Winona didn’t dodge and stood still, staring straight back at her.
Linnea walked slowly to her with a glass of red wine in hand, smiling proudly.
"Winona, Jonathan really was thoughtless for not picking you up for the banquet today. I even told him I could stay home, but he insisted on bringing me. He said he didn’t want to keep me hidden and wanted everyone to know I was back."
While showing off, Linnea carefully observed Winona’s expression, only to find no significant change. Her expression also twisted.
She leaned slightly to the side and rested close to Winona’s ear, acting just like a pair of inseparable sisters.
"By the way, you probably didn’t know ... when Jonathan decided to marry you, he was the one who personally arranged for those photos of you to be spread. To make sure the Yvettes didn’t have time to delete them, he even hired people to attack them so they’d be too overwhelmed to react."
Her rising tone was like a cold, poisonous snake sinking its fangs deep into Winona.
Winona’s eyes widened instinctively as she turned to look at her. Linnea stood with her arms crossed, watching her with a malicious smile.
She looked pleased to see Winona’s reaction.
"Winona, how could you? How could you even think of comparing yourself to me? In Jonathan’s eyes, you were just a keepsake from his pursuit of me. Know your place."
Right after she spoke, her expression suddenly changed as she let out a panicked scream. Winona had been on guard and immediately took a step back.
She watched as the champagne spilled perfectly over Linnea, soaking her completely. Her white evening dress was stained all over and she looked completely humiliated.
At that moment, Linea stared at Winona in disbelief and broke down, shouting, "Winona! I already told you I didn’t like Jonathan and would never fight you for him. Why would you still do this!"
The entire room went into an uproar and all eyes turned toward them.
A figure ran across the venue in large strides. He took off his jacket without hesitation and covered Linnea with it.
Jonathan gave Winona a displeased glance, then left with Linnea in his arms.
Winona was left standing alone in the hall, surrounded by people whose curious eyes kept scanning her.
She looked down at her hands and let out a quiet, mocking laugh.
She didn’t hold even the slightest bit of trust in Jonathan’s heart.
After giving her father’s gift to her friend, Winona prepared to leave.
As soon as she walked out the door, she saw the flashy Maybach with the license plate 99999 ... a symbol of Jonathan’s status in the business world.
She was about to turn away, but the car horn sounded from behind, urging her to come closer.
Winona walked over and opened the car door, only to find Linnea curled up in the passenger seat, her cheeks still flushed ... clearly just after an intimate moment.
She paused for a moment, then closed the door and walked to the back seat.
Jonathan’s expression turned cold as he noticed her silence.
"Winona, I apologized to Linnea on your behalf for what happened at the banquet today when you poured wine on her for no reason. She forgave you."
Winona calmly gazed out the window, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Jonathan’s face grew even darker. He stepped on the gas and the car instantly shot forward.
The whole way, they remained silent.
When they got out of the car, Linnea suddenly cried out sweetly, "Jonathan, I had no strength left, my legs felt weak."
As she spoke, she looked up at Jonathan with affectionate eyes, her tone carrying a touch of intimate complaint.
Without the slightest hesitation, Jonathan walked over, bent down, picked Linnea up in his arms and headed straight toward the villa.
"Winona, don’t take it too personally. Jonathan just cared too much about me."
Linnea said to Winona as if comforting her, yet her face, unseen by Jonathan, radiated with pride and contempt.
Watching the two of them leave while holding each other so intimately, Winona felt almost nothing.
She instinctively touched her chest … her heartbeat was still strong and steady, free from the usual dull ache.
When she went inside the house, Jonathan was attentively helping Linnea take off her shoes, speaking to her in a soft voice, completely ignoring Winona when she came in.
Winona was about to go to the guest room but was stopped. She turned around.
"Winona, didn’t your family teach you manners? Didn’t they teach you what politeness means? Today, you caused a huge scene in front of so many people and Linnea didn’t blame you but forgave you instead. Shouldn’t you have thanked her?"
Winona looked at Linnea, her eyes full of pride.
"Shouldn’t she be the one thanking me? After all, without me, she wouldn’t have been able to stand here today."
She spoke calmly and lightly. In that instant, Linnea's face twisted and Jonathan's expression turned grim.
Back then, Linnea had been compelled by the Blanchets to marry and move abroad, simply because the Blanchets couldn’t accept a woman born to a housemaid as their matriarch.
Her recent success in divorcing and returning to the country hadn’t been just because Jonathan had gained some influence within the Blanchets, but more because their marriage had seemed harmonious to the public.
To the Blanchets, Linnea was no longer a threat.
Linnea was well aware that even then, she had never been qualified to marry Jonathan. That had always been her weak spot.
As expected, Linnea’s fierce expression had become visible and her words turned sharp.
"Winona!"
But she didn’t stay to hear Linnea’s biting curses and went straight back to her room.
She checked her flight on her phone.
Five days later, she would leave for good. and this time, she wouldn’t hesitate.
