Chapter 196

To Victoria, it seemed like William was deliberately causing trouble, but to Alice, this was just their unique way of interacting, something others couldn't quite understand.

William always kept his cool in front of her.

Alice lowered her eyes slightly and chuckled softly, "William, if you keep talking like that, you'll scare Ms. Carter away."

William stiffened for a moment and then fell silent.

But Victoria sensed something was off and quickly explained, "There's nothing special between William and me!"

Afraid she wouldn't be believed, she added hastily, "My boyfriend is Samuel."

Alice was visibly taken aback and instinctively glanced at William.

William looked like a detached outsider, indifferent to whatever Victoria said or what she meant to him.

Seeing this, Alice gave an awkward smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you two had split."

"We never had anything to begin with." Victoria was determined to clear things up completely.

Since Alice and William seemed to be rekindling their relationship, she didn't want to be caught in the middle and end up in an awkward situation.

William suddenly stood up, giving Victoria an impatient glance, "I have things to do. If you have any questions, ask Harry."

Without waiting for her response, he turned to Alice, "Can you give me a ride?"

Alice smiled gently, "Of course."

Watching them leave, Victoria felt a sudden release of tension, followed by an inexplicable sense of loss. She felt exhausted, both physically and mentally, and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a small corner, away from the world.

Outside the lounge, she could faintly hear the staff's exclamations, "They make such a perfect couple! Both from wealthy families, good-looking, and rich. Even TV shows can't come up with such a perfect pair!"

"So enviable! If they don't end up together, it would be frustrating!"

"Did you see that? He really dotes on her! She just asked for a favor, and he waived a hundred thousand dollars in losses just like that! What a love story!"

Victoria walked out, and even though she didn't have to pay, she couldn't feel happy.

After thinking it over, she decided to return the money. She had asked him for money to pay Nora's hospital bills because she had no other choice. But now, taking advantage of him again would be wrong.

Back home, Victoria locked herself in her room and started drawing.

She had received a commission from a publishing house to provide illustrations for a children's book. She had been procrastinating due to other commitments, but if she could finish this job, combined with her savings and a loan from Alvin, she could gather the hundred thousand dollars to repay William.

She carefully sketched, and one by one, the charming cartoon characters began to take shape on the paper.

She couldn't help but smile.

Work was the only thing that could make her forget her troubles.

Victoria pulled an all-nighter and only took a short nap at dawn.

When she arrived at Starry Studio Gallery with dark circles under her eyes, Wendy was startled, "Victoria, what happened to you? You look exhausted!"

Victoria rubbed her eyes and yawned, "I stayed up all night working on illustrations."

She went into the office and downed several cups of coffee to regain some energy.

"Victoria, how much do we need to pay for yesterday's incident? I have some savings," Wendy said sincerely, sitting next to her.

Victoria shook her head, "No need."

Wendy frowned, "It was my fault. I can't let you bear the cost."

"Wendy, it's fine. We have insurance," Victoria reassured her with a smile.

Victoria didn't want to make Wendy feel bad, so she didn't tell her the truth.

Hearing this, Wendy seemed relieved, and they both went back to their work.

On Easter morning, sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, casting a golden glow over the small yard.

Victoria got up early and started decorating the living room with the carefully chosen decorations.

Last Christmas, Alvin was still in prison, and she had spent it alone, feeling miserable.

But now, Alvin was finally out, and they could celebrate a holiday together.

Alvin came out of the kitchen, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, ready to serve breakfast. He saw Victoria standing in the living room, smiling to herself.

He called out cheerfully, "Victoria, come have breakfast first."

Victoria obediently responded and walked over to the table.

After breakfast, they started decorating together.

Victoria handed Alvin a colorful Easter egg, "Dad, look at this egg. It's so pretty! Let's hang it by the window. It'll look amazing in the sunlight."

Alvin took the egg and examined it closely, his eyes full of warmth, "Yes, it's very beautiful."

They chatted as they decorated.

Victoria carefully hung streamers from the ceiling while Alvin arranged bunny figurines around the room.

The fluffy little bunnies added a lively touch to the house.

Soon, the doorbell rang.

Victoria opened the door to find Wendy standing there with a big basket, smiling, "Victoria, I'm here! I brought some homemade treats for Easter. Let's enjoy them together."

Victoria smiled and took the basket, "Thank you."

Wendy was immediately captivated by the cozy decorations inside, "You two did an amazing job! This looks even better than the gallery!"

The three of them sat around the table, enjoying Wendy's treats, which included sweet and soft hot cross buns and adorable bunny-shaped cookies.

Victoria couldn't resist taking a big bite of a treat, "This is delicious, Wendy. You're so talented."

Alvin nodded in agreement, smiling at Wendy, "Wendy, I've heard from Victoria how much you've helped her. Thank you so much!"

Wendy quickly replied, "Mr. Carter, no need to be so formal! Victoria and I are friends!"

As they were talking, the doorbell rang again.

Samuel stood there with a pot of blooming tulips and a big box of imported chocolates, "Mr. Carter, Victoria, happy Easter! I thought I'd join the fun."

Victoria welcomed him in with a smile.

Alvin was even happier to see Samuel.

He genuinely liked Samuel.

Samuel was mature, polite, and clearly in love with Victoria.

Victoria watched them chat and eat treats while sending holiday greetings to her colleagues, former classmates, and teachers on her phone.

When she scrolled past William's name, she paused.

Daisy had gone back to Harborview City to be with Garth.

So, William was alone.

No, Alice was there too. She wouldn't let him be alone.

As Victoria was lost in thought, Samuel's phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, frowned slightly, and then hung up, continuing to chat with Alvin.

But soon, his phone rang again.

He hesitated for a moment, then apologized to Victoria and Alvin and stepped aside to take the call.

Victoria saw the caller ID: Hannah Wright.