Chapter 288 Everyone Looks Like a Murderer
Zachary's hand rested on the towel, looking like he was about to perform a streaking act right in front of her. Winona’s gaze averted instantly, as if scorched by its intensity.
Without hesitation, she strode over and pushed Zachary out of the bedroom. "Your ten minutes are almost up. Lock the door when you leave, and take the towel downstairs to throw it away."
With that, Winona shut the door firmly.
In the bathroom, steam filled the air, mingling with the familiar scent of her body wash and a faint hint of Zachary's cologne.
There was an inexplicable sense of intimacy.
Logically speaking, after three years of marriage, such a scenario should be quite routine. Yet, in Winona’s recollection, this was unprecedented.
During their time at Regal Oaks, each room boasted its own bathroom, and there was even a communal one outside. Zachary’s absences were frequent, and even when present, it was often late, preventing any such encounters where one exited the shower just as the other entered.
Winona quelled the odd sensation in her heart. Perhaps she was overthinking things due to Zachary’s behavior tonight, which had stirred memories of the past. She turned on the exhaust fan, took a swift shower, and then stationed herself on the chaise lounge by the sliding door with her laptop.
She opened the browser and typed "The Turner Family in A City" in the search bar.
Scrolling through some information about the Turners' background and personnel, she finally understood why both Rodolfo and Zachary had only mentioned them without specifying anyone.
Confronting the intricate web of relationships she had mapped out, she couldn’t help but marvel that the family was genuinely flourishing. The patriarch alone had ten siblings, each with two to five children, and uncountable grandchildren."
And that was just the visible surface layer, including over a dozen publicly acknowledged illegitimate children. Who knew how many more remained hidden?
If they were to assemble for a holiday gathering, they might have to book the hall of a five-star restaurant and still run out of space. Identifying who among them harbored ill intentions towards her was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
After a short while, Winona developed a headache, her mind swarming with images of the Turners, each looking more sinister than the last.
Frustrated, she tossed the laptop aside, lay down, and closed her eyes to rest. Her head rested on the edge of the pillow, her damp hair exposed to the warm air from the air conditioner.
She soon fell asleep comfortably.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Zachary glanced at the phone number Dylan had sent and dialed it without hesitation.
The other side picked up quickly, and a crisp voice answered, "Who is this?"
"Zachary."
Austin was silent for a couple of seconds before slipping into his usual playful tone. "Mr. Bailey, rejected again? Calling your love rival for advice, are you?"
"I’ve no need for advice on how to invite drama by bringing your pursuer and your mother into the mix. That’s not my style. When Winona is with me, she’s treated like royalty. No one dares to utter a harsh word to her, let alone humiliate her openly."
Zachary’s convoluted words had Austin mentally backtracking to fully grasp their meaning. He frowned and asked, "Wendy took my mom to hassle Winona?"
"It's clear your mother really likes Miss Bitch. In this case, stop bothering Winona. No one would willingly marry into such a troublesome family."
Austin understood immediately. Zachary’s call served a dual purpose: to inform him that Wendy was causing trouble and to mockingly urge him to give up.
He replied, "A terrible first marriage ruins the chance for a second. No one would want to remarry after finally getting divorced."
The next day, when Winona awoke, she found herself in bed with a blanket carefully tucked around her. Frowning, she recalled falling asleep on the chaise lounge last night; she had no memory of moving to the bed.
Had Zachary not left last night?
With no time to dwell on it, the thought quickly faded from her mind. After freshening up, Winona noticed the couch in the living room was neat and tidy, showing no signs of anyone having slept there.
Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that Zachary’s crisp scent lingered in the air.
Upon arriving at the museum, Winona learned that the mysterious Chinese-American donor had come to check on the progress of the crown’s restoration. A colleague grumbled, "It’s only been half a month, mostly spent on preliminary discussions. Naturally, there isn’t much progress yet."
"I heard that after Caleb 'persuaded' that foreigner to leave, he went around bad-mouthing us, claiming we’re unprofessional and would ruin the unique treasure. That's why they’re here now, not trusting our expertise. They were already skeptical, and now the donation might fall through."
Winona had assumed that such a wealthy patriot, dedicated to antiques, would be an older individual. She was taken aback to see a young, elegant woman, impeccably dressed in high-end professional attire, with a curvaceous figure yet seemingly around her own age.
Seeing her, the woman greeted first, "You must be the famous Winona from the internet? You're even more beautiful in person than on TV."
Winona politely shook the hand extended to her and said, "Thank you."
The woman beamed, like a die-hard fan meeting her idol, instantly transforming from an elegant lady to an excited fangirl. She introduced herself, "I’m Michelle Cook, the current owner of this crown and also your fan. I was worried that the restoration might not be handled properly, but now that I’ve met you, I have full confidence in leaving it with your museum. I’ll be signing the donation agreement with Caleb later."
They were standing in the workshop in the moment, surrounded by seniors in terms of age, experience, and influence within the field. Michelle’s effusive praise left Winona feeling not flattered, but awkward, almost wishing she could disappear.
She didn't know if Michelle was genuinely naive from living abroad for too long or intentionally trying to make her feel ostracized by her more experienced colleagues.
Smiling self-deprecatingly, Winona said, "You noticed me because I’m more visible, thanks to my appearances on shows. If our seniors were as high-profile, I’d feel thoroughly humbled."
Michelle looked at her, her eyes deep with emotion...
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
