Chapter 218

The unexpected encounter with Amara took aback Victoria. She couldn't help but wonder if Amara was at the hospital for a check-up, but the gift boxes in Amara's hands gave away her true intentions.

Amara was there to see her.

Victoria grimaced, not thrilled about the encounter, but her attempt to avoid Amara failed as Amara spotted her.

As Amara hurried over, calling out, "Hey, Victoria!"

Victoria reluctantly faced her.

"Hey, are you almost done with work?" Amara asked, sounding concerned.

Victoria, with a poker face, coolly responded, "What's up, Mrs. Davis?"

Amara's eyes teared up, and her voice was a mix of hurt and determination. "Victoria, I was actually heading to your husband Edward's place to find you, but the staff there said you were at work, so I swung by the hospital instead."

"I've been hanging around here all day, not wanting to interrupt your grind, so I waited outside."

"I noticed it's almost quitting time for you, and I didn't want to miss you, so here I am."

Victoria's smirk grew colder.

Amara was as sly as ever.

She casually mentioned Edward's mansion in front of everyone, subtly asserting her status, showing concern for Edward's image, and sidestepping any drama.

Victoria did care about Edward's reputation, but she didn't hold back her sharpness, "Mrs. Davis, what brings you here?"

Amara's eyes brimmed with more tears, her tone soft, "Victoria, what's with the attitude?"

"What do you think I want from you, anyway?"

"I'm your mom, I just wanted to catch up with you."

"I remember you used to go crazy for pears when you were a kid."

"These ones I brought are top-notch, super juicy."

Amara's fake sentimentality pushed Victoria over the edge. Impatiently, she cut in, "Come on, Mrs. Davis, you really think I was all about pears as a kid?"

Amara hesitated, looking a bit lost, "How could I forget? Every time we had fruits like apples, bananas, pears, oranges, you always reached for the pears first."

"I still remember..."

Amara halted abruptly.

Victoria, fed up, smirked and asked icily, "Why the sudden pause?"

Amara's face twisted in discomfort.

"I..."

She tried to explain.

Victoria bluntly interjected, "Stop. No need for a trip down memory lane. I remember! Let me refresh your memory, every time I took a pear, you'd mutter, 'This little glutton only wants to eat.'"

"But how could you not know?"

"Every time I picked a pear, it was because you disliked them."

"You thought the texture was too rough and full of pits."

"So I stuck to pears, ignoring everything else, because even if they spoiled, you believed I, the little glutton, didn't deserve them."

"That's not true, Victoria, that's not how Mom felt." Amara shook her head, noticing the sympathetic glances from bystanders shift, she hurriedly apologized, "Victoria, I messed up in the past, I admit it."

"You see, back then, your dad had just left, and things were rough at home. I was a pregnant woman, so I..."

Amara raised her voice, worried others might not hear.

"How dare you bring up being pregnant..."

At this point, Victoria was seething with anger. But Amara didn't let her get a word in. She eagerly cut in, "Victoria, I know I messed up in the past, but didn't I bring you to the city later on?"

"Didn't you pick me up to make me marry in place of someone else?"

Victoria didn't regret marrying Edward, but the memory of Amara's actions still fueled her fury.

Surprisingly, when this was brought up, Amara not only lacked remorse but also acted as if Victoria had reaped benefits from her schemes.

"Victoria, you're not seeing this right. I know I screwed up initially, but didn't you gain from it?"

"If I hadn't orchestrated your marriage to Edward, how would you have become the top shareholder of Skyline Enterprises?"

Amara's words didn't take aback Victoria. The moment she arrived, Victoria sensed Amara's ulterior motives regarding Skyline Enterprises.

She had no interest in wasting time on someone like her.

"Okay, Mrs. Davis, I'm sure age hasn't dulled your memory. You shouldn't have forgotten our conversation from yesterday so quickly."

"Don't push me to cut ties with you completely."

"Victoria."

Amara grew anxious.

Victoria didn't give her a chance, "We both know why you're really here."

"You're both just looking out for yourselves."

"Sadly, you've picked the wrong person!"

With that, Victoria turned on her heel and strode away.

Unable to catch up, Amara purposely stumbled to the ground, attempting to play the sympathy card, "Ouch, that hurt."

Though a flicker of doubt crossed Victoria's mind, she didn't glance back.

A woman like Amara was akin to a venomous snake. Once she had the chance to ensnare you, she wouldn't let go.

Victoria wasn't concerned about herself, but she couldn't stir up trouble for Edward.

Victoria's unwavering resolve took aback Amara. She ceased her pretense, rose to her feet, and unleashed a string of curses at Victoria's retreating figure, "Victoria, you heartless thing, do you think you don't owe me anything?"

"Without me, you wouldn't have made it this far."

The more she cursed, the faster Victoria walked away, as if pursued by venomous snakes and wild beasts.

Her heart ached, unable to decipher the underlying message in Amara's words.

From the moment Victoria left the hospital, Edward sensed something amiss.

His car sat right in front of the hospital, but she didn't spare it a glance, instead making her way to the subway entrance, appearing lost.

"Mr. Hamilton, why didn't you call Mrs. Hamilton back?" the driver inquired, puzzled.

Edward furrowed his brow, suppressing the inexplicable irritation in his chest. After a moment, he instructed, "Follow her."

Though the driver was unsure of Edward's intentions, he complied.

Fortunately, the situation didn't last long. As they approached the subway, Victoria seemed to snap out of her daze. She heard her phone ring and instinctively checked it.

It was a message from Edward.

[Get in the car.]

Realizing her oversight, she turned around and met Edward's icy gaze. His lips were pressed together, and he was silently observing her.

Victoria blushed slightly, unsure of her thoughts. Instead of immediately heading to the car, she first responded, "Okay!"

Observing her actions, Edward furrowed his brow, then heard the chime of his phone.

Glancing down, he indeed found a message from Victoria.

He couldn't help but chuckle wryly.