"What a little sweetheart, I just adore you!"
"You're melting our hearts, little ones."
Leland raised a hand. "My family values our privacy."
"Oh, sorry about that." The crowd quickly put their phones away.
"Whatever you saw or heard here today was just for fun. I expect it not to be spread outside these walls," Leland added.
"Of course, Mr. Lockwood."
This grand hotel was a property of the Lockwood Group, known internationally as the prestigious window of Kingsbridge. The guests here were all prominent figures.
With Leland's warning, the crowd gathered around Winifred dispersed sensibly.
The area grew quiet.
Holden stood facing the family of four.
"Winifred... the twins... you gave birth to them?" His eyes gradually reddened as he asked.
"Yes." Winifred stood beside Leland, still draped in his suit jacket. In her hand, she held little Annie's.
Holden's jaw clenched, a muscle jumping in his cheek as he forced out a self-deprecating smile.
"I'm... the last one to know, aren't I?"
Winifred stared at him coldly.
"Your precious Iris didn't tell you? She certainly didn't hold back in making my life miserable over this. She was jealous that I married well, that I'm living well, and that I have beautiful children."
"She repeatedly told me that the two of you shared one goal: to destroy me. You wouldn't allow me to have a good life, let alone one better than hers, and you couldn't stand the thought of my man being better than you."
"To think you actually didn't know I had babies. Could it be... Iris kept it from you? Doing things behind your back?"
Holden's reddened eyes dropped to the floor.
Winifred let out a soft, mocking laugh.
"Looking at it this way, your Iris is surprisingly bold."
"If you have any shred of dignity left, reign her in. Leland only countered her moves in the shadows before because he wanted to see how far you two soulmates would push things. Now, we're tired of watching the show. If she steps out of line again, he'll hit back right to your faces."
"Let's go," Winifred said, pulling Annie along.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong