The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 233

Winona let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "He is nothing like you. He respects me, and he respects my career. Stop projecting your own dirty mindset onto him."

"Dirty?"

Yulen had knocked back quite a few drinks tonight, and her stinging words shattered his restraint entirely. "Winona, you don't know the first thing about men. You actually think a man gives a damn about a woman's career? Most men will say one thing to your face and do another behind your back. You're being played like a fool, and you're still defending him. You're so naive."

Winona couldn't listen to another word of his garbage. She raised her hand, delivered a resounding slap across his face, and turned on her heel to walk away.

Caught completely off guard by the strike, Yulen barely had time to register the sting before he saw her leaving. Fueled by alcohol and wounded pride, he instinctively grabbed her arm, yanked her forcefully against his chest, and leaned in, trying to force a kiss.

Winona thrashed against him, hitting his shoulders, but her strength was no match for Yulen's.

Just then, a pair of strong hands seized Yulen and violently shoved him backward.

Yulen lost his footing and crashed to the floor. Looking up, he saw Stefan standing protectively in front of Winona, his eyes blazing with dark fury.

Yulen gritted his teeth. "Mr. Goddard, don't you think you're overstepping?"

Stefan offered a cold, sarcastic smile. "Mr. Locke, I don't care what kind of history you have with Winona. But since she clearly said no, you have absolutely no right to force your hands on her."

"Force?" Yulen spat. "Whatever happens between her and me would never be forced."

Stefan took a slow, deliberate step toward him, leaning down just enough so only Yulen could hear him. "Are you really that sure, Mr. Locke? Do you actually have a marriage license giving you that kind of entitlement?"

Yulen's pupils dilated in shock. He could only watch, teeth clenched in silent fury, as Stefan guided Winona away.

Tallulah hurried into the hallway looking for Yulen. Seeing him sitting on the floor, she rushed over in panic. "Yulen, what happened?"

Yulen stared blankly in the direction Winona had disappeared. "Tallulah... what does it look like when a woman falls out of love?"

Tallulah froze. Her mind instantly raced to Winona's recent erratic behavior.

Was it possible that Winona wasn't playing hard to get? Did she actually stop loving Yulen?

No, that was impossible. If she didn't love him anymore, why would she keep using these events to antagonize him?

"Stefan."

He turned, his brow furrowing instantly when he saw Margaret and Ophelia approaching.

Winona noticed them as well.

Stefan formally introduced them. "Mom, this is Winona. She's a friend of mine."

Margaret swept a highly critical, condescending gaze over Winona before speaking in a frosty tone. "Stefan, you've been in Riverton for a while now. Once you wrap up your business here, I expect you back in the capital immediately. And stop associating with questionable women."

Winona knew Margaret's barb was aimed squarely at her. A heavy, suffocating weight settled in her chest.

But she quickly shoved the feeling aside. She was well aware of the astronomical gap between her world and Stefan's, and she had never harbored any delusions of climbing the social ladder through him.

With that grounded realization, her usual calm demeanor slipped seamlessly back into place.