Elia Williams hovered partly behind her father, Dennis, a practiced look of concern on her face. "Dad, it's late, and I'm worried about Winona. I didn't mean to snoop, but when she gets home at this hour, who wouldn't think she might be in trouble?"
Winona saw right through her sister's innocent act. Elia was a born performer—wasted off the stage.
Dennis shot Winona a look, taking in her disheveled state. Without missing a beat, he snapped, "Look at the hour! It's not proper for a young woman to come home looking like that."
Winona met her father's eyes head-on, unfazed by the all-too-familiar confrontation.
"You've always thought I'm the biggest disappointment. Have you ever actually cared what I do? If you really want to know what happened, why don't you ask your precious favorite daughter? She knows exactly what went down."
Elia shook her head frantically. "Sis, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I was just worried about you. Please don't be mad, okay? Dad, it's all my fault." She covered her face, looking ready to cry.
Seraphina Cruz chimed in with exaggerated sympathy, "Dennis, Elia's a sweetheart. Winona's too wild—you need to get her under control. I'm just her stepmother, so maybe it's not my place, but I hate seeing Elia so upset."
She poured fuel on the flames, watching Dennis's anger spike at Winona's messy appearance. "You're engaged to the Castros, and this is how you act? Know your place."
At the mention of the engagement, Winona shot Seraphina and Elia a look of pure disdain. "Without this engagement, you would've thrown me out ages ago. At least with it, I'm worth something to you."
As expected, Dennis slapped her across the cheek. Winona didn't flinch. The stinging rang in her ears, but it was nothing compared to the cold ache in her heart. To her, this wasn't a home—just a house she happened to live in.
"This slap is the only language we have left. I'm done." Winona retreated to her room, shutting everyone out.
In Winona's eyes, her mother was the only family she ever had. Her father was colder than a stranger. Over the years, she'd grown numb to the pain. She'd given up on love a long time ago, refusing to follow the same tragic path as her mother—a woman who once believed in love only to end up heartbroken.
Winona figured the whole Alpine Lodge mess would blow over. Little did she know, another storm was right around the corner.
Her father suddenly informed her that he'd bought her some clothes, ordering her to dress nicely for tonight.
"You're almost twenty-four. The Castros are having dinner with us tonight. Make sure you look presentable and don't embarrass me, got it?"
The fancy shopping bag on the bed felt like a joke. It was the first thing her father had bought her since her mom's accident—all to make her a more attractive marriage prospect.
Since Uncle Castro had been her mother's closest friend, Winona resolved not to cause any drama. But she had no idea what her father was really after.
She put on a classy Victorian-style dress, only to end up standing next to Elia, who was decked out in designer fashion. Her own elegant gown suddenly looked plain. Elia and her mother were all smiles, but Winona tuned them out completely.
The Castros had just arrived at the private dining room. Winona hung back, fading into Elia's shadow. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen Jaiden Castro—he'd matured from the gentle boy she once knew into a handsome young man, though his eyes now held an impatient edge.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Castro," Winona greeted politely. Jaiden's father returned the greeting warmly, but Mrs. Castro gave her a frosty once-over before taking her seat.
It hit Winona right then—they didn't like her one bit, but they were plenty cozy with Elia.
"Dennis, the kids are grown, and we've been friends forever. Let's cut to the chase. I've always been fond of Winona—such a sweet girl. Why don't we set a date and lock in the engagement, huh?"
Dennis was beaming, but Mrs. Castro cut in, her tone sharp. "A sweet kid doesn't mean she grew up sweet. Jaiden is an outstanding young man, and I believe young people should choose their own partners."
"Feelings grow. Winona's a delight—what's the problem?" Mr. Castro replied.
Mrs. Castro let out a dry laugh. "Well then, I've got something here. Let's see if Winona can explain this—so we all know who's actually suitable."
From her purse, she pulled out an envelope and scattered photos across the table. Winona was baffled, not understanding what they were up to.
"Oh my gosh! Are those photos of Winona leaving Alpine Lodge late at night?" Elia gasped, her shock obviously fake.
Mrs. Castro sneered, "Exactly! Engaged, and somebody spotted you leaving looking like that. Care to explain yourself? You're not even married yet—so what exactly were you doing in that hotel?"
Winona clenched her fists, knowing full well Elia had set this trap.
"I didn't do anything wrong. My conscience is clear."
"A clear conscience? These photos show you stumbling out of that lodge looking a mess. It's already causing talk and dragging our name through the mud. Mr. Castro, a girl like this has no business marrying into our family."
Mr. Castro's smile vanished as Mrs. Castro kept on. "She's already acting out before the wedding. Imagine what'll happen after. I won't allow this match."
Jaiden, finally speaking up, added, "Dad, she's already dragging our reputation through the dirt. And with her mother's instability? How am I supposed to hold my head high marrying someone like that?"
Mrs. Castro was dead set. "That kind of daughter-in-law? Unacceptable. The engagement is off. I'm doing you a favor by not making this public—count yourself lucky. That's final."
