Chapter 228
Chapter 228
She quickly sent back a reply.
“It’s nothing serious. Go do what you need to do. I can handle it myself p>
A few seconds later, Roy replied.
“Okay p>
After putting her phone away, Winter turned on the faucet. Warm water ran over her fingers, and little by little, she began to calm down.
It was the holiday season, and traffic in and out of Liono City was several times heavier than usual. She had no way of knowing whether Fabian’s people had slipped into the city. As things stood, staying at Blackwood Manor was probably the safest option until she could leave Liono City.
She had never dared guess what Chris was thinking, including why he was keeping her at Blackwood Manor now.
When she returned to the dining room, she met Chris’s deep black eyes and immediately looked away. “I’m full. I want to go back and sleep p>
His expression didn’t change. He stood, picked up Winter’s scarf from the back of the chair, and walked over to her. “Let’s go p>
“I haven’t slept at Blackwood Manor in a long time. I won’t be able to sleep there p>
She was just about to take the scarf from him, but Chris moved first. He looped it around her neck and said flatly, ” Sleep with me. You slept just fine on the island p>
That put an end to any thought she still had of going back to Westbay.
Winter said nothing.
The island.
Thinking back on those two days and nights there felt like remembering another life.
That time, Chris had thrown everything he had into rescuing her. With that much force mobilized, he had probably even alerted his grandfather.
She had no idea what any of it meant to him. He never said it out loud, but he had been willing to die with her in that storm.
When they got back to Blackwood Manor, Chris did exactly what he had said he would. He took her straight into the master bedroom, his room, and made her sleep in the same bed with him.
At first, Winter lay with her back to him, unable to fall asleep with his arm locked around her waist. But the room carried a faint cedar scent, and little by little, drowsiness started to creep in.
She stifled a few yawns. Her eyelids kept growing heavier. She struggled for a while, but in the end, she gave up. She was too tired to keep fighting it.
Listening to her breathing gradually even out, Chris remained completely still in the dark.
As time passed, the night outside the window deepened.
Then, in the pitch black room, Winter let out a small sound in her sleep as Chris pulled her tightly into his arms.
+25 Bonus
At the Westbury house, Skyla was just getting ready for bed when her phone rang.
It was an unsaved number. It had already called her once that afternoon.
Leaning against the headboard, she frowned slightly and motioned to the caregiver. “You can go.
“Yes, Ms. Jasper.” The caregiver dimmed the lights a little before leaving the room.
Once she was gone, Skyla answered and said coldly, “I’m going to sleep. What do you want p>
On the other end, Steve said with a mocking edge, “Looks like Ms. Jasper can still sleep just fine p>
“ If you have something to say, say it. Don’t play games with me p>
Steve demanded, “Weren’t you supposed to be having dinner with Chris? Then why was he at the garden restaurant having dinner with Winnie p>
Skyla’s grip tightened around the phone.
A second later, a photo Steve had sent popped up on her screen.
The image was grainy, like it had been taken from far away and zoomed in
In the photo, Chris and Winter were sitting across from each other on the top floor of the garden restaurant. The table was covered in flowers and wine beneath a sky full of stars. In the distance, a giant screen on a nearby building displayed a New Year’s message.
It had been taken that very night.
Skyla’s composure shattered. A vicious, poisonous hatred flashed in her eyes.
+25 Bonus
Chapter 229
Florence
A passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.