Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria) novel Chapter 196

Chapter 196
“He’s dead.”
Ε
Even before Fiona had finished asking her question, the answer that she received
truly caught her off guard. As a result, her jaw was practically on the floor as she
froze on the spot, staring at Victoria in astonishment. “Huh?”
Victoria simply met her eyes calmly before asking composedly, “What’s wrong?”
“H-He’s dead?” This was the last answer Fiona was expecting. Although she knew
that her reaction was rather rude, especially since she blurted the same words that
fell from Victoria’s lips, she really couldn’t help it. By the time she snapped back to
reality, she was overwhelmed with awkwardness and guilt. My god, what am I
doing?! I just repeated her answer! I might as well be stabbing her in her sore spot!
At the moment, no words could express the guilt she was feeling, and she regretted
it so terribly that she wished she had asked about Bane instead.
That explained why Victoria never mentioned her past, and whenever Fiona asked
Summer about it, she wouldn’t speak a word about it as well and merely sighed.
before telling her, “This is a sad past and you shouldn’t ask her about it.”
Finally, Fiona understood why Summer’s description of Victoria’s less-than-fortunate
1/7
12 36 Sat 24 Jun
Chapter
circumstances. It also explained why she was raising two kids all by herself.
“I’m sorry!” After Fiona gathered her thoughts together, she immediately sincerely
apologized, stammering, “I’m sorry, Victoria… I really had no idea about your…
situation. I wouldn’t have breathed even a word about it knew.”
Hence, she continued to apologize profusely to Victoria. Alas, the damage was
done, and her guilt lingered for quite a while. In the end, Victoria didn’t know what
else she should say anymore. At first, she told others that the father of her children.
was dead because she didn’t want anyone to ask about him. It wasn’t that she didn’t
trust Fiona, her friend, but she had already decided to seal some things to the back
of her mind and didn’t want to talk about it ever again. Nevertheless, if she had
known that she would startle Fiona so terribly… Well, she wouldn’t have changed her
answer, but she could have been a wee bit more tactful about it.
Regardless, it seemed that her answer also served to save her from accompanying
Fiona to the bar as the other woman felt so guilty that she had probably decided
against inviting Victoria out for drinks for the time being.
On the other hand, Victoria went to bed very early because she had spent the day on
a plane. Plus, she was on her period whilst suffering from jetlag. Thus, even though
she had slept for quite a few hours on the plane, her body was still tired.
12:36 Sat, 24 Jun
Chapter 196 Numbing Himself
When she woke up the next morning, she was greeted by an energetic Fiona,
chirping, “Victoria, guess whom I bumped into last night in the bar?”
Victoria instinctively furrowed her brows. “Didn’t you go to bed early last night?” We
said good night to each other last night, but she still went to the bar afterward?
A sheepish smile spread across Fiona’s face. “You look unwell, so I went by myself.”
“So, you bumped into him?”
“Yes.” Fiona couldn’t help but smile sweetly as she recounted her experience
yesterday, “My long hours of waiting have finally paid off and I bumped into him. I
you that you’re my lucky star, didn’t I? I got lucky the minute you arrive.”
told
“So, did you get his number?”
A look of disappointment and dismay took over Fiona’s originally excited face. “No…
He seemed to be in a foul mood last night and had lots of drinks. After that, he even
blacked out on the counter, and just when I wanted to approach him, his friend.
arrived.”
Victoria’s expression turned thoughtful at her words. She could understand that
people occasionally tend to have a few drinks to destress because adults in modern
2/7
Chapter 196 Numbing Himself
society are under a lot of pressure. Yet, according to Fiona, this man often went to
the bar and even knocked himself out after drinking so heavily.
In all honesty, Victoria didn’t have a good impression of this man because he
sounded like he was using alcohol to numb himself. Can his problems be solved by
getting drunk in bars? She sneered silently, but seeing how deeply infatuated Fional
was, she didn’t say anything about this.
A
In the hotel suite, the curtains were drawn back by a man, and the room instantly
turned bright. The glaring light poured over the face of the gorgeous man in the bed,
and the man who was laying on the bed like a corpse finally reacted as he opened
his eyes with a frown.
“Are you awake?” The crisp voice of a man echoed from the couch.
The sleepy Alaric was able to recognize the owner of the voice-Norwood-and he
shut his eyes again in discomfort due to the glaring light, not moving an inch on the
bed.
Unfortunately, Norwood was well aware that he was awake. Although he knew that
Alaric was deliberately ignoring him, Norwood began, “How much longer do you
Chapter 196 Numbing Himself
plan to go on like this?”
The man on the bed continued to treat him as though he was air, which was exactly
what he expected. So, he added without waiting for an answer from him, “The
doctor has already told you that you shouldn’t be drinking anymore, right?”
Still, he received no answer. Eventually, even the usually gentle Norwood couldn’t
help but snort derisively, “Or do you plan to wear out your body and let your parents
organize your funeral?” After that, he said no more, deciding to patiently wait the
man out.
A long while later, the man got up from the bed and dragged himself into the
bathroom expressionlessly.
Norwood was beyond speechless at Alaric’s nonchalant attitude. Ever since Victoria
left with Bane five years ago, Alaric had turned into a walking corpse. However, that
wasn’t to say that he wasn’t entirely dispirited.
In contrast, he was performing better at work than he used. Due to his workaholic.
tendencies, the Cadogan Group was almost unmatched in their field of business.
But this was all because Alaric had turned himself into a robot. If he wasn’t working,
then he was drinking. He refused to participate in any entertainment activities. But
somehow, he barely slept, and even developed gastritis due to his appalling lifestyle.
5/7
12 36 Sat, 24
Chapter 196 Numbing Himself
In the beginning, he could still drink himself to a stupor, but as time passed, even
alcohol couldn’t numb his sorrows.
It was clear to Norwood that he wasn’t trying to get back at anyone or anything; he
was simply doing something that could help him escape from reality. At the thought
of this, Norwood rose to his feet, paced to the bathroom, and knocked on the door.
“Don’t forget about the charity auction tonight.” When no reply came from the other
side of the door, he contemplated and said, “Claudia is here. I picked up her call in
your stead last night because you were drunk, and she’ll be looking for you now that
you’re awake. I’ve already passed the message, so I’ll be taking my leave now. See
you.” After that, he simply picked up his coat and left the hotel without further ado.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom after he left. As Alaric had
blacked out last night, he could only take his shower now and it was thirty minutes
later when he finished. He had been toweling his hair when his phone started.
ringing.
He swept his gaze across the screen and saw that the incoming caller was none
other than Claudia. He pursed his lips as he recalled the message Norwood left him.
A few seconds later, he twirled around, grabbed a towel, and continued drying his.
hair, ignoring the call.
His phone rang a few times, but he didn’t pick up even once. About fifteen minutes
67
Chapter 196 Numbing Himself
later, the doorbell of his room rang, and he opened the door with an expressionless
face.
Claudia had her cell phone in hand when she stood outside. Nonetheless, she was a
little startled when she saw him answering the door. “Al, I thought that you were still
asleep. Why didn’t you pick up my call?”
He merely cast a dispassionate gaze at her and answered indifferently, “I didn’t hear
my phone ringing.”
777
Then, he spun and went into the room, leaving her standing awkwardly at the door
before she finally mustered her courage to trot after him. Although she knew that
she shouldn’t say it, she still couldn’t stop herself from commenting, “I thought that…
you didn’t want to answer my calls.”