The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 429

When she heard the name *Winona Jowett*, the blood in Tallulah's veins turned to ice.

"Camille traded thirty million in Locke family real estate for that file?" Tallulah felt like she was hallucinating. What right did Camille have to barter away the Locke family's core assets? The loss felt like a physical blow to her own bank account.

"But... it seems Mr. Locke doesn't know about the trade," her assistant added cautiously. "According to Camille's assistant, she deliberately kept it from him."

Tallulah froze. So Camille didn't want Yulen knowing Winona was the one saving the company.

While she couldn't fathom Camille's exact endgame, it proved one crucial thing: Camille might despise Tallulah, but she certainly wasn't on Team Winona.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, she forced herself to calm down. With her mother-in-law actively working against her, she needed to recruit one of Yulen's three sisters to her side. Camille was the obvious choice. She was brilliant, ruthless, and incredibly competent. If Tallulah could align herself with Camille, her path to dominance would be much smoother.

Camille was fiercely competitive and obsessed with power. Tallulah could use that.

Before forcing her way into the R&D department just to compete with Winona, Tallulah had actually been an exceptional closer. When she was Yulen's executive assistant, she had negotiated and secured countless lucrative contracts. She was far better suited for the high-stakes schmoozing of corporate PR and sales than a lab coat.

Pulling out her phone, she began dialing the private numbers of several high-powered executives she used to maintain excellent relations with.

*

On Saturday, Winona and Stefan drove out to Creek Village.

Stefan was surprised to learn this was where she had grown up. Wynne's child had also gone missing somewhere in the vicinity of Creek Village years ago.

Since the old Jowett family home had been sold off long ago, they checked into a quaint local bed-and-breakfast. After a brief rest, they picked up some flowers and supplies from a nearby shop and hiked up the mountain to visit her grandfather's grave.

The area around Leander's headstone was impeccably clean, and fresh offerings had been left recently. It was obvious the local villagers still came by to pay their respects. Winona was deeply moved that, even after all these years, so many people remembered the good her grandfather had done.

Stefan poured two small cups of premium liquor and placed them on the stone. Looking solemnly at the faded photograph of the kind old man, he said, "I promise to take good care of Winona from now on. Please rest easy knowing she is safe with me."

Winona smiled softly, wishing she had met Stefan sooner.

After paying their respects, they began the descent down the mountain. Halfway down, they unexpectedly ran into Forrest Kane.

Winona leaned in and whispered to Stefan, "Almost everyone in the village knew my grandfather, so they tend to be a bit overenthusiastic. Please don't mind her."

Stefan smiled. "I don't mind at all."

The owner returned carrying a steaming pot of rice and several local dishes. On the house, she added a plate of the house special stuffed beans and a massive platter of savory spaghetti.

Winona quickly thanked her.

"Oh, don't mention it!" the owner laughed, waving her off. "Your grandfather cured my mother's chronic stomach issues years ago. We owe him."

As they began to eat, Winona happily scooped the rich, flavorful sauce from the stuffed beans directly over her rice. It was a childhood habit; she could easily polish off an entire bowl of rice just like that.

She noticed Forrest doing the exact same thing. Realizing they shared the same specific eating quirk, they shared an amused smile.

Watching the two of them, Stefan was suddenly struck by how similar the lines of their eyes and brows were.