Chapter 187 You're Really Something
Zachary Bailey caught her just as she was scrambling out with her things. "Where are you headed? Let me give you a lift."
Winona Sullivan's gaze traveled up along his hand, then from his face to Fiona's, her eyes full of disdain. "You're really something, you know that? Barely done with one, and you've already lined up your spare."
She had just seen Stella standing by Zachary Bailey's car outside and overheard his conversation with Fiona.
Winona couldn't help thinking about her past self—wasn't she just like Fiona is now, eagerly waiting to hear some affection from this man?
Zachary Bailey furrowed his brows intensely. "She's just here to deliver a partnership proposal for her dad, not a new fling. I'm not interested in her."
The cold look on his face softened a bit. "If it bothers you—"
"I'm not bothered," Winona Sullivan cut him off. "Let go of me. Don't make me regret being married to you even more."
Unsure whether it was her words or something else that struck a chord, Zachary Bailey slowly released his tight grip.
The moment his hand let go, Winona Sullivan dashed toward the door, running straight to where Austin's car was parked on the roadside, its window down, beckoning to her.
She jogged to the passenger side, pulled open the door, and sat down. Zachary Bailey's eyesight was sharp enough to see her face and the side profile of her smile from that distance.
Zachary bit down hard on his back teeth, a fiery pain shooting through his chest. He ignored Fiona and strode over to his car.
Seeing him emerge, Stella greeted him with a sweet smile. "Mr. Bailey, are we headed back to your company later?"
She had come to the Bailey Group to find Zachary Bailey today, hoping her father could strike a partnership deal with them. She had volunteerred to talk with Zachary first, wondering how she might see him without an appointment, and unexpectedly ran into him at basement-level one.
Zachary Bailey, pressed for time, brushed her off without fully listening to her. But Stella wasn't one to give up easily and had followed him all the way.
"No, I don't have plans to collaborate with your company at the moment."
"But my dad is very sincere," she persisted. "He said you could pick and choose any of the big projects the Chen family is working on..."
Zachary Bailey didn't waste further words with her, pulled open the door to the driver's seat, and got in. He sat inside a top-of-the-line Maybach, having already had Dylan Collins deal with the Bentley he used to drive.
Stella followed suit, reaching for the door handle only to be stopped in her tracks by Zachary Bailey's icy stare. She could hardly bear the pressure emanating from his gaze and slowly released the handle, stepping back.
As the car sped away, a cloud of dust and exhaust engulfed her.
Holding her proposal, Stella stamped her foot with frustration, watching the Maybach's taillights fade away, "Big deal. One day I'll have you falling at my feet, completely smitten…"
A woman's mocking sneer came from behind her, "Yeah, right. Dream on, girl. As long as Winona Sullivan's around, Zachary Bailey won’t give you the time of day."
Startled, Stella whipped around, hurling insults at Fiona who had snuck up on her, "What are you, a ghost? Who sneaks up on someone like that?"
Eyeing Fiona suspiciously, Stella sized her up, "So, you're Mr. Bailey's paramour? Not much to look at, how did he end up with you?"
Fiona was accustomed to being pampered as a wealthy heiress, using humiliation as her weapon without restraint.
In Fiona's eyes, Stella was a harmless fool who, due to her privileged background, was fearless and capable of causing a scene – a perfect pawn to annoy Winona Sullivan. And if she were also a cruel heiress with a wicked streak, all the better.
Fiona smiled reassuringly, "Zachary and I are just friends. The media make up stories for attention. You don't have to worry about me," she said, comforting like an elder sister. "If you really want to get closer to Zachary, you should be wary of his ex-wife, Winona Sullivan. She trapped him into marrying her through seduction, but Zachary never cared for her. Any woman that gets close to Zachary ends up with a bad fate; he keeps his distance to avoid collateral damage."
Fiona spoke softly, "Only by being distant can he protect those he cares about."
Stella was indignant, "Winona Sullivan is disgusting, resorting to such filthy tricks to force Mr. Bailey into marriage."
With a cryptic smile, Fiona retorted, "Stella's naive and carefree nature is truly endearing."
…
Winona Sullivan had to get back to work that afternoon. Although Austin wasn't thrilled, he had no choice but to drop her off at View Studio, "Dinner tonight? I wanted to have lunch with you, but that old coot at the station wouldn't stop blabbering and we ran late."
Just as she was about to respond, Austin's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and dismissed the call with a swipe, though before he could slip the phone back into his pocket, it rang again. With a huff, he hung up once more, only for it to blare yet another incoming call.
By the fourth ring, he was ready to dismiss it again, but Winona Sullivan had had enough. She opened the car door and got out. "It might be important; you should take it. I have to head to work anyway."
"Alright, we'll touch base later tonight then."
When Winona walked away, Austin answered the call with exasperation, "What's with the constant calling? You trying to send me to an early grave?"
Something said on the other end had him changing his tune, quickly shifting gears and stepping on the gas. "I'll be right back."
The response to last night's show was overwhelming, and throughout the day, Winona's phone was flooded with congratulatory messages. She crafted a standard thank-you response and began pasting it into each reply until she reached one from Matthew Watson.
Matthew Watson: [Congratulations, Winona! How about dinner tonight to celebrate?]
Matthew's intentions were crystal clear, and Winona couldn't pretend to be oblivious to them. Considering they would need to frequently collaborate on design proposals for the foreseeable future, she decided to clarify things to avoid any misunderstandings.
Winona replied, preferring directness over beating around the bush: [Matthew, thank you, but no dinner. If this is a friendly gesture, I truly appreciate it. But if it's an advance, I'm sorry, I’ll have to decline.]
"I know you're not ready for a new relationship now, and I can wait, Winona. Don't rush to reject me. Nobody can predict the future - who knows, you might change your mind someday."
His second message followed quickly: [I won't pressure you; we can stay friends.]
Winona replied: [Think about your aunt and uncle, the high hopes they have for you. They'd never approve of you marrying a divorced woman, especially your own brother's ex-wife.]
She wasn't being self-deprecating; she just wanted to reject him.
Matthew responded with a bitter smile emoji: [Winona, I'm nearly thirty. Why do you think a man my age can't decide on his own marriage? If that were the case, I wouldn't be bothering you, much less pursuing you.]
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