Chapter 57
Even though James was the elder, he was carefully when speaking to Henry.
Henry's status and influence were undeniable, leaving James with no room to act like a commanding elder.
Henry's handsome face remained indifferent. He looked at Victoria with a half-smile.
Ignoring James, he said flatly, "You're really bringing this up now? Aren't you afraid I'll leave you penniless?"
James and Camille's faces turned pale at Henry's words. James shot Camille a glance, and she quickly led Jude out of the room. The atmosphere had grown too heavy for a child.
Once they were gone, James rounded on Victoria. "Stop whatever nonsense you're planning. Do you hear me?"
Sebastian frowned and said, "Dad, Vicky hasn't been happy all these years. Don't you care about her feelings at all?"
"Oh?" Henry turned his gaze to Sebastian, his tone laced with mockery. "And how would you know if she's happy or not? Were you hiding under our bed at night, listening in?"
"You!" Sebastian's face darkened, stunned by Henry's shamelessness.
"I've made up my mind. No matter what comes, I won't back down." Charlotte responded calmly, "You've cheated, and you still want to throw me out with nothing? Don't you think the public will tear the Harrison family apart if word gets out?"
Victoria pulled out her phone, scrolling to the incriminating photos she'd received earlier, and handed them to James.
But James barely glanced at them, dismissing them outright. He even defended Henry. "She is just a friend. This doesn't prove anything. Anyway, you're not allowed to bring up divorce again. If you do, I'll hit you!"
Divorce would jeopardize too many interests. Over the years, the Hardwick family had profited immensely from their ties to the Harrisons. There was no way James would let Victoria walk away and risk losing it all.
"Then go ahead and hit me. I will definitely get a divorce. If Henry refuses to sign, I'll take it to court," Victoria said calmly.
Her gaze was steady on James. "In your eyes, not just these photos, even if he were caught in bed with another woman, it wouldn't mean a thing, would it?"
"Shut your mouth!" James bellowed, slamming the table with a loud bang. "Bring me my whip! I'll teach you a lesson today. You've grown far too insolent!"
Sebastian stepped forward immediately. "Dad, how can you hit Vicky? This is clearly his fault!"
"You shut up too! How dare you disobey me? I'm your father!" James' fury was unrestrained. Neither his son nor his daughter had given him peace of mind, and today, he decided he would put them in their place. He needed to remind them who led the Hardwick family.
The butler quickly brought the whip, and James stood up, swinging it toward Victoria without hesitation.
Victoria instinctively closed her eyes but didn't move. She figured she'd owe the Hardwick family nothing if she endured this punishment.
Before the whip was being swinging toward Victoria, Henry said. "James, why lose your temper like this on your birthday? It's not good for you," Henry said calmly. "I'll wait for her to regain her memory. If she still wants a divorce after that, I'll grant it."
James frowned. "Henry, don't say that. It's not easy to be together. You even have a child. If you divorce, what happens to Jude? Don't worry. Even if she regains her memory, I won't allow her to leave you."
Henry smiled faintly, but his gaze remained indifferent. "Let's wait until she regains her memory," he said coolly.
Victoria lowered her head, feeling his gaze linger on her. She sneered inwardly, "Why is he doing this? What is he trying to achieve?"
Victoria involuntarily tightened her fingers, thinking, "Could he really be waiting for my memory to return? Should my memory return?"
The atmosphere was tense, and Victoria had no desire to stay. After finishing her meal, she left without a second thought.
Victoria's expression darkened as she got into her car and drove away. Just then, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and frowned before answering, "Hello?"
Henry's deep, magnetic voice came through. "Pull over."
Victoria looked in her rearview mirror and spotted Henry's car following behind. She pulled over, curious to see what he was planning.
A moment later, Henry approached. He was tall, wearing a sharp black suit. His short hair was neatly styled, and his handsome face gave off the air of a gentleman. His eyes held a louch of tenderness as if filled with affection.
But Victoria knew it was all a facade.
Henry opened the passenger door and slipped in beside her.
"Henry, do you find this amusing?" Victoria asked directly, her tone sharp. "Why won't you agree to the divorce? Don't tell me you like me."
"Like you?" Henry repeated the words mockingly. "You said you have forgotten the past five years, but surely you remember why we got married?"
"No, I don't," Victoria said firmly. "But I've heard rumors."
"What kind of rumors?" Henry's gaze turned playful, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Victoria blinked and said, "They say that five years ago, I drugged you and slept with you. That's how we got married."
"You think it's just a rumor?" Henry's gaze darkened as he stared at Victoria intently.
Victoria's eyes widened in shock. "Of course, it's a rumor! How could I possibly have drugged you? I didn't even know you, let alone like you!"
But that wasn't true. Victoria liked Henry. He was her teenage crush. The thick photo album filled with pictures of him was undeniable evidence of her feelings.
But now, Victoria was determined to erase those traces and bury the past. She didn't want to like him anymore.
Victoria suppressed the turmoil in her heart and continued, "I still remember how things were five years ago. We had no common things. I had my own dreams and goals back then. Drugging you is absurd. It's nothing but baseless gossip."
Victoria's tone was resolute, her eyes clear and unwavering. She refused to believe that her past self could have done something so disgraceful.
Henry said coldly, "But it's the truth."
Five years ago, Henry had been set up and slept with Victoria. He had his men investigate thoroughly. Victoria had interacted with a waiter at the event, and shortly afterward, that same waiter brought him a drink. Then, he was drugged.
The hallway surveillance captured Victoria's figure, though it didn't show her entering his room. But the evidence was damning enough.
Victoria had orchestrated it all, and that incident cemented Henry's disdain for her.
Even on their wedding night, there was no tenderness. Henry's coldness had been absolute, leaving Victoria's emotionally and physically scarred.
Victoria looked at Henry's steely expression, steadying her breath before asking, "If that's how you see me, then why wouldn't you want a divorce?"
Victoria thought, "So, in his heart, I've always been nothing more than a woman who used underhanded tactics to force him into marrying me."