Chapter 194
William's gaze was intense, but his hand on her waist stayed steady.
"Let's get you inside."
Without waiting for a reply, he guided Alice into the restaurant.
Victoria had a perfect view of the scene unfolding between them.
As they walked in, Alice was practically nestled in William's arms, her cheeks flushed. Her delicate and vulnerable appearance would evoke sympathy from anyone.
Victoria glanced at them briefly before looking away, uninterested.
Wendy whispered, "Looks like they're rekindling their old flame."
At first glance, it did seem that way.
But Victoria didn't care much. Whether they got back together or not, what did it matter to her? She wasn't William's girlfriend.
During the meal, Victoria got up to use the restroom.
When she came out, she saw Alice leaning against the sink, mumbling about feeling unwell.
William gently held her, letting her rest against his chest, soothing her softly, "I'll take you to the hospital for an IV soon."
"No, I hate hospitals. I never want to go there again."
"It's just an IV, it won't hurt."
"I'm scared."
Victoria pursed her lips, initially intending to walk past them as if she hadn't seen anything. But that felt too deliberate, making her seem guilty.
She took a deep breath, walked over casually, and turned on the faucet to wash her hands.
As she looked up, her eyes met William's in the mirror.
She paused briefly, then quickly composed herself and asked calmly, "It seems Ms. Garcia had too much to drink. Do you need help?"
William stared at her deeply for a moment, about to speak, when Samuel suddenly appeared.
"Victoria!"
Victoria looked surprised, "Samuel? What are you doing here?"
"I'm having dinner with friends upstairs. I ran into Wendy and the others on my way down."
As he approached, he noticed William and then Alice in his arms. His eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled, "What a coincidence, Mr. Scott. Ms. Garcia had too much to drink? Need a hand?"
"No need." William's expression remained cold and aloof, as always. He didn't even spare another glance, just held Alice's shoulder and asked softly, "Can you walk?"
Alice looked up at him with misty eyes, shaking her head pitifully, "My legs are weak, I can't stand."
He nodded slightly, then without another word, scooped her up and strode away.
Victoria lowered her gaze, grabbed a paper towel to dry her hands, and said softly, "Let's go too."
Samuel followed her, hesitatingly asking, "Why are you here today?"
Victoria stopped, "Our boss is treating us."
Samuel nodded, seeming relieved, but there was a hint of disappointment.
Victoria found his behavior odd and turned to look at him, "Samuel, is something bothering you today?"
Samuel was taken aback.
He shook his head slowly, "What could be bothering me?"
He turned and left quickly, as if eager to escape something.
Victoria was even more puzzled.
As Samuel left the restaurant, someone called out to him.
"Samuel."
He turned around to see a long-haired girl in a black coat, her straight hair cascading over her shoulders, smiling brightly at him, "We agreed, next time it's my treat."
Samuel was momentarily stunned, instinctively glancing towards the parking lot, then quickly said, "Ms. Wright, you're too kind."
"Thanks for treating me today. Next time, I'll take you to a movie, okay?" Hannah Wright's cheeks flushed slightly, a bit shy.
Samuel responded casually, saying, "My friends are waiting for me," and hurried away.
Easter was coming up, and Starry Studio Gallery was gearing up for a big Easter-themed exhibition. Diana asked Victoria and Wendy to pick up some flowers and decorations.
Victoria had gotten her driver's license while working as William's secretary, and under his guidance, her driving skills were pretty solid.
The car she drove was a second-hand one Alvin had found. It looked ordinary but was spacious enough for daily use.
"Victoria, let me drive." Wendy had just gotten her license and was eager to get behind the wheel.
"Sure, you drive." Victoria, always indulgent towards her, handed over the keys without hesitation and settled into the passenger seat.
Wendy was thrilled, gripping the steering wheel tightly, her eyes wide open, staring straight ahead, nervous sweat forming on her forehead.
Victoria sat beside her, occasionally reminding her softly, "Turn signal on, turn slowly."
Seeing a Rolls-Royce merging ahead, Victoria's heart tightened, quickly advising, "That's a luxury car ahead, keep your distance."
Before she finished speaking, there was a loud crash as their car collided with the Rolls-Royce.
Wendy was silent.
Victoria's mind went blank for a moment. Hearing Wendy's tearful voice brought her back to reality.
"Victoria."
Wendy was completely stunned, her voice trembling, "Did I just rear-end a Rolls-Royce?"
Wendy's family was well-off, but her mother was very strict, giving her little pocket money.
If she asked for money, her mother would likely exaggerate the situation to her father.
Wendy didn't want to be used as a pawn in their power struggle.
Victoria quickly calmed down, speaking gently, "Don't worry, I'll go check."
When she handed the keys to Wendy, Victoria had mentally prepared herself for minor accidents. But rear-ending a luxury car was beyond her expectations.
Victoria got out of the car, just as someone stepped out of the Rolls-Royce.
Fortunately, the accident didn't happen in a busy area, so there was no traffic jam.
"Sorry, it's our fault. My friend just got her license."
"Victoria?"
Victoria looked up, "Harry?"
She hadn't expected to see a familiar face. Just as she felt relieved, her heart sank again, wondering if the car belonged to William.
Sure enough, William stepped out of the car.
Victoria was speechless.
Seeing it was someone they knew, Wendy quickly got out, "Mr. Scott, I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
William's deep eyes briefly rested on Victoria before looking away coldly.
Victoria's hand tightened in her sleeve, but she maintained a distant demeanor, matching his coldness.
"Was it you driving?" He directed the question at Wendy.
"Yes." Wendy looked down, embarrassed, "How much will the repairs cost? I'll pay, but can I do it in installments?"
Victoria wouldn't let her pay, immediately saying, "No need to pay, we have insurance."
William glanced at his car, saying indifferently, "The insurance won't cover all my losses. The extra amount could buy you a new car."
Victoria frowned, seeing Wendy's pale face, silently blaming William for scaring her.
She didn't believe he would be so serious about this.
But since they hit his car, paying for the damages was only right. She said, "Whatever the cost, I'll pay."
Victoria looked at Harry, "You have my number. Let me know the repair cost."
Harry didn't dare respond, glancing at William.
Victoria turned to Wendy, "Let's go."
As they got back in the car, before Victoria could close the door, it was pulled open again.
"Get out." William grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the car.