After dinner, Chris did exactly what he had promised and gave her Mrs. Xander Sr.’s photo album.
Late that night, Winter curled up in one corner of the sofa with the album Mrs. Xander Sr. used to look through all the time before she died, turning the pages one by one.
It felt as if time had gone backward. She could almost see herself tucked into her arms, looking through the album with her.
Mrs. Xander Sr. had told her stories about her younger days, about how she and Mr. Xander Sr. had met, and how she had pushed that stubborn man, who loved her more than he ever admitted, into marrying her. She had told her stories about Chris’s parents too.
When she was alive, she often said Winter reminded her of herself when she was young. Maybe that was why she had always loved her a little more fiercely.
Winter missed her so much.
Suddenly, the album was pulled from her hands, and Chris’s cool, low voice followed.
“It’s late. Look at it tomorrow.”
Her hands fell empty, but she didn’t try to grab it back.
She quietly looked away, lowered the legs she had drawn up on the couch, got up, and walked to the bed. She reached over, turned off the light, pulled back the covers, and lay down in the middle of the bed.
At last, she spoke her first words since dinner.
“Get out.”
The bedroom door made the faintest sound as it shut. Winter closed her eyes. Then suddenly, the mattress shifted behind her. The blanket was lifted, and in the next second, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her
back.
Her back pressed against a warm, broad chest.
In the dark, Winter didn’t struggle. She slowly opened her eyes.
“That morning at the market, when William took a knife for me, you called, and I didn’t answer. You already knew then that Skyla was the one who had hired someone to kill me, didn’t you?”
The arm around her waist stiffened slightly, then slowly tightened.
That was answer enough.
Winter let out a soft laugh. In the dark, no one could see the tears sliding from the corners of her eyes.
“Back then, out at sea, you shouldn’t have saved me. It would’ve been better if I’d died then.” She said it lightly, but her voice was empty.
+25 Bonus
A knocking sound came from the door.
She turned, walked over, and opened it. General came running in from outside. She crouched down and wrapped her arms around him, gently rubbing his head.
Lowering her face, she pressed it lightly against his head, as if trying to borrow strength from him.
“Good boy, General.”
A low whine rumbled from his throat as he leaned into her.
Winter looked up at the thick darkness outside the window. She pressed her lips together.
“I’m going to need your help again later.”
Meanwhile, several black sedans blocked the road in front of the villa.
Sean tapped a finger lightly against the face of his watch, then lifted his gaze to the bodyguards emerging from the shadows around the villa.
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