The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 365

For lunch, the family's housekeeper prepared a lavish spread.

Valor's wife, Hazel, and their son, Justin, returned from their clinic shifts to join them.

Watching the family laugh and talk so warmly with each other, Winona felt a deep pang of longing.

Valor looked across the table at Winona. "Are you planning to relocate to the capital for your career?"

Winona shook her head. "No. I just came to visit a friend... I have work obligations, so I'm catching a 4 PM flight back to Riverton."

Valor sighed heavily. "Riverton's academic environment is lacking. There aren't enough prestigious universities or top-tier research institutes. With your level of talent, staying there is a waste. If you moved here, your future would be infinitely brighter."

After lunch, Phoebe walked Winona to the door.

"So, this friend you came to see," Phoebe asked with a knowing smile. "Was it a boyfriend?"

Winona fell silent.

Taking her silence as a yes, Phoebe chuckled. "It would be amazing if you settled down and worked here in the capital. We'd get to hang out all the time."

Winona just offered a faint smile.

As they stepped outside, a woman carrying several high-end gift bags came marching up the walkway.

It was Karina.

Karina double-checked the house number, then looked at the two women in utter confusion. "Did you just come out of Professor Bell's house?"

Phoebe crossed her arms, smirking. "What if we did? Why are you looking for my father-in-law?"

The words struck Karina like a bolt of lightning.

She couldn't believe this obnoxious woman she kept getting into fights with was actually Professor Bell's daughter-in-law.

Without another word, Phoebe dismissed her and walked Winona out.

Refusing to believe a word of it, Karina gritted her teeth and rang the doorbell.

The housekeeper answered. Seeing the lavish gifts, she didn't let Karina in immediately. Instead, she closed the door to check if Professor Bell wanted company.

Karina bristled. She was a close relative of the Goddards; this family was being ridiculously disrespectful.

A moment later, the door opened again, and she was ushered inside.

Plastering a polite smile on her face, Karina stepped into the home. Glancing around, she silently judged the place as cramped and the furniture as slightly shabby.

She figured if Professor Bell accepted her, she'd just buy him a luxury penthouse. The money meant nothing to her, and she could frame it as a token of gratitude for his mentorship.

She had no idea that the seemingly ordinary paintings hanging casually on the walls were authentic, priceless masterpieces.