When Two Winters Met (Henrietta and Yosef) novel Chapter 223

Henrietta's words were undeniably harsh, a clear declaration of war. In front of Yosef's parents, no less, it was a staggering breach of decorum.

Artina froze, her face flushing with humiliation. She was genuinely baffled. She couldn't understand why Henrietta was so hostile, why she wouldn't even offer a sliver of polite pretense.

The only thing Artina could think of was that Henrietta was still jealous over Matteo and hated her for it. Or maybe it was about the abortion rumor she'd started. But Henrietta had already punished and humiliated her for that, hadn't she? She hadn't dared tell Jethro or Leticia about spreading that rumor, but even if Henrietta brought it up now, Artina had a counter-strategy ready. She had nothing to fear.

Jethro was also stunned. To him, Henrietta's words and attitude were beyond offensive—they were unforgivable. Among the elite, you never spoke so bluntly unless you were prepared to sever ties completely. A toast was a gesture of respect and goodwill. For Henrietta to reject it so contemptuously was an insult of the highest order.

Zelina and Ryland said nothing. Leticia, though surprised, also kept quiet. Only Yosef remained perfectly calm, as if nothing had happened. He casually placed some food on Henrietta's plate, his action a clear and silent endorsement of her behavior.

Now Artina was left hanging, her hand holding the glass suspended in mid-air, the posture as awkward as the suffocating silence that had fallen over the table. She didn't know whether to sit down or remain standing.

Jethro finally pulled her back into her seat and turned to Henrietta. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, his voice low and tight with anger.

Before Henrietta could answer, Yosef spoke first. "It's self-explanatory. Is it that hard to understand?"

Jethro's handsome face darkened as he turned to his brother. "Are you always going to be this biased toward her?"

Yosef ignored him and fixed his gaze on Artina, his eyes cold and sharp. He had no intention of playing games. "Why can't you just eat your dinner? Why do you insist on targeting my wife? By order of seniority, you should be toasting our parents first. Why are you so fixated on Henrietta?"

Being called out by Yosef again, Artina's eyes filled with tears of indignation. "Bro…" she began, her voice cracking.

"Who are you calling ‘Bro’?" he shot back, his tone even more merciless. He found her feigned sweetness utterly repulsive. That innocent, childlike act only made his stomach turn. They were all adults. Why pretend to be some naive little girl? To him, innocence was just another word for stupidity, and he had no patience for fools.

His voice dropped, becoming dangerously cold. "You haven't married into this family yet. Figure out your place before you speak to me again. Did you really think I was that easy to win over?"

As she turned to leave, Jethro grabbed her arm.

"Jethro, don't," she cried. "It's not right for me to be here. I don't know why Yosef and Henrietta hate me so much."

The more pitiful she acted, the tighter Jethro's grip became, and the angrier he grew. He forced her back into her seat and glared at Yosef. "You say she's not my wife? Fine. I'll marry her tomorrow!"

That was the last straw for Yosef. He slammed his knife and fork onto the table with a loud crack. "You dare."

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Jethro retorted. "I love her! Why are you treating her like this?"

Yosef's face was livid. "Has love made you a fool? Did you forget everything I told you last night? Henrietta gives you a simple gift of candy today, and this woman twists it into a mess, and you see nothing wrong with it. We were having a perfectly fine dinner, and she suddenly decides she has to make a toast to Henrietta. She knows Henrietta dislikes her, but she pushes anyway, and when Henrietta refuses, suddenly Henrietta's the one at fault. Can't you see what she's doing?"