The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 551

Renie and Margaret were nothing but polite to each other on the surface, but beneath the pleasantries, there was a bitter, ongoing turf war. With the entire extended family tangled up in the same web of old money, inheritances, and bruised egos, the tension was always suffocating.

Cheryl smiled and exchanged phone numbers with Winona.

"When Stefan wakes up, let me treat you to dinner," Cheryl offered brightly. "Do you know how to ride? I can take you out to the equestrian club sometime."

Winona offered a polite, noncommittal smile, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Seeing how poised and elegant Winona was—without a hint of intimidation—Cheryl couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. It seemed Stefan had decent taste after all. This girl wasn't just some timid, small-minded trophy.

Still, Winona's background was nothing to write home about. There was no way they'd ever actually get married. She was likely just a passing fancy, a temporary pet for him to spoil.

Ultimately, Stefan would have to marry a proper society heiress. If it wasn't Maeve or Ophelia, it would be another woman from a top-tier family. Rumor had it that Sylvan Scully and Wynne had finally found their biological daughter. Who knew? Maybe Stefan would end up marrying her.

Cheryl cast a sympathetic glance at Winona. Beautiful girls from ordinary backgrounds always loved playing Cinderella, convinced they were going to hit the ultimate jackpot. She'd seen it a million times in their social circles. Without exception, these girls either wasted their youth only to be tossed aside, or they became permanent side pieces, never getting a ring.

Priding herself on being a well-bred lady, Cheryl kept her thoughts hidden. She maintained a friendly gaze, acting as if they were already the best of friends.

Turning back to Margaret, Renie said, "Margaret, I've hired two highly experienced private nurses for Stefan. When Orion was hospitalized with those terrible stomach issues, they were the ones who took care of him. Let's just have them stay and look after Stefan, alright?"

Margaret rarely paid attention to Stefan's personal life. Whenever he got sick, she usually just dropped by for a quick visit. She never bothered arranging caretakers or staff for him. Besides, Stefan had a strong constitution; he usually bounced back in a few days, so she hadn't really given it much thought.

Renie had come prepared. Without missing a beat, she replied smoothly, "But I heard Roxana hasn't been feeling well lately. And the Shepherd matriarch is practically living at the hospital. Plus, Violet's ninetieth birthday banquet is coming up, and you have to oversee all of it personally. Margaret, do you honestly have the time to sit here for days?"

Margaret's face darkened. She was completely cornered.

Ever since the scandal of her elopement years ago, Margaret had felt that everyone looked down on her. To compensate, she obsessed over controlling every aspect of the family to prove her competence and save face. She refused to let anyone else handle the Goddard affairs. Her social events had to be flawless to earn everyone's praise, and she micromanaged the assets her parents left her so no one could find fault.

On top of that, because the other wives were younger and kept themselves in great shape, she spent hours every day on rigorous fitness and wellness routines out of sheer vanity.

With all that on her plate, there was no way she could carve out three full days to sit by Stefan's bed. She had only planned to visit him briefly and then assign a maid from the estate to check in. She hadn't expected Renie to exploit this exact weakness.