Chapter 8
So Morgan’s not the sweet, virtuous person she pretends to be one guest remarked.
Another chimed in. Tm dying to know if Morgan was secretly in love with her brother–in–law and pulled some moves to get him, or if they were in on it together against her sister.”
Nothing this wild would even make it into a novel. You guys are really cooking up a story.” Morgan’s anger flared as she caught the tail end of these gossipy whispers. She quickly made her way over to Winona.
With a forced smile, Morgan took Winona’s arm, her tone warm and reassuring. “Don’t you worry, sweetheart. Mom’s got you” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear, trying to show she wasn’t a stepmother.
Morgan leaned in close to Winona, her voice a sly whisper meant only for Winona’s ears. “Hey, Winona, why not try crawling down the stairs? It’s a safer bet, and it’ll have everyone giggling. They’ll think you’re just too cute,” she suggested.
Winona had just blown Morgan’s carefully crafted image of innocence to bits, leaving her open to the guests‘ murmurs and turning her into a joke. Now, Morgan was determined to make Winona the butt of everyone’s jokes, aiming to sour Leonard’s opinion of her.
If Leonard got fed up with Winona and sent her away, Morgan would be over the moon. It’d mean one less rival to worry about, and she’d score a sweet revenge for Felicia.
Winona rolled her eyes internally at Morgan’s words but maintained a bewildered expression. She raised her voice just enough for the guests to hear, “Aunt Morgan, you’re so quiet. I didn’t catch what you said. Could you speak up?”
The room filled with soft laughter, and the whispers started. “Morgan’s probably trying to keep up appearances and get Winona to play along with the ‘perfect family‘ charade,” one guest muttered under their breath.
“But Winona didn’t catch on and just blurted it out,” another noted. “Șhe just exposed her as the stepmom.”
Morgan’s cheeks were burning with anger as she tuned into the chat, but she kept up the act of a loving mom. She flashed Winona a sugary smile and said, “I said I got your back, babe. No need to stress about tripping downstairs.”
Winona knew the words were for show, not for her. Despite her silent disdain, she pasted on a sweet smile and nodded. “Got it. Thanks, Aunt Morgan.”
The “Aunt hit a nerve. Morgan’s forehead vein bulged as she struggled to stay calm. In a low voice, she asked Winona, “Winona, weren’t you just calling me ‘Mommy‘? Why the ‘Aunt‘ now?”
Winona batted her eyelashes, all innocence, and said, “Dad told me to call you Aunt today, or else no sweet treats for me.”
Morgan’s grip on Winona’s arm was a vise, her anger barely in check. She hoped to give Winona a shove down the stairs when an idea hit her.
Leaning in, Morgan hissed, “Just give me a little nudge, will you?” Her scheme was to play on Leonard’s guilt to get Felicia back.
Winona stood there, her eyes on the diamond brooch on her dress. Feigning confusion, she asked, “Why would I do that?”
Morgan exhaled in frustration at Winona’s ignorance. She took Winona’s hand, pressed it to her chest, and threw herself backward with a dramatic flair. As she fell down the stairs, she let out a scream that was meant to be a cry of fear.
Winona’s eyes widened with a flash of understanding. This was her moment to drop the pretense, make Matthew reconsider breaking off their engagement, and expose Morgan’s true face to Leonard.
She seized Morgan’s wrist and called out, “Aunt Morgan, what’s going on? You just slipped! Don’t panic. I’ve got you!”
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22.14 Wed, Dec 25
Chapter 8
With a deft move, she swung Morgan clear of the danger, but ine chaos, she lost her footing and fell down the stairs with a
loud crash.
Her head struck the stair railing, and blood began to flow from er forehead, spreading across the floor.
The onlookers were frozen. Their jaws dropped in utter astonishment at the sudden turn of events.
“Winona!” Matthew’s eyes bulged in panic as he saw her lying still, blood pooling around her. His hands shook as he reached for her, then stopped, recalling that messing with an injured person could make things worse. He whirled to his assistant. “Get an ambulance! Now!”
Soon, the ambulance’s sirens screamed as it pulled up. The paramedics quickly checked Winona, deciding she was okay to move, and got ready to lift her onto a stretcher.
Matthew knelt beside her, hands soft as he helped them. Once she was strapped in, he jumped in the ambulance with her.
Winona’s eyes flickered open halfway through the ambulance ride. She glanced around, spotting only Matthew and the paramedics. She turned to him, her voice a weak rasp. “Matt, what’s going on?”
Matthew’s heart squeezed, but he kept his composure. “It’s okay, Winona. I’m here, and I won’t let anything bad happen. We’re almost at the hospital,” he said.
Winona struggled to lift her bloodied hand, reaching for Matthew’s. Seeing her effort, Matthew quickly clasped her hand in his.
Winona offered a faint grin and pressed the pendant into Matthew’s hand. “Matthew,” she murmured, her voice barely there,
feel like time’s running out. Before… before anything happens, can you promise me something?”
Matthew’s eyes were rimmed with red as he looked at Winona’s wan face. Carefully dabbing at her blood with a tissue, he said, “You’re not going anywhere.”
Winona’s delicate facade nearly cracked at his words. The question “If I make it, will you marry me?” stuck in her throat. The damsel–in–distress routine wasn’t working. She found herself at a loss for how to convince Matthew to reconsider ending their engagement.
Matthew, catching the sorrow in Winona’s gaze, asked with concern, “What promise do you need from me, Winona?”
Winona’s whisper was faint. “If I tell you, will you swear to keep it?”
“If it’s in my power, I swear I’ll do it,” Matthew said, nodding with resolve.
Winona’s face brightened with a sudden spark of vigor. “That’s all I needed to hear!” she exclaimed, astonishing Matthew by pulling herself up and wrapping her arms around him, nestling her head against his chest.
Matthew blinked in surprise, his bewilderment evident as he realized she didn’t seem on death’s doorstep anymore.
Winona’s head was pounding, and she caught the bewilderment flickering across Matthew’s face. It snapped her back to the present. In a faint whisper, she said, “Matt, let’s just stick to the plan, get engaged, then married, okay? You told me you’d promise me.”
As Matthew paused, searching for the right words, Winona continued with another plea. “Now that you’re my fiancé again, Matt, you’re on duty to take care of me until I’m back on my feet, right?”
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