Chapter 450 Dignity Unchained
"Is what he's saying true, Octavia?" Anouk asked with a dark expression.
Octavia turned at the sound, her face filled with terror. She shook her head, disregarding even the wounds on her face.
"No, Aunt, don't listen to his nonsense. He's just trying to impress this woman by slandering me," Octavia argued.
She pointed at Finnian and Victoria, speaking excitedly, her voice trembling with fear.
The sons of the Wipere and Rothschild families stepped forward and declared, "Everything Finnian said is true. Only the three of us knew about this."
"You must be quite close, for her to share such important information with just you three," Gideon remarked from the sidelines, arms crossed, his words dripping with sarcasm.
At the entrance of Hearst Castle, the reception staff froze for several seconds when they saw the Presidential Palace's official vehicle pull up.
No one had informed them the President would be visiting today.
As the convoy stopped, black-suited security personnel immediately surrounded the presidential vehicle.
Harry Brooks stepped out of the passenger seat and was about to open the rear door when Zephyr opened it himself and quickly exited.
As head of security, Harry always stayed close to Zephyr whenever he went out. He had rarely seen their President looking so urgent and slightly flustered as he did today.
Zephyr was typically meticulous and commanding, never revealing such emotions.
Harry had found it strange when Zephyr suddenly decided to come to Hearst Castle.
He knew the President never attended the same events as the First Lady.
Despite years of public speculation, Zephyr had never addressed these rumors.
Due to his powerful position, even those with doubts dared not spread them.
So the question remained: why was their President rushing here today?
As Victoria's group prepared to leave, Waverly stopped them. "Wait a moment."
More accurately, she was stopping Alexander.
Her gaze had been fixed on him the entire time.
"Alexander, I'd like to speak with you privately. Do you have a moment?" Waverly asked with a hint of coyness.
Alexander stood behind Victoria's wheelchair, his hands on the handles. Waverly was essentially blocking Alexander while completely ignoring Victoria.
She was blatantly coveting Victoria's husband right in front of her.
Alexander's brow furrowed slightly, a flash of coldness in his eyes, clearly displeased.
He looked at Waverly with cool eyes and said in a deep, chilly voice, "Miss Windsor, we're not acquainted, so I don't believe we have anything to discuss, especially not privately."
Waverly froze, feeling disappointed.
Then she heard him continue, "My wife is right here. If you have something to say, tell both of us. She makes all my decisions."
Victoria had been looking down at the light blue thermos in her lap.
Waverly's face flushed with embarrassment; she hadn't expected Alexander to be so direct.
She laughed awkwardly and replied as if suddenly realizing, "I'm sorry, Alexander. I was in such a hurry that I forgot your wife was here."
Gideon and the others watched from the side. He glanced discreetly at Waverly, raising an eyebrow. She was quite shameless.
This was high-level two-faced behavior.
He hadn't expected a socialite of Waverly's status to play this game, but she was clearly skilled at it.
Victoria looked up at her and unexpectedly asked, "Miss Windsor, may I ask how old you are?"
"What?" Waverly didn't immediately understand.
Victoria continued regardless, "You don't appear to be very elderly, Miss Windsor."
The implication was clear: Not only was she being disrespectful, but her memory seemed to be failing. Victoria was right there in front of her—was she blind?
Gideon was the first to catch on, laughing outright.
Waverly finally understood, a vein throbbing in her forehead.
She could only swallow her pride and apologize, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Howard. That was presumptuous of me. I merely wanted to invite Alexander to my father's birthday celebration in three days. Alexander and I attended the same school, and he's a friend of my father's. I apologize for my forwardness and hope you won't take offense."
She lowered herself to speak politely to Victoria, thinking that as a Presidential Palace socialite, this would make her appear gracious and elegant.
If Victoria knew when to stop, she wouldn't push further. Waverly felt she had been accommodating enough to Victoria; she should be grateful.
At least, that was what Waverly thought.
Three days later—Zephyr's birthday?
Victoria merely frowned slightly.
Waverly didn't understand her. Victoria never needed others to save her dignity.
Victoria smiled faintly and said earnestly, "Miss Windsor was indeed presumptuous. As a socialite from the Presidential Palace, one shouldn't approach another woman's husband in public, especially since the Alexander you speak of is a married man."
"Furthermore, I am bothered by it," she continued, smiling while delivering sharp words. "If it were you, Miss Windsor, I doubt you'd appreciate someone constantly fixating on your husband, would you?"
Waverly was stunned but recovered quickly, smiling back. "Of course not."
Her smile was somewhat stiff.
Victoria didn't care.
Gideon, Marcus, and Eugene listened from the side, mentally giving Victoria a thumbs up.
Alexander stood behind Victoria, silent, looking down at her as she spoke.
She commanded attention while he watched with amusement, always her rock when she needed him.
"Mr. Windsor, why are you here?" a voice suddenly broke into their conversation.
Waverly turned to see Zephyr striding in confidently. "Dad?"
Zephyr ignored her, looking directly at Victoria.
At the same time, Victoria looked at him.
Their eyes met, and she saw surprise and a hint of delight in his gaze.
But she didn't dwell on interpreting it, being the first to look away.
She remained composed and then tilted her head up to look at Alexander. "Darling, let's go."
Alexander responded gently, then nodded to Zephyr in greeting before pushing Victoria toward the exit.
"Wait," Zephyr said, standing before them. "Could I speak with you privately?"
He was addressing Victoria.
Everyone present was surprised, including Alexander.
What stood out was the pleading tone in Zephyr's voice.
Waverly had never seen her father like this. In her mind, he was always decisive and authoritative, never using a pleading tone with anyone.
Yet he had just used that tone with Victoria, and he seemed anxious, as if afraid she might refuse.
Zephyr's sudden change made her deeply uneasy.
Another person feeling equally unsettled was Anouk, who hadn't dared to approach.
Usually, she sought every opportunity to see him.
But now, she seemed she had changed.
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