Chapter 169
A hint of scarlet colored Henry's eyes, and the alcohol pounding in his head only made the world around him feel hazier.
Without warning, he exerted force, pushing Victoria back onto the bed.
"You!"
Victoria let out a scream, but in the next instant, her scream was cut short as his lips crashed onto hers, fierce and unrelenting.
The kiss was with a brutal intensity, possessive and all–consuming, as if he aimed to devour her very essence.
It wasn't the kind of kiss that set her heart fluttering with excitement. Instead, it was the kind that made her want to bolt.
Victoria struggled beneath him, but it was no use.
Her strength was nothing compared to his.
With one hand, he pinned her wrists above her head. His kiss traveled from the corner of her lips down to her neck.
Her legs, against her will, wrapped around his waist. The hard buckle of his belt pressed against her soft belly, and despite her panic, she could feel the undeniable change in him, the proof of his desire.
A sharp, stinging pain erupted on her collarbone. He was biting her.
Her breath came in short, erratic gasps. She fought with everything she had, but her limbs were growing weak from exhaustion.
Her vision blurred, her body beginning to betray her.
"Let me go. I can't bear it..." she whimpered, her voice trembling as her strength faded.
Henry paused for a moment, looking down at her. Her eyes glistening with unshed tears, met his. For a split second. something in his expression softened just enough for him to release her wrist. He smiled.
But he didn't stop. He leaned in again, his lips leaving a trail of possessive marks on her fair skin, branding her as if he could claim her through sheer force.
Victoria hand slid quietly into her pocket, her fingers curling around a small bottle. She waited for the moment he let his guard down. Then, she whipped out the bottle and sprayed its contents directly into his unsuspecting face!
A light, fragrant mist filled the air. She quickly covered her own mouth and nose, watching as Henry's expression shifted from surprise to confusion. "Victoria!"
He didn't even have time to finish his sentence. His eyes glazed over, losing focus as he collapsed on top of her, unconscious.
Victoria let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her in waves.
This was the latest fragrance spray she had developed, designed for defence and today the person she'd use it on was Henry.
Still, the fumes had affected her too. Her head spun, her consciousness growing hazy.
With the last of her energy, she shoved Henry off of her and staggered to her feet.
At that moment, nothing else mattered. Her mind was singularly focused, she had to get out of there and fast.
The cool night air hit her face as she stumbled out of the hotel, helping to clear her mind. She fumbled for her phone, trying to call a taxi.
But just as she was about to dial, a car pulled up in front of her. The door opened, and Pete stepped out.
"You're here?"
Victoria breathed a sigh of relief, recognizing her friend. "Please, take me to the hospital," she pleaded.
Pete caught her arm as he peered into her eyes, which flickered with a mix of bewilderment and lucidity. With a voice laced with urgency, he asked, "What's going on with you?"
"I'm fine. I just need to see my grandma. Send me to the hospital. I'll be okay once I see her," she insisted.
"Alright," Pete replied.
He gently guided her into the passenger seat and spun the car around. The engine hummed as they sped off toward the hospital.
As they raced down the road, his eyes darted between the traffic ahead and Victoria beside him. His voice, tinged with anxiety, broke the tense silence. "Did he drug you?" he asked hesitantly.
"No."
Victoria shook her head. "It was my own fault."
Pete blinked, processing her words. "Did you drug him?"
There was a long pause.
Her silence spoke volumes, confirming his suspicion.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
When they arrived at the hospital, Pete helped Victoria into the ward. Meanwhile, Ava was lost in the world of a romantic drama unfolding on her phone screen. But the moment Victoria stumbled in, looking utterly disheveled, Ava dropped her phone and demanded, "What happened?"
Victoria looked at her pitifully. "Grandma, you have to help me. I've been poisoned by my own fragrance spray."
With her eyes rolling skyward in a mix of annoyance and amusement, Ava reached out to touch Victoria's forehead.
"Seriously, you're something else. Can't you whip up an antidote for that scent you created?"
Victoria immediately wrapped her arms around Ava, her voice dripping with affectionate playfulness, "Grandma, I know I haven't been doing well. I realize I was wrong, and I promise to work harder from now on."
Ava let out a soft snort, her nimble fingers opening the bedside drawer. She pulled out a delicate sachet, carefully unfolded it, and placed it under Victoria's nose.
The refreshing scent flooded Victoria's senses, and she couldn't help but take a deep breath. Slowly, her foggy mind cleared.
"Grandma, you're amazing! What is this?" Victoria asked curiously.
Ava tossed the sachet to her. "Figure it out yourself. If you can't, don't call me grandma anymore."
Victoria caught the sachet, tied its strap carefully, and tucked it away like a precious treasure. "I will definitely figure it out!"
Pete, who had been standing quietly by the side, smiled and said, "Since everything's settled, I'll take my leave now."
Victoria looked at him and offered a gentle smile, "Thank you so much."
Pete chuckled, "You better start thinking about how to thank me properly. Today's meal is off the table. Someone here just loves to stir the pot."
Victoria blinked, nodding in agreement. "No problem."
As Pete turned to leave, Ava finally put down the phone she had been fiddling with and looked at Victoria with interest. "What's this about? Did you have dinner with Pete?"
Victoria nodded. "Yes, I'm really thankful for his help. It's why I offered to take him out. I told him he could pick anywhere he wanted to go."
Ava clicked her tongue. "Ate good food without me, huh?"
Victoria panicked for a second before explaining, "Next time, I'll take you with me. Please don't be mad."
"Forget it. That boy just wanted some alone time with you.
He probably wouldn't want me tagging along anyway," Ava said with a wave of her hand.
After a pause, she added, "I've watched Pete grow up.
He's learned all his grandfather's tricks.
If it weren't for what happened five years ago, I'd actually love to see you two tie the knot. "
Victoria pressed her lips together. "Grandma, that's all in the past. Let's not bring it up again."
"It's not too late to talk about it now.
I can see you're thinking about a divorce," Ava said, looking serious as she held Victoria's hand.
"I support your decision. I've never liked Henry.
But you should fight for custody. The child is innocent.
Raising him with you might just keep him from becoming as cold and haughty as his dad. "
Victoria lowered her eyes slightly and confessed, "Grandma, I actually came here today to tell you something."
"I figured as much," Ava said calmly.
Victoria was taken aback. "You already knew?"
Ava gently stroked her hair. "Camille told me right away. It's funny, really. Did she think I'd accept just any girl she found? You're the only one I recognize as my granddaughter, so you don't need to be afraid."
In an instant, Victoria's eyes welled up with tears, and she hugged Ava tightly.
Tenderly stroking her hair and back, Ava exclaimed with affection, "Camille is ungrateful.
I'll pretend I never gave birth to her. But you are different.
I liked you the moment I saw you. That's why I'm willing to teach you those skills.
It has nothing to do with whether you're my granddaughter or not, understand? "
When Victoria was just a little girl, Ava kept her distance, never once coming to see her. It was all because she was Camille's daughter, and Ava wanted nothing to do with her, avoiding any closeness or contact.
But as time passed, Victoria learned about Ava and secretly sought Ava out one summer vacation. When Ava finally found Victoria, Victoria just revealed who she truly was.
Ava was in utter surprise. "How on earth did Camille manage to have such an intelligent kid?" she thought.
Victoria had run away with very little money, so Ava let her stay. The more time they spent together, the more Ava grew affection to her. She found out that Victoria had a sensitive nose, which led her to start sharing her knowledge of fragrance creation with Victoria.