Chapter129 Birth Control Pills
Winona Sullivan knew just by the way Zachary Bailey carried himself, not to mention his tone, that he was clued in.
This morning Fiona Clark had left empty-handed from Winona's, returning a few minutes later with a noticeably lighter mood. In the afternoon, Zachary showed up, his words laced with humiliation.
It was all about avenging his beloved.
Exhausted after a long day and barely off work, Winona's expression darkened as she now had to deal with this man's nitpicking.
She placed her phone down on the table with a definitive click.
She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back against the chair, and got straight to the point, "What's Fiona Clark after? Getting her money back? Not a chance."
Zachary Bailey kept his focus, “I'm here to talk about Windy. Let’s not drag other people into this.”
"Other people? Didn't Fiona call you this morning? Did she snitch on me? You march in here demanding I sleep with you, isn't that just to humiliate me on her behalf?"
"If she complained to me, that means you did something behind my back, doesn’t it? And if you did, why isn’t discussing it considered snitching?" Zachary closed in on her, his presence growing colder, "Why didn’t you tell me about Windy?"
"Why should I tell you? Do you have antiques at home that need restoring?"
The man's lips curled into a half-smile, “You know exactly what I mean.”
Winona Sullivan suddenly fell silent, as painful memories washed over her, leaving a sour and nostalgic ache in her heart. Soon after, she put on a wry smile, "Did you ever ask? My workshop's right next to your study, never even locked the door, many times it's been left ajar. All those tools, damaged items—anyone with eyes could see them. But for three years, you've looked the other way."
Once she had decided to divorce him, her anger had faded. She was done with this man. What was there left to be angry about?
Watching his stern face, Winona's laugh grew more unrestrained, “You’ve always seen me as just the domestic aid with a monthly income of several thousand dollars, a job I got only because my mother spoke up. Do you think that’s because in your heart, without you, without the Bailey family, I'm worth nothing?”
Zachary Bailey’s head tipped down slightly; the restaurant’s dim lighting cast shadows across his face, concealing his emotions.
He remained silent in the face of her accusations.
She didn't know whether his conscience was stirring, feeling guilty, or if he simply couldn’t comprehend the depth of her resentment.
"When I quit Bailey Group, you had Dylan Collins investigate me. He told you I was cleaning at View Studio, and you really thought I was just a cleaner. Why didn’t you ever consider—why would someone with a degree from a prestigious school and experience at Bailey Group resort to that?"
As for everything after—the studio people calling her 'Windy,' repairing antiques in front of guests at a birthday party…
So many oddities, any slight reflection could've tipped him off. Yet Zachary Bailey hadn’t noticed a thing.
Managing the expansive Bailey Group with impeccable order and ever-growing success revealed the enigmatic nature of Zachary Bailey’s mind. It could only mean one thing—
He didn’t care. That’s why he could ignore everything so completely.
As the waiter began to serve dinner, Winona Sullivan’s appetite had vanished. Clutching her purse, she stood up, ready to leave.
Zachary finally reacted, reaching out and grabbing her wrist, “Stay...for dinner…”
He pressed his lips together, then added, “Sorry.”
“That doesn’t cut it, Mr. Bailey. If you’re really sorry, then just sign the divorce papers. I’ll thank you every day, morning and night.”
“I admit, I haven’t been the best, but divorce is out of the question.”
The audacity to say he hadn't been good enough prompted Winona to roll her eyes fiercely. “No divorce, no conversation. Let go.”
She tugged at her hand, and amidst the struggle, accidentally knocked over a glass of wine, drenching Zachary.
The rich aroma of the wine spread through the air...
Zachary, dressed in dark clothes, now bore the clear mark of the spill, his shirt sticking to his skin. He wasn’t necessarily a neat freak, but the mess was intolerable. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Winona Sullivan…”
Without a shred of remorse, Winona rubbed her reddened wrist, “If you keep grabbing me, next time, it’s going in your face!”
With those words, she turned and left, without a second glance.
After several back-to-back days of filming, Winona was exhausted. But the day after it ended, she had a chance to rest. That day, Lydia invited her out shopping.
Christmas was approaching, and it was time to buy gifts.
Curiosity piqued as Winona eyed the heap of purchases. “Didn’t Sarah used to handle all this? Why are you doing it yourself this year?”
“I’ve been bored lately and needed something to do. I thought I’d get a head start, and Sarah can fill in the gaps if anything’s missing.”
“Does this mean Dad won’t be traveling as much next year?”
After handing over the reins of the Bailey Group to Zachary, Evander had found himself bored and consequently started a new company with a friend, more as a hobby than anything serious. Unexpectedly, the business did well, expanding with branch offices, which kept him away from home, save for the holidays.
Recalling recent news that a potential manager had been found, Winona playfully winked at Lydia, “Guess you’ll be far from bored soon.”
Lydia chuckled at the tease, "Wow, bringing the jokes to me now. I guess Zachary isn't working hard enough..."
She stopped mid-sentence as she remembered they were in the midst of a divorce; her good mood vanished instantly. Not wanting to add to Winona Sullivan’s burden, she decided to pretend like she was unaware of any troubles.
"Let go of me, damn it, or I'll knock you out!" Suddenly, an irate male voice cut through the lively atmosphere of the shopping mall.
They looked up to see... a gaunt, makeup-free woman fiercely gripping a middle-aged man who was tenderly cradling a pregnant woman in his arms. Despite her condition, the pregnant woman was dressed to the nines, her outfit costing as much as an average family’s annual income.
The haggard woman showed no concern for appearances, shouting vehemently, "Why should I let go? You’re my husband! All these years, scrimping and saving, buying clothes only every three years. Now that you have money, you keep a mistress? I’ve toiled for this household for so many years, and for what? So this homewrecker can spend my money?!"
With onlookers whispering and pointing fingers, the man became infuriated with embarrassment. "You've got some nerve! You’ve been in this family for years and couldn't even give us a child. You’re forty now, and the doctors say you’re barren!"
"I'm barren because you've forced me to take birth control for years!" the woman howled, lunging towards the pregnant woman he was protecting. "If I can never have a child, I won't let this tramp have one either!"
But before her hand could even graze the pregnant woman's dress, she was kicked away by the man.
Security guards from the mall rushed in and escorted everyone involved away.
Seeing this, Winona Sullivan took Lydia's arm, "Mom, let's go upstairs and look around."
One step forward and realizing Lydia wasn't following, she turned to see her mother pale and agitated. Winona furrowed her brow, "Mom, what's wrong?"
"Winona, tell me the truth. You and Zachary have been married for three years with no pregnancy... Is it him? Did he force you to take birth control?"
The mention of birth control startled Winona Sullivan into silence.
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