Chapter136 Vengeance
"What?" Winona was startled.
"Just come to Regal Oaks, Mrs. Bailey," Anthony said before the call ended abruptly, leaving her with a dial tone.
Frowning, Winona mulled over the ominous call. Regal Oaks was Zachary Bailey's stronghold; whatever the trouble, it wouldn't be with him—it had to be someone else.
As she stepped out the door, her otherwise relaxed bodyguards snapped to attention, all eyes on her.
"I need to make a trip back to Regal Oaks," she announced.
Within half an hour, as Winona entered the villa, the scene before her rooted her to the spot in shock. She could hardly believe that the figures strewn across the living room floor, some lying, some crouching, barely breathing, were the same ones who had tried to surreptitiously capture her nude photos in the parking lot earlier that night.
One of the men was on his knees, head bowed in frantic pleading. Despite the thick carpet cushioning him, his forehead was wounded and blood smeared his face.
"Mr. Bailey, we truly didn't know who was behind it," he begged. "It was an acquaintance who brokered the deal, who gave us the money. They just told us to get some pictures of Mrs. Sullivan..."
Having witnessed this man's potential for violence, the word nude remained unspoken.
As the air-conditioner hummed in the background, Zachary Bailey nonchalantly tossed his coat over the couch. Clad only in a black shirt and black trousers, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing creases that marred what was typically a meticulously pressed outfit. He exuded an air of easy defiance, his clothes whispering disarray.
Winona Sullivan couldn't tell if his all-black attire concealed blood. To her, he didn't look much different from his usual self—still the picture of a poised and elegant scion from high society.
But the coppery tang of blood hovering in the air was enough to send her mind reeling…
"What in the world are you doing, Zachary Bailey?"
Anthony Lewis, having been perched on an armchair nearby, caught sight of Winona entering and stood up to leave. "The nearest hospital is a twenty-minute drive. If we get these guys there now, they might survive a few weeks of recovery."
Winona's brow twitched at the sight of men on the floor struggling to even groan. She turned to the bodyguard who had followed her back and ordered, "Get these people to the hospital, now!"
The guard glanced at Zachary, hesitation flickering across his face, but stayed put.
Unable to contain her frustration, Winona raised her voice and unleashed a scathing rebuke for all to hear, "Zachary Bailey, are you familiar with the law? Assault will land you behind bars. "
Zachary's indifferent expression finally cracked as his deep eyes locked onto hers, his voice a controlled low growl, "You have no idea what I'm doing?"
Silence followed.
It was apparent even to Winona, who felt like a fool for not seeing it sooner.
Her anger subsiding slightly, she spoke through gritted teeth, "Zachary Bailey, I've already called the cops. Let them handle it from here. Don't interfere. Justice will take its course."
"And what justice do you expect?" he scoffed at her naivety. "The cameras are mute. The footage will show they never laid a hand on you. At worst, it's harassment, not even serious enough for indecency charges. A few days in detention and they're back out."
His unwavering gaze bore into Winona as his polished black shoe pressed down on the hand of a man on the ground. The victim, who had been lying motionless, nearly unconscious, let out a horrifying scream.
Winona even thought she heard bones shatter!
No flicker of emotion crossed Zachary's face amid the gruesome scene—not even a wrinkle creased his brow.
Desperate, Winona grabbed the hem of his shirt, trying to pull him away—
"Have you lost your mind?!" she exclaimed.
In three years of marriage, Winona Sullivan had never seen this side of the man - drenched in blood, his brutality laid bare. Although Zach always held a cold demeanor, his every move was the epitome of a genteel man, never resorting to violence.
Yet here he was, voice eerily calm, "I was taking care of it for you. Those bastards dared to lay a hand on you."
Despite his serene tone, the scene was a gruesome, violent mess. She couldn't help but feel that beneath his indifference lay fangs sharp enough to tear a person apart. If things continued this way, these men might not make it out alive.
"I don't need you to," Winona gritted out. "Considering where we stand, you shouldn't bother with this, Zach. I don't want to be entangled with you over it."
She knew if he ended up in jail for avenging her, their lives would be inescapably intertwined.
Desperation hadn't yet driven her to the point of preferring him behind bars to emancipating herself from their marriage.
Though her marriage to Zachary Bailey was far from pleasant, she would consider another chance at love if the right person came along. She wanted things to be proper, without any taint to her name.
"I'll settle my own scores without someone else stepping in."
At her words, a chilling glance from Zach. "Austin defends you and you're ready to marry him in gratitude, but when I do it, it's harassment?"
Winona frowned. Why bring Austin into this? The real issue was Zachary's current dangerous and irrational behavior.
Turning to the bodyguards, she commanded, "In the name of Mrs. Bailey, take them to the hospital now."
The guards exchanged looks, then moved with trained efficiency, carrying the injured away and politely shutting the door behind them.
Only when the sound of engines faded did Winona breathe a sigh of relief, eager to escape the lingering stench in the living room.
As she turned to leave, Zach suddenly grabbed her, "Given our situation, we shouldn't be tangled up over this? Then what would you say our relationship is?"
Her instinct warning her, she tried to pull away, "Let me go first—"
"I'll tell you what our relationship is," he continued, ignoring her plea.
With the words still in the air, he gripped her wrist and flung her onto the couch.
Before she could resist, he was upon her, pinning her down...
She hadn't been sure whether Zach was stained with blood, but as he pressed closer, the metallic scent was unmistakable, even stronger than the air in the living room.
Her hand on his chest felt something sticky and wet.
Winona Sullivan's stomach churned violently at the scent, and when she turned her face away, the large bloodstain on the carpet assaulted her eyes...
All her life, she had played by the rules—aside from the occasional slap during her spats with Layla, she had never been exposed to such a horrific scene. Instinctively, her body tensed, ready to recoil.
A single thought dominated her mind: she needed to get as far away from Zachary Bailey—the man reeking of blood and madness—as possible.
But his arm pinned her in place, his hand cupping her chin with tough urgency, forcing her to face him directly.
His kiss was fierce, overwhelming her every breath like a storm.
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