Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria)

Chapter 259

The only thought Victoria had when Alaric caught her wrist was, It’s cold.

His hand seemed to have just held ice and had a great difference in temperature

compared to her warm hand, so she couldn’t help shivering while glancing at his

pale face.

They had bodily contact after all, so he could naturally sense her reaction and

immediately withdrew his hand when she had sat down.

After the stewardess was gone, Victoria spoke without any change in emotion.

“Weren’t you reluctant to let me in?”

He maintained a dark expression and remained silent, though he felt that Terrance’s

strategy was pretty sound. The more Alaric behaved like he didn’t want her close to

him, the more she would think he might be hiding his condition from her. So, she

wouldn’t avoid getting closer to him, which was the exact result that he wanted.

Sure enough, she asked after a brief silence, “Have you been discharged?”

“Of course. Do you think I’m going back for a stay when I return?”

His tone wasn’t friendly but considering that he was taking her to see her grandma,

she couldn’t get angry at him. “If you haven’t fully recovered, it’s not a bad idea to do

1. so. Are you not going to take care of yourself?”

He glanced at her. “Why do you care?”

She smiled lightly. “Why shouldn’t I? Don’t forget that you’re a huge investor in my

company.”

His eyes dimmed slightly while his lips paled a little.

Recalling his cold hand, Victoria told a passing stewardess, “Excuse me, can you get

me a blanket please?”

The stewardess quickly got one and handed it to her. Victoria took it but instead of

using it herself, she spread it out and lay it over Alaric.

Alaric was taken aback and turned to her in confusion.

“Aren’t you cold? Cover yourself up.”

He retorted instinctively, “Who said I was cold?”

“I did.”

“I don’t need it. Take it away.”

She raised her eyebrow. “I’m too lazy to do that.”

She then turned away and ignored him.

He frowned as he sat in his seat. Even if he had protested by claiming he didn’t need

it and telling her to take the blanket away, he didn’t do anything at all. He wasn’t

wearing many layers, so the soft blanket on top of him provided him with more

warmth.

On a rare enough occasion, Alaric maintained his position without moving for fear

that the blanket might fall. He wasn’t going to pick it up himself since he would be

embarrassed then.

Meanwhile, Victoria acted naturally throughout the entire event, even taking out her

laptop and starting to deal with her work right in front of him.

Due to his discomfort, Alaric lay against his seat. He stared at her as she worked in

this position. His gaze was focused on her flawless face–her eyes, nose, lips, and

ears and lingered on them. The way she looked when concentrating on her work

was still the same as that of five years before, where she would be so focused that she wouldn’t care

about attention from other people.

He continued staring at her silently and after a while he saw her frown abruptly, her

hands pausing in their movements as she stared at her laptop. He thought at first

that she had noticed him looking at her and felt annoyed by it, though he wasn’t

going to look away.

However, he soon discovered that wasn’t the case because she maintained her

position while staring at the screen as if feeling conflicted. It was then that he

realized she was probably thinking about a problem, and he glanced toward her

screen. After studying it briefly, he found out what she was worrying about and

smiled before saying something to her.

When she heard him, Victoria abruptly snapped out of her focused state and looked

toward Alaric.

“What? Was I wrong?”

She frowned at him though. “Why aren’t you resting?”

He replied, “I’m not tired.”

She didn’t say anything else. Recalling what he had said, she looked at her plans

again and found that his suggested solution was the best option.

“Stop interrupting my work,” she told him.

He looked down and scoffed. “Being kind doesn’t pay.”

“I don’t need your kindness.”

Alaric was enraged by her reply, but he became slightly vindicated and snorted

inwardly after seeing that she had put in his suggestion.

The stewardess soon came over to serve their meals. Victoria didn’t have the time

to eat since she had to write her plans, but then she heard Alaric say to the

stewardess, “Get me a glass of wine.”

Victoria had been typing on her laptop without even looking up, but she abruptly

lifted her head after he said that and stared at him. “You haven’t fully recovered yet.

How can you drink wine?”

“I’m almost there,” he replied calmly. “Just a few mouthfuls.”

She had no words. After some silence, she informed the stewardess, “Sorry, he was

just discharged from the hospital and can’t take alcohol. Can you please get him a

glass of water?”

The stewardess looked at Victoria and then Alaric before nodding. “Okay.”

“Victoria, why are you meddling in

my

affairs?”

Victoria replied emotionlessly, “Because I’m your neighbor now. What should I do if

you drank wine and got sick, thus disturbing my work? You can drink to your heart’s

content after we disembark.”

Alaric didn’t know how to answer that.

The stewardess brought over a glass of water soon after. It was warm yet emitted

some steam in the cool air.

Alaric stared at the glass of plain water. He had taken plenty of plane rides, but this

was the first time someone had served him water on one. However, he didn’t feel

any irritation at all. The only thing troubling him now was that he didn’t want to take

it voluntarily since it would embarrass him, but…

Terrance’s words rang in his head once more.

If you’re so concerned about your reputation, how are you going to win her back?

At that thought, Alaric pursed his lips. He was planning to take the glass when a pale hand reached

over and grabbed it.

Victoria picked up the glass of water and felt its temperature. It was warm and felt

okay to her, but it wouldn’t be warm enough if it was left there for a little longer. So,

she handed it over to him.

“Drink it quickly.”

He stared at her without moving.

She looked into his eyes and moved the glass toward him, insisting, “Quickly. You

look so sick; don’t fall ill again after we get off the plane. I’m telling you right now–l

must see my grandma tomorrow morning.”

He stretched out a hand from beneath the blanket to take the glass. “Alright.” Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

Alaric drank half a glass of warm water. He had to admit that he felt his stomach

getting warmer after drinking it and he no longer felt so bad. He hadn’t really wanted

to drink wine, but he got what Terrance was hinting at just now. Alaric was making

himself seem unwell just so she would pay more attention to him, not jeopardize his

own health.

After drinking the water, he settled into his seat and continued watching Victoria

work. The sky was blue and filled with white clouds outside the window, while she was filled with

concentration inside the plane.

For the first time in five years, he felt at peace.