A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 161

Fletcher let out a heavy sigh, trying to expel the frustration from his lungs. When he thought about it, there was no point in getting angry. The guy was barely human, and trying to reason with a monster was a losing game.

He took a deep breath and helped haul a massive, family-sized skillet into the shopping cart. Between that and the small kitchen appliances, there was barely any room left.

"I'll take these out to the car first, then come back to help you carry the rest," Fletcher offered.

Winifred nodded in agreement. She set down the griddle she was inspecting and reached into her purse for her bank card. If he was taking things to the car, they needed to be paid for first.

"Don't worry about it!" Fletcher called out, already jogging away. "Mr. Lockwood gave me his card last night. Told me to swipe it as much as we need!"

Before she could protest, he was already yards away. She shook her head with a faint smile and continued shopping.

Around noon, she received a video call from Celeste.

[Winifred! We're all so happy, we just had to share our first lunch in the new house with you.]

[I'd love to see it,] Winifred replied, her heart swelling. Seeing Celeste and the kids settling into a better life brought her immense comfort.

Annelise's sweet little face popped onto the screen. She held up a plastic takeout lid, showing it off with innocent excitement. [Mommy, look! I'm eating out of a lid!]

Seth leaned in to explain. [Celeste ordered delivery for us. We got two portions of rice, some meat, and soup, but since there are three of us, we were short one bowl. So, Celeste washed the takeout lid and let Annie use it.]

Since Celeste and Seth had bigger appetites, giving the shallow lid to Annelise made logistical sense. But as Winifred looked closer, her heart broke. The lid was completely flat. The saucy tomato and egg dish, mixed with a small portion of rice, was already brimming over the edge. Red sauce was seconds away from spilling onto the table. It was a stark reminder that she hadn't yet bought her daughter a proper bowl.

Suddenly, a shrill, demanding voice pierced the air to her right. "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! I want that one! You have to buy me that one!"

Winifred's blood ran cold. She froze in front of the display. It was as if she had crossed paths with a demon; the little nightmare simply wouldn't leave her alone.

Holden Lockwood's voice followed, dripping with indulgence. "And what do you want to buy that for?"

"To give to Aunt Iris! She says a house needs quality, and she loves pretty dishes."

"Alright, then. We'll buy it and give it to her."

"Well, well... Winifred?" Holden drawled, his tone laced with mockery. Winifred slowly pulled her hand back from the shelf.