Victoria stared at Aric without flinching. With calm steps, she approached him until only a single stride separated them.
Her voice was deep and firm. “Aric, for your information, I’ve never chased after any man before.”
Aric was about to pull away, but Victoria grabbed his tie with her slender fingers.
“But you… you’re not just any man.”
Their eyes met. For the first time Aric’s gaze wasn’t as cold as before.
Victoria continued with her softer voice, “I need someone like you.”
“Someone who can stand by my side, and say, ‘I’m here because I’m a man worthy of her’”
The atmosphere inside the elevator suddenly shifted becoming heavier as the space between them dwindled.
But a voice came through the intercom before Aric could respond. “Is there anything I can help you with, dy and gentleman?”
Victoria let out a quiet sigh of frustration but quickly replied, “Wrong button, everything’s fine,” then turned off the intercom.
She pressed the previous button again, and the elevator resumed its movement.
A few seconds passed. As the tension dissipated, Victoria’s focus returned to the man before her.
“Aric… won’t you say yes?” she asked, locking eyes with him with her graceful smile.
Unfortunately, Aric’s expression had returned to one of indifference. “No.”
Victoria forced herself to hold on to her st thread of patience.
If it weren’t for Aric, she wouldn’t be putting herself through all this trouble.
Suddenly, Victoria’s phone rang, dispying the name “Daddy.”
The blonde woman immediately answered the video call.
She spoke calmly, “Hello, Dad.”
The man on the other end responded, “Victoria, where are you? We’ve been waiting.”
“Don’t tell me your boyfriend is sick or overseas again!”
“If you can’t bring him tonight, we’ll consider that he never existed in your life!”
Victoria’s confident face suddenly turned pale as the lie she had told to avoid the arranged marriage nearly unraveled.
But then her gaze fell on Aric, and an idea struck her like a meteor of hope.
Victoria shook her head. “No, Dad. This time I promise I’ll bring him to you.”
She turned her body and revealed the handsome man standing beside her in the elevator. “See? He’s with me now.”
Victoria’s father, Adrian Reid, scrutinized Aric’s face, noting how the man wasn’t even looking at the camera. As if he had no respect for his supposed girlfriend’s father.
Adrian’s brows furrowed before he scoffed. “Are you sure you’re not just showing me a random guy in the elevator?”
Victoria gave an awkward smile and immediately nudged Aric. Deep down, she prayed he would py along just for a moment.
Unfortunately, Aric gnced coldly at Victoria’s father. He had no interest in pying pretend the way she hoped.
The optimistic smile on Victoria’s beautiful face slowly faded.
She pretended to stay calm. “He has a mouth ulcer, Dad.”
Victoria smiled naturally, as if asking her father for a little understanding. “What matters is we’ll be there shortly.”
Although Victoria’s performance was convincing, the man on the screen looked unconvinced.
Adrian spoke with a low, pressuring voice, “Victoria, we’ve tolerated your foolish games long enough.”
“You know our family is on the verge of colpse. So please, don’t take this any further or we’ll all fall apart!”
Before Victoria could respond, the video call ended.
Victoria felt a tremendous weight had settled on her shoulders.
Moments ter, the elevator opened startling her. Without waiting, Aric stepped out.
“Aric!”
Victoria hurried to catch up, trying to match his pace. Her mind raced, determined to win him over tonight no matter what it took.
Slightly out of breath and almost desperate, she asked, “Aric, are you really not interested in money? Or are you just not interested in women?”
To her surprise, Aric suddenly stopped in his tracks and spoke coldly, “Stop bothering me and leave.”
Despite the icy response, Victoria felt a flicker of satisfaction. At least Aric was giving her some attention now.
Of course, she had done that on purpose to provoke a reaction to see if he was truly a real man.
Victoria gave a graceful smile. “Looks like someone’s offended by my question.”
She stared into Aric’s brown eyes and spoke in a low, teasing voice, “So… is it true then? Is that why Calyse tried to sell you to me?”
A soft chuckle escaped Victoria’s lips at her own provocation.
“I didn’t expect it to be the reason.”
Aric clenched his jaw. He couldn’t believe the audacity of this woman so bold, so insolent.
His voice was cold as he replied, “Miss Reid, I owe you no expnation.”
“You should—”
Victoria interrupted gently, as if offering understanding. “Aric, if that’s the issue, then you don’t have to worry!”
“This is just a contract marriage! If you don’t like women, I won’t force you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with!”
“Is pretending to be my contract husband that much of a burden to you?”
