The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 30: Rewards

Eric leaned back and said, "Hey, club recruitment's coming up soon. Victoria, you sure you don't want my personal recommendation?"

Nick handed Victoria a piece of meat. "Try this, it's awesome. Our Snooker Club is the biggest at Nexus College, and the competition's always tough. Got like a few hundred people signing up this year?"

Eric just nodded with a grin.

Roy chimed in, "This is the first time Eric's offering to pull some strings for someone. You sure you don't wanna take him up on it?"

Victoria shook her head, smiling. "Thanks, but no need. I appreciate it, though."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You seem pretty confident."

Victoria took a casual sip of her soda. "Not really. I just think if I need to pull strings to join a club, I'd rather join a different one."

In her past life, Ella had used her family connections to snatch away her opportunities. Now that it was Victoria's turn, she naturally hated the idea. If she could rely on her own abilities, why resort to manipulation?

Nick raised his glass. "Alright then, here's to Victoria's imminent success."

Ethan raised his glass too, but he was thinking, 'I wanna be in the same club as you. Even if you're not strong enough, I'll make sure you get in.'

After the meal, Victoria went to pay the bill, only to find it had already been settled, with Ethan's flashy signature on it.

Victoria leaned in close to Ethan and whispered, "Didn't we agree I'd pay?"

Ethan caught a whiff of her fresh lily of the valley scent and raised an eyebrow, "I forgot. You can get it next time."

"No need for next time, I'll just transfer it to you now." Victoria opened WhatsApp to transfer the money, only to realize she didn't have Ethan's contact.

They were only in a group chat together.

Ethan paused for a moment, then said, "That works too."

After getting his response, Victoria sent a friend request to Ethan, which he quickly accepted.

Victoria rounded up the meal cost and transferred it, but he didn't accept it right away.

After transferring, Victoria headed straight home. She missed it after being away for half a month.

Diana and David had both made time to come home early to spend time with Victoria, who had just returned from military training.

Diana, noticing the changes in her daughter, couldn't help but express her concern, "Haven't seen you for half a month, Victoria. You've tanned and lost weight, must have been tough."

Victoria threw herself into Diana's arms, her voice softening, "Mom, you're just saying that because you love me!"

With a proud smile, David added, "I think you've tanned a bit too."

Victoria shook her head and acted coy, "Everyone got tanned during the training. This is nothing!"

David said, "I heard you got first place in the final project and even broke a record. Marcus told me today, and I was surprised. I'm so proud of you!"

Diana laughed, covering her face, "At your age, still showing off your daughter, aren't you embarrassed?"

Victoria pretended to be angry, "So if I didn't place, would Dad be disappointed and not love me anymore?"

"Of course not, I'll always love you the most," David explained, seeing Diana give him a cool look, he quickly added, "And your mom too!"

Diana took out an exquisite gift box from behind the sofa and handed it to Victoria: "Victoria, this is a gift from Mom and Dad for you. No matter what place you got, we were going to give it to you."

Victoria happily accepted it, "You always give me gifts, my room is almost full."

Since Victoria was found, Diana and David had been buying her clothes, bags, and jewelry every few days.

David chuckled, "What? Your room's full? Then it must be too small!"

Victoria giggled, "That's not what I meant."

Diana smiled gently, "Victoria, take a look, do you like it?"

Victoria opened the gift box to find a Centurion Card and a transfer agreement for an equestrian center outside Sunhaven.

"An equestrian center!" Victoria's eyes lit up. She loved horseback riding!

David saw her expression and knew she was genuinely happy. "Yep, we know you love horseback riding, and this equestrian center is pretty great. From now on, it's yours. You can go often and invite friends."

Victoria hugged them. "Thank you, Mom and Dad, I love it!"

She cherished not just the gift, but the thoughtfulness behind it, which brought her immense joy.

At that moment, Samuel walked in, looking weary from his overseas trip.

Samuel handed his luggage to the butler. "Mom, Dad, I'm back. Victoria, you're here too."

Victoria looked at the disheveled Samuel with wide eyes, "Samuel, where did you come back from? You didn't even shave properly."

Samuel walked over briskly, his expression a bit mysterious. "A project abroad. Today is the end of your training, right? I have a little something for you, not sure if you'll like it."

Victoria asked, "Let me guess, is it something special?"

Samuel replied, "You'd never guess!"

Victoria's eyes darted around. If it was something she couldn't guess, it must not be common treasures like ivory or gems.

"Is it alive?"

"You are so smart."

"It's not an elephant, is it? It's too big to keep at home." Victoria pretended to be troubled.

Samuel laughed, "If you want to keep an elephant, it's possible, but this time I brought you something small."

He then revealed a small cage from behind him.

Inside the cage was a small cub with beautiful rosette patterns on its body, dozing off with droopy eyes. When it saw Victoria, it made a faint meowing sound, as if acting cute.

Victoria curiously leaned in to look, and after a while, tentatively asked, "Is this a leopard cub?"

Diana said, "This is outrageous! Of all the pets you could bring for Victoria, you chose a leopard cub? It's a wild animal!"

David also leaned in, interested. "The pattern is beautiful, but it's too small, like a kitten."

Samuel explained, "I didn't intentionally bring it back. We found this little leopard cub starving on the savannah. The guide said its mother must have been injured while hunting and couldn't care for it. If I hadn't brought it back, it would have been eaten by other wild animals."

Victoria looked at him seriously. Samuel appeared mature and calm on the outside, but he was actually very kind-hearted.

"I understand. I'll take good care of it." Victoria took the cage and observed the little leopard. "It's been meowing, is it hungry?"

Diana instructed, "Madeline, bring some goat milk. It's so small, it should be drinking milk."

"Yes, Mrs. Hamilton," the housemaid replied as she headed to the kitchen to fetch the goat milk.

David nodded, "We can keep it, but it needs a check-up to make sure it doesn't bring in any viruses."

Marigold came out after her nap and saw them watching the little leopard drink milk. "What is this little creature that you're all so interested in?"

Victoria answered, "Grandma, you're awake. This is a little pet Samuel gave me."

Marigold asked, "It's meowing, is it a kitten?"

Victoria smiled sweetly, "It's a feline, but it's a leopard."

Marigold was stunned and leaned in to take a closer look.

Samuel said, "Victoria, give it a name."

Victoria thought for a moment, then said, "Let's call it Flora."

The little leopard seemed to understand its name, paused its drinking, looked up at Victoria, and softly meowed.

Victoria's heart melted at Flora's cuteness, and she excitedly exclaimed, "Look, it responded!"