Chapter 632 The Male Incubus with Eight-Pack Abs
Winona's reaction made Maeve realize that she had no idea Zachary was sick. It seemed their relationship wasn't as solid as it appeared. Maeve pretended to be a bit flustered and explained, "Richard's been bringing me meals these past few days. Now that I'm out of the hospital, I didn't want him to make a wasted trip."
This excuse was so weak it was almost worse than saying nothing.
Winona forced a smile. "Okay, I'll let him know."
The party was at the Bailey family estate, organized by Lydia herself. Winona had thought it would be a small gathering of close friends, but once the event officially started, she realized half the social circle was there.
The scene was grand enough to be mistaken for an engagement party.
Winona, holding Lydia's arm, whispered, "Mom, isn't this a bit over the top?"
"It's a world-class competition, and you won first place. This is nothing," Lydia was more excited than Winona herself. "And this isn't even grand. If your stubborn father hadn't stopped me, I would have invited the media for an exclusive interview, broadcast on all major platforms, so everyone could see how amazing my daughter-in-law is.
"Look at today's party. If you're not satisfied, we'll consider it a trial run and do it again tomorrow, but even bigger."
Winona quickly stopped her, worried she might actually invite reporters. "Mom, this is perfect. Thank you."
Since returning to the country, Winona had done a few interviews arranged by the museum, which were part of the process. But if she followed Lydia's suggestion and invited the media for a personal interview, it would be seen as showing off and would definitely attract criticism.
Seeing Winona's refusal, Lydia didn't push further. She had already been turned down by Evander many times before, so her enthusiasm had waned.
She patted Winona's hand lovingly. "This is your celebration. Do whatever you want. Mom will support you."
Winona smiled. "Thank you, Mom."
As they shared a tender moment, Zachary, standing behind them, couldn't help but interject, "Mom, don't you think it's time to give Winona back to me? People might think she's my sister."
"Why? Go entertain the guests!" Lydia glared at him. If it were just family, she would have given him a piece of her mind. "You might as well marry your company. When people ask about your wife, you can say you married your company and have no wife."
"Mom!"
"Shut up. Don't call me Mom. Go learn from your father. He got me to the courthouse the day after he proposed," she scoffed at him. "Really, each generation gets worse."
Winona enjoyed her dessert, watching the drama unfold without getting involved.
A guest approached with a glass raised. "This must be Ms. Sullivan, the award winner from Aetheria. She's so talented and beautiful. Zachary must be out of his mind to divorce such a wonderful wife. What a shame!"
The comment was so over-the-top that Winona suspected she was here to stir up trouble. "A woman who's been divorced, no matter how talented, is always seen as lesser. If only our Jack had met Ms. Sullivan earlier..."
Lydia, with a mocking tone, replied, "Oh, if they had met earlier, he would have ended up in the hospital. Jack was so unwell last time, he couldn't get out of bed for half a month."
This hit a nerve. "Lydia."
"Oh, I'm just joking. Why so serious?" Lydia rolled her eyes dramatically. "You don't work, and besides playing poker, can't you keep up with the news? Winona is our Bailey family treasure. Their divorce was just a playful thing to spice up their relationship. Your family should stay out of it."
"What kind of tone is that?"
Zachary seized the moment to pull Winona to his side. The party had been going for half an hour, and he finally got to hold his wife's hand.
Winona looked at the two women arguing. "Does Mom not get along with her?"
"Not just not get along. They bicker every time they meet. They were classmates and have always been rivals, from clothes to husbands to sons. They even compete over who can throw trash more accurately. Everything is a competition."
Zachary wasn't interested in gossip, but Lydia always recounted her experiences in detail. "Her second son was recently jailed for domestic violence and hasn't been released yet."
"Then why did Mom invite her?"
"To show off her daughter-in-law, of course. You're now a nationally recognized, top-tier artisan," Zachary said, handing Winona a dessert. "Eat something. You might have to drink later."
After Winona took the dessert, he continued, "Our divorce was a hot topic recently, and her daughter-in-law just had twins. Mom's been dealing with her snide remarks and wanted to get back at her."
Winona frowned, looking towards Lydia. "I'm worried Mom's health can't handle the stress."
"They've been bickering for decades. If it really bothered them, they'd have gotten sick long ago. It's just for fun. No one takes it to heart. And do you think Mom would let herself be at a disadvantage?"
Winona recalled how Zachary had been scolded without a chance to respond and nodded sincerely. "Yeah, no one stands a chance against Mom."
Zachary laughed helplessly. "I've changed. Can't you give me a better title?"
"What title? A charming demon? Or a demon with an eight-pack?"
Winona fell silent.
She was joking, but Zachary actually pondered for a few seconds, as if seriously considering it, then smiled and nodded. "That works."
The two chatted and laughed, unaware of how many people were watching them.
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