LOGINEveryone was stunned into silence, unable to believe that Winter had openly challenged the matriarch of the Stroud family. Was this really the same timid, meek woman they had always known?"W-What did you just say?" Heather stammered. Her eyes widened, and her pale face slowly turned red."Did you really go to Mr. Morrison only to find out Jessica's and Joshua's birth charts are a mismatch?" Winter snorted, clearly entertained by the situation. "It appears all your scheming and calculations were for nothing. Even bringing me into the family couldn't wake Philip from his coma."Mr. Morrison was clearly nothing but a fraud. It would have been far better if Joshua had simply married Jessica back then. Not only would Joshua have had the woman of his dreams, but you'd also have a daughter-in-law who met your standards. Everyone would have been happy, right?"All eyes fell on Winter's cold, sharp face. The maids shivered, a cold sweat prickling their skin.Philip remained the Stroud fam
Though Gretchen had meant well, her actions had only made things worse.…Just as Winter entered the living room, Heather's piercing voice struck from behind. "Stop right there!"Winter froze, her cold gaze cutting straight to her.That single shout was enough to summon every maid in Rippleview Court. They remained in the shadows, ready to see the drama unfold.Back when Joshua and Winter lived under the same roof as Heather, it was common for Heather to "impose rules" on Winter. Still, she always waited until Joshua was away.Privately, the maids sighed over the hollow promise of marrying into money. Not only was Winter without her family's support, but she also had to endure a cold, distant husband and an overbearing mother-in-law. She had no dignity to speak of.How was her life any different from that of a mistress? Upon reflection, the distinction was clear—exclusivity. Her body belonged to Joshua and no one else, given completely of her own volition. "Winter, how could y
Winter's expression faltered."Terry is so pitiful… Mrs. Stroud, I feel so heartbroken for him!" Jessica choked out, tears streaming down her face. "I hate that I can't take away his suffering. I'm so useless… If heaven wants to punish someone, it might as well punish me. Why must Terry be the one to suffer?""Jessica, your health isn't exactly great either. Please don't speak so harshly about yourself," Heather said, her eyes glistening as she studied Jessica's distressed face.She gently patted her shoulder and added, "Joshua is constantly traveling the globe while carrying the weight of the family business on his own. It's impossible for him to handle everything by himself. From now on, we'll be counting on you to take good care of Terry."Even though Terence had a biological mother, Heather still chose to entrust him to another woman. It was as though Winter no longer existed in her eyes.Dabbing away her tears, Jessica said resolutely, "Please don't worry, Mrs. Stroud. I will
It was true that a mother and child shared an unspoken bond. Though Winter felt a pang in her chest, she kept her voice calm. "How is he?""Mr. Terence has complained all morning about feeling unwell and has stayed home from school. By evening, he had developed a fever. He keeps saying his chest feels tight. No matter what, he can't stop coughing!"Winter clenched her hand, her voice low and steady. "I'm sure it's an asthma attack. The medicine is in the second drawer by the bedside. Please make sure he takes it.""Mrs. Stroud, aren't you going to come back to check on Mr. Terence?""I'm afraid not," Winter said, steeling herself. "You should contact his father first. I don't think Terry wants to see me.""Mrs. Stroud, what are you saying? Are you still holding a grudge against Mr. Stroud over the incident at Stroud Estate? It's not fair to take it out on Mr. Terence. He's just an innocent five-year-old!"At this point, Gretchen no longer bothered with formalities. Her worry for
Winter felt completely puzzled. If compensation wasn't necessary, why hadn't Ezekiel simply replied by text? Why did he take the extra step of following her on Instagram just to say it?Perhaps he truly did want her to pay. As a grown man, he might not have wanted to appear petty asking outright. Following her on social media could be his subtle way of getting her attention.It made perfect sense to Winter. Her understanding of social cues was clearly exceptional."Mr. Fulton, you don't have to feel embarrassed. After all, Terence was the one who damaged your clothes. As his mother, it's only right that I take responsibility. How much do I owe you?""I have more coats like that than I could keep track of. Even if it weren't stained, I seldom wear the same one twice. There's no need for your kindness."Winter pressed her lips together.Joshua had the same mindset. If his couture pants even got a speck of dust, he would never wear them again. The cost didn't matter to him at all.
Ezekiel lowered his gaze, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "With George's build, he'd need to eat three portions of that."George was left speechless. To Alistair, he was nothing more than a bottomless pit in a human suit. With Ezekiel and Alistair inside the Maybach, the car headed swiftly toward home."Auro, I know it's your birthday, but there's something I need to tell you," Ezekiel said. He sat with a refined, upright grace, crossing his legs, appearing perfectly at ease. However, the intensity in his gaze betrayed the gravity of his words. "You misbehaved today. Don't ever speak like that in front of Winter again. Otherwise, you won't be allowed to see her anymore."Alistair was startled. His eyes reddened as he blurted out, "Dad, I was wrong. I promise I'll never do it again."Ezekiel nodded slightly. "Good. You should always learn from your mistakes.""Dad, do you have feelings for Winter?" Alistair asked suddenly, his expression turning serious.Seated in the fro







