I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 124

But that incident had planted a deep, festering thorn in the hearts of all four parents.

Victoria knew her daughter well. Eileen was aggressively competitive; the suicide threat was a manipulation tactic, not a genuine desire to die. Now that Eileen knew even self-harm couldn't keep Luke, there was no point in putting on that show anymore.

The very next day, while Harold was in his office signing documents, his secretary suddenly knocked and announced that his wife had arrived.

Harold looked up to see Victoria and Eileen standing right behind the secretary.

"Dad, Mom and I got tired of shopping, so we figured we'd drop by to see you."

Harold smiled and gestured for them to come in. This 'drop by' happened to be a four-mile detour.

Just yesterday, Victoria had suggested bringing Eileen into the company as an intern. He had planned to start her in June, allowing her another month of therapy until her emotions were entirely stable.

But Victoria was visibly anxious, itching to get her daughter into the office immediately.

And so, she brought her in the very next morning.

The secretary served them coffee and quickly retreated.

Eileen pointed a finger in the direction the secretary had left, pouting at Harold. "Dad, you aren't bringing me in to do her job, are you?"

She had a pretty good idea of why her mother was constantly on edge. She had just watched Secretary Sullivan walk out—her slender waist swaying, her stunning curves perfectly accentuated by the pencil skirt.

That face, twenty years younger than her mother's, and that flawlessly sculpted figure were enough to make Victoria deeply insecure.

Remembering that Sophie used to be Luke's secretary only fueled the hatred boiling in Eileen's chest.

Sophie must have paraded around like that in front of Luke every single day, bewitching him until she completely stole his soul.

They were all homewrecking vixens.

"Of course your job will be different. We'll partition a small section in your father's office. You'll stay right here and learn from him—watch how he negotiates and handles corporate affairs."

Victoria was already mentally redesigning Harold's office as she spoke.

As the mother and daughter chatted, the phone on Harold's desk rang. It was the internal line from Secretary Sullivan.

"Mr. Harper, Mr. James is here. He's waiting for you in the conference room."

Hanging up, Harold turned to Victoria. "I have a meeting. Are you and Eileen heading home, or going back out?"

Harold offered a multiple-choice question, but Victoria rejected both options. "I'm going to show Eileen around and get her familiar with the environment. Go do your work."

Harold's movements stiffened for a fraction of a second. Catching Victoria's gaze, he offered a reassuring smile to her and Eileen and nodded. He casually shut down his computer and walked out of the office without changing his expression.

In private, she preferred sharp, sexy fashion—shoes that were viciously pointed, sky-high, and commanding.

Eileen checked the tag and shoved the shoes back into Harold's hands. "Dad, I wear a size 8. You bought a size 6."

Harold looked down at his daughter's feet and chuckled softly. "My little girl's feet have grown so much. In my mind, you're still that middle schooler wearing a size 6."

Victoria watched them coldly from the side. "Aren't these the exact same ones the sales associate showed you when we were shopping?"

"Yes, they are. I remembered Eileen wearing a pair just like them when she was little. During a school play one year, she wore red shoes exactly like this. She loved them so much back then."

Harold gently stroked his daughter's hair, his expression utterly flawless with paternal affection.

Victoria watched him, but the suspicion gnawing at her didn't entirely fade.

Her daughter's harsh words from the other night had pierced her right in the chest. Harold was fifty-five. If he wanted another child, it would be all too easy; countless women would jump at the chance to give him one.

Coupled with his sudden, unlogged business trip last month—where he hadn't booked the tickets through his secretary, leaving even her entirely in the dark—Victoria felt deeply unsettled.

For the past month, she had been meticulously hyper-vigilant.

She would absolutely never allow another woman to threaten her position or steal the empire meant for her and her daughter.