"Boss-McNeil-"


    Someone spotted McNeil approaching, but Victoria barely flinched. She just said coolly, "Let''s go."


    She wasn''t the least bit surprised he''d shown up again. Who knew what he wanted this time.


    McNeil strode toward her, but Victoria pretended not to see him.


    "Victoria "


    Lyndon stepped right into McNeil''s line of sight and called to the others, "You guys, get Vicky out of here first."


    A storm brewed in McNeil''s dark eyes.


    "Vicky? That''s what you call her now?"


    He didn''t wait for an answer. His fist shot out, catching Lyndon square in the jaw.


    But Lyndon wasn''t about to roll over, and the rest of the crew, who''d already


    started to leave, rushed back when they saw the scuffle break out.


    The moment Lyndon took that punch, everyone piled on McNeil.


    He fought back-one against twelve-and somehow, he held his own.


    The whole scene turned into chaos. The stadium security, hearing themotion, hurried over.


    Victoria climbed out of the car, her face icy as she took in the brawl.


    She walked right into the mess, hand on her belly. "McNeil, have you had enough yet?"


    Her voice cut through the uproar, distracting McNeil just long enough for someone tond a hard punch on his face.


    Lyndon and the others, wild-eyed, looked ready to keep going, but Victoria''s voice stopped them cold.


    "Are you all still teenagers? Is this what you call maturity-brawling in public, like there''s no end to it?"


    She was so furious, her stomach actually hurt.


    McNeil shook off the others and rushed to her side.


    "Are you alright?"


    Noticing the pain etched into her face, he added, "Don''t worry. None of them can take me down. You don''t have to be afraid."


    Victoria brushed off his hand, her


    tone sharp. "Don''t tter yourself


    Worried about you. Lyndon, if


    you


    another fight, we''re


    through."


    Her anger was unmistakable. Lyndon finally backed off, wiping blood from his split


    lip and shooting McNeil a murderous re.


    As he stalked past, he deliberately rammed his shoulder into McNeil''s.


    "Stay away from our boss. She''s not your wife anymore."


    Victoria headed for Lyndon''s car. Something in McNeil''s expression cracked. "You''re really leaving with them?"


    A bitter, mocking smile tugged at Victoria''s lips. "Mr. Langford, they''re my teammates. We''ve been through hell together. I remember the time Ms. Marchand called you, and you left without a word. My team needs me. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?"


    A cool breeze drifted by. She looked at him, her face shadowed with a kind of hopeless chill.


    "Actually, let me answer that for you. You''d walk out with your woman and leave me behind. You already made your choice, so why pretend now?"


    McNeil''s voice dropped, softer, tinged with a strange gentleness Victoria didn''t recognize. "I know I screwed up. If you''re still angry, I get it. But Vicky, it won''t happen again. Give me another chance. Please.”


    Victoria tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.


    "Ha-McNeil, you got everything you ever wanted from me. Now you''re begging


    for another chance? Do you even hear yourself?"


    Without another word, she slipped into Lyndon''s car and didn''t look back.


    Just like that day, when he''d left home at Violet''s call never looking back, not


    even once.


    Back then, she had no family, no friends. Only him.


    No-she''d had her daughter, too.


    But even her daughter was taken away by him.


    McNeil stood there as the cars pulled away, motionless as a statue.


    He pulled out his phone and dialed Victoria''s number again and again, but she never picked up.


    He stared at his screen, at the name saved as "Wife." He stared until the letters blurred and his eyes stung.