Chapter 97

"William!" Victoria whispered, tears streaming down her face.

William pulled her close, his eyes blazing as he glared at the people who had been attacking her. An aura of terrifying anger radiated from him.

The onlookers, feeling the chill emanating from William, took a few steps back in fear.

"Listen up," William growled, his voice low and menacing, "if anyone lays a finger on her again, I'll make sure they regret it."

The attackers swallowed nervously. They didn't know who William was, but his presence alone was enough to make them tremble.

Alice had come out to watch the spectacle, never expecting William to rush in and defend Victoria like this. After all, Alvin, the man responsible for his parents' deaths, was someone William had always hated the most. How could he be so protective of that woman?

Alice's chest ached with anger. She suppressed her fury and feigned concern, saying, "William, be careful not to get hurt yourself. Come back here."

William hadn't been this angry in years. This time, he was truly furious. He had just left the conference hall when he saw a large group of people surrounding and beating Victoria. Her frail body couldn't possibly withstand such an assault. And some despicable men were even taking the opportunity to sexually harass her!

William's eyes narrowed with a vicious glint, and a cold, murderous aura surrounded him. He reached out with his long, elegant fingers, grabbed a lecherous middle-aged man, and threw him to the ground with force.

The man screamed in pain.

William's icy gaze then fell on two other lecherous men. He kicked them both in the ribs, causing them to collapse to the ground, writhing in agony.

Suppressing his violent emotions, William bent down and lifted Victoria into his arms, striding towards the car without looking back.

Victoria buried her face in his broad chest, her tears soaking his expensive cashmere sweater. William felt a sharp pain in his heart, a dull ache spreading through his body, making it hard to breathe. He thought of how she had been bullied. If he hadn't been there, the consequences would have been unbearable.

Since Alvin's arrest, Victoria had dropped out of college and, for Nora's sake, had become his sugar baby. She had been bullied by Ella and Alice, cyberbullied, humiliated, and even he had been one of her tormentors.

William closed his eyes, trying to convince himself that she deserved all this because she was Alvin's daughter, the man who had caused his parents' deaths. But seeing others hurt Victoria made him feel a pang of guilt and heartache.

He lowered his gaze, his deep eyes flickering with a dark light, and his thin lips pressed together. He held her soft, fragrant body tightly.

"Don't cry," William sighed softly. "I'll take you to the hospital."

Victoria nodded, feeling a sense of calm wash over her in William's strong embrace. She knew that as long as she was with him, she would be safe.

Bobby, lurking in the shadows, waited for the crowd to thin out before approaching Alice.

"Ms. Garcia, I took a big risk with this," he said, his voice low.

Alice gave him a sly smile. "You did well. The money's already in your account."

Bobby's face lit up with a sycophantic grin. "Thank you, Ms. Garcia."

"I'll arrange for the media to interview you later. Make sure to destroy Victoria's reputation so she can't bounce back," Alice said, her tone dripping with malice, making Bobby shiver.

He felt a twinge of guilt but quickly brushed it aside, thinking of the wealthy classmates who flaunted their riches. If Alvin hadn't failed, he wouldn't have to take such risks himself.

"Don't worry, Ms. Garcia. I'll make sure Victoria is disgraced and ruined."

At the hospital, William stayed with Victoria through her examination.

"Nothing serious, just some superficial injuries. She just needs to rest for a few days," the doctor advised before leaving.

William nodded, watching the sleeping Victoria. Her delicate body was covered in bruises, and the red handprints on her cheeks were particularly shocking. He picked up a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and began to disinfect her wounds.

"Please, it hurts. Stop hitting me," Victoria whimpered in her sleep, her brow furrowed as if trapped in a nightmare.

William's heart ached with pity. It reminded him of his own helplessness when he was bullied after his parents' death. He applied the ointment gently, massaging her swollen areas to ease the pain.

Victoria sighed softly, her brow relaxing as she continued to sleep. He tenderly stroked her swollen cheek and whispered, "It's okay now."

He looked out at the dark sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "I won't let them hurt you again, including myself."

His voice was hoarse, filled with exhaustion and helplessness. William took out his phone and texted Harry: [Suppress tonight's incident. No reports.]

Harry hesitated before sending: [Mr. Scott, tonight's incident was quite public, and it involves the art association's competition.We need to clear Ms. Carter's name first.]

William replied: [I trust you'll find a way.]

Harry stared at the dark screen, muttering to himself, 'Mr. Scott was pushing me to take extreme measures. But what choice did I have? He's the boss.'

William rubbed his temples and stood up. Just as he was about to step out for a smoke, he saw Alice standing outside the room, arms crossed, glaring at him.

He frowned but ignored her.

Alice said coldly, "You took her away in front of everyone. Have you thought about how people will mock me?"

William lit a cigarette, exhaling a smoke ring, and asked nonchalantly, "Did you do this?"