Departed With A Belly {1}

I've Decided To Drop It

Victoria waited until the sun had set but still received nothing from Alaric. Her phone was silent like it had been cut off from the outside world.

When she was working, she would love nothing more than for her phone to be silent so that she could have more time for herself. But now... It wasn't until darkness began enveloping the sky that Victoria's phone pinged, startling her.

She hurriedly picked the phone up, only for her gaze to dim upon seeing the content. It was a text from Summer.

'So? Have you given the idea much thought? Have you come clean with him?'

Victoria looked silently at her phone for a long time before a self-deprecating-filled chuckle escaped her.

You have known the answer long ago, but why are you so insistent? Why must you lay your wound bare for people to see and scorn? Now, you've done it. How are you going to face him now?

Victoria slid down against the bed and closed her eyes. Who is he with right now? What is he doing? How did he react when he found out I'm pregnant? Will he share the news with Claudia? What will
she think of me after this?

Instantly, Victoria felt as though all the strength in her limbs had been sucked away.

Later that night,Victoria ate no more after taking spoonfuls of soup. When the clock struck nine, her phone still did not have any new notifications.

With that, she could only go downstairs with a jacket wrapped around her. Hector still hadn't rested yet, so he stood up upon seeing her. "It's already late at night, Mrs. Cadogan. Why are you still up?"

Victoria glanced at the empty gates and asked, "Alaric hasn't come back?"

A hint of surprise flashed across Hector as he answered, "Mr. Cadogan's assistant called earlier saying Mr. Cadogan has something important and won't be coming back tonight."

Victoria's heart sank in response.

"Mrs. Cadogan, are you alright?" asked the butler with worry, seeing that she didn't look so good.

"I'm good." She forced a smile after returning to her senses. Then, she turned around to head back upstairs. Just as she was about to enter her room, her phone rang.

The name displayed on the screen caused her pupils to shrink-it was. Didn't he say he won't be coming back? Why would he call me at this time, then? What does he want to tell me?

At that, Victoria took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally before answering the call. "Victoria?"

However, a familiar sweet female voice came on the other end of the line.

It was Claudia. "Al wants me to tell you that he has something going on and won't be going back tonight. You're still sick, so rest early, okay?"

At that moment, all Victoria felt was that her throat was jammed, her heart was sinking, and even her limbs were numb.

Did he ask Claudia to call me? What is he trying to do? "Victoria? Are you there?"

Victoria took pains to blurt out an 'okay' after coming to her senses but still couldn't stop herself from ending the call in discomfiture.

When Claudia heard the busy tone, she breathed a sigh of relief, then saved Victoria's phone number into her phone before returning Alaric's phone to him.