A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 14

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have bothered you," she whispered, her fragile body swaying slightly as she stepped back to clear the road. The freezing rain plastered against her face felt like ice, and Miles's strange, lingering gaze only made her skin crawl further. She wasn't sure if he was mocking her pathetic state, but it certainly felt that way. Humiliation burned in her chest, making her want to sink into the ground.

"It's raining, and it's getting dark," Miles said, his voice tinged with a mocking sigh. "Get in. After I drop off the designer, I'll take you home."

She retreated to the wall, leaning against it for support. "No, thank you."

She knew perfectly well she had no family or friends left in Kingsbridge. The offer to 'take her home' held no warmth; it only sounded sinister. She instinctively turned it down.

Just as Miles drove off, Arthur's car pulled out of the gates. Winifred didn't intend to rush over and beg for help. She had finally faced reality and no longer harbored a single shred of fantasy when it came to Holden. She turned away, wanting to end this spineless pursuit of her ex-husband once and for all.

To her surprise, Arthur parked the car and walked toward her. "Winifred, what are you doing standing out here in the rain all alone?" His voice was as warm as ever.

She forced a smile. "I was just leaving. Thank you for checking on me, Arthur." Since Holden was a lost cause, she didn't bother mentioning why she had come.

Arthur didn't pry. He pointed to his car. "Come on, I'll give you a ride."

She lowered her eyes. "I don't have anywhere to go."

"Oh, you poor thing. It's alright, I'll find you a hotel for the night."

Deeply moved by the older man's kindness in her darkest hour, she got into the car. "Could you just ask the driver to drop me off at the North District Bus Terminal?" she requested softly.

Arthur looked at her with fatherly concern. "Where are you heading?"

"Emerald Mountain."

"What's there?"

"My grandfather's home."

Arthur nodded. "I see. That's a good idea. Go see your grandfather and focus on resting and recovering."

He started patting his pockets—suit jacket, inside pockets, trousers—and managed to scrape together twelve hundred dollars in cash. Winifred refused it; she had already seen the black card packed away in her suitcase. Holden had said he'd give her a hundred million in the divorce. She wasn't short on money.

Tears welled up in Arthur's eyes. "Be brave, child. Next time, find someone who will truly stay by your side until the end."

The driver glanced at her, offering a word of comfort. "Don't cry. If you miss Arthur, just give him a call. We're all still here."

"Okay."

While waiting at a red light, the driver hopped out and bought some snacks. "You're too thin, and it's cold. Drink some hot milk and have a pastry. You need to keep your strength up."

Winifred was incredibly touched and thanked him repeatedly. Over her fifteen years with the Lockwoods, Arthur and his drivers had always been genuinely kind and warm to her. The warm milk felt soothing, and soon after finishing it, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Until...

Gurgle, gurgle.

Water filled her every breath. It flooded into her nasal cavity, an agonizing, suffocating sensation. She opened her mouth to gasp, only to swallow a mouthful of freezing liquid.

She was underwater?!

Realizing she was drowning, instinct took over. She held her breath to save herself. But when she tried to move, her arms and legs were completely restricted. She struggled, her mind racing... Her limbs were practically folded in on themselves, her body curled up tight like a cooked shrimp, trapped inside a cramped enclosure.