Chapter 802

I sent Edward a quick thank you message, but he never texted back.

In our chat box, I kept typing out “Happy Birthday,” only to delete it again and again.

I must’ve written those words a hundred times, only to erase them just as fast–caught up in my own hesitation, stuck in a loop I couldn’t break.

At last, I let my phone drop, walking over to the big window. I just stood there, gazing at the midday sun, spacing out for ages.

If we couldn’t really love each other, then we shouldn’t keep leading each other on.

Guess I just couldn’t bring myself to send anything after all.

Time slipped by so fast–just like that, more than a week had passed. It was like Edward had disappeared from my world altogether. I figured he’d probably gone back to England—that’s his real home base.

I tried not to ask around about him, and even if I wanted to, there was nothing I could find out.

His whole life was a mystery anyway. If I hadn’t crossed paths with him this time, I would’ve gone my whole life never knowing a man like Edward Jennings even existed.

As for the company, things were pretty stable. Maybe it was just my imagination, but even after we split up, the connections Edward gave me were still going strong–the collaborations he set up kept helping me out, just like before.

One evening, I left the office a little after seven.

As soon as I got downstairs, I heard someone calling my name.

“Victoria Murphy, can we talk?” A young woman stepped out of a car parked nearby.

I was surprised to see her, but then a wave of worry washed over me.

To my surprise, it wasn’t Fiona who stepped out of the car.

“Miss Chamberlain, did you come all this way just to see me?” I walked over and asked.

After her marriage, Fiona’s eyes had grown much calmer–gone was the arrogance and spirited pride she used to carry. For a moment, I almost didn’t recognize her.

“Why else would I be here?” she shot back, her attitude unmistakably frosty.

“Did you want something?” I asked, keeping my guard up.

Fiona sized me up from head to toe. Her gaze finally settled on my stomach. “Honestly, I thought once you hooked up with Edward, you’d bend over backwards to give him a kid.”

She looked genuinely surprised at my flat belly, but it was her words that hit me even harder.

“Miss Chamberlain, I have to ask–what makes you think popping out a kid is some kind of win?” I shot back, my voice loaded with sarcasm.

“Do you really believe love lasts longer than a child?” Fiona arched an eyebrow. “If you gave birth to a son, he could end up inheriting the Jennings Group one day. Wouldn’t you want to cash in on that, become someone important just because of your kid?”

“Honestly, Miss Chamberlain, I’m shocked to hear someone like you talking this way,” I snarked. “So in your world, women are just accessories for men, and kids are nothing but bargaining chips for their moms?”

“Ryan said you were different. Turns out he just meant you’re hopelessly naïve,” Fiona sneered, eyes locked on mine. “Victoria, you let the best life slip through your fingers, and trust me, one day you’ll regret it. You were the first woman Edward ever seriously wanted to marry. When he brought you home to the Jennings family, I couldn’t believe it. But now you’ve lost your chance, which just means you were never meant to belong in that world.”

“If you came here just to watch me fall, congratulations–you’ve seen enough. I have something better to do than entertain your pity,” I shot back, cutting her short. I couldn’t stand hearing another word–her voice was all barbs, every syllable cutting deep and making my chest ache.

“He only divorced me because of you,” Fiona shouted after me. “You’re like bad luck come to life. You’re miserable, and it’s contagious–now nobody else gets to be happy, either. I can’t wait to see what kind of mess you’ll end up in.”

I turned around slowly, staring at Fiona’s face, twisted by jealousy. “He didn’t marry you for love. It was all about mutual benefit from the very start–a business merger, not some fairy–tale romance. So when you start talking about happiness? Kind of a cruel joke, isn’t it?”

Her face further went white with anger and she bit her lip. “If you hadn’t shown up, there’s a chance he could’ve liked me. Grandpa Jeffrey and Vivian both wanted me for the family.”

I nodded. “Well, good luck with that. Hope you two patch things up someday.”

She clearly came here looking to knock me down a peg, but I wasn’t going to give her another chance to get under my skin.

She didn’t come after me again. I got into my car and drove away.

Later that night, I was just relaxing at home with a face mask on when there was an unexpected knock at my door.

I opened it to find Henry standing right there.

“So, Voyage Inc. is your company?” Henry asked, sounding genuinely surprised.