Chapter 177
Victoria blinked her dry eyes, momentarily dazed.
The cold wind cut at her pale face like knives and arrows.
Her first instinct was to get in the car, because it was just too cold.
Victoria walked toward the black Bentley on her already numb legs. Her fingers had just touched the car door.
Suddenly, images flashed through her mind—Mia's provocative look, snuggling into Martin's arms while he seemed to enjoy it, not pushing her away!
Had he just finished his business and happened to run into her here?
Victoria pressed her lips together and instantly pulled her hand back from the car door.
She turned and walked away through the snow along the road, fuming.
She had her pride too. She didn't not care about anything.
She wasn't some cat or dog, some little pet that would wag its tail after being slapped by its owner and thrown a bone!
The black Bentley quickly caught up with Victoria, and the window rolled down.
The sharp horn blared, piercing her eardrums.
Along with Martin's impatient voice, "I told you to wait for me outside the hospital room. Why are you running? It's so cold out, and you still won't get in the car?"
Victoria ignored him and quickened her pace.
How ironic—why was she even here, and he still gave her the illusion that he cared.
It must be the wind, too strong and too cold, blowing her brain away!
That must be it!
She knew better than anyone how cold-blooded Martin was, how much he wished she were dead.
"Victoria, I don't have time to play hard-to-get games with you! Get in the car now, do you hear me?" Martin's tone grew more and more impatient.
Victoria sneered. He was so domineering even when trying to coax someone.
When he was clearly the one who did wrong.
Her feet were numb beyond belief.
But she could still hold on.
She'd rather freeze to death than get in his car and be pitied by him.
Martin spun the steering wheel, and the black Bentley instantly blocked her path.
He didn't get out of the car. Instead, through the window, his tone gloomy and his expression cold, the fingers gripping the steering wheel had already shown blue veins, indicating his patience was exhausted.
"Victoria, have you forgotten who's asking for favors here? Don't you want your father to get his medication back?" Martin hadn't wanted to threaten Victoria, but she was just so disobedient.
She ran off to live with someone else, making him search for days, and he didn't even get angry. Now she was throwing a tantrum.
She hurt Mia's face like that—shouldn't Victoria apologize?
Lucky that Mia was generous and didn't hold it against her.
She really was a spoiled rich girl who couldn't handle the slightest grievance.
The Gonzalez family had been in decline for so long, yet her temperament still hadn't learned to restrain itself.
Thinking this, Martin's eyes grew even colder and darker.
With those words, Victoria's steps immediately stopped.
She instantly calmed down!
Right—wasn't she here today to please Martin?
What right did she have to be angry, to throw a tantrum?
She wasn't Mia. She didn't get special treatment from Martin.
Thinking this, Victoria felt exhausted, body and soul.
She should have just gotten in the car from the start. Now, besides making herself a laughingstock, it served no purpose.
Opening the car door, Victoria got in.
Martin's expression improved somewhat, and the car sped away.
Victoria fastened her seatbelt expressionlessly.
The driver's side window hadn't closed. The cold wind howled through it, blowing Victoria's long hair into a tangled mess like a ball of yarn, all crawling across her pale cheeks.
Victoria extended her slender, elegant fingers and gently brushed the strands aside, tucking them behind her ear.
Martin closed the window with a cold face.
She still said nothing. Having stood in the cold wind too long, her fingers were red and frozen, so she placed them on her knees, rubbing them back and forth.
This made them feel a bit warmer.
Martin drove quietly, his peripheral vision catching the details of her coldness. He casually turned on the heater and adjusted the vents toward Victoria's side.
The warm air gradually invaded her previously numb fingers and body, and Victoria's thoughts slowly returned.
They arrived at the apartment.
Victoria got straight to the point, "Can you restore my father's medication now?"
Martin's expression turned cold. Was Hayden the only topic between them now?
But when they were together before, they clearly had so many topics to discuss, so much small talk to share.
Now all they did was fight.
Victoria caught Martin's facial expression and thought he was unwilling. Her tone became somewhat anxious, "Terry said if the medication isn't restored tonight, Father will really die!"
"Martin, you told me to apologize, and I did. You told me to get in the car, and I listened to you. What more do you want?"
Victoria grabbed his coat, gritting her teeth.
Martin saw her attitude toward him, like he was her enemy.
Anger spread in his heart again.
Yes, he told her to apologize, but he didn't tell her to run off and live with another man, and he certainly didn't tell her to declare she'd give him to Mia.
Did she think the position of his wife was something she could take or leave at will?
What did Victoria take him for?
At the very beginning, he only wanted to use her, get close to her—he never planned to love her.
It was Victoria who had eyes only for him, who whispered in his ear again and again, telling him sweet words, saying she'd stay with him forever.
She told him she'd only love him in this life.
Were her words all lies?
Martin thought of how Victoria used to love him, but now didn't like him anymore, wanted to divorce him, didn't want to have children with him. In her heart were Aaron and that mute boy—everyone but him.
He had the urge to strangle Victoria!
Martin glanced at her belly again. She was pregnant.
He couldn't upset her.
Martin suppressed all the bitterness in his heart and changed the subject expressionlessly, "Go take a shower."
"Martin!" Victoria bit down lightly, her voice low and growling.
Hayden wouldn't survive tonight, and he still had the mood for sex?
Hadn't Mia satisfied him just now?
"If you want it, you can go find Mia."
"You think I'm telling you to shower because I want to touch you?" Martin was momentarily confused. He clearly just wanted to smoke a cigarette and calm down.
In her eyes, was he really that desperate?
Victoria sneered, "If you don't want to touch me, why would you tell me to shower?"
"Victoria, I'll say it one more time—go take a shower!" Martin narrowed his eyes, danger filling them.
Victoria stood still. Martin took out his phone to call Terry. He'd barely said "Terry" when Victoria snatched his phone away, hung up, then obediently went to shower.
He knew she'd misunderstood. She thought he was calling to have Terry abandon Hayden's follow-up treatment.
But he didn't plan to explain. If she would be obedient, even if it was out of fear and misunderstanding, what did it matter?
As long as he could keep Victoria firmly tied to his side, there was plenty of time for everything else.
Victoria showered very quickly, coming out in less than ten minutes.
When she emerged, she was wrapped in a bathrobe that covered her body completely. Her long hair was still dripping water from the ends, and her eyes were misty.
She held a hairdryer in her hand, planning to go to the master bedroom to dry her hair, but saw Martin sitting on the bed wearing a gray shirt and black dress pants. He looked up, and their eyes met.
Martin beckoned to Victoria, "Come here."