The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 493

Winona's heart sank like a stone.

Suddenly, Mona, who had been standing next to the flowers, went deathly pale. She clutched her stomach and sprinted toward the restroom. A minute later, a terrified scream echoed from down the hall.

"Help! Someone help! Mona just collapsed!"

Winona and another female colleague practically carried the unconscious receptionist to the nearest hospital.

After a battery of rapid tests, the attending physician delivered the verdict: Mona was suffering from acute abdominal pain, vomiting, and dizziness caused by prolonged inhalation of a toxic gas.

An hour into her IV treatment, Mona finally blinked awake. When the doctor explained her diagnosis, she looked utterly bewildered. "That's impossible! I live in a drafty old apartment, and nothing is under construction. Where would I even inhale something toxic?"

"Have you been exposed to any cheap, counterfeit perfumes? Or perhaps heavily treated floral arrangements?" the doctor asked.

Winona froze. The roses.

For the past two days, the bouquets had been sitting directly on Mona's reception desk. She had been breathing them in for hours.

Winona raced back to the office, located the pink roses, and, carefully pulling on a pair of latex gloves, sealed the entire bouquet inside a biohazard testing bag. She hurried downstairs and had Ezra drive her straight to a specialized chemical testing facility.

On the way, Jericho Harper called. "I heard about Mona. You're taking the flowers in for analysis, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Harper."

"I just got off the phone with the director of the lab. Tell them you're my researcher and they'll fast-track your results. Someone is actively trying to poison a researcher in a government-backed facility. I want to see exactly who is stupid enough to pull a stunt like this."

Thanks to Jericho's pull, Winona barely had to fill out any paperwork before the sample was rushed into the secure lab. The technician promised results in under two hours.

Winona sat in the sterile waiting room, her leg bouncing with nervous energy. Her phone buzzed. It was Stefan.

"Ezra just updated me. What exactly is going on over there?"

Winona quickly recounted the horrifying sequence of events.

Stefan's voice dropped to a lethal register. "So, when you didn't react to the first delivery, they decided to escalate and attack you directly in the lab."

Winona rubbed her temples, a dull ache throbbing behind her eyes. "I just don't understand. Why is someone going to such extreme lengths to hurt me?"

Stefan made his decision. "Winona, have you ever considered that all of this might be connected to your—"

His phone rang, sharply cutting him off. Seeing Ryder Powell's name on the screen, he answered.

"Stefan! Great news. Wynne just woke up!" Ryder's voice was thick with emotion.

A wave of relief washed over Stefan. This was perfect. He could go to the hospital and break the news to both Winona and Wynne at the same time.

Winona watched him hang up. "What were you about to tell me?"

"Wynne is awake. Let's go to the hospital. What I need to tell you involves both of you."

Thrilled by the news of Wynne's recovery, Winona didn't hesitate. They hurried to the hospital.

Word had traveled fast. By the time they arrived, a small crowd had already gathered outside the VIP suite. Willow, Yulen, Camille Locke, and Sylvan Scully were all hovering in the corridor.

Inside, Sylvan tried to step forward to grasp Wynne's hand, but with Ryder standing protectively by the bed, he was forced to step back, his face tight with frustration.