Would she end up marrying Stein?


    He deserved this he really did. She''d vanished, and he couldn''t find a single phone number that could lead him to Victoria.


    He barely knew any of her friends. The only one was Ailie, and even if she knew something, she''d never tell him where Victoria had gone.


    They all loathed him.


    He really had iting, didn''t he?


    Echo City


    Victoria stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of her newly purchased penthouse, the glittering lights of Echo City sprawling beneath her. As she admired the city''s nighttime glow, her phone rang. It was the old man.


    "How old is my great-grandchild now?" he asked.


    A wry smile tugged at Victoria''s lips. "Sorry, can''t say for sure if it''s a boy or a girl yet. You''ll have to wait a few more months."


    He sounded genuinely delighted, seemingly unaffected by the news of Victoria and McNeil''s divorce.


    "That other woman-I made sure she can''t have children. So, you just focus on giving the Langford family a healthy heir. I don''t care how you manage it, but it better be a boy. Do whatever you have to do."


    Victoria couldn''t help butugh at the absurdity, though she honestly didn''t care about Violet or whatever schemes the old man was cooking up. None of it had anything to do with her. He could spin his stories however he liked; she didn''t take any of it seriously.


    He continued, "So, you''re really done with my useless grandson?"


    Victoria quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe go ask someone else. I''m not running a recycling center here."


    The old man chuckled sheepishly. "Well, suit yourself. As long as you give me my precious great-grandchild, that''s all I care about. But listen, clever girl, don''t go marrying just anyone. I don''t trust some stepfather to treat my grandson right. If you do, I won''t let it slide."


    Victoria felt a dull ache forming at her temples. Conversations with this sly old fox were always exhausting.


    "My life is my own business, old man. If you''re unhappy, I''ll walk away from my fifty percent share of thepany. But this child-he stays with me," she said firmly.


    She wasn''t about to bother with Gwh anymore. Victoria had no ns to ever marry again. Once the baby was born, she''d have someone to keep herpany; the long years ahead wouldn''t feel so lonely. Of course, she didn''t share that with the old man-he''d probably be over the moon at the thought and never let her hear the end of it.


    She wanted her private life kept far from the Langford family. Whether she married again or not was her choice, and didn''t owe it to anyone-not for love, not for pride.


    Her answer made the old manugh. "Well, you might not want your shares, but I''m giving them to my great-grandchild anyway. Like we agreed the moment this child is born, he''s the Langford heir. On your due date, I''ll send someone with the contract. And I''m warning you: don''t try to pull any tricks. Everything is for my grandson, and you don''t get to change that. If you try to keep my great-grandchild from me, I''ll make sure my grandson hounds you to the ends of the earth."


    He was talking about McNeil, of course. Victoria''s brows knitted tightly. The old man was threatening her, and this was a particrly nasty move-but she had to admit, it was effective.


    "Rx. Why would I refuse gifts for my son? You''ll know when the timees. That''s all for now."


    She ended the call and settled into her chaise lounge, gently stroking her belly. Yasmine emerged from her room.


    "Ms. Turner, now that we''ve left Starfall City, what about V&S Group? I heard Violet''s already back at thepany. Should we send someone to kick her out?"


    Victoria nced at her. "And why would we do that?"


    Yasmine looked anxious. "Violet''s acting CEO of V&S Group again, but thepany is legally yours. Even your ex-husband, Mr. Langford, knows that. He has no right to let Violet keep running things."


    Victoria rubbed her belly thoughtfully. "There''s no need for that. If I showed up, everyone would know I''m pregnant. And honestly, thepany does need someone at the helm. With Violet running things, McNeil will inevitably get involved. Don''t worry-with those two in charge, thepany won''t go under. In fact, it''ll probably do better than ever. If someone''s willing to work hard for us, why stop them? We just have to pay their sries. If they ever really manage to take V&S public, we can always take thepany back then. It pays to think bigger. Isn''t that what wealthy people do keep an open mind?"


    Yasmine struggled to follow Victoria''s logic, but she listened. After all, Ms. Turner had managed to resolve every crisis in just a few months, made a fortune, and even brought down the notorious business shark of Starfall City. Yasmine genuinely admired her.


    "Ms. Turner, it''s gettingte. You should rest."


    Victoria nodded. She gazed at her reflection in the window, her belly just


    beginning to show. Rxing into the chaise, she drifted off to sleep, peaceful atst.