Chapter 7 Stunning First Encounter

Victoria was so deep into her coding that she didn't even notice someone standing at the door.

The first thing Ethan Smith noticed was her slender, nimble fingers.

He thought, 'Wow, those are some beautiful hands!'

The rhythm of her typing was almost musical, her fingers long and delicate, with smooth pink nails that caught the light, momentarily dazzling Ethan.

A skilled coder could tell a lot about someone from the way they typed.

It was clear Victoria knew her stuff.

Only then did Ethan look at her face. Victoria had a delicate face, beautiful eyes, a focused expression, and a hint of cold elegance.

She was wearing a purple chiffon dress, with a long hem that showed just a small, cute ankle, like a beautiful yet fragile jellyfish.

Victoria finally noticed Ethan at the door.

Ethan was a young, handsome guy, with a cold demeanor that usually kept people at a distance, but now he had a smile on his face.

This private room was set up for her by her cousin Nick.

Victoria thought, 'This guy isn't a waiter, and since he has a room card, he must be Nick.'

"Nick?"

Ethan's mouth twitched, and his smile grew wider. "Yeah."

He responded vaguely and walked in, sitting in his usual spot.

Actually, this private room was reserved by Nick and his friends for team gaming, but since school hadn't started yet, Nick didn't expect Ethan to show up suddenly and had lent it to Victoria.

Nick hadn't met Victoria yet, but his dad had repeatedly told him to take good care of her, so he had to comply with any of her requests.

Ethan was just passing by and felt like playing a game. He didn't call any friends and came by himself.

Unexpectedly, he found a pleasant surprise. This Victoria from the Hamilton family was exactly his type.

Feeling uneasy under Ethan's intense gaze, Victoria closed the dark web interface, even though he couldn't see her screen from the side.

She didn't want anyone to know for now.

"Finished?" Ethan asked.

Victoria said, "Yeah. Do you need something? Thanks for letting me use the room."

Ethan said, "No problem. Do you play Counter-Strike?"

She did. "Yeah."

Ethan said, "Join me for a game."

'Nick is really outgoing,' Victoria thought, glancing at him.

"Sure." Victoria didn't refuse, thinking it would be a good way to relax since she was quite skilled at the game.

Ethan wasn't an outgoing person. This was the first time he had initiated a conversation with a girl.

They started a game, and to their surprise, their teamwork was seamless.

"You cover, I'll plant the bomb."

"You jump through the window, I'll throw the grenade."

It was exhilarating, though Victoria seemed a bit competitive, subtly trying to match Ethan's kill count.

During another sniper standoff, Victoria emerged from the alley and took down the opponent.

"Good awareness," Ethan said, growing more interested.

"You're not bad either." Victoria met his challenging gaze without any fear.

As they played, they developed a mutual respect. Skilled players always earned admiration, and though Counter-Strike was just a game, it reflected one's strategic thinking and reaction time.

In the end, they won decisively.

Ethan thought, 'Victoria, though smaller in stature, is much better than Nick.'

Victoria said, "I have something to do, so I'll leave now."

Ethan said, "I'll walk you out."

Victoria replied, "No need, my driver is waiting. Goodbye."

"Alright, looking forward to our next meeting, my cousin." Ethan's last words were almost a whisper.

Victoria, almost out the door, didn't catch it clearly and thought it was just a casual farewell, waving as she left.

Ethan was left savoring the encounter.

He took out his phone and messaged Nick: [Your cousin is impressive.]

Nick typed: [Ethan, you went to Cyber Den. What does Victoria look like? Considering Aunt Diana's looks, Victoria shouldn't be too bad, right?]

Ethan typed: [Like a jellyfish.]

What a strange metaphor. How could a person look like a jellyfish?

Was she ugly like an alien?

That couldn't be. After all, she had a nose and two eyes.

Rumors had it that Victoria was very unattractive, which was why the Hamilton family didn't make it public. Could it be true?

Nick typed: [Ethan! Please be careful not to make Victoria cry! If anything goes wrong, it's my fault for giving her the password to the room!]

Ethan typed: [She didn't cry.]

Ethan couldn't be bothered to chat with him more.

Victoria returned home, and it was dinner time.

The family finally reunited and sat around the dining table.

David asked, "Victoria is about to start school, right?"

Diana said, "Nexus College starts in a week."

Samuel said, "It's impressive that Victoria managed to get into Nexus College while studying at Silvervale."

Samuel had recently become a fan of Victoria, always praising her intelligence and beauty, questioning who could be worthy of her, and dismissing anyone who dared inquire about her.

David looked at Victoria with approval. "What's your major?"

"Performing Arts." Victoria had always loved watching TV, admiring actors in beautiful costumes portraying love and hate in different eras.

So, when choosing a major, she naturally picked Performing Arts. Given her family's background, she could do whatever she wanted. Brian and Joan also supported her in pursuing her dreams.

But she hadn't expected Ella to interfere. In her previous life, after Ella returned to the Scott family, she insisted on attending the same school as Victoria. Brian had to spend a lot of money to get her into Nexus College.

Not only that, Ella constantly suppressed Victoria, ruining the small theater group that had chosen Victoria as the lead actress.

Ella even exposed her false heiress status, accusing her of usurping the Scott family, claiming she wasn't their biological daughter but still flaunted her power and oppressed Ella.

Uninformed netizens naturally sided with Ella, and with misleading news articles and Ella's portrayal of a weak, oppressed figure, they sympathized with her and hated Victoria, subjecting her to relentless personal attacks and insults.

Victoria didn't want to recall the misery of her past life, but some memories kept resurfacing.

David said, "Diana also majored in Dance at Nexus College. You two really share a bond."

Victoria shook off the memories, looking at Diana with admiration. "Of course, I'm her daughter."

Yes, now she had David and Diana who loved her, and they were both amazing!

She no longer needed to endure the Scott family's fake affection.

She wouldn't tolerate Ella's bullying like in her past life. She would take back everything!

David said, "Nexus College, we have some influence there. If you need anything, just ask."

Victoria gave David a sweet smile. "No need, Dad. I can handle it."

David looked at the obedient and beautiful Victoria with indulgence, his heart melting. "Alright, I'll listen to you. But if you face any difficulties, you must tell us. My daughter shouldn't suffer any grievances!"