Chapter 123: Chapter 123

Victoria Sinclair’s heart pounded like a drum, accompanied by the heavy breathing of Ethan Vaughn beside her, filling her with a wave of despair.

Just as Ethan reached out to touch her again, a sudden roar of an engine broke the sea’s silence, coming from a distance.

Ethan paused, knitting his brows tightly, and looked up toward the direction of the sound.

A speedboat sped toward them, and at the bow stood a familiar figure—Eugene Vaughn.

Hope ignited in Victoria Sinclair’s tear-filled eyes. She struggled desperately and, taking advantage of Ethan’s distraction, pushed him away forcefully and ran toward the edge of the boat.

Ethan reacted, reaching out to grab her, but she deftly evaded him.

"Eugene! I’m here!" Victoria shouted loudly, her voice tinged with sobs.

Eugene’s gaze fixed on Victoria, relaxing slightly upon seeing her unharmed. But when he saw Ethan chasing after her, anger blazed within him.

He quickened his pace, and the speedboat shot toward the yacht like an arrow released from a bow.

Ethan sensed the situation turning against him, his expression darkened, and he quickly pursued Victoria, attempting to seize control before she was rescued.

However, Eugene was a step faster, swiftly leaping onto the yacht, embracing Victoria tightly in his arms.

Feeling her trembling body, his heart ached as if cut by a knife.

He gently patted her back, softly reassuring, "It’s alright now, I’m here."

Victoria clutched Eugene’s coat, unable to hold back her tears any longer. Her voice choked as she said, "Save me..."

Eugene’s eyes were tender yet determined, gently wiping the tears from her face, "Don’t be afraid, as long as I’m here, no one can harm you."

Ethan stood on the yacht, coldly observing the scene, with a sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth, "Big brother, how did you find our boat in the vast ocean?"

Eugene raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a knife, directed fiercely at Ethan, burning with rage.

He didn’t respond to Ethan’s question, instead, he looked down at Victoria, his voice turning soft, "Victoria, go wait for me in the cabin first."

Victoria shook her head anxiously, feeling utterly insecure, "I don’t want to."

She didn’t dare to go anywhere; only by standing beside Eugene did she feel safe.

Eugene cupped her cheeks gently, looking straight into her eyes, soothing her like a child in a whisper, "Whatever you see next, don’t be afraid, and don’t stop me."

Victoria still felt a lingering fear, nodding her head.

Hearing this, Ethan nervously swallowed and glanced around frantically, slowly backing away with his steps.

Eugene released Victoria and walked toward Ethan in silence, delivering a heavy punch to his face.

Ethan staggered back, caught off guard, a trace of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth.

He touched his mouth, a flash of malice in his eyes, "You dare to hit me?"

Eugene sneered coldly, advancing step by step, "Hit you? I’ll throw you into the sea to feed the fish!"

Seeing Eugene genuinely enraged, Ethan couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated.

Yet he continued to bluff, "You dare! I’m your brother, and besides, I’m Vaughn Group’s sole heir."

"Brother?" Eugene’s gaze was chillingly cold, "Do you deserve to be called that?"

Before he could finish speaking, Eugene swung another punch. Ethan attempted to dodge, but Eugene’s speed was faster, and his fist landed heavily in Ethan’s abdomen.

"Ah!" Ethan doubled over in pain, his face pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Eugene grabbed Ethan’s collar, dragging him to the edge of the boat, scolding icily, "I’ve warned you many times not to covet Victoria Sinclair. Since you wouldn’t listen, I’ll make you see sense."

Ethan finally panicked, struggling as he shouted, "Eugene! You’re insane! Let go of me!"

Eugene remained unmoved, finding a rope in the cabin, tightly binding Ethan’s hands, and then pushing him into the sea.

Ethan’s body hit the water heavily, sending up a splash of spray.

Victoria, shocked, covered her mouth, watching the scene in front of her, too afraid to intervene.

Ethan’s head emerged from the water, angrily roaring, "Eugene! Just you wait! I won’t spare you!"

Eugene stood at the boat’s edge, looking down on him condescendingly, his voice icy like frost, "Ethan, I warn you, don’t think about touching Victoria Sinclair again. This was a lesson; next time, I’ll kill you directly."

With that, Eugene started the yacht, dragging Ethan across the sea.

Tethered by the rope, Ethan’s body tumbled repeatedly in the water, gulping down several mouthfuls of seawater, looking pathetic.

Watching this, Victoria was filled with both anxiety and gratitude, fearing the sea, with a large shark possibly taking a bite out of him at any moment.

She asked nervously, "Eugene, could this cost a life?"

"I know my limits," Eugene replied calmly, stopping the yacht after dragging him a few laps, pulling Ethan back up.

Soaked to the bone, Ethan was pale, lips purple, clearly exhausted.

Eugene cast him a cold glance, untying the rope, then tossing him onto the speedboat.

Eugene gave the speedboat to Ethan, while taking Victoria back home on the large yacht.

The yacht sailed smoothly on the sea’s surface, with the sunset’s afterglow casting a warm halo over them.

Victoria and Eugene sat side by side on the deck, watching the darkening sky calm their emotions.

She softly asked, "How did you know I was on the boat?"

Eugene turned to look at her, his eyes filled with warmth, "I called you, but you didn’t answer, and I felt uneasy, so I returned. Jenny Vaughn said she got you onto the yacht for Ethan to take away. I wasn’t assured, so I forced them to reveal the ship’s navigation coordinates and chased you down with a speedboat."

Victoria sighed, her tone carrying a trace of self-blame, "I was careless. I didn’t expect them to resort to force when persuasion didn’t work."

Eugene gently caressed her hair, speaking softly, "It’s not your fault; they’re at fault for going too far. I also bear some responsibility. I shouldn’t have left you alone with them."

Victoria lifted her head to look at Eugene, a warmth welling in her heart, "Eugene, thank you."

Eugene chuckled, his voice raspy and light as the sea breeze, soft as water, "Silly, what for? It’s my duty to protect you."

Victoria’s face flushed slightly, lowering her head, her fingers instinctively twisting her clothes.

Seeing this, Eugene’s heart stirred, reaching out to lift her chin, making her look him in the eyes.

"Victoria." Eugene’s voice was deep and gentle, tinged with nervousness, "There’s something I want to ask you."

Victoria Sinclair’s heart suddenly raced, her cheeks flushed, as she gently pushed his hand away, "What is it?"

Eugene Vaughn took a deep breath, as if summoning great courage, "Are you really a virgin?"

Victoria’s face darkened, and she glared at him with narrowed eyes filled with displeasure.

"Don’t misunderstand, what I meant was..." Eugene looked a bit flustered, "You’re not the type to embarrass me on purpose just for fun. Saying this in front of so many people, do you have another reason?"

Victoria said nothing, stood up, and turned to walk inside.

Eugene stood up to follow her, but just as he was about to catch up, Victoria’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

She stood there with her back to him, silently for over ten seconds.

Eugene gazed at her back, his eyes carrying a deep and complex array of emotions.

"Besides wanting to shut them up, I actually had a very important reason..." Victoria paused for a few seconds, her voice turning hoarse, weakly saying, "I want you to let go of that painful past and be happy."

With that, Victoria entered the cabin.

Eugene stood motionless, as if paralyzed, enveloped in a deep melancholy that didn’t disperse for a long time.

Her words were like a gentle key, softly unlocking the two-year-long knot in his heart. Those intentionally buried painful memories instantly crumbled and disappeared without a trace.

The solitary yacht sailed in the pitch-black sea, with moonlight cascading over the deck like silver gauze, adding a touch of softness to the silent night.

Victoria’s stomach grumbled with hunger, so she left the room and went to the kitchen.

Seeing Eugene busy in the kitchen, an indescribable warmth surged in her heart.

At that moment, Eugene, under the soft light, looked particularly tall and dependable, starkly different from the man who was furious in order to protect her earlier that day, yet equally mesmerizing.

Victoria softly coughed, and Eugene turned his head upon hearing the sound, seeing her standing at the door with a gentle smile on his face, "I only found some flour, wanted to make noodles for you, but kneading dough is a bit hard."

His voice was deep and warm, like the winter sun, dispelling the unease in Victoria’s heart.

Victoria approached Eugene, looked down at the sticky dough in the bowl, and couldn’t help but laugh lightly, "Are you trying to make dough soup?"

Eugene looked a bit embarrassed, "I... I don’t usually cook, especially not dough-making."

"Let me do it, can’t let you struggle here alone."

Eugene was stunned for a moment, then showed a gentle smile, "Alright."

Victoria rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair arms, washed her hands, and scooped some dry flour onto the plate.

Eugene stood beside her, watching her focused profile.

As Victoria reached into the plate, their hands lightly brushed against each other, as if an electric current spread from their fingertips throughout their bodies.

Victoria’s hand paused slightly, then she quickly withdrew it, her cheeks flushed with a blush, her heart racing, nervously saying, "Knead the flour off your hands, I’ll knead it myself."

Eugene noticed her reddened ears, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and he deliberately took a step closer, stretching his hand in front of her, softly saying, "It’s too sticky, help me get it off."

Victoria felt his presence near, his familiar pleasant scent engulfing her, her heart pounded like a drum. Googlᴇ search N()velFire.net

She hesitated for a few seconds, cautiously plucking at the dough stuck to his hands.

His hands were long and attractive, with distinct joints.

The touch of fingers made both their hearts race erratically, their breaths intermingling, the air filled with an ambiguous atmosphere.

"All done." Victoria cleaned the dough off his hands, looked up to meet Eugene’s deep eyes, her heart flustered, "Go wash your hands."

Eugene gazed at her, his deep eyes intense, his Adam’s apple moved up and down as he leaned closer to her face, whispering, "Victoria, do you know why you don’t have close male friends?"

So close, Victoria’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest, she felt his breath on her face.

She feigned composure, "Why?"

"Because you’re too alluring, no man can keep a platonic friendship with you."

Victoria’s breath hitched, her cheeks instantly burning, she turned her head awkwardly to hide her embarrassment, muttering, "Don’t say such things."

"I’m not lying; at least that’s my mindset right now." Eugene’s gaze stayed on Victoria, unable to look away.

Victoria didn’t respond to him, steadied her nerves, and focused back on the dough, using the kneading to calm her turbulent feelings.

Eugene didn’t remain idle, washed his hands clean, and stood by her, occasionally handing her the necessary tools, his eyes full of affection.

While kneading the dough, a strand of hair fell over Victoria’s forehead, blocking her vision.

She was about to tuck it back, but Eugene beat her to it, gently brushing it behind her ear with a tender touch.

His movement was so gentle as if handling a precious rarity, his touch on her skin brought a tingling sensation.

Victoria’s hand stiffened on the dough, she looked up at Eugene, their gazes met, and the air seemed to thicken, time frozen for that moment.

"Alright, the dough is almost ready." Victoria broke the silence first, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremble.

Eugene regained his senses, softly murmured "Mmm," but his gaze remained fiery.

Next was cutting the noodles, and Victoria picked up the knife, skillfully cutting the dough into uniformly thick noodles.

Watching from the side, Eugene couldn’t help but praise her, "I didn’t expect you to be such a good cook, you can make anything."

Victoria smiled slightly, "I had to cook since I was in elementary school."

Eugene’s eyes darkened, filled with heartache.

After the water boiled, Victoria slowly put the noodles into the pot, steam rose into the air.

Eugene leaned slightly behind her, placing his hands on either side of the stove, encircling her.

Victoria felt the warmth from behind, her body stiffening slightly, almost dropping the chopsticks in her hand.

"Need any help?" Eugene’s voice whispered in her ear, deep and magnetic, warm breath spraying on her neck, causing her to shiver.

"No... no need, I can do it myself." Victoria tried to make her voice sound steady, but her reddened ears betrayed her nervousness, "Could you step out for a moment? When it’s ready, I’ll bring it to you."

Eugene said nothing, slid his long fingers in front of her, turning off the stove.

Then he turned her around, lifted her onto the counter, aligning their heights, and kissed her.