Chapter 117: Chapter 117

The next day, at eight in the morning.

Eugene Vaughn carried a large plate of salted glutinous rice balls downstairs and knocked on the door below.

Timothy Sinclair opened the door. Seeing Eugene, he greeted him warmly, "Morning, what have you got in your hands?"

"Salted glutinous rice balls." Eugene entered the house, his gaze swept across the messy living room, brows furrowed, finally landing on Victoria Sinclair’s bedroom door.

Timothy hurriedly took over, "My sister loves salted glutinous rice balls the most, is it for her breakfast?"

"I cooked a lot, you guys can eat together." Eugene handed the large ceramic plate to Timothy, his voice lightened a bit, "Is Victoria still not awake?"

Timothy placed the salted glutinous rice balls on the table, sighed softly, and shook his head, "I don’t know if she’s awake."

Eugene stood there awkwardly, not sitting, nor wanting to leave, his gaze kept darting towards her room, the yearning for her was evident, yet he was hindered by not having the status to openly enter her room.

His struggle and hesitation didn’t escape Timothy’s eyes.

Perhaps a man understands a man best, Timothy pointed at the door and said, "How about I wake her up for you?"

"No need." Eugene hastily declined, "She doesn’t have to go to work anyway, let her sleep."

Timothy sighed again, "Ah, I guess my sister isn’t in a good mood right now."

"What happened?" Eugene asked, tense.

"Last night, Renee brought back many gifts, claiming kinship with us." Timothy put his hands on his hips, looking dispirited, "My parents have always been snobbish, seeing their previously discarded daughter now a hot star worth millions, they became overly fond of her. My sister, for some reason, doesn’t like Renee much, and last night had a bad attitude towards her, spoke a bit harshly, and got hit by my mom."

Eugene’s face turned cold, his tone sharp as a knife from an ice cellar, anger rising rapidly, "Hit?"

Timothy was taken aback by Eugene’s sudden fury.

"What kind of brother are you?" Eugene seized his collar, his eyes filled with a murderous glare fixed on Timothy.

He had been with Victoria for two years, and no matter how provoking her actions, he never had the heart to lay a finger on her.

And they dared lay hands on her over such a trivial matter?

His menacing air made Timothy shiver, he quickly held onto Eugene’s wrist, nervously gulping, "Don’t be angry, my mom just slapped her on the arm, I did reprimand my mom at that time."

"Reprimand?" Eugene released his collar, his eyes grew colder, "Please tell your parents, if it happens again, they should move out of this house, and you, if you can’t be decisive in your family or protect your sister, you don’t need your current job anymore."

Timothy felt deeply guilty, sincerely nodding, "It’s my fault, seeing my sister get hit, I was upset too."

"Seems like Victoria used to get hit a lot too." Eugene voiced coldly, "Now she’s grown, capable of supporting this family, yet still not getting the respect she deserves."

Timothy had no words, feeling very remorseful.

Eugene, filled with concern, walked to Victoria’s door, hesitated for a few seconds, ultimately unable to suppress his worry, he knocked on the door.

Footsteps came from inside.

The door opened, and Victoria was wearing a fluffy hoodie pajama, her long black hair hung down her neck, draped over her chest.

She was naturally beautiful without makeup, pure and pretty, paired with the pajamas, appeared a bit cute.

Eugene was dazed looking at her.

Seeing Eugene at the door, Victoria paused, nervously adjusted her hat, and softly asked, "Do you need something?"

"I made salted glutinous rice balls, too many, I brought some down for you." Eugene’s gaze was intense.

Victoria politely responded, "Thank you."

"Are you..." Eugene scrutinized her, "all right?"

Victoria turned her head, saw her brother standing in the living room, looking over, the guilt in his eyes was a bit like last night.

It seemed he had told Eugene.

"I’m fine." Victoria touched her arm, "The clothes are thick, my mom just hit me once, it’s neither painful nor itchy."

The pain on her hand would easily disappear, but the imprint in her heart would affect her long-term.

Eugene nodded, exhaled lightly.

Victoria waited for a while, seeing he had nothing more to say, "If you have nothing to say, I’ll close the door."

"There is." Eugene blurted out, fearing she would shut the door, "Do you remember last night’s bet?"

"Accompany me to buy equipment."

"Wasn’t Charlie taking care of that?"

"He’s only preparing tents and some camping tools, not including our personal items."

Victoria was surprised, "Isn’t it just a one-day-overnight trip? What other personal items do we need?"

Eugene shook his head, "Not one day, it’s five days, we’ll come back on New Year’s Day."

Victoria felt she had boarded a pirate ship, started to have second thoughts, shook her head in panic, "That’s too long, I’m not going."

"A gentleman’s word is his bond." Eugene chuckled lightly, placing a hand on her furry hat, gently pressing her head, "You can’t not go."

Timothy echoed from behind, "Sister, you are not working now anyway, you like traveling around, just go with Eugene to relax."

"Change your clothes in the room, I’ll wait for you." Eugene turned her around and gently closed the door for her.

Victoria stood in the room, covering her face with both hands, lowering her head, her mood inexplicably melancholy. Just the thought of camping with Eugene for a week made her uncomfortable.

She had spent half a year trying to let go of these feelings, to move on from this man.

Now, with her heart as calm as still water, having so many entanglements with him again might bring her efforts over the past six months to waste.

When they set off, Victoria went with Eugene to meet up with Charlie and the others.

About to board the yacht, Eugene’s face looked extremely gloomy, standing at the dock, not moving as he stared at the yacht.

Charlie seemed a bit flustered, his eyes flickering, jokingly, "We’re all good friends, don’t be , okay?"

Victoria vaguely sensed something wrong with the atmosphere, looked up at Eugene, "What’s wrong?"

Eugene lowered his eyes, his gaze became gentle, and said softly, "This yacht belongs to The Miller Family, I was not informed."

Vivian Miller’s family boat? It seemed like Vivian set up a scheme, using Charlie’s name, trying to trick Eugene onto the yacht.

Perhaps, Vivian didn’t expect Eugene to bring her along.

"If you don’t want to board, we can leave now." Eugene held her hand, turned around with the luggage.

Charlie panicked, "Eugene, don’t make it so hard for me, can we just not be so strained?"

Victoria withdrew her hand, nodded to Charlie, "Sorry, I don’t want to join."

With that said, she immediately took big steps to leave, Eugene trailing behind with the luggage.

Victoria wasn’t a weak woman, but she avoided trouble if she could.

After walking a few steps, Victoria stopped, seeing four men and four women coming towards them, she very much didn’t want to board the yacht now.

Vivian wore sunglasses, a pink mink coat, giving off a socialite vibe, looking exquisite and high class.

She walked at the center, beside her were Sarah Lowell, Renee, Jenny Vaughn, and Ethan Vaughn, Tiffany Rhodes, Miles Shaw.

Vivian Miller wasn’t surprised to see Eugene Vaughn, but her face turned a bit sour upon seeing Victoria Sinclair.

"Victoria Sinclair?" Ethan Vaughn was exceptionally excited, strode forward, and came up to Victoria Sinclair: "Long time no see, I didn’t expect to meet you here."

Victoria Sinclair replied politely: "Hello."

Others also approached.

Jenny Vaughn spoke with sarcasm: "Everyone says it’s a friends’ gathering, why call people who have nothing to do with us? What a killjoy."

Vivian Miller pretended to be magnanimous: "It’s okay, everyone who comes is a friend, I welcome them all."

"Vivian, people shouldn’t be too kind-hearted, it’s easy to be bullied." Jenny Vaughn said this while staring coldly at Victoria Sinclair, her hidden mockery unmistakable.

Sarah Lowell laughed and said, "Even if we’re not friends, we’re essentially relatives now. After all, I’m about to be her sister-in-law, and Renee is her sister, bringing her along doesn’t matter."

Though their words weren’t aggressive, each sentence made Victoria Sinclair feel oppressed, uncomfortable, and helpless.

Eugene Vaughn came beside her, took her hand again, and whispered softly: "Victoria, let’s go back."

This time, Victoria Sinclair didn’t pull her hand away, but she also didn’t move, her eyes fixed on Vivian Miller’s face.

Vivian Miller was very nervous, her eager and expectant eyes glued to Eugene Vaughn, fearing that if he didn’t go, this camping trip by sea would become pointless.

Tiffany Rhodes spoke up: "Eugene, you can’t not go!"

"We’re going." Victoria Sinclair responded with a smile to Tiffany Rhodes, her brows arching with a hint of meaningfulness, the other hand holding Eugene Vaughn’s arm, leaning gently against him, looking up at Eugene with warm, soft words: "Let’s board, I want to go."

Eugene Vaughn’s chest heaved, throat moved, hot breath gently exhaled, gaze fixed on the arm where her body clung tightly to.

He was utterly defenseless against Victoria Sinclair.

"Alright, I’ll listen to you." Eugene Vaughn’s voice was husky and light.

At the moment Victoria Sinclair turned with Eugene Vaughn, she sneakily glanced at Vivian Miller.

Her face looked as foul and displeased as if she had stepped in something nasty, the anger in her eyes seemed about to explode in a terrifying way.

She always adhered to the principle of avoiding trouble, not offending anyone unless provoked, and hiding if someone tried to provoke her.

But previously, patience, tolerance, not fighting back, resulted in persistent "attacks" from the other side.

Even though she was divorced, she was still not allowed to live peacefully.

They infiltrated her family with these cronies, using her family to harm her.

There was nothing more wicked than this.

If she didn’t fight back now, all that was left would be cowardice.

From this moment onward, it was time for Victoria Sinclair to fight back.

Charlie Spencer was shocked, watching Eugene Vaughn and Victoria Sinclair, particularly how Victoria Sinclair held Eugene Vaughn’s arm so intimately.

"Let me take it." Charlie Spencer quickly stepped forward to take the luggage from Eugene Vaughn’s hand and walked towards the yacht.

Eugene Vaughn looked down at her, whispered: "Did you do it on purpose?"

"Hmm." Victoria Sinclair squeezed out a single sound from her throat.

"I’m very willing to be used by you." Eugene Vaughn chuckled lightly, full of tenderness.

Tiffany Rhodes, holding Jenny Vaughn’s hand, boarded the ship, whispered a reminder: "Honey, if you don’t want to offend your eldest brother, don’t provoke Victoria Sinclair."

"Bah." Jenny Vaughn scoffed disdainfully.

Renee walked over to stand by Ethan Vaughn, her gaze fixed on the backs of Eugene Vaughn and Victoria Sinclair, "Boss, if you like her, go ahead boldly and pursue her, she’s not your sister-in-law anymore, you don’t need to have any concerns."

Ethan Vaughn smirked with a rogue smile, unusually confident: "Victoria Sinclair, I will definitely win."

After speaking, he strode onto the ship.

Renee sneered and followed.

Leaving Sarah Lowell, Miles Shaw, and Vivian Miller still standing motionless.

"Since Victoria Sinclair is here, why isn’t Angela Austin coming?" Miles Shaw muttered, taking out his phone to dial while walking forward: "Why isn’t she answering my call?"

Sarah Lowell whispered in Vivian Miller’s ear to comfort her: "Vivian, don’t be upset, I know Victoria Sinclair too well, just leave it to me, I will definitely make her regret getting on the ship."

"Are you going to do something to her?" Vivian Miller squinted cold eyes, looking expectantly at Sarah Lowell.

Sarah Lowell shook her head: "With Eugene Vaughn there, how could I dare touch her, but I know how to tear off her disguise and make her lose face completely."

Vivian Miller showed a hint of expectation, a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth, "Alright, then I’ll rely on you."

Sarah Lowell nodded confidently.

After boarding, the yacht was sailed by Charlie Spencer,

everyone sat on the deck soaking up the sun, feeling the chilly ocean breeze, watching the shimmering sea surface, chatting and laughing, the atmosphere extremely harmonious.

Victoria Sinclair stood alone by the railing, with her hands in the pockets of her down jacket, staring at the boundless sea.

Suddenly, a warm coat was draped over her shoulders, and a familiar faint fragrance wafted over.

Victoria Sinclair’s heart skipped, body stiffened, and she turned her head to look at the black long coat on her body.

Without seeing the person beside her, she already knew it was Eugene Vaughn.

Among all the people she knew, only Eugene Vaughn had this wonderfully faint fragrance.

It wasn’t a perfume scent, but the scent of detergent mixed with the unique freshness of his clothes, even the faint body scent produced by his particular cleanliness.

She really found it hard to resist this enticing fragrance.

"Thank you." Victoria Sinclair pulled the coat around her fully, secretly bowed her head, and deeply inhaled subtly, feeling relaxed and pleased.

Eugene Vaughn saw her lowering her head, leaned forward to look at her face: "Still cold?"

"Not cold." Victoria Sinclair quickly raised her head, her cheeks warm, gaze still fixed on the horizon ahead: "Where are we going to camp?"

"Miles Shaw’s island."

Victoria Sinclair marveled: "So rich, so young to have his own island."

"Jealous?" Eugene Vaughn’s hands slid into his coat pockets, speaking slowly: "I’ll buy you one too."

Victoria Sinclair chuckled lightly, turned to look up at him, with a slightly teasing tone: "I remember someone once said, two years of marriage, I never spent his money, still did housework, saving him a lot of nanny fees."

Eugene Vaughn was stunned, "I said that?"

Victoria Sinclair nodded with a smile: "When married you were stingy, how come after divorce you want to buy me an island?"

"Can’t quite remember, probably only said such absurd things when drunk." Eugene Vaughn sighed, his mouth revealing a hint of bitterness, slightly discontented: "But during those two years, I truly hated you, hated how you could be proactive with other men, yet never with your own husband. Hated how open and candid you were with others, yet reserved and conservative with me."

"So, you didn’t want to divorce before because you wanted revenge." Victoria Sinclair concluded gloomily. This update is available on n0velfire.net

"Isn’t it the deeper the love, the deeper the hate?" Eugene Vaughn’s tone was deep, with profound eyes mixed with complex emotions, quietly looking at her.

How deep was the love?

Victoria Sinclair’s heart froze for a moment, her blood suddenly solidified, turning to meet his eyes.

"Eugene..." Vivian Miller approached with two glasses of red wine, her smile exceptionally bright.

Victoria Sinclair’s peripheral vision caught Vivian coming over, disregarding her own shock and amazement, she stepped closer to Eugene Vaughn.

Her hands hooked around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his lips.