Chapter 63
"I can manage with my left hand, It's just a little more troublesome, but it doesn't really affect my daily life."
She cast a worried glance around her familiar apartment. "Besides, Yara might not like being in a strange environment. Maybe we should just forget it."
"Yara?" Rhea refused to give up, her tone gentle but firm. "Even if it doesn't disrupt your life, don't you want to recover faster? Why don't you just come and see? Stay for one day. If you feel uncomfortable after that, I'll have someone drive you back. How does that sound?"
She stared at Victoria persistently, her eyes bright and full of expectation.
It was a look Victoria found impossible to resist, and she couldn't help but turn her head to the side, blinking against the sudden warmth she felt.
With the offer laid out so earnestly, how could she possibly refuse? Yet, the idea of actually staying at the Windsor Estate felt improper.
Tangled in her own indecision, she instinctively lifted her gaze to Edward, who was seated beside her.
His expression was as cool and impassive as ever, and his detached glance was enough to jolt Victoria back to her senses.
She lowered her eyes, digging her fingernails into her palm.
It was absurd. Rhea and Edward were family, yet here she was, silently pleading for Edward to find her an escape.
She truly was losing her mind.
Before the chaotic thoughts in her head could settle into any kind of conclusion, Edward spoke, his voice cutting through her turmoil. "Don't pressure her, Mother."
He raised his hand, glancing at the watch on his wrist. "I still have work to do. Let her go home and think about it."
The words were coolly efficient, decisively ending the conversation.
Rhea looked like she wanted to argue, her mouth opening to protest, but all she saw was the resolute back of her son as he turned to leave.
"Aren't you coming?" Edward had taken several long strides before he noticed she wasn't following. He stopped and turned his head.
"Coming!" Victoria was startled from her daze by the chill in his tone.
She offered Rhea an apologetic smile before turning and hurrying to catch up to Edward's brisk pace.
So, he had been trying to rescue her.
Wasn't Rhea his own mother? He gained nothing from being so considerate to her, so why had he done it?
Her mind was a whirlwind of questions, each thought tumbling over the last, leaving no room for anything else.
Edward, for his part, remained his usual quiet and reserved self.
He stood by the car, a slight frown creasing his brow as he watched Victoria, who was still lost in her thoughts with her eyes downcast. For once, uncharacteristically, he said nothing.
Fortunately, Victoria wasn't so deeply engrossed that she had become completely oblivious to her surroundings.
Unaware of the man's unusual stillness beside her, she opened the car door on her own and slid inside.
It wasn't until she was back in the quiet of her own home that she finally managed to untangle herself from her thoughts.
"What's with you today?" Veda, who had just brought Yara back, leaned against the doorframe, raising a curious eyebrow at Victoria's distracted state. She gave a playful wink. "You've got that look. Don't tell me you're lovesick?"
Victoria sighed, collapsing onto the sofa. In a few sentences, she what had just happened. "So now Rhea wants me to stay at the Windsor Estate for a while, but I just feel like it's not a good idea."
She had her own private reservations. But the thought of letting Yara go there alone was unsettling, and she couldn't bear the idea of being separated from her daughter.
"Ah, so that's what it is." Veda stroked her chin, her expression thoughtful. "But there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
Victoria looked at her, a little puzzled. "What is it? If you have a question, just ask. You don't have to be so formal with me."
It was the first time she had ever heard Veda sound so serious about asking her something.
"Alright, I'll just say it," Veda said, abandoning any pretense of subtlety. "What are your thoughts right now about Edward, your boss?"
Her eyes gleamed with a gossipy light as she stared directly at Victoria, who shifted uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny, her gaze flickering away as she fell silent for a moment.
"I have no desire for a relationship right now," Victoria finally said, her voice firm. "And I don't want to find a stepfather for Yara at this point in time." She pressed her lips together, her expression earnest as she met Veda's eyes.
"Is that really how you feel?" Veda paused, her own expression turning serious. "I respect all your choices, but before you make a final decision, you need to be honest with your own heart. Don't do something you'll regret. I'm not blind, you know. The way you look at Mr. Windsor… it doesn't seem like you feel nothing at all."
Her words were blunt, but she quickly added, "And it's obvious he's interested in you, too. Setting everything else aside, I think he'd be a great stepfather for Yara."
Veda never once considered whether Victoria's background was a match for Edward's status.
In her eyes, Victoria deserved the best in the world. Who cared if he was the CEO of some massive corporation? If Victoria chose him, it would be his honor.
"I don't have feelings for him," Victoria denied again, a sad smile touching her lips. "He's helped me a lot, and I'm truly grateful for that, but I think things are fine just the way they are. I don't want this purely professional relationship to get complicated by emotions."
Aiden had hurt her too deeply. What was done was done, but she couldn't bear for it to happen a second time.
"Fine," Veda sighed, giving a dismissive wave of her hand. "As long as you don't regret it." She had her own work to worry about, and sparing even this small amount of time was a luxury.
Victoria watched her leave, then turned to Yara, who was sitting quietly nearby.
After a moment of contemplation, she asked tentatively, "Yara, Mrs. Windsor would like you to stay at her house for a little while. Would you like that? Mommy will come with you, of course. But if you don't want to go, that's okay too. I'll tell her."
She had expected resistance, but to her surprise, Yara's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Can we really go?"
Yara's voice was filled with a shy eagerness. "I like Mrs. Windsor. I want to go play at her house."
Her honesty was disarming. With that, Victoria's last reason for refusal evaporated.
She smiled, ruffling Yara's hair. "Alright," she agreed with a resigned fondness. "Go pack your clothes. We'll head over in a little while."
Yara let out a cheer and immediately scurried off to find her things.
They didn't plan on staying long, so they packed only a few changes of clothes.
When Rhea received the news, she sent a car specifically to pick them up.
It was only after they arrived that Victoria discovered, to her surprise, that someone else was there.
"Edward's being exceptionally idle today," Rhea announced with an impeccable sense of timing, a knowing look in her eyes. "I have no idea what got into him, but he's actually home. You two can chat. I'll take Yara to see her room."
With that, she gave them one last glance that said 'I-know-exactly-what-I'm-doing' and led Yara away, leaving the two of them standing together in an awkward silence.
"Do you happen to have any work files here?" Victoria asked, blinking as she tried to break the tension. "I could use the time to catch up on recent materials."
As she spoke, she started to walk further into the house.
Suddenly, her foot caught on a decorative stone placed near the walkway. Her balance gone, her entire body pitched forward.
'Oh no!'