Chapter 180 Victoria Hides Her Identity
Under Saskia's intense stare, Victoria gulped down the chicken soup in front of her.
Victoria thought, 'Man, this is the most painful lunch ever. So awkward.'
She never thought Saskia would just pop up at Serenity Grove Manor like that.
Saskia's eagle eyes zeroed in on the hickey on Victoria's neck, and she grinned, nodding like she just won the lottery.
Looked like she was gonna be a grandma soon. She just hoped Alexander's swimmers were up to the task.
Time to up their nutrition game.
"Mom, I'm done. Thanks for coming all this way," Victoria said, trying to dodge Saskia's intense gaze but not really knowing what else to say.
"No trouble at all. Got nothing better to do. Making soup for you is my way of helping my future grandkid. You two shouldn't overdo it; make sure to rest," Saskia said, all smiles but still reminding them to take it easy.
Grandkid?
What grandkid?
What did she mean by not overdoing it?
Suddenly, it clicked, and Victoria's ears turned bright red.
Oh my God, what was all this?
While she was lost in thought, Saskia brought out another thermos from the kitchen.
"This one's for Alexander. I'll take it to him later. You should chill at home," Saskia said.
Victoria jumped in, "Mom, let me do it. I've rested enough, and I need to talk to Alexander anyway."
Seeing her insist, Saskia didn't argue. "Alright then, drive safe. Come back early tonight; I'll whip up dinner for you two."
Victoria nodded, "Got it."
She grabbed the thermos and headed out.
The Office of the President at Vertex Holdings Group.
"Mr. Howard, I'm sorry. It's on me. We still haven't found any trace of Zing." Dylan and Marcus stood there, heads down.
They'd been hunting for Zing for over two months but came up empty, even with Mystic Hall's help.
Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Dylan's head.
He looked up, eyes bright, and said to the thinking Alexander, "Mr. Howard, why don't we ask Mrs. Howard for help?"
He hadn't forgotten the secret he learned in Country M that Victoria ran the O Alliance. If Mystic Hall couldn't find Zing, maybe the O Alliance could. They were on the same team, and it wouldn't cost anything.
Marcus looked confused at Dylan. If Mystic Hall couldn't find her, what good was Victoria?
Alexander had almost forgotten. Victoria wasn't just the leader of the O Alliance; she had also logged into the Scarlet Portal system to find someone. What was her deal with Scarlet Portal?
Did she know Zing?
But Zing was always a mystery. Rumor had it that even those in Scarlet Portal, which she started, might not have seen her in person. She always showed up on her own terms.
While serving soup to Alexander, Victoria casually asked, "You looking for Zing?"
Alexander took the soup she handed him and started drinking.
She looked at him with a sly smile and asked, "Can I ask why?"
"To fix a chip. We've been hunting for Zing for over two months, but she's like a ghost, never leaving any trace." Alexander didn't hide anything from Victoria.
Victoria's eyes flickered subtly.
They'd been hunting for her for over two months?
Wasn't that around the time Thomas mentioned Mystic Hall was after her?
Was Alexander from Mystic Hall?
This thought zipped through Victoria's mind.
What a coincidence.
She probably knew what chip they wanted fixed because she was the one who messed it up.
But now wasn't the time to spill the beans.
"I remember you logged into the Scarlet Portal system before. Do you know Zing?" Alexander asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"No, a friend gave me the account," she said seriously, pulling an excuse out of thin air.
Alexander didn't push or seem suspicious.
A rare hacker genius like Zing was a hot commodity for many countries, including him. But Zing wasn't swayed by power or scared of threats. She had the skills to back it up. Even his top-notch K Alliance couldn't touch her.
Alexander furrowed his brow, staring at her, and asked out of the blue, "A friend? Guy or girl?"
Victoria went silent.
That topic switch was way too fast.
At 2 PM, after leaving Vertex Holdings Group, Victoria drove to a dance studio to pick up Marlowe.
Marlowe had snagged a job as a dance instructor at a chain studio called MS. She had the afternoon off and had plans to go shopping with Victoria and Lila, and treat them to a meal.
The first thing Lila said when she saw Marlowe was, "Marlowe, you look so much thinner!"
Marlowe didn't deny it. She had indeed lost some weight, mainly because she had just found a job and was under pressure, which killed her appetite.
"It's fine. I look better thinner," Marlowe said with a casual smile.
"You weren't fat before; you looked great," Lila said, then asked, "Is it too much pressure?"
"It's normal to have pressure. Don't worry. I've been out of the workforce for years. If it weren't for my dance skills, MS wouldn't have hired me," Marlowe explained.
Actually, since coming back to Ridge, this past week had been the happiest and most fulfilling time in the past five years. Even though she was physically and mentally drained every day, she felt incredibly fulfilled and enjoyed it.
She thought she couldn't live without Grant, but once she truly left, she realized she didn't miss him as much.
Since she decided to let go, she wouldn't dwell on him anymore.
Five years, and she couldn't make him fall for her. She had paid for her sins.
The three of them hit up Infinity Mall and then walked into a high-end women's clothing store.
A woman's closet was never full, and the urge to shop was irresistible.
"Michelle, there's a brand called Fairy here. Let's check it out," Jessica Watson said, dragging Michelle Hoilt inside.
The store clerk immediately greeted them, "Welcome to Fairy."
"Michelle, I think this red dress is totally your style. Wanna try it on?" Jessica asked.
The clerk chimed in, "You have a great eye. This is a new design by Fairy's top designer, a limited edition, only one available." She glanced at Michelle and gave a professional smile. "This dress really suits your elegant and noble style. If you like it, you should try it on."
The clerk found Michelle's face familiar but couldn't place it, feeling like she had seen her somewhere before.
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