The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 432

Margaret cast a look of blatant displeasure at Winona. However, when addressing Violet, she maintained a perfectly respectful tone. "Mother, I came over to discuss finalizing Stefan and Ophelia’s marriage."

Knowing that Stefan was officially dating Winona—and worse, planning to move out once they tied the knot—had kept Margaret up at night. If she didn't get Ophelia to marry him soon, she would lose all control.

Violet scoffed. "There’s nothing to discuss. Mr. Powell and his wife already agreed that if Stefan isn't interested, we shouldn't force it. As for you, you keep stringing Ophelia along with false hope. I really wonder what your true intentions are. Are you the one trying to marry her, or is Stefan?"

Being mocked so openly made Margaret seethe, but she didn't dare start a screaming match with her mother-in-law. She could only argue, "Mother, Ophelia is such an exceptional girl. What exactly do you dislike about her? Besides, I ran a background check on Winona. She is completely incapable of having children! Can you really accept a granddaughter-in-law like that?"

Winona went deathly pale as her deepest, most painful secret was weaponized in public. Noticing the devastating shift in her demeanor, Stefan tightly intertwined his fingers with hers.

He was about to tear into his mother when Violet beat him to it.

"Margaret, even if Winona can never have children, she is the only person I will ever accept as my granddaughter-in-law."

Winona stared at the older woman, her eyes welling with tears.

Margaret ground her teeth. "Mom, are you out of your mind? How can the Goddard family not have an heir?"

"Don't we still have Roxana?" Violet countered smoothly. "Her health has been steadily improving over the years. When she eventually marries and has children, they will carry the Goddard bloodline. They are perfectly capable of stepping up as heirs."

Margaret frowned heavily. "How is that the same? Why would you rather accept a defective woman over Ophelia? Besides, Ophelia was the one who pulled Evander out of that wreckage..."

"It was all of you! You killed Evander! And you have the nerve to ask me why I won't accept Ophelia? She is completely self-serving. She never cares about anyone else. She has absolutely no right to step foot into the Goddard family!"

The agonizing memory of Evander’s death twisted like a knife in Margaret's chest. Yet, she flatly refused to admit her parenting was to blame.

"I never forced him!" she fired back, tears in her eyes. "I raised him the exact same way I raised Stefan! I wanted him to be successful, to be capable of carrying the family’s weight. Was that so wrong? Was I supposed to let him coast through life achieving nothing? He was my son! How could he be mediocre? How could he be sick? How could he be so weak?"

Violet stared at her, horrified that she was still so delusional.

"Stefan and Evander had completely different personalities. Have you seriously not figured that out yet? Using your methods on Evander was a death sentence! And as for Ophelia, do you really think she loves Stefan? No, she only loves power. She's exactly like you—arrogant and self-righteous. I will never let her into this house."