The living room lights were on. Victoria Sinclair came out of the room and saw Miles Shaw standing in front of the sofa, hands on his hips, panting heavily.
Miles Shaw also noticed Victoria coming out and immediately put down his hands to pick up the tissue box he had accidentally knocked over, nodding politely, "Sister-in-law, Eugene is drunk, I brought him back."
Victoria walked over, her gaze falling on the sofa.
It was the weekend, and Eugene wore a white T-shirt with black pants, looking relaxed and handsome. His tall and sturdy body lay on the sofa, his skin flushed red from alcohol, and even the thin fabric couldn’t hide his strong chest muscles.
To Victoria, Eugene was large, strong, and heavy. She was well aware of her own strength limitations.
"Mr. Shaw, could you help him back to his room?"
Miles Shaw was also thin, but at least he was a man, somewhat stronger than Victoria.
"Sure." Miles Shaw bent down, lifted Eugene’s arm onto his shoulder, and with his other hand hooked his body to lift him up with effort.
Miles Shaw gritted his teeth, his face turning red from the strain as he managed to get Eugene up and dragged him towards the room.
Victoria panicked, "No... not this room."
Eugene was too drunk, with a height of 185 cm and full of firm muscles, pressing down on Miles Shaw so that he couldn’t straighten up and nearly suffocating him. His mind was muddled, just wanting to quickly throw him onto a bed.
It was Miles Shaw’s first time here; seeing Victoria come out from a room, he assumed it was their marital bedroom.
"His room is next door."
Victoria couldn’t stop them, watching as Miles Shaw dragged Eugene into her room, both of them toppling onto the bed at the same time.
Miles Shaw hurriedly scrambled up, his face flushed, and his hands supporting his nearly broken waist, gasping, "Sister-in-law, what did you say?"
Victoria looked at the exhausted and breathless Miles Shaw, then at the unconscious Eugene, and awkwardly shook her head, "Nothing, thank you for your hard work. I’ll pour you a glass of water."
"No need, sister-in-law."
Victoria turned and left the room, pouring a glass of warm water.
When Miles Shaw came out, she handed it to him with both hands.
Taking her up on her offer, Miles Shaw accepted it, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
After drinking the water, he raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his jaw, "Eugene was a bit unusual tonight. He hasn’t drunk himself silly in a long time. We tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen. No idea what’s up."
Victoria knew in her heart and changed the subject, "I’ll get you another glass of water."
"No thanks." Miles Shaw waved off her hand, placing the cup on the coffee table, "Sister-in-law, I’ll be heading back now."
Victoria politely saw him off, "Alright, thank you for your hard work."
"Sister-in-law, you really don’t have to be so polite," Miles Shaw said as he walked towards the door, "If Eugene throws up later, check if there’s any blood; I’m really worried it might be like two years ago."
Victoria’s heart tightened, and she hurriedly grabbed Miles Shaw’s arm, "What blood?"
Miles Shaw turned around in surprise.
Victoria quickly let go of his hand.
Miles Shaw looked puzzled, "Sister-in-law, didn’t you know?"
Victoria shook her head, her heart inexplicably flustered and tense.
Miles Shaw frowned slightly, "How could you not know? It was when you first got married; Eugene practically went out drinking with us every night. If he couldn’t find friends to accompany him, he’d drink alone. Once he drank so much he got a stomach bleed and was sent to the hospital, waking up around 4 AM. He pulled out the drip needle, disregarding the doctors’ and nurses’ hindrances, and insisted on being discharged, risking his life, just to go home, always mumbling about needing to go home."
Victoria’s eyes welled with tears, and her heart ached faintly.
Was being married to her so unbearable?
Having to drink daily, even at the cost of causing a stomach bleed, if marriage was so painful, why was he so insistent on coming home?
At that time, Eugene would come home every night in the wee hours, she was already asleep, and by the time she got up to work the next morning, Eugene was still asleep.
Their schedules were almost entirely misaligned, seldom meeting.
"Back then, the doctor saw that his bleeding had stopped, prescribed some medicine, and agreed to let him go home." Miles Shaw looked somewhat helpless, "I thought you knew."
Victoria bitterly pursed her lips.
During the past two years of marriage, Eugene initially avoided her, acting cold. Later, when she realized Eugene was deliberately distancing himself, she also became indifferent, even more so than Eugene.
She was almost completely unaware of Eugene’s matters.
"Thank you, I’ll pay attention," Victoria thanked Miles Shaw again.
Miles Shaw left with a worried face and restless eyes, "Sister-in-law, if I may ask, is there something that’s making you two unhappy? Eugene’s been acting really off these days."
Victoria asked back, "Didn’t he tell you guys?"
Miles Shaw shook his head.
Eugene hadn’t mentioned it to his friends, maybe believing there was still a chance for reconciliation, that it wouldn’t lead to divorce.
But for Victoria, divorce was already a foregone conclusion, an unchangeable fact that everyone would eventually know, nothing worth hiding.
"We’re getting a divorce," Victoria said calmly, "I hope you guys stop drinking with him, excessive drinking is really bad for his health."
Miles Shaw was stunned, momentarily at a loss for what to say, finally uttering a single word, "Alright."
"Take care on your way." Victoria bid him farewell.
Miles Shaw still in a daze, "Alright." Discover more novels at NoveI~Fire.net
Victoria closed the door, turned off the living room lights, and entered the room.
Victoria walked to the bedside, bent down, and felt Eugene’s forehead, checking his temperature to ensure he wasn’t feverish before feeling relieved.
She went to the bathroom, fetched a clean warm towel, wiped his face and hands, removed his shoes and socks, and with effort, pushed him to the other side of the bed, covering him with a thin blanket.
It was already early morning.
Victoria was nearly exhausted, torn over where she should sleep.
She wanted to sleep in the living room but worried he might vomit blood in the middle of the night.
Victoria sat on the bed, gently shaking Eugene’s arm, "Eugene, Eugene..."
He didn’t respond, his breathing steady and deep.
Victoria thought he was too drunk, likely to sleep until noon tomorrow.
She lay down slowly on her side, pulling the thin blanket over herself, watching Eugene beside her, her heart roiling like waves.
In his sleep, he looked truly handsome, his features so defined, prominent, and deep.
Victoria couldn’t help but touch his brow, tracing his thick, beautiful eyebrows with her fingertips, feeling the faint little beauty mark beneath his eye.
This little beauty mark was easily overlooked if not viewed carefully.
It was faint, small, yet captivating.
Adding a touch of allure to his attractive eyes.
People often said, those with a teardrop mole were prone to tears.
She didn’t believe it before until she saw Eugene’s tears when she mentioned divorce, only then did she realize that this seemingly hard man, had such a tender and delicate heart.
Was it an attachment to her? Or unwillingness to let go of this marriage?
Neither question seemed to have any supporting facts.
Right after they married, he distanced himself from her, drinking every day.
Now, facing divorce, he turned to drinking again.
It really was perplexing.