Chapter 177
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Someone closest to Henry jumped up, pointing at Victoria and shouting, "Who are you!"
Henry raised his hand, silencing the man, and waved everyone else out of the room.
Wiping the water off his face, he locked eyes with her, a sneer forming. "Victoria, you know the consequences of provoking me, yet here you are."
"Where did you send my grandma?" Victoria demanded, her voice icy.
Henry's expression darkened. He abruptly stood up, grabbing Victoria and pushing her against the desk. "Say that again!"
She glared at him. "Henry, you're shameless! Why did you take my grandma? She's the only family I have left!"
Tears streamed down her face as she recalled her fears while searching for Ava, terrified of what Henry might do to her.
If something really happened to Ava, she would definitely make Henry pay dearly.
Fortunately, Ava was fine.
Henry's glare intensified. "I told you not to defy me. Just cooperate; is that so hard?"
He couldn't understand why she had been compliant for five years and yet chose this moment to rebel, provoking him without regard for the consequences.
"But I don't want to!" Victoria retorted, her chest heaving with anger. She pushed him away and stepped off the desk, her eyes ablaze. "I want a divorce. I can't keep living like this, Henry. I've had enough!"
She stood there, defenses up, glaring at him with a cold fierceness that replaced her usual gentleness.
Annoyance flashed across Henry's features. His collar was soaked, and he adjusted his tie irritably.
"Fine. You'll never see your grandmother again," he said coldly.
She kept saying all the things he hated and pushing his buttons.
"You can't do that!" Victoria rushed toward him, attempting to hit him, but he caught her easily.
With one hand, he restrained her wrists behind her back. "I told you you'd come begging, Victoria. Now that you're under my control, you don't get to negotiate with me. You can only do your best to please me. Understand?"
Furious and in tears, Victoria struggled but couldn't break free.
"You've gone too far, Henry. You've been treating me like a mere substitute, still hung up on the past. I'm a victim too! Why should I suffer for your revenge and indifference? I hate you!"
Hearing her choked accusations and seeing the pain in her eyes gave Henry a headache.
"What substitute? What are you talking about?" he asked, furrowing his brow.
Victoria turned her face away, taking a deep breath before insisting, "It doesn't matter anymore. I just want to know where you sent my grandma. She's nearly 80 years old–an innocent old woman. Can't you just let her go?"
Henry pinched Victoria's chin, forcing her to turn her head and meet his eyes. His brows furrowed as he asked in a deep voice, "Explain yourself, what substitute?"
Victoria's eyes flickered slightly, tears sliding down the corners of her eyes, which made her look sensitive and fragile. Her lips trembled slightly as her painful past was mentioned again. She felt like she was reliving the pain, so suffocating and excruciating!
"You're really a jerk..." Victoria choked on her words and said, "You like Sarah, yet you refuse to go abroad to find her. Instead, you dressed me up like her and reminded yourself of her by looking at me every day. Henry, I just hate you for that."
Listening to her accusations and seeing the sadness and indignation in her eyes, Henry felt utterly bewildered.
He asked incredulously, "When did I ever ask you to dress up like Sarah?"
Victoria sneered, "Of course, you can deny it. I've already told you that I don't care. I just want to ask you, where is my grandmother?"
"Victoria." Henry knew Victoria had misunderstood him. His handsome face turned grave as he replied, "I've never asked you to dress like someone else, and when have I ever interfered in your private matters?"
"I've never forced anything on her about what she eats, dresses, or does. She has complete control of her own things!
How did she become a substitute for someone else? When did I ask her to dress as someone else? When did this misunderstanding occur?" Henry thought.
Victoria's beautiful eyelashes trembled as she looked at him in disbelief. "You've done so much, and now you're denying it? You said you didn't interfere with my daily life. But who bought all those ladylike clothes in the wardrobe?"
Henry frowned tighter. "Didn't you say you liked them yourself?"
He didn't really remember those trivial things. He just heard that she liked those, so he had someone prepare them.
Then, she wore them every day and looked happy.
She didn't have to wear them if she hated them.
Not only Henry, but also Victoria was confused.
"What's going on? I told him that I liked them. When?" Victoria wondered.
She moved her hand. "Let go of me first."
Being grabbed by both hands made Victoria feel uncomfortable, and her wrists hurt a lot.
Henry's lips pressed together slightly as he said, "I can let you go. But don't act crazy."
Instead of looking at him, Victoria fell into deep contemplation.
She recalled what happened with regard to those clothes.
It seemed that one day, she wore a light green lady–style long dress, and Henry complimented her when he returned, saying she looked good in it.
As a girl who was in love, Victoria was really pleased by Henry's compliment.
Therefore, she began to wear the same outfit in the following days, and gradually, the wardrobe was filled with these kinds of clothes.
Victoria began to immerse herself in self–doubt. The belief she had always held that she was being treated as a substitute turned out to be a misunderstanding.
Henry released her. Victoria turned around and took a few steps, with her back to him, organizing her thoughts.
She was really confused.
But the fact is, the substitute thing was indeed a misunderstanding.
She took a deep breath, calming down a bit, and said, "I got it the wrong way. I won't bring it up again. Where is my grandmother?"
Henry snorted lightly and sat back down in his chair.
"Victoria, you misunderstood me, causing me to take the blame all along. Shouldn't you apologize to me?"
Regaining her composure again and with her eyes still red, Victoria turned her head and said, "Speaking of apologies, Henry, the person who should apologize is you.
You gave me a loveless marriage, then you hooked up with your first love and cheated on me, and now you hide my grandmother without my consent. How could you ask me to apologize?"