Chapter305

Thenextday,Victoria,asusual,sentthechildrentoschoolasthoughnothinghad

happenedyesterday.

Regresóalaempresadespuésdedejaralosniños._

Unavezquellegóalaoficina,recibióunallamadadeFiona.

“Victoria,¿realmenteestabasbienanoche?_”

Aunquesehabíaninformadomutuamentecuandollegaronacasaayer,Fionadecidió_

toaskagainatthethoughtofVictoria’sexpressionlastnight.

“I’malright.Don’tworryaboutit.”

“Areyousure?Butyouseem-”

Victorialetoutasoftsigh.“I’mreallyfine.It’sjustthattherearethingsIneedtohandle.

I’lltellyoueverythingonceI’vesortedthemout.”

“Okaythen.Letmeknowassoonasyou’redone.Don’ttellSummerfirst.”

ThelastsentencemadeVictoriachuckle.

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Chapter305TheConfirmation

“Okay,okay.BothofyouwillbethefirstonesIinform.Wecanhaveacallinthegroup,

okay?”

2/9

“Good.”

Satisfied,Fionafinallyhungupafterthat.

Afterthecallended,Victoriaraisedherhand andtookalookatthetime.

Therewerestillafewhoursuntilnoon.

Eventhoughsheknewthatgettinganxiousoverthiswouldn’thelpwiththesituationin

anyway,shecouldn’tgetproductiveatworknomatterhowmanytimesshetried.

Eventhoughshewasanadultwhoknewsheshouldn’tletheremotionsgetintheway

ofherwork,shecouldn’thelpbutwavernow.

Shesomehowmanagedtogetthroughthemorning,andwhenitwastimeforalunch.

break,sheimmediatelyshutdownhercomputer,grabbedherbag,andhurriedoutside.

Butwhenshereachedthedoorway,shestoppedinhertracks.

No,Ican’tgonow.

Mon,

Chapter305TheConfirmation

3/9

Shewasofffromworkfornow,butitmightnotbethechildren’srecessperiodyet.She

hadtowait abitlongerandcarefullytime herarrivalsothatshecouldcatchthem

red–handed.

IfshehadgoneearlierandendedupbeingnoticedbyAlaric,hemightchoosetonot

showupinfrontofheratall.

ReasonbroughtVictoria backtohersenses,andshesatbackathercomputerdesk

whilestaringatthetime.Shewaiteduntilitwasabouttimebeforeleavingtheoffice.

Asshewalkedout,shecoincidentallybumpedintoHenrywhocametoseeher.

“Inoticedthatyou hadn’tcomedown,soIcametoaskifyouwanttohavelunch

together.”

Tohissurprise,Victoriahurriedlybrushedpasthisshoulderassoonashefinished

speakingandthrewout,“I’mnoteating.Ihavesomethingtodealwithatnoon.”

Aftersayingthat,shedisappearedlikethewind.

ShewasalreadynowheretobeseenwhenHenryturnedhishead.

“Whatcouldbesourgentforhertorushoutlikethat?”Hecouldn’thelpscratchinghis

head

BythetimeVictoriaarrivedattheschool,thechildrenwhodidn’tstayforlunchhad

alreadybeenpickedupbytheirparents.Becauseofthat,theschoolgateswereclosed

Withhowquietandemptytheentrancewas,Victoriaimmediatelynoticedanothercar

thesameblackcarshehadseenbefore–parkedthere.

Sinceshehadseenitbefore,andconsideringtherecentevents,Victoriawascertain.

thatitbelonged toAlaric.

Herintuitionrarelysteeredherinthewrongdirection.

Shehadfeltsomeonewatchingherfromtheblackcarlasttime,butsinceshehadn’t

seenanyoneinside,shethoughtthatshehadgottenitwrong.

Butnow,Victoriawasconvincedthatherintuitionwasalwaysright.

Alaricisrightinsidetheblackcar.

ThiswastheonlyoverwhelmingthoughtthatconsumedVictoria’smindatthisvery

moment.

Mon,

Chapter305TheConfirmation

Aftershetookoutthecarkey,shegotout,closedthedoor,andwalkedslowlytoward

theschoolgate.

5/9

Sinceshecametopickupthechildreneveryday,thesecurityguardattheschoolgate

recognizedher.Theygreetedherwhentheysawherapproaching.

“MissSelwyn!MayIknow whatbroughtyouhereatthishour?”

Victoriasmiledathimandrepliedsoftly,“Ihappentohavesomefreetimetodayand

wantedtocomeandseethechildren.CanIgoinnow?”

Hearingthat,thesecurityguardopenedthegateandnoddedwithasmile.“Ofcourse.

Pleasecomein.”

Victorianoddedinreturn.Asshewalkedin,she asked,“Didanyotherparentscome

today?”

“No,Idon’tthinkso.”

Herheartskippedabeatatthereply.“None?”

DidImakeamistake?OrdidheknowthatIwouldcome?

Scratchinghishead,thesecurityguardseeminglyrememberedsomethingwhenhe

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Chapter305TheConfirmation

6/9

suddenlysaid,“Oh,Iapologize.Ialmostforgotaboutthisman.Iheardheusuallycame

todeliverlunchforhischild.Hehasbeencomingquiteoftenlately.”

Often?Deliverlunch?

Withthisinformation,Victoriafinallyhadanidea.

Thispersondeliveringlunchwastheoneshewas lookingfor.

“Bytheway,MissSelwyn,I oftenseeyourchildrenplayingwiththat man.”

“Thankyou.I’llgoandtakea look.”

“Alright,goahead.Youcouldprobably haveamealtogether.”

Haveamealtogether?Victoriaonlyinwardlyscoffedatthosewords.Thatisoutofthe

question.

Today,Alaricbroughtsomefruitcocktailsmadebyapastrychefhespeciallyhired.Not

onlydidthedessertlookbeautiful,but it alsotastedexquisite.

AsNicolestuffedhermouthfull,Alaricwatched herfromthesidewithahandkerchief

Chapter305TheConfirmation

whichheoccasionallyusedtowipehermouthinhishand.

7/9

Feelingembarrassedafterthemandidthatafewtimes,thegirlpushedhishandaway

andwhined,“Mr.Night,havesomethingtoeat.Don’tworryaboutme!”

“It’sokay.I’mnothungry.”

“ButMr.Night,youhaven’thadlunch,right?”

“Iwilleatlater.Goaheadandhavemore.”

Nicolelookedawayandponderedforamoment,butinsteadofeatingbyherself,she

pickedupAlaric’sspoonandscoopedapieceofchicken.

“Letmefeedyou,Mr.Night.”

Alaricpausedatheraction.

Heneverthoughtthattherewouldcomeadaywhenhisdaughterwouldoffertofeed

him.

Ashishardenedheartsoftenedinchbyinch,hegentlystrokedthebackofNicole’s.

head.“Ireallyamnothungry.”

Mon.

Chapter305TheConfirmation

“Mr.Night,pleaseeat!”Nicolepersistentlyurged.

8/9

Seeingthegirlstrugglingtoholdthespoonup,Alaricloweredhisheadslightlyandate

thepieceof chickenmeatshefedhim.

“Done.Now,youeat.”

“Okay!Youhavetoeattoo,Mr.Night.”

Surprisingly,Alaricfoundthepieceofmeatinhismouthdelicious.Foodhadalways

beenmeresustenanceforhiminthepast.

But now…

Withthatinmind,Alariclookedatthelittlegirlwithanevensoftergaze.Hewas

completelyunawarethattherewasapairofeyesbehindhimwatchingthissceneall

along.

Victoriastoodstill,andshealmostburstintolaughterdespiteherangerwhenshesaw

NicolefeedingAlaricwiththespoon.

Asthechildren’smother,shehadneverbeenfedbyNicole.Ithadn’tbeenmorethana

fewdayssinceAlaricgotclosetothekids,andyetNicolewasalreadysopartialtohim!

Mon,

Chapter305TheConfirmation

Whilespeechless,Victoriaalsofounditalarming.

Alarichadapproachedandwonoverthetwochildrenwithoutherconsentor

knowledge.

Whatwouldhappenif Ihadn’tnoticedthisnow?

Wouldthekidsturntohiminstead?

Sheimmediatelyfeltacoldnessenvelopheratthosethoughts.