Chapter 86
Victoria was unsure if Evelyn noticed her oddity because she continued, âI initially wanted to host your
party here, but Chrisâ grandfather cares that you went to prison before. So, he allowed us to have the
party, but not here.â
Victoria was unsure if Evelyn noticed her oddity because she continued, âI initially wanted to host your
party here, but Chrisâ grandfather cares that you went to prison before. So, he allowed us to have the
party, but not here.â
âItâs fine then. Mrs. Thatcher, I appreciate it, but you really donât need to do this,â Victoria said hurriedly
while she picked up her cutlery from the ground and placed it back on the table.
A maid came over and exchanged her used cutlery for a set of new ones.
âI want to help, but thereâs nothing much I can do for you,â Evelyn sighed, and Victoria was not sure if
she was referring to her birthday party or some other matter.
âMrs. Thatcher, donât be too hard on yourself. Youâve done enough for me. A birthday party is just a
form of celebration, and I donât mind not having one.â Victoriaâs expression had returned to normal now,
but she still looked pale.
âThe thing now is that other people care about whether we have this celebration for you. This is the first
birthday youâre going to have after your release from prison, and you canât imagine how many people
are keeping their eyes on this matter. If we donât throw you a grand celebration, youâll truly look like we
have abandoned you,â Evelyn explained.
Victoria took a bite of her meal, the food tasting like ash. âNo matter what other people say, itâs true that
I was abandoned, just like a sacrificial piece in a chess match.â
âI already hired people to prepare for your birthday party, and weâve sent the invitation out. You just
need to accompany me tomorrow,â Evelyn concluded the matter without asking for Victoriaâs opinion
again.
Since she had sent out the invitation, there was no way for Victoria to refuse this anymore. She wilted
slightly as she hung her head while continuing to shovel food in her mouth.
After lunch, Bella came and chatted with Evelyn in the living room. After a moment, she smiled and
said to Victoria, âIâm thirsty from all the talking. Could you bring me the fruit platter on the table?â
Victoria didnât move.
Christian was not around, so she did not need to be afraid of offending him by being disrespectful
toward Bella. Therefore, it was unnecessary for her to put on a show.
When Bella saw that Victoria wasnât obeying her, she remembered something and said sincerely, âJust
so you know, Iâm only asking you to help because I have trouble moving around myself. Iâm not treating
you as a maid or anything. Perhaps itâs because youâve been working at Delta Club for too long, so
youâll think Iâm ordering you around when I asked for your help to take something. If I offended you
earlier, please forgive me.â
She put an emphasis on âDelta Clubâ and glanced at Evelyn subtly when she said that.
She put an emphasis on âDelta Clubâ and glanced at Evelyn subtly when she said that.
Evelynâs smile diminished a little while she ate the fruits daintily.
âMiss Spritz, you can become a scriptwriter if you canât dance anymore. I think youâll make it big with
your soap operas,â Victoria said lightly.
âThanks for your suggestion, but Iâve learned a little bit of finance when you were in jail for the last two
years. Now, Iâm working in the Finance Department of Spritz Group, so I guess I canât become a
scriptwriter as you suggested.â Bella smiled.
Each and every word of hers was like a knife that was dipped into poison, piercing right at Victoriaâs
heart.
Victoria just pursed her lips and wisely kept her mouth shut.
âIf you donât want to work at Delta Club anymore, you should do what I did. Learn about finance or any
other field, and then you can find a new job.â Bella paused, frowning before she continued, âBut thereâs
a slight problem here. You were in jail before, so reputable universities probably would not take you in.
You donât have to worry that much. Once you decide which university you want to enroll in, I can ask
Chris to help you to get in with his connections.â
âAre you thirsty after talking so much?â Victoria stood up and brought the fruit platter to Bella.
Bella picked up a piece of apple and smiled. âI guess I still needed your help in the end. Thanks a lot.â
âNo worries. I love helping people, but thereâs something you must know. Not everyone is as kind as I
am. You have a problem walking around, and you love talking so much, so Iâd suggest you bring a
bottle of water with you at all times,â Victoria said while holding the plate in front of Bella.
âIâll be able to walk in about six monthsâ time. As for you, Iâd recommend you to get your legs checked if
you can afford it. Itâll be terrible if your condition worsens and you develop a disability.â
Victoria tightened her grip on the plate of fruits before releasing it. The fruits fell on Bellaâs shirt before
they rolled to the ground.
With a slam, the plate broke. The white pieces of broken plate among the colorful fruits created a
masterpiece in a way.
âOops, it slipped from my hand.â Victoria bent a little to apologize, but her tone was without sincerity.
âIâm sorry.â
Evelyn let out a chuckle, the wrinkles by her eyes rippling. She looked elegant and exuded the charms
of a mature woman.
She waved to the maid, âAmy, cut up another plate of fruits. Wait, make it a few more dishes. Itâs hot
out there, and the girls can eat those fruits to cool themselves down.
Amy replied affirmatively before leaving the living room.
She put on emphosis on âDelto Clubâ ond glonced ot Evelyn subtly when she soid thot.
Evelynâs smile diminished o little while she ote the fruits dointily.
âMiss Spritz, you con become o scriptwriter if you conât donce onymore. I think youâll moke it big with
your soop operos,â Victorio soid lightly.
âThonks for your suggestion, but Iâve leorned o little bit of finonce when you were in joil for the lost two
yeors. Now, Iâm working in the Finonce Deportment of Spritz Group, so I guess I conât become o
scriptwriter os you suggested.â Bello smiled.
Eoch ond every word of hers wos like o knife thot wos dipped into poison, piercing right ot Victorioâs
heort.
Victorio just pursed her lips ond wisely kept her mouth shut.
âIf you donât wont to work ot Delto Club onymore, you should do whot I did. Leorn obout finonce or ony
other field, ond then you con find o new job.â Bello poused, frowning before she continued, âBut thereâs
o slight problem here. You were in joil before, so reputoble universities probobly would not toke you in.
You donât hove to worry thot much. Once you decide which university you wont to enroll in, I con osk
Chris to help you to get in with his connections.â
âAre you thirsty ofter tolking so much?â Victorio stood up ond brought the fruit plotter to Bello.
Bello picked up o piece of opple ond smiled. âI guess I still needed your help in the end. Thonks o lot.â
âNo worries. I love helping people, but thereâs something you must know. Not everyone is os kind os I
om. You hove o problem wolking oround, ond you love tolking so much, so Iâd suggest you bring o
bottle of woter with you ot oll times,â Victorio soid while holding the plote in front of Bello.
âIâll be oble to wolk in obout six monthsâ time. As for you, Iâd recommend you to get your legs checked if
you con offord it. Itâll be terrible if your condition worsens ond you develop o disobility.â
Victorio tightened her grip on the plote of fruits before releosing it. The fruits fell on Belloâs shirt before
they rolled to the ground.
With o slom, the plote broke. The white pieces of broken plote omong the colorful fruits creoted o
mosterpiece in o woy.
âOops, it slipped from my hond.â Victorio bent o little to opologize, but her tone wos without sincerity.
âIâm sorry.â
Evelyn let out o chuckle, the wrinkles by her eyes rippling. She looked elegont ond exuded the chorms
of o moture womon.
She woved to the moid, âAmy, cut up onother plote of fruits. Woit, moke it o few more dishes. Itâs hot
out there, ond the girls con eot those fruits to cool themselves down.
Amy replied offirmotively before leoving the living room.
She put an emphasis on âDelta Clubâ and glanced at Evelyn subtly when she said that.
While Bella lowered her eyes at the mess on her clothes, a glint of maliciousness flashed across her
eyes. Then, she looked up and asked in confusion, âHow did the plate slip suddenly?ânovelxo.com fast
update
She bit down on her lower lip, her expression slightly dejected as she continued, âAre you still mad
because Chris chose me over you?â
âMiss Spritz, youâre overthinking it. Remember when the glass of water slipped out of your hands
because it was too hot? Itâs the same for me this time; my fingers are numb from the coldness. You
should be grateful that it wasnât a glass of hot water in my hands earlier. Otherwise, your face mightâve
been ruined by now.â Victoriaâs entire body was stiff, and hatred was written all over her gaze.
Bellaâs eyes became moist as she asked in disbelief, âVictoria, d-did you do that on purpose?â
âLet me say something for Victoriaâs sake.â Evelyn wiped the corners of her mouth with a tissue and
then said, âShe just returned from the hospital, and she hasnât fully recovered yet. Sometimes, her
limbs would feel weak. That was probably what had happened again earlier.â
Finally, she turned to look at Victoria. âIsnât that right, Tori?â
Victoria tightened her grip on her hands, loosened it, then tightened it again. Then, she replied softly,
âYeah. Iâm feeling under the weather, so Iâll head back to my room to rest first.â
âGo ahead. Bella is a kind and understanding lady. She wonât blame you,â Evelyn said.
Bella nodded, looking worried. âHave a good rest since youâre not feeling well. I wonât be like Vince and
get angry over such a small matter.â
Those words made Victoria furrow her brows, but she ignored Bella and ascended the stairs.
âSheâs so pitiful.â Bella sighed. âBut she mustâve done something wicked to make people dislike her so
much. Mrs. Thatcher, arenât you afraid that, by keeping her by your sideâ¦â
At this moment, she stopped and waved her hand. âItâs not that I want to assume the worst of Victoria,
but she had a criminal record of being a murderer before. Iâm just worried about you, so Iâ¦â
âI watched Tori grow up, and I know what kind of person she is.â Evelyn said, smiling, âBella, Iâll tell you
this now. No matter what happens between Chris and you in the future, Tori will always be a young lady
who I favor.â
Amy returned with two plates of fruits and carefully placed them on the table.
âMrs. Thatcher.â After a moment of silence, Bella said glumly, âYou seem to be dissatisfied with me no
matter what I do. Is it because of the matter between my Mom and Mr. Thatcher?â