Chapter 171

"That's good, that's good," Daisy sighed in relief, her whole body seeming to deflate as she collapsed onto the couch and fell into a deep sleep.

She hadn't had a good night's sleep in ages.

Victoria grabbed a blanket and gently covered her.

Then she gave William a look, signaling him to follow her into another room of the suite.

William could tell she had something to say, so he followed her without a word.

Once inside, Victoria stared at him intently, trying to read his expression.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

But she couldn't pinpoint what it was, or maybe she was just too scared, causing her to imagine things.

William quickly noticed Victoria's gaze on him. His eyes fell on her pale face, and he frowned slightly.

"What are you looking at?" he asked calmly.

"Do you think you can do it?"

Hearing the worry in her voice, William felt a surprising warmth in his heart. He looked at her with a faint smile. "Are you worried about me, or worried that I won't be able to save your dad?"

Victoria bit her lip and said nothing.

"If something happens to me, wouldn't you be free? You wouldn't have to deal with me anymore, or be tangled up in all this mess. You could completely move on, live the life you want, marry Samuel, have kids, and..."

"Stop it!" Victoria suddenly looked up, her eyes red as she interrupted him. "Do you think saying this is funny? Does it make you feel accomplished? Do you think saying this will make me feel guilty, make me reluctant to let you go? Well, it won't! I'll just feel relieved, finally free from you! I'll be happy every day, and I'll forget all about you!"

Her eyes were red, tears clinging to her lashes, making her look especially pitiful.

William was stunned, staring at her in a daze, unable to react.

He suddenly remembered the first time he met her, how she looked when she cried. Back then, she was like a wounded kitten, fragile and helpless.

At that time, Alvin was already in prison, and he hadn't planned on seeking further revenge.

But seeing Victoria's pitiful appearance, he impulsively suggested becoming her sugar daddy.

He told himself it was just to get back at Alvin, not because he had any feelings for Victoria.

Maybe he had been wrong from the start.

If he could do it over, he would protect her, not let anyone hurt her, including himself.

William looked at her deeply, feeling a soft spot in his heart being gently touched.

Suddenly, he pulled Victoria into his arms.

"Let go of me! You jerk! I have a boyfriend, you have no right to hold me like this! William! I'm warning you! Don't touch me! You bastard, you scoundrel!"

Her struggle was pointless, and all she could do was shouting: "Get off me! Let go! I hate you! I never want to see you again! You piece of trash!"

"If you keep cursing, I might not be able to resist making love to you," he whispered in her ear, his tone calm.

Victoria froze, staring at him in disbelief. "You're crazy!"

"Stop it," William scolded softly in her ear.

Victoria was stunned, her body ceasing to struggle.

After a moment, she seemed to come to her senses and punched William hard in the chest.

But William didn't let go, instead holding her even tighter.

"Victoria, I'm really sorry," he said, his voice low and hoarse, filled with helplessness and fatigue. "What happened back then was my fault. You can blame me. But Victoria, I really love you. Whether you believe it or not, if I save your father, can you forgive me?"

He didn't say anything more, just rested his chin on Victoria's shoulder, holding her as if he wanted to merge her into his body.

At that moment, Victoria found herself speechless, overwhelmed with emotion.

She had always thought William would never bow to her, that he would always be proud and strong. But she never expected him to have such a moment of helplessness and humility.

William, who had always been so high and mighty, was now holding her tightly, apologizing in a low voice.

But the obstacles between them were no longer just about Alice.

As long as the truth about his parents' death remained unknown, Alvin would be responsible in William's eyes.

And Alvin's imprisonment was partly William's doing.

Not to mention the past two years of humiliation and torment she had endured from him, all in the name of revenge against Alvin.

Forgive him?

How could she?

Victoria closed her eyes, hiding the tumultuous emotions within.

After a long while, she slowly spoke, her voice choked and hoarse. "William, it's impossible for us."

William's body shook violently, then he released Victoria.

Seeing his desolate expression, Victoria bit her lip and looked away.

William was silent for a moment before he slowly said, "No matter what, I'll save your dad. Don't worry."

Hearing this, Victoria looked up at him. After a moment, she slowly said, "William, if-I'm saying if-something goes wrong, I want you to protect yourself first. You have no obligation to risk your life for my dad. It's not worth it for anyone."

William looked deeply at Victoria. After a long pause, he slowly replied, "I understand. You stay here and wait for news. I'll go prepare."

With that, he turned and left, his figure appearing lonely and desolate.

Victoria watched his tall, rigid back, her eyes gradually filling with tears.

After William left, Daisy came in.

It turned out she hadn't been asleep earlier; she just wanted to give them space to talk.

But the outcome might not have been what she had hoped for.

Daisy hadn't slept in two or three days, dark circles under her eyes making her look even more haggard.

Seeing her worn-out appearance, Victoria couldn't help but urge, "Ms. Scott, why don't you get some sleep? I'll wake you if there's any news."

Daisy waved her off, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. She took a deep drag and exhaled a long stream of smoke.

Then she mechanically took out another cigarette and offered it to Victoria.

This time, Victoria didn't refuse. She took the cigarette, lit it, and sat on the couch with Daisy.

Outside, the night grew darker.

Daisy became increasingly restless, her fingers tapping incessantly on her knees.

However, in front of Victoria, she tried to maintain her composure, though her hand trembled uncontrollably as she tried to light the cigarette. After several failed attempts, she threw the lighter and unlit cigarette onto the table in frustration.

Seeing this, Victoria silently got up and poured a glass of water, placing it gently in front of Daisy.

After a moment's hesitation, she softly asked, "Ms. Scott, can I ask why you followed my dad to Xandria?"

Hearing this, Daisy gave a bitter smile and looked up at Victoria. "Because I love your dad. I've loved him for over ten years."