The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 561

Winona took the coffee beans straight to an independent testing facility. Two hours later, the lab results were in. Staring at the report, a chill ran down her spine. The beans were laced with a highly regulated drug used to treat incredibly rare neurological spasms. Its primary side effect? Irreversible suppression of the hippocampus. At first, anyone consuming it would just experience mild forgetfulness. Over time, it would entirely wipe their memory, leaving them unable to even recognize their loved ones.

Wynne had given her this coffee. Could Giselle have tampered with it? Panic flared in Winona's chest, and she immediately dialed Wynne's number.

"Wynne, that coffee you gave me—did you drink any of it yourself?"

Wynne sounded confused by the abrupt question. "No, I had an open bag from another brand that I wanted to finish first. Why?"

Winona let out a shaky breath. "Don't touch it. It's been laced with a harmful neuro-inhibitor."

Dead silence hung on the line. Wynne hadn't anticipated that the gift she handed Winona could have been a weapon. Her voice trembled slightly when she finally spoke. "Did... did you drink any?"

"No, I haven't. Let's meet up tonight and talk about this."

"Okay."

That evening, Stefan came home and joined Winona and Wynne in the living room. After reviewing the lab report, Stefan's gaze darkened. "Giselle must have slipped this to Wynne to protect her own identity. Wynne, I think the best move here is to play along."

Wynne's eyes sharpened with understanding. "I know exactly what to do."

*

Violet's ninetieth birthday was approaching, so Winona and Stefan flew out to the capital. They stopped by the Goddard estate to share a quiet meal with her.

"We won't be attending the official banquet," Stefan told his grandmother smoothly. "But on the night of, Winona and I will come over just to have some Birthday Vermicelli with you."

Violet beamed, her eyes crinkling warmly. "That's perfectly fine. The extended family is just going to spend the whole night scheming and networking anyway. Bringing Winona into that viper's nest would only make her uncomfortable."

Stefan's expression softened, and he walked over to pull the older woman into a gentle hug. "I just want you to stay healthy and happy."

He affectionately pinched her nose. "I'm just worried they'll disgust you."

Winona burst into laughter, but Stefan's smile faded into a look of quiet exhaustion. "I'm serious. I've spent nearly thirty years with these people, and their sheer stupidity still manages to make my stomach turn."

"It can't be all bad," Winona offered gently. "Violet is wonderful, and Roxana is great, too."

"Exactly. And surviving in this family as a sane person alongside them is exhausting. That's why I wanted to keep you out of the crossfire."

"I can handle the pressure now," she promised, her eyes bright with determination. "Besides, if I get to know them, I'll know exactly how to strike back the next time they try to cross you."

The memory of Stefan getting hurt by his own family still made her blood boil. "I haven't forgotten what your uncle did to you."

Stefan let out a low, dark laugh. "If it makes you feel any better, my dear uncle recently got caught up in a massive sex scandal. Renie suspected him of cheating and contracting HIV. She beat him until two of his teeth fell out, then locked him out in the yard for three days, forcing him to beg on his knees until his joints gave out."