Chapter 6
“Howard!”
Beatrice excitedly topped at his sleeve.
“I wanted Victoria to be my bridesmaid
Victoria was taken by Howard to the bridal shop she had secretly visited many times.
“Ms. Blackwell! Are you finally getting married?”
The voice of the bridal shop assistant abruptly stopped when she saw the two people behind Victoria.
The Victoria bridal magazine that she had flipped through countless times “plopped” out of her hand and onto the ground, revealing the page with a folded corner.
Howard pushed Beatrice’s shoulder and walked forward, with such force that she bumped into the c
clothes rack
“My fiancée tried on wedding dresses, she will be a bridesmaid.”
Victoria didn’t say anything, she looked up at Howard.
Howard squinted his eyes and smoked, he looked up, the smile behind the smoke was faint
times before going?”
“Didn’t you secretly measure the size three ti
No matter how tightly the curtain in the dressing room was pulled, it couldn’t stop Beatrice’s chattering comments.
Victoria stared at her pale self in the mirror, and the wound on her back split open as she tightened her corset. Blood beads slid down her spine, staining the lining of her wedding dress with tiny red dots.
“Need any help?”
“AL!”
dany
Beatrice suddenly covered her eyes.
scary! Ms. Beauty’s back is so scary!”
When trying on the sixth bridesmaid dress, Beatrice suddenly burst into tears.
“It’s all my fault… Ms. Beauty didn’t like the style I picked…”
Howard nu
I put out his third cigarette, grabbed Victoria’s hand, and pressed it against Beatrice’s head.
*Apologized.”
Victoria’s palm was touching the girl’s soft hair, and she suddenly smiled, bending down close to Beatrice’s tear–stained face.
“I’m sorry.. I dirtied the wedding dress y
you picked.”
In the end, Howard ultimately chose the fishtail satin dress. Victoria had previously secretly tried on three times and gave that one to Beatrice. She watched Beatrice happily signing the bill, and watched Howard showing a doting back
She finally couldn’t take it anymore.
I asked for leave from the organization and went to the busiest bar in the south of the city alone.
“Miss, would you like a drink?”
The man who was chatting with her was “Okay.”
was wearing the saine watch as Howard Victoria stared at the ticking
ticking second hand on the dial and suddenly smiled.
This was already the fifth one tonight. In the past, those people’s wine glasses would have been shattered against the wall long ago, accepted them all, the strong liquor burning her throat, but not as much as the pain burning in her heart.
“Anther cup, please
“Miss, you have had enough to drink.”
Listening to the worried voice of the bartender, Victoria remained silent as she slapped down a stack of bills.
but tonight she
“Bring the wine.“.
She didn’t know how much she had drunk, the world started spinning, she was leaning on the bar, feeling someone slowly approaching
The familiar scent made her heart tremble.
She raised her head and squinted at the newcomer with drunken eyes.
“Howard?”
The figure in front of her was blurry, but she could recognize that silhouette even with her eyes closed. When Victoria turned around, she almost fell off the high stool, but was caught by a pair of hands, the unique scent of Howard.
She suddenly remembered the first time she got injured on a mission, and he was the one who caught her stumbling at the mission site.
The long–suppressed emotions suddenly burst forth, and Victoria’s fist smashed into the opponent’s chest.
“Why do you… Why do you treat me like this.”
Her voice was filled with a sob, and her fists were hitting wealdy one after another.
“I accompanied you for ten years… ten years.
The man did not dodge, allowing her to vent. Victoria’s tears finally burst, she grabbed the other’s collar and buried her face in that familiar chest.
“I hate you
Her voice became quieter and quietor.
“I hate you so much…”
The dual impact of alcohol and emotions gradually made her lose consciousness. The last memory was being carried horizontally by those familiar arms and the embrace that once made her feel safe
Victoria fell asleep deeply in the familiar scent, with tears still lingering in the corners of her eyes.
When she woke up, she was already in the familiar guest room, the hangover stirring like a blunt knife in her skull. She groped her way out of bed, and as she stepped barefoot on the carpet, the alcohol from last night was still buzzing in her veins.
The whole villa was eerily quiet. She walled unsteadily towards the kitchen to get a drink of water. As she passed by the study, she hesitated for a
moment
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a fleeting figure through the crack of Howard’s
s study door.
She silently drew the gun from her waist, Victoria used her toes to push open the door crack, and saw Beatrice tiptoeing to search the top drawer of the filing cabinet, her movements were so skilled that it didn’t seem like her first time.
Victoria leaned against the door frame, quiet as a ghost.
Beatrice seethed to notice a gaze looking a
at her from behind, and instinctively turned her head to look.
Seeing Victoria’s indifferent face scared the documents to scatter all over the floor. The innocent expression on her face froze into a mask of terror when she saw the barrel of the gun. She sat down on the ground, tears flowing like a broken faucet,
“Ms. Beauty, you scared me to death.” Η
The hurried footsteps came from the stairs, and Howard rushed in, brushing past the gun wielding Victoria. She smelled the unfamiliar cologne on him. “Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
Howard korit down to examine Beatrice’s bare feet, his voice unbelievably gentle. He scooped up the girl in his arms, not even sparing a glance for
Victoria
ydoll is missing, boo hoo,”
Victoria bent down to pick up one of the papers, lucidly there was no encrypted information. Howard was more cautious than anyone could imagine, he
eddn’t put important information in an ordinary villa.
When she looked up, she saw the look that Beatrice thres o
Howard finally landed
over Howard’s shoulder, not a trace of tears, clearly finite satisfaction. his paze falling on the gun in her haral
The sunlight suddenly became very dazzling, Victoria watched as Howard walked away with Beatrice in his arms, and noticed that there was a plain ring on his left ring finger.
She followed behind Howard, standing in the middle of the corridor, her eyes scanning around
The black and white wallpaper was replaced with light pink, the crystal chandelier she handpicked turned into childish cloud shapes, even the ribbons twined around the staircase railing were goose yellow, all in Beatrice’s favorite colors.
She pushed open the door of the master bedroom absentmindedly, her breath catching.
The sheets, curtains, carpets… all were replaced with unfamiliar styles. On the bedside table sat a photo of Beatrice, embracing Howard’s neck, smiling innocently and brightly.
The traces that once belonged to Victoria have all disappeared.
It was as if she had never existed.
The heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand,” she suddenly turned around and stumbled down the stairs. Howard was standing in the living room, looking down at his phone, while Beatrice leaned against him, playing with his tie in her hand.
“Howard”
He raised his eyes, his gaze calm to the point of indifference.
“Did you change everything here?”
“Hmm.”
Victoria stared at him, her fingertips sinking into the palm of her hand.
“What about the things left behind?”
Howard finally took his eyes off the phone and glanced at her indifferently.
“It’s Just garbage, should have been dealt with long ago.”
