Chapter 152
"Of course, I'd love to," he said without a second thought.
He knew she had other reasons for wanting to go public, but for him, becoming her official boyfriend was something he had longed for.
Victoria let out a sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing on her face. She took out her phone, gently wrapped her arm around Samuel's, and rested her head on his shoulder, finding the perfect angle to take a selfie of the two of them.
In the photo, Samuel had a gentle smile on his lips, his eyes full of affection, while Victoria leaned on his shoulder, looking delicate and sweet.
They made a striking couple, handsome and beautiful, perfectly matched.
A simple photo, yet it captured a sense of timeless tranquility.
Victoria typed a simple caption: [Boyfriend.]
She attached the photo and hit send.
Almost instantly, her phone started buzzing non-stop with notifications.
Elara sent a heart emoji along with a voice message: "Victoria, I'm so happy to see you find happiness!"
Wendy sent a string of exclamation marks: [I knew you two were perfect for each other, so sweet!]
Diana commented: [Congrats on finding love! Stay happy forever!]
Alvin even called, his voice filled with relief. "Victoria, I saw your post. As long as you're happy, I'm at ease. This guy looks good; bring him home sometime so I can officially meet him.
"I have to go to the neighboring city for something today. Stay safe at home, and I'll make you something delicious when I get back tomorrow."
Looking at all the well-wishes, Victoria's initial hesitation slowly turned into determination.
Forget about those who aren't worth it and the unpleasant things. The world is so beautiful, she should cherish the happiness in front of her.
Samuel sat beside Victoria, quietly listening to her phone conversations, the warmth in his eyes growing deeper.
He also posted on his feed.
But he didn't have many friends.
Just a few colleagues and students from school sending their blessings.
And then there was Ryan's message: [Way to go, Samuel! Finally made it, huh? You gotta treat us to a meal now that you've won the beauty!]
Samuel chuckled and agreed.
He knew Victoria still had many ties to William.
But so what? Someone who doesn't know how to cherish her doesn't deserve her.
Samuel thought, gripping his phone, looking at Victoria's serene profile, his gaze growing more intense.
After dinner, Samuel drove Victoria home.
The car slowly came to a stop in front of her house. Victoria sat in the passenger seat, her fingers unconsciously tracing the door handle, her eyes looking out at her front door.
Samuel seemed to sense her hesitation and asked, "What's wrong?"
Victoria hesitated for a long moment before turning to Samuel and softly saying, "Come up for a bit."
Her voice had a slight tremor, which Samuel keenly noticed.
Samuel's eyes darkened instantly, his voice hoarse as he asked, "Victoria, you know what this means, right?"
Victoria bit her lip and softly replied, "Yes, I know. You're my boyfriend."
"Yes." Samuel responded in a low, deep voice, "Alright, baby."
With that, he leaned in and kissed Victoria's lips, deeply and passionately.
Victoria closed her eyes, letting Samuel kiss her, her heart racing.
Samuel's kiss was intense and passionate, claiming every inch of her, as if he wanted to devour her whole. She had never imagined that someone as gentle and refined as Samuel could have such a side.
Victoria was breathless from his kiss, her hands pressed against his strong chest.
After a long while, he reluctantly pulled away from her lips.
Looking at her flushed face, Samuel's throat moved, his voice hoarse, "Victoria, let's go upstairs. I feel like I'm about to explode."
Victoria lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Samuel's eyes filled with desire.
She didn't know if this decision was a mistake, but she knew that only by doing this could she truly rid herself of William's influence.
Though it was unfair to Samuel, she had no other choice.
Victoria nodded slightly, opened the car door, and led Samuel into her house.
VIP ward at the hospital
William lay in bed, an IV in his hand, his handsome face pale and bloodless.
He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the white ceiling.
Upon waking, the first thing that came to his mind was Victoria's face-her shyness, fear, stubbornness, and the look of terror and disgust when she left him yesterday.
All her emotions flashed through his mind, disrupting his thoughts, almost shattering his soul.
He reached out to touch his chest, as if he could still feel the tearing pain there.
William closed his eyes, his long lashes casting shadows over his sharp nose.
He had never regretted anything as much as he did now, regretting how he had hurt her.
"William, you're awake?"
Alice pushed the door open, seeing William's clenched fist and the IV tube half-filled with backflowing blood. She was terrified and quickly called for medical staff.
Seeing this, William's cold eyes swept over everyone, finally landing on Alice's face. His voice was icy, "Who let you in? Get out!"
"William!" Alice was extremely aggrieved, tears welling up in her eyes.
William's thick brows furrowed, his tone growing colder, "Get out."
His voice was so cold it sent a chill through the room, making the medical staff shiver.
"William, please don't get agitated. Listen to me, okay? Your wounds haven't healed yet. I'm worried they'll reopen."
She choked up, stepping forward to grab William's other hand that wasn't hooked to the IV.
William pushed her away, using so much force that his abdominal wound tore open again, oozing blood.
Alice was stunned by his actions, staring at William in shock, murmuring, "William!"
William's face was as pale as paper, sweat beading on his forehead.
This fragile William was heart-wrenching.
He stared at her, his eyes filled with undisguised hatred, "Alice, let's break up. I've wasted your time, and I'll compensate you with three hundred million dollars."
"I don't need money!" Alice shouted, tears streaming down her face, "William, why do you have to be so cruel to me? You're hurt like this, and she hasn't even come to see you. I'm the only one who truly loves you. Why can't you love me?"