When Two Winters Met (Henrietta and Yosef) novel Chapter 218

Henrietta had her hands on the edge of the pool. It was deep, and her feet couldn't touch the bottom. She was using her arms to propel herself along the side, making her way toward the pool ladder.

By the time Yosef and the others arrived, she had just reached the ladder. Leticia rushed to help her climb out. Once on the pavement, both of them were a mess.

“Henrietta,” Yosef called out, running to her side. His cool eyes were filled with concern. He frowned as he took in her drenched state. Her long wool coat was so saturated that water streamed from it like a curtain of rain.

“Henrietta, are you alright?” Zelina asked, equally worried.

Everyone crowded around, their concern palpable.

“I’m fine,” Henrietta said, shaking her head. Water dripped from her hair in steady streams.

Yosef took off her sodden coat and tossed it to Calvert. Then, without a word, he removed his own suit jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Before she could protest, he swept her up into his arms.

“Have someone bring a change of clothes to my bedroom,” he ordered Calvert in a calm, authoritative voice. Then, he carried Henrietta swiftly back toward the house.

Leticia, who had been splashed and was also quite wet, watched them go with a pang of sorrow. She had always been the most cherished one in the family.

Zelina turned to Leticia and took her arm. “Let’s get you inside to change.”

The gesture made Leticia feel a little better, but before she could say anything, Zelina asked, “What happened? How did Henrietta fall into the pool? It’s freezing today.”

Leticia’s brief comfort vanished. Now even Zelina was doting on Henrietta. The moment Henrietta arrived, she became the center of Zelina’s world.

“I tripped and almost fell in,” Leticia explained. “Henrietta pulled me back, but she lost her balance and fell in instead.”

“I see,” Zelina said, though she couldn't help but gently scold her. “You need to be more careful. How do you just trip like that? You’re lucky Henrietta can swim.”

Zelina’s words felt like a rebuke, and Leticia’s hurt feelings boiled over. “For all we know, she fell in on purpose!” she snapped.

The accusation stunned Zelina. Ahead of them, Yosef’s footsteps halted. He turned around, his voice sharp. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Leticia felt even more wronged. She was also a miserable, dripping mess, and her own brother hadn't even glanced at her. In her mind, Henrietta had always been hostile toward her, so it was unlikely she would be so magnanimous. She must have had a hidden motive. Perhaps Henrietta fell in deliberately. That way, she would be seen as a hero who had saved Leticia, creating a sense of obligation. It wasn't a life-debt, but it was a rescue nonetheless.

Leticia was not only jealous of the attention Henrietta was receiving, but she was also unwilling to admit that Henrietta might genuinely be a kind person who didn't hold a grudge.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify