Departed With A Belly {1}

It Was Just A Deal

Summer calmed herself down after hearing Victoria's remarks. Since they had been friends for years, she knew
Victoria well.

She was someone who knew where she stood, so she had anticipated that something like this would happen.

Even so, Summer's heart broke for
her.

"But... Are you willing to do so?" asked Summer as she bit her lip.

"Does it matter?" Victoria replied impassively.

It was not the result that she wanted, but nothing changed even when she tried to alter it.

Reality slapped her in the face, which reminded her that she should not be delusional.

"Are you free tomorrow? Can you accompany me to the hospital?" She
paused before continuing with a smile, "I don't want to go alone."

"Come on, you're my only best friend.
Of course, I'll make time for you. You don't even have to ask. Just let me know, and I'll accompany you." Summer nodded.

"Let's eat. I wanna rest early." Victoria
smiled.

She was so calm that Summer could not tell how she was feeling. Faced with that scenario, she felt like crying when she saw how Victoria was trying to hold back her emotions.

Victoria was unlike that before the
Selwyn Family went bankrupt. She used to be a typical girl who had a candid personality since the Selwyns would have her back if anything happened.

However, ever since their bankruptcy...
"Victoria, you should let it out if you feel sad.

Since there are only two of us in this room and I'm your best friend, you don't have to hide your feelings in front of me."

Victoria was surprised upon hearing that. Did I mean to cry?

She had cried her eyes out multiple times ever since the bankruptcy. It was also then that she understood crying would not solve anything, and that her tears were worthless.

Not only that, those who wanted to trample over her would see her as a joke.
Ever since then, she decided she would not shed tears so easily in front of anyone, even if it was someone she trusted.

With that thought in mind, she smiled.
"Are you silly? What's there to cry over? Since day one, he had told me clearly that this is a marriage of convenience. I'm here to help him deal with his grandmother, and he would pay off my debt. This is just a deal."

Her nonchalance enraged Summer.

"You're lying. If this is just a deal, why
are you pregnant? If he only sees this as a deal, he shouldn't have slept with you and impregnated you. Getting an abortion is bad for your body, so what does he see you as?"

All of Summer's questions struck Victoria's heart as if her heart had been
stabbed.

In the beginning, she and Alaric were unlike how it was now. After they married, they would sleep in the same room to avoid any unnecessary speculations, though he would sleep on the couch.

Since he was her savior and someone whom she liked, she could not bring herself to let him sleep so uncomfortably.

Instead, she allowed him to sleep on the bed with a pillow placed in between them.

Since it was a big bed, it did not affect their sleep.

This went on for a long time until one night when Alaric brought her along
for an event, and she was introduced to some big shot whom she had already known before her family went bankrupt. During that night, she was introduced as Mrs. Cadogan, and nobody dared to embarrass him.

After the event ended, Victoria bought him drinks as she was in a good mood.

Both chatted about work as they drank and got drunk.

She had a hard time carrying him back to the room and suddenly fell into his arms after tripping over something. Her being in his arms had somehow aroused him, and he grabbed onto her waist while pressing himself on her.

His slim yet fit figure was on top of hers. She was not sure whether it was due to the alcohol, but she could feel her face boiling.

She wanted to push him away, but before she could do so, he pressed his lips against hers.

Startled, she was about to push him away when he started kissing her. At that moment, her head went blank, and she froze.

When she finally made sense of the situation, she kissed him back. That night, he clung to her, and she let herself go.

When she awoke in his arms the next morning, she noticed the frown on his face. Just as he was about to say something, she interjected.

"This is just an accident since we were both drunk last night."

Hearing that, his gaze darkened as he repeated her words.

"An accident?"

"Yes, an accident." She nodded.

This could only be an accident since it was a marriage of convenience from the start.

If something like that happened along the way, it would affect their relationship, and he might not let her stay by his side, thinking that she had an agenda.

His expression turned grave after hearing the word 'accident'.

It took him a while to finally calm himself down. "As a woman, you're on the short end of the stick. You can think of what you need from me."

"Why do I need anything from you? And what makes you think I'm on the short end of the stick? We're both adults, and this is just a biological need."

Victoria pretended to be nonchalant.

Alaric's expression turned heavy upon hearing that. "It's just a biological need?" He glanced at her with his darkened gaze.

"What else could it be? Don't overthink it. If you feel bad, you can just pay me. She shrugged and acted nonchalant about it.

That day, Victoria used her way to convince Alaric that it was just a deal
and quietly hid her true feelings from him. Eventually, she asked for a million.

It was unknown whether he thought the amount was outrageous, but ever since that incident, his face had never been any gloomier during all the years she spent with him.

Even so, he paid her the money, but both of them did not speak to each other for a long time.

He would always greet her with a long face whenever he bumped into her and purposely go to work early and stay back after work to avoid her.

Thus, both barely saw each other during that period. However, their relationship finally improved after Griselda's birthday.

Victoria sighed as she recalled the past. "There's that. I hope to get over it soon."

After everything was done, it would be time for her to leave. She could get divorced after Griselda's operation and be free to go anywhere she wanted!

The next day, Victoria was up early. After meeting Summer, both of them headed to the hospital.
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Published on: October 16, 2023
Word count: 1162 words