Chapter 498 Psychiatric Hospital
"My grandfather is forcing me to go on blind dates."
"That's bad enough, but now that I've agreed to work at the company, he's still not letting up. He's actually sending these women directly to my office."
"Now everyone at Vertex Holdings Group, right down to the janitors, knows about my forced matchmaking situation."
Landon rattled off his complaints.
Victoria couldn't get a word in edgewise.
She was beginning to regret asking him about it.
If she'd known, she wouldn't have brought it up.
She should have just let him stew in his own misery.
Alexander had glanced at him briefly when he first started talking, then closed his eyes to rest, appearing completely detached from the conversation.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Landon stopped talking.
"Finished?" Victoria rubbed her temple and gave him a weary look. "Are you done?"
Landon pouted and nodded.
"Good, then let me share my thoughts."
He nodded.
"Actually," she pursed her lips slightly, "your grandfather is only doing this because he cares about you. You're not getting any younger, you know."
Landon had been expecting at least some sympathy from her, but no such luck.
He looked at her in disbelief. "Victoria, whose side are you on? Grandfather is obviously pressuring me to get married. I'm only 25—that's still young!"
Victoria was clearly siding with Nathan.
Landon fell silent. All that complaining for nothing!
In this family, he'd thought Victoria would understand him best—they were the same age, after all.
"Victoria, how can you bear to see me forced to marry someone I don't love?" he asked with a pitiful expression.
"Surely it won't come to that?" Victoria furrowed her brow, looking skeptical.
"It absolutely will," he insisted with certainty. "Grandfather always gets his way."
Victoria remained silent.
Howard Villa.
After taking Alexander back to Serenity Grove Manor to rest, Victoria had accompanied Landon to Howard Villa.
But she wasn't there to help Landon.
Rather, after much consideration, she felt she should inform the elders about Alexander's injury.
Seeing Saskia's worried expression, she reassured her, "Don't worry. Alexander is fine. He was just tired when we got back and fell asleep. That's why I came with Landon to let you, Grandfather, and Dad know what happened."
"Don't feel guilty at all," Nathan said to her. "It's normal for a man to get hurt now and then. The important thing is that both of you are safe. Of course he rescued you—that's what husbands do. You're his wife; if he didn't protect you, who would?"
Victoria felt a warmth in her heart. She had been feeling quite guilty about Alexander's injury.
After all, if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have been hurt.
Saskia squeezed her hand and agreed, "That's right. Nathan is absolutely correct. Since he chose you and married you, he naturally has a duty to protect you. Don't overthink it."
Sitting across from Victoria, Landon was desperately winking at her, trying to signal that she should bring up his other pressing matter.
Preston, seated beside him, looked at his son curiously before suddenly leaning in close. "What's wrong with you? Got a twitch in your eye?"
Landon recoiled from his father's suddenly magnified face, clutching his chest in surprise. "Dad, if I had a heart condition, you would have scared me to death ages ago."
"But you're still alive, aren't you?"
"Only because I'm tough."
With Preston's interruption, Victoria missed Landon's plea for help.
And since Saskia hadn't seen her in a while, the two women couldn't stop chatting.
At three in the afternoon.
Preston and Saskia went back with her to Serenity Grove Manor. Nathan, being elderly, didn't want to make the trip back and forth, so he simply sent the couple to check on Alexander, which gave him peace of mind.
Serenity Grove Manor.
"Alexander, will your injury heal in ten days? Can the wedding proceed as planned?" Saskia asked.
This was Saskia's biggest concern.
In ten days, Alexander and Victoria's previously scheduled wedding was supposed to take place.
Victoria was worried too.
But she wasn't concerned about whether the wedding could proceed—she was worried about his health.
Although both the doctor and Owen had said Alexander had a strong constitution and was recovering well—which was why they allowed him to recuperate at home—she still worried the event would be too taxing for him.
He needed rest, and weddings were complicated affairs. The day would certainly be busy.
"Mom, perhaps the wedding could be..."
Before she could say "postponed," Alexander interrupted her. "Mom, please don't worry. The wedding will proceed as planned. Don't concern yourselves with these matters."
He held Victoria's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
He knew what she was about to suggest.
But he had been waiting for this day for a long time and wouldn't allow anything to go wrong.
Although they were already legally married with their marriage certificate, the proper ceremony was still important. He couldn't bear to let the woman he loved deeply have any regrets.
Preston and Saskia didn't stay long before leaving.
After all, they couldn't leave Nathan alone at home for dinner.
Cynthia had gone to Aidamore with Alaric a few days ago and hadn't returned yet.
Early the next morning.
Lila, having learned from Owen about what had happened to Victoria in the Kingdom of Serenia, rushed over first thing.
"Victoria, you don't treat me like a friend at all! You disappeared for over two weeks, went through something so serious, and didn't even tell me! If Owen hadn't let it slip last night, I'd still be in the dark!" Lila said.
She pouted angrily, glaring at her with an expression that clearly said, 'Your little darling is very upset right now' and 'You'd better hurry up and appease me.'
Victoria sighed and remained silent.
She didn't believe Owen would accidentally "let it slip" unless he intended to tell Lila.
"It's complicated, and I didn't know how to explain it," she offered weakly. "Besides, I'm back safe and sound now, aren't I?"
Lila responded with a sulky pout, crossing her arms defensively as she turned away.
Victoria tried again, "My darling, please be generous and don't hold it against me. You're still going to be my bridesmaid, after all."
At the mention of being a bridesmaid, Lila's mood shifted. Victoria's wedding was just ten days away.
Just yesterday, Dylan had sent her a bridesmaid dress to try on, asking her to let him know if it needed alterations.
She wasn't really angry anyway.
Before long, the two were chatting animatedly.
They had the living room to themselves, with no one to disturb them or make them watch what they said.
Alexander was in his study.
After breakfast, Ignatius had gone to the piano room to practice.
"By the way, darling, there's something you definitely don't know," Lila said with a gleeful look of schadenfreude. "Clara's been committed to a psychiatric hospital. After Oliver died and Oliver went to prison, the Kennedy Group completely collapsed."
"Elodie went begging to the Smith family to help Clara and Oliver, but she got into a fight with Lorenzo's wife Kaitlyn, and they had a complete falling out."
"I heard that Elodie and Kaitlyn never got along anyway—they were always nice to each other's faces but nasty behind backs."
"Afterward, Elodie, living by the principle of 'if I can't be happy, no one else should be either,' told Lorenzo about Kaitlyn and Simon's affair."
"When Lorenzo found out that the son he'd raised for all those years wasn't his biological child, he immediately divorced Kaitlyn and kicked both her and her son out of the Smith Mansion."
"The Hughes family, not wanting to offend the Smith family, refused to take Kaitlyn back. Those two women really are ruthless adversaries—neither willing to let the other off the hook."
Victoria remained silent.
The story was quite dramatic.
But what she really wondered was why Clara had been committed to a psychiatric hospital.
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