Years ago, when Margaret had made the foolish decision to run away and elope with her ex-husband, she had lived in absolute squalor. It was Mrs. Mallory who had secretly sent her money to keep her afloat.
Margaret had never forgotten that kindness.
Later, when Stefan had nearly been killed, Kieran Mallory had sacrificed his own body to save him. When Margaret had lost her second son, Evander, and felt like she was drowning in grief, Mrs. Mallory had been the one to sit by her side and pull her back from the edge.
They weren't blood, but they were closer than sisters.
***
It was a full week before Stefan made it back from the Capital.
Thanks to Roxana and a team of dedicated nurses, Winona was recovering well. While she still couldn't walk, the agonizing pain in her body had dulled to a manageable ache.
When Stefan finally walked into the room, she had just woken up from a nap. She asked the nurse to pour her a glass of water, drank it down, and politely asked for some privacy.
"We need to talk," Winona said smoothly.
Stefan sat down in the chair beside her bed, his expression softening. "Alright."
If she wanted to demand answers about Maeve, he was fully prepared to give her an explanation. He had pulled Maeve out of the tank, but that didn't mean the debt was settled.
Instead, Winona reached into her nightstand and pulled out the check.
"I promised your mother I wouldn't see you anymore."
Stefan stared at the slip of paper, genuinely stunned. With the sheer number of security guards he had stationed outside, he hadn't thought it possible for his mother to get through to harass her.
His jaw tightened, his voice dropping an octave. "Did she threaten you? I'll handle her."
"Stefan."

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The readers' comments on the novel: The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule)
This guy Julen is an idiot, he is so full of himself....