CHAPTER 85: CHAPTER 85: PERSUASION TO LEAVE

At night, Victoria Sinclair packed her luggage, pushing it into the corner.

She sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at the large room she had lived in for two years, feeling inexplicably melancholic and lost.

In these two years, how many times had she hidden in the room crying quietly, how many times had she pressed against the door listening for the late-night sounds of Eugene Vaughn returning home, and how many times had she hoped Eugene would come and knock on her door.

Countless hopes, countless disappointments, countless tears.

Now, finally, she could put an end to it all.

She no longer needed to hold onto this failed marriage, hoping for warmth from a man who didn’t love her.

The phone rang.

Angela Austin’s call came in, and Victoria Sinclair answered, putting it to her ear.

"Angela."

Angela was shocked, "Victoria, are you getting a divorce?"

"Yes."

"Why so suddenly?"

Victoria was curious and asked back, "How did you know?"

Angela was indignant, "I follow your sister-in-law’s short video account. She talks bad about you every day, just a few days ago she said you stole her child, and that you were turning her child against her. Just now, she posted saying you’re getting a divorce and will go freeloading at your parents’ place."

Victoria closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Sometimes, she really didn’t want to endure it.

But a woman like Molly, unreasonable and quarrelsome, was impossible to communicate with normally. Once a conflict started, it would definitely turn nasty.

If it were friends or strangers, she would never tolerate it.

But she happens to be her sister-in-law.

If she still wanted to keep in touch with her family, she couldn’t let the relationship with her sister-in-law get too ugly.

Angela was anxious, "Victoria, what’s going on?"

Victoria spoke lightly, "I just don’t want to continue anymore."

"Eugene ignored you again?"

"Yes!"

"Hasn’t he always been like this? You’ve put up with it for two years, why can’t you bear it now?"

Victoria remained silent.

"Did he agree?"

"He disagreed, so I’m going through legal procedures."

Angela sighed deeply, "Ah, how did it come to this? I think Eugene is quite contradictory. Clearly, he’s sincere about the marriage. He drives a couple of hours to work every day, and comes home no matter how late it is."

"He’s a young master who wouldn’t normally lift a finger, yet he makes time for chores every day, keeping your home clean and tidy, and never brings friends home to bother you."

"When you were hospitalized unconscious, he stayed by your side for several days without changing clothes, and tried to help with your company’s cash flow by starting a new venture to invest in you. Clearly, he loves you a lot but always neglects you. I really can’t figure it out."

Victoria gave a bitter smile, "Why are you speaking well of him now? Didn’t you used to think he was a jerk? That he often frequents nightclubs, constantly has gossip with Renee, and doesn’t have boundaries with Vivian."

"Well, men have to socialize for business, going to nightclubs is inevitable. As for Renee, he once went with you to a hospital to prove there was nothing between them. As for Vivian, it’s probably a longtime companion, simply a close friend."

Victoria lowered her head, her heart feeling sour.

The more Angela tried to persuade her this way, the more she hesitated.

Yet, she’d finally made up her mind and didn’t want to waver, so she asked, "Angela, do you understand men?"

"Not really."

"I don’t quite understand Eugene either, but I understand the male species," Victoria analyzed calmly. "As a male, if there’s no physical defect or emotional barriers, how could he possibly not touch his wife for two years?"

Angela was speechless.

Victoria continued, "Whether he has physical issues or emotional ones, it doesn’t matter anymore. Anyway, he’s not the lifelong partner I want."

"Do you not love him anymore?"

Victoria remained silent. Hearing this question still made her heart ache slightly.

After loving for two years, how could she just stop loving entirely?

She answered in another way, "Perhaps I’ll still think of him occasionally in the future, feel regret, feel sad, but I really don’t want to exhaust myself internally anymore."

"You seemed happy not too long ago, didn’t he misunderstand about you and my brother, and that’s why he’s ignoring you?"

Victoria was surprised, "Misunderstand about me and your brother?"

"Yeah, the night you brought the virus monkey back from out of province, it was already past midnight, my brother drove you back to the neighborhood entrance. I saw Eugene’s car following behind..."

Victoria was tense, "And then?"

Angela swallowed nervously, sighed, "My brother also saw Eugene’s car. He suddenly got out and brought a box of medicine to you. Eugene probably saw you together."

Victoria remembered, no wonder his attitude changed that day, shaking off her hand at the slightest touch and disdainfully saying, don’t touch me.

"He didn’t mention it to me that night." Victoria felt wronged. To think Eugene didn’t say a word, he could really hide and endure.

"My brother said he’s gay, thinking he’s helping you."

Victoria gave a bitter smile, "Maybe so, but it doesn’t matter anymore."

"You aren’t divorcing Eugene just because of my brother’s misunderstanding?"

"No, this is a misunderstanding that could be cleared up in a few words. He didn’t even mention it, so I suppose he doesn’t care."

"Then what’s the reason?"

"No feelings, incompatible personalities, having a husband that feels like being widowed, anyway, just tired of his neglect, my heart’s dead, I find it pointless."

Angela was annoyed, "This doesn’t sound like the Victoria Sinclair I know! We’ve been best friends for eight years, can’t I know the truth?"

Victoria sank into thought.

Angela’s voice grew more serious, "Victoria, you’ve shared even your privacy with me, what else can’t you tell me?"

"Because of the virus monkey," Victoria sighed helplessly, "I suspect it’s in my father-in-law’s hands."

Angela gasped, and then there was silence on the other end of the phone.

"But I have no evidence, I can only agree to his conditions for now, whether or not he returns it depends on his conscience."

Angela was furious, stomping her feet, cursing, "That old rotten bastard, how could he not be a bastard, he’s already caused us trouble once before, coming at it again? Stealing and releasing the virus monkey, is he trying to take your life? That dog of a bastard, I’ve never seen such a disgusting person, divorce... I support your divorce... that kind of bastard doesn’t deserve to be your father-in-law, what a crappy family, just because they have a few lousy bucks, a lousy company, they think they’re so great? Bullying their daughter-in-law like this, Eugene isn’t any good either, his father does such crazy things, yet he turns a blind eye. Marrying such a beautiful wife, being cold to her for two years without fulfilling husband duties, the whole family is no good at all."

Victoria smiled wryly, "Angela, don’t be angry, I only suspect, I have no evidence, besides Eugene doesn’t know I lost the virus monkey."

"Who needs evidence, it must be that old bastard, why didn’t I think of it before?" Angela was furious, abruptly changing her mind, "Victoria, you deserve better, the Vaughn Family doesn’t deserve you, Eugene least of all."

"Not persuading me anymore?"

"Not anymore, whatever decision you make, I’ll support you."

Victoria smiled with relief, her eyes moist, she softly said, "Thank you, Angela."

Suddenly!

With a "clang!" the sharp sound startled Victoria, causing her to tremble, nervously sitting up straight, looking toward the door.

The sound came from the living room, like something was hit.

"Angela, let’s talk later, good night."

"Alright, goodnight."

Victoria hung up, put down the phone, walked to the door and stood there, hand on the doorknob, listening carefully.

"Boom." Another loud noise.

Heavy and deep, it startled Victoria into quickly twisting the door open and heading out.