Steven and Brian were furious as they stared at Hector, who was dangling from the tree. There was dye all over his chest.Brian impulsively wanted to rescue Hector, but Steven stopped him. "Careful. There may be an ambush."He tugged Brian along as they ran zig-zag to look for cover."Bang!" A paintball hit Brian while they were retreating. He was out.Steven thought it was Victoria. Determined to drag her down with him, he pulled out his gun and fired madly in all directions.However, his location wasn't strategic, and Melvin, hiding in the tree, shot him. Steven's shot hit Melvin, too, and both were out simultaneously.As Melvin tried to dodge Steven's shots, he accidentally misstepped and fell off the tree.Victoria noticed that in time and ran toward him. "Be careful!"She was now exposed. Timothy, who was tailing Steven and Brian from a distance, took the opportunity to shoot her. His shot hit her left scapula.Melvin had just landed on his feet then. Victoria shoved hi
Samuel followed closely behind Abraham but was slower because of his age.Abraham was the first to reach Victoria. He was so excited he felt like giving her a big hug and pat her on the back.On second thought, he remembered how jealous Benjamin could be and chose to shake her hand instead."Oh, Victoria!" he called affectionately. Shaking her hand, he was as excited as a rookie soldier meeting his favorite general. He looked at her like she was a precious gem.Victoria was puzzled. She mumbled, "Uncle Abraham."Samuel pushed Abraham aside and patted her shoulder delightfully. Then, he hugged her. "As expected of you, Victoria. You did great!"Victoria was still dazed. All she did was show them her ability. Why did they have to be so excited about it?Melvin chuckled as he explained, "My great-grandfather and Granduncle Abraham value talented people."You're terrific, Aunt Victoria, just like Uncle Benjamin. That's why they are so thrilled. They tend to be elated and forget t
It was almost 7:00 pm when they reached the Summers Residence.The Summers were all in the living room.Eleanor approached Victoria once she saw her. "Are you hurt?"Victoria shook her head. "No, I'm not."Eleanor grinned from ear to ear. She was notably pleased. "I'm sure you're hungry. Go on and have dinner. I cooked your favorite dishes."Victoria caught a whiff of a delicious aroma as she entered the mansion. She was hungry, indeed.Still, she said, "You should go on without me, Grandma. I'm covered with grime, and I stink. "You will lose your appetite around me. I'm heading upstairs for a shower. Don't wait for me."She briskly went upstairs. Her body felt sticky, and she was covered in dirt. She couldn't stand having her meal in this state. Benjamin followed her.Upon reaching her room, Victoria told him, "Benjamin, if there's anything you want to talk about, let's talk after my shower."Then, she entered the bathroom and cleaned herself from head to toe. She toweled h
Although they promised only to take a sip, as time went on, they started drinking more and more. Eventually, they were all drunk.Samuel and Victoria couldn't stop drinking. It was like they'd known each other for years. He poured himself another glass and did the same for her.The Summer family was all about rules and emphasized respect for seniority. All this while, it was the younger ones' role to pour wine for Samuel. It was the first time he had to pour wine for someone else.Not even Abraham had the privilege, even on other occasions.As the saying went, "Drunk words were sober thoughts." Similarly, those who were drunk tended to be true to themselves in action.The other women in the family were taken aback and felt deeply threatened.Eleanor patted Samuel. "That's enough. You're making Vicky drink too much."Samuel snorted with a cold expression. "Leave us alone!"Eleanor looked pleadingly at Benjamin, who looked at Victoria. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes ha
Victoria was already tipsy from the alcohol. When Benjamin carried her and dropped her on the bed, she felt her head spin and almost vomited.She closed her eyes tightly and gently shook her head. When she reopened her eyes, Benjamin was slowly standing back up as he loosened his collar."Did someone say we're not from the same generation because I'm in my 30s?" he drawled.The age gap between them was something he took to heart. When Victoria stated they were from different generations, he felt scorned, and his heart ached.With his eyes narrowed, he looked intimidating yet undeniably sexy at the same time. He must teach her a lesson today. She would learn that he was her husband and they were from the same generation.Victoria had the urge to pounce on him. However … "Benjamin," she called. Her voice was gentle and sweet. Her brows furrowed in discomfort. "I'm dizzy and have a headache. I also feel nauseous."Benjamin stopped unbuttoning his shirt. The anger on his face was rep
On the next morning, Victoria had just eaten her breakfast. It was then the younger ones pleaded with her to go to the training ground behind their house.She didn't bring her phone and returned only at dinnertime.After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room and sipped their coffee as they chatted. It was harmonious.Eleanor pointed at the younger ones and laughed. "You brats. Don't bother Victoria tomorrow. Vicky, we'll go shopping tomorrow."You're young and pretty. You must enjoy your youth and appreciate your looks. Let's buy you some nice clothing and accessories."Are you using any skincare products? What brand are you using? I know a store that customizes skincare products according to your skin condition."Many women in Youngville have a membership there. Don't neglect your skincare routine just because you're young. You—"As Eleanor taught Victoria various ways to spend money, a guard hurried into the house.He stood to attention and saluted. "Sir, an unidentifi
After Benjamin hung up on the call, he threw the phone onto the bed. "Pack your stuff. We're going back."Victoria rose to her feet. She looked back at Benjamin's abnormal behavior and what Ethan had just said. "You knew he was arriving today?"She was asking a question, yet she seemed to know that was the answer.Benjamin was irritated. He sounded displeased as he said, "Are you questioning me? Are you blaming me for not telling you about it, and you missed his arrival?"Victoria, we're married. You are now my wife. I don't care what happened between you two in the past. If he plans on stealing you from me, he should just give up now!"Victoria realized Benjamin would become sensitive and insecure whenever they brought up Ethan. He lost control easily. He would also turn gloomy and vicious.He was like a totally different person, and it wasn't the first time this happened.Victoria fell into deep thoughts.Benjamin saw his reflection in her eyes. He quickly realized he had los
In the living room, Samuel looked at Benjamin. The latter wore a cold and unwelcoming expression."Who's that man? What's his background? What's the relationship between Victoria and him?" Samuel fired a series of questions.Benjamin did not respond to the first two questions. However, he abruptly raised his head upon hearing the last question.He stared at Samuel and answered firmly, "Victoria is my woman! She's mine!"His agitated response left everyone dumbfounded.Joshua noticed something was amiss with Benjamin.Then, he hurriedly said, "Yes, we know Victoria is your woman. We like her, too. Your grandfather is just asking about the man's—""I don't need any of you to like her. I've decided on her," Benjamin interrupted.Joshua appeared extremely shocked. It was as if he had just received earth-shattering news.He looked at Abraham, and at the same time, he heard Benjamin's stern voice announcing, "Youngville is my turf. There's no way he can cause any trouble. I'll handl