Chapter 18
“No sweat. I’ll have Aunt Morgan take you home while I stick around and fill the cops in on everything,” Winona said, giving Felicia a reassuring pat on the back with a fierce determination in her voice. “I won’t let him get away with this.”
Winona seemed to ignore Félicia’s distressed look and dialed Morgan’s number right away.
Morgan showed up in a flash, looking confused by the scene. “Winona, what’s with all the press?” she inquired.
“Long story,” Winona replied briskly, “Aunt Morgan, can you take Felicia home and let her get some rest? I’ll take care of the rest.”
Without a moment’s pause, she handed Felicia off to Morgan. Morgan caught sight of Felicia’s pale complexion and guided her away without any further questions.
As soon as Morgan and Felicia were out of sight, a couple of uniformed cops stormed in. They slapped a pair of shiny silver handcuffs on Travis’s wrists. “Mr. Greenfield,” one of them announced, “you’re under arrest for sexual assault. We’ve got enough evidence, so let’s go.”
The reporters went wild, clicking away like crazy as they captured the moment.
“No, no, it’s not like that.” Travis shook his head, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the handcuffs on his wrists.
The police didn’t pay attention to Travis’s protests. They gripped his arms firmly and steered him out of the hotel, heading for the waiting squad car.
In a panic, Travis turned to Winona, who was standing at the entrance, and pleaded desperately, “Winona, you’ve got to believe me. I didn’t do it. Please, I need your help…”
With a slight grin, Winona responded drily, “Straighten up in there.” Without a backward glance, she sauntered back into Regal Heights Hotel.
Sending Travis to jail was just a slap on the wrist. She knew Felicia and Morgan would be scheming to get him out in no
time.
Once Travis’s name was mud, he’d be public enemy number one, with no shot at cashing in on the entertainment scene.
Winona had to think fast about how to make sure Travis got what was coming to him in prison, before Felicia and Morgan could pull some strings and get him out.
After watching the cops haul Travis away, the reporters scrambled back to their offices to churn out stories about him and Felicia.
In the blink of an eye, the internet was ablaze with news of Travis’s scandal. Everyone online was rooting for Felicia, seeing her as a sweet victim of a two–timing slimeball.
Travis and Felicia’s names dominated the top trending topics. Travis quickly became the most despised person on the web. People were furious with him, from hoping he’d disappear off the planet to demanding he rot in jail.
There was also a flood of supportive messages for Felicia on social media. A particularly uplifting one said: [Felicia, keep your head up! We’ve got your back.]
Winona, sitting in the conference room at Regal Heights Hotel, couldn’t help but wince as she skimmed through the comment. She turned away from the trending section, repulsed by what she’d seen.
Then, it hit her–she hadn’t responded to Matthew’s WhatsApp message from yesterday. In the middle of Robert’s report, she abruptly cut things short. “Alright, that’s it for today. Meetings over.”
+5
22:19 Wed, Dec 25
Chapter 18
52%
Robert was left speechless, staring at Winona as she reclined at the head of the table. “Ms. Mosley,” he said, “you haven’t met with us in five years, and now you’re wrapping up the meeting in under ten minutes. Isn’t that a bit irresponsible?”
Without a moment’s pause, Winona “handed over” to Prescott, who was seated next to her. “Any concerns, just like always, go through my mentee Prescott. He’s your point person now. I’ve got to call my fiancé,” she announced.
Then, grabbing her phone, she punched in Matthew’s number and made a swift exit from the conference room.
Prescott, now unexpectedly at the helm, watched Winona’s departure with a sigh. “Winona, you’re letting men get in the way of your success. You’ve finally got your smarts, so focus on your career,” he grumbled.
“You just don’t understand,” Winona shot back at Prescott when she failed to reach Matthew. She paused for a moment, then redialed.
Career might be important, but not when love’s at stake,‘ she thought to herself. ‘In my past life, I owed Matthew so much, and this time, I won’t let him down.’
“We’re gonna have to step it up, or Majestic Springs Hotel across the street is gonna eat our lunch,” Prescott grumbled.
“They’re cloning our whole vibe, down to our menu, and they’re doing it for less dough. If this keeps up, we’re not just gonna lose customers; we might have to close shop,” he explained.
Winona had a knack for cooking, with some recipes that were practically legendary. As a young kid, she won first place in an international cooking competition six years back.
Weights Hotel. In just six months, she
With her prize money and a lot of courage, she quietly bought the struggling Regal transformed it into the country’s top hotel, making a fortune.
Winona’s cooking skills and flair blew Prescott away. He was more than thrilled to consider this
woman his mentor.
But then, to his astonishment, Winona, who had once boosted his culinary skills to new heights, suddenly seemed to lose her edge, acting like a five–year–old. And to top it all off, just when she seemed to regain her senses, she decided to focus on romance over her career.
“Is it really that bad? Come on, you’re the famous chef. People are dying to taste your food,” Winona said leading the way, Regal Heights Hotel is safe and sound.”
ally. “With you
“Alright, the hotel’s in your capable hands now,” Winona continued, waving to Prescott as she closed the conference room door behind her and strode confidently toward the elevator.
Prescott just stood there, at a loss for words.
As Winona couldn’t get through to Matthew on the phone, she started to wonder if he’d blocked her number. Once in the elevator, she typed a quick WhatsApp message to him: [Hey Matt, I’ve been trying to reach you but no luck. What’s up?]
But there it was, the message showing as sent but not delivered. What’s going on with Matthew? Why would he block me and cut me off on WhatsApp?” she wondered, her brow furrowed in confusion as she stepped out of the elevator.
Without wasting any time, she flagged down a taxi, intent on confronting Matthew at his workplace to get some straight
answers.
About thirty minutes later, Winona stepped out of the taxi and looked up at the towering, high–tech skyscraper in the heart of the city. This was the impressive building funded by Langford Group, where Matthew worked.
“The Langford family really earns its reputation as the cream of the crop in Drexington,” she remarked in admiration as she strode confidently into the building. “Hi, I’m here to see Matthew” she told the receptionist with a polite smile.
2/3
22:19 Wed, Dec 25
Chapter 18
52%
The receptionist gave Winona a once–over, taking in her bandaged head and sturdy figure with a hint of disdain. “Do you have an appointment? If not, I suggest you leave. Our CEO isn’t available
