Chapter 226
Chapter 226
Dena came back with water.
She handed a bottle to Victoria, then scooped Percival up and opened the thermos she always carried, letting him drink.
"Ms. Spencer, Percival's picking up words so fast. With the right guidance, he's going to be one brilliant kid."
Dena couldn't help but gush.
Victoria nodded, her expression growing more conflicted by the second.
The more impressive Percival was, the harder it became to think about leaving.
What if she took Percival with her?
But he was so young—he needed constant care. She'd be swamped during the evaluation, in a foreign country no less. If something happened...
While she was lost in thought, a tall shadow fell across her.
Hugh had appeared out of nowhere, standing in front of her with a smile. "I could see that frown from halfway across the park. What's eating you?"
Victoria looked up and met his warm eyes. She sighed. "The overseas evaluation."
She laid out all her concerns, but Hugh merely raised an eyebrow. "That's what's been bothering you?"
"Yeah..."
Victoria nodded glumly.
"That's easy to solve."
Hugh sat down beside her and took her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Take Percival with you. You focus on your evaluation—I'll take care of him."
"What?"
Victoria blinked. "You're coming too?"
Hugh's smile deepened. "Of course. You don't seriously think I'd let you go that far away alone, do you?"
Victoria opened her mouth but couldn't find the words.
She really had assumed she'd handle everything on her own.
That was how she'd always done things.
Hugh's grip on her hand tightened gently, his voice low and tender. "I'm not going to let you do this alone."
"But what about work?" Victoria asked.
"I'm the CEO. If the company can't run without me, that just means I need to swap out some people and put more capable ones in charge."
Hugh said it with total conviction.
Victoria stared at him.
Right. She'd almost forgotten—she was talking to the CEO of Howard Airlines.
So this was what it looked like when a rich man decided to be stubborn.
Before Victoria could spiral any further, Hugh made the decision for her. "It's settled. I'll handle all the travel arrangements. All you need to do is focus on preparing for the evaluation."
If anyone else had said that, Victoria might not have believed them.
But this was Hugh. Everything he said carried a quiet certainty that made her feel safe.
Victoria nodded. "Thank you."
"Given what we are to each other, don't you think 'thank you' is a little too formal?"
Victoria blinked. "What are we to each other?"
Hugh didn't answer. Instead, he leaned toward her, closing the distance inch by inch.
The air between them shifted, thick with something unspoken.
Victoria was about to point out that Percival was right there watching—but when she turned, Dena had somehow already whisked the boy off to the slides in the distance.
Hugh reached over and gently turned her face back toward him. His voice carried an edge of possessiveness she'd never heard before. "Right now, I think you should be looking at me."
Victoria's lashes fluttered. All she could see was his face.
Hugh leaned closer until their breaths mingled. His voice dropped, low and rough. "What we are has never been my call. You're the one who decides."
His words brushed against something deep inside her.
"If you're willing to make it official, I'll go as your partner."
Victoria's cheeks burned. "And if I'm not?"
"Then I'll go as the guy who's pursuing you and take care of you anyway. Same difference."
Hugh didn't hesitate for a second.
His gaze was intense and completely sincere, placing every choice squarely in her hands.
Warmth flooded through Victoria's chest.
She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cool, thin lips.
"You know what I've figured out? You're sneaky. You already know the answer—you just want to hear me say it."
Hugh's eyes darkened. He cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss without warning.
Their lips tangled, Hugh's initial gentleness giving way to something far more consuming.
Victoria's senses filled with his clean, cool scent. Her mind went blank.
Until a child's voice rang out nearby: "Mommy! Look! They're kissing!"
Victoria jolted back to reality and shoved Hugh away, face flaming.
"Sorry, sorry—carry on..."
The child's mother flashed Victoria an apologetic smile, grabbing her kid and hurrying off. "How many times have I told you? Don't shout about what other people are doing. It's rude!"
"But Mommy and Daddy do it at home too. It's totally normal..."
Mother and child bickered their way into the distance.
Victoria's face was scarlet. She couldn't look at Hugh.
Hugh stared at the top of her bowed head and laughed. "How about sushi later? I found a place with a special kids' menu—Percival can try it too."
"Okay," Victoria murmured.
But Hugh wasn't done.
He held her hand, leaned his weight against her, and nuzzled his head into the curve of her neck like an oversized golden retriever. "So what am I now?"
Before Victoria could answer, he added in a wounded tone, "A certain someone wouldn't kiss a guy and then refuse to take responsibility, would she?"
Victoria was speechless.
When had she ever—
As if reading her mind, Hugh grabbed her hand and pressed it flat against his firm chest.
"Now you have."
Beneath her palm, his heart hammered. Her own pulse raced to match it.
Victoria's fingers curled involuntarily. Finally, she relented. "Fine. Let's call it... probationary boyfriend."
"Why, thank you, baby."
The word 'baby' rolled off his tongue, impossibly intimate.
Victoria's ears caught fire.
She shot to her feet. "I'm going to check on Percival!"
Before Hugh could say a word, she fled.
Hugh smiled, watching her retreating figure, his eyes brimming with affection.
She'd said yes.
That was everything.
---
With the weight off her shoulders, Victoria threw herself back into training.
Hugh had her flight schedule cleared entirely and spent every day by her side at the training center.
Victoria emerged from a session drenched in sweat, and a water bottle appeared in front of her instantly.
"You've been working hard. Hydrate first."
Victoria took the bottle and gave him a look. "I can manage on my own, you know. You don't have to hover like this. People at the company are going to start talking."
He was the face of the Howard Group—the airline's legendary ace captain.
Skipping all his flights just to babysit her? What kind of image was that?
Hugh shrugged, unbothered. "I'm the boss."
Victoria's mouth twitched. "Yes, yes. We all know you're rich."
Hugh reached over and gently wiped a drop of water from the corner of her lip. "What's mine is yours, and what's yours is still yours. So technically, you're richer than me."
Victoria's cheeks flushed. She was about to reply when her phone rang.