Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria)

Chapter 26

Victoria’s words were like a blow to Alaric’s head that he couldn’t recover

for a long time.

When he came back to his senses, he saw her contemptuous and pained

gaze.

Before he could take a closer look, she lowered her head and continued to

pack. She was packing much faster than before. She didn’t even fold the

clothes properly as she kneaded everything together and stuffed them

into the suitcase.

Alaric suddenly held her slender wrist when she was turning around. His

cold voice came from above her head. “Why are you moving to that room

today? You can’t wait, huh?”

There was even a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “Let me guess. It’s because

of the meal you had with your dear Noel at noon today?”

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

Upon hearing this, she abruptly raised her head and looked at him in

disbelief.

“No need to take a dig at me like this. Shouldn’t you know best what sort of

relationship there is between Noel and me?”

She then forcefully tried to shake his hand off of her.

However, he was too strong for her to fight off. The moment she flung his

hand away, he squeezed her tight, preventing her from moving out of his

grip even a bit.

His thin lips were pursed, and the corners of his lips pressed into a straight

line, clearly proving his displeasure.

“What? Am I wrong? If he’s not the reason, what’s your reason for packing

up today? Is it not because of him?” He then sneered. “I’ve been keeping

you trapped in this marriage for two years, haven’t I?”

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Rendered speechless, she stopped struggling for a second and gaped at

him.

“Get your facts straight, Alaric. You were the one who wanted a divorce!”

“Oh.” His face showed no emotion as he continued to mock, “My

requesting a divorce is exactly what you want, hmm? You’re so eager to

have lunch with him and move out of this room!”

Victoria didn’t say anything at that.

If she hadn’t known about his feelings for Claudia, she would have thought

that he was jealous. Why else would he overthink just because she had

lunch with someone anyway?

He must be acting this way because his self–esteem as a man has been

challenged. After all, they hadn’t officially divorced yet, but his wife was

now wanting to sleep in a separate room.

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

That must be why his possessiveness as a man is acting up.

Not wanting to waste her time arguing with the man who was suddenly

acting possessive in case she was swayed by the false impression that he

was being jealous, she kept quiet as she tried to break free from his grip

again.

Her not saying a word only made his face turn as black as ink. His jaw was

tightly clenched as he insisted, “Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you

agreeing with what I say? You have always wanted a divorce, haven’t

you?”

When she continued to keep quiet, he mocked, “I got it right again, didn’t I?

You have always wanted a divorce, but you chose to wait until I bring it up

instead of telling me it yourself, yes?”

Victoria finally couldn’t take it anymore.

“Alaric.” She lifted her head. “What are you trying to say? Do you not want a

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

divorce?”

He came to a pause upon hearing that.

It was probably because of Alaric’s actions today and Claudia’s 7 million

that Victoria’s heart was as hard as steel now. Even the way she spoke

was harsh.

“Surely you didn’t forget that this was a fake marriage right from the start?

Don’t you remember what you told me when you first found me back

then? You wanted me to play along with you to please Grandma.”

Alaric’s eyes were darker than the night sky when she said that.

The corners of his thin lips stretched after she finished her words. “So, you

have been playing along and acting with me the last 2 years? Is that what

you’re saying?”

“So, what if I was? Weren’t you doing the same?”

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

He went completely silent when she answered his question with a

question of her own.

He quietly looked at the beautiful woman with delicate features in front of

him as he recalled how she was a hundred times more indifferent and

calmer than now on the night he proposed they get a divorce.

She showed no reluctance to move out of his room.

Thinking about this, he gradually released his grip.

Now that she had regained her freedom, Victoria turned around to

resume packing up.

Alaric pulled on his tie and reminded her in an annoyed and impatient

voice, “The servants will notice something is wrong if you move to the

guest room now.

Victoria had already thought about this. She promptly countered, “It

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

doesn’t matter, doesn’t it? We are getting a divorce soon.”

“What about Grandma?”

“Grandma won’t notice.”

“How do you know that? You think Grandma doesn’t have someone on her

side among the servants?”

Victoria stopped moving about when she heard that.

She hadn’t considered this.

After a long minute, she uttered, “In that case, I’ll decide what to do after

Grandma has had her surgery.”

She couldn’t rush this. Griselda’s health was still their priority.

Alaric scoffed then. “You look like you have complaints about this

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

arrangement.”

“Not at all. I’ve lived my life this way for two years now, anyway.”

“Oh? You mean you’ve been feeling wronged for two whole years?”

She only looked at him without a word. This was the first time she had

noticed how unreasonable he was.

She turned away, clearly not wanting to speak with him anymore.

She knew that nothing was going to come out of this conversation.

She was upset, and he was being possessive for some reason. However,

nothing would change even if they continued to talk.

He quietly stood there scanning her for a moment before he jeered again.

“What’s with the look on your face? I won’t come back if you don’t want to

see me.”

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

He immediately turned around and left after throwing that out.

Victoria was standing straight at first, but as soon as he left, she weakly

sat down on the bed as though her energy had been sucked out of her.

As she listened to the sound coming from the gates downstairs, she

lowered her gaze, and her face was almost ashen.

After 2 minutes, Hector, who had worry written all over his face, rushed to

her.

“Mrs. Cadogan, why did Mr. Cadogan leave again right after he came

home? And he looked upset when he left. Did something-”

The butler’s words came to an abrupt end when he noticed how pale

Victoria looked.

“Mrs. Cadogan! Are you alright?”

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

Victoria didn’t want to vent her feelings to other people.

3

She gave Hector a mirthless smile before reassuring him in a soft voice.

“I’m alright. I’m just a little tired. I should be fine after getting some sleep.”

Hector’s heart ached. Still, he knew better than to further comment, and

he finally settled with a sigh.

“Alright then, Mrs. Cadogan. Have a good rest.”

“Will do.” She nodded and let her head hang again.

Before Hector went out of the room, he was shocked when he suddenly

noticed the half–packed suitcases in the room.

What’s going on?

Why is Mrs. Cadogan packing up? Is this why Mr. Cadogan stormed off

right after he came home?

Chapter 26 Do You Not Want a Divorce?

E

Hector was suddenly reminded of Claudia who came to see Victoria this

afternoon.

He had been with the Cadogan Family for many years. In a way, he had

watched Alaric grow up. He was grateful that Claudia rescued Alaric, but

he never thought that Alaric would have feelings for Claudia.

After all, Claudia was not Alaric’s type of woman.

It’s just that… things had developed in a way no one had expected.

When the Selwyn Family declared bankruptcy, Alaric and Victoria had

gotten together. He thought that this marriage would turn out to be a

good one, but now…

What a quirk of fate.

D-