CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: SEARCHED THE WHOLE CITY, STILL COULDN’T FIND HER

The snowflakes fell silently around the two of them, and in the quiet night, only Rhys Hawthorne’s steady voice echoed in her ears.

Victoria Monroe felt that something was slightly off, was Rhys being too indulgent with her?

Yes, it was that kind of overindulgence that gave whatever she asked for.

Not like a brother, not like a friend, nor like family.

She couldn’t easily define his feelings for her with words.

She understood from a young age that there is no absolute pure friendship between men and women.

Like she and Julian Fordham, they started as good friends, but in the budding age of adolescence, the moment she boldly held his sleeve to kiss him, their relationship changed.

Especially in today’s complex world, how could there be purely platonic friendships?

The attraction between opposite sexes often involves intentions beyond just simple affection.

But Rhys was too strange.

Even after their intimate encounters during filming, his gaze remained calm and controlled, never revealing any yearning for her.

Neither three years ago when she retired nor during their recent reunion.

His attitude toward her was too indifferent.

If he really liked her, why would he unconditionally help her and even repeatedly advise her to think twice before impulsively aborting the child?

With her relationship with Julian, he didn’t deliberately push things forward, only lent a hand when she needed help.

He didn’t seem like the orchestrator pushing events forward, more like an observer, watching coldly as things unfolded.

It’s not love.

Victoria could only attribute it to a debt of gratitude.

Rhys stepped forward, raising his hand to brush away the snow on her shoulder.

The cold pine sandalwood scent on him was as refreshing as mountain snow, thoroughly dispersing her untimely thoughts.

He adjusted the position of the umbrella handle, firmly shielding her from the wind and snow outside the umbrella.

Victoria looked up into his steady eyes, as calm as a vast lake with not the slightest ripple.

His voice was gentle, "You still have a day to think it through, whether you really want to have this child, considering your health, right?"

Victoria’s grip on the umbrella handle tightened inch by inch; she pressed her lips together without answering.

"A D&C will damage your body again. If harming yourself for a man, sacrificing an innocent life, leads to possibly never being able to have children in the future, I think that’s quite a high price to pay."

Victoria remained silent, not knowing how to answer, her small face looked especially pale and helpless in the wind and snow.

"Alright, it’s freezing out here, you should head back to avoid catching a cold."

Victoria nodded, her voice tinged with endless hoarseness and fatigue, "Be careful on the slippery roads on your way back."

"Okay." He turned and got into his car.

The car started and slowly drove away, through the rearview mirror, he saw Victoria had not left.

The frail woman, holding the umbrella, squatted down little by little, appearing so pitiful in the cold wind.

Victoria’s mind was chaotic, she knew that Rhys was right, and she understood how much effort it took for this child to come into existence.

Should she really blame the child for his father’s mistakes?

She wouldn’t regret it today, but what about five or ten years from now?

Would she envy seeing other people’s children? Would she regret the child she once aborted?

In her old age, when others have grandchildren around, would she feel lonely being by herself?

Victoria sat on the steps, covering her face in silent tears.

A soft sigh echoed in her ears.

She looked up, seeing the man standing before her.

His gaze was deeper than the dense night, with tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes, her disheveled state reflected in his pupils.

She was a bit flustered, at a loss.

"Didn’t you leave?"

He pulled out a handkerchief and leaned down to wipe the tears from her eyes, his cold voice touched with a hint of warmth, "You’re just as unchanged as when you were a child."

Back then when she was bullied outside, fearing her grandmother would worry if she brought it home.

The day before he left, he searched for her a long time before finding her.

Victoria was hiding in a concrete pipe with reddened eyes.

She said she didn’t want to bring bad emotions home.

Victoria looked at the calm and elegant man before her, like a god high above, devoid of desires and obsessions.

Always looking down on the world with a detached gaze.

Except for her, he was like a ray of warm sun casting onto her barren, dark world.

Victoria grabbed his hand, as if a drowning person finally grasped a piece of driftwood in the vast ocean.

Her palm was a bit cold, starkly contrasting with the warmth of his wrist.

The pitiable woman, with tears streaming down her face, looked at him so helplessly, desperately wanting an answer.

"Rhys, help me, what should I do?"

He became her only salvation.

Rhys clasped her hand’s force, gently pulling her into his embrace.

The umbrella in Victoria’s hand fell to the ground as she tightly held Rhys’s waist.

Standing a step higher than him, it greatly shortened the height gap between them.

Victoria leaned over his neck, her hot tears brushing against his neck as they slid down.

Her hands gripped his clothes tightly, her breath warm and intense, waves of heat spread over his neck.

The man’s prominent Adam’s apple bobbed, his hands loosely wrapped around her.

His steady voice fell in her ear, "Ms. Monroe, I can provide convenience, but I cannot make any life decisions for you; this road must be one you choose yourself."

"No matter what decision you make, I’ll be on your side. The day after tomorrow, I’ll come to pick you up; you can choose to abort the child or find a place to relax your mind."

"One should never make any decisions on impulse."

Despite being two years younger than her, he seemed like her life coach at that moment.

The gentle aura about him gradually soothing her restless heart.

Victoria raised her head from his embrace, "Sorry."

She used her fingertip to gently wipe his neck, the cool skin brushing up softly against him, Rhys gripped her hand to stop her moving any further.

"It’s alright, everyone has a vulnerable side; when we were in that drafty house, your small body embraced me, keeping me warm."

Rhys wrapped his arm around her waist, using his body to shield her from the wind and snow, gently wiping her tears with the handkerchief, gentlemanly yet restrained.

"If it weren’t for you, I would have frozen to death that snowy night. Ms. Monroe, as long as you need, I will always provide you warmth."

*

Hospital.

Julian’s condition hadn’t stabilized yet, his fever kept recurring, and he fell into a nightmare, drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Victoria!"

He shouted, his eyes snapping open.

Corbin Prescott approached him, "Boss, how are you feeling?"

Julian’s mind blanked for a moment, observing the setup in the room, understanding he was in a hospital, he hoarsely asked, "Did you find Victoria’s whereabouts?"

"Not yet, ma’am hasn’t purchased any transportation tickets, nor is there any hotel check-in or spending record."

Julian’s heart sank, "Check her phone, there’s a tracking chip I installed."

That day, after smashing Victoria’s old phone, he handed her a new one, as a preventive measure.

Corbin shook his head, "Ma’am hasn’t used that phone."

Julian murmured helplessly, "She guards against me to this extent, I only worry she’ll leave me..."

"Don’t worry, boss; ma’am won’t make her grandmother travel long distances given her health condition."

"Checked the sanatorium?"

"Checked, no record of registration."

"Rhys’s whereabouts?"

"Can’t be found."

Julian looked out at the heavy snow, feeling as if his heart was being cut.

He searched all over Kenton, finding no trace of Victoria.

Minutes ticked away, fueling his growing unease.

He struggled out of bed, directly pulling the needle from his hand, causing blood to spurt.

Julian spoke calmly, "Give me the car keys; I’ll go look for her. There’s got to be something you overlooked."

"Boss, you’re so ill, your fever hasn’t even subsided yet, find your wife after you feel better."

"No, granny’s not well, and Victoria wouldn’t trouble her to travel far."

"Checked the nursing home?"

"Yes, sir, nothing there."

Julian stepped out of the hospital, the bitter cold wind hitting him hard.

"Boss, your body’s still so ill, your fever hasn’t subsided yet. If you want to find Victoria, shouldn’t you wait until you’re better?"

"Grandma’s not long on a trip."

"Boss, you mean?"

Julian stepped through the hospital doors, the biting cold wind hitting him hard.

He looked out to the heavy snowfall outside the window, his heart aching intensely.

"I have a hunch they’re at Aeridor!"