Chapter 14

Victoria was stunned. She hadn't expected Edwin to find out. "Do you know Mommy and Daddy are getting a divorce too?" She'd been wondering how to break the news to him in a way that would hurt him the least. Edwin nodded. Victoria hugged him and felt a pang of guilt. "I'm so sorry." "You're silly, Mommy. You shouldn't have fought for custody of me." Edwin's innocent face showed a hint of distress for Victoria as he held her hand. Victoria froze. Her heart seemed to stop for a second. Did that mean Edwin refused to leave the Quigley family with her? Edwin continued, "Even if I stay with Daddy, you're still the one I love the most. I'll miss you every day and visit you during the holidays." He tilted his head to look up at her and lamented how silly Victoria was. Victoria chuckled. Tears had filled her eyes at some point. "You should have Daddy take care of me. That'll show him how exhausting it is to raise a child." Though Edwin's voice was soft, his words carried an unexpected maturity. "I don't want to," Victoria whispered. The greatest blessing in her life was to have Laura, her loving mother, and Edwin. "I can't bear to leave you in such a family. I want your childhood and future to be full of happiness and love." Only then would Edwin grow up to be emotionally healthy. If he stayed too long with Samuel, Eleanor, and Leon, he might not change immediately, but their influence could warp him over time. Just like how Samuel saw infidelity as a norm in their social circle, that could explain why Leon believed having a wife and a mistress at the same time was nothing unusual. She didn't want Edwin to grow up with such twisted values. Instead, he should grow up to be mentally and physically healthy. "You really are silly and foolish, Mommy, but that's what makes you so wonderful." Edwin hugged her tighter. His eyes were full of love and concern. Hearing this, Victoria ruffled his hair a little and felt everything she'd done was worth it. "Mommy." Again, Edwin adorably called out. Victoria responded with a soft hum, while Edwin hesitantly continued, "Is the secretary the reason Daddy is divorcing you?" Victoria froze. "I saw that trending post a few days ago. And Daddy said he's going on a business trip today, but I noticed his step count kept increasing for hours," Edwin continued in a soft, sweet voice, yet spoke with surprising maturity. "You…" Victoria wasn't sure how she should respond. She feared that he might not be able to handle the truth. That was when she realized Edwin was more observant than she was. How had someone his age even thought of tracking step counts to figure it out? "Don't worry. I won't be too upset." Edwin's eyes were filled with concern for her. He understood that even if Leon cheated, the latter's love and care for him wouldn't change. The only difference was that Leon's love for Victoria would no longer be the same, and Edwin was worried about how she would cope. Victoria didn't say much and reassured him, "Though we're getting a divorce, we'll always love you." After their conversation, Victoria played with Edwin for a while to shift his focus. Over the next two days, she started searching for a new place and a job. Returning to the workforce after five years was incredibly tough, and her excellent academic background didn't help much. There were too many fresh university graduates each year, and she was just one among many. When Susie called to check on her, she learned about Victoria's struggles and suggested, "Why don't you work at my company? I'll give you the highest pay." "I'll keep looking for now. I'll come to you if I really need help." Victoria refused to cause her trouble. It was fine if she did great at her job, but if she didn't, others might criticize Susie for favoritism. "Send me your résumé. I'll help you check through it," Susie suggested. Victoria agreed and sent it over. Besides occasionally taking on well-written supporting roles, Susie was also the owner of an entertainment company under Sutton Corporation. Victoria could trust Susie to review her résumé. "Why are you being as honest as you were when you were a fresh graduate?" Susie complained after reading her résumé. "You've been married to that jerk for years; haven't you learned a single thing from him?"