Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria) novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31 

“Fun?” That idea made Victoria scrunch her nose. 

“Of course.” Summer propped her chin up, excitedly explaining, “Do you 

know a child is fun to play with? Like, if you give birth to a daughter, you 

can dress her up prettily every day like a real–life doll. Have you played the 

game, Project Makeover? Raising a child is just like dressing your avatar 

inside the game.” 

Feeling speechless, Victoria, who had never played any games, looked at 

Summer perplexedly. 

“By the way, let me be your child’s godmother.” While rubbing her hands 

excitedly, Summer had a secretive look in her eyes. “If you’re busy, I can 

move in with you. Hehe. Let me make it clear that I’m not moving in with 

you because I want to play with your child.” 

Not knowing what to say, Victoria suddenly realized why Summer insisted 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

on letting her keep the child. 

“That’s right.” Summer suddenly became stern and asked, “I almost forgot 

to ask. Did Claudia come to you yesterday?” 

“Yes.” 

“What the heck? What did she say to you?” 

Then, Victoria told her friend everything that happened yesterday. 

After listening to her explanation, the emotional Summer began throwing 

a fit again. “Gosh! How shameless can she get? Giving you money to leave 

Alaric? Who does she think she is? Alaric’s wife? Is she and Alaric even 

dating? She dared to come to you and put on airs!” 

While she was criticizing Claudia, Victoria did not feel like stopping her 

because she knew that was how Summer was. If Summer could not rant, 

she would feel uncomfortable all over. 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

Once she was done, Victoria handed her a tissue while advising, “This is 

the last time. Don’t criticize her again.” 

“What was that?” Summer widened her eyes. “How can you still speak up 

for her when she treated you like that?” 

“Summer, she helped me once.” 

“When?” Summer was confused and asked, “Why is this the first time I’m 

hearing about this?” 

Victoria’s eyelids hung low, saying, “It was a long time ago.” 

3/10 

It was when the Selwyns had just filed for bankruptcy. All of her bank 

accounts were frozen, and she was only left with a few hundred dollars in 

her PayPal account. 

Back then, she did not know what had happened, and her dad’s phone 

was constantly busy, so she could only rush home as quickly as she could. 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

4/10 

When she returned home, she discovered her house was a mess. A bunch 

of people was sealing the entrance with tapes while some were splashing 

paint onto the walls. A few were even thinking of heading inside and 

clearing everything out. 

Victoria’s dad, Tony Selwyn, was roughly pushed around while attempting 

to stop them but ended up breaking his leg. When she witnessed that, she 

was so pissed that she went over and argued with them. Then, she called 

the police but had her phone slapped away. 

The scene was a chaotic mess. 

In the end, the person in charge there received a call, and his attitude 

immediately changed as he humbly and flatteringly spoke on the phone, 

“Alright, I understand. Yes, I’ll leave with the others now.” 

After he hung up the call, he walked over and glared at Victoria. “Hmph! 

Consider yourselves lucky. We’re not going to take this house anymore. It’s 

all yours.” With that, he sneered and taunted, “You wouldn’t have gotten 

this chance if Miss Johnson hadn’t known our boss. We’re only doing this 

for the sake of Miss Johnson, understand?” 

Miss Johnson… 

A name flashed across Victoria’s mind. 

“Is the person you’re referring to Claudia Johnson?” 

“That’s right. Consider yourselves lucky. Let’s move.” 

Never would she have imagined that Claudia had helped her that day, so 

she called her a while after those men left. 

“Are you alright? Did they frighten you? I might’ve been a little late with my 

call. I heard Mr. Selwyn was injured, so I arranged for a car to your house. 

Once it arrives, get inside, and the driver will drive you to the hospital. I’ve 

also arranged for a doctor to tend to your dad.” 

10:50 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

补气79% 

Meanwhile, Victoria clutched her phone, unable to wrap her head around 

what was happening. “Why are you helping me?” 

6/10 

She knew she was not close to Claudia as they only knew each other 

through Alaric and did not get along well. 

When Victoria found out about his feelings for Claudia, their relationship 

became even more estranged, so she stayed away from Claudia as 

much as possible. After all, she was never a benevolent person. 

Though she would not see Claudia as her enemy or hate her, she could 

never become friends with her. However, she did not expect Claudia to 

help her. 

After hearing Victoria’s question, Claudia chuckled softly. “It’s because 

you’re Al’s friend. A friend of Al’s is a friend of mine, so of course, I’d help 

you. You don’t have to feel like you owe me anything, and don’t tell anyone 

I helped you! Think of it as Al helping you.” 

10:50 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

879% 

When Claudia said that, Victoria had it all figured out. She’s only helping 

me for Alaric’s sake. 

7/10 

She pursed her pale lips while hesitating. At that moment, Tony suddenly 

began coughing heavily, and the maid beside him yelled hysterically, “Mr. 

Selwyn! Mr. Selwyn, are you alright? Miss Selwyn, we need to send him to 

the hospital.” 

Then, Claudia’s worried voice sounded from the phone. 

“Is Mr. Selwyn alright? Victoria, let’s talk some other time. You need to send 

him to the hospital as soon as possible. The driver will be arriving shortly.” 

Victoria glanced at her dad, who had broken out in a cold sweat looking all 

pale, and her hands formed tightly into a fist. In the end, she released her 

fists listlessly as though she had succumbed to fate. 

She told Claudia on the phone, “I owe you one. Thank you.” 

10:50 Mon, 19 Jun 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

8/10 

“What are you saying? Didn’t I tell you to think of it as Al helping you? Go on 

and take care of your dad.” The call was quickly hung up. 

Victoria put away her phone and ran to Tony before helping him. “Dad, are 

you alright? Hang on. A car will be arriving soon.” 

Just as she finished speaking, someone brought a driver inside, and 

everyone helped Tony get into the car. 

On the road to the hospital, Tony looked at his daughter and asked 

carefully, “Snowball, who called you earlier?” 

Snowball was a nickname Tony gave Victoria. From the beginning of her 

memories, she grew up in a single–parent family, and her dad was her 

only caretaker. 

Being a cute and lovable girl as a kid, she looked like a tiny snowman 

whilst wearing a white dress, so he gave her the nickname, Snowball. 

Since then, he had been calling her that until now. 

10:50 Mon, 19 Jun 

@ 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

Victoria was silent for a while before replying, “It’s Claudia. She helped us, 

so I owe her a favor.” 

Hearing that, Tony was shocked and immediately beckoned, “Snowball, 

let’s get out of this car.” 

The father–daughter duo lived together, so he could see that his obedient 

daughter liked Alaric. However, the matter between Alaric and Claudia 

had spread throughout their social circle. 

As his daughter had already taken her hands off that matter, what was 

she to do now that she owed her love rival a favor? Therefore, Tony 

immediately insisted on getting off. 

However, Victoria held him down and urged with a pale face, “Dad, don’t! 

Even if we get off now, it won’t change the fact that we’ve already 

accepted her help. If she hadn’t made the call, those people outside our 

house wouldn’t have left.” 

9/10 

Chapter 31 Aren’t Fated to be Together 

“But you and Alaric…” 

10/10 

With a faint smile, she comforted him. “It’s fine. Perhaps we aren’t fated to 

be together.” 

8 

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