Chapter 289 Make Amends for the Past
The previous night, Wendy was seething with rage after being mocked by Zachary. She spent the whole night cursing Winona under her breath. Early in the morning, a sharp knock on the door interrupted her restless thoughts. She opened it, her face stern and unwelcoming.
To her surprise, Austin stood at the threshold, the very man she had been longing to see.
She was momentarily stunned and instinctively covered her face with her hand. “Austin, hold on a sec. I need to wash my face. Be right back.”
Wendy turned to rush back to her room to put on some makeup, but Austin stopped her. “Miss B... I mean, Wendy, I just need to say a few words and then I’ll leave. I won’t even look at your face, so no need to waste your time.”
Damn it, Zachary. He had messed up his script. What the hell, Miss Bitch? This couldn't be happening.
"Austin, what did you call me?" Wendy was dumbfounded. She never expected that such a humiliating term would come out of the mouth of the man she liked.
Austin looked serious and sincerely apologized. "Sorry, it slipped out."
Wendy still felt deeply wronged, her eyes welling with tears. She turned her face to show Austin her most flattering angle.
Austin stood tall, his posture rigid as if he were in military training. “Wendy, you’re Chloe’s best friend, so I’ve always seen you as a sister. From the day we met, I’ve had no romantic interest in you. Despite our parents’ attempts to set us up, I’ve made my stance clear. I won’t stop you from hanging out with Chloe, but I ask that you refrain from mentioning Winona to my mother.”
This wasn’t just about refraining from criticism; he was asking her to avoid mentioning Winona entirely. Did he think she was incapable of saying anything positive?
"Austin, do you trust her that much? She said I badmouthed her in front of Mrs. Davis, and you didn't even bother to check with Mrs. Davis before questioning me?" Wendy stared into Austin's eyes. "Don't you trust me or Chloe's judgment? Do you really think I would try to drive a wedge between you and Mrs. Davis?"
"Winona didn't say anything to me," Austin frowned, explaining patiently, "I just know my mom well. Even if she disapproves, she wouldn’t sabotage anyone to maintain her reputation."
His mom had reached her position through impeccable public relations. "The reason she's doing this is to give you confidence and peace of mind. As for why, you should know better than I do."
Austin continued, "Wendy, I hope you take my words to heart and don't let this happen again."
He came quickly and left just as fast, even closing the door behind him.
The door slammed so hard that Wendy trembled. She screamed, sweeping everything off the shoe cabinet in a fit of rage.
Meanwhile, Michelle had spent the whole day at the museum. Through their conversations, it was clear she wasn't just a pretty face. She knew a lot about ancient artifact restoration and could hold her own in various topics.
At 5:30 PM, Winona was preparing to leave work, her bag slung over her shoulder. Michelle smiled and caught up with her. “Winona, let’s have dinner together.”
Winona politely declined. “No, I have something to do. Maybe next time.”
This was a courteous way to refuse. Outside of work, Winona had become wary of making new friends and seldom went out with people she barely knew.
As she reached the entrance, Winona noticed a Maybach parked there. A tall man stood beside it, engrossed in a phone call.
Winona instinctively slowed her steps, hoping to pass by unnoticed. But Zachary had already spotted her. His keen eyes quickly discerned her intentions. He hung up the phone and strode toward her with determined steps. The sunlight cast a golden halo around him. "I'm here to pick you up from work."
This was something he had never done before, catching her completely off guard.
Winona hesitated for a moment before reflexively tried to use Michelle as an excuse. "I have plans with..."
She turned around, but Michelle was already gone.
Zachary raised an eyebrow and chuckled, glancing in the direction she had looked. "What plans?"
By this time, Winona had regained her composure. Though she was perplexed by Zachary’s sudden appearance, she stood her ground. "I drove myself today. I appreciate the offer, Mr. Bailey, but I’ll pass."
Zachary’s gaze lingered on her fair face, noting the resolute rejection in her eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times before he spoke again, his voice several octaves lower. "Winona, I just want to make amends for the past."
Picking up his wife from work should be a habitual aspect of marriage.
But he had never done it.
Winona sighed, unwilling to engage in another argument but feeling compelled. "Mr. Bailey, why don’t you go home and smash the mirror in your bathroom? Once you've fixed it, then we can talk."
Zachary paused for a moment, then said, "Even if it's broken, I can manage. How about you move back to Regal Oaks and supervise me?"
Winona stared at him, exasperated. "You're dreaming. I will never move back to Regal Oaks in this lifetime."
Before Zachary could respond, a Jeep screeched to a halt at the steps. The loud noise startled everyone and drew a flurry of attention.
Austin emerged from the vehicle, clad in a white T-shirt and cargo pants. His short hair emphasized his chiseled features, and his presence was commanding and imposing. He walked briskly, a gust of wind seemingly following his path.
He stopped in front of Winona, his brows furrowed. His height and aura were intimidating. "Winona, I apologize for what happened last night. I promise it won't happen again. I'll handle my parents and make sure they don't bother you anymore."
Winona's face carried a distant smile. As Austin approached, she even took two steps back to put some distance between them. "Your parents are just concerned about you. I understand. I've already explained to Mrs. Davis that we're just friends and will never become romantically involved."
She added, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief, "Although late marriages are quite the trend these days, you're not getting any younger. No wonder they’re worried. If you keep delaying, you might not even make it to the late marriage category."
Austin’s expression darkened, but he finally laughed in exasperation. He glanced at Zachary. "No problem. If I miss the late marriage category, I can always date in my old age. I’ve got a long life ahead of me, and outliving someone who sits in an office all day shouldn’t be too hard. Perhaps I won’t even have to wait until I’m seventy!"
Zachary returned his sarcasm with a frosty look. "Even when I'm old, it won't be your turn. She's not blind, and she definitely wouldn’t go for a wrinkled old man."
He then turned to Winona, his tone insistent. "Let me take you home."
Winona was about to respond when Zachary glanced pointedly in Austin’s direction. "Or do you prefer his company?"
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