The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 424

At the sight of Winona, Tallulah's face contorted for a split second before snapping back to her usual arrogant smirk.

The birth had utterly drained her, leaving her physically hollowed out. To maintain the facade of a glamorous socialite, she forced her makeup artist and stylist to prep her the moment she woke up every day. Desperate to snap her body back into shape, she pushed herself through grueling yoga and fitness routines, which left her utterly exhausted. She frequently came down to the spa for massages just to cope with the soreness.

She never expected to run into Winona here.

A sharp spike of insecurity pierced her. She was at her absolute weakest and most haggard right now. What if Yulen was disgusted by her and got lured back in by Winona's beauty?

Despite her inner panic and exhaustion, she plastered on the smug persona of a deeply cherished, spoiled wife.

"Winona, I bet you haven't heard the news, have you? I gave Yulen a son. He treats me even better now than he did before. He rushes over every day after work just to be with me and the baby. To make sure my recovery is absolutely perfect, he booked me into Riverton's most exclusive maternity clinic. Oh, and by the way, we're throwing a massive, lavish welcome reception for the baby. You absolutely must come."

Winona couldn't care less about their lives, but Tallulah's little speech did remind her of one thing.

Since the baby had safely arrived, it was time to settle their accounts.

"Sure," Winona replied smoothly. "I'll definitely be there. Make sure you send me an invitation."

Caught off guard by the easy acceptance, Tallulah forced a stiff smile. "Of course. I'll make sure you get one."

Once Tallulah was out of earshot, Rhea seethed. "How does she get off having such a perfect life? She wrecked your marriage, safely delivered a son, and now she gets to play the wealthy trophy wife forever. The universe is so unfair. Why hasn't a lightning bolt struck her down yet?"

Winona offered a faint smile. "Whether she's actually living the dream in the Locke family is up for debate. But she owes me, and I'm going to collect every single debt, one by one."

"What are you going to do?" Rhea asked, intrigued.

Winona thought for a moment. "She's throwing a massive party for the baby, right? I think I'll prepare a very special gift for her."

*

She secretly commissioned a stunning gown for the reception. She was going to show up, steal the spotlight, and force everyone to recognize her as Mrs. Locke. She had dragged herself back from the brink of death to give them an heir—this was the glory she was owed.

If the Lockes refused to make her public, she would do it herself. She instructed her assistant to pre-purchase trending hashtags online. The moment she declared herself Yulen's wife at the party, photos of her flawless styling would flood social media. Once the press picked it up, the Locke family wouldn't have a choice but to accept her.

*

Back at her apartment, Winona began sorting through the files Ezra Vane had sent her.

It was concrete proof that Tallulah had paid a driver in the Capital to stage a drunk driving accident, aiming to kill her. The bank transfers, the chat logs, and the driver's sworn confession all pointed straight to Tallulah.

She neatly packaged the evidence.

She couldn't wait to see the look on Tallulah's face when she opened this "gift." The Locke family obsessed over their pristine reputation more than anything else—she was very curious to see how they'd react when Tallulah's true colors were fully exposed.