Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria)

Chapter 6

Melodramatic?

Victoria paused and chuckled to herself after a moment. “Of course, I can’t

match Claudia’s thoughtfulness for others.”

The words slipped out before she could even think twice.

Alaric was stunned, and so was she.

What am I even saying?

While she regretted saying the wrong thing, he lifted her chin and looked

into her eyes with his deep black ones. Then, he narrowed his eyes, and his

gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s.

“Are you jealous of her?”

Her eyebrows twitched. She felt a bit anxious and wanted to brush his

hand away.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

However, she had no strength in her hands, and when she tried to push,

her movement felt weak.

This action made him raise his eyebrows and hold her wrist in

amusement. “Are you so weak?”

“You’re weak!” Victoria retorted, then pulled her hand back. Since she used

too much force, her body fell backward onto the couch, and she couldn’t

get up. She was really too weak. Alaric stood there, looking at her with a

complicated expression. So, he went to the restroom, filled a plastic basin

with water, and returned with a towel. Afterward, he put them on the chair

next to her.

He soaked the new towel in cold water, wrung it out, and wiped her with it.

Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside

“What are you doing?”

Seeing him approach her with the towel, she Instinctively moved away,

He grabbed her shoulder, and his handsome brows furrowed. “Don’t move;

I’m cooling you down.”

She wanted to say no, but when the towel touched her skin, a cold feeling

rushed over her, and she couldn’t refuse.

Her body temperature was high, and it was better to cool down.

After all, it was only physical cooling…

Thinking this, Victoria let him do as he pleased.

Alaric wiped away the sweat from her forehead, then wiped her cheeks.

As he wiped her, he thought of something, and his lips curled up as he

said softly, “Victoria, you’re really something.”

His words made her eyelids twitch.

“What?”

At that moment, his eyes were as deep as black diamonds. Then, he

snorted and said, “What are you pretending to be stupid for? This is my

first time doing this for others, so you really are something.”

With that, Alaric moved his hand on her shoulder to her collar and pulled it

open, revealing snow–white skin. He then inserted the wet towel inside.

At that, Victoria’s face changed slightly, and she grabbed his hand. “What

are you doing?”

“I’m wiping your body inside,” he answered righteously.

However, she was anxious and embarrassed as she pulled her collar back.

“No, I can do it myself.”

However, he looked at her movements and gradually frowned.

“Why are you upset with me?”

His hand didn’t move, and he still held the wet towel over her chest. From

a certain angle, it looked like his hand was on…

If someone else saw this…

“I’m not upset with you. I can do it myself.”

He still frowned, looking displeased as he stared at her.

“Are you-” he began.

Bam!

Before he could finish his sentence, a loud noise sounded from outside the

door. Alaric and Victoria looked toward the door to see Claudia frantically

13:00 S. 18 Jun

Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside

picking up some things from the ground.

His hand froze mid–air and withdrew it after a moment, looking

expressionless. Victoria simply lay there, smirking a little. Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

Meanwhile, Claudia quickly gathered her things and walked inside, smiling

gently at Alaric and Victoria as if nothing had happened.

“I dropped something earlier because I wasn’t holding it properly. I didn’t

scare you guys, did I?” she said.

He pursed his lips and was about to say something, but Claudia

approached him and stretched out her hand. “Let me do it.”

Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside

Then, he said nothing and handed her the damp towel.

“Dominic already explained everything to me, so you can leave Victoria to

1. me. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her,” she said.

Hearing this, Alaric looked at Victoria, lying motionless on the bed like a

corpse, before nodding. “Okay.”

Soon, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

The room was quiet momentarily before Claudia rinsed the towel again

and walked toward Victoria with it.

“Victoria, let me help you wipe your body,” Claudia said gently.

Victoria was indeed too weak to do it herself. “Shouldn’t we call a nurse?

This is too much trouble for you,” she suggested.

Claudia smiled softly. “It’s no trouble. A nurse won’t do it as well as I.

Moreover, I can do it as long as you don’t mind if I see you naked.”

With things at this point, what else could Victoria say? She could only nod

with a smile.

After she agreed, Claudia leaned over and unbuttoned Victoria’s clothes.

To avoid any awkwardness, Victoria closed her eyes, unaware of Claudia’s

scrutinizing gaze, as Claudia unbuttoned Victoria’s clothes.

Claudia bit her lip, and her face turned ugly.

If she hadn’t been mistaken, Alaric had held a damp towel earlier,

intending to help Victoria wipe her body. Ho had oven opened her collar

1. up. Since when did their relationship bocomo so intimate? Did something

happen between them whon sho was abroad that she didn’t know about?

Claudia’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she folt a bit uneasy.

As for Victoria’s body, Claudia had to unbutton her clothes to realize that

her figure was impressive. Even though Victoria was lying down, certain

parts of her were very blessed, and her skin was not pale but a relatively

soft pink color, making her look very alluring. Even though Claudia was a

woman, she could see the perfection of Victoria’s body. She bit her lower

lip, unable to restrain herself as she whispered, “Thank you for everything

you’ve done for me these years.”

Victoria’s eyes were closed, and she found the physical cooling effect

quite compelling; the feeling of the liquid being wiped on her body was

refreshing. The heat on her body dissipated a lot. When she opened her

eyes, she met Claudia’s beautiful gaze.

“Thank me?” Victoria asked.

Claudia nodded and said, “Yes. Although it may seem like Al married you

in a set–up marriage to help you through difficult times, I know that his

married status has shielded him from unwanted attention in the past two

years. So, I want to say thank you. Otherwise, when I’m back, dealing with

all those cheap suitors around him would be a real hassle.”

At these words, Victoria was taken aback. She wasn’t dumb and could tell

what Claudia was trying to say. Claudia started by expressing gratitude

but then went on to remind her that her marriage with Alaric was a sham.

Claudia cautioned her to keep her expectations low, pointing out that she

was not Alaric’s wife.

Victoria pursed her lips and said nothing. Claudia wiped her off for a while

and helped her put her clothes back on. She then asked tenderly, “Feeling

better? Would you like some water? I’ll pour you a glass.”

Victoria was indeed a bit thirsty. “Yes, please.”

Chapter 6 Wiping Your Body Inside

Claudia went to pour her some water, and Victoria drank it all. Her throat

finally felt better. She looked up at Claudia and said what was on her

mind, “Actually, you don’t have to worry about Alaric and me. He will

always keep your position as his wife because you saved his life. No one

can replace that. You also did me a favor, and I won’t forget it.”