Chapter 163
Martin instinctively wanted to refuse. He didn't want to hear it!
But before he could even open his mouth, Mia's bone-chilling voice rang out behind him, "It was Victoria! Victoria was the one who did this to me!"
"It couldn't have been her. She wouldn't stoop to something like this." Martin turned around, frowning.
Mia laughed bitterly, tears streaming down her face, "You're protecting her after all. See? Victoria is exactly that kind of scheming person. She's such a good actress, she's got you completely fooled, and you're still defending her."
"I got an anonymous message telling me to meet at that location. I didn't think much of it and went. When I got there, I realized Victoria was the one who set up the meeting. Just because she's carrying your child, she pushed me to the ground. She hit me, cursed at me, and that wasn't enough! She called me a whore, said I ruined her family! I kept explaining, I kept begging, but it was no use!"
"She slashed my face with a knife like this. She said if she ruined my face, you wouldn't protect me anymore. But we're innocent! Nothing ever happened between you and me—why should I accept this kind of punishment?" Mia wailed, the veins on the back of her hand bulging. "You know why I never told you? Because I know exactly how much she means to you! You want her to have your child, you want to live a good life with her! I accepted all of that!"
"But I can't forgive her! I can't forgive her! Why should I have to live this kind of life? Last time she held me down in the hospital fountain—you saw that with your own eyes. Martin, now you know she did it. Will you still get justice for me? Will you?"
Mia cried as she questioned Martin.
Martin suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe, his heart so heavy he could barely draw air. So it really was Victoria who did it.
No wonder she ran away—she ruined Mia, so she didn't dare show her face.
Just because she saw photos of him helping Mia with her luggage?
Did she really need to be this vicious?
He wanted to explain, but Victoria wouldn't even listen.
Martin felt a bit lost. He felt Victoria had changed—not just her attitude toward him, but her once innocent and kind nature had become unrecognizable.
Mia screamed frantically, throwing things around.
Venting the fear and resentment in her heart.
She even grabbed a fruit knife and tried to slash her wrists again, claiming she didn't want to make things difficult for him.
Martin quickly pressed the call button.
Terry rushed in and gave her a sedative injection. Only then did she collapse limply, tears still wet around her eyes.
"Mr. Collins, Ms. Wilson's condition appears to be severe depression. This incident has been too much of a blow for her."
"Arrange appropriate psychological counseling for her."
Martin suddenly felt the air pressure in the hospital room was terrifyingly oppressive, suffocating him.
Just then, a phone ringtone broke the rare silence.
He took his phone and walked out of the room.
He answered Brian's call at the end of the corridor, "Mr. Collins, I found no record of Mrs. Collins entering or leaving Emerald City. The airport, recent ticket purchases, buses, and all other forms of transportation—there's no travel record for her."
"Did you check her spending records?" Martin's face was cold, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the phone standing out.
Brian said, "Mrs. Collins has no recent spending records."
"Got it!"
Martin hung up.
He suddenly remembered Victoria once saying to him bitterly, "Martin, don't go too far, or if I don't have a good life, I'll drag Mia down with me!"
Right, she wanted to drag Mia down with her—this wasn't just a recent thought!
He just hadn't taken it seriously.
Because of one photo, she made her move, then ran away with his child?
Victoria, you're really something!
Martin laughed bitterly in anger. It seemed he needed to make a trip to see Hayden.
He took the elevator, left the hospital, and then drove to the hospital where Hayden was.
Both hospitals were his, but the journey took a full twenty minutes.
He arrived at the hospital room door.
Two bodyguards in suits and black sunglasses stood expressionless. Seeing Martin, their faces showed some expression as they nodded in greeting.
But no one knew that Martin didn't feel good at all inside.
Ever since Victoria ran away, he felt something was missing from his life.
His emotions had become uncontrollable, too.
"Victoria still hasn't shown up?" When Martin asked this, his heart held hope, held a glimmer of chance.
The two bodyguards looked at each other, then shook their heads no.
Martin's heart clenched sharply, his breath catching.
Victoria still hadn't appeared.
Where had she gone?
Martin lifted his foot and entered the room.
He saw Aria still wearing an elegant long dress, organizing clothes for Hayden, who lay with his eyes closed.
She didn't look worried at all.
"Where are you hiding, Victoria?" Martin was irritated and didn't want to waste words, so he got straight to the point.
Aria had never been satisfied with him. Hearing his tone, she couldn't help but laugh mockingly, "Martin, you're ridiculous. I handed Victoria over to you. You're her husband. If you don't know where she is, how would I know?"
"I took her on a trip, and then she disappeared." Martin pressed his lips together.
Aria looked up, staring at him mockingly, "Victoria is carrying your child now, and you're still angry with her, still making her life difficult? It's one thing for you to treat me badly, to treat the Gonzalez family badly, but to treat her this way too—of course she'd run."
"Call her right now and tell her to get back here immediately!" Martin frowned, issuing orders.
Aria naturally refused, "Get back here? Martin, without her, you'd still just be an orphan, wouldn't you?"
"I'm not discussing this with you. You and your husband are still in my hands. If you don't want me to stop your husband's medication, then call her right in front of me!" Martin threatened through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes. "You're a smart person. Whether you make this call or not is up to you!"
Aria was left speechless by his words, her face extremely unpleasant. Although she mocked Martin verbally, calling him scum and saying she shouldn't have married Victoria to him.
She still picked up the phone that was charging. Even without Martin's threat, she would have contacted Victoria anyway to get Victoria to come back.
After all, Hayden was still in Martin's hospital.
Martin watched her reluctantly dial the number, then spoke slowly, "Speakerphone!"
Aria's face looked even worse. No one had ever dared speak to her this way before, including Martin.
Before the marriage, Martin, while not exactly flattering toward her, had at least been respectful on the surface.
Aria pressed the speaker button.
Martin heard the phone ringing through the speaker.
His heart suddenly tightened.
He swallowed. Would Victoria answer?
She should, right? After all, it was Aria calling her!
Just then, a voice came through from the other end of the line.