When Two Winters Met (Henrietta and Yosef) novel Chapter 386

"I honestly don't quite get it," Winona added. "As far as I know, you and Henrietta barely ran in the same circles before. Do you really just like her because she looks good on paper?"

Joaquin smirked. "A beautiful woman is a rare treasure. Any man with a pulse would want to claim her."

Winona understood perfectly.

It was just because Henrietta was gorgeous. That alone was enough for him to spout nonsense about pursuing her for the rest of his life.

He refused to settle for second best. It just had to be Henrietta?

Winona nodded. "Right, I get it."

Joaquin tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "Why are you so hellbent on marrying me, anyway? What exactly do you see in me? Have you been carrying a torch for me all this time?"

He always found her behavior a little bizarre.

Winona shook her head. "It's nothing."

Joaquin clearly didn't buy it. "There has to be a reason. Otherwise... why would you propose an alliance when you know I'm actively pursuing your best friend?"

Winona took a deep breath, finally deciding to lay her cards on the table.

Meeting his gaze, she asked, "Do you remember a camping trip you took to Stony Ridge over a decade ago?"

Joaquin arched an eyebrow.

The memory was hazy, but it rang a faint bell. "Were you there too?"

Winona offered a bitter smile, shaking her head before diving straight into the story.

By the time she finished, Joaquin vaguely recalled that something like that had indeed happened.

Over a decade ago, Winona had been just twelve or thirteen.

Stony Ridge was a rural town tucked away in the outskirts of Juno City.

She had an elderly distant relative who lived out there.

That year, she had gone to visit with her parents and grandparents.

Her parents had to head back to Juno City for an emergency.

Leaving her behind to keep the three seniors company.

It was a sweltering afternoon, and the elderly folks were all taking their midday naps. Too restless to sleep, Winona had wandered outside.

She just wanted to explore the countryside scenery.

But as she kept walking, she lost her bearings and stumbled across a vicious stray dog.

It was one of those feral hounds that roamed freely in the rural areas.

The beast was aggressive, baring its teeth and letting out a low, menacing growl the second it spotted her.

Raised as a sheltered heiress in Juno City, Winona was absolutely terrified.

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