Chapter 201
Victoria kept her head down, avoiding his gaze, her fingers nervously tugging at the hem of her shirt, clearly uneasy.
To Samuel, she looked like she had been wronged.
Seeing that Victoria didn't want to say more, he didn't press further. He sighed softly, took off his jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. "Alright, I'll take you home."
She wanted to refuse, knowing that Hannah was coming over soon, and it wouldn't be proper if he wasn't there to greet her.
But Samuel's face was stern as he grabbed their coats, gave a few quick instructions to the housekeeper, and hurried out with her.
As their car was about to leave the gates of The Brown Villa, it passed by the Wright family's car.
Victoria glanced out the window and saw Hannah.
"She's the Ms. Wright you met at the restaurant the other day, right?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Samuel's face before he regained his composure. "Yeah, her name's Hannah."
Victoria nodded slightly. "She's very pretty."
"You saw her, and you don't feel never mind." Samuel felt a tightness in his chest, like something was blocking his breath.
Hannah also noticed his car, her gaze lingering on it briefly, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Dad, stop the car!" Hannah's clear voice rang out.
Her father immediately hit the brakes.
Hannah pushed open the door and, like a nimble deer, ran to the roadside, waving her arms energetically. "Samuel! Samuel!"
Her voice was particularly loud in the crisp early spring air, filled with a mix of girlish charm and anticipation.
By this time, Samuel's car had already driven a short distance from The Brown Villa's gate.
Seeing this, Victoria quickly said, "Samuel, stop the car."
"What for?" Samuel turned his head slightly, a hint of displeasure in his expression, his brows furrowing. "You know who she is, but you don't seem to care?"
Victoria understood that the Wright family had connections with the Brown family, so they were all coming to visit today.
Victoria had to think about Samuel's position and not make things difficult for him, despite her awkwardness.
While she was thinking, Hannah had already run over.
Samuel remained seated in the driver's seat, his back straight, unmoved.
Victoria couldn't pretend not to see. She rolled down the window and offered a polite smile. "Ms. Wright, hello."
Hannah's eyes flashed with a quick, fleeting surprise. She glanced at Victoria briefly, then smiled back with a simple, "Hi."
Then she turned her attention to Samuel, asking enthusiastically, "Samuel, are you going out?"
"Yeah." Samuel responded absentmindedly, glancing at her briefly, his expression clearly saying, "I don't want to deal with you right now."
"When will you be back? I'll wait for you!" Hannah asked warmly, seemingly oblivious to his coldness.
"Is there something you need?" Samuel's voice was deep and rich, tinged with emotion. He was still upset about Victoria's earlier indifference.
"Nothing much, just wanted to chat with you." Hannah was slightly taken aback, probably not expecting Samuel to be so unkind.
She then looked at Victoria, her gaze inscrutable.
Victoria knew that Hannah was affected by her presence, but it wasn't the right time to address it. She lowered her voice and gently chided Samuel, "Be nicer to Ms. Wright. She's a girl, don't make her feel uncomfortable."
Samuel sighed softly, as if resigned to Victoria's kindness, or perhaps convincing himself to let go of his emotions.
Samuel adjusted his posture slightly, turned to face Hannah, and put on a polite smile. "Ms. Wright, what I meant was, I'm really busy today and probably won't have time. Don't wait up for me."
Though his words were perfunctory, Hannah smiled again upon hearing his explanation. "Alright, we'll chat another time."
Before leaving, she playfully waved at him. "I'll be waiting for your call."
She looked every bit like a girl in love.
Before leaving, she gave Victoria a thoughtful glance.
Samuel stepped on the gas, and the car sped away.
Inside the car, Victoria knew what he was upset about. After a moment of silence, she cautiously looked at him and said softly, "It's not that I don't care. I just have faith in you, so I didn't question you. I believe you have your reasons."
"You have so much faith in me, I should be happy, right? But no matter how much faith you have, knowing your boyfriend is meeting another woman, you should still be a little upset, right?" Samuel said, though her words warmed his heart, and his grip on the steering wheel relaxed slightly.
"If you understand that, then why did you go? No matter the reason, meeting another woman when you have a girlfriend isn't good for either of us, right?" Victoria tilted her chin slightly, her gaze stubborn.
Samuel was momentarily speechless, opening his mouth but saying nothing.
After a moment, he shook his head lightly, as if mocking his own actions or marveling at Victoria's perceptiveness.
During a red light, he gently ruffled her hair, his touch tender and affectionate. "Now you're finally acting like a girlfriend."
There was a hint of a smile in his voice, as if the earlier tension had dissipated.
Victoria huffed, pretending to be angry. "I'm understanding, and you don't appreciate it? Fine, let's hurt each other then!"
"Yes, yes, it's my fault. I shouldn't have met another woman behind my dear girlfriend's back." Samuel apologized, but there was a hint of pride on his face, feeling pleased that she cared about him.
Back at The Carter Villa, Victoria urged him to go back.
"You're so eager for me to go back and see her?" Samuel's tone was calm, but the slight rise in his voice betrayed his emotions.
Victoria couldn't help but smile. She said softly, "It's basic courtesy and represents your family's hospitality. Besides, would you do anything to betray me?"
"Of course not!" Samuel denied without hesitation.
Victoria smiled and said, "So, what are you worried about?"
Samuel stared at her face, then suddenly leaned in and kissed her on the lips, quickly pulling back with a satisfied smile.
Victoria was stunned for a moment, her face turning red. She playfully slapped him a few times. "You rascal, get going!"
"Bye-bye!" Samuel winked at her before stepping on the gas and driving away.
Victoria stood there, watching the taillights fade into the distance, lost in thought.
After a while, she turned to unlock the door.
To her surprise, she heard familiar voices inside.
"Alvin, please help us! For the sake of our years together, help Bobby and me. I have no other options." Nora's voice was trembling with tears.
"Dad, even though I'm not your biological son, we've been family for years. Please help me.. I don't want to go back to prison. It's unbearable there. I beg you!" Bobby's voice was even more desperate.
Bobby?
Victoria was shocked.
Wasn't he in prison? How did he get out?