Ruby's face darkened as she turned to leave.
"Sis," Victoria quickly followed and grabbed her arm, asking, "What are you doing? Are you going to the hospital to confront Ryan?"
Ruby snapped, "I'm not someone to be trifled with!"
"Sis," Victoria advised, "I've seen many men like Ryan. On one hand, they maintain their family, which is also maintaining their reputation. On the other hand, they seek thrills outside, indulging in various perversions. Many men who come to our bar are of higher status and rank than Ryan. Some of their wives even come to the bar, but they don't make a scene. Sometimes, when they see their husbands favor a particular hostess, they even pay to have the hostess come to their home."
Ruby looked at Victoria in astonishment.
Victoria continued, "These women are not weak; they have their own status. They do this not out of submission but as a strategic defense. At home, they humiliate their husbands, but outside, they maintain their husbands' dignity. After all, most of these women owe their current status to their husbands' influence and power. They know very well that if a scandal breaks out, there are only two outcomes: either their husbands' reputations are ruined, affecting the family and their children's future, or they part ways with their husbands, handing over the hard-earned status and wealth to someone else.
Take you, for example. In the eyes of others, you're not just the chief gynecologist at the Women's and Children's Hospital, but also the daughter-in-law of Harbor Springs' top official. Your husband is the deputy director of the police department. If things really fall apart, you'll just be a chief gynecologist. You've said it yourself before, if not for the Anderson family's power and status, you might have been taken advantage of long ago, given how many leaders covet your beauty."
Ruby sneered, "I am an ordinary person. At worst, I'll just return to being an ordinary person."
Victoria shook her head, "You know my situation. I'm just an ordinary person. As a woman without any power or backing, how else can I carve out a place in society other than by playing with various men? You know I'm Bryan's girlfriend and about to get married. Everyone in Harbor Springs knows I'm a loose woman. Do you think one of the four young masters, Bryan, doesn't know? He has his reasons for marrying me and will probably divorce me later. Even so, I need a status, even if it's just as the former daughter-in-law of the Davis Family Group chairman. Even gangsters will respect me more. You are the legitimate daughter-in-law of the Anderson family. Why give up that dignity?"
Ruby retorted, "So I have to swallow my pride? Even invite the hostesses from your bar to my home?"
Victoria laughed, "Don't worry, he won't do that."
Ruby blushed and looked at Victoria with disdain, thinking: Do you think I'm like you?
Victoria continued, "Those women I mentioned use various methods to win back their husbands' affections while maintaining family harmony and also play with younger men outside."
Ruby looked at Victoria in disbelief.
Victoria said, "Don't look down on them. They have no other choice. We all know how capable men are in that aspect. Men who play with hostesses outside every day can't perform normally at home. What woman wants to live like a widow at home? To be blunt, Ryan probably doesn't touch you much, right? You might think all men are like him, losing their vigor after marriage and kids. But most of his energy is spent on other women."
Ruby's face turned pale with anger, but she remained silent.
Victoria held her hand and said, "Sis, take my advice and give yourself a chance."
Ruby shook her hand free, "Henry? No way!"
Victoria held her hand tightly, not letting go, "Why not?"
Ruby said, "He beat up Quentin, and now he's put Ryan in the hospital. Who knows if Ryan will be disabled? If I get involved with him and people find out, won't I be criticized? If Ryan finds out, won't he kill me?"
Victoria smiled, "Sis, no matter how much you suffer at home, as long as you have someone outside, people will gossip. But those who gossip are either men who can't have you or women who envy you. Why care about them? As for Ryan, I suggest you go to the hospital later and see how he reacts to Henry. If he uses all his connections to destroy Henry, then keep waiting. If he compromises and this beating is in vain, it means he fears Henry and can't do anything to him. If he can't deal with Henry, what can he do to you if he finds out about you and Henry?"
Ruby was momentarily speechless.
"And," Victoria continued, "You're beautiful, elegant, and classy. Why don't men dare to pursue you? Because the Anderson family's power is too great. Henry daring to pursue you shows he's willing to face the Anderson family's power for you. What are you afraid of? Besides, if you keep things discreet, you can have whatever you want in Harbor Springs. With your father-in-law and husband backing you in the public eye and Henry handling things in the shadows, who would dare cross you or your family?"
Just then, Henry walked out of the teahouse. He had waited long enough and didn't know how Victoria's talk with Ruby was going. To his surprise, they were still standing at the entrance.
"Henry!" Victoria greeted him.
Ruby said nothing, opened the car door, and drove off, disappearing down the road.
Henry looked at Victoria, wanting to ask but feeling embarrassed.
Victoria smiled, "Henry, it's not a big problem. Just wait for good news."
Henry increasingly trusted Victoria's abilities, but he was getting impatient. He had been craving a woman lately. Seeing Victoria working so hard for him, and given her looks and figure, he wanted to take her home. But after hesitating, he decided against it. Victoria's past was something he couldn't accept, even if it was just a casual fling.
"Thank you, Victoria."
"No problem."
Henry got into a taxi parked at the entrance and disappeared into the night.
He hadn't had dinner yet.
As the car approached the neighborhood entrance, he asked the driver to stop and walked to a lakeside night market stall. He ordered a plate of fried rice noodles and a bowl of seaweed pork rib soup.
Just as he finished eating, his phone rang.