For the briefest second, Martin's attention sharpened in a way that was difficult to name. It passed quickly, replaced by the same neutral expression as before as he adjusted slightly in his seat.
"You may."
Victoria stepped inside carefully.
"Good evening," she said.
"Evening."
The simplicity of her appearance stood out immediately. The exquisite presentation from the night dinner party before was gone, replaced with something far more… average.
Shorts, a plain shirt, her curly hair pulled back into a loose ponytail that looked more like an afterthought than a decision. There was no effort to impress, nor attempt to match the setting she stood in.
"I… am I interrupting?" she asked, glancing briefly toward the assistant. "I can come back later—"
"You've already interrupted," Martin said calmly. "You might as well finish what you came for."
The assistant, sensing his moment of freedom, began quietly gathering his things before being dismissed outright.
"You may leave." Martin waved.
"Of course, sir."
The door closed behind him, leaving the room in a heavy silence.
Victoria lingered where she stood, her fingers moving restlessly as she pinched at the hem of her shirt, her gaze dropping before lifting again.
Martin watched her without prompting.
"Yes?"
She hesitated, then forced herself forward. "I… I am sorry for intruding—"
"You could save time by saying what you came to say instead of apologising."
She flinched slightly, nodding as though reminding herself to stay on track.
"I came to apologise."
"That would be the third time," Martin said with a deadpan expression.
Her brows lifted in mild surprise. Was he really counting?
He inclined his head faintly. "Continue."
Victoria swallowed, steadying herself before she spoke.
"I came to apologise for the way I spoke to you after the party, last night," she said, her voice stripped of its earlier edge. "I shouldn't have… handled it like that."
Martin didn't respond.
The silence stretched, long enough for her to feel the weight of her own words pressing back at her.
"I don't take back what I said," she added quickly, as if the clarification mattered. "About how you handled things. I meant that. But… my tone, my choice of words… they came from a place of anger, and I let that take over."
Her fingers tightened together, betraying the composure she was trying to maintain.
"I spoke out of line. Especially considering everything else… and what's at stake."
Her gaze dropped. "I'm sorry."
She remained there, still, as though expecting the silence to answer her before he did.
After a moment, Martin rose from his chair, unhurried, his attention fixed on her.
"Victoria."
She looked up.
"I do not value apologies," he said, his tone calm but firm. "They tend to come from regret, and regret is not something I consider useful."
A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. What?…
"That said…" he continued, resting his fingers lightly against the desk, "I am not blind to my own actions. I pushed further than necessary without the decency of consideration."
Her eyes widened slightly at that.
"Your reaction followed accordingly. That much was expected."
He paused, not out of hesitation, but as though deciding how much more to offer.
"But I do not apologise for what I did."
Her brows drew together, confusion settling in, but before she could respond, he lifted a hand just enough to stop her.
"Every reaction reveals something," he said. "And yours did."
He sounded so detached, she suspected he rehearsed his response but forgot emotions.
"I understand your grievance. I will take it into account moving forward."
Martin paused.
"And I hold no grudge."
Were you supposed to?… Victoria stood there, trying to make sense of it, her expression caught between relief and something far more uncertain, as though she wasn't sure whether she had been reassured… or simply answered.
"O-Okay… thank you," she said softly.
Martin gave a slight nod, nothing more.
Taking that as her cue, she turned toward the door, deciding it was safer to leave before the awkward moment stretched into something harder to navigate.
She had just reached it when—
"Victoria."
She stopped and turned back.
"Yes?"
Martin's gaze rested on her, unreadable, but this time his eyes were less sharp.
"How do you feel about a trip to Brazil?"
• • •
Victoria stood near the center of her bedroom, her hands loosely clasped in front of her as she watched Li pack her box.
A small box sat open on the bed.
Victoria's eyes followed every movement as Li folded a few pieces of innerwear neatly into it, then added a slim file of documents. Nothing more. No dresses. No shoes. No excess.
Li closed the lid and zipped it up with a soft hum, finally turning to face her.
"You're all ready to go, ma'am."
Victoria blinked, her brows pulling together as she glanced between Li and the box.
"That's… all?"
Her voice carried a mix of confusion and hesitation.
Li nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
Victoria shifted slightly, rubbing the back of her neck as the reality of what was happening began to settle in.
"I've never been on a plane before," she admitted, her tone uncertain. "Not even once. And now I'm leaving the country… I don't even know how I'm supposed to feel about that."
Li's expression softened into a small, reassuring smile.
"You don't need to worry," she said. "I will be with you every step of the way, Ma'am."
Victoria nodded slowly, though the unease didn't quite leave her face.
"But why?" she asked after a moment. "Is there an event or something? He didn't say why we're going so now I am confused… Do you think he has a reason?"
Li shook her head.
"No one can predict Master's decisions with certainty," she smiled. "But… I believe this may be his way of making up for yesterday. He knows the situation was difficult for both of you, and he is aware that he holds some responsibility. This may simply be his way of addressing it."
Victoria's lips pressed together. She wasn't entirely convinced, but she didn't argue either. Instead, she let out a small breath, her fingers still resting at the back of her neck.
"I just hope it goes well," she said quietly. "I don't think I can handle another… situation."
Her gaze dropped back to the box.
"Wait," she added, pointing lightly. "That's really all I'm taking?"
Li nodded again.
"Yes, ma'am. Master prefers to have clothing prepared at the destination. By the time we arrive, everything you need will already be arranged. The items here are only essentials… documents and a few personal things you may prefer not to replace each time."
Victoria stared at the box for a second longer before letting out a soft breath.
Right. Of course. Why carry luggage when you can just… buy a new life wherever you land?
She shook her head faintly, a small, almost disbelieving smile tugging at her lips.
"Okay," she murmured. "That's… convenient."
Li picked up the box.
"Shall we?"
Victoria hesitated for only a second before nodding.
They stepped out together.
• • •
The flight was nothing like Victoria imagined.
Whatever curiosity or quiet excitement she had felt earlier disappeared within the first hour.
By the second, she was miserable.
Her stomach twisted in ways she had never experienced before, and no amount of steady breathing or forced calm could settle it. The moment the nausea hit, it was hell. Relentless.
She spent most of the flight bent forward, barely lifting her head from the sick bag. Whatever she swallowed came right back up, leaving her weak, shaky, and completely drained.
Li stayed beside her the entire time, offering water, tissues, and quiet reassurance.
Even Martin showed some concern.
At least from the length of times she caught glimpses his shoes stand next to her when she was throwing up. And she could have sworn she felt a hand gently rub her back that wasn't as small as Li's.
Or was she hallucinating from the severe dehydration?…
… Unfortunately, none of it made much difference.
At some point, a flight attendant offered medication for motion sickness. She took it without thinking twice.
It didn't help.
If anything, it made her feel worse.
The world around her blurred into something distant and unbearable. Time passed, but she couldn't tell how much. Her head pounded, her body felt heavy, and the constant discomfort left her too exhausted to even think properly.
By the time the plane landed, Victoria had nothing left in her system to give.
She barely remembered getting off the aircraft.
Everything after that felt disconnected. Movement without awareness and voices without meaning.
The ride to the hotel passed in a haze she couldn't piece together. But what her hazzy mind could remember was the large warmth that was wrapped around weakened being all through the journey; and last she remembered, Li wasn't that big…
The only clear moment came when she reached the hotel room.
A bed.
That was all she registered.
She didn't bother with anything else. Not the surroundings. Not the space. Not even the fact that she had arrived in an entirely different country.
She dropped flat onto the bed
And within seconds, she was asleep.
Completely gone.
The world could wait until morning.