Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria) novel Chapter 417

Chapter 417 

Even though it was past midnight, the room remained brightly lit, as if it were daytime. 

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In the meantime, Alaric’s clothing was partially undone, and he sat on the couch while 

observing his beloved woman meticulously reading the medication instructions. 

Victoria sorted and organized the medication he needed to take, occasionally looking 

up and returning her gaze to the task at hand. Despite the discomfort of his abdominal 

wound, witnessing her concern and dedication as she studied the instructions filled 

him with immense satisfaction. He could tell that this satisfaction was not superficial, 

as it had been in the past, but was deeply ingrained in his heart. 

As his gaze lingered on her face, she suddenly looked up and furrowed her brows. 

When he caught sight of her expression, he snapped out of his reverie and asked, 

“What’s wrong?” 

Then, she asked, “Have you eaten dinner?” 

The unexpected query rendered him speechless, and he asked, “Why?” 

“It seems like you haven’t. These medications should be taken after meals, and you-” 

Chapter 417 Listen to You 

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“Is that so?” Alaric seemed indifferent and suggested, “If they’re meant to be taken after 

meals, let’s save them for tomorrow.” 

“No.” Victoria immediately refused and added, “Since the wound you sustained is so 

severe, you must take the medicine immediately.” While speaking, she got up and 

headed straight for the kitchen. 

When he heard this, his expression changed slightly. He stood up and intended to 

follow her, but she pressed him back onto the couch. 

“Wait for me here. Let me see if I can find anything edible in the kitchen. You should 

take your medication right after eating.” 

After some hesitation, he inquired, “Why go through all this trouble? There won’t be 

anything edible in the kitchen at this hour.” After saying this, he grabbed the pills and 

said, “I’ll just take them on an empty stomach.” 

“No.” She quickly rejected the idea and reminded him, “Have you forgotten about your 

gastric bleeding a while ago? Taking these pills on an empty stomach can cause more 

damage to your stomach and a return of your gastric issue. Are you seeking death by 

doing that, especially with these new injuries?” 

On the other hand, Alaric had forgotten about his gastric bleeding, but Victoria’s 

reminder jogged his memory. Due to the circumstances, she was willing to consider 

looking at him. Suddenly, something clicked in his head, and he asked her quietly, “Is it 

because I got injured?” 

However, this out–of–the–blue inquiry left her befuddled. “What?” 

“Is it because I got injured that you care about me? If I hadn’t been injured today, would 

you…” As he reached this point, he paused slightly, then smiled self–deprecatingly. 

“What I mean is, do you only care about me because I’m injured?” 

At first, Victoria didn’t understand what Alaric was trying to express, but when he 

finished speaking, she finally understood his meaning. She eventually pieced together 

why he had such thoughts and realized it was likely because she had mentioned the 

incident involving gastric bleeding. During my previous hospital visits, I made it clear 

that I only cared about him because he was pitiful. Hence, I struck a deal with him then, 

explaining that my sole reason for visiting him was to see Grandma. He must have been 

resentful about this, so he brought it up now. With this in mind, she lowered her gaze 

briefly before looking up at him and saying, “Even if you weren’t injured, I would still 

come to see you. So, I’m going to the kitchen to get some food. You wait here, okay?” 

Nonetheless, he pursed his lips and replied, “I’ll accompany you.” 

“You’re injured, and the doctor advised that I restrict your movement so you wouldn’t 

Chapter 417 I’ll Listen to You 

aggravate your wound.” 

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“However, the doctor also stated that this was not a life–threatening injury. If the wound 

tears, it will simply hurt for a while. So, when you’re done in the kitchen, we’ll return.” 

Before Victoria could object, Alaric had stood up and said, “Let’s go.” 

“Are you certain you want to accompany me? What about your injury-” 

“Let’s go.” Seeing her still standing there, he said decisively, “Together, we can more 

quickly locate the food in the kitchen. If you keep me waiting, when will I be able to take 

the medicine tonight?” 

Ultimately, she was convinced and went to the kitchen with him. 

At one point, Terrance overheard a commotion inside the room and made a point of 

coming over to investigate. Later, when he learned they were heading to the kitchen, he 

proposed waking the cook up. As it was midnight, she politely declined, and he did not 

insist. 

Meanwhile, after entering the kitchen, Victoria opened the refrigerator, which was fully 

stocked with ingredients. After a quick glance, she chose a few simple items, set a pot 

of water to boil, and prepared some ramen and condiments. Since it was already late, 

Chapter 417 I’ll Listen to You 

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she only prepared a simple meal, and Alaric stood silently by her side, observing as she 

worked. 

“It’s getting late, and eating too much will cause indigestion. So, before taking the 

medicine, you should eat something to fill your stomach.” 

After hearing this, he obediently agreed, “Okay, I’ll listen to you.” 

His response surprised her, but she didn’t pay it much mind as she turned off the stove. 

Then, she served the ramen in a bowl in front of him. “Eat quickly.” 

After that, Alaric looked at the bowl of plain ramen before him, which had only a few 

garnishes, vegetables, and a boiled egg. Yet, this seemingly insignificant bowl of 

noodles meant the world to him. After twirling a few strands of ramen on his fork and