Chapter 5
Winona, though caught in the act of packing her belongings, remained completely unfazed. She continued to fold the garments in her hands with meticulous care. She calmly said, “I can’t wear these clothes anymore since I’m pregnant. I plan to donate them.”
Joseph’s strained demeanor finally eased. He inwardly chided himself for his unnecessary worry. How could Winona possibly leave, given how much she loved him? Even if she tried, he would never permit it, nor would he ever sign any divorce agreement.
Thus, with that thought in mind, he simply handed her a black card. With a voice laced with indulgence, he said, “You should buy an entirely new wardrobe, then. You can buy as much as you want.”
Winona merely hummed in acknowledgment and reached for the card. Yet, at the very moment their fingers met, she quickly withdrew her hand, as if she had come into contact with something repulsive.
Joseph didn’t seem to notice her strange behavior. He hesitated briefly before adding, “Queenie has been experiencing severe morning sickness these days and needs constant care, so I’m planning to stay with her for a few days to look after her.”
Then, as if an afterthought had just struck him, he hesitatingly added, “I’ve noticed that you haven’t been experiencing much morning sickness lately. So please try to be understanding of her, okay?”
Upon hearing that, Winona’s hands trembled slightly, thinking that she had no morning sickness because the baby was no longer there. She merely smiled faintly in response, ultimately choosing to remain silent.
In the subsequent days, Winona almost consistently saw headlines detailing Joseph’s preferential treatment of Queenie online, with various trending searches such as #CEOofLoweGroupSpendsaFortuneforHisBelovedWoman, #JosephsMidnightRunforQueeniesPickledFruitCraving, and #ThisisWhatTrueLoveLooksLike.
The online users repeatedly dragged Winona’s name through the mud in the comments, mercilessly lashing her with vile remarks.
“How does Winona—that bitch—still have the nerve to show her face?”
“I heard that the abductor had his way with her all night. How disgusting!
“I feel so bad for Mr. Lowe! He was cuckolded and yet he still had to act magnanimously!”
Although their comments felt like a direct assault on her very core, Winona ultimately switched off her phone and quietly reassured herself that her suffering would soon end.
Having packed all her belongings, she met up with a few of her best friends to bid them farewell. These friends, knowing the full truth of the situation, were instantly furious and visibly upset upon seeing her.
“Joseph pursued you with such grandeur back then, yet now he treats you in such a manner…”
“I know, right? What’s this ‘just put up with the rumors for a bit’ nonsense? He’s clearly oblivious to how rumors can destroy a person!”
Winona merely smiled faintly and shook her head, saying, “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’ll be over soon.”
It was only then that everyone felt at ease and took her hand with heartfelt sympathy.
“Exactly! I mean, you’re so wonderful. You deserve nothing less than perfection. Joseph, having taken you for granted, deserves to suffer the agony of losing what he never truly appreciated!”
It was a farewell meal steeped in melancholy, with everyone sharing a round of tearful hugs at the end of it. It was only after seeing each of her friends off that Winona finally stepped out of the restaurant.
Just as she was about to get in the car, two figures abruptly burst from the crowd, falling to their knees before her with a resounding thud.
“Please just step aside and let Queenie and Joseph be together, Ms. Chapman!”
It turned out that the two figures were none other than Queenie’s parents, Kingston Reed and Jackie Walker. They were both groveling before her feet, saying, “Queenie has harbored feelings for Joseph since she was young. Yet, after knowing that Joseph’s affections were only for you, she had no choice but to keep her feelings hidden.
“You’ve betrayed and broken Joseph’s heart, though, and Queenie’s currently carrying Joseph’s child. In that case, can you please just step aside and let them be happy as a family of three?”
Winona’s face drained of all color when she heard that. She attempted to walk away, but Jackie clung fiercely to the hem of her dress, preventing her from leaving.
At that moment, the number of onlookers steadily increased, and soon, people began to openly point and make hushed comments.
“Isn’t that Mrs. Lowe, the one who seduced her abductor?”
“How brazen! How does she still have the gall to appear in public after all that?”
Someone instantly threw an egg in Winona’s direction, hitting her on the shoulder and causing its yolk to run down her pristine white dress. In quick succession, a barrage of rotten tomatoes, half-empty coffee cups, and even stones rained down upon her.
Winona tried to pull away, but Jackie held fast to the hem of her dress. She had just used some force to pull away when Kingston and Jackie suddenly lost balance and fell backward, their foreheads “accidentally” hitting the curb and causing an immediate gush of blood.
The crowd erupted in a frenzy, their screams tearing through the air as they yelled, “Oh my God! Winona has committed murder!”
