Chapter 1277 Has Nothing to Do with Alexander

Chapter 1277 Has Nothing to Do with Alexander

But she knew — she couldn't go to that blind woman unless she had absolutely no other choice.

After all, everyone who got tangled up with her ended up worse off. So...

Faye looked toward the person standing next to Victoria. It was Olivia.

Everyone in Ankenra City's elite circles knew that Olivia and Victoria were close friends. Faye figured her only option was to go through Olivia.

Once Victoria was surrounded by a wall of bodyguards and ushered into her car, Olivia let out a quiet sigh. She'd been thinking about when Victoria's eyes might finally heal when she noticed someone approaching — someone she didn't know well, yet recognized all the same.

But why was that woman coming to her?

What could she possibly want?

Olivia's brow slowly creased. She watched Faye approach and said nothing, just fixed her with a guarded, measuring stare.

"Ms. Baker, do you remember me? I'm Isabella's stepmother."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. First time she'd ever heard someone introduce themselves that way, she thought. Voluntarily claiming to be someone's stepmother.

Isabella's stepmother, of all people.

"What do you want?"

That was all Olivia gave her — a flat, direct stare and those four words.

"Yes, I actually came to ask for your—"

"Hold on. Whatever it is, I can't help you. Goodbye. Actually — don't bother coming back."

Just as Olivia said it, Edward pulled up to give her a ride home. She slid into the car without missing a beat.

Faye stood there watching, desperation rising in her chest as she called out, "Ms. Baker — Mr. Sinclair — please, just give me a few minutes. Please."

"Who is that?"

Edward shot her a cold look, then the car was gone in an instant.

He had no idea who Faye was, and he had even less interest in finding out. As far as he was concerned, he had nothing to say to a middle-aged woman he'd never met.

"Sounds like something happened to Arthur."

Olivia murmured it almost to herself on the drive home.

"You haven't heard?"

Edward glanced over at her.

Olivia looked back, genuinely puzzled. "Heard what?"

"Word is he's been unreachable for over twelve hours."

"Unreachable?"

Olivia turned that over in her head. An adult going off the grid for twelve hours counted as missing now? She hadn't realized that was how people were calling it these days.

"Apparently she already went to the Ward Manor today, then a prison, and now she's showing up here. Though she's smart enough not to go straight at Victoria."

Edward said it lightly. Olivia didn't take it lightly at all.

This was starting to sound a lot more serious than she'd assumed.

Was Arthur actually missing?

"Did Alexander do something?"

Olivia ventured.

"What does this have to do with Alexander? He's the one who keeps dirty hands — probably crossed the wrong person." Edward shut that down quickly.

Olivia heard him out and didn't push it. She just nodded.

"Still — Victoria being brought back from overseas. That's probably connected to him."

Olivia glanced at Edward. He glanced back. But he didn't say another word.

Victoria didn't go straight home. Instead, she had her driver take her to the Harrington Group's office tower.

The evening light was at its best — that warm, golden hour just before sunset. Victoria leaned back against the rear car door, hands tucked loosely into her coat pockets, quietly waiting for someone to emerge from the building.

She wasn't sure why, but a restlessness in her chest wouldn't shake. She needed to see him. Right now. Like if she could just lay eyes on him, everything would settle back into place.

Alexander came out of the building and felt something catch in his chest the moment he saw her — the woman leaning against the car, perfectly still. He was already moving toward her before he'd made the decision to.

He stopped a few feet away and just... looked at her. Held his breath and looked. The way she stood there, anyone who didn't know better would never have guessed she couldn't see.

She looked so completely, effortlessly whole.

He crossed the remaining distance in a few long strides and kept his voice easy, teasing just at the edges: "Is Mrs. Harrington here to pick me up from work?"

"I am." Victoria straightened the moment she heard his voice, and the smile in hers was unmistakable. "Aren't you just a little bit flattered?"

"I'm already insufferably smug about it."