Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Kill Julian Fordham, Let’s Go to Hell Together
Victoria Monroe glared at Julian Fordham, wishing she could tear him apart.
"You’ve harmed our child and caused my grandmother’s death. What more do you want? My life?"
Seeing Victoria in utter grief, Julian had a multitude of words stuck on his lips, "Victoria, it’s not like that. I don’t want your life, I just want you. I didn’t expect Grandma to..."
Victoria laughed coldly, "Yes, there’s always something you didn’t expect. The child was an accident, and so was Grandma. Without you, none of this would have happened. It’s you who should die, Julian Fordham!"
"Victoria, calm down. The urgent matter is to arrange Grandma’s funeral."
Victoria knew he was trying to change the subject. Her mind was filled with the scene of her grandmother’s suicide.
A thought had already formed in her mind.
She said, "Grandma wanted to return to Kenton."
This was the path her grandmother paved with her death. Even if Julian Fordham was unwilling to release her now, given the significance of death, he would inevitably return with Victoria for the funeral.
That way, as long as she returned to Kenton, Rhys Hawthorne could find her.
If her freedom had to be bought with her grandmother’s death, Victoria Monroe would rather spend her life on this island than have her grandmother protect her in such an extreme way.
Julian didn’t refuse, "Alright, we’ll take Grandma back for cremation and burial."
"No need. I don’t want Grandma to suffer the journey; let’s cremate her on the island and take the ashes back for burial."
Though Victoria’s eyes were red, she was rational.
It would take at least ten days or half a month to sail back from here, and keeping the body in the freezer all that time was unbearable for Victoria.
"Okay, I’ll make the arrangements. But you haven’t eaten for a day and a night, you should eat something to have the strength."
Victoria only felt her throat burning with pain. Maybe it was from excessive grief, but she didn’t feel hungry.
"Okay." She didn’t refuse.
Julian thought she would wake up and make a scene, but she was so cooperative, it made him uneasy.
Perhaps she just wanted to bury her grandmother first.
Little did he know, Victoria had already made up her mind; she wanted to kill Julian Fordham!
The calmer the water surface, the more turbulent it was below; Victoria had gone mad.
The person she cared about most in this world was her grandmother. Losing her child made her excessively sad but not irrational.
But now she didn’t want to talk about rationality or the future.
Whether she lived or not didn’t matter; she wanted Julian Fordham to die horribly!
It seemed Julian, just in case, had removed all the knives.
The fruit knife that was usually in the fruit basket was also gone.
He was preventing her from doing something foolish.
But she would always find an opportunity.
After Victoria had eaten and drunk her fill, her weak body felt a little better, but her heart felt as though someone had opened a wound that could never heal.
She could never go back to the past.
If Julian Fordham didn’t want her to live well, then they could go to hell together.
Victoria stepped barefoot onto the slippers, a sharp pain stabbing her soles.
She felt nothing the whole day yesterday, but now the pain pierced her heart.
When Grandma died, it must have hurt much more than this.
"Grandma, don’t worry. I’ll soon have him come down to join you."
"Careful, Victoria."
Julian tried to support her, but Victoria shook him off.
She picked a plain white qipao from the wardrobe and chose a magnolia hairpin from the jewelry box to insert into her coiled hair.
Without makeup, her face bare, she endured the pain in her feet and walked to the temporary morgue.
A huge freezer was inside, originally meant for storing freshly caught seafood, but it unexpectedly became Grandma’s temporary resting place.
Grandma’s body hadn’t decayed, which made it all the more haunting.
The cherry blossoms Victoria had placed in Grandma’s hair yesterday had already withered, just like Grandma’s declining life.
"Grandma..."
Victoria remembered the dream where Grandma said she was worried and came to see her one last time.
She wished so much that all this was just a dream, and upon waking, Grandma would still be by her side.
The cold air mixed with the scent of the body from the freezer shattered her illusion.
She tightly gripped the freezer’s edge, unable to bear seeing anymore, "Let’s cremate Grandma."
"Alright."
The longer they stayed, the worse the body would become, holding no meaning.
Victoria had no choice but to let the fierce flames rise, burning her grandmother’s body bit by bit.
She knelt on the ground, crying uncontrollably, as petals rained from the sky, seemingly mourning Grandma.
The sea breeze gently caressed her cheeks, like Grandma’s warm hands wiping her tears.
Julian knelt beside her, knowing he didn’t wish for today’s outcome. He realized he could never gain Grandma’s forgiveness, only escort her this way.
The blaze lasted a long time, and Victoria, overwhelmed with grief, fainted.
When she woke again, the sun had already set, and a sealed glass jar appeared in the room.
There was no urn on the island, so they used a clean jar as a substitute.
Clutching the jar, Victoria’s tears streamed down her face; she still remembered Grandma’s happy expression the day she boarded the ship.
Grandma had finally seen the island but didn’t expect this to be her final journey.
She arrived safe and sound, but now she’s become a handful of ashes.
"Victoria, stop crying." Julian felt helpless seeing her this way.
"The weather at sea isn’t good these days. Shall we leave the island and return to Kenton in three days?" Julian asked.
Victoria’s face showed no expression as she spoke softly, "You’ve already decided, so why ask me?"
Julian: "..."
Victoria changed after that day. She was sullen, clutching the jar and staying in her room all day.
As if when Grandma left, her soul had gone too, and nothing Julian said or did was relevant to her anymore.
Night came, and he hadn’t left yet.
"Victoria, it’s late, you should rest."
Victoria placed the jar on the bedside table, her hands started unbuttoning, straddling the man.
The abrupt action scared Julian, "Victoria, what are you doing?"
The woman sitting on his lap showed no emotion, responding quietly, "Didn’t you want to have a child with me? Fine, we’ll indulge ourselves nightly in front of Grandma."
This version of Victoria Monroe has a kind of calm madness.
As she spoke, her hand fell to Julian Fordham’s belt, "Let me help you."
The man’s large hand pressed her down, not to mention Julian Fordham was not in the mood now, even if he were, he wouldn’t touch Victoria Monroe.
There was no psychologist on the island, but he knew that since the moment her grandmother left, no, since earlier when she lost the child, she had a mental ailment.
He couldn’t provoke her, make her more insane.
He also went through a tormenting time when Lana Jameson drugged him, feeling like his life was a wasteland.
But the presence of Victoria Monroe made him realize that even in a wasteland, there was still a beam of light shining on him, helping him endure.
Victoria Monroe lost someone important, her mental world had already collapsed.
What he needed to do was rebuild, not destroy.
"Victoria, today is not the right time, rest early."
Little did he know, after he left, a cold smile curled at the corner of Victoria Monroe’s mouth.
Two days more, she wouldn’t let Julian Fordham leave this island alive.
Rhys Hawthorne has been sleeping uneasily these two days, keeping his phone on guard every day, but Victoria Monroe has not contacted him again.
That sea area is too vast, he’s already sent people to secretly search for Victoria Monroe’s whereabouts, but the results aren’t good.
Finding someone is undoubtedly like searching for a needle in a haystack.
That night he had a dream, instead of dreaming of Victoria Monroe, he dreamed of his grandmother!
A knife was pierced in his grandmother’s chest, and she said to him, "Young master, protect my girl."
Rhys Hawthorne jolted awake, his back already icy.
He looked outside at the still bright sky.
Even if he had her on his mind during the day, he should dream of Victoria Monroe at night, not his grandmother.
Was the dagger in his grandmother’s chest foreshadowing something?
There has always been a saying about deceased relatives appearing in dreams, Rhys Hawthorne’s heart sank, Victoria Monroe hadn’t contacted him, had Julian Fordham found out?
Has something happened to his grandmother?
He absolutely needs to find Victoria Monroe quickly.
Assistant Woods rushed over, "Boss, Corbin Prescott is moving!"
These days Corbin Prescott has been busy overseas, it looks like Julian Fordham plans to rise again, and since Corbin Prescott is his confidant, his movement signifies some action from Julian Fordham.
"What did he do?" Rhys Hawthorne raised his hand to rub his temple, which was throbbing uncomfortably.
"He suddenly went to Firefly Island to gather tens of thousands of fireflies, I suspect it was under Julian Fordham’s orders to please Ms. Monroe."
Fireflies?
Rhys Hawthorne thought of what his grandmother said before, "Have someone follow him closely, he’ll definitely bring these fireflies to Victoria’s hands, find him and you’ve found Victoria."
"Yes."
What exactly has happened with Victoria Monroe? Julian Fordham needs to stop what Corbin Prescott is doing.
Rhys Hawthorne was anxious with worry, fearing Victoria Monroe might encounter trouble once more.
Julian Fordham loves her so much, he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her, why is his heart so uneasy?
They say dreams are the opposite, his grandmother must be perfectly fine.
Victoria Monroe has been either sleeping or eating in these two days, otherwise, she’s holding a jar and talking to her grandmother.
She seems completely immersed in her own world, Julian Fordham is anxious in his heart, already arranging a psychology therapist for her, they’ll set out tomorrow, Victoria Monroe can’t stay on the island any longer.
This evening, Corbin Prescott arrived at the island.
Julian Fordham said, "Victoria, today’s sunset is beautiful, won’t you come out for a look? Don’t stay cooped up in your room."
Victoria Monroe glanced at him indifferently, "Haven’t you always wanted to hide me away, now I’ve fulfilled your wish, so why are you unsatisfied now?"
"Victoria, I... "
She laughed coldly, cradled the glass jar and whispered, "Grandmother, I’ll take you for a walk."
After two days of rest, her foot was a bit better, at least not as painful, the wound had scabbed but the wound in her heart could never heal.
At sunset, Victoria Monroe stood shoulder to shoulder with Julian Fordham.
"Victoria, I’ve neglected too much because of work in the past, I know I’m to blame for the child’s and your grandmother’s matters. They’ve already gone, what we can do is live well. Will you give me another chance? I’ll love you, protect you."
Victoria Monroe smiled lightly, "We live well, what about those who died?"
The cold smile at her lips was chilling, as if there was a new heart inside the beautiful shell, no longer the familiar gaze he knew.
As the sky gradually darkened, Julian Fordham pointed to the fireflies dancing in the woods in the distance, "Victoria, look... "
Victoria Monroe turned her head, in a world where cherry blossoms fluttered, besides pink petals, there’s a shining flicker of light.
This scene was breathtakingly beautiful, like an AI filter.
A firefly landed on the urn she held, glowing as if her grandmother was talking to her.
Tears from Victoria Monroe fell slowly onto the urn, "Grandmother..."
The evening breeze lifted the hem of her white nightgown, her beauty stirred Julian Fordham’s heart.
Victoria Monroe placed the urn on the shore, then walked towards the cherry blossom trees and the fireflies beneath.
A large swath of fireflies danced by her hands.
Julian Fordham held a lantern, the light of the fireflies illuminated the lantern, on which Victoria Monroe was dancing gracefully.
He looked like a fairy tale prince, "Victoria, I’m sorry, will you give me another chance?"
Victoria Monroe’s pupils flickered, a touch of emotion flashed in her eyes.
She bit her lip, staring at him, "I don’t want to."
Seeing her attitude soften, Julian Fordham leaned forward and hugged her.
"Victoria, I was wrong, let me spend my life letting you punish me, forgive me this once, won’t you?"
Victoria Monroe sobbed quietly in his arms like an helpless child, "Julian Fordham, don’t force me."
"I’m not forcing you, in this world, I’m your only family, Victoria, let me love you."
"But..."
Victoria Monroe hugged his waist tighter, tears falling more fiercely, "But whenever I think of what you’ve done, it feels like a thorn in my heart."
"I know, give us some time, a year, two years, someday you’ll accept me again, forgive me."
He kissed her hair, yet failed to notice Victoria Monroe holding a sharp gold hairpin.
Years ago, after watching a period drama, she thought the gold hairpin looked beautiful, and Julian Fordham had a set of jewelry specially made for her.
Victoria Monroe tiptoed, whispering in his ear, "I have no right to forgive you on their behalf, the only thing I can do is send you to meet them!"
In the next second, Julian Fordham felt intense pain in his neck, he quickly dodged, but the sharp gold hairpin still slashed his neck.
Blood gushed out like a fountain, instantly covering the ground...