The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 323

"I need to use the restroom," Maeve announced, pointing to a small public facility just off the trail.

Roxana rolled her eyes at the inconvenience. "I'll go with you, princess."

"You're weaker than I am," Maeve shot back. "You couldn't even support my weight. Let Winona do it."

"Forget it," Roxana scoffed. "Just hold it. I'm not letting you anywhere near her."

Maeve bit her lip, looking pitifully at Stefan and Roxana. "Can't you have just a little sympathy for me?"

Seeing the sheer number of bodyguards surrounding them, Winona figured Maeve couldn't possibly try anything too crazy. "It's fine. I'll go with her."

She stepped forward to help support Maeve's weight.

Maeve offered a rare, pleasant smile. "Thank you."

Winona wasn't fooled. She stayed on high alert, half-expecting Maeve to snap at any second.

As they reached the restroom entrance, Maeve suddenly turned to her, eyes practically burning with malice. "Time to die, Winona."

Before Winona could process the words, Maeve pulled out a small aerosol can and sprayed something directly into her face. Winona threw her arms up defensively, blinded.

In that split second, Maeve shoved her with all her might.

Winona stumbled backward, hitting the low wooden guardrail. It gave way. As gravity pulled her backward into the open air, her mind went completely blank.

Maeve stood at the edge, a twisted smile of triumph on her face.

She waited until Winona was completely out of sight before letting out a bloodcurdling scream. "Help! Help! Winona fell over the edge!"

She had planned it perfectly. This spot was a blind spot for the trail cameras. No one could prove she had pushed her.

Stefan and Roxana came sprinting toward the sound.

Standing at the edge of the broken guardrail, all the color drained from Stefan's face. He slowly turned to look at Maeve, his eyes dark with a murderous, unhinged rage.

"You're a psychopath," he snarled, his voice vibrating with lethal intent. "If she dies, I will destroy you."

Without another word, he threw himself over the edge, scrambling recklessly down the steep, treacherous decline.

"Call the police!" Roxana screamed at the bodyguards. "We're going down after them!"

"Yeah."

He would make damn sure she was okay.

When Winona finally opened her eyes, she was staring up at a white hospital ceiling.

He had found her.

Every inch of her body ached, and when she tried to speak, no sound came out.

Then, she heard the soft scrape of a chair being pulled closer. Stefan's face drifted into her line of sight.

"The painkillers must be wearing off. I'll have the nurse come in and give you another dose, alright?"

His voice was incredibly soft. Winona managed a weak "Mhm."

Once the fresh painkillers kicked in, the blinding agony finally faded to a dull throb.

The nurse gently explained the extent of her injuries: a puncture wound straight through her leg, a fractured arm, and a broken shoulder. She was looking at a minimum of a month in the hospital.