ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cadogan, but my friend can¡¯t make it. She has other matters to attend to, but don¡¯t worry. I conveyed your message to herst night and she has forgiven you.¡± Fiona had no choice but to say this for now. However, she didn¡¯t expect the man in front of her to narrow his eyes dangerously at her. ¡°She has forgiven me? Did she say those words herself?¡± His gaze was sharp and piercing. Fiona could barely keep the act up. ¡°T¨CThat¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± The man looked at Fiona and scoffed mockingly before withdrawing his gaze and getting up to leave. Fiona was left standing all alone in the room. 8/9 Chapter 216 Turning Grim What just happened? Chapter 217 Chapter 217 ric walked out of the restaurant with a stormy expression. He thought he could use Fiona to bring Victoria over, but¡­ After seeing the way Fiona¡¯s eyes flickered, he figured that she probably didn¡¯t even tell Victoria what he said. ric got his phone out and made a call. ¡°Look into someone for me.¡± By the time Fiona reacted and ran out after ric, he was already nowhere to be seen. She took her phone out and called him. The call rang for a while before he finally answered. ¡°What happened back there, Mr. Cadogan? Are you upset because my friend didn¡¯t show up? I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you, but my friend moved out with her boyfriendst night. Since her boyfriend was there, I couldn¡¯t possibly bring up your Before she finished her sentence, she heard the loud screeching sound of someone mming on the brakes and she jumped in fright. ¡°Mr. Cadogan?! Are you alright, Mr. Cadogan?¡± All was silent for quite some time until ric gritted his teeth and repeated icily, ¡°Her boyfriend?¡± Fiona was still startled. She instinctively nodded. ¡°Y¨CYes. Her boyfriend¡­¡± Click. The dial tone made Fiona realize the call had been cut off. She stood frozen with her phone in hand as she thought about ric¡¯s reaction, including the way he left after seeing that she came alone. After connecting the dots between everything, she finally caught on. All the color drained from her face. ¡°Achoo!¡± As soon as Victoria sneezed, Bane immediately offered her his handkerchief. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Victoria rejected his offer and sniffed before she carried on walking. The property agent continued, ¡°Miss Selwyn, the house that you¡¯re about to see has a south¨Cfacing floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. You can open up the curtains every day and have an excellent view of the surroundings. It also has three bedrooms which you asked for, as well as a study. This property is the one that fits your needs the most so far, but¡­¡± He paused without finishing his sentence. After all, he wasn¡¯t certain whether she liked the ce or not yet. Victoria took a look around and was very satisfied with the house. It was in a good location too as it was near both the children¡¯s school and herpany. ¡°What¡¯s the rental for this ce?¡± ¡°Do you like it, Miss Selwyn?¡± The property agent sounded a little taken aback. He probably didn¡¯t expect her to choose this house. ¡°Yeah. I think it¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°I agree, but¡­¡± Noting his hesitation, Victoria asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there a problem with the ¡°Not quite, but apparently thendlord is abroad. We haven¡¯t been able to get in touch with her.¡± ¡± Thendlord¡¯s abroad? Can¡¯t get in touch with her? ¡°Did she not give you her contact information?¡± ¡°We had her phone number but it¡¯s out of service. We don¡¯t have her new one.¡± Victoria sighed in pity. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to look at other ces then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you a few other ces.¡± The property agent scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not just this building. All of the properties over here belong to thatndlord, but we haven¡¯t been able to get in touch with her all this while.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the houses have been empty the whole time?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard that it belonged to some president of a major corporation, but he gave all the properties to his ex¨Cwife after the divorce.¡± Victoria became a little sentimental. Not many men would be that thoughtful toward their ex¨Cwife. Meanwhile, after hearing everything, Bane got a strange feeling. ¡°By the way, Miss Selwyn, you share a connection with the ex¨Cwife.¡± ¡°A connection?¡± How did she have a connection with thendlord? Victoria chuckled and mused, ¡°Is it going to enable me to rent her ce?¡± ¡°Perhaps it might. Who knows how fate works? You and thendlord share the samest name, Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a Selwyn too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that she¡¯s a young and beautiful woman too.¡± Victoria was a little taken aback. For some reason, what she just heard gave her an odd feeling. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t think much of it. They got into the elevator and headed back down. On their way out, they ran into a middle¨Caged man in a suit who seemed to be the property agent¡¯s superior. The man¡¯s expression darkened as soon as he saw the property agent. ¡°Isaac! Why are you showing a client these properties again? How many times have I told you not to bring them over here? Even if they like it, they still can¡¯t rent the ce! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?¡± The middle¨Caged man reprimanded the property agent. Once he was done, he turned to Victoria and Bane. ¡°So sorry about that. He loves the properties here so he keeps bringing clients over to check the ce out, but I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t rent out any of the properties here for now. I¡¯m sure he has informed you of the reason.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Yes. I heard about it.¡± ¡°Give me a break, boss. Miss Selwyn here has a connection with thendlord, you know. They¡¯re both Selwyns and she just came back to the country too.¡± ¡°I see. Is she nning on settling down? You should show her the properties on the southeast side.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Why did I forget about that ce? Let me take you over there, Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Victoria went to see the property. ww While she wasn¡¯t as satisfied with this one, the interior design was to her liking, so after thinking about it for a while, she decided to take it. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Thendlord wants a deposit of six months¡® rent, Miss Selwyn. Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°It works for me. However, I¡¯m quite busy right now and I¡¯ll need a few days to prepare for the move.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all. I¡¯ll get started on the rental agreement. All you need to do is leave a deposit and I¡¯ll reserve the property for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± While preparing the rental agreement, the property agent asked Victoria for her ID. She gave him her social security card. After taking a look at it, the staff¡¯s expression became a little peculiar. Instead of filling out the documentation, he showed her ID to the other employees. All of them turned to her. Victoria was confused. Is there something wrong with my ID? They can¡¯t be suspecting me of identity theft, right? She was just about to ask them about it when the property agent rushed back over to her. ¡°M¨CMiss Selwyn, is this your ID?¡± He was stammering and staring at Victoria in shock. ¡°Is this your name?¡± Victoria was dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but she looked at him and answered, ¡°Since it¡¯s my ID, of course the name is mine.¡± Upon hearing her confirmation, the property agent held out her ID respectfully. ¡°M¨CMiss Selwyn, did youe over today to inspect the properties?¡± Huh? Chapter 218 Chapter 218 What did he say? Victoria thought she misheard him. Why is he suddenly talking to me like I¡¯m his boss? What does he mean by inspecting the properties? Victoria was puzzled by the property agent¡¯s respectful demeanor. All of a sudden, she recalled what he said about a rich man giving the properties to his ex-wife. Her expression stiffened ever so slightly. He couldn¡¯t possibly be referring to ric and me, right? The ex-wife is also a Selwyn who left the country and couldn¡¯t be reached. It can¡¯t be that much of a coincidence, especially now that they¡¯ve seen my ID and are treating me like I¡¯m their boss. Although Victoria could scarcely believe it, she looked at the property agent and asked in all seriousness, ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t get in touch with thendlord. Can you let me see the phone number you have?¡± The property agent looked a little confused. What did he say? Victoria thought she misheard him. Why is he suddenly talking to me like I¡¯m his boss? What does he mean by inspecting the properties? Victoria was puzzled by the property agent¡¯s respectful demeanor. All of a sudden, she recalled what he said about a rich man giving the properties to his ex-wife. Her expression stiffened ever so slightly. He couldn¡¯t possibly be referring to ric and me, right? The ex-wife is also a Selwyn who left the country and couldn¡¯t be reached. It can¡¯t be that much of a coincidence, especially now that they¡¯ve seen my ID and are treating me like I¡¯m their boss. Although Victoria could scarcely believe it, she looked at the property agent and asked in all seriousness, ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t get in touch with thendlord. Can you let me see the phone number you have?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The property agent looked a little confused. ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you thendlord, Miss Selwyn?¡± That being said, he still retrieved the phone number and passed it to Victoria. Victoria checked the number. It was indeed her old number. Plus, ording to the other documentation, the properties belonged to someone named Victoria Selwyn. It was all hers¡­ Victoria froze in shock. It took her a while to snap out of it. At the time, she didn¡¯t want to take anything. Once the divorce was finalized, she left everything behind and took nothing with her. He had lent her a hand when her family had been in crisis. Thanks to him, the other people dared not make things worse for her father and were even respectful toward her. Thus, she left with nothing as a way of paying him back. She didn¡¯t expect him to give her all of this. When did he give it to me? Victoria turned to the property agent and checked, ¡°When were these properties transferred to me?¡± This was not something the property agent would know. 3/9 He scratched his head and said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, Miss Selwyn. We don¡¯t have ess to such information. All we know is the name of our boss. We didn¡¯t even know what she looked like, until today.¡± ¨C Then, a thought dawned on him. He looked at Victoria, whose ethereal beauty almost didn¡¯t seem real for a human being, and then looked at the tall and handsome gentleman in sses behind her. A few thoughts raced through his mind as he began piecing things together. The property agent began to look between Victoria and Bane. Then, he thought about the properties. s, a heart-wrenching melodrama began to form in his mind. However, his gaze didn¡¯t linger for long before the sophisticated-looking man spoke 1. up. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just a misunderstanding, Victoria. But, before we get to the bottom of things, let¡¯s not rent the ce yet. You booked the hotel for two weeks anyway.¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She did have to clear things up. However, if she were indeed the owner of these properties, she knew full well who it was who gave them to her. What she wanted to know was when the properties were transferred to her. On the way back, Bane suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you move into my ce for now?¡± Victoria didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I found you three maids who will work in shifts to cover all 24 hours. That way, you won¡¯t need to worry about the kids being left without someone to care for them. You can just focus on your work.¡± Noting her prolonged silence, Bane chuckled and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you still feel reluctant? What if I ept rent from you? That should be enough for you to move in, right?¡± Victoria turned to him. ¡°You¡¯re willing to ept rent from me?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll just treat it as a side ie.¡± A side ie¡­ Why would he need to get a side ie? ¡°How much? I won¡¯t take it if you¡¯re going to charge me a very low rental.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be cheap. It¡¯s a good location and the property value is quite high. I had to spend a fair amount to buy it. It¡¯ll cost you six thousand a month.¡± Victoria was startled by the figure he gave. She didn¡¯t find it expensive. It was perfectly normal for rent in that location to be at least six thousand. She simply didn¡¯t expect Bane to actually rent it to her at market price. Nevertheless, she felt a lot better now. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Bane¡¯s eyes shed with helplessness when he saw the way she lit up with happiness. He had no choice but to rent the ce to her. He probably wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve anything if he didn¡¯t ept her money. After confirming the move, Bane immediately sent Ethan over to her house that 5/5 night to help her. That being said, there wasn¡¯t much for her to pack. It hadn¡¯t been long since they Though, the two children did get a lot of things after their first day of school. They each had a set of study materials and two sets of uniforms. Victoria stuffed everything into suitcases before heading down to check out from the suite. The staff at the front desk didn¡¯t show any displeasure at the fact that she was checking out after only a few days and remained as courteous as ever. ¡°Thank you for staying with us, Miss Selwyn. Have a good day.¡± Soon after Victoria and Bane left, a blue Bentley pulled up outside the hotel. A tall and slender man stepped out of the car with an expressionless face. A man with a briefcase jogged to keep up with him. ¡°Please slow down, Mr. Cadogan.¡± ric continued marching into the hotel while Terrance ran after him with the briefcase. s, a card was needed to ess the hotel elevators. He couldn¡¯t go up without a hotel card. Thus, the two men headed to the front desk. ¡°Good day, sir. How may I help you?¡± The front desk agent couldn¡¯t stop herself from stealing a few nces at ric. He was so handsome that her heart was pounding. How did we get so lucky today? A handsome man just left and another one came over right after that. Unfortunately, the one who left has a family. ric¡¯s expression remained grim and he didn¡¯t speak. Terrance saw the look on ric¡¯s face and sighed to himself before stepping forward. ¡°Hi, miss. We¡¯re here to look for someone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for someone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Did a woman named Victoria Selwyn check into this hotel? What¡¯s her room number?¡± The front desk agent looked conflicted. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I can¡¯t divulge that information to you.¡± ¡°I understand that,¡± Terrance said. ¡°You have the responsibility of ensuring your customers¡¯ safety. However, that woman, Miss Selwyn, is no ordinary person and we¡¯re not bad guys either. Have you ever seen bad guys wearing suits and driving up in a Bentley?¡± Terrance pointed at ric who was standing as still as a statue behind him. ¡°Plus, don¡¯t you recognize him? He¡¯s been in the news and on the front page of financial magazines before.¡± The front desk agent paused and looked at ric. It was just as Terrance said. She found that the man didn¡¯t look like a con artist at all. However, she still didn¡¯t recognize him. Nevertheless, someone else at the front desk did. ¡°I recognize him. He¡¯s ric Cadogan, the head of Cadogan Group. I read about him in a financial magazine. The editor said it wasn¡¯t easy getting an interview with him. Even so, we can¡¯t divulge customer information to you. The only thing I can tell you is that she¡¯s no longer staying at this hotel.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 ric narrowed his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s not here? Then, where is she?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know, Mr. Cadogan. She¡¯s a customer, so she wouldn¡¯t tell us where she was going.¡± Terrance nodded. ¡°True, but¡­¡± He narrowed his eyes as well. ¡°Is she really gone, or are you just covering for her?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s gone. Right before you came too.¡± ric looked even more upset. She left right before I came? That¡¯s the same thing that happened thest time I went to her house. This time too? Is that really a coincidence? ric looked at the receptionist and asked coldly, ¡°She left alone?¡± The receptionists froze for a moment and exchanged a look. ¡°N-No.¡± ric sneered, then he left. He had no more patience to hear the receptionist¡¯s exnation. Terrance quickly followed him. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that Miss Selwyn left. Mr. Cadogan, should we get our men to find out where she went?¡± All of a sudden, he bumped into ric. He quickly backed off, terrified because he didn¡¯t think ric would stop all of a sudden. ¡°Sorry, sir. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Unfortunate? You think this is a coincidence?¡± ric shot him a look as icy as the Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. air of the tundra. Terrance pursed his lips and carefully asked, ¡°Do you mean she¡¯s staying away from you, Mr. Cadogan?¡± A storm brewed in ric¡¯s eyes. Fearing for his life, Terrance curled up a bit and sighed. Since ric wasn¡¯t saying anything, he asked, ¡°Should we look for her?¡± Look for her? ric sneered. Why? To see her dating some other guy? He then left. Unable to guess what he was thinking, Terrance quickly followed. ¡°Should we find her, Mr. Cadogan?¡± The response Terrance received was the car door mming shut, then the car revved up and left, sting him with exhaust fumes. Why me? Once she had settled down, Victoria gave Bane nine grand. ¡°Here. Six months of rent.¡± Bane took it. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°How much did you spend on the nannies?¡± Three nannies working different shifts is going to cost a lot. Victoria wanted to save money, so she would only hire one nanny. After all, the kids had to go to school, so the nanny didn¡¯t have to spend too much time keeping an eye on them. She didn¡¯t have to work at night, so she could take care of the children too. ¡°Not much. You don¡¯t have to pay me for that.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard for mypany. Take this as a parting gift.¡± ¡°Purely a parting gift? No strings attached?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Very well. Then get me one nanny.¡± ¡°Victoria¡­¡± ¡°Or I¡¯m not taking anything from you.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± In the end, only one nanny was left. Victoria had already paid the rent, so she was feeling a lot better now. It was gettingte too, so Bane left. Once he was gone, Victoria prepared the beds and turned on the AC for the children so they could sleep, while she went into the study to work. sone Bane considered everything before he rented this ce to her. The study was big, and there was even a French window too. Right beside it was a big bookshelf, and there was even adder to reach the topmost shelves. Victoria loved this ce, but she was not in the mood to enjoy the view. Quickly, she checked something on her If those houses were under her name, then all the things he gave her that she refused, all the money he gave her that she gave him back just so they would be even, would have been for nothing. Victoria tried checking the estates¡¯ details. Some were easily searchable, but the finer details, as the agent had said, could never be searched. If she wanted to know the dates and all the assets she had, she needed someone to help her. Victoria checked the time and quickly called her father¡¯swyer. ¡°Miss Selwyn?¡± Mr. Saunders was surprised that Victoria would call. ¡°Is this about your father?¡± ¡°No. I just wanted to ask you something. Can you rmend some goodw firms for me?¡± ¡°Hm? I do have a junior I can rmend, but he¡¯s still handling a case recently. Is this urgent?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you his number, then. Tell him if you need anything. I¡¯ll give him a heads up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Saunders.¡± She hung up and continued her research. Five minutes ¡°Hello, Miss Selwyn. I¡¯m Mr. Saunders¡¯ junior, Bernard Sandler.¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Sandler.¡± Victoria noticed the sound of chatting and raising toasts in the background. He must be busy. Just when she was about to say something, he asked, ¡°Mind adding me on Facebook? Mr. Saunders told me what happened, and I want to know what you¡¯re looking for. If you¡¯re fine with me, I can help you find out what you want to know. I¡¯ll bill youter. Is that alright?¡± ¡°Sure, thank you.¡± Victoria liked how he worked. Fast, efficient, and she didn¡¯t need to say much. Bernard put his phone down and said, ¡°Go on without me, guys. I have work to do.¡± ¡°At this hour?¡± ¡°Saunders called me. This is his friend, so I can¡¯t say no. See you around.¡± Bernard quickly left and added Victoria on Facebook. A short whileter, Victoria gave him her details. When he noticed the name, Bernard froze. Victoria? Wait. That name¡­ If I¡¯m right, that¡¯s the recipient of a huge sum of inheritance. My mentor asked me to handle that case. To confirm things, Bernard quickly called his mentor. Chapter 220 Chapter 220 It had been a while since Victoria gave Bernard her details, but he still hadn¡¯t replied. He didn¡¯t even bill her anything. She checked the time and wondered if he was ying around. After all, she did hear some noise in the background earlier. She had done all she could. All the information she could get her hands on, she had found them. Further searching would yield nothing, so she closed herptop and went to bathe. Hence, she didn¡¯t notice Bernard¡¯s call. When she came back out, she noticed that he had sent her all the info she needed. She didn¡¯t even open the file yet, but one look at the content list, and she thought, No wonder Mr. Saunders rmends him. He is efficient. She didn¡¯t look through it but said thank you to Bernard, then she told him to send her the bill. Even though she was prepared for the results, Victoria was still shocked to see how much wealth she had. She had estates in Gandra, Jasea, and a lot of other cities, and not just any estates. Some estates were managed by someone else, so she was the one who gained the profit. The properties she visited earlier were only finished a few years ago. Since they couldn¡¯t contact her, the managers couldn¡¯t rent those estates out. Finally, Victoria noticed she also had some Cadogan Group¡¯s shares. Once she was done reading, Victoria had no idea what to feel. She bit her lip, her chest heaving. He gave me so much without me knowing. What is the meaning of this? Does his beloved know? Did she agree to this? She couldn¡¯t keep reading anymore. Victoria closed herptop and called Bernard. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Sandler, but can I confirm the veracity of this file? I¡¯m not doubting your professionalism, of course. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you can¡¯t believe how much wealth you have, right?¡± Smart. That¡¯s exactly what I was trying to say. ¡°I had the exact same reaction the first time I was handling the case, and I too suspected it to be false, but unfortunately, it¡¯s real. My mentor and I listed the whole thing out.¡± ¡°Your mentor?¡± Victoria had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s Mr. Cadogan¡¯s personalwyer.¡± Ugh, I should¡¯ve known. Mr. Saunders is already capable enough. His junior worked abroad for so long, so that means he must be a capable one too. His mentor must be even more prominent than he is. Of course he¡¯s ric¡¯swyer. She didn¡¯t think things through, and now she was already entangled in this matter. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell your mentor about this, did you? I¡¯m sorry if this sounds rude, but I¡¯m no longer his wife, so¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize, but he already knows,¡± said Bernard. ¡°He has the master file, so I asked him to give me a copy. And he asked me a few questions, so I answered as honestly as I could.¡± Sigh. I can¡¯t me him for this. He¡¯s the student. Of course he talks to his mentor. ¡°Sorry, Miss Selwyn. I didn¡¯t think this would affect you, but my mentor isn¡¯t one to gossip, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Victoria calmed down a little. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Do you need someone to handle these assets for you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Victoria shook her head. ¡°Can we meet tomorrow, Mr. Sandler?¡± ¡°Tomorrow afternoon, yes.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± They met at a restaurant at the agreed time the next day. Even though Bernard had seen Victoria¡¯s picture when he handled the inheritance transfer, he still was stunned by her beauty when he saw her. Even when Victoria was already saying hi to him, it took him a while to snap out of it. ¡°Hello, Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Sandler.¡± .. They made small talk, and then food was served. Bernard was famished, but he couldn¡¯t gorge on his food, not when a beauty like Victoria was right in front of him, so he chose to carefully flip through his file instead. When Victoria told him what she was nning, Bernard froze. ¡°A¨CAre you serious? You¡¯re relinquishing everything?¡± On the other hand, Victoria was calm. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t take what¡¯s not mine. Give it back to him.¡± Did I travel into another dimension? She doesn¡¯t want all this money? No one can resist money. ¡°But these assets are yours. You¡¯re notmitting any crime taking them. You¡¯ll live your whole life without worry. Are you sure you don¡¯t want them?¡± ¡°I can live my life without worries even without these things.¡± That man had helped her before. If she took something from him again, she would never be able to repay her debt. ¡°So please proceed with my request, Mr. Sandler. I will pay you once it is done. If you want an advance payment, I can do that too.¡± Bernard was shocked for a long, long time, but he still nodded in the end. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll handle your request, Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Once she was gone, Bernard told his mentor about the situation. Victoria settled some trivial matters and started to work on her newpany. The website was up and running now. Victoria wrote a job advertisement, then she told the website designer to post it on the site. Advertisements cost a lot, and thepany needed a lot of things to get started. It was only now Victoria realized how hard it was to run apany. The next few weeks were busy for her. Victoria worked long hours, and even then, they only managed to hire a few employees. Fortunately, one member of the management team had experience working in a bigpany, and they started talking about the ¡°We¡¯re a newpany, and our scale is small. After all the scams that have happened, no one wants to work for smallpanies anymore.¡± Victoria looked at him. ¡°So why did youe?¡± The person froze. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Why did you work for mypany?¡± That person snickered. ¡°Life had been a little fast¨Cpaced for me so I wanted to catch a break, and what¡¯s more, I know you.¡± Victoria was surprised. ¡°You know me?¡± The person nodded, smiling. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s been five years, and you¡¯re a lot more beautiful than you were, but I recognized you right away. You came to ourpany for a negotiation back when you were working for Cadogan Group, and I was just a regr employee back then.¡± I see. ¡°So, you climbed all the way to top management in five years?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Victoria liked that, but that was not the point. First, they had to settle the The man she hired was one Henry Poole, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s a simple problem to settle.¡± Victoria looked at him. ¡°You seem to have a solution.¡± ¡°Angel investors,¡± said Henry. ¡°If we can have a bigpany investing in us, we won¡¯t have to worry about the operation or funds anymore.¡± Victoria had considered that, of course, but¡­ ¡°You want me to convince someone to invest in us? When we don¡¯t even have ten employees?¡± Henry shrugged. ¡°You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡± Victoria said nothing. Henry didn¡¯t care what she was thinking, and he started listing out thepanies they could convince to invest in them. ¡°First on the list is Cadogan Group and the Floyds.¡± The mention of Cadogan Group made Victoria silent. Noticing that, Henry smiled. ¡°Boss, I know you have some¡­ issues with Cadogan Group, but this is for the future of thepany. You won¡¯t let the past get in your way, will you?¡± Victoria took a deep breath to calm herself down, then she smiled. ¡°Sorry, but I will.¡± Huh? Henry scratched his head sheepishly and coughed. ¡°Very well. Then that leaves us with the Floyds. They¡¯re growing strongtely, and that auction a few days ago was proof of it. The new heir showed off his wealth without a care in the world. Ah, but boss, Jordan can be quite the yboy, so don¡¯t fall for his tricks when you negotiate, alright?¡± Jordan Floyd. He¡¯s in my contacts, and he lent me a suit. Perhaps I can use this connection. Quickly, Victoria opened up her contacts and searched for Jordan. They didn¡¯t even talk after they added each other¡¯s numbers, pretending that they had never met. Since she was busy, Victoria had forgotten that he lent her the suit. She took a long time just toe up with an opening text, and she messaged him. ¡®Thank you for the suit, Mr. Floyd. I¡¯ve cleaned it, so when can I give it back to you?¡¯ Victoria didn¡¯t think he would reply right away so she put her phone down, but then Jordan texted, ¡®Oh, and here I thought you wouldn¡¯t give it back. Sheepishly, Victoria texted, ¡®Sorry. I¡¯ve been a bit busy. It¡¯s not until now that I have time.¡® She added, ¡®So when can we meet?¡® Jordan answered a bit flirtatiously, ¡®If it¡¯s you, anytime.¡¯ Victoria was silent for a while, then she texted, ¡®I¡¯d like to talk about work.¡® Jordan didn¡¯t reply this time. Victoria held her phone tightly, the look on her face slowly bing solemn. Was I too forward? But if I beat around the bush, he might take it as a hint he can woo me. She was on guard because of what Henry told her about Jordan. Five minutester, he texted, ¡®Eastton¡¯s racecourse. Can youe over right away?¡® A racecourse? Not the best ce to talk business, but it¡¯s a chance. Victoria picked up her bag and scarf, then she left. The weather was a bit windy, so she wrapped the scarf around her neck and hailed a ride. The racecourse was roaring, and dust flew in the air as a big ck horse galloped across the course. Sitting on its back was a slender, handsome man with an aloof look on his face. The look on his face was dark, and he held the reins firmly. Even from a mile away, everyone could feel the angering off him. Ever since he got onto the track, everyone else led their horses away lest they incur this man¡¯s wrath. Jordan had juste back from a race. Even though it was winter, he downed half a bottle of cold drink like it was tea, then he screwed the cap shut and looked at the angry man. He teased, ¡°What happened to him? He¡¯s miffed today.¡± The people beside him shook their heads. ¡°Not just today. It¡¯s been like this for a while.¡± Huh. ¡°He¡¯s been venting at the course for two weeks now. Thanks to him, business has been bad. The owner¡¯sining but he can¡¯t take it up with him. He¡¯d destroy this whole ce.¡± Jordan clicked his tongue. ¡°Who crossed him anyway? Two weeks and he can¡¯t even hold it in?¡± Someone said, ¡°Who knows? We have no idea what he¡¯s thinking. Feels like we¡¯re working for a king.¡± A king? Jordan chuckled, and he took out his phone to check the text. It¡¯s been twenty minutes. Wonder where she is right now. Just then, his phone beeped, and a text appeared. ¡®I¡¯m almost at the course. Where are you? I¡¯ll find you, sir.¡¯ Sir? This is amusing. ¡°Interesting. She¡¯s older than me, and yet she calls me sir.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Noticing his smile, the people beside him huddled closer. ¡°Oh, ady? So, you found a new toy?¡± Jordan shot him a look. ¡°Bah, none of your business.¡± The guy grinned and was about to tease Jordan more, but a rider vaulted over the obstacle and charged straight at them only to stop a few inches before them. Shocked, a lot of people backed off while grumbling, and some fell on their rear. Only Jordan remained still with his phone in his hand. The man stopped his hores and booked at sodan and West Jordan looked at him and cooked file eyebrow then the emiley Sure but im bringing one more person ric frowned Jordan smiled ¡°Ever tried racing with a woman riding with you? Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Victoria was surprised. ¡°You know me?¡± The person nodded, smiling. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s been five years, and you¡¯re a lot more beautiful than you were, but I recognized you right away. You came to ourpany for a negotiation back when you were working for Cadogan Group, and I was just a regr employee back then.¡± I see. ¡°So, you climbed all the way to top management in five years?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Victoria liked that, but that was not the point. First, they had to settle the The man she hired was one Henry Poole, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s a simple problem to settle.¡± Victoria looked at him. ¡°You seem to have a solution.¡± ¡°Angel investors,¡± said Henry. ¡°If we can have a bigpany investing in us, we won¡¯t have to worry about the operation or funds anymore.¡± Victoria had considered that, of course, but¡­ ¡°You want me to convince someone to invest in us? When we don¡¯t even have ten employees?¡± Henry shrugged. ¡°You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡± Victoria said nothing. Henry didn¡¯t care what she was thinking, and he started listing out thepanies they could convince to invest in them. ¡°First on the list is Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Cadogan Group and the Floyds.¡± The mention of Cadogan Group made Victoria silent. Noticing that, Henry smiled. ¡°Boss, I know you have some¡­ issues with Cadogan Group, but this is for the future of thepany. You won¡¯t let the past get in your way, will you?¡± Victoria took a deep breath to calm herself down, then she smiled. ¡°Sorry, but I will.¡± Huh? Henry scratched his head sheepishly and coughed. ¡°Very well. Then that leaves us with the Floyds. They¡¯re growing strongtely, and that auction a few days ago was proof of it. The new heir showed off his wealth without a care in the world. Ah, but boss, Jordan can be quite the yboy, so don¡¯t fall for his tricks when you negotiate, alright?¡± Jordan Floyd. He¡¯s in my contacts, and he lent me a suit. Perhaps I can use this connection. Quickly, Victoria opened up her contacts and searched for Jordan. They didn¡¯t even talk after they added each other¡¯s numbers, pretending that they had never met. Since she was busy, Victoria had forgotten that he lent her the suit. She took a long time just toe up with an opening text, and she messaged him. ¡®Thank you for the suit, Mr. Floyd. I¡¯ve cleaned it, so when can I give it back to you?¡® Victoria didn¡¯t think he would reply right away so she put her phone down, but then Jordan texted, ¡®Oh, and here I thought you wouldn¡¯t give it back. Sheepishly, Victoria texted, ¡®Sorry. I¡¯ve been a bit busy. It¡¯s not until now that I have time.¡® She added, ¡®So when can we meet?¡® Jordan answered a bit flirtatiously, ¡®If it¡¯s you, anytime.¡® Victoria was silent for a while, then she texted, ¡®I¡¯d like to talk about work.¡® Jordan didn¡¯t reply this time. Victoria held her phone tightly, the look on her face slowly bing solemn. Was I too forward? But if I beat around the bush, he might take it as a hint he can woo me. She was on guard because of what Henry told her about Jordan. Five minutester, he texted, ¡®Eastton¡¯s racecourse. Can youe over right away?¡® A racecourse? Not the best ce to talk business, but it¡¯s a chance. Victoria picked up her bag and scarf, then she left. The weather was a bit windy, so she wrapped the scarf around her neck and hailed a ride. The racecourse was roaring, and dust flew in the air as a big ck horse galloped across the course. Sitting on its back was a slender, handsome man with an aloof look on his face. The look on his face was dark, and he held the reins firmly. Even from a mile away, everyone could feel the angering off him. Ever since he got onto the track, everyone else led their horses away lest they incur this man¡¯s wrath. Jordan had juste back from a race. Even though it was winter, he downed half a bottle of cold drink like it was tea, then he screwed the cap shut and looked at the angry man. He teased, ¡°What happened to him? He¡¯s miffed today.¡± The people beside him shook their heads. ¡°Not just today. It¡¯s been like this for a while.¡± Huh. ¡°He¡¯s been venting at the course for two weeks now. Thanks to him, business has been bad. The owner¡¯sining but he can¡¯t take it up with him. He¡¯d destroy this whole ce.¡± Jordan clicked his tongue. ¡°Who crossed him anyway? Two weeks and he can¡¯t even hold it in?¡± Someone said, ¡°Who knows? We have no idea what he¡¯s thinking. Feels like we¡¯re working for a king.¡± A king? Jordan chuckled, and he took out his phone to check the text. It¡¯s been twenty minutes. Wonder where she is right now. Just then, his phone beeped, and a text appeared. ¡®I¡¯m almost at the course. Where are you? I¡¯ll find you, sir.¡¯ Sir? This is amusing. ¡°Interesting. She¡¯s older than me, and yet she calls me sir.¡± Noticing his smile, the people beside him huddled closer. ¡°Oh, ady? So, you found a new toy?¡± Jordan shot him a look. ¡°Bah, none of your business.¡± The guy grinned and was about to tease Jordan more, but a rider vaulted over the obstacle and charged straight at them only to stop a few inches before them. Shocked, a lot of people backed off while grumbling, and some fell on their rear. Only Jordan remained still with his phone in his hand. The man stopped his horse and looked at Jordan coolly. ¡°Want to race?¡± Jordan looked at him and cocked his eyebrow, then he smiled. ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m bringing one more person.¡± ric frowned. Jordan smiled. ¡°Ever tried racing with a woman riding with you?¡± Chapter 222 Chapter 222 The cab stopped at the equestrian facility, and Victoria had just gotten out of the car when she saw Jordan standing at the entrance. He was in horse riding attire, which made him look tall and handsome. The moment he saw her, he smiled. ¡°Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡± Victoria was surprised he would wait for her, so she trotted to him while holding her bag. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t call me ¡®sir.¡¯ It makes me sound old.¡± Before she could say anything, he raised his hand and said, ¡°Call me Jordan instead.¡± As if I can do that. We¡¯re not even that close, to begin with. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Hearing her response, Jordan narrowed his eyes and gave her a look. ¡°Very well. Call me Mr. Floyd, then. You can always change how you address meter.¡± Victoria was left rather speechless upon hearing thest part of his sentence. ¡°Just don¡¯t call me ¡®sir¡¯ will do.¡± She nodded. ¡°Very well, Mr. Floyd.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you inside.¡± He then held her wrist and took her into the equestrian facility. Before she knew what was going on, she was already taken inside. The facility was a huge ce, and there were a lot of people going around. Jordan took big strides, seemingly unconcerned if Victoria could keep up with his pace. Thedy tried to break free from his grasp but failed, so she hastened her footsteps instead. He asked, ¡°Do you know how to ride a horse, Miss Selwyn?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never tried.¡± 2/6 ¡°Oh, goodie. That means you can¡¯t ride a horse. I don¡¯t need you to, either.¡± I¡¯m taking you for a spin, anyway. Victoria had no idea what he was talking about as she let herself be dragged ahead. She stopped trying to break free after that since Jordan wasn¡¯t trying to flirt with her anyway. He was just dragging her to his destination, nothing else. A long whileter, he let go of her hand. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± by her looks. Her beauty was outstanding, after all. Her eyes were lively but aloof, her nose and lips were beautifully pink, and her skin was fair as snow. A momentter, someone remarked, ¡°Mr. Floyd got himself a ten.¡± Though, Victoria didn¡¯t hear that. All she wanted was to convince Jordan to invest in herpany, so she followed him. Since negotiation was the only thing on her mind, she didn¡¯t notice anything wrong. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The man led her to the fence and waved at the rider in the course, shouting. She looked at where he was looking. ¡°ric! Over here!¡± When she saw who the rider was, her smile froze. What a coincidence¡­ It had been nearly one month since that incident, and she had been busytely. She thought the whole thing had blown over. Jasea was not ric¡¯s turf, so she thought he should have returned to Gandra. So, why is he still here? The moment ric¡¯s eyes met hers, Victoria wanted to turn tail and run. However, for some reason, Jordan held her arm. ¡°Miss Selwyn, this is going to be our rival Her lips went white. Know him? That¡¯s an understatement. As if he knew she was trying to run away, he kept his grip on her and asked with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m going to race with himter. So, care to join me on my horse?¡± No. The only thing I care about right now is to get away from here. However, ric had spotted her, and he narrowed his eyes. Then, he got off his horse and strode over to them. His equestrian attire made him look more attractive than usual, but the look in his eyes was deadly cold, dissuading anyone from getting close. Even before he got near, she could feel him looking at her sharply. ¡°Hey, ric. This is my partner for the race.¡± ric stood before them, staring at her. ¡°Your partner?¡± Jordan cocked his eyebrow. ¡°Not bad, eh? For fairness¡¯ sake, why don¡¯t you pick one, too?¡± There weredies among the crowd, and they were close. When they heard that, one of them quickly approached the small group. ¡°I can do that, Mr. Cadogan. I¡¯ve learned to ride a horse, so I¡¯m not scared.¡± Then, she smiled at him sweetly. Jordan nced her way. ¡°Alright, then. You¡¯ll do.¡± However, no matter what Jordan spoke to that girl, ric was still staring at Victoria. It was a sharp, ring look. Victoria bit her lip and was about to say something to get herself out of the situation when Jordan abruptly said, ¡°Well, then. You both should change into ridi ¡°No, I think-¡± The otherdy quickly held her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, girl.¡± With that, she took Victoria away without waiting. As they walked, the girl asked, ¡°So, how did you get to know Mr. Floyd? Are you his new girlfriend? Oh, how I envy you.¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°Can you teach me your moves? I want to learn from a pro.¡± Thedy wanted to date ric, so she showed no hostility toward Victoria, whom she thought was Jordan¡¯s girlfriend. Quickly, she took her into the locker room. the When the staff members caught news of the race, they quickly prepared the course, and thedies were treated like VIPs. The moment they entered the locker room, staff members handed them their riding clothing. One of them presented the attire to Victoria and praised, ¡°You have a perfect body, miss. It¡¯ll be easy to pick your clothes.¡± After saying that, they passed the attire into her hands. Dammit, I want to run so badly. But if I do that, Mr. Floyd¡¯s going to be embarrassed. Forget about having him invest; we¡¯d be lucky he¡¯s not attacking us. She came into the dressing room, feeling rather down. She wondered if today was not her day after all. Why did I not check my horoscope for the day before heading out? Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have walked into this situation. She had half a mind to call Henry to ask him if they really needed the investment, but she could already guess how he would answer. Victoria looked at her rider outfit, deep in thought. A whileter, her desire to run a ric and intended to return all the assets he gave her. If things went well, he¡¯d have received everything by now. We¡¯re even now. And if I am to run a business in this country, I¡¯ll eventually run into him, like it or not. I can¡¯t run away every time. It¡¯s not possible, and it will only make me look bad. The only choice I have is to charge ahead. This is an opportunity. Once her head was clear, she took a deep breath and took off her coat before cing it on a rack. When she was about to take off her sweater, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Victoria thought it was the girl who came in with her. She¡¯s fast. She then went to open the door. However, before she could register what was happening, a silhouette slipped inside. Then, the door was closed and locked. When she finally realized who it was, her eyes went wide. Shortly afterward, she snapped out of her stupor and tried to reach for the door. Though, she couldn¡¯t make it. ric held her wrist and pulled it over her head, pinning her against the cold, solid door. Victoria struggled. ¡°Let me go.¡± He looked at her coolly. A whileter, her hair clip fell. Her hair cascaded down her shoulder, covering her clothes and giving off a faint sweet scent of shampoo. Still, ric studied her coldly. It had been five years since theyst met, and she was a lot more gorgeous than before. The childlike innocence was gone, but she still radiated the air of purity despite having long hair, though there was a hint of adult seduction within her. Purity and allure were two opposite qualities, yet they coexisted within her. However, the only thing was that this woman was ring at him with fury. ¡°I said, let me go!¡± Her words had been ignored yet again. ric didn¡¯t let her go; instead, he closed in on her until there was not even a millimeter distance between them. Then, he mocked, ¡°So Bane let you y around with other men, huh? Guess he doesn¡¯t care about you.¡± Victoria frowned at that. ¡°None of your business.¡± She then tried to struggle again. Their bodies were already touching one another, and their clothes were not that thick, either. Thus, the moment she started struggling, he could feel her body rubbing against his, and the look on his face changed. He then held her wrist tighter. Noticing what was happening, Victoria froze and stopped moving altogether. There was a bit of tension in the air. A momentter, she blushed as she red at him and spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°You¡¯re so shameless!¡± ric didn¡¯t look too happy either; he was ck as thunder. He retorted in a hoarse voice, ¡°None of this would have happened if you just stayed still.¡± Even though their body had been sticking to each other since earlier, he didn¡¯t feel anything since they didn¡¯t move, not to mention he was furious at her. However, now that she was rubbing against him¡­. ric took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He couldn¡¯t believe his body would Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. still react so strongly to her after all these years. Victoria snapped, ¡°So what if I was moving? I wouldn¡¯t have done so if you hadn¡¯t held me down. And the point about being human is to control your mind, or you¡¯re no better than a horndog.¡± He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. ¡°What did you say?!¡± ¡°I stand by what I said. You did this, so you deserve it!¡± He took another deep breath and said nothing, but Victoria wouldn¡¯t let him off that easily. She said, ¡°Now, piss off.¡± ric refused to move, so she angrily shoved him, and a grunt escaped his lips. Just then, she felt something down there change, and her face fell. ¡°How low can you go?¡± Her angry yet adorable voice made him freeze, and he looked at her face, a smile curling his lips. ¡°Keep moving, and I¡¯ll show you how low I can go.¡± Victoria would always get embarrassed easily when it came to this, and she was shocked by what he said. A whileter, she cursed, ¡°How shameless!¡± ric smirked. ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± A whileter, he put some distance between them and turned around. He wasn¡¯t sure he could hold himself back if he remained to stay close to her. The moment he turned around, Victoria reached for the door and was about to leave. However, someone knocked on it before she could even unlock the door. It was the girl who hade in with her earlier. ¡°Hey, are you done changing?¡± Victoria froze for a moment. Ah, why does she have to appear now? I don¡¯t want anyone to see me with him. She stood still and answered calmly, ¡°Not yet. Have you done changing? In that case¨Cah!¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Out of the blue, ric wrapped his arm around her waist, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a surprise gasp. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± The girl tried to open the door, though Victoria was unsure whether the girl did it out of worry or suspicion. However, the door was still locked, so she couldn¡¯t open it no matter how she tried. ¡°I can¡¯t open the door. Are you alright? Say something!¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Victoria tried her best to calm down. ¡°Just lost my bnce for a bit. I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The girl was still dubious. She looked around and bit her lip. When she was changing, she thought she heard a man¡¯s voiceing from Victoria¡¯s side of the room, and it sounded like ric. Hence, she came to check out, but the voice was gone by the time she was there. It was as if what she had heard earlier was just a hallucination. At the thought of that, the girl couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Are you really alright? I think you should open up and let me check on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m almost done. You go on without me.¡± ¡°How about I get Mr. Floyd here for you?¡± Victoria mused for a bit and nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± God knows how long she will stay here if I don¡¯t say that. I need her to leave right now. As expected, the girl quickly said, ¡°Give me a minute. I¡¯ll get him right now.¡± The girl had been wondering if ric was in the room, but now that she had confirmed he wasn¡¯t there, she left. Once Victoria was sure the girl was gone, she turned around and flung ric¡¯s hand away. Then, she opened the door. ¡°Out.¡± He merely looked at her and didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Last warning. Out.¡± She pursed her lips. He stared at her in silence, thinking about something. After a while, he left abruptly. Once he was gone, silence returned to the room. Victoria was still fighting with herself, wondering if she should carry on. Nevertheless, she still changed into her horse¨Criding attire in the end. The staff member got her the smallest size. Aside from the tightness around her chest, everything else felt fine. After she was done changing, she emerged from the room. ¡°What? She tripped and fell?¡± A bemused Jordan was led to the dressing room, and he cocked his eyebrow, thinking, Does she want to do it in the dressing room? Wow, 2/6 she¡¯s wilder than I thought. Just then, he noticed someoneing out of the locker room. It was ric. Jordan and the girl stopped in their tracks. The girl¡¯s name was Zoe Mask, and her eyes went wide upon seeing ricing out of the room. ¡°M¨CMr. Cadogan? You were in the room?¡± Interested, Jordan cocked his eyebrow. ¡°Why are you here anyway?¡± ric ignored them and went ahead. Zoe wanted to go after him, whereas Jordan made his way to the dressing room as he remembered Victoria was still waiting for him there. However, just as he had just taken a few steps, ric called out to him, ¡°Jordan.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jordan turned around. ric looked at him coldly. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, is it?¡± Jordan grinned. ¡°I heard my partner has sprained her ankle in the dressing room, so I want to check on her.¡± ric narrowed his eyes, and Jordan had no idea why he did that. After the exnation, he turned around and was about to go in, but then he froze on the spot for a moment. He was staring straight at Victoria, who had changed into rider attire. She looked handsome in that red and white outfit. Her waist looked even smaller in those clothes. Her shoulder looked even more beautiful, and her hair stood out more with the white backdrop. Jordan stared at her dumbly. He didn¡¯t expect she would look so stunning with her hair down while donning rider attire. His heart skipped a beat, and when he finally snapped out of it, he gulped subconsciously. ¡°I see you¡¯ve done changing, Miss Selwyn.¡± Victoria looked at ric for a moment before averting her gaze and approaching Jordan. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± There was barely any distance between them, and her beauty struck Jordan even more. His heart started to beat faster again. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± She mused for a moment, but she didn¡¯t leave right away. Instead, she smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve no experience in horseback riding, and I¡¯m scared of it. But since you asked, I¡¯ll be more than willing to have fun with you. Though, I hope you¡¯ll make some time for me after this race so we can talk about work.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± answered Jordan almost instinctively. ¡°We can talk about anything you want.¡± Victoria paused for a moment at his response before smiling. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± She followed Jordan, and they went into the racecourse. Zoe stood beside Victoria, staring at her with astonishment. ¡°You look beautiful in that.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Victoria looked at her. ¡°Thank you. You too.¡± ¡°My name is Zoe Mask, by the way.¡± ¡°Victoria Selwyn.¡± ¡± Thedies shook hands, and the staff members led two horses toward the riders. All preparations were done. The starting and finishing points were set. ¡°There¡¯s a red g on the top of the mountain in Eastton. The first to retrieve the g wins. There will be cameras along the way, and traffic¡¯s been halted. Not a single car cane in for an hour.¡± Victoria listened in, and she smirked. Capitalists sure do whatever they want. Zoe said, ¡°Mr. Cadogan will most likely want to win, but¡­ I want to spend more time with him, so I¡¯ll help you slow him down.¡± After she said that, ric got onto his horse. So, she quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Then, she trotted over to ric. Jordan approached Victoria. ¡°We should get on the horse now.¡± 6/5 She was about to nod when ric led his horse to her and looked down from above. ¡°Get up.¡± Zoe was in utter disbelief. Did he just ignore me? Jordan was bewildered as well. Only Victoria pretended she didn¡¯t hear him. One second went by. Two seconds. went by. Three secondster, ric¡¯s patience ran out. He said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? Get. Up. Here.¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Zoe and Jordan weren¡¯t the only ones who were stunned. Even the staff members were scared by the air ric was emanating. It felt like a storm was approaching. He was the most powerful person in the course right now, and no one wished to get on his bad side, so none of them tried to mediate things. Unlike everyone else, Victoria was calm. She was unaffected by ric¡¯s displeasure, and she even frowned. ¡°You got the wrong person. I¡¯m with Mr. Floyd, not you.¡± That was a refusal. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock as they were surprised she would say that to ric. They were bbergasted that she would cross him in public. ric narrowed his eyes, staring at her. Then, he kicked the horse¡¯s side and charged straight at her. Zoe covered her mouth, screaming in shock. Everyone else almost shouted when they saw what was happening. He¡¯s not nning to crash right into her, is he? Even Jordan was shocked. Thinking that ric wanted to attack Victoria, he shouted, ¡°ric!¡± Right then, he tried to pull Victoria over, but someone had beaten him to it. ric had pulled Victoria onto his horse, much to her shock, and she gasped. In all honesty, she wasn¡¯t scared at all when he was charging at her. Even though it¡¯d been five years since she met him, she knew him all too well. He would never ram into her for real, so she knew that was just a feint. That was why she stood her ground, but she never thought he would pull her onto the horse. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ric rode ahead, and the howls of wind shocked Victoria into holding tightly onto him, her hair billowing in the wind. The man smiled and pulled her in front of him before stopping the horse. She red at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Still, she held him tightly as she looked down below. The horse was big and strong. If I fall from up here¡­ She instinctively held him tighter, oblivious to his smile. Even though she was angry at him, she held onto him tightly, afraid of falling. The sight of this doused ric¡¯s anger, and he stared at her with a faint smile. ¡°You were going to ride with someone else? They might fling you into the air if they¡¯re not careful.¡± ¡°Huh? The fact he asked me means he¡¯s confident in his horse-riding skill, is he not?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ric raised his head proudly. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you ask him if his ribs are all healed? He broke his ribs from a ridest time.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± an angry Jordan shouted. ¡°I heard that!¡± Right then, he saw Victoria giving him a doubtful look. Oh, I should not have said that. ¡°Dammit!¡± he cursed. However, he quickly added, ¡°Wait, why did you take my woman? Do you know her?¡± ric shot him a look. ¡°Your woman?¡± The icy fury in those eyes made Jordan shiver, but the sight of Victoria fueled his courage, and he said, ¡°I brought her here, so give her back to me.¡± ric sneered and took Victoria away. The moment his horse started to move, Victoria held him tighter. ¡°Hey, put me down! Put me down!¡± Everyone watched as he took her to the starting line. She wouldn¡¯t stop yelling at him, but he wouldn¡¯t even budge, nor did he get mad at her for yelling at him. Jordan cursed again. Guess I¡¯m not getting her back. He turned around, looking at the dumbfounded Zoe. ¡°Wanna ride with me?¡± She snapped out of it and nodded dumbly as she followed him. When she came to Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. his horse, she asked, ¡°Do they know each other?¡± ¡°Duh. Why else would he take her? That man wouldn¡¯t even let any woman near him.¡± Jordan was in a foul mood since ric had exposed him in public. Zoe was a little miffed, and she poked her fingers together in slight grievance. Just then, Jordan looked at her, and she looked back at him. Silence ensued. A few momentster, he urged, ¡°What are you waiting for? Get up. You¡¯re not expecting me to scoop you up like he did, right?¡± Zoe was left speechless upon hearing that. Still, she got up on the horse¡¯s back. despite feeling a bit annoyed. Once she settled in, Jordan got up as well. Then, he heard her asking, ¡°Um, is it true you fell and broke your ribs?¡± Goddammit, I am not living that down, am I? They came to the starting line. Seeing Victoria on ric¡¯s horse angered Jordan. She should¡¯ve been with me, not him! ¡°The race is nothing without a bit of a side bet, don¡¯t you think?¡± Chapter 225 Give Her Back Ever since ric got Victoria, he seemed a littleckadaisical. The race didn¡¯t matter as long as he had Victoria with him. Thus, he didn¡¯t even look at Jordan when he proposed a bet. 5/6 Victoria tried to exin, ¡°Mr. Floyd, about the ne-¡± ric looked at her and coldly said, ¡°What¡¯s the bet?¡± He stopped her from talking to Jordan. Jordan knew what ric was thinking, and he sneered. ¡°If I win, we¡¯ll race another round.¡± He pointed at Victoria. ¡°But you will have to give her back to me.¡± She thought, What? Why am I the prize? ric sneered. ¡°You think you can win?¡± Jordan provoked, ¡°Just tell me yes or no. Are you up for the challenge?¡± In most cases, he wouldn¡¯t provoke ric that way, but thetter had taken it too far. ric had embarrassed him, and if he couldn¡¯t salvage the matter, everyone wouldugh at him. ric took the bait, and he looked at Jordan. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Strong Teeth Strong You Colgate ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Fine¡± ric saidnguidly, ¡°But I want to change the terme If I win, you¡¯re maver seeing her again Jordan couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing After a momentary pause, he shouted, ¡°Hey, that¡¯s one step too fart Chapter 226 Chapter 226 ¡°So, still wanna bet?¡± ric taunted. ¡°Dammit.¡± Jordan gnashed his teeth and looked at Zoe. ¡°You can take it, can¡¯t you? We have to win this.¡± ¡°Um, I think safetyes first,¡± Zoe responded. Dammit, Jordan cursed in his mind. Victoria didn¡¯t want to say anything, but she shared Zoe¡¯s sentiments. A staff member came up to them and sycophantically said, ¡°The race will begin soon.¡± Jordan pulled on the reins and gritted his teeth. ¡°Fine. I know I can win this.¡± There was one minute left until the start of the race, so the staff member reiterated the rules. ¡°First to get the g wins. We have also prepared a present for the winner. Ride safely. Counting down from ten. Ten, nine, eight¡­¡± Victoria was still trying to get off the horse, but the moment she was pulled up, ric had been wrapping his arm around her waist, keeping her from moving. Then, he suddenly leaned in, his scent covering her. She heard him whisper, ¡°If you¡¯re scared, you can always turn around to hug me.¡± What? She was bewildered by his words. ¡°Like hell, I will-¡± Right at that moment, the countdown was over, and Jordan charged ahead like a mad dog, and Zoe screamed at the top of her lungs, ¡°Slow down, Jordan! Safety first!¡± ¡°To hell with that! I want to win!¡± Okay¡­ Victoria watched as Jordan¡¯s horse ran into the distance, whereas ric remained at the same spot. Since she refused to talk to him, she didn¡¯t say a word. A whileter, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and asked, ¡°What are you doing? Do you want to lose?¡± Ah, I knew she¡¯d talk to me. A hint of satisfaction shed in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°What? Are you worried he might take you back?¡± Ugh, he has no idea how bad I had it, and now he¡¯s talking to me like I¡¯m his friend or something. This must be cruelly amusing to the gods. Victoria¡¯s face fell, and she mocked, ¡°No. In fact, it¡¯s better if you lose. I was here to see him in the first ce, anyway.¡± ric¡¯s face darkened as soon as he heard that. ¡°What did you just say? Say it again if you dare.¡± ¡°Sure. If you want, I can say it ten times, too.¡± Dammit. Before she could say anything further, ric charged ahead, and the winds started howling. The inertia made Victoria fall backward, and she couldn¡¯t utter a single word after that. All she could do was keep her screams in. Though she looked calm outside, her reaction spoke of the opposite. At first, she thought that she should try her best to keep some distance between her and ric even after the race had begun. However, she now realized she couldn¡¯t even control her own body. She was leaning on his chest and tensing up, worried she might be flung off the horse¡¯s back. ric whispered, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Victoria was too angry to say anything, so she ignored him. The man snickered, then he asked, ¡°Wanna turn around?¡± She snapped, ¡°You think I¡¯d do that?¡± ¡°Then, sit tight.¡± He huddled closer and leaned his chest on her back. She could feel his warmth on her back, and he inched closer to her ear, whispering, ¡°We¡¯ll win this.¡± The horse started to run faster and faster, and the winter wind blew across her face, blowing her hair. Strands of hair tickled ric¡¯s neck, and he frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tie your hair up?¡± Are you seriously asking me that? My hair clip wouldn¡¯t have broken had you not barged into the room. I don¡¯t have any clips left. There were a few routes leading to the mountaintop, and each path was different. Even though they were halfway through the race, they still didn¡¯t see Jordan and Zoe. ¡°Where are they?¡± Victoria asked. It¡¯s been a while, so why aren¡¯t we seeing them? ¡°There are three paths leading to the mountaintop. Two bigger ones and one smaller one.¡± ric stopped at the junction and looked at her. ¡°So, which path do you choose?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Jordan might take the smaller path just to win. If we take that path and run into him, we might fall off our horses.¡± The man stared at her, but seeing that she didn¡¯t n on saying anything, he led his horse to the smaller path. Realizing what he wanted to do, Victoria¡¯s face fell. ¡°What are you doing?¡± You know he might take this path, and you¡¯re still going with it? ric said, ¡°Winning the race.¡± He kicked the horse¡¯s side, and the beast charged into the smaller path. Thedy didn¡¯t even have time to say anything. When they came into the path, Victoria heaved a sigh of relief. She thought this route would be narrow and winding because ric said they might fall off the horse if they ran into Jordan and Zoe, but the path was actually broader than she thought. Still, they were in the mountain, and even though she was leaning on someone, the scenery was still slightly frightening. Eventually, she realized something was off. The path started getting narrow and winding. At first, it was big enough to allow three horses to pass, but not anymore. With how fast the horse was running, there were a few times she thought it would veer off the path, but ric managed to pull it back in the nick of time. Just like ric said, the smaller path was a shortcut. When they came to the top, the g was still around, and a gift box was right beside it, too. Victoria looked at the g and sat up straight, holding her nausea in. Just when she was about to tell him to let her down and take the g, the man hugged her tightly. So tightly that it almost felt like he would merge with her. The mountain was silent, and she could hear the sound of his heartbeat. Unlike his earlier arrogant self, ric was hugging her without any other motive. He hugged her so tightly that it felt like he would never let go of her forever. A whileter, he whispered, ¡°It¡¯s been five years. You¡¯re finally back.¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 A long whileter, the wind blew on Victoria¡¯s hair, and her nausea finally went away. She looked down at the arm around her waist and coldly asked, ¡°Had enough?¡± ric froze for a moment upon hearing that. She then said, ¡°Let me go. I¡¯m taking the g.¡± She could feel the person behind her tense up slightly after she said that. A momentter, he finally let her go. ¡°Sure.¡± He got off the horse and extended his hand, trying to help her hop off. She looked at him, but instead of epting his hand, she got off the horse herself, although with difficulty. ric¡¯s face turned cold. Victoria took a deep breath and went ahead to take the g. She didn¡¯t take the gift box, as she was uninterested. The moment she stood back up, Jordan¡¯s curse came from afar. ¡°Holy sh*t, you b*stard! You got here before me!¡± He got off his horse and angrily tossed his leash. away. ¡°This is all your fault, Zoe! We could¡¯ve taken the shortcut, but you just had to stop me!¡± The only response he received was Zoe hurling up, and Jordan was speechless. He looked at ric and was about to go around to talk to Victoria when ric held his hand up. ¡°We had a bet, remember?¡± Jordan looked miffed. ¡°Come on. I just want to chat a little. We¡¯ve been friends for a while now. That bet was a joke, right?¡± ric didn¡¯t move, and he looked at Jordan coldly. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± Jordan opened his mouth and tried to say something, but when he noticed the dark. storm brewing in ric¡¯s eyes, he noticed something was off. No, this is not just about the bet. He wouldn¡¯t look this furious if that was it. Jordan nced at Victoria. She looked beautiful as ever, but there was an aloof look on her face. Something must have happened between them. He stepped backward and conceded. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t talk to her right now. I yield.¡± With that, he scurried away. Victoria tried to go after him. After all, she needed to talk to him about the investment, but when she went by ric, he grabbed her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could leave.¡± She frowned at that. Although the g of victory was in her hand, the triumph did not bring them joy. She stared at the hand holding her and struggled a little before finally breaking free of his grasp. She then flung her hand and looked at ric in amusement. ¡°It¡¯s been five years. You¡¯re no one to me anymore. I¡¯m not someone you can touch however you like. Keep some distance between us, or I¡¯ll sue you for harassment.¡± ric¡¯s face darkened, and the air around him turned cold, but Victoria wasn¡¯t even scared of him. She said, ¡°Understand?¡± She heaved a sigh of relief and went around him. ¡°You¡¯re going out with Bane?¡± She stopped in her tracks. A whileter, she rebuked, ¡°None of your business.¡± After saying that, she walked away. Standing some distance away, Jordan looked dumbfounded. When she approached him, he couldn¡¯t help but nce at ric. ¡°Sorry we didn¡¯t get to ride together, Mr. Floyd, but please give me some time. I¡¯d like to talk about work.¡± The thought of ric¡¯s anger scared Jordan a little, but when he saw her smile, he couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Before leaving, Victoria invited Zoe toe with her, but Zoe declined. ¡°No. One woman¡¯s trash is another¡¯s treasure. I¡¯m going to woo him.¡± Hearing that, Victoria couldn¡¯t help wondering, Don¡¯t they know he¡¯s dating udia now? Why are they still trying to woo him? Regardless, it wasn¡¯t her ce to judge Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. what someone else did with their life. She respected Zoe¡¯s decision and nodded. ¡°I see. We¡¯ll be going, then.¡± With that, she left with Jordan. The man led his horse over and scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s a long way down; it will take us a long time to head back on foot. So, wanna ride the horse?¡± The whole ordeal just now made Victoria dislike horseback riding, but she needed the investment, so she took a deep breath. Just when she was about to say yes, ric growled, ¡°Get on that horse, and you¡¯re going to regret it.¡± Jordan quickly said, ¡°You know what? I¡¯ll get us a ride instead.¡± He swiftly whipped his phone out. Victoria heaved a sigh of relief. Going back by car was a damn sight better than going by horse. The car came quickly, and just when she was about to get into it, someone got into the back seat before she could. When she saw who it was, she was speechless. I told him not toe near me. Yet, here he is. Chapter ric met her eyes as well. Fine. His friend called the ride. He can use it, but I won¡¯t sit with him at the back. She mmed the door shut and went to take the passenger seat. Zoe and Jordan were a little speechless, and they came into the back seat. The moment Jordan sat down, ric said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re taking the front seat.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jordan asked in confusion, but when he met ric¡¯s icy gaze, he shivered slightly. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll take the passenger seat.¡± That¡¯s the most dangerous seat when you¡¯re going downhill. He opened the door and said, ¡°Let¡¯s switch ces, Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡°Thanks, but no thanks,¡± Victoria declined. Jordan was in a dilemma. Man, ric is being impossible today. He can¡¯t expect me to demand something from a girl I like, right? At that moment, ric said, ¡°Switch ces, or no one¡¯s going anywhere.¡± The driver held the steering wheel tightly. He almost mmed down on the gas pedal out of nervousness. Scary. ¡°Why do you do this?¡± asked Victoria. She didn¡¯t turn around, but everyone knew who she was talking to. ric fixed his gaze on the back of her head. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Jordan whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s just switch ces. It¡¯ll all be over once we get off the mountain.¡± Victoria didn¡¯t budge, and Jordan couldn¡¯t say anything more. ric still looked as cold as ever. Everyone was silent, and the situation came to a stalemate. A long whileter, Zoe raised her hand timidly and suggested, ¡°Um, how about I take the passenger seat?¡± Chapter Comly? Chapter 228 Chapter 228 1/6 A few minutester, Zoe went into the passenger seat, closed the door, and buckled 1. up. She would not switch seats anymore after this. As for Victoria, she stood around for a while after getting off the car. Then, she said, ¡°You go first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jordan didn¡¯t argue. Everyone was going downhill anyway, so he couldn¡¯t care less who was sitting with whom. Just when he was about to get into the back seat, ric spoke, ¡°Scram.¡± Jordan froze for a moment before turning to smile at Victoria. ¡°I think you should go before me. Ladies first.¡± She stared at him and recalled what had happened at the racecourse earlier. Then, she sighed and got into the car. Jordan followed after her. Since she wanted to keep some distance between her and ric, she leaned closer to Jordan. The moment the car moved, ric frowned. ¡°Sit further away, Jordan.¡± Jordan moved away a bit, not thinking much about it. Of course, he doesn¡¯t want anyone else getting close to the woman he likes. With that thought in mind, he moved even closer to the window. Still, ric demanded, ¡°Move away more.¡± Jordan looked at the unreasonable man speechlessly and shifted again. ¡°More.¡± ¡°Are you mad? There¡¯s no more space. Unless I get out of the car, that is.¡± Without missing a beat, ric said, ¡°Sure. Get out of the car, then.¡± ¡°The heck!¡± Victoria couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She shot ric a look and met his gaze. Ever since she got into the car, his eyes had been on her the whole time. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get out of the car?¡± At that, Jordan gave her a thumbs up. Nice retort. ric didn¡¯t like he was talked back to. Still, he smirked. ¡°Are you sure? If I leave, you¡¯reing with me, too.¡± Victoria looked away upon hearing that and refused to talk to him anymore. She knew he was a man of his word. Since she couldn¡¯t change his mind, she would just ignore him. During the ride downhill, she shut her eyes and leaned against the seat with her back straight. She had no intention of leaning toward anyone. Initially, she had only nned to rest her eyes, but the journey would take about half an hour since the path was winding and meandering. Plus, all the passengers here Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. were VIPs, so the driver drove slowly. Eventually, Victoria drifted to sleep, and she slowly leaned toward Jordan. Before that could happen, ric held her head and let it rest in his palm. After he confirmed that she wouldn¡¯t wake up, he slowly pushed her head toward his shoulder, moving as gently as water. Jordan was stunned to see that, and ric shot him a deadpan look. It made Jordan¡¯s heart skip in fear. ric was in a rather good mood for the journey after that. After all, Victoria was leaning on his shoulder, asleep, even though she wanted nothing to do with him. while she was awake. She¡¯s better when she¡¯s sleeping. The girl¡¯s cold and arrogant when she¡¯s awake. Just thinking about the icy look in her eyes made his heart twinge. This was the only moment of peace they had after they met, but it didn¡¯tst long. A whileter, Victoria¡¯s phone rang. The silence was broken, and she woke up. ric tensed up, but thedy didn¡¯t even open her eyes. She rummaged through her pockets for her phone, and since he was close enough to see, ric noticed that the caller was Bane. His face darkened immediately. Victoria put her phone to her ear. ¡°Yes?¡± Bane could tell that she was sleeping, judging from her groggy voice. ¡°Were you asleep? Where are you now?¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm,¡± she replied, her voice soft since she was not fully awake yet. She could vaguely remember she was in a car before she fell asleep. ¡°I¡¯m in a car.¡± Then, she shifted slightly to make herselffier, leaning her head further to the soft thing beside her. She then asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sleeping in a car? Did you not get enough sleepst night?¡± No. I was just exhausted from all the horseback riding, so I¡­ Right then, Victoria finally realized something, and her mind went nk. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and when she raised her head, she was met with ric¡¯s eyes, though he was staring at her with displeasure. ¡°Victoria?¡± Bane called out to her, wondering why she went silent. ric suddenly asked, ¡°Was itfy?¡± Bane froze upon hearing that, and Victoria looked shocked. She quickly realized the man had said that on purpose. He knows I¡¯m on a call, yet he said something suggestive anyway. He must¡¯ve seen the caller¡¯s name. 4 A whileter, Bane asked, ¡°Victoria, w¨Cwhere are you right now?¡± She didn¡¯t think much about her meeting with ric and hadn¡¯t nned to tell Bane about it. However, she figured she should just be honest with Bane since he had heard everything. She said, ¡°I¡¯m on my way back. Something happened, but I¡¯ll exin once I get back.¡± Bane was quiet for a moment. ¡°I see.¡± A whileter, he added, ¡°If you¡¯re in a pickle, you can always get out of the car. Tell me where you are, and I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Victoria was surprised. She knew what Bane was trying to say, but she looked down at herp. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll be back soon. Just wait for me.¡± He said nothing more. She felt a little upset, so she said goodbye and hung up. Then, she tucked her phone away and sat back up. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± ric huddled closer. ¡°Was itfy?¡± Victoria turned her attention to him, looking at him speechlessly. I do not lean on anyone when I fall asleep I was sitting right in my sper ¡°Is that so?¡± The man smirked. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t know yourself as you think you dis Well, I guess it¡¯s a given that people don¡¯t know what they do when they¡¯re asleep. In any case, I think I know you better than you do since I¡¯m your ex¨Chusband. ¡° Victoria turned her attention to him, looking at him speechlessly. ¡°I do not lean on anyone when I fall asleep. I was sitting right in my spot.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The man smirked. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t know yourself as you think you do. Well, I guess it¡¯s a given that people don¡¯t know what they do when they¡¯re asleep. In any case, I think I know you better than you do since I¡¯m your ex¨Chusband.¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 The eavesdropping duo, Jordan and Zoe, heard the words ¡®bedmates¡® and were so shocked that they looked at each other with wide eyes, eximing together. ¡°Bedmates?¡± ¡°What does that mean? Did they sleep together?¡± Even the driver was shocked to the point of mming the brake, causing a sharp shriek. Everyone looked at him, and he took a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat on his temples while smiling apologetically. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Hearing that, Victoria realized that they had arrived at the equestrian facility. Her expression changed slightly as she immediately pushed Jordan away, after which he hurriedly alighted from the car. Noticing the situation, she wanted to follow suit but heard ric¡¯s cold voice from behind her. ¡°Are you going to walk away after what you just did?¡± She remained silent. Five years have passed, yet he¡¯s still as brazen as ever. She swept her gaze across him and taunted, ¡°What can you do about it?¡± Then, she jumped out of the car and changed her clothes in the room before leaving. 1/8 On her way out, Jordan caught up to her and apologized in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. If I¡¯d known you had such a rtionship with him, I wouldn¡¯t have invited you here.¡± ¡°What rtionship?¡± Her face was calm. ¡°We have nothing to do with each other.¡± ¡°You have nothing to do with each other? But back in the car-¡± ¡°Even if we did, it ended five years ago.¡± ¡°Five years ago?¡± He was muttering at first but then seemed to realize something before his eyes widened. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± Victoria nodded. ¡°Oh, f*ck. So, that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Jordan murmured. ¡°No wonder he became so disorderly and irrational after seeing you.¡± ric had been acting crazy along the road, a side Jordan never saw of him before. ¡°Mr. Floyd, I hope this doesn¡¯t affect our future partnership no matter what.¡± Partnership¡­ It was then Jordan remembered that Victoria came here today to talk about work, but he was unsure about the details. She thought about it and asked, ¡°Today¡¯s not a good time. Will you be free tomorrow?¡± He nodded. ¡°You cane to my office tomorrow.¡± Slightly surprised, she nodded in return. ¡°Sure. Thank you.¡± After Victoria made an appointment with Jordan, she saw Zoe approaching her. ¡°Hello.¡± Zoe waved and smiled. ¡°Can we exchange phone numbers?¡± Victoria was somewhat astonished as she did not expect Zoe would want to do that. ¡°Sure.¡± After that, Zoe asked softly, ¡°So, did you seriously sleep with him?¡± When Victoria heard that question, she felt her hand tremble slightly but then straightforwardly asked, ¡°I refuse to answer this question.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Zoe did not mind that answer and shrugged. ¡°I won¡¯t ask again.¡± Then, Victoria bid her goodbye and left the equestrian facility. Before leaving, she sensed a sharp gaze locked on her back. It was a no¨Cbrainer whose stare it helonged to. Then, she opened the cab¡¯s door and got in. 3/8 When she returned to herpany, she saw Henrying to wee her, asking, ¡°How was it? Am I going to like what I¡¯m about to hear?¡± She hopelessly nced at him. ¡°Huh. I guess not.¡± ¡°Ugh. Don¡¯t even mention it.¡± She sat on the couch. ¡°We didn¡¯t even talk about the investment, but I¡¯ve arranged to meet him tomorrow.¡± When he heard herst sentence, he was relieved. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m sure you can get the investment when you have a nice chat tomorrow. You are smart, after all.¡± Smart? How is that going to get us the investment? It¡¯s going to be a difficult task for sure. Recalling something, Victoria looked at Henry, asking, ¡°Between Jordan and ric, who do you think is better?¡± Confusion instantly appeared on his face. ¡°What do you mean? Why would you ask that?¡± ¡°Be honest and answer the question.¡± Since Henry knew Victoria and ric¡¯s past, he was conflicted about how to answer her question. He was unsure whether she would get angry if he said something good about ric. After all, she was his current boss. ¡°What are you worried about?¡± she asked, sensing his hesitation. Henry mustered his courage to answer, ¡°I was deciding whether to toss the truth bomb or amuse you.¡± That answer was interesting and even caused Victoria to smile. ¡°Then, you¡¯d better amuse me with your truth bomb.¡± He replied, ¡°Miss Selwyn, that¡¯s quite difficult.¡± At that, she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Take it as the management assessment for your first month on the job.¡± ¡°An assessment? I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± Henry stood there for a while before continuing, ¡°Regarding seniority, ric is better than Jordan because, to ric, Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Jordan is just a newbie. But the underdog who just took over thepany has endless possibilities. Doing business is like going into a battle. Thest one. standing will be the winner.¡± That answer cracked Victoria up. ¡°I finally know why you made it up to the management level so quickly.¡± Henry smiled. ¡°You¡¯re ttering me, Miss Selwyn.¡± ¡°One more question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you think Jordan Floyd would offend Cadogan Group for a smallpany like Us?¡± When he heard that, he was slightly stunned. ¡°How about that? Is this difficult enough to answer?¡± ¡°Miss Selwyn, I believe you¡¯re dissatisfied with my suggestion, so you asked me a challenging one.¡± ¡°Oh, so you do know.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be helped, Miss Selwyn. Thispany needs to run and develop.¡± He reminded her, ¡°This is yourpany.¡± Victoria was promptly reminded. ¡°You¡¯re right. This is mypany.¡± In other words, she still needed to work hard despite knowing she would dislike the results. ¡°I¡¯m d you understand.¡± ¡°Mr. Poole, pleasee up with a new list ofpanies besides Floyd Corporation.¡± Henry¡¯s visible confusion led Victoria to smile. ¡°A list of possible investors. There¡¯s a huge possibility that tomorrow will fail.¡± He stayed quiet for a while before looking at his boss, who still wore her fake smile, and asked with difficulty, ¡°Excuse me for being rude, but who did you meet today, Miss Selwyn?¡± ¡°You know the answer to that.¡± He pressed on. ¡°You met Mr. Cadogan? What a coincidence.¡± ¡°Yes, I did and even offended him.¡± Jasea was such an enormous city, but Victoria did not expect to bump into him so often in such a short period. Meanwhile, Henry lost the desire to speak further. He thought her questions were to make things difficult for him, but it turned out¡­ She had offended an important figure.. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Since Victoria had to pick up the children, she left herpany early. When she arrived at their school, she was five minuteste because the teacher told her the children¡¯s father had brought them home. Hearing that, Victoria instantly paled, and her voice uncontrobly raised. ¡°What did you say? Their father brought them home?¡± When did Nicole and Nathan have a father? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ The schoolteacher was shocked by Victoria¡¯s high-pitched voice and weakly argued, ¡°T-The man that came with you during the children¡¯s admissions day. Isn¡¯t he Nicole and Nathan¡¯s father?¡± The man who came with her during admissions? Are they talking about Bane? Victoria felt relieved to hear that it was him. She was worried ric might have found out about the children. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Miss Selwyn? You seem a little pale. Is¡­ there a problem?¡± the teacher asked hesitantly. Victoria came back to her senses and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m sorry I scared you. I thought they were kidnapped.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m d it¡¯s nothing. Take care on your way home.¡± After bidding the teacher goodbye, Victoria hurried home. When she pushed the door open, she was met with the delicious aroma of food. She changed her shoes and went into the living room when she heard her children conversing in their room. Meanwhile, one of the live-in maids Bane hired for her was busy in the kitchen. When the live-in maid, Teresa, heard the motion, she turned around and greeted Victoria, ¡°Miss Selwyn, you¡¯re home.¡± In the meantime, the children heard Teresa and ran out of their room. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re home.¡± The two children immediately hugged Victoria¡¯s legs and looked up at her. That scene melted her heart, and she bent down to hold them in each arm. ¡°How was school today? Did you have fun? You didn¡¯t get into trouble with your ssmates, did you?¡± The children shook their heads in unison and said nothing. In the meantime, Bane came out of the room and looked at Victoria. He silently gazed at her hair and finally stopped on her red lips. She sensed his gaze and patted the children¡¯s shoulders, whispering, ¡°Go y.¡± Once the children left, he continued to stare at her lips for a long time until he was sure there were no abnormal traces before gazing at her eyes. The sound from the kitchen hood and the children chatting became more distant, and Victoria pursed her lips, not knowing what to say. She knew Bane must have something to ask, but¡­ , :¡° ? ?¡± While she was conflicted, he inquired softly, ¡°How¡¯s work today? Is there anything I can help you with?¡± She subconsciously shook her head. ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine.¡± She hesitantly added, ¡°Hey-¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything you don¡¯t want to.¡± He softly interrupted her and smiled. ¡°I know you¡¯ve already put it behind you, so I won¡¯t suspect you of anything. Plus, I¡¯m still under observation, so I have no right to ask anything of you.¡± Hearing that, Victoria instantly felt relieved. That was even better because she did not wish to exin herself to anybody. ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled at Bane, feeling like she owed him big time. 4/6 That night, he stayed for dinner while Teresa cleaned up after the meal and left. Seeing that it was gettingte, Victoria told the children to go to bed and went to finish her work. When she was done, she looked up and saw Bane still on the couch. Judging from his behavior, he seemed like he did not intend to leave. The next moment, he took off his golden-rimmed sses before she could say anything and smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Your ce is far from the hotel, so can I stay the night here? I¡¯ll pay the rent, of course.¡± At the mention of rent, Victoria thought he was exaggerating. ¡°You rented me this home, so you don¡¯t have to pay anything. Also, it¡¯s just one night. Make yourself Bane followed suit. ¡°That¡¯s too much trouble. I can do it myself.¡± He then trailed her to the guest room. Since it was winter, he needed a thick quilt and pillows. Chapter 230 Their Father Brought Them Home Since she never expected anyone to stay over, she only had three nkets at the moment. Now that Bane was to stay the night, she decided to give him hers. ¡°Why don¡¯t¡­ you use mine, and I¡¯ll sleep with Nicole tonight.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He readily epted the offer. ¡°Thank you, my dear Victoria.¡± My dear Victoria¡­ She tugged her lips after hearing that but did not say anything. Bane brought the covers into the guestroom while Victoria stood in ce for some time before looking for Nicole. When Nicole found out her mother was going to apany her, she was instantly excited and hugged her mother¡¯s waist without letting go. ¡°Mommy, can you tell me a story before bed?¡± Victoria agreed. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll think about it if you¡¯re a good girl tonight.¡± ¡°Mommy, what can I do to be a good girl?¡± ¡°For example, you could tell me what you did in school today.¡± Since Bane was here during the day, she spared him some of her time and barely learned about her children¡¯s day. That was also why she did not want to find a better half. It made her feel like she would not have enough time to spend alone with her children. ¡°What did you do in school today?¡± Nicole bowed her head and recalled her day. Then, she looked at Victoria and told her everything that happened. Even if the young girl could not exin herself well and had trouble pronouncing because of her absent tooth from having cavities, Victoria did not mind them and carefully listened, gazing at her with gentleness. asionally, she would help Nicole continue when she stopped, but she would listen to the young girl¡¯s adorable storytelling. Near the end, Nicole suddenly stopped and quickly added, ¡°Mommy, many of the kids at school thought Mr. Bane was our father when he came to pick us up today.¡± The gentle smile on Victoria¡¯s face froze. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Before today, everyone thought Nathan and I didn¡¯t have a father and wanted to Bane came today, and even though he¡¯s not our father, the other kids at school won¡¯t