Chapter 456 I Just Want to Meet You

In the bathroom, Victoria relaxed into Alexander's care, enjoying his attentions. After being naked in each other's presence for so long, they had both grown accustomed to it—though it hadn't always been easy for her. Each time she was injured, she received this special treatment, though what had become routine for her remained a sweet torture for Alexander.

"Darling, your shirt's soaked. Why don't you take it off too?" she suggested, eyeing how his black shirt clung to his body, perfectly outlining his muscular frame.

She swallowed involuntarily, finding the sight equally devastating. His black shirt with the top two buttons undone revealed a tantalizing glimpse of collarbone, complementing his handsome face. Before her stood the epitome of elegance—reserved, sophisticated, and irresistibly aloof.

As Alexander carefully wiped her arm, avoiding the wound on her right hand, her soft suggestion caught him off guard. Already, helping her bathe was arousing enough; her gentle invitation only intensified his desire.

He looked up with a mischievous arch of his eyebrow. "Since when are you so demure? If you want to see me naked, just say so."

Victoria's ears burned instantly. She averted her gaze, looking anywhere but at him. "That's not it! I've always been modest. I'm just concerned you'll catch cold."

He chuckled, the sound rich and seductive. "Don't worry. My constitution is excellent—as you well know, right?"

Heaven hadn't just blessed him with a captivating face but also with a voice that could seduce anyone. Even his laughter seemed designed to enthrall.

The way he deliberately extended that final "right," with its teasing undertone, sent a shiver through her heart and a tingling sensation through her limbs.

She decided it was best to remain silent. When it came to this sort of banter, she was clearly outmatched.

After breakfast, Victoria's hospital room received an unexpected visitor: Zephyr.

He had already consulted with Victoria's attending physician about her condition before arriving. He hadn't slept all night, his mind restless.

The previous day, he had ordered an investigation into Victoria's background, discovering that her mother had died when she was five—meaning Esme had been dead for twenty years. The news had struck him like lightning, tearing open his heart.

He couldn't accept that the woman he'd been searching for was already gone. Yet simultaneously, he discovered something else: Victoria wasn't truly a Kennedy, and her rare blood type raised further questions.

That was why he had rushed to the hospital first thing in the morning.

His unexpected arrival had caused quite a stir, even bringing the hospital director to attention.

Victoria's room was now filled not only with Zephyr but also the hospital director, deputy director, and various department heads.

An outside observer might have assumed someone truly important occupied the room.

Victoria found the situation rather awkward.

She had expected him to seek her out after investigating, though not quite so quickly.

"Mr. Windsor, what brings you here?" she asked, glancing at his entourage. "This kind of attention might raise eyebrows, considering we have no formal connection."

Her directness momentarily surprised Zephyr.

But he quickly recovered, recognizing in her the same forthright manner that had characterized the young Esme—always speaking her mind without reservation.

Soon after, Zephyr dismissed everyone else.

Only he, Victoria, and Alexander remained in the room.

News of the visit spread rapidly throughout the hospital.

Given Zephyr's position as president, always under scrutiny, word quickly reached Anouk and Waverly as well.

"I came to check on you," Zephyr explained, "and to invite you both to my birthday celebration the day after tomorrow. Would you be willing to attend?"

Zephyr glanced at both of them, though his gaze lingered primarily on Victoria.

Victoria agreed without hesitation, "Of course, no problem. Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Windsor."

Zephyr's face brightened with a warm smile.

She added a caveat, "However, given my injuries, I won't be able to dress formally. I'll need to attend in a wheelchair—I hope that's not an issue?"

"Not at all," Zephyr quickly assured her. "Whatever makes you comfortable. There are no strict protocols for a birthday celebration."

With Victoria's acceptance, Alexander naturally agreed as well.

Zephyr stayed for nearly half an hour, during which he never once mentioned her past or her mother, keeping the conversation casual.

She admired his ability to maintain small talk—befitting someone who governed the entire Kingdom of Serenia.

After he left, Victoria turned to Alexander. "Darling, did he really come just for small talk? I expected him to say something more significant."

Alexander gave her a measured look. "He said plenty without saying anything—and he took a strand of your hair."

Victoria's bright eyes blinked rapidly. "So you noticed that too."

Both had observed it but had chosen not to mention it. The couple shared an exceptional intelligence.

"Do you want me to intervene?" he asked.

She smiled, her tone relaxed and casual. "No need. I'm curious about the results myself. If he's taking the initiative, it saves me the trouble. Isn't that convenient?"

Her attitude suggested the outcome wouldn't affect her either way.

Something flickered in Alexander's eyes, though his expression remained pleasant. "Very well. Whatever you say."

Changing the subject abruptly, he picked up his phone. "Sawyer messaged at six this morning. Our wedding photos have been delivered to the house. He sent digital copies to my phone—would you like to see them?"

Her face lit up immediately, nodding enthusiastically. "Absolutely! I've been dying to see them."

The couple momentarily set aside their concerns, focusing instead on their wedding photos.

As they browsed, Victoria grew playfully vain.

"Darling, with a wife as beautiful as me and our perfect compatibility, you couldn't possibly find someone better in this lifetime, could you?"

"True," he replied, "but you're the only one I ever want to find."

"Ms. Penrose, we've confirmed it. Ms. Kennedy's injuries are connected to a shadowy organization known as Group 103. You may recall when Ms. Kennedy disappeared for a period years ago—Leroy's investigation linked her absence to this same group," Nicholas said.

"After Ms. Kennedy escaped, the organization vanished for a time, only recently resurfacing."

"They set a trap for Ms. Kennedy in the Kingdom of Serenia. It appears they captured George of the York family—you're aware of his relationship with Ms. Kennedy—which explains why she was lured in."

"There's one more thing: Zephyr has discovered reports of your death, so he believes you're no longer alive. However, he now suspects Ms. Kennedy's true identity, as the fact that she isn't actually a Kennedy can no longer be concealed."

Nicholas detailed everything their investigation had uncovered.

Esme remained unfazed. "Don't worry. Even if we don't intervene, someone else will. There are others who are even more concerned about this situation than I am."

Nicholas paused, momentarily unable to guess who she might be referring to.
Billionaire's Bad Girl
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