Chapter135 Losing Mind
"Waiting for him?" Zach's facade of unfazed composure was intact, but listen closely, and one could detect an edge of aggression in his tone.
Winona, leaning against the chair back with heavy eyelids, seemed on the verge of drifting off. "Yeah."
Austin had saved her, and was now locked in the interrogation room. The outcome was still up in the air, and it felt all wrong just to leave without knowing.
Zach's restrained fury erupted, and he yanked her to her feet. "I've already spoken to Anthony Lewis. He'll be fine. I'm taking you home to get some sleep."
His grip appeared rough, but he was careful not to hurt her. His intense gaze fixed on her, and his lips were pressed into a tight line, barely curving with restraint.
"He'll be out in three hours max. But if you insist on staying, don't be surprised if tomorrow brings news of his detention," he said icily, his words laced with menace. "The injury assessment isn't even out yet. What outcome are you hoping for, huh?"
Winona's eyes widened in disbelief. She had no doubt of Zach's influence.
Then, with revulsion, she slipped her hand from his grasp. "I'll get home on my own."
She had barely reached the doorway of the police station when she ran smack into Anthony, who was carrying a briefcase and dressed impeccably. With a scornful smirk, she brushed past him and quickened her pace away.
He looked like a gentleman, but he was just as crooked as Zach—Birds of a feather, those two.
Despite intending to hail a cab, Winona found herself ushered into Zach's car. She insisted on her apartment and, albeit grudgingly, he obliged.
The drive was silent, the quiet within the car thick and unyielding.
After sending a text to Austin, Winona dozed off, her head against the window.
Through the haze of sleep, she heard him mutter, "Sorry I was late."
His voice was low, but she heard it clear as day.
Winona's eyes snapped open, the neon lights outside painting a blurred kaleidoscope, disorienting her momentarily before she gathered her senses. "It's not your fault. No need for apologies."
When Austin showed up, for a fleeting moment, I indulged the fanciful thought that it might be Zachary Bailey...
But soon enough, reason took over and I realized how wildly impractical that idea was. Zachary Bailey couldn't possibly have arrived so soon. Blaming him for being late would have been nothing short of making a mountain out of a molehill.
"You got here pretty quickly," Winona Sullivan said candidly. If it had been her, she reckoned she wouldn't find him until he was cold as a corpse.
Instead of appreciating her understanding, Zachary Bailey's mood soured further.
Relief was genuine, especially when the police found knives on those thugs, but so was the irritation.
Zachary Bailey's eyes fixed on her for what felt like an eternity before he let out a snide chuckle. "Of course, you don't blame me. After all, you had someone fleet-footed at your side."
His sarcastic tone was so aggravating one could almost be driven to violence!
She rolled her eyes.
"Why was Austin there so late?" he asked.
"Must be our psychic connection," Winona retorted, not caring if it irked Zachary Bailey. "That's how he managed to be the first at my side when I was in danger."
Zachary sneered. "You surely must be afraid that he won't be locked up too long."
At that, Winona turned and glared at him.
We reached the apartment, and although Zachary Bailey didn't come up, a few people emerged from a car that pulled up behind us, including two familiar faces—my previous bodyguards.
"Go on up. They'll stand guard by your door tonight, don't worry."
Winona paused for a moment then turned to enter the building.
The guards were stopped by the doorman, and whether it was the sight of Zachary Bailey or something else, they were put through a meticulous check-in process. By the time they were permitted entry, Winona was already a distant figure under the dim lights, her silhouette blurry and indistinct.
Back at home, Winona checked in with Austin to ensure he was okay and had been released from police custody before allowing herself a sigh of relief.
"You really have no heart. You disappear as soon as I get out? Not even an offer to take me to the hospital to check for injuries?" Austin ribbed on the phone.
"I'm sorry, I..." Winona began.
Austin cut her off: "Never mind, I know it must've been Zachary Bailey strong-arming you. Otherwise, with your kind nature, how could you possibly leave me in the lurch? I'll remember the offer for late-night snacks, let's grab some once this whole ordeal is over."
"Sure."
After hanging up, Winona Sullivan casually tossed her phone onto the bed and headed to the bathroom for a soak. It wasn't until she emerged, wrapped in a cloud of steam, that she noticed Anthony Lewis had called. The phone's screen still glowed, evidence the call had been recent.
The only connection to Anthony Lewis was through the relentless divorce proceedings with Zachary Bailey—but Anthony was always so measured, so disciplined. Even when discussing the details of the settlement, he reached out only during business hours. What could he possibly want this late?
They had just seen each other at the police station entrance, and he hadn't looked like he had anything to say to her then.
While Winona was debating whether or not to return the call, the phone rang again. It was Anthony.
Without a greeting, he got straight to the point, "Mrs. Bailey, I need you to come to Regal Oaks immediately."
His tone was different this time. Cooler than the usual robotic demeanor, there was a detectable urgency that Winona could sense, despite his attempt to maintain a level voice.
Winona's brow furrowed. "What's going on?" she asked, feeling an aversion to going back to Regal Oaks unless absolutely necessary.
Anthony was blunt. "It's a matter of life and death."
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