Chapter 223

Chapter 223

The crowd's eyes shifted. Whispers rippled through the onlookers.

"Is that for real? That's awful."

"So those two did all that to her?"

"What the hell—what kind of parents do something like that?"

Delta hadn't expected Victoria to air everything in public. The color drained from her face, inch by inch.

Her lips parted, but before she could speak, Victoria cut her off.

Victoria stood ramrod straight, her voice clear enough for every single person to hear, each word falling like a hammer.

"When I was a child, they beat me and screamed at me. When I grew up, they sold me for profit."

"Not long ago, they were thrilled because the biological daughter they'd found was better at pleasing men than I was. Now they're here crying in front of me for money."

"These are the 'poor victims' you feel so sorry for."

Victoria's lips twisted into a razor-sharp smile. "Since you all pity them so much, why don't you volunteer to be their personal ATM instead?"

The crowd went silent. Not another word.

Only then did Victoria turn around and stride toward Delta.

Something in her gaze must have been terrifying, because Delta stumbled back half a step, stammering. "Wh-what are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Just wanted a good look at those disgusting faces of yours."

Victoria's expression dripped with contempt. "If I were you, I wouldn't have the nerve to show up here. Leave now, or I'm calling the police."

Delta and Hayden exchanged a glance. Desperation and bitter resentment mirrored in both their eyes.

But they knew. This Victoria was nothing like the girl they used to control. They weren't getting a dime from her today.

Heads lowered, they slunk away.

Victoria finally let out a breath.

She turned to the concierge. "From now on, if they show up again, just turn them away."

The concierge agreed immediately, but when he looked at Victoria, his eyes held a trace of pity.

When Victoria had first moved in, he'd thought how lucky this Johnson family heiress was—switched at birth but reunited with her real parents in the end.

He never imagined what her life had actually been like. It broke his heart.

Victoria stiffened under that look. She pressed her lips together hard and walked back toward her building.

She didn't want anyone's pity. Her life was good now. All of that was behind her.

She hadn't even reached her front door when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.

Her body tensed, instinct screaming at her to fight—but then a familiar scent reached her.

Victoria stilled. She didn't turn around. "What are you doing here?"

"Dena told me you rushed out. I was worried something happened, so I came to check on you."

Hugh's voice was low, thick with concern. "Are you okay?"

Victoria had been holding it together just fine.

But now her nose stung.

Her eyes rimmed red. She dropped her head. "Not really."

She felt terrible.

Heavy. Weighed down.

The night breeze was cool against her skin. Only the warmth of the man behind her offered any comfort at all.

Victoria turned around and wrapped her arms tight around Hugh's waist.

She pressed her cheek against the solid warmth of his chest. His heartbeat quickened beneath her ear, and somehow, that steady rhythm calmed her own.

"I don't understand. What else do I have to do to make them leave me alone?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper, fragile enough that the wind could have carried it away.

"I used to wonder if it was my fault—if I wasn't good enough, didn't try hard enough, and that's why they never loved me. Then I found out they'd known all along I wasn't their biological daughter. That's why they felt free to abuse me."

"I've cut ties with them. But they keep coming back like ghosts."

The Spencer family was a curse she couldn't shake. They clung to her, relentless.

Just when she thought she'd finally broken free, they'd crawl out of the woodwork to make her sick all over again.

Hugh's arms tightened around her.

"This isn't your fault," he said quietly.

"Then why do they keep doing this to me?"

Victoria's voice trembled. "Why is it always me who has to suffer?"

She'd thought leaving the Spencer family would fix everything.

But first Michelle had chased her down. Now the rest of them had shown up at her door.

Victoria had told herself she wouldn't cry.

But the moment she heard the tenderness in Hugh's voice, the burning in her nose became impossible to fight.

Hugh drew a deep breath, forcing his rage down.

He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Stop. Don't say any more, Victoria. It hurts me to hear this."

Victoria clamped her lips shut.

Hugh sighed softly, then bent and swept her up into his arms. Victoria let out a startled gasp as he carried her home.

---

Dena had been pacing downstairs, frantic.

Something had felt off about Victoria when she'd left. Dena had texted Hugh immediately.

Seeing him carry Victoria through the door, Dena exhaled with relief.

"Ms. Spencer—"

She stepped forward, but Hugh silenced her with a look.

Dena took the hint and stepped aside.

Hugh carried Victoria inside and set her gently on the sofa. He cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly across her skin. "Take a minute to calm down. I'll get you some water."

Victoria nodded listlessly.

Hugh headed into the kitchen. Victoria caught the faint sound of a phone call from behind the door.

Five minutes later, he returned with a warm mug of honey water. "Drink this and get some rest. By the time you wake up tomorrow, it'll be taken care of. Okay?"

Before, he'd stayed out of the Spencer family's affairs out of respect for Victoria.

Cutting ties with the past was a step she needed to take on her own.

He would never interfere with her decisions.

But whatever she chose, he would respect it and stand behind her.

Now things were different.

The Spencer family had pushed their luck, coming right to Victoria's doorstep to torment her. Did they really think he wouldn't act?

Victoria sipped the water slowly, then looked up at Hugh, uncertain.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep," he said softly.

Victoria wanted to say, Why not just stay the night?

But they hadn't defined their relationship. Asking a man to sleep over—would he think she was being too forward?

Then again, Hugh had rushed over in the middle of the night to comfort her. Kicking him out the moment they got home felt ungrateful.

As if reading her mind, Hugh smiled gently. "Hey. Look at you, your brow's all knotted up. You don't have to overthink this. You're perfect however you are."

He ruffled her hair, stood up, and had a quiet word with Dena before heading out.

The instant the door clicked shut, every trace of warmth vanished from Hugh's face. His expression turned to ice.

His phone buzzed. His assistant's voice came through the line. "Mr. Howard, everything's been handled per your instructions. We're shutting down the Spencer family's projects as we speak."

Hugh let out a casual hum of acknowledgment. "Make sure they know exactly why this is happening to them."

"Understood."

Hugh cast one last glance at the closed door. He exhaled slowly, then walked away.

---

Victoria finished the honey water but still couldn't sleep.

She curled herself into a tight ball on the sofa, staring at nothing.

Dena watched her, aching. She walked over and asked tentatively, "Ms. Spencer, can I get you something to eat?"

Victoria shook her head. Then, out of nowhere, she asked, "Dena—if you had to choose between your child and your dream, what would you pick?"