Winston's initial warmth, spurred by her accident and hospitalization, immediately faded as she saw the unmistakable joy on Josie's face. As expected, no matter how much someone from a small, rural place tried to change, they couldn't shake off their inherent pettiness.
Three hundred thousand dollars. Winston wouldn't even consider giving Zelda a gift at that price, yet Josie acted like she had won the lottery. Winston's expression grew cold. "Zelda cut her hand. I'm going to check on her."
Josie ignored him. Instead, she transferred the money to the hospital and called Janice. "Winston lent me $300000. I'll pay him back when the project is done. I'm ready to join the team and start learning anytime."
Janice rescheduled her start date for a week later in consideration of her health. After two days in the hospital, Josie returned to her cramped, run-down rental apartment to continue packing. She probably wouldn't be coming back to this city again.
Five days before her departure, she booked a flight. Winston saw a picture of the flight details in Janice's social media feed and immediately called her. "Why are you going Scotland?"
"Just a trip," Josie responded, not wanting to cause more trouble.
Winston paused for a moment before letting out a cold sneer. "I thought you were supposed to be some bigshot career woman. Even Mr. George seemed to think highly of you, but look at you now. Didn't take long for your true colors to show. Does it feel good spending money you didn't earn?"
Josie didn't respond. She knew arguing with people like Winston would only make him more convinced he was right. Besides, she would be returning the money eventually. It didn't matter when he found out.
Winston was enraged by her indifference. He uttered a harsh threat before finally hanging up. "Josie, you better hurry up and try to please me. I might still marry you out of our years of relationship. Otherwise, you won't get a single cent!"
Four days before her departure, Josie went to the office to finalize her resignation and then met with her landlord to terminate her lease. When Winston arrived and saw the empty apartment, he froze momentarily. Then, he curled his lips into a mocking smirk. "What, are you so sure I'll marry you? Can't wait to move into the Carters' house, huh? Zelda's birthday is tomorrow and my parents will be there too. If you really want to marry into the Carters, you should think about how to impress them."
Josie scowled in disdain for the first time as he thought of the heartless couple who left the young Winston and the gravely ill uncle. They even pretend to be dead, then flee abroad. "They left so decisively back then, leaving behind a mess. Now that everything's settled, they want to come back?"
If they had been able to disappear for so many years, they would have surely been involved in that accident back then. They weren't dead, but Thomas had spent seven years bedridden. What had he done to deserve that? Winston could afford to forget because he had been spared a lot of hardship during those years under her care, but Josie couldn't.
Winston's face turned grim and he slapped Josie hard. "Josie! Is that how you talk to my parents? Just because I give you some face, you really think you're the savior of the Carters? The money you gave me over the past seven years isn't even a drop in the bucket compared to the Carters' wealth."
A bright red mark formed on her cheek as she stared at the man before her, now completely unrecognizable. The child who clung to her like a stray puppy, terrified of being left again, slowly faded from her recollection.
All that remained was the tall man coldly looking down at her, saying in an unquestionable tone, "No parent would ever not love their child. They must have had their own reasons. The love they give me will be far greater than what you've given me all these years! You have to come to Zelda's birthday party tomorrow. Otherwise, not only will the marriage be off the table, but you'll have to return the thirty thousand dollars!"
