Chapter 539: I Have Paid You Back What I Owed

Victoria's heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain making it hard for her to breathe.

She threw off the covers and tried to get out of bed. "I need to see him!"

"Victoria!" Wendy quickly grabbed her. "Calm down! You're still really weak!"

"Yeah, Victoria," Marcella added, trying to soothe her. "The doctor said you were in shock and need to rest. Plus, you have to be extra careful now and protect the baby."

Victoria froze, staring at Marcella in disbelief before turning to Wendy.

"Baby?" Her voice was dry and confused. "What baby?"

Wendy sighed, holding her hand gently. "Victoria, you're pregnant. It's been over a month. Didn't you know?"

Victoria felt like something exploded in her mind. Pregnant? She was pregnant?

"That's impossible," she murmured, her face pale. "The doctor said it would be really hard for me to get pregnant."

Marcella spoke softly, "Hard doesn't mean impossible, Victoria. This is a gift from above."

Victoria instinctively placed her hand on her flat stomach.

There was a little life inside her? A child with William!It must have happened that night a month ago when she and William had too much to drink.

Tears blurred her vision again, this time mixed with indescribable emotions.

Victoria took a deep breath, her eyes growing determined. "I need to see him."

This time, Wendy and Marcella didn't try to stop her.

Outside the ICU, through the thick glass, Victoria saw William lying in the hospital bed.

He was hooked up to various tubes, an oxygen mask on his face, his complexion as pale as a ghost, lying there so still he seemed lifeless.

Victoria covered her mouth to stifle her sobs, her heart aching as if it were being cut by a knife.

Just then, the sound of hurried high heels approached.

"William! How is William?" Alice rushed over, her hair disheveled, makeup smudged, her face full of panic and distress.

She threw herself against the glass, tears streaming down her face. "How did he get hurt? How could he be hurt this badly? Was it you, Victoria? Was it because of you?"

Alice turned abruptly, her eyes red with rage as she glared at Victoria.

A sharp slap echoed through the hallway as Victoria's hand connected with Alice's face.

Victoria's eyes were cold, her entire being radiating a terrifying intensity. "Alice, stop pretending!"

"You took Gabriel, didn't you?"

"You worked with Dorian, didn't you?"

"William is in this condition because of you, isn't he?"

Alice clutched her stinging cheek, staring at Victoria in disbelief before screaming, "It wasn't me! Dorian promised me he would only go after you! He wouldn't hurt William!"

"He said once you were gone, William would be devastated, and Infinity Unity Group would have a chance to recover! William is his cousin; he wouldn't really kill him!"

Victoria trembled with anger, pointing at Alice. "You're insane! You're still delusional! You treat everyone like pawns for your ridiculous obsession!"

"You think you're helping him? You're pushing him to his death!"

"Alice, you're disgusting!"

"It's not like that, William," Alice's eyes began to lose focus, muttering to herself.

At that moment, several police officers approached.

"Ms. Garcia, you're under arrest for kidnapping and inciting violence. Please come with us."

Alice snapped back to reality, looking at the officers, then at William in the ICU. She screamed, "I'm not going! William will save me! He will!"

She struggled, refusing to cooperate.

Just then, inside the ICU, William's finger twitched.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

The doctors and nurses rushed to his side.

William's gaze was unfocused at first, then it settled on Victoria outside the glass, and then on Alice being held by the police.

He weakly raised his hand, signaling for the doctor to remove his oxygen mask.

"Alice," his voice was faint but clear enough for everyone to hear.

Alice clung to this glimmer of hope, crying out, "William! You're awake! Tell them I didn't..."

"I owe you," William interrupted, his eyes calm but distant, "I've repaid you with my guilt and concessions over the years."

"Now, you need to face the consequences of your actions."

Alice stared at him, as if doused with cold water.

"What are you saying?" Her voice trembled, eyes wide with disbelief. "You're abandoning me? William, how can you do this?"

Her nails dug into her palms, on the verge of madness.

"You risked your life for Victoria, and now you're abandoning me? You ungrateful bastard! You promised to take care of me forever!"

William looked at her steadily, his eyes deep and unwavering.

"Alice," his voice was low but firm, "I've forgiven everything you've done over the years."

"But this time, you crossed the line by kidnapping a child to hurt Victoria. From that moment, you were no longer the Alice I knew."

The air seemed to freeze, leaving only Alice's anguished cries. "No! It's not like that! It's all because of Victoria. She stole your love and ruined my life."

The police moved in, restraining her.

Alice continued to struggle, screaming, "Let me go! I need to see William. He can't do this to me."

Suddenly, she went limp, collapsing to the floor.

Doctors and nurses rushed to check on her. After a flurry of activity, someone whispered, "The patient has undergone two transplant surgeries and is extremely weak. The emotional stress has triggered a severe rejection reaction. She might not survive."

Everyone's eyes turned to the unconscious Alice, and silence fell over the room.

The ICU was eerily quiet, the only sound the rhythmic beeping of machines.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, but the room was shrouded in shadows.

William sat in a wheelchair, his face pale but his expression calm.

He had known this day would come.

At this moment, he couldn't tell if he felt more sorrow or relief.

He wheeled himself closer to the bed, Victoria standing beside him, her hand gently on his shoulder. Neither spoke, just silently watching the girl lying there.

Alice, once so vibrant, now looked fragile and doll-like, her once beautiful face pale and translucent.

Her lips were cracked, her breathing weak, each blink seeming to drain her strength.

Seeing them, she forced a smile, more painful than tears. "It's nice, isn't it? In the end, it's still you two with me."