Chapter 53

Victoria suddenly looked up and locked eyes with Samuel, her heart doing a little flip.

Samuel caught her panicked look and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. He leaned in closer, his warm breath tickling her face.

Victoria instinctively tried to back away, but Samuel moved even closer, pinning her against the car window with nowhere to go.

"Samuel, what are you doing?" Victoria's voice wavered, and she felt the mix of tobacco and his body wash scent surrounding her.

His presence was overwhelming, and she felt like she was drowning in a sea of fire.

Samuel didn't say a word, just placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Victoria was stunned, her mind going blank.

It wasn't until Samuel pulled back that she snapped out of it.

"Samuel, you!" Victoria was at a loss for words.

Samuel gave a small smile and said softly, "Don't worry; I'm not going to rush you. Take your time. I've got plenty of patience."

Victoria hesitated for a moment before nodding, her cheeks turning pink.

Samuel then settled back in his seat, started the car, and headed towards Victoria's place.

He dropped her off at her apartment entrance.

Victoria got out of the car and turned to thank him.

Samuel grabbed a box of nutritional supplements from the trunk and handed it to her. "I've noticed you haven't been sleeping well, so I got these sleep aids for you. Make sure to use them."

Victoria was touched by his thoughtfulness. She pressed her lips together, took the box, and thanked him sincerely.

Just as she was about to leave, Samuel called out to her again.

"Oh, by the way, my parents are coming back soon. They heard their bachelor son finally has a love life and want to invite you to dinner. Would you be up for it?"

Victoria was caught off guard and was about to refuse, but Samuel quickly added, "No pressure. It's just that I've never had a girlfriend, and they keep questioning if there's something wrong with me."

He rubbed his temples in frustration.

Victoria couldn't help but laugh. After a moment, she nodded and agreed, "Alright."

Samuel smiled, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

They set a time to meet, and Samuel drove off.

As soon as Victoria walked through her door, her phone rang. It was Nora.

After a moment of hesitation, she answered.

Nora's cold, mocking voice came through, "Victoria, living the high life now and forgetting about me?"

Victoria frowned, her tone icy. "If you're calling to give me grief, I'm hanging up."

"Don't you dare!" Nora snapped, "I'm your mother! Have you no conscience?"

Victoria sneered, "Conscience? Mom, do you remember what you and Bobby have done recently?" Her voice cracked.

Nora was silent for a moment before recovering.

"Those were just minor things. Why are you being so petty? We're family."

"Locking me in the basement," Victoria said, her voice dangerously low, "almost killing me and subjecting me to online harassment. You call those minor things?"

Nora was speechless.

Victoria took a deep breath, trying to keep her anger and sadness in check. "What do you want from me today?"

Victoria had lost all hope and just wanted to know what Nora had to say.

Nora hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "The hospital is demanding payment."

Victoria knew that Nora only ever contacted her for money, but she still held onto a tiny sliver of hope.

Unfortunately, Nora was still the same.

Thinking of this, Victoria hung up the phone.

Nora, hearing the busy tone, angrily threw her phone on the ground, shattering the screen.

Victoria actually hung up on her!

Fuming, Nora cursed, "Ungrateful brat, even a dog would be more grateful than you."

A nurse entering the room heard Nora's sharp curses, knowing instantly they were directed at Victoria.

They said women could empathize with women.

But Nora, as a mother, was beyond heartless and unfair.

She had been staying in a high-end VIP hospital room for months, all paid for by Victoria.

Yet every time Victoria visited, she never received a kind word.

But Nora was always attentive and caring towards Bobby, who constantly asked her for money.

Victoria had been hospitalized several times, and Nora acted as if nothing had happened, completely indifferent.

The nurse thought that if it were her, she would have gone mad long ago.

A mother like that?

Though the nurse was silently cursing, she still picked up the phone and placed it on the bedside table.

"Ms. Adams, are you alright?" she asked.

Nora glared at her and snapped, "Why so much nonsense! Give me my medicine!"

The nurse rolled her eyes, handed Nora the medicine bottle, and reminded her, "Ms. Adams, the medical fees your daughter paid for you have all been used up. If you don't pay the remaining fees in the next few days, we'll have to discharge you."

Hearing this, Nora immediately got angry.

She retorted, "What do you mean? Are you saying I can't afford to pay?"

However, the nurse shrugged and said nothing.

Nora, furious, pointed at the nurse and yelled, "Get out now!"

The nurse, uninterested in arguing, left the room.

The room fell silent, and Nora, clutching the medicine bottle, was seething with anger.

She had no choice but to call Victoria again.

At that time, Victoria was focused on revising her competition entry. When she finally checked her phone, she saw that Nora had called numerous times.

She rubbed her temples and redialed. "Victoria, are you crazy?!" Nora's voice exploded through the phone. "Why didn't you answer my calls?"

Victoria replied, "I have no money. I can't help you."

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Nora shouted, "I'm being mistreated here. The nurses look at me like I'm a plague, afraid I'll stick around! Victoria, can you really bear to see me kicked out of the hospital and die?"

"I told you, I have no money. Don't you understand?" Victoria was also angry.

She had tolerated Nora enough, but Nora kept pushing, thinking she was easy to bully.

Hearing this, Nora was momentarily speechless, but she didn't believe Victoria.

After all, Victoria's sugar daddy was William from the Scott family, a billionaire family.

How could she have no money?

She was just angry and didn't want to help.

But Nora knew Victoria was decisive and strong-willed, not afraid of confrontation.

Nora took a deep breath, trying to calm her anger, and gently persuaded, "Victoria, even if you're mad at me, you can't ignore your father. The house has been auctioned off. If he knew I was kicked out of the hospital and homeless, how heartbroken would he be?"

Victoria laughed coldly, mocking, "The luxury apartment Bobby lives in was secretly bought by you in his name, right? Why don't you move in with him?"

Nora's heart skipped a beat at Victoria's words.