Be Your Lover Forever (Alicia)

Trevor waited for a long while but still nothing; not even a hi!

Bummed, he locked his phone in a sulk. Meanwhile, back in Casterwich City, Victoria, who was worn out from the journey, happened to be dead asleep in their bed right then...

As he had frustration bottled up and a second meeting with Mr. Henwick the next day, Trevor could only set private affairs aside for now. And just like that, it was already three days later when he was done with work. Plus, the old holistic doctor had given them the good news, so he hurriedly took Selena to him as soon as he was free.

"Doctor, can she really be cured?"

"I'm afraid the only guarantee I can give you is my best. As they all say, illness comes like a tidal wave but leaves like molasses in January. It's wishful thinking that the results will be evident immediately! But the blend I've mixed for her will help clear the toxins accumulated over the years. It'll definitely help her body recover, but as for how well, it'll depend on her body and how much the medicine has taken effect! I'd like to set her up with a course of treatment; come back for a follow-up in a month. If it's taking effect, I'll adjust the dosage and prescription according to how her sickness progresses. If it doesn't..." The doctor shook his head then, looking all even-l-can't-do-anything.

"Thank you, Doctor! But what on earth caused her illness?"

"Toxin! A peculiar one. Similar to the symptoms I've seen after being bitten by a kind of venomous bat. As they are generally nocturnal creatures, the most evident peculiarity of those who had been bitten by this venomous bat is sensitivity to light. But each body reacts to it differently! It could be that the toxin mutated, evolved, or has to do with the individual's body! But the toxin in her body has evidently affected her blood circulation; it's dire! I can only try my best

now!"

Following that, the doctor explained a few more things, but he was obviously cryptic, especially when he mentioned the blend's ingredients. Trevor, of course, knew each job had its secrets, but hearing that there could possibly be progress, a relative affirmation, it was already groundbreaking good news to him. Sure enough, the best were all hidden amongst society!

He was a humble doctor, not demanding much, only five thousand dollars for a month's blend. That alone had Trevor thinking highly and utterly grateful toward him, leaving after thanking him again.

"It'd be great if I can be fully cured! Trevor, let's celebrate with dinner tonight!"

Selena suggested when they were in the car, seemingly excited.

Trevor's mood had brightened up as well, but after sinking in, his mind had already floated elsewhere before he knew it.

"Maybe next time. I still have other things to deal with! The sooner I get it done, the sooner we can go home. Let's take you back to the hotel first!"

He had been so busy the last few days that he hadn't even had time to check in on the two. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel guilty or upset!

However, deep down, Selena didn't want them to return to Casterwich City so soon. More than that, she knew he hadn't gone to Victoria and Caroline when he had been tirelessly working the last couple of days. So she had an idea of what was on his mind.

However, Caroline was also in the mix, so even if he said it out loud, it wasn't wise of her to act out of line. So she just went along with it and smiled wryly. "Okay, don't exhaust yourself!"

After dropping her and Nina at the hotel entrance, Trevor ordered the chauffeur to drive away. He called Holger during the ride. He already had people reach out to the printing company to replicate all 99 of the limited edition collector's albums, though he only needed two within the stack and even already took them to Ichi Miyamoto for autographs two days ago.

Thinking that they were probably already ready, he decided to take them straight to his dear little sister and wife as a token of his apology.

After knowing everything was in order, he called Caroline, who answered with an ill-mannered tone. "What?"

"C'mon, you can't still be upset with me, right? It's just an Ichi Miyamoto comic. I've already pulled some connections and had the entire set replicated for you. I've especially kept books number six and nine for you, even had him sign his autograph! It's just a colored comic; I can even have him personally hand it to you even if you want! Do you have to be so upset with me? I swear I didn't know it was yours. When have Í never gone through fire and water to get whatever my beloved little sister wanted?"

Caroline's mood eased a little hearing his words. "That's more like it! Consider yourself lucky that I didn't say anything to Mom and Dad!"

"Thanks!"

Trevor paused for a second, finding a way to change the topic. "Caroline, you girls... which hotel are you staying in?"

How about I treat you two to dinner?

Right when he was deliberating how to ask Victoria out to give each other an out, what to eat, and how to have Caroline leave early, his little sister threw a wet blanket over him.

"What do you mean which hotel?! We've been back for three days! You've been so preoccupied with a certain somebody; do you even have anyone else in your head? Don't tell me you haven't even contacted Victoria in the last three days?!"

Caroline exploded instantly, springing up from her chair.

"Blasphemy, Trevor Clements!

Forget that you took another woman out with you; you even said nothing?! I swear you'd continue to live in your dreams with that woman even if anything unfortunate happened to us in Barrington City when you don't even know we returned three days ago To hell with your book; I don't have a heartless brother like you! I've lived twenty years with you for

nothing! I swear you've buried your heart! Why must you sympathize with a chronically sick person when you should be cherishing your wife?! Don't come and moan your regrets to me when Victoria elopes with someone else! F*ck off! Go be with her if she's so deserving of pity! Sh*t hell!"

With that, she ended the call furiously after her tirade. "I would've already kicked you out at this point if you're my husband!"

Caroline ruffled her hair irritably, livid. Should she give Victoria a call? But would she feel worse if she brought it up with her?

Meanwhile, Victoria had also been slightly dazed after coming back. She had seen Trevor's message, but she didn't reply. She thought there'd at least be an apology or an explanation. But there had been nothing in the last three days, and likewise, he didn't return.

Her heart, hollow then.

The process had been in her plan and expectations, but she didn't think it'd come like this one day, so sudden, so unprepared. Even more surprising to her, she was already suffocating when she hadn't taken any revenge.

She couldn't believe her heart would ache!

She couldn't believe she was waiting for his apology... an apology that might not even come!

She should turn around in debonair right now if she had taken revenge, and she should turn around even more in disappointment if she gave up her revenge. In her plan, whether revenge was taken, their ill-fated relationship should end naturally like the present.

But what her heart screamed right now wasn't to leave?!

Her steps now, for instance; it was as though strong magnets had been tied to her feet. She'd still want to go back to that home after work; she'd still habitually check for his messages when she grabbed her phone.

"Oh, Victoria, what trouble you are in the end. You can't escape now when you bet on his sincerity with yours, can you? Pyrrhic victory? More like utter defeat! You sure are an idiot; aren't you hitting a wolf with a prime rib when you bet on a womanizer's sincerity with yours? Consider yourself lucky if there are even bones left of you..." she mused.

Hadn't she promised herself she wouldn't be bothered by the ending? Why would she hesitate to take revenge because of his family? Why had she begun to care about his past?

She grew lost as she wandered on the streets. Should she leave or stay? Continue giving up, or continue to continue?

Suddenly, there was an uproar, and Victoria looked up to see a crowd thronging the opposite road. "What's all the commotion?" she mused.

"Look! Someone's fighting a homewrecker!"

Someone shouted right as they whizzed past Victoria, leading her to follow.

When she fixed her gaze, she saw two women fighting, with a middle-aged man hugging a younger- looking woman while the vicissitudelooking woman pulled her hair. It was a belligerent fight.

A brand-new Audi A8 parked on the

side of the road with its front passenger door halfopened. On the seat was a brown alligator skin

Hermes, at least a solid hundred et

thousand. It clearly belonged to that younger-looking mistress. The Fendi furry monster keychain alone was already sold at about three, four thousand dollars, tenfold more expensive than the other woman's entire outfit.

Another tragic wife story, no doubt about that!

Victoria's heart felt stuffy as she watched, irritated. And meanwhile, the man was clearly shoving the

woman away while hugging the younger one. But no one in the crowd went up, only taking pictures and whispering.

"How embarrassing! How aggravating!"

"What's going on? Is she a paramour? What's up with men's tastes nowadays? Are paramours all at this level now?"

"She's young and even impressive!

It's said that this car and their house

are all under her name. The wife

sure is sad. Being cheated into a divorce aside, the guy left nothing in her name; how heartless! I heard the two of them established a business together during college and thrived from that. Twenty-years-relationship, heaven's sake. I think he owns a construction company of the sort! She's already been dumped before she's even old and had the chance to enjoy a good life. The guy even tried to run over his wife when she trapped them in the car! She had fed her best years to the wolves; what a sc*mbag..."

"This wife is also an idiot. All the money had been spent on that paramour when she could've used it all! Look how shabby she's dressing. She must be pinching pennies when she gained nothing! What a fool..." "This man's conscience must've been fed to the wolves. He's clearly bullying an honest woman! Is he not afraid karma will bite back?"

"Well, the good die young, and the evil live

forever."

The crowd had dispersed along with the fading roars and sobs, but Victoria's mind was still stuck in the paramour's arrogant fallacy.

"Who do you have to blame when you're incapable of keeping your man?"

"Why don't you go and look at yourself in the mirror? Look at how buff you are; you are even manlier than

a man. What a shrew! You make me sick. What man can stand you when you have not even the slightest bit of femininity? Tsk..."

"Do you know about Cappuccino, Chanel? What else can you do besides bringing shame to your man? Go home, feed your baby and eat your bread!"