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Chapter_116
The bustling activity at the Chambers residence began early that Saturday morning. Nellie was up at the crack of dawn, her preparation starting at 7 a.m. She wore a tailored dark green gown, elegant and fit for royalty, paired with her precious gemstone necklace, a piece worth millions. The occasion was important—Richard, the president of the Art Association, was scheduled to arrive in Seacrity at 10 a.m., and Nellie intended to make a perfect impression.
Once she had completed her preparations, she headed downstairs but noticed Zeke was nowhere to be found. The housekeeper informed her that Zeke was still sleeping. Irritated, Nellie stormed upstairs to drag her son out of bed.
“What time is it already?” she fumed. “Trying to piss me off? Did you forget what day it is? I told you to go to bed early, but you stayed up again. Look at you—what kind of impression do you think you’ll make on Mr. Griffin? Get up right now! You have half an hour to get ready before we head to the airport to pick him up!”
Zeke groaned, ruffling his messy hair. Seeing his mother’s fury, he didn’t dare argue. “Leave me, Mom. I have no clothes on. I promise I’ll be downstairs in half an hour.”
Nellie sighed in frustration but left him to it, heading downstairs herself. Zeke, though annoyed, knew better than to dawdle. He quickly washed up, got dressed, and prepared to leave.
Meanwhile, at Victor’s condominium, Winona had spent the entire night tossing and turning. She hadn’t slept a wink, and when she went to the living room to get a glass of water, she noticed the light still on in Victor’s room. With a sigh, she decided to get him a cup of water, thinking maybe he was working late.
As she approached his door, she heard Victor’s voice from within. “Be good. I’ll come over next week. Didn’t you like that limited edition bag we saw the other day? I’ll get you that if you behave.”
Winona froze, her grip tightening around the cup she was holding. Her expression darkened as she realized what was happening. With a derisive snort, she walked away without knocking, leaving the cup on a nearby table. Inside Victor’s room, he was blissfully unaware of her presence, continuing to flirt with the young model.
Winona lay in bed, her thoughts a swirling mess of bitterness and frustration. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes empty with rage. Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing continuously for a solid ten minutes.
Finally, she reached for it, her fingers stiff as she answered, “Hello, Mom.”
On the other end, Nellie’s voice was sharp and frustrated. “Where have you been? You stayed out all night and didn’t answer your phone this morning. Mr. Griffin’s flight is landing soon—where are you? Have I been too easy on you lately, letting you stay out without calling home? Do you know how worried I was?”
Winona’s lips curled into a bitter smile. Worried? she thought. More like afraid I’d mess up and ruin the apprenticeship ceremony for my dear brother, or worse, embarrass herself among Seacrity’s noblewomen.
But she didn’t voice her true thoughts. Instead, she sighed and replied in a soothing tone, “My bad, Mom. I’m at Victor’s place. I’ll be home in a minute. My phone’s out of juice, so I missed your messages.”
Nellie immediately softened, but there was a trace of suspicion in her voice. “Winona, did you… Did you and Victor ever… you know?”
Winona understood what Nellie was implying. A flash of shyness crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a gentle, almost teasing tone. “Don’t worry, Mom. I haven’t done anything with him. We were in separate rooms.”
Nellie sighed in relief. Her faith in Winona’s words was unshaken. After all, Nellie had raised her daughter to know better. “Alright, Winona. I’m just looking out for you. You should know that men won’t cherish what comes too easily. If you want Victor to treasure you, you’ll have to keep him intrigued. Trust me, I’d never lead you astray.”
Winona’s sneer deepened as she listened to Nellie’s advice. Never would I buy into her twisted notions of love, she thought, especially not from the woman who used me and Zeke to blackmail Dad into marrying her.
She couldn’t help but scoff inwardly at her mother’s words, but she kept her tone calm. “I know you wouldn’t, Mom.”
There was a pause before Winona added, “By the way, is Lucas bringing Yvette home today?”
Nellie’s voice shifted at the mention of Yvette. “Yeah. Your dad had a gown custom-made for her by the daughter of the Sterling family. She’ll be delivering it later this afternoon for Yvette to try on.”
Winona’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Sterling family. “The Sterling family?” she repeated, trying to hide her surprise. “Is it Sienna Sterling?”
Nellie, oblivious to her daughter’s reaction, confirmed, “Yes, it’s that Sienna. I was surprised too. She’s usually very selective, only making five custom gowns a year. But this year, she’s already met her quota and still accepted your dad’s order. He must’ve paid her handsomely. I had hoped she’d make one for you, but it’s too late now. Don’t worry, though. I’ve already contacted Eminence Couture to design a stunning gown for you.”
Winona’s jealousy flared at the thought of her father spending so much on Yvette. It was another reminder of how Yvette always seemed to receive special treatment. Winona didn’t dwell on it for long, though. She glanced at her watch, then spoke up, “Mom, I’m going to pack up now. I have some clothes and cosmetics at Victor’s place. I’ll get everything ready and meet you guys at the airport.”
Nellie was so preoccupied with advising Winona that she didn’t notice the time slipping away. “Alright, alright. Be quick. I’ll see you at the airport,” she agreed, finally willing to let Winona handle things on her own.
After hanging up, Winona went to wake Victor up. When he opened his eyes, he was taken aback by her appearance. Her face was tired, dark circles under her eyes, and she looked utterly drained.
“What’s wrong, Winona?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. “You look so tired. Those dark circles make you look worse!”
Winona barely glanced at him, still harboring her resentment from the night before. She nodded stiffly, “It’s nothing. Hurry and get ready. We need to pick up Mr. Griffin at the airport.”
Victor, sensing the tension, immediately began to get ready. He knew how important Richard’s visit was, and he couldn’t afford to take it lightly. He quickly donned a formal suit, determined to make a good impression.
Once Victor was ready, Winona smiled with satisfaction. She stepped forward to help him adjust his tie, her actions deliberate and poised. To Victor, her gesture felt almost like a perfect partner, and for a moment, he forgot about the tension between them.
He knew full well just how influential Richard was, and his importance to Winona and her family made him take the situation very seriously.
