The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 327

Years ago, when Margaret had made the foolish decision to run away and elope with her ex-husband, she had lived in absolute squalor. It was Mrs. Mallory who had secretly sent her money to keep her afloat.

Margaret had never forgotten that kindness.

Later, when Stefan had nearly been killed, Kieran Mallory had sacrificed his own body to save him. When Margaret had lost her second son, Evander, and felt like she was drowning in grief, Mrs. Mallory had been the one to sit by her side and pull her back from the edge.

They weren't blood, but they were closer than sisters.

***

It was a full week before Stefan made it back from the Capital.

Thanks to Roxana and a team of dedicated nurses, Winona was recovering well. While she still couldn't walk, the agonizing pain in her body had dulled to a manageable ache.

When Stefan finally walked into the room, she had just woken up from a nap. She asked the nurse to pour her a glass of water, drank it down, and politely asked for some privacy.

"We need to talk," Winona said smoothly.

Stefan sat down in the chair beside her bed, his expression softening. "Alright."

If she wanted to demand answers about Maeve, he was fully prepared to give her an explanation. He had pulled Maeve out of the tank, but that didn't mean the debt was settled.

Instead, Winona reached into her nightstand and pulled out the check.

"I promised your mother I wouldn't see you anymore."

Stefan stared at the slip of paper, genuinely stunned. With the sheer number of security guards he had stationed outside, he hadn't thought it possible for his mother to get through to harass her.

His jaw tightened, his voice dropping an octave. "Did she threaten you? I'll handle her."

"Stefan."

They had bumped into each other at a networking event a few nights prior. Sylvan had been suffering from severe stomach pains after drinking too much, so Yulen had stepped in to intercept drinks on his behalf. When Sylvan collapsed after the event, Yulen had personally rushed him to the hospital.

Sylvan had been diagnosed with a perforated ulcer and required emergency surgery. Yulen had stayed with him through the operation and had been keeping him company during his recovery ever since.

Sylvan had an illegitimate son, but their relationship was toxic. He hated the boy's mother and practically worked himself to death, leaving the boy ignored. Consequently, whenever Sylvan was hospitalized, he was always entirely alone. Sure, he had a small army of hired caretakers, but the isolation was suffocating.

Having Yulen dote on him these past few days had completely shifted his opinion of the younger man. Secretly, he had been thinking how wonderful it would be to have a son as capable, successful, and attentive as Yulen.

As Yulen strolled through the garden with Sylvan, his footsteps suddenly faltered.

He had spotted Winona.

Seeing her confined to a wheelchair with her leg heavily casted, he knew she must have been in a horrific accident. He immediately started toward her to ask what happened, but her nurses had already turned her chair around and were wheeling her back toward the building.