Chapter 89
Christian twirled the wine gla*s as the red liquid swirled, forming a slight vortex. The sight of it was as stunning as it was depressing.
Christian twirled the wine gla*s as the red liquid swirled, forming a slight vortex. The sight of it was as stunning as it was depressing.
“Isn’t it a little unfair for me to drink a gla*s of wine while you drink half a gla*s of juice, Miss Coleman?” Anthony placed an empty wine gla*s on the table. Then, he took a new one from the waiter’s tray and handed it to Victoria with a smile, saying ambiguously, “Well, I won’t force you. How about this? You take a sip, and I’ll finish it for you.”
After he said this, he shot Christian a suggestive look.
The rim of the gla*s was stained with Victoria’s lipstick, and she pursed her lips tightly before taking the wine gla*s from his hand. “It’s only fair if I drink a gla*s now that you’ve drunk one.”
“Hey, it’s okay—” Anthony had a mischievous smile. Instead of letting go of the gla*s, he placed his hand on hers. “I’m a man, and you’re a woman. Wouldn’t it be unchivalrous of me if I let you drink a gla*s just because I did? Take a sip, and I’ll drink the rest.”
She looked at the hand on top of hers and gritted her teeth.
Anthony was making it clear that he was flirting with her. However, she was returning to Delta Club after today. She was afraid that he would keep pestering her if she didn’t do what he wanted.
“Was the water from the pool not enough?” Christian shot Anthony a hard look and removed Victoria from his grasp as he pulled her behind him.
Bella saw this as soon as she came in and the smile on his face froze. Nevertheless, she instantly smoothed her face out.
“Mr. Thatcher, are you offended?” When Anthony remembered how disheveled he was at the party, his face immediately sank, but he could only force a smile. “I’m just joking around with Miss Coleman. Please don’t take it to heart. I’m sorry about that.”
Finally, he took the gla*s of wine and downed it before placing the empty gla*s back on the table.
“Watch your mouth and your hands. This is my woman. Even if I don’t want her anymore, she’s not yours to take,” Christian warned slowly as his hawk-like gaze was fixated on Anthony.
Victoria clenched her fists tightly when she heard his declaration; her knuckles turned white from how tightly she was balling them.
What did Christian take me for? An object?
“I’m used to pa*sing around women with my friends. I didn’t know that Mr. Thatcher was so particular about her. This is my fault. I won’t repeat my mistake again.” Several expressions flashed across his face as dissatisfaction filled his eyes. Yet, he still put up a pleasing smile on his face.
Christian ignored him, turned around, and spoke to Victoria, “Give me your hand.”
After she stretched out her hand, he poured two gla*ses of champagne on it and washed it before giving her a few tissues to clean her hand.
After she stretched out her hand, he poured two gla*ses of champagne on it and washed it before giving her a few tissues to clean her hand.
“Dry your hands.” Does he think I’m dirty?! She endured the humiliation as she dried her hand.
Anthony leaned against the table casually and gulped down five or six gla*ses of red wine in a row. The corners of his eyes were already starting to turn red.
“The next time you meet a dog in heat, just walk the other way,” Christian said as he wiped his champagne-stained hand with a tissue. After he threw it aside, he sauntered away from the crowd. “Follow me.”
Victoria let out an affirmative hum before following behind him with her head down.
After they had left, Anthony finally couldn’t restrain his temper as he slammed the empty wine gla*s on the table, spat on the ground, and scolded, “What the f*ck?! The audacity of that b*stard to trample all over me like that!”
“Just what has made you so unhappy?” A brunette woman came over and threw herself onto him, clinging tightly.
“Who else other than that b*stard, Christian Thatcher?!” He tried to lower his voice a little as his eyes burned with rage. “The only reason he can be so arrogant is that he is born into a renowned family!”
The woman looked around cautiously and whispered, “I know you’re not afraid of Mr. Thatcher, but you’re in someone else’s territory. You shouldn’t be so loud.”
“Get lost!” Anthony pushed her away irritably as he stared at Victoria’s back. The more he doesn’t let me f*ck her, the more I want to!
Victoria followed behind Christian obediently, and they had only taken a dozen steps before Bella stopped them.
“Chris, Victoria, wait up.” Bella’s voice was soft and sweet and music to the ears.
Although Victoria frowned, she still halted in her tracks. She raised her head and looked up, expecting Christian to do the same. Regardless, it was as though Christian didn’t seem to hear Bella as he pressed on.
Victoria pursed her lips and did not bother to call for him.
“Victoria.” Bella pushed her wheelchair toward Victoria with a pleasant smile on her pretty face.
On the same day, two years ago, the scene of Bella walking towards the red sports car with the same smile played in Victoria’s mind like a movie.
Wrath began to bubble in her as she took a deep breath and looked at Bella indifferently. “Mr. Thatcher is upfront. You can still catch up with him.”
“I’ll look for Chris later.” Bella smiled warmly as she picked up a gift box from the wheelchair and handed it to Victoria with both hands. “Happy birthday, Victoria.”
After she stretched out her hond, he poured two glosses of chompogne on it ond woshed it before giving her o few tissues to cleon her hond.
“Dry your honds.” Does he think I’m dirty?! She endured the humiliotion os she dried her hond.
Anthony leoned ogoinst the toble cosuolly ond gulped down five or six glosses of red wine in o row. The corners of his eyes were olreody storting to turn red.
“The next time you meet o dog in heot, just wolk the other woy,” Christion soid os he wiped his chompogne-stoined hond with o tissue. After he threw it oside, he sountered owoy from the crowd. “Follow me.”
Victorio let out on offirmotive hum before following behind him with her heod down.
After they hod left, Anthony finolly couldn’t restroin his temper os he slommed the empty wine gloss on the toble, spot on the ground, ond scolded, “Whot the f*ck?! The oudocity of thot b*stord to tromple oll over me like thot!”
“Just whot hos mode you so unhoppy?” A brunette womon come over ond threw herself onto him, clinging tightly.
“Who else other thon thot b*stord, Christion Thotcher?!” He tried to lower his voice o little os his eyes burned with roge. “The only reoson he con be so orrogont is thot he is born into o renowned fomily!”
The womon looked oround coutiously ond whispered, “I know you’re not ofroid of Mr. Thotcher, but you’re in someone else’s territory. You shouldn’t be so loud.”
“Get lost!” Anthony pushed her owoy irritobly os he stored ot Victorio’s bock. The more he doesn’t let me f*ck her, the more I wont to!
Victorio followed behind Christion obediently, ond they hod only token o dozen steps before Bello stopped them.
“Chris, Victorio, woit up.” Bello’s voice wos soft ond sweet ond music to the eors.
Although Victorio frowned, she still holted in her trocks. She roised her heod ond looked up, expecting Christion to do the some. Regordless, it wos os though Christion didn’t seem to heor Bello os he pressed on.
Victorio pursed her lips ond did not bother to coll for him.
“Victorio.” Bello pushed her wheelchoir toword Victorio with o pleosont smile on her pretty foce.
On the some doy, two yeors ogo, the scene of Bello wolking towords the red sports cor with the some smile ployed in Victorio’s mind like o movie.
Wroth begon to bubble in her os she took o deep breoth ond looked ot Bello indifferently. “Mr. Thotcher is upfront. You con still cotch up with him.”
“I’ll look for Chris loter.” Bello smiled wormly os she picked up o gift box from the wheelchoir ond honded it to Victorio with both honds. “Hoppy birthdoy, Victorio.”
After she stretched out her hand, he poured two gla*ses of champagne on it and washed it before giving her a few tissues to clean her hand.
Victoria didn’t even bother to look at the gift box. The more she endured Bella’s presence, the more ticked off she felt. “Thank you for your kindness, but I can’t possibly accept your gift.”
She didn’t want it.
Even the idea of possessing such a gift disgusted her.
“I was afraid that you wouldn’t accept it, so I didn’t get you anything expensive.” Bella’s eyes twinkled. “Do you still remember how I fell in love with photography for a while? I’d bring my camera everywhere, taking pictures of everything.”
At this point, Victoria was fuming as she tried to suppress the anger and nausea in her. “It’s been too long, and my memory isn’t very good.”
“I think it was around your 18th birthday that I took a lot of photos of you, Vince, my brother, myself, and Chris.” Bella seemed not to have picked up on Victoria’s emotion as she droned on with a bright smile. “I’ve developed all these photos, made them into a scrapbook, and gave them to you to honor our youth.”
There were many people at the birthday party and voices everywhere, which annoyed Victoria’s already incensed self.
She continued to take deep breaths in an attempt to keep herself composed, but in the face of Bella’s innocent smile and so-called gift box to honor their youth—
She couldn’t hold back her wrath any longer!
Boom!
Victoria took the gift box and slammed it to the ground; her voice was slightly sharp from how riled up she was. “Is this to honor my youth or a way to remind me of my stupidity and ignorance?!”
Tears rolled down the corners of her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away.
The entire birthday party fell silent in an instant, and everyone looked at the two in amazement, bewilderment, curiosity, or excitement.
Bella retracted her empty hand and stared blankly at the photos scattered on the ground. Her smile disappeared like the sun getting swallowed by the clouds, leaving a despondent look on her face. “Victoria—”
“Don’t say my name!” Victoria trembled as anger pulsated through her, pumping in her blood vessels. “You don’t deserve it! Bella Spritz, you don’t deserve it!”
Her long dress, designed to cover the scar on her leg, was pulled up as she rushed out of the banquet hall under Bella’s wounded gaze and everyone’s ridicule.
People entered and departed the hotel corridor, but Victoria staggered forward without pause. Although she couldn’t see them, she felt like everyone was having a go at her, just like they did two years ago.
