Departed With A Belly {1}

Avoiding Him Like He Was a Plague

At the mention of Alaric, Victoria suddenly remembered the scene she saw outside the nightclub last night. Where is he? Of course, he's at Claudia's place.

As for what happened and what they did last night that caused him not to appear before Griselda now, Victoria felt the answer was perfectly clear.

She was sulking but couldn't vent her emotions before Griselda, so she found an excuse that wouldn't be easily exposed later to cover for Alaric.

"He was up late last night, so he's still resting." After saying that, Victoria realized that she was telling the truth. Alaric had been up late last night, but no one knew what he was doing.

When Griselda heard that, she instantly became resentful as she criticized, "How old is he? Why is he still staying up all night?" Meanwhile, Victoria smiled and didn't say anything.

When Griselda noticed Victoria's behavior, she sighed. "You're the only one
who can stand his attitude."

"No way," Victoria replied softly.

As she didn't feel like continuing that topic, she suggested bringing Griselda out for a walk in the garden in her wheelchair, and Griselda agreed.

Following that, the caretaker brought over Griselda's wheelchair and helped her get on it.

Griselda's legs weren't in terrible shape, but she couldn't walk for an extensive period. She could walk a few steps around her room but not outside.

Once she was settled in her wheelchair, Victoria opened the cupboard and grabbed a thick shawl and blanket. She then wrapped them around Griselda before heading out.

In the meantime, Griselda wrapped the shawl tightly around herself in satisfaction before exclaiming, "This material feels so comfortable. I remember complaining about them being thick and heavy when I was younger. I have grown to like them now, but I'm no longer young."

Victoria could hear a trace of dismay in Griselda's voice and felt strange,
so she comforted her, "Grandma, I think this material suits the current you better. It goes well with the custom-made dress you're wearing now, and it makes you look stunning. I have always admired your beauty and temperament."

That was the truth, as every woman in the Cadogan Family looked stunning, whether it was Griselda or Victoria's mother-in-law.

That showed that the Cadogan men had a sharp eye for women.

When mentioning that, Victoria added,
"Grandma, I remember seeing you and Mom together at a banquet I attended when I was still a child. thought you two were sisters."

She was young back then. So, when she saw the two beautiful women with delicate features and no wrinkles standing together, she thought they looked like a pair of elegant and noble sisters.

Griselda found that funny and joked, "Oh, you. You're such a sweet-talker. I'm convinced, and I suddenly feel like I'm not old anymore."

After she said that, Victoria bent down and wrapped her arms around Griselda's shoulders to hug her. "Grandma, you're not old, to begin with. I like you a lot."
Griselda treated her very nicely.

So, Victoria liked her a lot, but not because Griselda was Alaric's grandma
or because she wanted to be Griselda's granddaughter-in-law.

It was because Griselda had always been nice to Victoria since childhood.

My own grandmother passed away early, and I don't have a mom, but the love Grandma gave me made up for all of that. Even if Alaric and I got divorced...

As Victoria thought of that, she hugged Griselda even tighter. "You will always be my grandma."

They saw someone approaching them when they were about to reach the door.

He had a tall, lean figure and handsome face, but his eyes looked cold.

When both sides met each other, Victoria stopped walking. "Alaric?" Griselda was surprised to see Alaric here. "Grandma," he greeted Griselda in his deep voice. His voice sounded a little raspy and laced with a hint of sexiness.

When Victoria saw him, she scoffed softly. Her scoff was so soft that it was almost inaudible, but Alaric seemed to have noticed it and glanced at her.

"What's going on with you? Victoria said you stayed up late last night, so I thought you wouldn't make it today!" Alaric didn't expect that to be the excuse Victoria used.

It didn't matter if I stayed up late. Even if I stay up all night, I will still come and see you."

"Such a glib talker." Griselda deliberately criticized him disdainfully but couldn't suppress the joyful smile on her face.

After that, Alaric approached Victoria and offered, "Let me do it."When he approached Victoria, she couldn't smell any alcohol on him. Instead, he smelled of fresh soap.

Not only that, but his clothes were also different, and his inner shirt was ironed flatly and hugged his figure very well.

Victoria felt like she could easily guess who was behind all of this.

It might have been that Alaric had stayed over at someone's home and that person had ironed his clothes this morning.

While she was still lost in her thoughts, Alaric was already standing very
close to her.

Just as his hand was about to land on the wheelchair, she quickly withdrew her hand and took two steps backward to keep a small distance between them.

She was acting like he was a plague or something. Meanwhile, Alaric was stunned at her sudden action.

A few seconds later, his handsome face turned grim as an icy aura enveloped his whole body.

At first, he felt his heart melt a little after listening to Norwood's hypothesis, but now, he scoffed silently.

It seems like I've been overthinking this situation.

"What's the matter?" Griselda noticed they still hadn't moved after Alaric stood over, so she asked out of curiosity. Hearing her question, Alaric regained his composure and curled his thin lips.

'It's nothing, Grandma. Let's go." After that, he pushed Griselda's wheelchair in the direction of the garden while Victoria followed beside them.

When they accompanied Griselda to the garden, Alaric would usually push the wheelchair while Victoria would hug his arm or tug on the corner of his shirt.

Sometimes, she would be so clingy that she was like his tail.

However, today, Victoria kept quite a large distance between them, making it seem like they weren't a couple but strangers.

As time progressed, Alaric's expression became darker, and the aura around him turned colder.

Suddenly, he stopped.

"Grandma, I need to send a text message," he informed Griselda. Griselda nodded as she didn't think that was something out of the ordinary.

Then, he pulled out his phone and began tapping on the screen. When Victoria saw that scene, she averted her eyes emotionlessly.

He must be texting his lovely Claudia.
They might not have been apart for long, and he's already missing her. How clingy.

She entirely lost control of her emotions and was filled with jealousy.

The phone in her bag vibrated, so she frustratedly took it out without thinking much about it.

The next moment, she froze.

That was because it was a message from Alaric.

Why are you standing so far away? Are you trying to make Grandma doubt our relationship?'
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Published on: November 12, 2023
Time: 6:19
Word count: 1210 words