Chapter 135

As he held her, he was stunned by how frail she had become, her body feeling almost weightless.

He cradled her gently, afraid that even the slightest pressure might hurt her.

Victoria was rushed to the hospital, and it was only then that William learned about the various tortures she had endured while being held captive.

Her ankle wound, untreated for too long, had become severely infected. She had multiple soft tissue injuries, and a heavy blow to her forehead might leave a scar. The concussion she suffered was also quite serious.

Looking at the unconscious Victoria on the hospital bed, William's eyes were as cold as ice, his entire presence radiating a chilling aura.

He knew she had chosen this path herself, but he couldn't suppress the fury burning inside him.

No one who hurt her would escape unscathed.

Since she had suffered so much, he would make sure Bobby and Nora paid a heavy price!

"Get that house under Nora's name transferred to Victoria," William ordered Harry in a low voice.

Harry was momentarily stunned. "Mr. Scott, you mean...?"

"The money for that house came from framing Victoria. It rightfully belongs to her. As for how to get Nora to agree, figure it out."

William's tone was calm, as if he were discussing something trivial.

Harry understood and nodded.

After a night of treatment, Victoria felt much better.

The door to her hospital room slowly opened, and a figure appeared in the doorway.

Victoria looked up and saw Samuel.

Samuel, in a wheelchair, struggled to push himself to her bedside. He looked at Victoria's pale face, his eyes flickering with emotion.

His assistant placed a thermos on the table and opened it, revealing steaming oatmeal.

Samuel quietly watched Victoria for a moment before speaking. "I brought you some oatmeal. You should eat a little."

Victoria nodded slightly and said softly, "Thanks, Samuel."

A bitter smile appeared on Samuel's lips. "Why didn't you contact me first? I had to hear about it from your colleagues."

Victoria lowered her head, feeling a bit guilty. "I just didn't want to worry you."

"But you could contact William?" Samuel's tone was tinged with dissatisfaction and hurt.

Victoria quickly explained, "No, I contacted Elara's son, Robert. I didn't reach out to William; he came on his own."

Samuel took a deep breath, a hint of self-mockery flashing across his face. "You thought of others but not me."

"It's not like that, Samuel. Please don't misunderstand..."

"Just eat something first." Samuel interrupted her, his mood low, but he still carefully serving the oatmeal and handing it to Victoria.

Victoria took the oatmeal, feeling a bit uneasy.

She hadn't contacted Samuel because she didn't want to burden him. The situation she was involved in was complicated, and she would feel even more guilty if he got dragged into it.

But now, she felt like she had indeed hurt him.

Samuel watched Victoria's thoughtful expression, then turned slightly to face her directly. "Victoria, you said you wanted to be with me."

Victoria had no response. She had let him down.

"But when you were in danger, you didn't think of me first and kept me in the dark. Do you know how much that hurt? It shows that I'm not important enough to you, that I haven't done enough to make you trust me."

Victoria hurried to explain, "It's really not what you think. I was just so panicked at the time, only thinking about how to escape. I didn't consider everything."

"So, you didn't intentionally ignore me?"

"Of course not, Samuel. You mean a lot to me."

Samuel looked into Victoria's sincere eyes and nodded. "Alright, I believe you."

Victoria breathed a sigh of relief but still felt a bit uneasy.

Samuel chatted with Victoria for a while, and the conversation turned to her family.

"What are you going to do about your mom?" Samuel asked.

Victoria's eyes dimmed. "I don't know. She's always hated me. This incident might make her hate me even more."

Samuel hesitated before saying, "I heard her condition has worsened. She might need a kidney transplant."

Victoria's hand trembled slightly as she looked up at him.

"If they can't find a suitable donor, they'll have to look for a match among relatives. Your mom doesn't have other close relatives, so..."

"It's just me and Bobby," Victoria said calmly.

She had anticipated this outcome long ago.

In fact, she had already decided that if there was no other way, she would give one of her kidneys to her mother.

Samuel sat nearby, his brows furrowed, his gaze fixed on Victoria's face, wanting to speak but holding back.

Nora had always been harsh on her, often withholding the care she deserved. But blood ties were hard to sever, and how could he persuade her to give up on saving Nora?

If he were in her shoes, he wouldn't be able to make such a choice either.

However, Victoria seemed particularly serene, showing little worry. She said lightly, "If it really comes to that, maybe it would be a kind of release for me."

She felt that the suffering she had endured over the years was like a long journey of repaying debts.

If she could repay Nora's debt of raising her with her kidney, it might be a good ending.

Samuel's hospital was elsewhere, and the on-duty doctor had called several times urging him to return.

He wheeled himself forward a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back, hugging Victoria tightly, his arms closing around her.

Victoria stiffened, letting him hold her. After a moment, she reached out and hugged him back.

Samuel's voice sounded in her ear, "Victoria, I'm your boyfriend. You need to learn to rely on me. I'll always be there for you."

Hearing this, Victoria felt a warmth in her heart, her eyes moistening.

Yes, since she had chosen to be with him, she should forget the past and start anew.

She closed her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. "Thank you, Samuel."

Samuel pulled away and tucked her in. "Get some rest."

"Okay, be careful on your way back," Victoria reminded him.

Samuel nodded and gave her a bright smile.

Just then, the door opened.

It was William.

He held a document in his hand and saw the intimate embrace between the two. His eyes instantly turned cold.

Samuel looked at him, seemingly oblivious to his dark expression, and smiled. "Mr. Scott, thanks for bringing my Victoria to the hospital."

He emphasized "my Victoria."

William glanced at Victoria, then regained his composure, his indifferent gaze shifting to Samuel. "It was nothing."

"Victoria, I'll see you tomorrow," Samuel said.

Victoria nodded, watching Samuel leave.

William stood by, his face growing darker, the air around him thick with an oppressive tension.

After Samuel left, the room became eerily quiet. Victoria swallowed nervously, sneaking a glance at William.

She noticed his fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms.

Victoria's heart tightened, feeling inexplicably guilty.

"Do you love him?" William suddenly asked, his voice icy, as if laced with shards of ice.

Victoria, feeling guilty, avoided his gaze and stammered, "He's my boyfriend. Of course, I love him."

William stared at Victoria, his pupils contracting, a surge of anger igniting within him.