Cold War between Mr. and Mrs Vaughn: He Regretted when Divorce-Chapter 137: Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Social Death
Victoria Sinclair tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She hugged the blanket, turned sideways, and looked at Eugene Vaughn, who was already asleep on the floor, her thoughts in turmoil.
No matter what, she was just a woman, yearning for love but afraid of hurt.
She didn’t want to touch emotions anymore, but Eugene’s persistence made it impossible for her to refuse.
His heartfelt confession still echoed in her ears.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and thought helplessly to herself: Eugene, what am I supposed to do with you?
—
The next day, early morning.
The alarm rang, and Victoria slowly got out of bed, ran her hand through her messy long hair, picked up the phone, turned off the alarm, and rubbed her eyes.
A wave of nausea surged.
She immediately threw off the blanket, got out of bed, rushed to the bathroom, and retched over the toilet.
Experiencing morning sickness every day, she was already used to it.
She flushed the toilet and got up to wash.
On the washstand were a cup and toothpaste, and toothpaste had already been squeezed onto the toothbrush.
She paused for a few seconds, picked up the toothbrush, just brought it to her mouth, and another wave of retching hit, "Uh..."
"Victoria." Eugene suddenly rushed in, looking tense, "What’s wrong with you?"
Victoria was startled, turned around in panic, holding the toothbrush, and looked at him in confusion.
Eugene frowned, filled with worry: "Are you unwell? I just heard you vomiting?"
"No, I...I didn’t vomit..."
Eugene stepped forward, gently touched her cheek, examining her complexion closely: "Is it pharyngitis?"
Victoria stepped back, avoiding his touch, quickly nodding: "Maybe, I’ll go to the hospital when I have time."
"I’ll go with you."
"No need, no need." Victoria quickly put down the toothpaste, pushed him out, "You go out, I need to wash up now."
Eugene laughed gently, "Alright, then wash up and come out for breakfast, I’ve already made it."
"Okay." Victoria felt uneasy, deeply afraid he would discover her pregnancy.
After Eugene left the bathroom, he tidied up the bedding she slept on.
Ten minutes later, Victoria came out of the bathroom, and the neat bed made her feel both familiar and strange.
She felt a mix of emotions inside.
Stepping out of the room, she glanced at the balcony where Eugene stood, one hand in his pocket, listening to a phone call in the morning sun.
The warm light shone on him, bright and dazzling, exuding extraordinary charm.
Eugene noticed her coming out, and a subtle smile appeared on his cold face, his eyes gentle, and he pointed towards the dining table.
Indicating for her to go over and eat breakfast.
Victoria sat at the dining table, looking at the breakfast in front of her.
Steamed dumplings, boiled eggs, and small meat buns.
It was breakfast she liked to eat.
She picked up a boiled egg, tapped the shell, suddenly smelled the eggy odor, abruptly put down the egg, covered her mouth, and felt nauseated.
Eugene listened to the phone, his gaze fixed on her, and seeing her nausea, his expression darkened, he ended the call abruptly and stepped in.
"Victoria." Eugene walked over and sat beside her.
Victoria held her breath, took a deep breath, and looked at him calmly, "What’s wrong?"
"Where do you feel unwell?" his voice was anxious, his expression serious, reaching out to touch her forehead.
Victoria pulled his hand down, lowered her head, "I’m really fine."
"Let’s go to the hospital together." Eugene was exceptionally uneasy, holding her hand.
"I’m really fine." Victoria withdrew her hand, picked up the chopsticks, and put a small meat bun into her mouth.
Eugene was still not assured, his deep eyes watching her flushed cheeks.
It seemed not like a sick complexion either.
At this moment, his phone rang again.
He glanced at the caller ID, it was his father Harold Vaughn’s number.
"I’ll take this call." Eugene got up and went to the balcony to answer.
While eating breakfast, Victoria tilted her head to observe him.
When he answered the call, his face looked really bad.
She could probably guess who called.
Causing tens of billions of losses to the companies in one day, Harold wouldn’t let him off easily.
Outside the balcony.
Eugene listened impatiently to his dad’s reproach and curses, and then mildly said, "Are you done? If so, I’m hanging up."
"You created this mess, you have to fix it."
"I clarified that I am not engaged, have no fiancée, just told the truth, what do I need to fix?"
"The stock market is still dropping, only marrying Vivian can recover the interests of both families."
Eugene sneered, leisurely replied, "My marriage is not your bargaining chip. Actually, if you want to recover the losses, it’s not impossible. Just let Ethan marry Vivian, especially since Ethan is still the CEO of the group."
"You are being foolish... Don’t you believe I’ll leave all the property to Ethan?" Harold angrily warned.
"Suit yourself, I don’t care nor mind." Eugene replied bluntly and hung up the phone.
Walking to the dining table, Victoria had finished breakfast.
The egg, she didn’t eat.
"Why didn’t you eat the egg?" Eugene asked her.
Victoria shook her head, looked at him calmly, "Eugene, my place is really too small, no room for you to sleep, you better move back."
"I sleep just fine on the floor." Eugene picked up the chopsticks, slowly put a small meat bun into his mouth.
"Sleeping on the floor long-term isn’t good for your health." Victoria’s tone was heavy.
Eugene lightly curled his lips, raised his eyes to look at her, "Are you worried about me?"
"I’m being sincere in talking to you."
Eugene became a bit serious, "Fine, then move back home with me, back to our home."
Victoria slowly clenched her fists, feeling very uncomfortable inside: "We are already divorced."
"I’ve said, regardless of what the court decides, I’ll never acknowledge it." Eugene’s attitude was firm, his eyes deep as they gazed into hers, "In my heart, you have always been my wife."
Victoria’s nails deeply embedded in the flesh of her palm, she endured, suppressing, her heart feeling sour and uncomfortable.
Eugene put down the chopsticks, leaning on the chair, "Victoria, I don’t expect you to love me, just hope you can allow me to quietly protect you, even if it’s just watching from afar, I am willing to stay by your side, waiting for you forever."
Victoria’s eyes turned red, tears blurred her vision, her heart aching in pangs.
Suddenly she stood up, turned towards the door.
Eugene panicked, quickly got up, rushed over, grabbed her arms, and looked down at her: "Victoria..."
Victoria hung her head, heartache so severe it seemed she couldn’t breathe, tears fell to the ground, her shoulders trembled.
She cried!
Completely uncontrollably cried aloud.
"Victoria, what’s wrong?" Eugene saw her lose control and cry for the first time, suddenly at a loss, held her tightly in his arms.
Victoria cried in his embrace.
His heart was shattered, eyes reddened, "What is wrong with you? Please don’t cry?"
"Why?" Victoria spoke between sobs, each word blurred, "Why didn’t you tell me before, after the divorce only then you told me? Why..."
Eugene’s arms tightened inch by inch, holding her very closely, burying his face in her neck, closing his moist red eyes, voice slightly choked: "I’m sorry, Victoria, I also lived in pain those two years, because of that damn misunderstanding, I really didn’t know how to face you. At that time, I simply couldn’t overcome the barrier in my heart."
Victoria was so weak and numb from crying against his chest, punched his shoulder with her fist, "You’re a bastard, what am I supposed to do with you?"
Eugene allowed her hits, held her tightly, his hoarse, choked voice whispered in her ear: "I’m sorry, Victoria. Hit me, hit me hard, I broke your heart."
"I just don’t want to be with you now... why..." Victoria sobbed between cries, "why do you have to come and trouble me?"
"Give me a chance to atone, just one time...Victoria, one last time, I won’t let you get hurt again."
"It’s already too late."
"As long as you’re willing, it’s never too late."
"You bastard..."
"Alright, I’m a bastard. Victoria, I was wrong, I’m a bastard." Eugene Vaughn gently coaxed her, softly pushing aside her shoulders, wiping her tear-stained face tenderly, "Don’t cry, seeing you cry breaks my heart."
Victoria Sinclair slowly stopped crying, her eyes red and swollen, still out of breath.
Eugene Vaughn was filled with heartache, holding her face in his hands and gently kissing her forehead, then softly touching her lips like a dragonfly, murmuring, "Don’t cry, Victoria."
She closed her eyes and her weakened body fell into his embrace.
He held her once more.
The sunshine outside the window was warm and bright, spilling onto the balcony, the air filled with a heart-soothing fragrance.
Like the scent of Eugene Vaughn’s body.
Exhausted from crying, Victoria washed her face clean and left home for work.
Though it wasn’t far, Eugene insisted on taking her.
Afternoon.
Morrigan University Research Institute.
After the meeting, Victoria Sinclair hurried out of the conference room and quickly pulled up Hector Grant’s WeChat.
She stared at the WeChat, lost in thought. What excuse could she use to approach him, and how could she persuade him to help so that Apex Group would collaborate with their institute?
During the meeting, her superiors had specifically instructed her to follow up on this matter.
As a researcher, she was not at all skilled in business negotiations.
But she happened to know Hector Grant first, as they were Sterling alumni.
At this moment, Angela Austin’s call came in.
Victoria didn’t think much and answered, holding it to her ear, "Angela..."
"Victoria, will you accompany me to the doctor? I’m a bit scared."
Victoria’s heart sank, nervously asking, "What’s wrong? Are you sick?"
"Not exactly sick, I... I..."
"If there’s something you can’t even bring yourself to tell me?"
"It’s down there... it’s rotten..." Angela Austin said, bursting into tears, her voice full of fear and uncertainty.
Victoria was stunned, immediately taking off her work uniform and heading out: "Angela, don’t scare me! Where are you? I’m coming over immediately."
Victoria worried all the way as it was unclear over the phone.
She thought Angela had encountered a bad person and been assaulted.
Unexpectedly, it was just simply rotten.
She was trembling with fear, and on the way to the hospital kept clarifying, "I’ve been clean all my life for 27 years, never been involved with those dirty men, never gone swimming in a pool, nor been to a hot spring, why would this happen? Do I have some hidden disease?"
"It’s fine, we’ll have a look at the hospital." Victoria reassured, taking the opportunity to bring her to Hector Grant’s hospital.
Registered under Hector Grant’s name.
Angela Austin was uneasy, holding Victoria’s hand, continuously asking, "Victoria, what if I really have a hidden disease, what should I do?"
"Don’t worry, you definitely won’t."
Just then, the announcement called: "Angela Austin, please proceed to examination room number one."
Angela stood up nervously, looking at the registration slip, and glanced back at Victoria: "Why is it a male doctor?"
"Biologically, you’re just flesh to a doctor." Victoria urged, "I’ll even seek him out for childbirth in the future, just go."
Angela was educated and understood this logic.
But still, she was a girl, and such an examination was inevitably awkward.
She entered the doctor’s office.
Inside sat a man and a woman, the woman probably an intern.
"Angela Austin, right?" The female doctor asked.
Angela nodded, sat down, and when she looked at the attending doctor, her heart inexplicably tightened.
The male doctor was wearing a mask, obscuring his features, but his lush dark hair and fashionable style hinted at youth, his deep eyes were exceptionally attractive, staring directly at her.
It seemed that since she walked in, he had already identified her as different, as an impersonator, a hidden disease patient.
Angela steeled herself, shaking off inappropriate wild thoughts.
"Where are you uncomfortable?" The male doctor asked, his voice gentle and magnetic, extremely pleasing to the ear.
Angela nervously gulped, looked at the female doctor beside her, and gained some reassurance, "Down below, it’s rotten, pus is oozing, flowing, and it hurts."
The female doctor’s eyes lit up, looking at her.
The male doctor briefly paused in his typing before continuing to calmly enter symptoms.
Angela worriedly asked, "Do you think I have an STD?"
The male doctor asked, "Have you been sexually active recently?"
"No."
"Have you shared personal items with others?"
"No."
"You should go inside, take off your pants and lie down."
Angela nervously asked the female doctor: "Will you be the one examining me?"
The female doctor nodded, "Yes, I’ll be examining you."
Angela finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She went behind the curtain, took off her pants, and lay down, spreading her legs.
Even with a female doctor, this action, in this area, was still embarrassing and awkward, nervous and uneasy.
The female doctor came over with gloves, wiping and looking with a cotton swab.
"This doesn’t look like an STD!" The female doctor said uncertainly, "I’m not sure, should I let Dr. Grant come in to examine you?"
"Who?" Angela blushed, her voice a bit frantic.
"If you mind, I can call a female doctor next door to examine you."
Doctors are busy in big hospitals, waiting for a female doctor from next door could mean lying there with legs open till doomsday.
"No need for that trouble, just Dr. Grant." Angela was too embarrassed, and covered her eyes with her hands, imagining herself as a piece of meat on a chopping board.
Footsteps approached, she felt a man’s hand gently press on her thigh, then he squeezed the sore spot.
"Hmm." Angela gritted her teeth, embarrassed, pained, and mortified.
Too much to bear!
Dr. Grant: "Did your period just end recently?"
"Yes." Angela responded with closed eyes: "It ended yesterday."
"It’s an inflammation in the hair follicle that broke, combined with your period, irritated by sanitary pads and covered by menstrual blood for several days, worsening the inflammation, leading to ulceration and pus. I’ve drained the pus, apply medicine for a few days and it’ll recover soon."
Angela breathed in relief.
Yet still worried, "Shouldn’t we do a blood test just to be sure it’s not an STD?"
"If you’re still worried, we can do a regular gynecological exam." Dr. Grant removed his gloves.
"Okay, let’s do it." Since she was here, a regular exam seemed a good idea.
Angela let go of her cover and noticed the female doctor had a terrifying clamp, she nervously swallowed, her pupils dilating.
"Relax..." The female doctor approached her thighs.
Dr. Grant turned around, his brows furrowing, "She’s still a virgin, don’t use tools, use a cotton swab."
Angela breathed a sigh of relief, feeling alive again.
She cast a grateful look at Dr. Grant, who was already gone.
After a thorough examination, no gynecological illness, no STD, only inflammation at the wound.
With the report and topical medication in hand, Angela returned to Victoria Sinclair, the shadows on her face dissipating, her smile unusually bright: "Let’s go, I’m fine."
Victoria stood up, grabbing her report to read.
"Folliculitis?"
"Yes, let’s go."
Victoria checked her phone for the time, "It’s five thirty, Dr. Grant should be getting off soon, let’s wait for him and say thank you."
Angela was shocked, "Why should we wait for him? You want me to die of embarrassment?"
