Chapter 159 Reconciliation Attempt
Zachary Bailey's mouth tightened at the corners as his gaze slid away. "Carlos, you've heard it too. Your daughter and I were never meant to be. The sum I gave you, I want it returned to my account within a week."
Carlos's face noticeably paled. The amount Zachary had given him was substantial. "You gave that money willingly. Since when does one take back a gift?"
"The money was to prevent you from harassing my wife. Now that we're separated, it's no longer my concern whether you bother her or not, voluntary or otherwise." Zachary placed a small voice recorder on the table. "Would you care to hear your words from back then, Carlos?"
Carlos's expression darkened, and he gritted his teeth. "No need."
The silence was abruptly shattered by the ringing of Zachary Bailey's phone, which lay on the table. Noting the caller ID, he stood, excusing himself with a curt, "Apologies, I need to take this," before stepping away.
Carlos turned his venomous gaze on Winona Sullivan. "Marry him again," he commanded coldly.
Winona's brows furrowed in disbelief. Did Carlos view Zachary as some disposable item, to be tossed aside or retrieved at will?
"I can't," she declared firmly, her resolve as clear as a diamond.
After a tense pause, Carlos seemed to reluctantly acquiesce. "Fine, if you don't want to reconcile with Zachary, that's your choice. But we can't afford to lose the Bailey's support. If you won't be with him, help him connect with Layla."
In reality, Winona knew she had gained nothing from her years as a Bailey.
Her eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. Layla's grand entrance earlier suddenly made sense - this father-daughter duo had been plotting all along.
"Layla and Zachary Bailey?" Winona couldn't help but scoff. "In your dreams."
The idea was preposterous. Even if Zachary had been married before, he wouldn't choose Layla unless he were blind.
Layla's reassurances slowly soothed an irate Carlos. He took a deep breath and said, "If you could marry Zachary due to a single night's mistake, Layla can do the same. Sure, she may not be quite your equal in beauty or figure, but she still stands out in a crowd."
He handed Winona a small pill. "Find a moment to slip this into Zachary's drink. As the heiress of the Sullivan family, you have all the leverage you need."
Before he could say more, Zachary returned from his call. Carlos motioned frantically for Winona to hide the pill.
She pocketed it, but didn't hesitate to expose her father's plan.
"My dad wants me to drug your drink and arrange a room for you and Layla."
Ignoring Carlos's furious expression, she rose to her feet and left with her head held high.
Zachary's gaze fell upon the small pill on the table, his eyes glacial. "Quite the strategy, Carlos," he remarked, his voice dripping with disdain.
Without another word, he left Carlos and Layla behind, their faces ashen.
His footsteps echoed sharply against the floor, the metallic ring on the concrete resounding painfully in their ears.
He quickly caught up with Winona, who had left just moments before.
Before he could speak, Winona Sullivan cut him off. "About the money, did you do that on purpose?"
Bringing it up now, right after she had refused to remarry him—it was too suspicious. She didn't believe for a moment that he was unaware of the misunderstanding it would cause Carlos.
It felt like a deliberate trap!
Zachary Bailey challenged her. "So, Mrs. Sullivan, what would be my motive in doing that?"
To force her into remarrying him? The idea was laughable.
Zachary Bailey watched Winona with an air of inevitable dominance, observing every subtle shift in her expression, decoding her thoughts.
"Are you feeling pressured into remarriage?" He scoffed. "Winona Sullivan, you're reading too much into it."
Winona remained silent.
After departing from the diner, she retreated to her apartment to gather her belongings. With a determined resolve, she relocated to Rebecca Davis's residence. All the while, her phone buzzed with relentless calls from Carlos, none of which she answered. Eventually, she chose to switch off her phone entirely.
The thought of Carlos causing a scene at her place if he couldn't reach her was a concern. With her impending visit to her grandfather's grave, the last thing she needed was additional drama.
There was no predicting what an enraged Carlos might do.
Winona arranged for a flight two days hence. Her grandfather had resided in a quaint town named Silverton, a place she frequented during holidays, necessitating an additional two-hour drive post-flight.
Once her plans were in place, she informed her Uncle Isaac of her upcoming visit.
On the day she was to return to Silverton, snowflakes waltzed from the sky. The streets and trees were adorned with a pristine white blanket, the world seemingly draped in silver.
Rebecca escorted her to the airport. "Winona, pass on my regards to Isaac and Melissa, and light a candle for your grandfather. Tell him I'll visit next year."
"Will do. You should head back now, and be cautious; the snow might make the roads slippery."
Winona checked in her luggage and navigated through security. The terminal was hushed, the early hour contributing to the tranquility. As she was scrolling through her phone, a polished, familiar voice resonated. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
Lifting her gaze, she found Matthew Watson standing before her, suitcase in hand. Startled, she exclaimed, "Matthew, what brings you here?"
Without any preamble, Matthew admitted, "I'm here to pay respects to my grandfather as well."
The Watsons and her family had been close for generations. That bond had waned after her mother's passing, but the friendship between Matthew's grandfather and hers had always persevered.
Even the noblest intentions seemed exclusive to their generation. Matthew Watson had journeyed a great distance to pay respects to his grandfather's grave. It seemed slightly implausible.
In response to her skeptical gaze, Matthew Watson offered a smile. "My grandpa and your grandpa were good friends. He was supposed to go on this journey, but his mobility has been an issue lately, so he asked me to take his place."
Winona Sullivan replied, "I appreciate your efforts."
Her grandfather had often compared her to Matthew Watson, expressing that he would have fewer worries if she were as sensible as him.
Half an hour later, it was time to board the flight.
Matthew Watson's ticket was for first class, while Winona Sullivan was in economy. He had intended to upgrade her or exchange seats, but she declined.
Having stayed up late conversing with Rebecca Davis the previous night, Winona was in need of rest and quickly donned her sleep mask once on board.
Meanwhile, in first class, Matthew Watson, separated from the tardy newcomer Zachary Bailey by a single aisle, asked with a hint of grimness, "What brings you here?"
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