Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria) novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34 

When Victoria received the text message, she subconsciously looked up, 

coincidentally meeting Alaric’s impenetrable black eyes. 

Alaric was staring at her. 

She glanced at him, pursed her lips, and turned her head to ignore him. 

Her actions rendered Alaric speechless. 

Victoria took a look at her phone when she received another message. 

‘Come over.‘ 

No way. I don’t want to. 

‘You are free to do whatever you want once Grandma has completed the 

operation. Be good right now and cooperate with me. Didn’t you mention 

1/12 

10:58 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

that our relationship is built on mutual benefits?‘ 

Victoria finally came to her senses after reading the last sentence. 

That’s right. We are doing this for our own benefit. 

We have reached a consensual agreement on this matter. Why am I 

being so dramatic? 

She took a deep breath while reflecting before slowly walking over to 

Alaric. 

78% 

Even though she had mentally prepared herself, approaching him was still 

difficult for her. 

When she finally moved to his side, Alaric’s face contorted with a dark 

expression. 

He was extremely speechless when he looked at Victoria. 

2/12 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

Suddenly, Alaric reached out and grabbed her. 

She was taken aback and subconsciously avoided his hand, but she was 

too slow. Eventually, he caught her. With a scowl on his face, he drew her 

hand to his arm and said softly, “Hold my arm.” 

A heavy silence fell upon them. 

Victoria was stunned. I can’t believe he said this right in front of Grandma. 

Albeit reluctantly, she complied with his request; after all, she didn’t want 

to make Griselda worry. 

Victoria had no choice but to hold his hand reluctantly. 

“Hold on tight and follow me,” Alaric said, exhaling a sigh of relief and 

turning away helplessly. 

“Alright,” she responded impatiently. 

3/12 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

4/12 

Griselda, who had been sitting in front of them silently, finally chuckled and 

asked, “Did you two reconcile?” 

“Grandma?” 

“He didn’t come with you today, so I have a feeling something is wrong. 

You two have always visited me in pairs ever since I was in the nursing 

home.” 

Victoria lowered her gaze and pursed her lips as she heard this. 

She thought she was doing a good job, but she hadn’t counted on 

Griselda’s meticulousness. Victoria could not hide anything from her. 

Worse, Griselda knew what was going on but chose to remain silent. 

What should I do? 

“Grandma, we just had a minor conflict, but it’s alright now,” Victoria 

10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

replied after some thought. 

“Small fights between young people are common. It just needs to be 

quickly resolved by the two of you. Alaric, as a man, you should be more 

considerate toward Victoria, alright?” 

“When do I fail to treat her with consideration and respect?” 

Alaric had been tolerating Victoria for the past two years. She always 

insisted on having things done her way. 

Griselda expressed her displeasure with his response as she said, “You 

should agree with my request. Why are you talking back?” 

“Okay… Yes, Grandma,” he replied helplessly. 

78% 

5/12 

The three of them then spent the next 20 minutes strolling through the 

garden. Victoria was concerned that Griselda would catch a cold, so she 

suggested they return indoors. At this point, the nurse just so happened to 

10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

call her as well. 

“The doctor has arrived to do his rounds. Please bring Old Mrs. Cadogan 

back to the ward.” 

78% 

After ending the call, Alaric and Victoria brought Griselda into the hospital. 

They were unable to enter the room during the focused examination. 

Right after Griselda was pushed into the consultation room, Victoria 

immediately released Alaric’s arm and kept a safe distance from him. 

She noticed him frowning at this point and announced, “I’m going to the 

restroom.” 

Then, before he could even say anything, she turned around and walked 

away. 

She entered the restroom and went straight to the sink, where she 

6/12 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

discovered liquid soap. 

Victoria washed her hands repeatedly, her face frosty. 

She reasoned that she wouldn’t be as repulsed if Alaric merely bumped 

into Claudia. She wouldn’t have thought that Claudia had intentions. 

However, Victoria felt sick to her stomach every time she remembered 

that Alaric had spent the night with Claudia the day before. 

It elicited pure and vile disgust in Victoria. 

The weather was chilly. Her palms had lost their warmth by the time she 

finished washing them, leaving them icy cold. 

She then wiped her hands before exiting the restroom. 

7/12 

In a fraction of a moment, she came to a sudden halt and looked at Alaric, 

who was leaning against the door. 

10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

His eyes were slightly lowered to the ground, his facial features were 

78% 

extremely defined and delicate, and his long eyelashes were prominent. 

8/12 

After hearing the shuffling noise, Alaric turned to face her, his gloomy gaze 

falling on her hands. 

Victoria’s hands were bright red from all the scrubbing. 

“Why did you wash your hands so hard?” A hint of mockery flashed across 

his eyes, and his thin lips parted slightly. “Did you come across anything 

dirty?” 

“Yeah, that’s why I washed it a few more times,” she responded 

accordingly. 

A truculent frown warped his face when he heard that. 

This woman! 

10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 

78% 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

Victoria was not in the mood to continue the conversation, so she left. 

However, she had to walk past him on her way to find Griselda. 

9/12 

As a result, she took a few deliberate steps forward in order to avoid Alaric. 

When the man noticed this, he couldn’t take it any longer and strode 

forward to pinch her hand. 

“Victoria, are you trying to test my patience? You think I’m filthy, don’t you? 

What did I do to deserve your disdain?” 

She howled in pain as she tried to break free from his grip. He tightened 

his grip on her as he saw her struggle. 

A frown formed on Victoria’s angry face. 

“Let me go, Alaric.” 

He ignored her plea and looked at her with cold, dead eyes. 

878% 

10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

Victoria was unfazed. “Are you admitting to doing something filthy?” 

She could feel Alaric pressing down on her hand even harder as she said 

those words. 

Following that, he flipped her hand over and tightly clasped his fingers 

around hers. 

“What if I admit it?” His voice was deep, and his gaze was fixed on her. 

10/12 

Victoria flinched from great disgust and curled her lips stiffly, “Do you think 

this is fun?” 

We are divorcing soon. Why is he acting this way now? 

Alaric pursed his lips and looked at her calmly. 

“Not at all. But I’d advise you not to avoid me. Do you think Grandma won’t 

notice?” 

10:59 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

She took a deep breath after hearing his words. 

“Okay. I promise that whatever happened today will not happen again 

while Grandma is in the hospital.” 

After that, she paused before adding, “Don’t worry. I’ll play my role well.” 

Alaric was in desperate need of her assurance. 

Griselda was a sensitive and observant elder. He was afraid she would 

notice any problems between him and Victoria. 

The original plan was for Victoria to play along with him. 

78% 

11/12 

However, when he heard her assurance and promise, he felt a dull pain in 

his heart. 

The pain felt like a rusted, blunt knife was cutting cruelly and slowly into his 

chest. 

Chapter 34 Did You Look for Me? 

On top of that, his throat became congested and hoarse. 

9% 78% 

He looked at Victoria’s pale face and asked subconsciously in a raspy 

voice, “Did you look for me last night?*