Chapter 54
Victoria was curious about what Jennifer wanted to discuss. She smiled and nodded, "I have some time. What can I do for you?"
Jennifer grinned back, "You can call me Jennifer if you'd like, Ms. Aroma. I felt a warm connection the moment I saw you. Come on, let's grab a coffee and chat."
Victoria couldn't help but scoff internally. She wondered if Jennifer would still say that once she discovered the face behind the mask.
Inside the café, the rich aroma of coffee filled the air, accompanied by soft piano music flowing in the background.
In their private booth, Jennifer looked at Victoria with a smile and asked, "How did you help Sir Caldwell with his insomnia? My family has a longstanding relationship with the Caldwell family, and Sir Caldwell's insomnia has been quite severe.
"I heard it started after he witnessed someone get blown up in a minefield when he was younger. He's been relying on medication for years until suddenly it just got better because of your fragrance."
Victoria observed Jennifer's gentle demeanor but felt a chill inside. She thought, "What kind of life have I been living for the past five years?"
Jennifer nodded appreciatively. "You truly are a genius in fragrance creation. I won't beat around the bush-I have a son who struggles with insomnia as well, leading to headaches and irritability. I'd like to buy some of your fragrances. How much is it per bottle?"
Victoria smiled, "Five million per bottle."
Jennifer was taken aback. She hadn't expected it to be that expensive. But if it worked for Edward, it must be worth it. Without hesitation, she pulled out a card and said, "This card has five million dollars on it. Please take it."
Victoria responded, "Creating the fragrance takes time. I'll need to take a three hundred thousand deposit now and will send you the product once it's ready. You can pay the remaining balance then."
Jennifer agreed, "That sounds good! Let's exchange contact information."
"Sure." Victoria took out her phone and added Jennifer on WhatsApp. It was amusing-after five years of being mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Jennifer had never asked for her contact info before.
A strange feeling bubbled up inside Victoria. She thought, "Well, I'm Ms. Aroma now. Why shouldn't I take advantage of this opportunity? Even if Henry finds out, he can't blame me."
After completing the transaction, Victoria stood up to leave. As Ms. Aroma, she needed to maintain an air of mystery. Once she got into the car, Diana asked, "Where did you go?"
"I just met my mother-in-law and did some business with her. I'll get a lot of money from her. Then I'll invest the rest of the money. Who needs the Harrison family or the Hardwick family? I'm rich on my own."
Diana shot her a sharp look. "You're really playing with fire here."
Victoria shrugged nonchalantly. "They won't find out. Why should I worry? They came to me offering money-why would I turn that down?" The car fell silent.
When Victoria returned to Night Club, Evie helped her remove her special effects makeup as she began applying a face mask. Her skin needed some urgent care.
Just then, Camille's phone call came through again. Victoria felt irritated and didn't want to answer it, but ignoring it would only lead to more trouble later. "Hello?" she answered coldly.
Camille's tone was even icier. "You're not even calling me 'Mom' anymore? Are you trying to rebel?"
Victoria closed her eyes. Even through the phone, she could feel Camille's oppressive presence.
Camille had always been distant with her children, especially after what happened five years ago-it only made things worse between them since.
then. Every time Camille called, it was always about something urgent.
"Yeah," Victoria replied sarcastically. "Am I supposed to be punished for wanting to rebel?"
Camille was furious and, after a moment of silence, said coldly, "You better take my words seriously. You're coming back for your dad's birthday with Henry and Jude. If one of you is missing, I'll expose your little act-let's see how Henry deals with you then."
A lump formed in Victoria's throat. She felt caught between a rock and a hard place. She thought, "Angering Henry won't benefit anyone. If Camille goes through with her threat against me, is this all part of some twisted game?"
"Go ahead and expose me," Victoria shot back defiantly. "I forgot to tell you- Henry took me for an examination. The doctor confirmed that I really have amnesia. Do you think he'll believe anything you say?"
"You!" Camille's voice flared with rage. "Victoria, are you trying to drive me insane? I'm just asking you to come back for your dad's birthday. Why do you have to complicate things?"
Camille exploded in anger again. "You stubborn girl. You really want to drive me crazy? Fine. Then don't come back-don't ever come back." With that final shout, she hung up.
Victoria lowered her gaze slightly as she tossed her phone aside. Camille had always been strict with her. James was too focused on his business to spend time raising his children. Growing up watching other kids play with their parents made her envious.
Whenever she asked for something simple like wanting Camille to tuck her in at night or play with James for just a little while, she was met with cold rejections. Over time, Victoria stopped expecting anything from them.
And the incident five years ago shattered all her hope in her family. The day she lay beside Henry in bed, the Hardwick family approached the Harrisons about an arranged marriage under false pretenses that Henry had taken advantage of her- robbing them of many resources in the process.
Victoria became nothing more than collateral damage in their schemes. They never bothered asking what truly happened. Outsiders believed Victoria acted unscrupulously without knowing they thought so little of her character when, in reality, she had been a victim all along.
Evie turned around and noticed Victoria's vacant expression and gasped before rushing over to ask anxiously, "What's wrong?"
Victoria blinked and replied softly, "Nothing-I just received a call from my Mom."
At those words, Evie immediately understood what had happened and frowned angrily.
"Mrs. Hardwick has never cared about you.
She sees you as an embarrassment because she thinks you has tarnished the Hardwick family's name.
If they feel ashamed-why did they rush into an arranged marriage back then?
It's so hypocritical. In the end, you are the one who suffers. "
The more Evie spoke about it, the angrier she became until she suddenly exclaimed, "Isn't Mr. Hardwick's birthday coming up soon? We should go together." They needed to give that old witch something to think about-otherwise, how could they swallow their pride?