Chapter 56
Sebastian is Victoria's brother.
Sebastian worked at the Hardwick Group, and after a busy morning meeting, he hurried back home. As soon as he walked in, he saw Victoria sitting on a swing in the garden. He immediately walked over and playfully flicked her forehead. "Vicky, what are you doing here?"
Victoria covered her forehead and turned to look at him, her eyes suddenly feeling a bit teary. "Sebastian, you've been away on business for so long."
So much had happened in the past month. Besides Evie and Diana, the person Victoria wanted to share everything with the most was Sebastian. James was busy, Camille was indifferent, but Sebastian had always treated her the best, showering her with love and affection.
Seeing him now brought all Victoria's pent-up emotions to the surface, mixed with a sense of grievance. Noticing her red eyes, Sebastian immediately said, "Vicky, don't cry. Tell me, is Henry bullying you?"
"No." Victoria shook her head repeatedly. She sniffed and said, "I want to divorce Henry."
"Okay, I support you," Sebastian replied without hesitation, ruffling her hair. "He must have treated you poorly for you to want to leave him. I'll talk to Mom and Dad about it." The unconditional concern made Victoria's eyes misty. She barely held back her tears.
Victoria blinked and suddenly said, "Sebastian, I need to tell you something."
"Go ahead," he encouraged.
Victoria glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before continuing, "I was in a car accident before, and I lost my memory-I forgot everything that happened in the last five years."
Sebastian was shocked. "Are you serious? Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"That's not the point," Victoria quickly replied. "The point is..." But just as she was about to continue, she caught sight of Henry approaching from the corner of her eye. She changed her tone. "I'll tell you later."
Sebastian paused in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Victoria said, "It's not convenient to talk right now."
By then, Henry had walked over. His deep-set eyes briefly scanned Sebastian before turning to Victoria. "Jude is looking for you."
The warmth on Sebastian's face vanished instantly. His handsome features turned serious as he said sharply, "I heard Vicky wants a divorce. Henry, when do you have time? We need to discuss property division." Victoria silently gave Sebastian a thumbs-up in her mind-he was so fierce.
Henry had a faint smirk tinged with sarcasm as he looked at Victoria. "Have your parents agreed to this? Can you really do it?".
Sebastian frowned. "If Vicky isn't happy with you, then it's better to part ways amicably. What's the point of dragging this out?"
Henry's gaze turned cold. He thought, "She said she isn't happy with me? She forgot everything. How could she know that she was unhappy?"
He replied softly, "She has amnesia. Getting a divorce now would be unfair to both of us. Let's wait until she regains her memory."
Sebastian thought for a moment before looking at Victoria again. "Right, let's wait until you get your memory back. You love Jude so much. Then we can fight for custody later."
Victoria was speechless. She really didn't want that. Henry chuckled lightly at this remark. His laughter carried a hint of mockery as his cold gaze fell on Victoria.
Sebastian didn't like the way Henry was staring, so he stepped in front of Victoria and said, "Let's go. Come on in with me."
"Alright," Victoria replied, nodding slightly before following Sebastian toward the villa. Even as they walked further away, she could still feel Henry's cold and mocking gaze boring into her. He was ridiculing her.
Lowering her head, Victoria thought to herself, "So be it. I'm getting a divorce anyway. Whatever's on his mind, I couldn't care less anymore."
In the living room, James was holding a book, animatedly chatting with Jude, who seemed indifferent, his head lowered as though lost in his own world.
"Uncle Sebastian." When Jude saw Sebastian, he greeted him softly, then quickly looked down again.
Sebastian frowned slightly. "Jude, this is for you." He took out a small box, revealing a finely crafted medal inside.
"Thank you, Uncle Sebastian." Jude accepted it but showed little enthusiasm.
Victoria noticed Jude's lackluster response, a flicker of coldness crossing her eyes. "Sebastian, I need to talk to you," she said, tugging his arm as they headed upstairs.
Once inside the study, Victoria told everything to Sebastian after ensuring that nobody was around.
"What?" Sebastian stared at her, stunned. "Vicky, why would you pretend to lose your memory?"
Victoria recounted the events. "I just wanted to know what I meant to him after five years. Turns out, I was nothing more than a friend." She smiled bitterly.
Sebastian's expression darkened. "I'm going to settle this with him right now!"
"Sebastian!" Victoria stopped him. "If you confront him now, my plan will fall apart. You know him. If you push him too far, it won't end well for anyone. Let me get through the divorce first. Once it's finalized, you can handle him however you like, alright?"
Sebastian's eyes filled with pain. "I can't believe he treated you so coldly. I should've stopped you from marrying him."
Victoria shook her head gently. "You couldn't have stopped.
it. Dad only cared about the benefits. Tying our family to the Harrisons was too profitable for him to let anything, even basic decency, stand in the way.
Besides, five years ago, you were studying abroad.
It would've been too late if you had rushed back. "
Sebastian's heart ached even more. "Vicky, is there anything I can do for you?" Victoria shook her head. "Not for now. I just didn't want to hide it from you. After all, you're the only person in this world who truly has my back."
"Of course. You're my sister," Sebastian replied softly, ruffling her hair.
During lunch, the atmosphere in the dining room was thick with tension.
Victoria remained uncooperative. Henry and Jude stayed icy and distant, and Sebastian looked dull. It didn't feel like a birthday celebration in the slightest.
James glanced at Victoria and broke the silence. "You and Henry have always had a stable relationship. Now that Jude is older, when do you plan to have a second child?"
Victoria paused. Then, she said, "Dad, I lost my memory. I don't remember having feelings for him, and all I want now is a divorce."
"Ridiculous!" James' face darkened instantly as he stared at Victoria. "You've been married to Henry for five years! Your child is already this old, and now you're talking about divorce? Have you lost your mind?
"Do you think marriage is some kind of joke? Let me make myself clear. Don't you dare say such things again. Otherwise, you'll regret it!"
Turning to Henry, James softened his tone. "Don't hold it against her. She's forgotten the past. Once her memory comes back, she won't say such things anymore."