Chapter 183

With that, he tilted his head back and downed the soup in one gulp.

"Not bad at all," Louie said, setting the bowl down and casting a quick glance at William.

William returned the look with a brief, indifferent glance.

Then, William turned to Alice. "You should head back now."

Alice bit her lower lip, forcing a polite smile. "Alright, take care."

Once she left the room, Victoria couldn't hold back any longer. "Weren't you a bit too harsh on her? She was just trying to be nice."

William's gaze turned colder, tinged with impatience. "You know what she's after, don't you?"

"That's exactly why I think you were wrong."

"So, you think I should accept her kindness, knowing she still has feelings for me, and let her keep hoping? What kind of behavior is that?" William raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Victoria was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.

Louie chimed in from the side, "It's just typical scumbag behavior."

William's lips curled into a half-smile. "See? Sometimes, you women are just impossible to please."

Victoria's chest heaved with anger, but she couldn't find the words to retort. She turned to Louie, her tone now cold and distant, a stark contrast to her earlier warmth when she called him "Mr. Hopper."

"When did you two become so in sync? Whatever, I guess I'm the third wheel here. I'll go find the doctor."

With that, she stormed out of the room.

Louie watched her leave, chuckling softly. "Lucky you, having two beautiful women interested in you."

William raised an eyebrow, giving him a wry smile. "Want that luck?"

"No thanks, I couldn't handle it." Louie sat back down, his expression turning serious. "Alvin's situation is under control. He can leave anytime."

William straightened up slightly, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "I trust you to get things done. You're efficient."

"Cut the crap. Now it's your turn to keep your promise," Louie said, his gaze intense.

"Don't worry," William said with a smirk. "I promised to take down The Iron Crocodiles and unify Xandria's underground. I'll make it happen."

Louie nodded, then added, "One more thing."

"Go on," William said nonchalantly.

"My people found out that some of the guys who kidnapped Alvin and attacked you came from Crystalia," Louie said, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint. "You should be careful."

William lowered his gaze, hiding the sharpness in his eyes.

William's recovery was swift. In just four days, he was up and moving around as if nothing had happened.

Victoria stayed by his side the whole time, looking surprisingly refreshed rather than exhausted. William had Harry bring in local delicacies every day and even arranged a comfortable bed for her, which had resulted in her gaining a bit of weight.

That afternoon, Alvin called, giving a final ultimatum. He had booked a flight for the next morning and wanted Victoria to leave with him.

After hanging up, Victoria looked at William, hesitating before speaking softly. "William, my dad booked a flight for tomorrow morning. He wants me to go with him."

William was working on his phone, but his movements froze, and his expression darkened.

He gripped his phone tightly, finally forcing out a few words through gritted teeth. "What's the rush?"

Victoria lowered her eyes, explaining quietly, "I've been away for a while. I need to get back to work and prepare for the University of Aesthetics Shine entrance exam."

"Can't you prepare for the exam here?" William scoffed, slamming his phone onto the table. "He's doing this on purpose, just to keep you away from me!"

William spent the rest of the afternoon in a foul mood, barely responding to anyone who tried to talk to him.

That evening, when Harry brought dinner, William didn't even glance at it. He walked straight to the window, staring outside, not touching a single bite.

Victoria was worried and frustrated. She approached William, speaking softly. "You should eat something. You're not fully recovered yet."

William whipped around, his eyes blazing with anger. "Eat? How can I eat when he's taking you away, and you're just going along with it?"

Victoria was getting angry too. She bit her lip. "It's my dad's decision. What can I do?"

"Can't you stand up to him?" William's voice rose. "Do you even care about me?"

"Stop being unreasonable!" Victoria stomped her foot, turning away from him, not wanting to argue anymore.

The tension between them lasted into the night, the atmosphere in the room suffocating.

In the middle of the night, William suddenly cried out in pain.

Victoria, who was a light sleeper, woke up immediately and sat up in a panic. "What's wrong?"

William clutched his wound, his face contorted in pain. "I think it reopened."

Victoria hurriedly turned on the light and leaned in to check.

In that moment, William grabbed her and pulled her into the bed, pressing his head against her shoulder.

"Victoria, I'm sorry," William's voice was hoarse. "I just can't stand the thought of you leaving. It kills me to think you'll be gone tomorrow and belong to someone else."

Victoria's body trembled. She opened her mouth but couldn't find the words to say.

There were too many issues between them-family, past entanglements-all weighing her down like a ton of bricks.

Seeing her silence, William's heart ached. He sat up, cupping her face and kissing her.

Victoria was startled, instinctively wanting to push him away, but afraid of hurting his wound. She struggled slightly, then stopped.

William, seeing no resistance, deepened the kiss, his hand moving to her waist and slowly sliding upward.

Victoria felt his touch, her heart pounding in her chest.

"William!" she finally cried out. "Are you crazy? You're still injured!"

"I'm crazy," William's voice was husky and seductive. "Crazy at the thought of losing you."

His breathing grew heavier, his body pressing against hers.

Victoria, pinned beneath him, couldn't muster the strength to push him away.

William's hand slipped under her shirt, his rough fingers caressing her smooth skin, sending shivers through her.

Victoria, both embarrassed and angry, glared at him. "William! You jerk!"

He chuckled lowly. "I'm a jerk who wants to kiss you and make love to you."