Chapter 278 Family Relations

Chapter 278 Family Relations

Lucy's naturally energetic personality meant she couldn't sit still after getting what she needed from Anna. She urged Caspian to leave quickly.

Caspian looked at Anna's exhausted expression with concern. "Anna, are you okay?"

Lucy heard this and gave Anna a puzzled once-over. "What's wrong with Anna? Did something happen?"

Anna wearily rubbed her temples. "It's nothing. I'm just a bit tired, that's all. You two go ahead."

"Anna, you—"

Before Lucy could press further, Caspian grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the office.

As Caspian thoughtfully closed the door behind them, Lucy frowned. "What's going on? Is something wrong? I feel like you and Anna are keeping secrets from me."

"We're not keeping secrets," Caspian said, pushing her along. "It's just that telling you wouldn't help anything. Come on, we have important things to do."

After they left, Anna massaged her temple and immersed herself back into her work.

William came by later to call her for lunch, but Anna declined, citing her workload.

William's aggrieved look was almost comical, like a neglected spouse. Seeing Anna's determination, he could only arrange for lunch to be delivered to her office, and he stayed to eat with her.

After they finished eating, William didn't return to his own office but kept Anna company, making casual conversation.

He knew Anna had put tremendous effort into the design department. With twenty specialty stores opening at the end of the month, plus the brand going into production, every aspect needed supervision. With so many responsibilities, how could she not be exhausted?

William's gaze swept across her thin shoulders, noticing she seemed to have lost even more weight. At night when he held her, he could feel her bones.

It was his fault for not noticing her condition sooner.

William decided that starting tonight, he would make sure Anna ate properly every day.

After lingering for a while, as the employees outside began returning from lunch, William finally left Anna's office.

Inevitably, his visit sparked whispers among the staff.

"See that? Mr. Sterling is so devoted to Ms. Rice, he can't bear to be apart from her for a moment."

"Exactly! Even during the short lunch break, they're together. That's true love!"

The gossip reached Grace's ears. She paused mid-step and glanced at the chattering employees. "Don't you have work to do?"

The two staff members stuck out their tongues in alarm and hurried back to their workstations.

Grace looked at Anna's firmly closed office door, her expression unreadable as she walked away.

Brighton Harbor Correctional Facility.

Today was Victoria's release day. Alexander had sent his driver to take him there early to wait.

As he anxiously scanned the entrance, the heavy door finally opened with a clang. The driver craned his neck to look and exclaimed excitedly, "Mr. Sterling, your wife is coming out! She's out!"

"She's out?" Alexander jumped out of the car with delight, looking toward the entrance where Victoria's figure appeared.

She had lost weight and looked haggard.

The sight of her like this pained Alexander deeply.

"Darling."

Alexander approached Victoria with outstretched arms, intending to embrace her.

She simply avoided him, her face expressionless as she walked toward the car.

Finding his arms empty, Alexander froze momentarily before hurrying after her.

Squeezing next to Victoria, he instructed the driver. "Let's go."

Once the car started moving, he took Victoria's hand, carefully coaxing her. "Darling, look how thin you've become. You must not have been eating properly in there. Don't worry, now that you're home, I'll make sure you get all the nourishment you need."

Alexander's words made Victoria's fists clench.

As she raised her hand, she noticed Alexander flinching backward. His reaction instantly reminded Victoria of her situation.

She lowered her fist and twisted her mouth, finally unable to contain herself any longer, and burst into tears.

"You heartless fool! Do you have any idea how much I suffered in there? Is that place fit for human habitation? It's a prison for criminals! How could you be so cruel to let me be locked up in there?"

Victoria punctuated her words by pounding her fists against Alexander's chest.

Alexander's body hurt from the blows, but his heart was singing.

Victoria seemed reformed. She was no longer slapping his face but pounding his chest instead. It still hurt, but somehow it felt... sweet?

Alexander was grinning with delight. Seeing him smiling, Victoria grew even angrier.

She pinched his chest hard. "You bastard! What are you smiling about? Are you happy to see me suffering?"

"You're being unfair, darling. I had nothing to do with it. William gave the order to send you to prison. For your sake, I put in tremendous effort!"

Alexander carefully pulled Victoria into his arms. "Truly, if you don't believe me, you can ask around. I pleaded so much for your release. I nearly got on my knees before William before he agreed. Otherwise, you would have been locked up for a month!"

Victoria grew increasingly furious listening to him. This useless Alexander—why was he so afraid of that cripple William?

What kind of man had she married? Her own nephew-in-law had sent her to prison, and instead of seeking revenge, Alexander was acting grateful. What an idiot!

But Victoria knew she had lost any leverage to stand against the Sterling family.

Now she wouldn't dare raise a finger against William, or even Alexander for that matter.

Seeing Victoria's silence, Alexander thought she was still angry and carefully continued, "You can't blame William for being so angry this time. After all, Mother ended up in the hospital because of you."

"You know how much Mother means to William—more than his own life. How could he not be angry? But the good news is he's let you out, so his anger has subsided. Just don't make him angry again, okay? Even I'm scared when he loses his temper."

"I know!" Victoria forced the words through clenched teeth.

She was resentful but helpless. If she angered William again and he sent her back to prison with a flick of his finger, how could she survive?

Victoria could see the situation clearly and knew who she could and couldn't afford to antagonize.

Fine, she would swallow this indignity for now and seek revenge when the opportunity arose.

With this thought, she suddenly remembered her two brothers. She sat up straight in Alexander's arms. "What about Colt and Isaac? Why aren't they here to meet me?"

"Those two..."

Alexander hemmed and hawed. "They're still inside, I believe."

Seeing Victoria growing agitated again, Alexander quickly consoled her. "Don't worry! When you see William later, say some nice things and beg him to release your brothers."

Victoria asked in puzzlement upon hearing this. "As if he would listen to me!"