Chapter 2

Victoria POV

When I opened my eyes again, the view outside was blindingly white.

"Victoria, how are you? Do you feel sick anywhere else?"

I heard a familiar voice. Opening my eyes, I saw Jennifer's worried face.

Jennifer sat by the bed, her eyes bloodshot. She must have stayed up all night watching over me.

"...I'm fine." Memories from before I passed out flooded back. I forced myself to sit up. "Sorry for worrying you."

Jennifer nodded, her voice trembling with lingering fear: "You scared me to death yesterday. I was so afraid you'd do something..."

Halfway through her sentence, my phone rang.

I answered, my voice already calm: "Dad."

"Victoria, why does your voice sound hoarse? Were you up all night again?"

"I'm fine, Dad. Isn't the Zurich branch short-staffed? I'd like to go handle it."

My father paused. "Why do you suddenly want to go to Switzerland?"

"I want a change of scenery." I glanced out the window. "Jennifer's going back next month too. I want to go with her."

My father was silent for a long time before finally sighing. "Alright. Whatever you want."

I hung up. Jennifer looked at me with concern: "Are you sure about this?"

I nodded.

The lawyer sent the drafted divorce agreement to my email.

I stared at the screen. Every word hurt to look at.

I hadn't figured out how to bring it up to Michael yet.

We were entangled in too much—decades of friendship between our two families, extensive business dealings.

As I left Jennifer's apartment and got in my car, I saw a familiar figure.

Michael.

What was he doing here? He wasn't supposed to be back for three more days.

The man wore a well-tailored custom suit, his figure tall and lean, though his eyes showed fatigue.

He walked over quickly and pulled open the car door.

"You sounded off on the phone. I was worried, so I flew back overnight." He pulled me into his embrace.

This embrace once made me feel so safe. Now it only made me tremble uncontrollably.

My head was full of Emma's voice and images of that child calling him "Dad."

I clenched my hands, forcing myself not to push him away.

He used to hold me like this too, laughing softly as he asked: "What are you overthinking now? Hmm?"

I'd shake my head: "Nothing."

Then he'd hold me tighter, laughing low by my ear: "Little liar. You're not allowed to leave me. Wherever you go, I'll find you. Understand?"

I used to think I could never escape. But this time, I was the one choosing to leave.

"You seem thinner." He stroked my cheek with his thumb, his eyes full of concern. "When I'm not home, you don't eat properly again, do you?"

I couldn't understand how he could say these things so calmly to me when just the night before he'd been with his "true love" he was supposedly forced to leave.

I didn't want to explain. I just shook my head: "No, I'm just a bit tired."

I saw he wanted to say something more, but from the corner of my eye I caught sight of a slender figure standing not far away.

Emma.

She wore a white dress, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, looking pitiful and delicate.

Almost simultaneously, Michael's phone rang.

He glanced at the screen. So did I. The caller ID showed Emma.

Michael's expression became conflicted.

He quickly hung up the call and kissed my forehead apologetically.

"There's something urgent at the pack. I have to go. Be good and wait for me at home. Tonight I'll take you to that Italian restaurant you love." With that, he hurried to his car.

After his car drove away, Emma walked over to me in her high heels.

"Miss Victoria." She smiled as she introduced herself, her gaze full of assessment and provocation.

She wouldn't even call me Luna or Mrs. Whatever.

When Emma saw me, she knew I'd figured everything out. Her smile deepened.

"I see Miss Victoria already knows about Alex and me." She paused, unable to hide her smugness. "Miss Victoria, the Luna position will only ever be mine."