How to Train Your Ex-Billionaire novel Chapter 223

Seeing her reaction, Carol seemed to backpedal. "Well, I don't know if it's directly related. It's just my guess. You know how fragile old folks are. How could it be such a coincidence that she had a sudden illness and died right after arguing with them?"

Winifred's face turned pale.

"Winifred, are you okay?" Carol asked, looking nervous.

"I'm fine." She took a step back. "Thank you, Carol. I understand. I have to go now."

Instead of going to Fiona's house, Winifred found a quiet corner and called Queena.

"Mom, I need to ask you something," she said, her voice trembling. "Seven years ago, when I had the miscarriage, when did you tell Grandma? And how soon after that did she pass away?"

"Why are you asking about this now?" Queena sounded confused. "That was so long ago."

"Just tell me, when did you tell her?" Winifred's tone was urgent.

"How can I remember that clearly? It was the day you were in the hospital after the miscarriage," Queena said. "I called and told her then."

"And what was her reaction?" Winifred asked, her voice shaking.

"What reaction? She was worried about you, of course," Queena said. "She even said she was going to come see you in a couple of days. Who would have known that the next day I'd get a call from Fiona, saying your grandma had a massive heart attack and didn't make it at the hospital."

Queena still felt a deep sense of guilt over her mother's death. If she hadn't been so quick to tell her, her mother might still be alive.

At first, she hadn't dared to tell Winifred. It was only when Winifred asked that she couldn't hide it any longer and finally confessed.

But she couldn't admit her own fault. At the time, she was grieving and overwhelmed, and in a moment of weakness, she had shifted all the blame onto Winifred.

"What? She argued with Fiona that day? Who told you that?" Queena was stunned.

"Carol told me. She lives right next door to them," Winifred said, wiping her tears. "Did you ever consider that maybe Grandma's death wasn't because of me, but because of what Fiona and her family did to her?"

"That... that's impossible," Queena stammered, her face paling.

"Why is it impossible?" Winifred demanded through her tears. "You know what kind of person Fiona is. Do you really think she'd be kind enough to come and ask about me? How could you just believe everything she said?"

Queena suddenly realized it was a real possibility.

That day, after she had told her mother about Winifred, her mother had been sad but not completely devastated. She had been more worried about her granddaughter's state of mind.