Chapter 5

"Get to the hospital quickly," William barked, his voice sharp.

"On it," Harry, the driver, replied without missing a beat, flooring it toward the nearest private hospital.

Half an hour later, they pulled up at the hospital. The top chief physician had already been alerted, and as soon as they hit the entrance, Victoria was whisked into the emergency room.

William stood outside, his usually composed face etched with worry.

"Mr. Scott, don't stress too much. Ms. Carter will be alright," Harry tried to reassure him.

"Who's worried about her?" William snapped, a bit irritated. Realizing how childish he sounded, he quickly added, "I just hope she doesn't hold up work."

Harry nodded quickly, but inside, he was rolling his eyes. William was clearly worried but just wouldn't admit it. Such a tsundere.

In a VIP hospital room, Victoria lay on the bed, looking pale and weak.

Victoria's eyes fluttered open, her consciousness still hazy. But the moment her gaze fell on anxious, caring Nora by the bedside, her heart skipped a beat. It was the scene she had imagined so many times before.

For a moment, Victoria even wondered if this was a beautiful hallucination brought on by the brink of death.

Nora's eyes were slightly red-rimmed, and she gently took Victoria's hand in hers. Carrying a hint of genuine relief and lingering fear, she said, "Victoria, you're finally awake. I was so scared last night. I felt like I'd lost a part of myself. I just hope you'll be okay."

Then she leaned closer to Victoria, touching foreheads, as if to check if Victoria still had a fever.

Victoria shook her head slightly, staring at Nora without blinking.

"You silly girl, how did you end up like this?" Nora frowned slightly and continued, "You have no idea how worried I was. From the moment I heard you were in trouble, I couldn't rest. I prayed all night for your safety."

Her voice trembled, clearly scared. Victoria's tears started flowing, each one soaking into the pillow.

"Why are you crying? Are you in pain? If it hurts, tell me, and I'll call the doctor." Nora scanned Victoria's body, worried she might be uncomfortable. She gently pulled up Victoria's blanket, covering her with tender care.

A warm feeling surged in Victoria's heart; she had never felt such genuine concern from Nora. She choked back tears and tried to control her emotions. She said, "Mom, don't worry; I'm fine."

At that moment, she seemed to forget all her pain and grievances, feeling only warmth.

However, this feeling didn't last long. Nora hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject. "Victoria, Bobby's training camp is really important. Could you..."

Victoria's face instantly turned stiff and grim. She realized that Nora's concern was all a facade, just an attempt to ask for money. Her throat tightened, as she felt like a thorn was stuck, making it hard to speak.

She bit down hard to stop her tears from falling, her voice trembling, "Mom, why have you always favored Bobby? Even now, you still think of him first. Aren't I your child, too?"

Her voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her thoughts instantly returned to the past, scenes of being ignored and treated differently by Nora playing like a movie in her mind.

"When Bobby was sick, you dropped everything to stay by his side day and night, applying ointment and feeding him, your face filled with tender affection. But when I had a high fever, I lay alone in my room, calling out for you but getting no response. In the end, it was the nanny who couldn't bear to see me like that. She brought me a glass of water and some medicine." Victoria's eyes were filled with pain.

"At the school's parent-child event, all the other kids were with their moms, but I could only watch enviously. You said you had to take Booby to his painting class, and I didn't even have the courage to ask you to stay with me... For Bobby's birthday, there's always a party, with gifts and trips, but what about mine? Do you even remember my birthday?"

She continued, "When Bobby drew a decent picture, you couldn't wait to frame it and hang it in the living room, showing off his talent to everyone. But even when I won an award at school and brought my drawing home, you didn't even glance at the gift and just tossed it aside."

Victoria's voice grew more agitated, "After Dad's accident, I dropped out of college, running around every day for your medical bills and Bobby's tuition and living expenses, exhausted. Yet, all I got in return was even more unfair treatment from you."

At the mention of Alvin, Victoria became increasingly emotional. She clutched her chest, crying out in anguish, "Why? What did I do wrong? All the grievances and hardships I've endured, you never cared. It was always for Bobby, making me sacrifice myself. I'm your daughter too! Why can't you treat me fairly for once?"

Victoria's heart was filled with despair and pain. She looked at Nora, her eyes full of questions and expectations, hoping for a reasonable explanation.

Nora, however, was completely indifferent to her pain and said, "You're the older sister; you should take care of Bobby. Besides, money's easy for you now, so why not help him out?"

Hearing Nora's words, Victoria felt her anger and grievances boil over. She shouted, "I've had enough! I'm not your ATM! I have my own life, my own dreams. Why do you never consider my feelings?"

Victoria and Nora argued fiercely, their words cutting and intense. Victoria's heart was heavy with sorrow and helplessness. She realized that Nora might never change, and all her years of expectations and efforts were in vain.

Meanwhile, William stood at the doorway, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. His deep eyes flickered with surprise for a moment, before a more complex emotion crossed his face. He had heard the argument between Victoria and Nora.

After a bit, William opened the door and walked in. Seeing him, Victoria turned her head away, wiping her tears with her sleeve, not wanting him to see her in such a miserable and painful state.

William looked at her sad face and felt his heart stir slightly. He didn't say anything, just standing there silently, and the room fell into an awkward silence.

In the end, it was Nora who couldn't stand it, glaring at Victoria hatefully before turning back to her room. Before leaving, she even took the apple she had peeled for Victoria, intending to give it to Bobby later.

The hospital room was now empty, except for the two of them.