Chapter 224
A woman's intuition is a finely tuned instrument, particularly in the case of someone like Victoria, who found herself perpetually insecure within the confines of her marriage.
Victoria was acutely aware of the tactics she had employed to secure Caleb's hand in matrimony all those years ago.
Throughout their four-year union, Victoria had never managed to find a place within Caleb's heart, not even for a fleeting moment.
While his physical presence was a constant within their home, Caleb had erected an emotional barricade that Victoria found impenetrable. All of Caleb's affection was reserved solely for their daughter, and if it hadn't been for her, their marriage would likely have crumbled long ago.
"What are you doing?" Caleb's voice echoed as he entered the room.
"Nothing," Victoria replied, hastily concealing her suspicions as she casually discarded a suit bearing the scent of another woman's perfume onto the floor. "Where were you tonight?"
"That's none of your concern," Caleb retorted, his tone icy.
Caleb's long eyelashes framed eyes that should have been warm and inviting. Instead, they were cold and distant. He exhibited no warmth towards Victoria, transforming into an entirely different person in the presence of their daughter. To their child, Caleb was a doting father. To Victoria, he was a stranger.
Victoria often found herself envious of her own daughter. If only Caleb could gaze upon her with such affection, her heart would surely melt. But four years had passed, and such a moment had never come to pass.
Observing his tall, upright figure, Victoria found it hard to accept. Was she truly inferior to the other woman, a woman he had known for less than a month?
Was his heart truly devoted to this stranger?
Nonsense!
From the beginning until now, she was Caleb's wife, and that woman was nothing more than an interloper.
"You're constantly attending social gatherings. Don't you ever tire?" Victoria had made countless attempts to thaw Caleb's icy demeanor with her warmth. They say a woman's greatest weapon is her tenderness, so Victoria swallowed her resentment and anger, tempered her fiery temper, and learned to be as gentle as a flowing stream.
Victoria approached Caleb, her fingers reaching out to unbutton his shirt, but he smoothly sidestepped her.
Her fingers hung awkwardly in the air.
She clenched her teeth in frustration.
Was this man devoid of emotion?
"I missed you so much today..." Victoria wrapped her arms around Caleb's broad back, her resentment momentarily forgotten in the comforting scent of him. Only Caleb could bring her a sense of tranquility.
"Honey..." Victoria's voice was soft and pleading, her hands slowly reaching out to him...
But Caleb shrugged her off.
He offered no excuses, simply rejecting her outright.
A flicker of anger sparked in Victoria's eyes. "You're my husband."
"When we married, I made my intentions clear," he retorted.
He would never love Victoria. Caleb had married her solely to provide their daughter with a stable family unit.
"I remember it clearly. There's no need to remind me," Victoria spat out through gritted teeth. "Daughter, daughter, everything is for our daughter. What about me? I'm a woman of flesh and blood too. I have feelings, I have emotions, and you're causing me pain."
Caleb had no desire to engage in a quarrel.
"I'm going to take a shower."
Victoria seized Caleb's hand, "Who were you with tonight?"
"You're too possessive," Caleb's cold expression betrayed a hint of irritation.
"I'm your wife, don't I have the right to know? Were you with another woman? And you've been drinking..."
"Yes, I was with another woman. Are you satisfied now?" Caleb wrenched his hand free from Victoria's grasp.
"Caleb!" Victoria's anger flared. "It's been four years. Is your heart made of stone?"
Caleb turned his back to her, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Caleb's heart wasn't made of stone, it was devoid of life.
Caleb was acutely aware of his own emotions. He could clearly distinguish between his feelings for his loved ones and others. There was no room in his heart for burgeoning affection. Instead, his disdain for Victoria grew with each passing day. By now, merely seeing Victoria or hearing her voice was enough to irritate Caleb.
Without another word, Caleb disappeared into the bathroom.
With a surge of fury, Victoria seized a vase, her grip tight and trembling. Yet, she found herself unable to shatter it, the destructive impulse waning as quickly as it had come. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, a testament to the anger coursing through her veins.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the pillows and blankets strewn haphazardly on the couch. They seemed to assault her vision, a stark reminder of the discord in her life.
In the early years of their daughter's life, Victoria and Caleb had maintained separate bedrooms. When their little girl turned two, Caleb moved into Victoria's room, but they remained divided, each confined to their own side of the bed. Victoria had tried every trick in the book to seduce Caleb, but he always managed to evade her advances.
The most extreme instance was when Victoria, stripped bare, had been met with nothing but a cold stare from Caleb. "Stop humiliating yourself," he had said, his words a chilling rebuke. Indeed, Victoria had been humiliated, her dignity eroding ever since she had become Caleb's wife.
Her resentment towards him grew, the seeds of hatred taking root and flourishing within her.
...
The sound of rushing water filled the air as it cascaded over Caleb's muscular form. He leaned against the tiled wall, one hand braced against the cool surface. His face was taut, his eyes filled with a chilling intensity. They were bloodshot, a shocking contrast to his usually composed demeanor.
Just moments ago, he had been keeping vigil by his daughter's bedside, watching her sleep peacefully. He had made a promise to himself to sever ties with Susan, a woman who held a dangerous sway over him, threatening to shatter his self-control.
Caleb couldn't afford to let his daughter down, to risk losing her. He was forced to make a choice. His daughter was his angel, his most precious treasure. And Susan? She was nothing more than a woman who wanted to have her cake and eat it too, now reduced to a pitiful creature.
He had to distance himself from her.
...
As dawn broke, Caleb slid into the backseat of his company car. The driver stole a glance at him through the rearview mirror, noting the furrowed brow that was an unusual sight. Caleb, who typically spent the drive engrossed in paperwork, seemed to be wrestling with something today.
Could the Eilish Group be on the brink of bankruptcy? The driver's mind raced, conjuring up all sorts of scenarios that could possibly trouble a man of Caleb's stature.
Caleb's phone was warm in his hand from constant use, his fingertips swiping across the screen in a restless rhythm. Eventually, his gaze hardened, a decision made. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"I'll leave the villa in your charge. I'll have someone contact you later," he said, his voice steady. With that, he ended the call.
His emotions were a tangled mess, a mix of relief and regret. Susan. That damned woman. The Eilish Group.
...
Upon arriving at work, Layla was immediately summoned to Susan's office.
"Mrs. Susan," she greeted.
"Take a seat," Susan instructed.
"I can see that you've adjusted your state of mind these past couple of days," Susan observed, studying Layla's face. Layla's demeanor reminded her of her own in the aftermath of a breakup.
The things that hit women hardest in this world were not career setbacks, but emotional ones.
"Hmm," was all Layla offered in response. She was now driven by a singular goal: to earn money to support herself. When one's focus was so narrow, there were fewer distractions.
The heartbreak she was currently experiencing was far more intense than when she had ended things with Vincent. But Layla held onto the belief that those who were financially struggling didn't have the luxury of wallowing in sadness.
"Can you handle the resort project?" Susan asked.
"Sure."
"Do you want to take on another project?"
Layla's interest was piqued. Another project meant more money.
"What project?"
"My friend's villa needs renovation, and I'm too busy to handle it. I'm looking for an assistant."
"How long will it take, and how will the profits be split?"
"Four months. Two hundred thousand dollars," Layla asked directly, and Susan answered decisively.
Four months...
Layla did some quick mental calculations. By then, she would be five months pregnant. She was already thin, and if she ate a little less and wore thick clothes, her belly shouldn't be noticeable. After all, there were celebrities who were six or seven months pregnant and still managed to hide it, right?
"Okay."
Two hundred thousand dollars was a significant amount for Layla, enough to support her and her unborn child for over a year. After that, she could continue working.
"While the company usually turns a blind eye to accepting private projects, it's not advisable to promote it too much," Susan warned. She had chosen Layla not only for her talent but also for her discreet nature. Their team was a female legion, and with so many people, there was always the risk of gossip and misunderstandings.
"Yes, I understand."
"In the afternoon, go to the construction site. Oh, and there are some issues with relocation compensation over there, so be careful."
"Alright."