CHAPTER 91: CHAPTER 91: STILL IN LOVE

"Can I come to you?" Victoria Sinclair asked bitterly.

Eugene Vaughn could sense the deeper meaning in her words.

He turned his head to look elsewhere, took a deep breath, and after several seconds of silence, he looked back at her. "It’s my fault, I’ve been distant since we got married. But whenever you, Victoria Sinclair, have had problems, have I ever ignored you? Whatever you wanted to do, have I not gone along with it?"

Victoria was momentarily at a loss for words.

She couldn’t refute him.

Yes! Eugene Vaughn, apart from not being affectionate, always coming home late, and having many rumors, seemed to have no other faults.

As long as she took the initiative to approach him, no matter if it was wanting something or asking for help,

he definitely would agree.

But with such a distant relationship, where would she find the courage to ask him for help?

As Victoria fell silent, Eugene noticed her quietness and softened his tone, becoming gentler. "I know you can’t handle Molly and don’t want to make it difficult for your brother, so I’ve already resolved it."

Victoria was tense, "Did you get a lawyer to sue her?"

"Wouldn’t that make it hard for your brother?"

"Yeah, so we can’t sue her."

"Didn’t sue, but I used connections to freeze her account and blacklist her on several major platforms."

"Thank you." Victoria sighed in relief. Having money, power, and connections truly makes a difference.

What seemed like a huge problem to her, Eugene could solve with just one phone call.

"Let’s go home," Eugene took her hand.

Victoria pulled forcefully, freeing herself from his warm grip.

Eugene was taken aback, his gaze settling on her hand. A flash of disappointment crossed his eyes as his fingers tightened gently, forming a fist.

Victoria wasn’t being dramatic.

It’s just that the divorce process was already underway; she didn’t want any emotional development with Eugene.

What she needed to do now was to let go of the marriage, let go of this man, and make the final cut for the faint remaining feelings she had.

"I’m heading back to the research institute."

Eugene frowned, "It’s on the way."

Victoria searched for a plausible excuse, simply not wanting to ride in his car, "At this time, there’s traffic. I’ll get there faster on the subway."

Eugene glanced at his watch; it was already four-thirty in the afternoon. "This time it’s almost off-duty. What are you going back there for?"

"Overtime."

"You’ve been working overtime for days in a row, are you avoiding me?"

"No."

"Look at me when you speak."

Victoria lifted her gaze, it was calm, contrasting sharply with Eugene’s burning eyes.

Their eyes met, and Victoria looked at him, calm on the surface, but her heart was stirred beneath.

Sometimes, saying you don’t love someone is really just fooling others.

Only you truly know that you still have feelings for him.

Victoria was inherently a woman prone to nervousness and shyness. After only three seconds, she lowered her gaze saying, "I’m not avoiding you, I’m genuinely busy."

At this moment, Eugene’s phone rang.

He took out his phone, glanced at the screen, answered, and brought it to his ear, "Grandma."

Upon hearing this, Victoria looked up at him.

Eugene responded twice to his phone before hanging up. "Put your work aside. If you really can’t, let other colleagues handle it. Come home with me for a while."

"What’s wrong with Grandma?" Victoria asked, concerned.

"Grandma’s fine; tomorrow the Rhodes Family is bringing the customary gifts, so it’ll be busy from tonight until tomorrow." Eugene said as he turned and walked towards the car.

Victoria followed beside him, curiously asking, "The Rhodes Family? Is it your childhood friend, Tiffany Rhodes?"

"Yes."

"Is Jenny getting married?"

Eugene opened the passenger door, "Let’s talk in the car."

Without hesitation, Victoria got into the passenger seat, pulled up the seatbelt, and fastened it.

She was still Eugene’s wife, and there was joy at home that couldn’t be missed, especially when grandma had called herself to invite them back.

Eugene got into the driver’s seat, buckled his seatbelt, and started the car, driving away from the police station.

On the wide avenue, the car drove smoothly. Victoria took out her phone and sent a message in the work group, explaining work-related matters and informing everyone she would be off tomorrow.

After sending the message, she put the phone down and turned to Eugene, "What does ’bringing customary gifts’ mean?"

Eugene leisurely drove as he attentively answered her question, "It’s considered a solemn ceremony before a traditional wedding, similar to an engagement before marriage. The two families will select an auspicious day, and the Rhodes Family will bring bride price, wedding cakes, and various gifts with good symbolism. As the bride’s family, we have to prepare a lot in return and perform some symbolic worship activities."

Victoria felt a trace of envy and looked at him curiously, "You seem to understand very well."

Eugene fell silent, driving earnestly.

Victoria looked out the window and suddenly remembered that before their marriage registration, Eugene seemed to have mentioned to her that a week before the wedding, they would come to her family with the customary gifts.

But with the wedding cancelled, Eugene never mentioned it again.

Victoria pursed her lips bitterly, her tone faint as she asked, "You prepared for me once too, right?"

Eugene was sincere, "When you have time, I’ll make up for the customary gifts ceremony and the wedding that was cancelled back then."

In the past, she would have definitely wanted it.

Any ceremony, to her, was a beautiful blessing.

But now she doesn’t need it anymore.

Victoria’s heart felt a sharp sadness, resting against the back of the chair, she looked out at the cityscape outside the window, "We’re almost divorced, so it’s unnecessary."

Eugene’s face darkened, and his hand tightened on the steering wheel. A vague tension enveloped him.

On the way, the two had no further conversation.

The vehicle drove into the Splendor Estate and stopped in the courtyard of the villa.

On the summer evening, the red clouds filled the sky, the air was clear and refreshing, and the garden was dyed dreamlike by the glow of the sunset, looking particularly beautiful.

Victoria got out of the car, captivated by the beautiful scene; a vibrant flower bed was so stunning that she couldn’t move away.

Nearby, Eugene waited for her without urging or interrupting.

She looked at the flowers, he looked at her.

The hazy evening light enveloped the two of them in the tranquil front garden.

The garden lights suddenly turned on, making Victoria realize it was time to go inside. She turned and walked towards the villa.

She thought Eugene might have already gone in, but when she looked up, she met his gentle gaze.

Their eyes locked, and emotions flowed.

Perhaps it was the beauty of the dusk and the good atmosphere; the man’s eyes were gentle as water, full of tenderness.

Victoria’s heartstrings tensed.

"Do you want to stay a little longer?" Eugene asked.

Victoria shook her head, "Let’s go in."

Suddenly, a familiar voice came.

"Eugene, sister-in-law."

Victoria followed the voice with her gaze.

Vivian Miller, arm in arm with Jenny Vaughn, came out from the house, smiling as if there were no signs of depression.

Perhaps this is the characteristic of sunny depression.

Jenny Vaughn also greeted them, "Brother, sister-in-law, why aren’t you coming in?"

Eugene replied, "Coming."

Vivian Miller and Jenny Vaughn stood in front of Eugene, and Vivian said, "I’m planning to take Jenny out for some beauty treatments, we’ll be back soon."

Eugene asked gently, "How have you been feeling lately?"

Vivian looked up at him with a smile, raised her hand to pat his shoulder, "I’ve been taking medication regularly, don’t worry. If you take me off your WeChat blacklist, I’ll recover faster."

Eugene gently pulled her hand down, mildly and politely, "Take your medicine seriously and cooperate with the treatment actively."

Jenny Vaughn was displeased, scoffing coldly, carrying a sense of grievance on behalf of Vivian Miller, secretly glancing sideways at Victoria.

"Alright, we’ll be off then." Vivian Miller waved to Eugene, arm in arm with Jenny Vaughn, as they left.

Passing by Victoria, Vivian Miller asked again, "Sister-in-law, would you like to join us?"