The Substitute Bride: Idiot Or Not? novel Chapter 28

Rufus was likewise stunned for a moment.

Never had he expected Xavier to turn him down so bluntly, and right in front of Winnie at that.

His expression promptly turned as black as thunder. He slammed the fork in his hand onto the table and kicked Xavier under the table surreptitiously.

Gritting his teeth, he hissed in a lowered voice, “What on earth are you doing? Didn't you promise to take good care of Winnie as though she's your sister? If you're afraid that you'll be embarrassed or the like, all sorts of rumors have long since spread like wildfire out there. Just bring her to attend the charity gala openly. It'll shut them up and stop them from simply speculating nonstop.”

Xavier's brows furrowed. With a thud, he slammed his cutlery onto the table as well. “As I've said, she's unsuited to attend. I don't mind going without a female companion, but I'll never bring her along. I've finished eating. Enjoy the meal.”

After saying that, he got to his feet and left the dining room.

Throughout it all, he didn't spare Winnie a single glance.

Meanwhile, Winnie was a tad chagrined.

There was still some basic courtesy between us previously, but he suddenly started ignoring me for no apparent reason. Never mind that, but he even has blatant contempt written on his face now. Mr. Cadigan has his wires crossed, he said? That's more applicable to him instead!

She bit her fork. Only after Xavier had left did she repress the wrath within her.

“What's wrong with Handsome, Grandpa Rufus? Is he unhappy?”

“Here, eat more, Winnie. There's no need to bother about him. Perhaps he forgot his brains at home when he left the house today. Don't you love eating chicken wings? Here, hurry up and eat!”

“Okay! Thank you, Grandpa Rufus! You're so nice!”

What a scumbag! How dare he show contempt for me so blatantly? I've got to have a good chat with him during our drive home later.

The car sped along the road, for Xavier didn't plan on staying the night at Lagune Mansion.

Instead, he planned to send Winnie back before returning to his condominium in the city center right away.

Winnie surmised his intentions as he used the word “first” with the driver when he got into the car.

Since he said to return to Lagune Mansion first, it means that he still wants to go someplace else later. In that case, I've got to resolve everything in the car.

The car Xavier had the driver use that day was a Rolls-Royce sedan. The front and back seats were apart, and there were also individual seats in the back.

Right then, he and Winnie were sitting on two different sides.

Winnie stared at him for a long while and discovered that he had been resting with his eyes closed.

Thus, she inched over to him. Crouching right down, she hugged his leg.

With shimmering eyes, she asked softly, “What's wrong, Handsome? Are you mad at me? Why aren't you talking to me? Please don't be angry, won't you? I miss you, Handsome.”

Xavier sensed it the moment she hugged his leg, but still, he screwed his eyes tightly shut to the point that his brows knitted together deeply.

In truth, he had already made arrangements from yesterday to meet Yulissa.

He had always known that she wasn't dead, and it was merely a ruse created by Rufus.

She asked him to give her five years to prove that she could realize her dreams without depending on a man or a wealthy family background.

That aside, he was also aware that she once attempted to contact him and wanted to come back to see him when he was pretending to be in a coma.

Yulissa was the only woman he had ever loved. Even then, his heart still skipped a beat at the thought of her.

From yesterday, he had been making plans to go to Yartran for a business trip.

He knew that she was in Yartran presently, so he was planning to go and see her because he had to quash his desire and possessiveness toward Winnie personally.

Then, he could take good care of her like a sister, as Rufus demanded.