A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 16

Chester pointed at a low cabinet. "Open it."

Celeste did as she was told.

"Take out the brocade box."

Celeste carefully lifted an intricately carved wooden box with both hands. Chester took it and handed it to Winifred.

"This is the gold bar I found buried in the baby formula the day I found you. The engravings on it suggest your biological parents were people of significant standing. After I'm gone, if you ever find yourself alone and without support, go find your real family."

"Grandpa..." Winifred wept uncontrollably. "It's just a cold. You're going to get better." She crawled closer, reaching for his wrist to check his pulse.

But the old man raised his hand, gently waving her off. "I've lived to be ninety-seven. My time is up."

Facing his impending death, he looked at Winifred with nothing but profound, aching affection. He delivered his final words with deliberate weight.

"A single-plank bridge tests the courage of the timid. Violent storms forge the strong. Everything in this world exists for a reason. I am leaving this world, and in my final moments, I offer you two paths. One: seek revenge, and fight Holden Lockwood to the bitter end. Two: the cowards who tried to kill you failed, which means heaven is watching over you. You are blessed. Walk forward, and you will find a new life."

Winifred answered immediately, "I choose to walk forward."

She let go of Holden without a single second of hesitation. It wasn't that she lacked the skills to exact revenge, but rather... she didn't want to waste a single ounce of energy engaging with him ever again. The Winifred who loved him to death had died at the bottom of the river. Her past was buried with her. To the reborn Winifred, Holden was nothing more than a dead man. And the dead weren't worth her time.

Chester nodded slowly. "I will arrange everything for you."

Just as Chester's final hours drew near, Quentin Adams rushed into the room.

"Chester!" The man dropped to his knees the second he walked through the door. Only after bowing deeply did he look up at Winifred, his handsome, refined features tightening with concern. "Winifred, why do you look so gaunt?"

Chester answered for her. "She has broken ties with the Lockwood family."

A flicker of unmistakable joy crossed Quentin's gentle face. "Does... does that mean she and Holden are separated?"

Chester looked at him intently. "Indeed."

Chester handed the document to Quentin. "You are my only male disciple. My time on earth is over, and I can no longer care for Winifred and Celeste. I am entrusting them to you. The property at 18 Auburn Avenue in Kingsbridge is yours as well. It will be more than enough to provide you all with a comfortable life. Remember... protect Winifred. Be kind to Celeste. Do not fail me now that you have accepted my dying wish."

"I won't," Quentin promised, bowing one last time. "I will keep your command in my heart and never let you down." When he looked up at Winifred again, his eyes were shining brightly.

The next day.

Men and women, young and old, flocked from all over Emerald Town to mourn the passing of the legendary Divine Healer. But the mourners were stunned to find two coffins placed in the mourning hall.

Wearing a heavy mourning band, Quentin explained the tragedy to the crowd. "My junior, Winifred, learned that our grandfather was gravely ill. Tragically, on her way home, she fell into the river and drowned."

And just like that, Winifred died. She was laid to rest on the same day as the grandfather who had adopted her, the news spreading rapidly among the townsfolk.

On Emerald Mountain, two new graves were erected.

The Shultz Manor was left empty.