Chapter 134

Tears streamed down her face, staining his expensive shirt with blotchy marks.

"What?" William's frown deepened. He reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks, his voice gentle, "Come on, get up."

Victoria shook her head, her gaze distant as she murmured, "I always wondered why my mom hated me so much. Then your aunt told me that my parents had a huge fight about a divorce over a decade ago. I started digging and found out my mom had been cheating. Bobby is her child with that man. She stayed married to my dad only for the money. My dad knew about her infidelity, but she used my custody to threaten him, so he never divorced her."

She choked up, her eyes brimming with tears, as if recalling something painfully despairing.

William's heart clenched, his dark eyes fixed on her.

Victoria continued, tears falling like broken pearls, "They treated my dad and me like fools."

So, even though she knew Bobby had bad intentions, she still followed him into their trap.

She had already contacted Elara's son, Robert, to have him report to the police as a lawyer the next day.

It was all her plan; she should have been happy.

Victoria laughed bitterly, hysterically, her eyes full of despair, "It didn't have to end this way."

William couldn't stand seeing her like this. He leaned down and hugged her frail shoulders, his deep voice comforting, "They got what they deserved."

Her body stiffened, then she slowly lifted her head, her clear eyes staring at William with a complex emotion.

Victoria looked at William's handsome face and smiled bitterly, "I've become just as despicable as them. It's really frustrating!"

Scheming, setting traps-how was she any different from Bobby and Nora?

Imprisonment, extortion, intentional harm-Bobby's life was ruined.

William just looked at her, understanding all her thoughts and emotions.

Suddenly, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

Victoria trembled, slowly raising her hands to wrap around his waist, holding tighter and tighter.

"Victoria!"

A scream came from the doorway. Nora, disheveled and haggard, rushed in. Seeing Victoria, her eyes flared with anger, and she raised her hand to strike.

William's eyes flashed coldly, and he quickly grabbed her hand, forcefully pushing it aside.

Harry arrived with others, hurriedly restraining the out-of-control Nora.

Due to her severe illness, she hadn't been arrested but was under house arrest for medical treatment.

Nora lost her balance and fell to the ground. She tried to get up twice but couldn't, and she shouted at Victoria with hatred, "Victoria, why did you do this? He's your brother! Your own brother! He was my pride and hope! Why did you destroy him?"

Nora cried hysterically, completely losing her usual composure, struggling like a mad beast. "You've ruined our lives. I hate you! I hate you!"

Victoria stood frozen, staring blankly at Nora's hysterical curses.

"Victoria, how can you be so cruel? I beg you to spare Bobby, okay? I'm begging you. He did nothing wrong! Kill me instead, let me take his place, okay?" Nora's voice trembled, her eyes full of pleading. She crawled on the ground, clutching Victoria's leg, desperately begging, "Victoria, I know I wronged you before, but now, I beg you to spare Bobby, please!"

Victoria looked at Nora kneeling at her feet, her eyes stinging, hot tears sliding down her cheeks.

She tilted her head back, closing her eyes, her throat dry, "Even now, you still want to lie to me? He's not even my dad's child."

Nora froze, not expecting Victoria to know.

Then, veins bulged on her forehead, and she pointed at Victoria, cursing angrily, "The biggest regret of my life is giving birth to you, you jinx! Why don't you just die? Die!"

Victoria's heart felt hollow, a faint pain spreading.

William turned his head, coldly looking at Nora on the ground. "Take her out."

As soon as he spoke, he felt a force around his waist. Victoria's hands were tightly wrapped around him.

He looked down at Victoria, seeing her use all her strength, her voice faint but firm, "Don't hurt her."

William's brows furrowed, feeling both helpless and compassionate towards Victoria's kindness.

Nora was her biological mother, so what?

All these years, when had Nora ever truly cared for her?

When she needed support the most, Nora only knew how to take from her, never considering her tough situation.

She was so young, yet she bore the family's burdens alone.

And Nora? Not only did she not give her any warmth, but she also hurt her so recklessly, which made William incredibly angry.

But despite his anger, William signaled to Harry.

Harry understood and didn't make things difficult for Nora.

Nora seemed to suddenly realize, trying to grab William, but Harry immediately stepped in to stop her.

"William! Don't forget, she's Alvin's daughter, the root of all this! Why are you helping her?"

William lowered his gaze, looking at Victoria in his arms.

Yes, she was Alvin's daughter. He hadn't forgotten.

But so what?

Right now, all he wanted was to protect her, to keep her from any more harm.

"Take her back to the hospital!" William ordered Harry.

"Yes." Harry obeyed.

Nora shouted unwillingly, "William! How can you help her? Her father"

"Shut her up!" William commanded coldly, his gaze chilling.

Harry immediately moved, gagging Nora and dragging her out.

Victoria watched Nora, who kept cursing her, gradually disappear, and tears fell uncontrollably.

William's heart ached. He bent down, holding Victoria close to his chest, patting her back, his voice soft, "Don't cry, sweetheart."

Victoria leaned on his shoulder, smelling the faint scent of tobacco on him, feeling a sharp sting in her nose.

She sobbed, her voice hoarse as she apologized, "I'm sorry for troubling you again."

William sighed, shaking his head, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

Victoria was too kind, always bullied without fighting back.

He gently wiped her tear stains, speaking softly, "No more crying from now on."

Victoria sniffled, her nose red and swollen, nodding.

He held her hand, leading her out of the room. Suddenly, Victoria felt the world spinning.

She finally couldn't hold on, her body going limp, collapsing into William's arms.

Seeing her faint, William's face changed drastically. He quickly bent down, lifting her in his arms, and hurried out the door.