Chapter 202
Victoria had wanted to leave the hospital.
Because being confined to the hospital room made her feel like a caged bird—so lonely, so very lonely.
But Martin wouldn't agree. He was afraid she'd secretly abort his child again.
He didn't go to the Gonzalez Group office. Instead, he brought his work to the hospital room to stay with her.
Actually, she didn't feel like Martin was keeping her company. On the contrary, he was monitoring her.
Every day she took so many pills—nutritional supplements, medications to prevent miscarriage.
Just no sleeping pills, no painkillers.
No antidepressants, or cancer treatment drugs.
At first, Victoria told Martin not to follow her around. She wouldn't run away—her body couldn't run anyway.
But he still did whatever he wanted.
Victoria stopped wasting her breath. Though they stayed together, they didn't say a word to each other.
He put his laptop on a folding desk, his eyes glued to the screen.
Or he'd go outside the room to take business calls, afraid of disturbing Victoria's rest.
Besides eating, using the bathroom, Victoria just leaned against her pillow, staring into space.
She was getting more and more fond of spacing out lately. Sometimes she could zone out for an entire morning.
Victoria especially liked watching Martin when he worked.
He wore business suits and glasses, looking like a refined scoundrel.
After all these years, he'd shed his youthful awkwardness and insecurity, becoming more and more mature, more and more charming.
While she became more and more of a mess.
Victoria had to admit, no one could predict what the future held.
Her and Martin's positions had completely reversed. Many years ago, she was the confident one, everyone revolved around her, everyone tried to please her.
Martin sensed her gaze and looked up at her.
But she shifted her eyes away, looking out the window instead.
What was there to see? No matter how many times she looked, they would still part ways.
No matter how many times she looked, he was no longer that Martin from before.
A week later.
Martin finally agreed to let her leave the hospital.
Coming out of the hospital, the sunlight was blindingly unreal.
Before even going home to change clothes, Victoria was eager to go to another hospital to see Hayden.
Martin told her to get in the car.
She pressed her lips together, instinctively declining, "No need, I'll just take a taxi. I've troubled you too much these past few days. You should go back and handle your own business."
"What? Want to sneak off to meet Aaron behind my back again?" Martin's face looked terrible, probably because his pride was hurt.
Victoria couldn't be bothered to argue with him. She just wanted to see Hayden as soon as possible.
So she obediently got in the car.
Martin's expression softened a bit. He really couldn't understand why she always responded to force but not kindness.
The whole ride was silent again.
No one spoke.
The atmosphere was unbearably oppressive.
Victoria closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.
Unless absolutely necessary, she didn't want to talk to him.
She didn't even have the energy to argue anymore.
They arrived at the hospital.
Hayden was still lying in bed, eyes closed.
Aria was giving him finger massages.
Hayden's complexion had become more rosy—clearly the past few days of treatment were working.
The heart monitor beeped up and down.
Aria ignored Martin, leaving him to the side.
He didn't mind. Instead, he glanced at Victoria, "I'll go take a walk. I'll come back to pick you up later."
Then he turned and left the room, giving the mother and daughter space to talk alone.
"Victoria, Mom has good news to tell you." Seeing Martin leave, Aria beamed and grabbed Victoria's hand excitedly, "Your father is about to wake up."
Victoria was a bit shocked, "Really?"
"Really, it's true this time. Terry told me your father's body is recovering really well. It should be any day now. Victoria, once your father wakes up, we'll have someone to rely on!" Aria cried tears of joy, wiping her eyes, "It wasn't easy, it was so hard for us. But thank goodness the outcome is good."
Hayden was going to wake up.
Victoria felt dazed for a moment. She even forgot to feel happy.
She'd gotten used to living under this pressure.
Aria hugged Victoria, crying with emotion.
Victoria cried too. Though the journey had been difficult and exhausting.
But Hayden was about to wake up.
Before she died, she just wanted to see Hayden wake up with her own eyes.
Heaven hadn't been too cruel to her.
Aria let her go and asked again, "Victoria, about what Mom told you a few days ago—have you thought it over?"
"What thing?" Victoria played dumb. She knew Aria was talking about divorcing Martin.
Aria brought up the old topic again.
Victoria smiled bitterly, feeling even more sorrowful inside. She wouldn't last until the day of divorce.
Her body was getting worse by the day.
Hayden was recovering well now because she obediently stayed by Martin's side.
Once she made trouble, this brief peace and hope would be completely shattered!
She was a coward. She didn't dare do that.
Martin walked to the door of the hospital room and heard Aria trying to convince Victoria to divorce him again. His face looked terrible.
But he didn't go in right away. Instead, he waited for Victoria's answer.
Would she agree?
Would she plan to run away again with his child?
Martin's heart felt like it was pressed down by a huge stone. He was both nervous and anticipating her answer.
"Mom, Martin and I are doing fine. Don't worry about my business. Besides, I'm carrying his child. Even if I don't think about myself, I have to think about the baby." Victoria's voice drifted out from the room.
Aria cried and complained, "But it's too unfair to you. You're not doing well."
Yes, she wasn't doing well. She was suffering.
They say if you're unhappy after marriage, it's because your brain was too waterlogged before marriage.
That's exactly how she was now.
Who told her to pick her own bodyguard Martin?
Victoria pushed down the pain in her heart, looked up, patted Aria's hand, and smiled to comfort her, also to console herself, "Mom, I'm really fine."
Besides, the Gonzalez family wasn't innocent either. There's no hate without reason, and no love without reason either.
Hayden owed him two lives.
She understood Martin. If she put herself in his shoes—if her parents had been killed by Martin, she would only be more vicious, more cruel.
This was retribution, karma.
So people can't do bad things, can't do wrong things.
Let all this hatred, all this sorrow, end completely with her disappearance.
"Dad is about to wake up. Let's not complicate things. Don't say these things anymore. Martin will be unhappy if he hears." Victoria let out a breath.
Aria smiled bitterly, "He treats you like this, and you still can't bear to leave him."
Victoria didn't explain. It wasn't that she couldn't bear to leave—she couldn't.
Mom, your and Dad's peaceful life, the Gonzalez family's safety—they all require sacrifice. And she was that sacrifice.
This was the only way her immature self could make amends, the only thing she could do for them before dying.
This was a child's bittersweet way of loving her parents.