Chapter 534: We've Been Over for a Long Time.

The night wind was biting, stretching the shadows under the streetlights long and thin.

Louie parked his car outside Victoria's apartment building, carrying her art supplies and a bag of fruit, and walked her to her door.

"Rough day?" he asked gently, tilting his head to look at her. "You should get some rest."

Victoria nodded and rummaged through her bag for her keys. "Not too bad, it was much easier with your help."

Louie suddenly broke into a bright, boyish smile that made it hard for anyone to stay guarded around him.

"Well, I'm off then," he said, but instead of turning to leave, he leaned in quickly.

Before Victoria could react, he planted a light kiss on her forehead.

The action was so swift, like a playful puppy, that by the time Victoria realized what had happened, he had already stepped back, raising his hands in a mock surrender. "Don't be mad, I just couldn't resist."

Victoria froze for a second, instinctively covering her forehead, and glared at him. "Louie, if you keep this up, our partnership will end early!"

"Is it that serious?" Louie blinked with a pitiful look, then pretended to swear like a child. "It's all your fault for being so cute. I promise I won't do it again!"

Victoria couldn't help but laugh and punched him lightly. "Stop talking nonsense! Go home already."

Louie rubbed his arm, waved innocently, and then disappeared into the night, leaving behind a trail of cheerful laughter.

The hallway returned to silence, with only the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Victoria shook her head, feeling amused and helpless, and inserted the key into the lock to open the door.

Just as she was about to step inside, a dark figure suddenly emerged from the side and forcefully pulled her into the shadows!

Her back hit the cold wall, and she instinctively wanted to scream, but when she looked up, she met a pair of familiar yet eerily red eyes—William!

His breathing was rapid and suppressed, his whole being like a taut string on the verge of snapping, clutching all his emotions tightly but still unable to stop trembling.

"Are you crazy?" Victoria was both shocked and angry, instinctively struggling, but he held her shoulders firmly. "William, what do you want?"

The moonlight slanted down, exposing all the exhaustion and disarray on William's face. His voice was hoarse. "Didn't you say that as long as you were here, no one would dare bully me?"

William's voice was so low it was almost inaudible; each word seemed to be dragged out from the depths of his chest with difficulty.

"But why don't your words count?"

He stared at her, looking more fragile and afraid of losing her than ever before.

"I know you and Louie are fake dating. I know it's all an act, for others to see."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed a bitter taste.

"But why do I still feel like you're drifting further away from me?"

His fingers tightened slightly, almost pleading as he asked, "Am I really going to lose you, Victoria?"

For the first time, she saw William so disheveled and weak.

The high and mighty CEO of the Scott Group was now just a scared child afraid of being abandoned.

The air solidified into a transparent barrier, isolating them from the world.

Only their heavy breathing and the pounding of their hearts in their ears felt real.

But reason told Victoria she couldn't take another step closer, or all her previous resolve would be in vain.

Over the years, she had shielded William from the storms, paid for his indecision and hesitation, but in the end, all she got was scars and the unchangeable nature of humanity.

So even now, seeing him like this, no matter how much it hurt, she had to bury all her tenderness deep in the soil, not letting it sprout even a bit.

"William," her voice was calm yet firm, "I've always felt the most pain for you."

After a brief silence, she continued, "No matter how others misunderstand or make things difficult, I can shield you, I can stand by you."

She paused, lowering her eyes to hide her emotions.

"But if you can't even treat yourself kindly, always punishing yourself for past mistakes, then no one can save you, not even me."

Each word cut like a knife, but it was the only way to make them both clear-headed.

"When you fall as a child, someone will help you up; when you grow up, if you refuse to stand up, you'll always be stuck in the same place."

Her nose tingled, and Victoria forced herself to smile a little, looking into his eyes filled with pain and longing.

"So, I'm sorry. I'll be sad, I'll worry, and I'll be hurt by your stubbornness. But if I can't persuade you or change you, then we can only go our separate ways and grow individually. That's the most responsible thing for both of us, and the last bit of dignity."

As her words fell, the world seemed to quiet down, leaving only the wind passing through, taking away the last bit of warmth between them.

William reached out, instinctively wanting to hold onto something, but as soon as his fingers touched her clothes, she mercilessly shook him off.

"You don't need to say anything more," Victoria straightened her back, not looking back. "We've been over for a long, long time."

Then she turned decisively, walking into the hallway, her silhouette swallowed by the dim light, without a hint of hesitation.

Leaving William standing alone, wrapped in the night, a solitary shadow.

The night wind took away the last bit of warmth, and with it, the last glimmer of hope in William's eyes.

---

A few days later.

In a steamy private room, the air was thick with mist.

Victoria, Marcella, Grace, Lucas, and Alton had gathered together.

Even Eugene, who had been incredibly busy recently, had managed to show up.

Marcella, with her slightly rounded belly, forked a piece of beef and placed it in Alton's bowl, her mouth never idle.

"The whole Orla situation has finally been settled."

Everyone paused their eating at her words.

"She got sentenced to several years," Marcella said with a dismissive tone. "Her actions were too vile; she deserved it."

Victoria's tone was as indifferent as if she were commenting on the weather. "Serves her right, typical case of a bad person growing old."

She had no sympathy for Orla. People like her were better off behind bars for the sake of society.

Marcella nodded in agreement, then turned to Alton with a probing look. "Alton, what about you? Orla did help your family once, right?"

Alton was peeling shrimp for Marcella, his hand pausing briefly before resuming. He dipped the shrimp in sauce and handed it to Marcella. "She did help us back then, but I've repaid her many times over the years."

His tone was calm but carried an undeniable sense of detachment. "I don't owe her anything."

Marcella chewed the shrimp contentedly, then teased him with a wink. "Saying it so bluntly, aren't you afraid your childhood friend Mia will be upset?"

Alton gave her a helpless look. "Don't talk nonsense."

Grace suddenly spoke up, as if remembering something. "Mia is still living in Alton's old house, I heard from Eugene."

Eugene immediately straightened up, eager to take credit. "Yes, yes, I ran into her when I was looking at houses last time."

Alton sighed, putting down his utensils to explain. "Mia's worldview was skewed by her grandmother from a young age."

"With Orla in prison, she's all alone and quite pitiful."

"I thought, if she could get away from Orla's influence and have some peace, maybe she'd come to understand things better. I'm just letting her stay in the house temporarily, it's no big deal."

He paused, then added, "Besides, I'm living with Marcella now; that house would be empty otherwise."

Marcella huffed but didn't press further, though a complex emotion flickered in her eyes.

Eugene, on the other hand, was almost entirely focused on Grace, constantly attending to her needs.

He'd give her her favorite shrimp, refill her drink when it was low, and even had a dish removed because she was allergic to it.

Grace felt a bit uncomfortable with all the attention, her face slightly flushed, but she didn't refuse, only murmuring a soft "thank you."

Eugene beamed like a cat that got the cream. "You're welcome, it's my honor to serve you!"

While Eugene was in the restroom, Victoria leaned close to Grace, whispering with a hint of emotion. "See, Eugene really likes you."

Grace's cheeks reddened further, and she glared at Victoria playfully.

Victoria, however, was serious. "Silly girl, it's hard to find someone who genuinely cares for you these days. Think about it."

"Look at him, he even remembers your allergies."

Grace's eyes flickered at her words, and she took a sip of water, lost in thought.