Victoria double-checked everything before finally allowing herself to sit upright, a bit of tension leaving her shoulders.


    Yasmine had driven her to the hospital, where Osborn had already been in surgery for half an hour. Another thirty minutes, and he''d be out. Victoria waited anxiously, unable to rx until the doctor finally emerged from the operating room.


    "Are you family?" the doctor asked.


    "Yes," Victoria replied, her tone reserved.


    The doctor nodded. "Your boyfriend will be all right, but he needs plenty of rest. And he can''t do any more intense sports-next time, he might not be so lucky."


    Victoria didn''t bother to rify her rtionship with Osborn; there was no need. She simply thanked the doctor. As the nurses wheeled Osborn toward his room, she unexpectedly crossed paths with McNeil in the hallway.


    Husband and wife met face to face. Victoria immediately understood he was here with Violet.


    There was no way to avoid it, so she broke the silence. "Is Ms. Marchand badly hurt?"


    McNeil''s lips twisted in a bitter smirk. "Is that meant to sound like concern? No wonder the wholepany was glued to the race—except for you."


    He didn''t bother saying anything more, just strode past her coldly. When he saw Victoria standing beside the gurney, watching over another man, his expression darkened even further.


    So this was her life after their separation-one new admirer after another. McNeil realized he''d never noticed just how popr she was with men.


    A sudden, ugly question crept into his mind: had Victoria ever cheated on him during their marriage?


    Victoria had no interest in exining anything to him. She simply apanied Osborn to the private ward.


    Osborn, still groggy from anesthesia, needed someone by his side. Victoria didn''t dare contact Osborn''s family, who were all the way back in Evermore City; she didn''t want to worry them.


    Before she even reached the ward, Victoria spotted Simms, and Yulia hurrying down the corridor toward her. But they weren''t alone-Edith was there with her daughter Marian, and even Janice had made the trip, despite rarely leaving herfortable home. For Janice, at her age, to travel two hours to the hospital just to see Violet-it spoke volumes about their concern.


    Yulia wiped tears from her face as she walked, looking genuinely distraught. Simms tried tofort her, but none of them, not even Edith or Marian, seemed to notice Victoria standing right there in in sight.


    Finally, Marian shot her a quick, almost idental nce. Recognition shed across her face, and she started, "Vic-" but she stopped herself mid-word, recing her greeting with a dismissive, awkward smile.


    Edith tugged her arm. "This is hardly the time-let''s go check on Violet and stop dawdling."


    From start to finish, not a single member of the Miller family-including Simms- gave Victoria so much as a second look, as if she were invisible. Their hearts and minds were with Violet, still in surgery. Victoria''s lips curled in a faint, ironic smile.


    Violet Marchand-she wasn''t even a Miller by blood, and yet the whole family was worried sick about her.


    All her life, Edith had wanted the approval of Janice, who had nothing to her name but her pride and stubbornness. In the end, Janice would rather wee a stranger-her son''s lover''s niece-than ept her own daughter-inw and granddaughter.


    "Boss, how''s Mr. rk?" ter''s voice snapped Victoria from her thoughts.


    She nced at him, forcing a small smile. "He''s fine. He''s in his room now." Victoria no longer cared about the Miller family. Once she''d stopped seeing them as family, their actions and judgments lost all power over her.


    ter hesitated, then asked, "And that woman driver-the one who was brought here too? Is it true she stole your identity? Why is everyone online saying she''s ''Vivian''?"