Chapter 277: Breathing In Is Becoming Increasingly Difficult

Chapter 277: Breathing In Is Becoming Increasingly Difficult
Victoria noticed Martin’s expression darken noticeably.

She knew him well. He was angry.

In the past, she would never have said something like that. She would have taken his feelings into account.

But now, things were different.

Victoria let out a quiet breath, shifted her gaze away from Martin's face, and told him to leave. She was afraid that if she was too subtle, Martin wouldn't understand.

"The flowers have been offered, Martin. You can go now." Victoria's voice was low but firm.

Martin clenched his fists, his facial muscles tensed to the extreme.

He must have been out of his mind to come here so eagerly, only to be treated coldly by Victoria and Aria.

"I was going to leave anyway, even if you didn't say so." Martin sneered, then left. As he passed Aaron, he shot him a sideways glance. "Aaron, Victoria is still a married woman. If you’re going to get involved with someone else’s wife, you should at least ask your father what he thinks about it, shouldn’t you?”

Someone else’s wife.

Was he talking about her?

Victoria's breathing immediately quickened.

Her fingers clenched, nails digging into her palms. Only after a long moment she realized Martin was calling her a slut.

So this was how worthless and dirty she was in Martin's mouth, in his eyes.

"Martin Collins, that's enough." Victoria snapped, glaring at him.
Martin assumed she was defending Aaron, getting angry at him over some illegitimate child.

Fine. So be it.

Martin had a temper too. He walked out of the crowd without looking back.

Brian saw Martin brush past him and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Collins. I'll watch over Mrs. Collins. I guarantee I'll send her back to you safe and sound."

Martin paused for a brief moment and looked at Brian, his expression easing slightly, but he still said nothing. He walked down the desolate path, got into his car, and drove off.

Hayden had been his rival all along. He had been too soft-heartedand that was why Victoria had trampled all over his sincerity.

Victoria forcibly suppressed the bitterness and sourness in her heart, forced a smile, and apologized to Aaron. "Mr. Hill, I'm sorry about what happened just now. Please don't take it to heart."

"I'm not that petty,” Aaron replied calmly.

As Aaron spoke, he walked toward the mound and placed the chrysanthemums he had brought beside it.

Then he bowed three times.

After everything was over.

Victoria and Aria walked side by side.
The snow was falling harder, blanketing the ground. Victoria stepped through it, leaving a trail of footprints behind her.

"Mom, what if it had been me who died instead? Wouldn’t that have been better?” Victoria looked at the gray sky and murmured.

Aria walked very, very slowly. When she heard that, she quickly corrected her. "Victoria, stop talking about death. It's unlucky. You're still young. Your life has just begun."

Had her life just begun?

But hers felt like it was already nearing its end.

Late-stage cancer, like a silent death sentence growing inside her.

Victoria pressed her lips together and said nothing.

"You're like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. You should be full of life and energy. Your dad and I, are like the sun after five in the late afternoon. It’s only natural for us to be setting,” Aria continued, her voice trembling.
Victoria gave a faint, bitter smile. “But there’s no sun right now. It’s snowing.”

“The storm will pass eventually,, as long as you can endure it."

For some reason, Aria felt a sharp pain in the soles of her feet, as if she were walking on blades.

She felt her body getting stiffer and colder.

Aria couldn't walk that fast anymore. She grabbed Victoria's hand: "Victoria, slow down. Listen to what Mom has to say."

Victoria didn’t understand why her mother was acting this way, but she still matched her pace.

Aria's breathing became more and more rapid, as though invisible hands were tightening around her throat.

Breathing became increasingly difficult.

Her consciousness was becoming a bit blurred too.

For a moment, she thought she saw Hayden, saw her younger self.

More than twenty years ago, on a day just like this, she and Hayden had walked hand in hand through the snow to register their marriage, promising their lives to each other.

But when she looked again, the hand she was holding was Victoria’s, not Hayden’s.

Aria spoke again slowly: "Victoria, listen to Mom. No matter what difficulties you face, don't give up on your life. Don't do anything foolish."

"You only live once. If things with Martin aren't working out,then leave him. Your father is gone now, so you’re no longer burdened. And when I’m gone too, maybe then you’ll be able to live your life properly.”
Hearing this, Victoria frowned."Mom, what are you talking about? All this talk about dying,it's unlucky."

"But death comes to everyone eventually, child. Aria’s voice softened. Mom has something else to tell you. Before,You were worried that if you left Martin, you wouldn’t be able to come up with the money for your father’s treatment, weren’t you?
Victoria said nothing.

"You don't need to worry about that anymore. Mom has savings, and quite a lot. In the bedroom where Mom lives, there's a bookshelf. You remember it, don't you?"

"I remember."

"At the bottom of the bookshelf is a drawer. The key is in your dad's safe in his study. The password to your dad's safe is your birthday."

"Over the years, your dad gave me a lot of money. I didn't spend it.I saved it there. There are several bank cards there. And the jewelry your dad bought me,after what happened to your dad, I didn't have the heart to wear them anymore. You can decide what to do with them. If you want to wear them, wear them. If not, sell them for money. It might help you out of a tight spot."

"That money should be enough for you to live comfortably. Parents who love their children always plan ahead. It's not that Mom doesn't love you.I just don't know how to express love. Victoria, don't blame Mom for hitting you before. When I hit you, it hurt Mom's heart too."

"Though “I blamed you for choosing the wrong man, the truth is I blamed myself more for not helping you choose the right one. Watching you suffer and being unable to do anything, I feel guilty. I feel responsible. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

Aria rambled on and on. Victoria noticed her mother's hand in hers was getting colder and colder, abnormally cold, with no warmth at all.

She thought it was just because the weather was too cold.

Victoria put her mother's hand into her down jacket pocket.

"That Aaron, I think he’s a good man,” Aria continued faintly.. If you don't dislike him, you could leave Martin and give Aaron a try. Mom hasn't accomplished much in this life, but I have good judgment when it comes to men. Aaron is much more reliable than Martin. He seems interested in you." Aria continued talking to herself.

The more Victoria listened, the more uneasy she felt. It all sounded like, a farewell."Mom, stop talking nonsense. He and I are just friends. Don’t say things like this anymore. We both need to live well,” she said quickly.

Aria's words sounded wrong to her, like she was making final arrangements.

“It’s alright,” Aria said with a small smile. “I’ve said what I needed to say. If you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say any more.”

Then—

A dull sound.

Victoria turned sharply.

Aria had collapsed into the snow.

Snowflakes fell relentlessly, covering her face, her body, her clothes.