Chapter 165
Henry's words were clear, "We're a married couple discussing private matters. Don't you know when to step aside?"
Pete glanced at Victoria. "I'll wait for you downstairs."
"Alright."
It was when Pete turned and left that Victoria shifted her gaze back, only to meet Henry's cold, piercing eyes.
"What do you want?" she asked, her tone laced with confusion.
Henry didn't answer. Instead, he stood up and walked in another direction.
Seeing this, Victoria turned to leave.
"Follow me."
Before she could take another step, Henry's emotionless voice came from behind.
Victoria hesitated. She didn't want to provoke him, especially now that he knew about Ava, her other weak spot.
She thought, "He's selfish and self–centered, only concerned with his own feelings. If I make him angry, what if he uses my grandmother to threaten me?"
Reluctantly, she followed him into a private dining room, where two persons sitting.
One of them was Jacob, whom she had met a few times before, Henry's personal assistant during his travels.
"Mr. Harrison, you're back?"
Carlos, the other man, immediately stood up with a warm smile upon seeing Henry.
"Mm," Henry responded briefly, pulling out the chair beside him. He gestured toward Victoria and said, "Sit."
Carlos' gaze flickered with curiosity. "And this is?"
"My wife," Henry replied in a calm tone as he sat down.
"Ah, Mrs. Harrison!" Carlos' demeanor grew even more respectful. "It's an honor to meet you. Please, have a seat. It's my privilege to host both Mr. and Mrs. Harrison here in Camoreham. I hope my hospitality hasn't fallen short."
As he spoke, he raised his glass and took a drink.
He believed that she had attended enough of these business social events and was quite adept at handling them.
As they discussed work–related matters, she sat there, and the potential partners naturally wouldn't make any excessive demands or resort to underhanded tactics to facilitate the cooperation.
She had been through many occasions like this.
In Henry's eyes, this made her the perfect wife. A convenient shield.
When Carlos excused himself to use the restroom, Victoria used her fingers to massage her temples and said, "Henry, you should have told me in advance."
"And then what?" Henry's loosened tie added a touch of casual indifference to his appearance.
"I would've refused."
Her voice was steady as she said, "I don't want to be Mrs. Harrison anymore. I also don't want to fulfill any duties that come with that title."
Henry chuckled lightly, draping an arm over the back of her chair. His striking eyes gleamed with a faint hint of amusement, and the faintest trace of a smile softened his features. With just a touch of emotion, his gaze seemed to brim with affection, as if he had endless words of love to pour out.
But Victoria knew it was all an illusion. His usual illusion.
"I knew you'd refuse. That's exactly why I didn't tell you."
Victoria's breath hitched, her delicate brows knitting together. "When this dinner is over, can I leave?"
"No."
Henry rejected her without hesitation. "I'm curious to see how far you're willing to go for someone else, even if it means compromising with me."
His voice carried a mocking undertone as he raised his glass and took a sip. The sharp burn of the liquor scorched his throat, fueling the flames of anger already smoldering in his chest.
Victoria could only think that he was unreasonable!
"What happens between us has nothing to do with anyone else. Dragging others into this, don't you find that despicable?"
Henry shrugged indifferently. "If it works, that's all that matters."
Victoria's hand clenched into a fist, and just then, the door opened, and Carlos and his assistant returned.
Carlos broadly grinned as he placed a jewelry box in front of . "Mrs. Harrison, it's a pleasure to meet you. This is just a small token of appreciation. It's nothing too extravagant, and I hope you won't mind."
As he spoke, he opened the box.
Inside the box was a pair of diamond earrings. The diamonds were flawlessly cut, sparkling brilliantly under the light, and the box bore the logo of a luxury brand.
Carlos had racked his brain trying to persuade Henry to lower his demands and leave more profit margin for him. This dinner was part of that effort, but he hadn't budged.
Left with no choice, Carlos shifted his focus to Victoria.
Henry's sharp brows lifted slightly as he suddenly picked up the carrings and held them near Victoria's cars, sizing them up
Victoria froze. She wondered, "Is he really planning to accept this gift?"
"Not bad," Henry remarked approvingly before reaching out to put the diamond earrings on her.
His actions were smooth and intimate, but Victoria felt incredibly uncomfortable, her body stiffening like a board.
Carlos' smile deepened. He thought, "Things are looking promising!"
Once Henry finished fastening the earrings, he studied them carefully for a moment before turning to Carlos. "Mr. Stoddard, it seems you've got quite the eye for gift. I take it you buy your wife something every week.
"Happy wife, happy life!" Carlos replied, nodding enthusiastically.
Henry smirked slightly and then said, "The previous proposal was decent. Revise it a bit more, and then show it to me."
With that, he glanced at his watch and added, "It's getting late. I need to spend some time with my wife. Goodbye."
He then took Victoria's hand and walked out of the private room without waiting for a response.
Carlos beamed with joy, feeling like his gamble had paid off. He immediately turned to his assistant. "Order all the latest jewelry pieces and have them delivered to Mrs. Harrison's hotel!"
"Yes, sir."
In the car, Victoria broke the silence. "I need to get back to the hospital. My grandmother is waiting for me."
Henry, however, replied in an indifferent tone, "One night without returning won't cause any trouble."
"What do you want?"
Victoria looked at him, completely unable to figure out what he was thinking.
The dim light inside the car cast shadows over Henry's face.
"Why are you so resistant to me?"
Henry calmly continued, "Victoria, relax. Give us a chance. We can still get along like we used to."
"Why won't you divorce me?" Victoria asked directly. "If you try divorcing me, you might find that the world becomes a lot better. No one will be an obstacle for you, and you can do whatever you want."
The air in the car grew tense and heavy.
"I'm getting tired of hearing you talk about divorce," Henry said slowly, his voice laced with a hint of icy displeasure.
Victoria, however, chuckled softly. "Well, I'm determined to get one, Henry. You can't change my mind."
Henry suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of irritation. He thought Victoria was being utterly ungrateful.
He had given her so much, yet she still insisted on leaving him. His refusal to let her go almost made it seem like he was the one begging her to stay. That was something completely out of character for him.
He sneered internally and thought, "Fine. Let's see how you fare after the divorce. What kind of mess will your life become then?"
Just as he was about to say something, his phone rang. Glancing over, it was Jude calling.
"Daddy, I'm in your hotel room. Are you and Mommy staying together?" Jude's young voice came through the line.
"Who gave you permission to come to Camoreham?" Henry's tone turned icy.
Jude hesitated, his voice tinged with fear. "I... I wanted to see Mom."