Fading Visions

Chapter 2

Victoria left the café, driving towards the Willow Family Residence. As she parked in front of the house's entrance, she gazed around, taking in every area that felt so familiar. Then, her eyes settled on the flower garden that used to be filled with lilies.

Five years ago, Victoria had a dispute with Emily. The flower garden, belonging to Victoria's mother, the only place that made Victoria deliberately feel her mother's presence, was disturbed by Emily. The thriving and well-maintained lily beds were ruined and replaced with other flowers. Despite this, Victoria's father still blamed her for a small scratch on Emily's hand, which Victoria didn't even know when it happened.

Remembering that incident and how her father had driven her away, leaving her to live alone, only deepened the pain in Victoria's heart. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, forcing herself to stay calm before getting out of the car.

With a blank expression on her face, Victoria entered the house. In the living room, she saw her father, who seemed to be waiting for her arrival. As soon as he saw her, he immediately stood up.

"Victoria," Sebastian said, with a look of assessment and a hint of expectation in his eyes, trying to guess the purpose of Victoria's visit.

Victoria didn't bother being polite or greeting her father. She casually glanced at him briefly before sitting on the sofa.

"I've made a decision. That paralysed son of the Spencer Family, I will marry him." The apathetic expression on Victoria's face didn't change at all as she spoke.

Hearing this, Sebastian's face immediately lit up with happiness. Previously, he had tried various ways to persuade Victoria to replace Emily in marrying the Spencer Family's son. However, Victoria remained unwilling. Now, Victoria had come of her own accord and agreed to the marriage. This was certainly good news for Sebastian.

"Servant, prepare Victoria's favorite tea and cakes," Sebastian ordered the servant, then he turned back to Victoria. "Tell me what kind of wedding dress you like. I'll have a famous designer create it especially for you."

As Sebastian spoke, the servant arrived with two cups of tea and a plate of strawberry cakes.

Seeing the cakes on the table, one corner of Victoria's lips tilted upwards slightly, forming a faint, mocking smile.

'Just because I've always eaten Emily's leftover cakes since I was little, he thinks that I like those cakes.'

Victoria had no intention of touching the cakes and tea provided for her. Instead, she looked at her father with a disappointed gaze and said, "Dad, I'm willing to replace your precious illegitimate child to marry the Spencer Family's son, is there nothing you want to say?"

The happiness on Sebastian's face seemed disturbed when he heard Victoria's words, but he still looked amiable. "Illegitimate child? Why are you talking like that? She's your sister."

"Sister?" Victoria raised an eyebrow. "I'm the daughter of the legal wife. While she's your child with a mistress. She's a daughter from an affair. For all my life, I will never acknowledge her as my sister." Victoria's words were firm, and the determination in her eyes was unbreakable.

"You–" Sebastian couldn't hold back his anger anymore. His hand rose to slap Victoria. However, remembering that he still needed Victoria to marry the Spencer Family's son, he quickly lowered his hand. "Say what you want."

Victoria wasn't bothered at all to see her father wanting to hit her. After all, it had happened often in the past. So she wasn't surprised at all. Calmly, she said, "I want all the inheritance left by my mother, including the company shares."

"Company shares?" Sebastian was shocked. "Are you crazy? You've never been involved with the company, what do you want the shares for?"

The Willow family company was what Victoria's mother originally built. After it grew bigger, Victoria's mother handed everything over to Sebastian, not knowing that Sebastian had been cheating on her. In the end, when Sebastian brought Emily and her mother to the Willow family residence, all of Victoria's mother's shares had been transferred to Sebastian. Victoria's mother's health deteriorated from that day on. And she passed away when Victoria was 10 years old.

Victoria didn't care at all about her father's protests and continued, "Besides that, Edgar still has two years left on his contract to work with me. After I get married, I'll ask him to be Emily's personal bodyguard. Whether Emily will continue the contract after that or not, it's up to her."

'Two years left, at first I was sure I would win Edgar's heart. Now, that will never be my goal anymore.'

This time, Sebastian looked confused. "Edgar? Don't you like him a lot? You even rejected the marriage with the Spencer Family's son because of him. Why are you asking him to be Emily's personal bodyguard?"

Sebastian had always looked down on Victoria. He thought that Victoria accepted the marriage because of wealth and would still bring Edgar to be her kept man. Unexpectedly, Victoria not only changed her mind to accept the marriage but also gave up her dream of being with Edgar.

"Just say whether you agree or not." Victoria didn't want to answer her father's question.

Sebastian didn't answer immediately and put on an unhappy expression.

Because Sebastian seemed reluctant to accept her terms, Victoria stood up from her seat, ready to leave the Willow family residence.

"Wait." Sebastian stopped Victoria. "Alright. On your wedding day, I will give you 50 percent of the company shares that I own."

"70 percent," Victoria said.

"You…." Seeing Victoria about to leave again, Sebastian swallowed his anger. "Alright. On your wedding day, I will give you 70 percent of the shares that I own."

'The Spencer Family has been a wealthy family since long ago. They are so respected and have great power. I scrambled to match Emily with their son. Originally wanted to find a good future for Emily. Who would have thought that the Spencer Family's son would become crippled instead. Fortunately, Victoria is also my daughter. As long as she marries the Spencer Family's son, Emily doesn't have to suffer, and the Willow Family will be spared from problems for canceling the engagement. Regarding the shares, I can persuade other shareholders to sell their shares to me by using the influence of the Spencer Family. That way, I will still be the largest shareholder in the company,' Sebastian thought.

Victoria smiled mockingly to herself, realizing that her father was even willing to give up the company shares that he fought so hard for just so that Emily wouldn't marry a crippled man. As for her, her father didn't care at all whether she lived or died.

With that, there was nothing more for Victoria to talk about. She turned and stepped towards the door. Today, she had let go of everything, both her relationship with her father and her hope of living with Edgar. There was nothing left but the determination to live by her own strength.