Chapter 304 Did You Have to Goad Him Like That?
Winona asked, "Have you ever been abroad?"
She truly had little knowledge of Zachary from before their marriage.
Zachary shoved a fork into her hand and responded coldly, "Of course."
Beneath the surface calm, Winona caught a hint of anger in his tone. Feeling a pang of guilt, she glanced down, nibbling a croissant. Expecting little from the mass-produced pastry, she was pleasantly surprised by its exceptional softness, a far cry from her usual fare.
Zachary said coldly, "It was delivered by a five-star hotel yesterday."
Winona was was at a loss for words.
Ah, that explained it.
Capitalist overindulgence, starting from breakfast.
After indulging in two more, she murmured, "We were strangers back then. Not odd that I was unaware of your travels. And you, aren't exactly up to speed on my life either, are you?"
Her words resonated with growing confidence. Locking eyes with Zachary, she awaited approval like an eager pup, metaphorical tail wagging with pride.
Hence Zachary smiled.
In that moment, it was as though they'd just tied the knot again. Her gaze conveyed pure affection, devoid of later acrimony, aloofness, or standoffishness. All negativity dissipated.
Zachary softened, a touch of torment fluttering within him, like his heart submerged in a stifling, damp pond.
He raised his hand to touch the top of Winona's head and mentioned a few things that had happened during her college years—mundane events, unlikely to be known by others.
Winona's eyes widened in astonishment. Who would possess such intimate knowledge about someone they weren't close to?
Gradually, her eating pace slowed, the once-flavorful croissant turning bland. "Are you spying on me? Stalker alert?"
Zachary's smile froze, morphing into a chilly sneer, akin to appraising a fool. Grievance surged, his retort icy: "Winona, it's a wonder you made it this far unscathed. Must have divine guardianship."
Wouldn't most interpret this as a crush declaration? How did it spiral into accusations of stalking?
Setting her fork down, Winona declared, "Take your time eating. I'll chat with Daniel."
Without awaiting Zachary's retort, she hastened towards the living room, footsteps swift, almost fleeing.
His visage darkening, Zachary clenched his teeth, a silent storm brewing. He knew she wasn't oblivious, just feigning ignorance to rebuff him.
Zachary sneered, abandoning his meal. Morning appetite ruined. He deserved this.
Eyeballing Winona's retreat, his mind compared her present subtle avoidance to past blunt rejections cloaked in sarcasm.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Daniel lingered, standing rigid. Not from aversion to sitting, but from trepidation.
Rumors had it the design concepts of luxury goods tended towards whimsy, prioritizing aesthetics over durability or functionality. Use once, discard when soiled. That couch, beautiful as it was, likely cost an arm and a leg. What if he marred it by sitting? Would he foot the bill?
Winona didn't have Daniel's concerns. She sat on the couch and said, "Daniel, have a seat."
Daniel remained frozen, and she didn't push. "Have you made up your mind?"
Daniel's throat constricted. "I'm not sure."
A furrow creased Winona's brow. "So, you're dead set on shouldering the blame for the other side? Judging by yesterday’s actions, I could slap you with breaching privacy and defamation charges."
Winona’s strategic move hit home.
"I don't know who ratted you out. The info came via a burner number," Daniel explained, displaying the message to Winona. "Check it out. I'm not fibbing. They kept their identity under wraps."
The message simply read: [There’s an issue with the fixed hairpin Winona worked on.]
Scanning the text, a scoff escaped her. "You're both foolish and vicious."
From a cryptic note, he had rummaged through her belongings and unveiled the hairpin to all. If she couldn't have proved her innocence, with the surveillance missing and so many eyes watching, even if Caleb wanted to protect her, he would had had to follow the rules and suspend her for a while.
An internal affair would be resolvable, but what if the other party looped in the media? Swift to judge, the public wouldn’t wait for the truth. Her recent fame would attract a deluge of abuse, tarnishing her reputation irreparably. By the time the facts emerged, the storm would pass, leaving her marred credibility untouched.
Daniel mumbled, not daring to argue. "I've told you everything I know. You promised not to sue me."
Winona smirked. "I never promised I would let it go. I was just reminding you of the crimes you committed."
Head bowed, she continued, "I escalated this to the cops yesterday. Brace for the consequences rightfully yours. Your public exposure left me no recourse."
Did he comprehend the jeopardy she faced should she fail to justify herself?
He did.
His malevolence was deliberate.
Even if he was filled with righteous indignation, he should have asked her first and found out the truth before making it public.
Winona didn't have the magnanimity to let go of someone who wanted to harm her.
This was when Daniel finally panicked, but his reaction was to lash out in anger. When people become angry, they often lose their sense of reason.
"Winona, how dare you interfere with me?" he snarled.
Daniel had momentarily forgotten the circumstances; this was the Baileys' home, with Zachary present in the room and a formidable group of bodyguards outside.
Before he could even lay a hand on Winona, he was forcefully knocked back by an unseen force.
Zachary's face darkened as he scolded Winona, "Did you really have to goad him like that?"
Realizing she had nothing more to gain from Daniel, Winona decided to leave. She gathered her belongings and informed Zachary, "I have a meeting with Rebecca scheduled."
As she spoke, her phone chimed, and she couldn't help but smile at the name displayed on the screen. However, her eyes remained cold and distant, a stark contrast to her cheerful expression.
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