The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 449

Sunday rolled around. Helena Jowett was launching her new beauty salon, and Winona and Stefan attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony with a massive floral arrangement.

Winona was wearing a new pair of heels, and after standing for a while, she shifted her weight, wincing slightly.

Noticing her discomfort, Stefan immediately went to his car and came back with a fresh pair of white sneakers, making her sit down so she could change.

Watching him care for her so effortlessly, Helena beamed with approval.

Once the ceremony was over, Helena practically shoved them out the door. "Go on your date! We've got everything handled here."

They left the salon together.

In the car, Winona's phone rang. It was the delivery company—her new bed and wardrobe had arrived.

Even though they were legally married, they maintained their previous living arrangement: two apartments right across the hall from each other. Sometimes he stayed at her place, sometimes she stayed at his. It gave them an easy, comfortable sense of personal space.

But Winona's old bed and closet were a bit too cramped, so she had ordered upgrades. She asked the delivery men to wait, and they headed straight back to her apartment.

Once the crew hauled away the old furniture and assembled the new pieces, Winona looked at the fresh wood. "I'll crash at your place for the next few days."

New furniture needed time to air out before it was safe to sleep on.

"Perfect," Stefan agreed instantly.

Back in his apartment, Winona instinctively grabbed a throw pillow, curled up on the sofa, and grabbed the remote to turn on the TV.

Stefan looked around. The throw pillows, the potted plants, the vibrantly colored mugs, the plush rug, the patterned table runner... every inch of the penthouse was covered in her fingerprints. He couldn't help but smile.

He remembered when she first started bringing things over. She had hesitantly asked, "Is all this stuff going to ruin the aesthetic of your apartment?"

He had been genuinely baffled. She was the lady of the house—why did she need his permission to buy a mug? And what was the point of a pristine, aesthetic home if it wasn't comfortable to live in?

When he assured her he didn't care, she had let out a sigh of relief. "I was worried you'd hate the cheap stuff I bought."

He instantly realized it was trauma from her time with the Lockes. Someone in that house had undoubtedly shamed her for her purchases.

"You smell so good," she murmured.

He chuckled, gently rubbing her earlobe. "Is your cycle over?"

Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, but she nodded.

He leaned down and kissed her.

Her head spun as his lips moved against hers, his fingers deftly unbuttoning her shirt.

Suddenly, something furry brushed against her foot.

She opened her eyes and saw Biscuit staring up at them with intense curiosity.

Winona was about to say something, but Stefan had already reached down and covered the dog's eyes. "Not for kids. Go to bed."

Biscuit let out a short bark of acknowledgment and trotted obediently back to his bed.