Chapter 94
Max looked up at Victoria with eager anticipation shining in his eyes.
Marcus reached over and ruffled Max’s hair. “Miss Fannie’s really busy today. How about your uncle takes you instead?”
Truth was, Victoria didn’t have much on her plate-it was the weekend, after all. Unless Gwyneth suddenly called, she was free.
“I’m not busy these days,” she said, glancing at Max with a gentle smile. “I’ll come with you.”
She felt a pang of sympathy for the boy—no parents, and so alone. She was happy to keep him company.
Spending time with Max always reminded her of Gwyneth. Right now, Gwyneth was probably off on some adventure with McNeil and Violet.
Marcus’s lips twitched as he watched the two. Sometimes, kids really could save the day.
When Max heard that Victoria would be joining them, he nearly shouted with joy.
It just so happened that Marcus had three tickets on hand. After a quick lunch, they headed straight to the science museum.
The sprawling exhibition hall was filled with cutting-edge technology-sleek gadgets, robots, and interactive displays. At every booth, a staff member stood ready to explain the latest marvels.
Max was utterly enchanted. Everything was new and fascinating, especially the gaming section. When they reached a giant screen showing a racing game, he tugged at Victoria’s sleeve.
“Miss Fannie, isn’t that the racing game you taught me?”
A young woman nearby leaned down with a friendly smile. “Hey there! If you like
it, you can join our tournament today-there are prizes!”
Marcus smiled politely, about to decline for Max, but the boy’s face was alight with excitement.
“I want to try!”
Victoria gave Marcus a knowing look. “Let him. Kids like him are the future of tech, you know.”
The young woman led Max into the competition area, and Victoria wandered off to browse the other displays.
She was still admiring a robotic arm when someone suddenly called her name. Turning around, she was startled to see Osborn.
“When did you get here?” she blurted out, genuinely surprised.
Osborn had a lollipop sticking out of his mouth, his expression casual and a bit mischievous. “Told you I’m in Starfall City this month for the rally. Came early to get a feel for the place, and figured I’d kill some time here.”
He’d noticed her earlier with a man and a child—probably her ex, he guessed. Feeling a strange twist of jealousy, he hadn’t interrupted. Only now, seeing her alone, did he approach.
“Oh,” Victoria replied, a mixture of happiness and regret flickering across her face. Mostly, she felt regret because Lyndon refused to come.
“About that thing you asked me about last time… I’m sorry,” she said, lowering her voice.
Osborn frowned, not following.
“I told them, but……. it looks like I won’t be able to make it happen.”
She’d built that whole team from scratch, and now it seemed they’d never get another chance to work together.
Osborn popped the lollipop into his mouth and crunched down on it. “You do realize Lyndon and his crew are already here in Starfall City, right? I wired over three million…”
Victoria’s eyes widened. Osborn’s family was wealthy-anyone who raced cars usually was-but three million was still a staggering sum.
“My old man made his fortune on some pretty shady deals,” Osborn said with a crooked grin. “I figure the least I can do is spend his dirty money and maybe buy us a little luck.”
Victoria just shook her head, at a loss for words. Osborn, seeing her worry, tried to reassure her.
“Lyndon’ll come find you. It’s just a matter of days now. Just keep your phone on, alright?”
“Of course,” Victoria said softly. This was a rare opportunity, and she still needed Lyndon’s help fixing Marcus’s Maybach.
Suddenly, Osborn leaned in and dropped his voice. “Victoria, that guy across from us-he’s been staring at us for a while. Do you know him?”
Victoria followed Osborn’s gaze, unable to resist a quick glance over her shoulder. Her eyes met the man’s almost instantly.
McNeil?