Chapter 166 The Parting of Ways
"Shouldn't Isaac have a say in this?" Winona Sullivan's words hung in the air, her penetrating gaze shifting to Isaac, who was attempting to blend with the background, busying himself with some weeding. "Why not ask him if he'd want his father laid to rest in a place such as this?"
Suddenly the center of attention, Isaac could no longer pretend to be oblivious. "Winona, let's just follow Melissa's suggestion. We've sought the counsel of a shaman who claims this spot is auspicious."
Winona Sullivan fell silent, her disappointment palpable as she stood before her grandfather's grave.Seeing her yield, Melissa attempted to defuse the tension with soothing words.
However, just as she knelt beside Winona Sullivan, before she could utter a single word, she heard her say, "Grandpa, remain here for a few more days. Once I've located a more suitable place, I'll have you moved there."
Melissa's eyes widened in disbelief. "Didn't you agree to let Isaac make the decision? He suggested we heed my advice and we're not in favor of the move."
Winona rose to her feet, her stance firm and resolute. "I said he could make a decision, not that I would abide by it. If his decision coincides with mine, I'll respect it. If not, I'll follow my own path."
Melissa's fury surged, her blood boiling, and in a reckless abandonment of reason, she raised her hand to strike Winona Sullivan. "Who do you think you are? Why should you care about where the old man is laid to rest? And how dare you defy your elders! Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your mother—or should I say, the woman who conceived out of wedlock—since you clearly lack manners!"
The events unfolded rapidly. Before Winona Sullivan could react to Melissa's impending slap, a man was already by her side.
Melissa's hand was abruptly intercepted by a firm grip, stopping just short of striking Winona's face.
Pain rocketed through Melissa's wrist and radiated through her nerves. Her face contorted in agony as a cold sweat formed on her brow. "Release me," she demanded through gritted teeth.
Zachary Bailey's gaze was cold as he glared at her, his expression darkening with threat. "Unless you're willing to lose your hand, I'd advise you to back off!"
The pain nearly brought Melissa to her knees, but Zachary's unyielding grip forced her to maintain an awkward half-crouch. "I won't do it again, I promise!"
In a moment of heated anger, she had lashed out at Winona, mistaking her for Justin.
Isaac dropped the grass he was holding and hurried over, urgency etched on his face. "Zach, let's discuss this calmly. Melissa’s just temperamental; she didn’t mean any harm."
He didn't dare touch Zachary, instead extending a supportive hand to Melissa.
Zachary discarded Melissa as if she were trash. Despite Isaac's support, Melissa fell roughly, her palm scraping against the coarse, unforgiving ground.
Melissa let out a shriek of rage that could rival a banshee's wail, scrambling to lunge at Winona. "You think you're Carlos's child? Let me tell you, you're a bastard with an unknown father! Your mother vanished for a year and returned pregnant. When questioned about the father, she remained silent. Your grandfather nearly beat her to death over it. In the end, your father took the blame and didn't even mind. If he had, you wouldn't even be here!"
Isaac struggled to restrain her. "Enough, Melissa!"
He had vowed never to reveal this secret, not even after Carlos and his sister had separated. Isaac was committed to keeping Winona oblivious.
"You're still hoping that Winona will assist with Justin’s job, aren't you?"
"Assist? Do you think your niece here is some saint who thrives on helping her family? She's been pushing everyone away these past few days. If I had known what she was truly like, I would've advocated for a termination of preganacy from the start."
Winona found herself reeling amidst a whirlwind of revelations, her thoughts spinning in disarray. It took her a moment to recover her voice. "What are you suggesting with all this?" she managed to ask.
The idea that she could be anyone other than Carlos's biological daughter was unfathomable. It simply couldn't be true! Carlos had treated her with more kindness than any father would their daughter when her mother was still alive. Her classmates had once been green with envy over their relationship.
However, his treatment of her had soured over time, and she had always attributed this change to the influence of her stepmother. The possibility that it might be because she wasn't his biological child had never crossed her mind.
"If you don't believe me, just ask any of the old neighbors," the voice continued. "Your dad pursued your mom for over six months, and she never even gave him the time of day. It was only after she got pregnant and the guy ditched her that she came crawling back and agreed to marry your dad on the rebound."
Winona Sullivan was at a loss. She had been oblivious to all of this. Could it be that Carlos was harsh to her because he knew she wasn't his flesh and blood? The thought of her mother having a baby and seeking someone to shoulder the responsibility was something she refused to believe. Her mother couldn't have been so immoral. Only Isaac, Melissa, and Matthew Watson had known her mother in these parts.
In her confusion, Winona turned to Matthew Watson for support. She needed someone to step forward and assure her with conviction that her mother wasn't the kind of person they were painting her to be. Matthew Watson had been watching her the entire time; he had even wanted to intervene when Melissa got physical, but he was too slow, preoccupied with something he was holding.
Meeting her gaze, he said, "Winona, your mom's not like that. You're her daughter, and you should trust the kind of person she is. Don't let a few words from someone stir up doubt."
Winona nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, thanks."
His words significantly bolstered Winona Sullivan's spirits. Regardless of the circumstances, she knew she needed to confront Carlos; he was directly involved after all.
Zachary Bailey's brooding gaze was fixed on the two of them, seemingly oblivious to the world around them. His lips tightened into a thin line, and the hand wrapped around Winona Sullivan's waist gradually tightened in tune with his shifting emotions. But just before she felt pain, he let go.
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