The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 387

Seeing Stefan appear out of the shadows, Rhea instantly relaxed and pulled her foot back into the car, satisfied that Winona was safe.

Knowing he was entirely in the wrong, Yulen shifted his focus to Stefan. "I had absolutely no prior knowledge of the livestream stunt. However, since Tallulah is an employee of Locke Group, I must apologize to you, Mr. Goddard. I hope you won't hold this against the company as a whole. We are fully prepared to offer compensation."

Stefan let out a low, mocking laugh. "If Ms. Jowett hadn't been there to brilliantly clear our name, Goddard Group would be facing far more than just a damaged reputation right now. And you think a simple 'my bad' and a check is going to make this disappear? We let Locke Group off the hook once before, but don't mistake that for a precedent."

Yulen frowned, his tone pleading. "Tallulah is heavily pregnant. Her hormones are severely impacting her judgment, leading to these impulsive mistakes. Can't you show a little grace to an expectant mother?"

"You must be a saint, Mr. Locke," Stefan retorted sharply. "Allowing a rogue employee to run rampant through your company and cause catastrophic PR nightmares, all while turning a blind eye simply because she's pregnant. And do us all a favor—stop insulting pregnant women. We have plenty of expectant mothers working at Goddard Group who maintain incredible efficiency and judgment. Being pregnant doesn't equate to losing your mind."

Yulen choked on his words, completely shut down. Yet, fully aware of the sheer weight Goddard Group held in the industry, he had no choice but to swallow his pride. "Then tell me, Mr. Goddard. What exactly will it take for you to drop this?"

"It's quite simple," Stefan replied smoothly. "Locke Group will fully reimburse all of our PR and legal expenses related to this incident. Furthermore, Tallulah Shipley will host a public livestream where she issues a formal apology and confesses to deliberately orchestrating a smear campaign against Goddard Group."

"Isn't that taking it a step too far?" Yulen protested. "She's less than two months away from her due date. The stress of a public humiliation like that could put the baby at risk."

He desperately needed to appease Stefan, but the safety of his unborn child took absolute priority.

Stefan paused, his expression unyielding. "I'm not completely heartless. Since she is nearing her due date, she can wait until after she gives birth to do the livestream apology. Does that work for you?"

Yulen hated the terms, but knowing he was backed into a corner, he gritted his teeth. "Fine."

He turned his gaze back to Winona, hoping to say something, but she didn't give him the chance. She had already walked over to her car and was helping a tipsy Rhea step out.

Watching Winona walk away with Rhea brought a strange comfort to Yulen. As long as she wasn't spending the night with another man, he could live with it.

Upstairs in the apartment, Rhea rallied for a moment. "I'll just crash in the guest room. You go hang out with Stefan."

Winona shook her head, pulling her friend toward the main bedroom. "No way, I'm staying right here to take care of you. You're sleeping in the master bed with me."

The last time Rhea had gotten drunk here, she had rolled out of bed in the middle of the night, slept on the cold hardwood floor, and ended up with a nasty fever. Winona wasn't taking any chances this time.

It was a public execution of her pride. It was no different than slapping her across the face in front of the entire city. And worse, Winona would be watching and laughing at her!

"Yulen, that's incredibly cruel!" she cried, her voice trembling with panic. "I can't do that. Please, isn't there another way?" The mere thought of millions of people watching her beg for forgiveness made her feel physically sick.

"This was the absolute lightest penalty I could negotiate," Yulen snapped, his patience completely drained. "If you refuse, then I have no choice. You will be permanently terminated from Locke Group, and you will never publicly acknowledge that you are my wife. I refuse to let your unhinged vendettas make me an enemy of Goddard Group."

The threat hit Tallulah like a lightning bolt.

Left completely devoid of options, she choked back a sob. "Fine. I'll do it."

When Yulen finally arrived at the Locke Villa, he found Camille sitting stiffly in the grand living room. She had fully recovered from her hospital trip.

"You sounded urgent on the phone," Yulen said, stepping into the room. "What's going on?"