When Two Winters Met (Henrietta and Yosef) novel Chapter 121

Quinton’s eyes turned a deep, unsettling shade of red. He had been drowning in regret since the night before, a regret so profound it had stolen his sleep and left him wide awake until dawn. The feeling clung to him throughout the day, a heavy shroud that made even breathing a chore, distracting him during meetings and work.

But Quinton said nothing.

Sensing his silence, Yosef’s voice cut through the phone line. “If you won’t say it, I will. You are the eldest son of the Sargent family, its current head. And yet, you’ve made it so that Henrietta feels awkward in her own home. She feels the need to keep her distance from you, to walk on eggshells. Quinton, that is her home.”

His voice was cool, but his words stoked the fire in Quinton’s eyes, turning them an even fiercer red.

Yosef was right. Every word was a perfectly aimed dart.

By confessing his feelings, he had single-handedly pushed Henrietta out of the family circle, stripping himself of the right to protect her even under the guise of being her older brother. She would now be terrified of the unpredictable and uncontrollable variables he had introduced between them.

He had been incredibly drunk last night, losing all control…

Quinton remained silent for a long time before he finally managed to choke out the words, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry. I… I was drunk out of my mind.”

“Don’t make excuses,” Yosef’s voice was mercilessly cold. “If Henrietta had any feelings for you beyond that of a sister, you would have noticed years ago. Since she doesn’t, you should have known to bury your feelings for the rest of your life. But you told her anyway.”

Yosef’s insight was sharp, surgically exposing the selfish desires Quinton had tried so desperately to hide. The facade of dignity he had fought to maintain shattered, crumbling into dust.

But it wasn’t just his pride that was wounded; it was a deep, aching pain in his soul. He, who had wanted to be her greatest protector, had become the one who hurt her most.

Quinton didn't know what to say. His eyes burned, and his lips trembled uncontrollably as he struggled to regain his composure.

It was clear now. Yosef was truly a good man. Good enough to notice such subtle, painful details. He was genuinely thoughtful, considerate to an almost microscopic degree. No wonder Henrietta had married him directly, skipping all the usual steps in between. He had lost. Utterly and completely.

As Quinton remained silent, Yosef waited, his patience a tangible force, a quiet display of his absolute control over the situation.

Quinton let out a bitter laugh. Finally, he spoke. “I’ve found an apartment near my office…”

Yosef extinguished his cigarette. “The issue isn’t where you two live. You understand that, don’t you?”

Of course, Quinton understood. He was just trying to grasp at straws. The real issue was that Henrietta had lost the person who was supposed to protect her for a lifetime. If she had reciprocated his feelings, it would have been a different story. But Quinton knew she didn't, yet he had let his own selfish desires take over…

“I know,” Quinton said. “I’ll find a way to make it right.”

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