Chapter 110

Victoria gazed out the window, and sure enough, she saw snowflakes drifting down, swirling beautifully.

Watching the snowflakes dance, Victoria was momentarily stunned. Suddenly, she remembered it was snowing the day Alvin was arrested.

In the blink of an eye, Alvin had already been in prison for two years.

Time flies so fast, and Christmas was just a month away.

Victoria's nose tingled with a hint of sadness.

William noticed the subtle change in Victoria's expression, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.

He then stood up, pulled Victoria from her seat, and helped her into a thick coat and scarf. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

Victoria was taken aback, not understanding why William suddenly wanted to go for a walk tonight.

She nodded and followed William outside.

The night wind blew, messing up Victoria's hair.

The dim streetlights illuminated their clasped hands.

Victoria's hand was cold and soft, but touching it brought a sense of warmth.

William tightened his grip on her hand, walking forward with steady steps, not looking back.

They walked side by side, William glancing at her. She walked with her head down like a docile little kitten, her long eyelashes covering her eyes.

William suddenly laughed, his laughter filled with joy.

Victoria looked up at him in confusion. "What are you laughing at?"

William chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Nothing."

He seemed to be in a very good mood.

Victoria blinked and didn't ask further.

This moment was too beautiful, so beautiful that it made one forget the passage of time.

She didn't want to break it.

Colorful lights twinkled, and the surroundings were filled with a strong Christmas atmosphere. The store windows were adorned with vibrant decorations.

They walked side by side on the wide street, a thin layer of snow underfoot, making a rhythmic crunching sound.

Walking in the cold wind, Victoria couldn't help but shiver. William considerately took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"Put it on," he said softly.

Victoria shook her head. "It's okay."

William frowned slightly and forcefully wrapped the coat around her, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "You must wear it!"

His tone was so domineering that Victoria eventually gave in, letting William wrap the coat around her.

They continued walking. When they passed a coffee shop, Victoria stopped.

It seemed like a long time since she had enjoyed her time in a café. The last time was back in college when she still had a bright future ahead.

William followed Victoria's gaze to the coffee shop and said lightly, "Want to go in?"

Victoria hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist her inner desire. "Okay, thank you."

They entered the shop, which was quite crowded. Many people were holding steaming cups of coffee, enjoying the warmth.

Victoria ordered two lattes and pushed one in front of William. "You should try it. It's really good."

William glanced at her, then picked up the straw and took a sip.

After tasting it, he stared at her with a complex expression for a few seconds before finally speaking. "It's too sweet."

Victoria was momentarily speechless and silently sipped her latte.

Holding their warm lattes, they continued strolling and arrived at a square where a giant Christmas tree was set up, adorned with exquisite lights, shining brightly under the falling snow.

Victoria was captivated and couldn't help but look at it a few more times.

William took the opportunity to wrap his arm around Victoria's shoulders, leaning close to her ear. "Christmas is coming soon. If you have any wishes, just tell me. This year, I'll be your Santa Claus."

Victoria's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at him in surprise. "You want to grant my wish?"

"Yes," William said with a gentle smile.

Victoria bit her lip, sighed, and smiled bitterly. "My wish is impossible to fulfill."

"Is there a wish I can't fulfill?" William raised an eyebrow.

Victoria smiled but didn't say anything.

"Tell me," William urged with interest.

Victoria hesitated for a moment but finally mustered the courage to voice her wish. "I wish my dad could be released from prison so our family could spend Christmas together."

William fell silent after hearing this.

Victoria knew this wish was difficult to achieve. Seeing William's silence, she didn't press further.

The mood between them grew quiet.

The snow fell heavier, and William hailed a cab, taking Victoria back to the hotel. They went to their respective rooms.

William didn't come to see her again.

Victoria knew that her relationship with William couldn't be exposed.

It was impossible that William didn't have any feelings for her.

But they both knew that the gap between them was too wide, with too many issues beyond just their family backgrounds.

William maintained a physical relationship with her, helped her pay off debts, covered Nora's medical bills, and protected her when she was in trouble. But he would never publicly acknowledge her as his girlfriend.

Victoria could never become his wife.

William might like her, but that affection hadn't reached the level of love, let alone the point where he couldn't live without her.

Their current warmth or intimacy was fleeting; they had no future together.

The next day, Victoria checked out of the hotel and moved to the one arranged by Starry Studio Gallery.

Although it was much less luxurious than the one William had booked, at least she could stay there quietly without so many worries.

Victoria stood in the center of the exhibition hall, her heart surging with excitement.

It was empty now, waiting to be transformed into a creative and cozy home display area by her.

She took a deep breath and prepared to start her layout work.

Victoria sketched her initial ideas on the blueprint. She envisioned an open-plan living and dining area to showcase the fluidity and flexibility of modern home design.

As she focused on marking the blueprint, Alton arrived.

The exhibition was hosted by the Bridges Group, and Alton, as the heir to the Bridges family, was naturally involved.

Seeing Victoria, he smiled warmly. "Victoria, are you working on the design?"

Victoria put down her pen and nodded politely. "Yes."

Alton walked over, his gaze falling on the design draft on the table. He smiled and praised, "It looks great. As expected of Joshua's student."

"You're too kind," Victoria said modestly.

Victoria began directing the staff to move in the furniture and arrange it according to her design. Alton helped out on the side.

After finishing all the work, Victoria breathed a sigh of relief, stretched, and looked at the clock on the wall. It was already 8:30 PM.

Seeing the fatigue on her face, Alton smiled and said, "You must be exhausted. Let me take you back to rest."