The Abandoned Wife Dumped Him First (Victoria and Elias) novel Chapter 65

In a hospital room, Cerys sat by the bed. "Are you really sure about this? Your brother offered that bastard ten percent of The Sanger Group's shares and still couldn't get him to help. What if you go, and he still says no?"

Victoria leaned against the headboard, silent for a moment before saying softly, "I have to try."

Everyone who’d ever been close to the Sanger family now acted like they were radioactive. There was no chance of changing Harry's mind. Seeking out Elias, begging him for help, was her only option left.

That afternoon, after completing her discharge paperwork, Victoria stood by the side of the road, waiting for Cerys to pick her up and take her to The Shawn Group. But after half an hour, it wasn't Cerys's car that arrived, but a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Lucian's car.

"Victoria." Lucian got out and walked around the front of the car toward her.

"Lucian." Victoria's tone was distant, and she took a couple of steps back.

She and Lucian were barely acquaintances, having only met a few times when she was with Cerys. Because of his close relationship with Elias, she always made a point of keeping a polite distance so as not to put him in an awkward position.

Her small movement didn't escape Lucian's notice. His expression deepened slightly as he explained, "Cerys wasn't feeling well, so she called and asked me to give you a ride to Elias's office."

"She's not feeling well? She was fine this morning. Is she okay?" Victoria asked, worried.

"She's fine. She just had some ice cream at lunch and got a stomachache." Lucian opened the rear door for her. "Get in. I have to drop off some documents at the company anyway."

After a moment's hesitation, Victoria got into the car. The door closed, and Lucian got in on the other side, instructing the driver, "To The Shawn Group."

The driver acknowledged and pulled away from the curb. Victoria leaned against the window, her gaze lost in thought as she watched the city slide by.

Lucian glanced over at her. Remembering what Jonah had told him over drinks the previous day, he asked with a note of concern, "Cerys told me about your father. She also said you were hospitalized with heatstroke a couple of days ago because of it. Are you feeling better now?"

Victoria, lost in thought, was startled by his voice. "I'm fine now," she replied.

Lucian hummed in acknowledgment. Silence fell over the car once more, remaining unbroken until they reached The Shawn Group headquarters.

The Cullinan drove into the underground garage and came to a stop.

Lucian grabbed a file folder, got out, and led the way to the executive elevator. He swiped his access card, selecting floors 12 and 77. Turning to Victoria, he said, "I'm dropping these documents off on the twelfth floor. I checked with Elias before I came; he's in his office now."

"...Thank you."

Elias had once explicitly forbidden her from setting foot in the building. If it weren't for Lucian, she wouldn't have even made it past the front door.

"Don't thank me, I'm doing this for Cerys." He handed her the access card. "Take this. It will get you to any floor. Keep it, just in case. You can give it back to Cerys later."

The pen in Elias's hand froze. He lifted his eyes, and upon seeing Victoria, his gaze instantly frosted over. "Who let you in?"

"No one. I slipped in myself."

Elias rose and strode toward her, his fingers gripping her chin. "Slipped in yourself?" he sneered. "Victoria, are you stupid, or do you really think I'm that easy to fool?"

Victoria winced in pain, her lips pressed into a tight line.

Elias shoved her away. "Three seconds. Disappear from my sight. Otherwise, I have no problem throwing you out of here."

As he spoke, he pressed a button on his desk.

With a soft click, a motorized mechanism whirred to life. The massive floor-to-ceiling window slid open, and a sudden gust of wind rushed in. Though it was a sunny day, the breeze felt bone-chillingly cold.

Victoria's face went white, her heart seeming to stop in her chest as Elias's threat echoed in her ears.

He would throw her out of here.

This was the seventy-seventh floor.