The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 574

Sylvan's face turned an ugly shade of purple. "You little—!"

Winona didn't even grant him a second glance. She turned on her heel and led the project manager and engineer straight into their private dining room, leaving Sylvan seething in the lobby.

That evening, as Winona was heading home, Wynne called her, her voice laced with anxiety. "Winona, sweetie, are you in some sort of legal trouble? Do you need me to step in?"

Winona smiled warmly, touched by the older woman's fierce protectiveness. "No need, Wynne. Stefan's already gathering all the evidence we need."

Wynne still sounded unconvinced. "Just promise me you'll keep your security detail close when you go out, alright?"

"I promise. I know."

Winona ended the call just as the electronic lock on her front door beeped open. Biscuit's ears perked up, and the dog immediately trotted over to the entryway.

Stefan slipped off his jacket, swapped his dress shoes for house slippers, and scooped Biscuit into his arms as he walked into the living room.

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked.

"Just about to. Come join me."

"Alright."

Lexie had left a massive spread of food on the stove. Stefan washed his hands and sat down across from Winona.

"I heard back from the precinct," Stefan said, serving her a portion of the roasted vegetables. "They pulled the traffic cam footage. It's crystal clear. You can visibly see Tallulah grab you, let go of her own volition, and throw herself backward. You didn't even flinch."

He took a sip of water before continuing. "We also got ahold of her medical files. She was already exhibiting signs of a severe miscarriage. Her doctor ordered strict bed rest, which she blatantly ignored. Even if she hadn't thrown herself down those stairs, she was going to lose that pregnancy."

Winona let out a dark breath. She knew Tallulah wasn't an idiot. The only reason she'd risk a fall like that was to weaponize a tragedy that was already happening.

"I've sent the video and the medical files over to Hayes," Stefan added, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "He's going to obliterate them in court."

Winona knew exactly how ruthless Hayes was in a courtroom. "I know he will."

Stefan had fully expected to come home and comfort a deeply distressed Winona. But seeing how entirely unbothered she was, a slow, proud smile spread across his face. She was so much stronger and colder than she used to be. It suited her.

***

The next morning, before Winona even reached the lab, her phone lit up with messages from both Giselle and Camille.

He had spent the last two days agonizing over everything. Finally, he had reached a sick, twisted conclusion: the baby was gone, but this crisis was the perfect leverage to force Winona back into his life.

Winona stared at him in utter disgust. "You are repulsive. Ten seconds ago you were playing the heartbroken father, and now you're using your dead child as a bargaining chip to blackmail me into sleeping with you? You are completely beyond saving."

She moved to walk past him. Yulen reached out to grab her, but Ezra materialized from the shadows, shoving him back with enough force to make him stumble.

"Watch yourself, Mr. Locke," Ezra warned, his eyes filled with open contempt.

Winona keyed in her door code and vanished inside. Yulen clenched his jaw so hard his teeth ground together, before finally turning and storming back to the elevators.

Inside her apartment, Winona's phone pinged with a barrage of vile, abusive texts from Tallulah.

Winona didn't type a single word in response. She simply took screenshots of Giselle's blackmail, Camille's extortion, and the audio recording she had just taken of Yulen's vile ultimatum, and sent them all to Tallulah.

She followed it up with one single text: *"Look at how much your family loves you, Tallulah. Every single one of them is using your dead baby to get something they want from me. What a pathetic life you live."*

Across town, in her hospital bed, Tallulah read the messages, listened to the audio, and nearly passed out from the sheer, suffocating rage.