Chapter 213

His breathing grew erratic, the fire in his eyes burning brighter.

He pulled her slender waist towards him, effortlessly wrapping her in his arms.

Victoria gasped, but a large hand lifted her chin, and warm lips pressed against hers.

She felt like she had been struck by lightning, her entire body stiffening, barely daring to breathe.

Her heart pounded wildly.

Her head spun, and she felt as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her cheeks, making her feel unbearably hot.

This was in an elevator!

Any slight movement could draw curious glances from others.

Not to mention, Alice was just a short distance away. Although William's tall frame shielded her completely, she still felt incredibly guilty and nervous, her throat dry, barely able to breathe.

William held her wrist with one hand and cradled the back of her head with the other, deepening the kiss. His lips and tongue forcefully pried open her teeth, exploring and entwining with hers, tasting her sweetness over and over.

His tongue skillfully delved into her mouth, tangling with her own, sucking, licking, and wrapping around it.

It was less a kiss and more an unabashed act of seduction.

And it was happening in plain sight.

Victoria was kissed until she was dizzy, nearly collapsing in his arms.

Finally, he released her, one hand braced against the elevator wall, looking down at her with dark, intense eyes, his voice hoarse. "Victoria, your little mouth only tastes sweet at times like this."

Victoria panted, her heart racing.

She felt like a cat's paw was scratching at her heart, both embarrassed and angry, yet unable to do anything about it.

She glared at him, her face flushed, saying nothing.

William chuckled softly. "What, do you really want to eat me up?"

Victoria was frustrated. William was truly shameless, a complete rogue.

Seeing her puffed-up cheeks, William couldn't help but laugh again, leaning in to kiss the corner of her mouth.

With a buzz, the elevator doors opened.

Victoria exhaled deeply, seizing the opportunity to break free from William's hold, quickly stepping aside, head down, not daring to look at him, and hurriedly stumbled out.

William watched Victoria's hasty retreat, a faint smile playing on his lips, a mix of satisfaction and laziness in his expression.

He leisurely followed, a stark contrast to the domineering intimacy in the elevator.

Alice trailed behind, her head bowed, her face as pale as a sheet.

From the moment they entered the elevator, her eyes had been glued to William and Victoria, not missing a single movement.

When she saw William lean in close to Victoria, his eyes filled with tenderness and unrestrained desire, her heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the dull pain spreading through her body.

She had never seen William like this. Normally, he was polite but distant with her, even when she tried her hardest to get close to him, his eyes never showed such intense emotions.

Her throat felt tight and dry, filled with bitterness.

She remembered the nights she tried to get close to him, even when she let go of all her reservations and exposed herself completely to him.

His gaze remained cold, without a ripple, as if she were just a cold statue, unable to stir any desire in him.

It wasn't that he was naturally indifferent, nor that she wasn't good enough, but simply because she wasn't the one who could make his heart race.

Lost in her pain, Alice was suddenly bumped on the shoulder.

She stumbled, her arm hitting the wall hard, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain, her brows furrowing tightly.

Instinctively, she looked up, searching for William, hoping for a bit of concern from him.

But William's eyes were fixed on Victoria, their figures growing more distant.

Alice stood frozen, staring blankly in their direction, her heart filled with a flood of resentment and unwillingness.

Once, he had promised to protect her for life, but now?

She was hurt, and he just ignored it.

She was bumped, and he remained indifferent.

Outside the hospital, William took a few long strides to block Victoria's path.

His tall, imposing figure exuded a natural pressure. He slightly lowered his head, his gaze locking onto hers, questioning, "What do the Brown family take you for? Are you just going to let them pick on you like this?"

Victoria turned her head, avoiding his intense gaze, her voice tinged with fatigue and helplessness. "They didn't really pick on me. Even if they did, it's my own business. I can handle it."

William snorted, a mocking smile on his lips. "Yeah, you're really something."

Victoria didn't want to argue with him here, feeling irritated, she said, "I'm leaving."

As she turned, a strong hand gripped her slender wrist.

Victoria frowned, trying to shake off his hand, nervously looking around, her tone urgent and unfriendly. "Let go!"

William ignored her, his gaze growing colder, a sneer in his voice. "His mother came to you and said those things, proving Samuel is useless. Artists like them don't understand social niceties, they act on whims. If he had any sense, he would have stepped in to resolve the conflict early on, not letting his mother have the chance to show off and boss you around!"

William didn't give her a chance to defend Samuel, commanding. "Break up with him."

Victoria laughed in exasperation, a mocking smile on her lips.

"Who do you think you are? Why should I listen to you?"

"He's not right for you."

"Then who is? You?"

Victoria's retort was casual, without any hint of suggestion.

But seeing William's brows tighten instantly, she realized her words had crossed a line, touching a nerve.

She smiled self-deprecatingly, quickly explaining. "Don't overthink it, I wasn't trying to provoke you, just stating the facts."

"Yes, I'm," he suddenly said.

Victoria looked at him suspiciously, "What?"

William's gaze was deep, as if it could pull her in, silently staring at her.

"William, you're really going to any lengths to ruin my relationship, aren't you?"

Victoria understood his meaning instantly, but she didn't believe it, thinking he was just causing trouble again.

William raised an eyebrow, a cold laugh escaping his lips. "Relationship? Do you think you're happy? Victoria, is it fun deceiving yourself? Pretending to like him, aren't you tired?"

"I'm not."

"You think Samuel can't see it?"