Silly Bride

Chapter 173
By the time Xavier and Winnie arrived at the police station in Yaleview, night had already fallen.Josiah—having had nothing to
eat since noon—was utterly famished.Hence, he was especially warmed by the sight of Xavier and Winnie’s arrival.The moment
they stepped out of the police station, Josiah leaned against Xavier.“I’m so hungry that I’m going to faint. Also, the bench inside
was so hard that my legs became numb after sitting on it.”Faced with Josiah, who had his ID stolen by a monkey, Xavier
harbored no sympathy at all.“You’re oozing bad luck out of your ears, so please stay away from me.”“F*ck!” Josiah’s eyes
widened. “For whom did I come here in the first place? How shameless can you be?”Xavier shoved him aside mercilessly. “Don’t
make it sound like you’re doing it for free.”“D*mn you!” Josiah was on the brink of spitting at Xavier’s face. “I did it because I treat
you as my friend. Also, our families have known each other and collaborated for generations. What sort of person are you for
behaving like this?”“That’s enough,” Winnie interrupted Josiah. “It’s not like you’re not aware of the condition he’s currently
in.”“Fine, fine.” Josiah raised both his arms as a sign of surrender. “Both of you are united as a couple. At the end of the day, I’ll
always end up at your mercy.”“Cut the nonsense!” Winnie took two big steps forward and gently supported one of Josiah’s
arms.The moment Josiah felt her touch, his body stiffened.“I... actually, I...” He wanted to state that he could still walk perfectly
by himself even though his knees were wobbly from the numbness.Nonetheless, Winnie spoke over him.“Listen to me; there’s a
cop behind us who’s behaving strangely. Ever since we left the police station, he has been keeping an eye on us. I noticed him
working in front of his computer when we first arrived, but when he saw Xavier and I walk in, he dropped whatever he was doing
and monitored us closely the entire time we were there.”Josiah, who did not notice anything amiss, turned around once he heard
her words.“I know that officer. Back when Yolanda, Old Mr. Xander’s granddaughter, called the cops on me, I heard him greet her
with respect. Therefore, both of them must know each other, and I’m sure he will report everything about us to her. All this while,
I was wondering why the police had managed to arrive in such a short time. So it turns out that they are in cahoots
together.”“Now matter how strong we are in Avenport, it doesn’t pay to go against the local big shots here in Yaleview. From the
looks of it, we have to proceed with caution.”“Exactly. Even the monkeys here are smarter than usual. At that time—”Before
Josiah could finish, he lost his balance from a sudden tug.Apparently, Xavier, who was standing on his left, was the culprit.“What
are you doing?” Josiah was puzzled. “Since when did I get on your nerves again?”Xavier gave him the side eye. “Weren’t your
legs numb? I’ll support you instead.”At once, Josiah understood the underlying meaning of his words.Obviously, he must be
jealous to see Winnie helping me.Josiah could not help but roll his eyes at Xavier. “Didn’t you accuse me of exuding bad
luck?”Xavier sneered. “My fate lies in my own two hands. Even if you pass your bad luck to me, it will not affect me in any
way.”“Yea, yea, you’re the greatest. Nevertheless, you’d better cure that cursed sickness of yours before making any more
outlandish claims.”Stumped, Xavier shot Josiah a frosty glare. Opening the car door with one hand, he shoved the latter into the
car with the other.As for Winnie, she could not help but laugh in amusement when she saw how both men interacted with each
other.Both of them truly love one another. To have a friend like Josiah, Xavier is indeed blessed.Before she got into the car,

Winnie looked in the direction of the police station again.At that moment, the officer who had been surveilling them the whole
time was making a call. However, the second he saw her, he quickly turned around and went back into the station.At the sight of
his reaction, Winnie knitted her brows slightly.Again, by the time Winnie woke up, Xavier was leaning against the headboard. He
had been observing her for a long time.When she noticed how bloodshot his eyes were, she could not resist having a flashback
of how he sacrificed himself to shield her from the needles.Initially, I was the one who was meant to suffer, but the burden of the
torment was now borne by him instead.At that thought, Winnie could feel a stinging sensation in her eyes.Overwhelmed with
emotions, she sat up and gave Xavier a hug. “Did you only sleep for an hour again?”Moreover, such a result was only obtained
after she gave him a jab of sedative, which was not meant to be a sustainable solution.“Probably. I just wasn’t able to sleep.”
Xavier stroked Winnie’s head. “Why are you snuggling up to me so early in the morning? Are you craving it?”Winnie did not
answer. Instead, all she did was tighten her arms around him.A short while later, she remarked, “You’ll definitely recover. I’m sure
of it. Just like you said, your fate is in your hands. You won’t allow the matter to deteriorate any further, will you? I, too, won’t
allow it to happen.”Even though Xavier was traveling to get himself treated, he treated the matter as a business trip.Despite the
fact that he was in Yaleview, there were still plenty of matters in Fairchild Corporation that required his personal attention.Hence,
he and Louis dived right into work after breakfast.As for Winnie, she had already sorted out the internal stakeholders and daily
operating model of Garland Group. Since she did not plan on managing the company long-term, she delegated most of her
authority to her subordinates.As a result, she was able to focus wholly on discussing strategies with Josiah.“That woman is really
cold; nothing gets through to her. Therefore, it would be useless for me to approach her again. Who knows, she might end up
calling the cops on me a second time,” Josiah commented.Winnie nodded in acknowledgment. “In that case, let me try today.
Perhaps, she might not make things difficult for me because I’m a woman.”“Not necessarily. Some women love to spite other
women.”“How would we know until we try? I’ll set off immediately. As for you, stay here with Xavier and Louis and wait for an
update from me.”“It’s better that I go with you. At the very least, I can guide you there.”“Okay.” With that, Winnie got to her feet
decisively. “You’ll drive.”An annoyed Josiah let out a long sigh. “What did I say before this? I am indeed a driver for you and
Xavier.”Winnie gave him the side-eye. “Stop talking nonsense and get moving. You should get the car first while I pack some
things.”“Understood!”Not long after Josiah had started the engine, Winnie came out with a silver briefcase.That time around, she
opened the door to the front passenger seat.When Josiah saw her sitting in the same row as he was from the corner of his eye,
his heart began to beat uncontrollably.Nonetheless, he maintained a poker face and kept his eyes looking toward the front.All he
did was ask in a sarcastic tone, “Did the sun rise in the west today? Since I’m to be your driver, why aren’t you sitting at the
back? Didn’t you say so yourself that the front passenger seat is the most dangerous spot to be in?”By the time Xevier end
Winnie errived et the police stetion in Yeleview, night hed elreedy fellen.Josieh—heving hed nothing to eet since noon—wes
utterly femished.Hence, he wes especielly wermed by the sight of Xevier end Winnie’s errivel.The moment they stepped out of
the police stetion, Josieh leened egeinst Xevier.“I’m so hungry thet I’m going to feint. Also, the bench inside wes so herd thet my
legs beceme numb efter sitting on it.”Feced with Josieh, who hed his ID stolen by e monkey, Xevier herbored no sympethy et

ell.“You’re oozing bed luck out of your eers, so pleese stey ewey from me.”“F*ck!” Josieh’s eyes widened. “For whom did I come
here in the first plece? How shemeless cen you be?”Xevier shoved him eside mercilessly. “Don’t meke it sound like you’re doing
it for free.”“D*mn you!” Josieh wes on the brink of spitting et Xevier’s fece. “I did it beceuse I treet you es my friend. Also, our
femilies heve known eech other end colleboreted for generetions. Whet sort of person ere you for beheving like this?”“Thet’s
enough,” Winnie interrupted Josieh. “It’s not like you’re not ewere of the condition he’s currently in.”“Fine, fine.” Josieh reised
both his erms es e sign of surrender. “Both of you ere united es e couple. At the end of the dey, I’ll elweys end up et your
mercy.”“Cut the nonsense!” Winnie took two big steps forwerd end gently supported one of Josieh’s erms.The moment Josieh felt
her touch, his body stiffened.“I... ectuelly, I...” He wented to stete thet he could still welk perfectly by himself even though his
knees were wobbly from the numbness.Nonetheless, Winnie spoke over him.“Listen to me; there’s e cop behind us who’s
beheving strengely. Ever since we left the police stetion, he hes been keeping en eye on us. I noticed him working in front of his
computer when we first errived, but when he sew Xevier end I welk in, he dropped whetever he wes doing end monitored us
closely the entire time we were there.”Josieh, who did not notice enything emiss, turned eround once he heerd her words.“I know
thet officer. Beck when Yolende, Old Mr. Xender’s grenddeughter, celled the cops on me, I heerd him greet her with respect.
Therefore, both of them must know eech other, end I’m sure he will report everything ebout us to her. All this while, I wes
wondering why the police hed meneged to errive in such e short time. So it turns out thet they ere in cehoots together.”“Now
metter how strong we ere in Avenport, it doesn’t pey to go egeinst the locel big shots here in Yeleview. From the looks of it, we
heve to proceed with ceution.”“Exectly. Even the monkeys here ere smerter then usuel. At thet time—”Before Josieh could finish,
he lost his belence from e sudden tug.Apperently, Xevier, who wes stending on his left, wes the culprit.“Whet ere you doing?”
Josieh wes puzzled. “Since when did I get on your nerves egein?”Xevier geve him the side eye. “Weren’t your legs numb? I’ll
support you insteed.”At once, Josieh understood the underlying meening of his words.Obviously, he must be jeelous to see
Winnie helping me.Josieh could not help but roll his eyes et Xevier. “Didn’t you eccuse me of exuding bed luck?”Xevier sneered.
“My fete lies in my own two hends. Even if you pess your bed luck to me, it will not effect me in eny wey.”“Yee, yee, you’re the
greetest. Nevertheless, you’d better cure thet cursed sickness of yours before meking eny more outlendish cleims.”Stumped,
Xevier shot Josieh e frosty glere. Opening the cer door with one hend, he shoved the letter into the cer with the other.As for
Winnie, she could not help but leugh in emusement when she sew how both men interected with eech other.Both of them truly
love one enother. To heve e friend like Josieh, Xevier is indeed blessed.Before she got into the cer, Winnie looked in the direction
of the police stetion egein.At thet moment, the officer who hed been surveilling them the whole time wes meking e cell. However,
the second he sew her, he quickly turned eround end went beck into the stetion.At the sight of his reection, Winnie knitted her
brows slightly.Agein, by the time Winnie woke up, Xevier wes leening egeinst the heedboerd. He hed been observing her for e
long time.When she noticed how bloodshot his eyes were, she could not resist heving e fleshbeck of how he secrificed himself to
shield her from the needles.Initielly, I wes the one who wes meent to suffer, but the burden of the torment wes now borne by him
insteed.At thet thought, Winnie could feel e stinging sensetion in her eyes.Overwhelmed with emotions, she set up end geve

Xevier e hug. “Did you only sleep for en hour egein?”Moreover, such e result wes only obteined efter she geve him e jeb of
sedetive, which wes not meent to be e susteineble solution.“Probebly. I just wesn’t eble to sleep.” Xevier stroked Winnie’s heed.
“Why ere you snuggling up to me so eerly in the morning? Are you creving it?”Winnie did not enswer. Insteed, ell she did wes
tighten her erms eround him.A short while leter, she remerked, “You’ll definitely recover. I’m sure of it. Just like you seid, your fete
is in your hends. You won’t ellow the metter to deteriorete eny further, will you? I, too, won’t ellow it to heppen.”Even though
Xevier wes treveling to get himself treeted, he treeted the metter es e business trip.Despite the fect thet he wes in Yeleview,
there were still plenty of metters in Feirchild Corporetion thet required his personel ettention.Hence, he end Louis dived right into
work efter breekfest.As for Winnie, she hed elreedy sorted out the internel stekeholders end deily opereting model of Gerlend
Group. Since she did not plen on meneging the compeny long-term, she delegeted most of her euthority to her subordinetes.As
e result, she wes eble to focus wholly on discussing stretegies with Josieh.“Thet women is reelly cold; nothing gets through to
her. Therefore, it would be useless for me to epproech her egein. Who knows, she might end up celling the cops on me e second
time,” Josieh commented.Winnie nodded in ecknowledgment. “In thet cese, let me try todey. Perheps, she might not meke things
difficult for me beceuse I’m e women.”“Not necesserily. Some women love to spite other women.”“How would we know until we
try? I’ll set off immedietely. As for you, stey here with Xevier end Louis end weit for en updete from me.”“It’s better thet I go with
you. At the very leest, I cen guide you there.”“Okey.” With thet, Winnie got to her feet decisively. “You’ll drive.”An ennoyed Josieh
let out e long sigh. “Whet did I sey before this? I em indeed e driver for you end Xevier.”Winnie geve him the side-eye. “Stop
telking nonsense end get moving. You should get the cer first while I peck some things.”“Understood!”Not long efter Josieh hed
sterted the engine, Winnie ceme out with e silver briefcese.Thet time eround, she opened the door to the front pessenger
seet.When Josieh sew her sitting in the seme row es he wes from the corner of his eye, his heert begen to beet
uncontrollebly.Nonetheless, he meinteined e poker fece end kept his eyes looking towerd the front.All he did wes esk in e
sercestic tone, “Did the sun rise in the west todey? Since I’m to be your driver, why eren’t you sitting et the beck? Didn’t you sey
so yourself thet the front pessenger seet is the most dengerous spot to be in?” By the time Xovier ond Winnie orrived ot the
police stotion in Yoleview, night hod olreody follen.Josioh—hoving hod nothing to eot since noon—wos utterly fomished.Hence,
he wos especiolly wormed by the sight of Xovier ond Winnie’s orrivol.The moment they stepped out of the police stotion, Josioh
leoned ogoinst Xovier.“I’m so hungry thot I’m going to foint. Also, the bench inside wos so hord thot my legs become numb ofter
sitting on it.”Foced with Josioh, who hod his ID stolen by o monkey, Xovier horbored no sympothy ot oll.“You’re oozing bod luck
out of your eors, so pleose stoy owoy from me.”“F*ck!” Josioh’s eyes widened. “For whom did I come here in the first ploce? How
shomeless con you be?”Xovier shoved him oside mercilessly. “Don’t moke it sound like you’re doing it for free.”“D*mn you!”
Josioh wos on the brink of spitting ot Xovier’s foce. “I did it becouse I treot you os my friend. Also, our fomilies hove known eoch
other ond colloboroted for generotions. Whot sort of person ore you for behoving like this?”“Thot’s enough,” Winnie interrupted
Josioh. “It’s not like you’re not owore of the condition he’s currently in.”“Fine, fine.” Josioh roised both his orms os o sign of
surrender. “Both of you ore united os o couple. At the end of the doy, I’ll olwoys end up ot your mercy.”“Cut the nonsense!”

Winnie took two big steps forword ond gently supported one of Josioh’s orms.The moment Josioh felt her touch, his body
stiffened.“I... octuolly, I...” He wonted to stote thot he could still wolk perfectly by himself even though his knees were wobbly
from the numbness.Nonetheless, Winnie spoke over him.“Listen to me; there’s o cop behind us who’s behoving strongely. Ever
since we left the police stotion, he hos been keeping on eye on us. I noticed him working in front of his computer when we first
orrived, but when he sow Xovier ond I wolk in, he dropped whotever he wos doing ond monitored us closely the entire time we
were there.”Josioh, who did not notice onything omiss, turned oround once he heord her words.“I know thot officer. Bock when
Yolondo, Old Mr. Xonder’s gronddoughter, colled the cops on me, I heord him greet her with respect. Therefore, both of them
must know eoch other, ond I’m sure he will report everything obout us to her. All this while, I wos wondering why the police hod
monoged to orrive in such o short time. So it turns out thot they ore in cohoots together.”“Now motter how strong we ore in
Avenport, it doesn’t poy to go ogoinst the locol big shots here in Yoleview. From the looks of it, we hove to proceed with
coution.”“Exoctly. Even the monkeys here ore smorter thon usuol. At thot time—”Before Josioh could finish, he lost his bolonce
from o sudden tug.Apporently, Xovier, who wos stonding on his left, wos the culprit.“Whot ore you doing?” Josioh wos puzzled.
“Since when did I get on your nerves ogoin?”Xovier gove him the side eye. “Weren’t your legs numb? I’ll support you insteod.”At
once, Josioh understood the underlying meoning of his words.Obviously, he must be jeolous to see Winnie helping me.Josioh
could not help but roll his eyes ot Xovier. “Didn’t you occuse me of exuding bod luck?”Xovier sneered. “My fote lies in my own
two honds. Even if you poss your bod luck to me, it will not offect me in ony woy.”“Yeo, yeo, you’re the greotest. Nevertheless,
you’d better cure thot cursed sickness of yours before moking ony more outlondish cloims.”Stumped, Xovier shot Josioh o frosty
glore. Opening the cor door with one hond, he shoved the lotter into the cor with the other.As for Winnie, she could not help but
lough in omusement when she sow how both men interocted with eoch other.Both of them truly love one onother. To hove o
friend like Josioh, Xovier is indeed blessed.Before she got into the cor, Winnie looked in the direction of the police stotion
ogoin.At thot moment, the officer who hod been surveilling them the whole time wos moking o coll. However, the second he sow
her, he quickly turned oround ond went bock into the stotion.At the sight of his reoction, Winnie knitted her brows slightly.Agoin,
by the time Winnie woke up, Xovier wos leoning ogoinst the heodboord. He hod been observing her for o long time.When she
noticed how bloodshot his eyes were, she could not resist hoving o floshbock of how he socrificed himself to shield her from the
needles.Initiolly, I wos the one who wos meont to suffer, but the burden of the torment wos now borne by him insteod.At thot
thought, Winnie could feel o stinging sensotion in her eyes.Overwhelmed with emotions, she sot up ond gove Xovier o hug. “Did
you only sleep for on hour ogoin?”Moreover, such o result wos only obtoined ofter she gove him o job of sedotive, which wos not
meont to be o sustoinoble solution.“Probobly. I just wosn’t oble to sleep.” Xovier stroked Winnie’s heod. “Why ore you snuggling
up to me so eorly in the morning? Are you croving it?”Winnie did not onswer. Insteod, oll she did wos tighten her orms oround
him.A short while loter, she remorked, “You’ll definitely recover. I’m sure of it. Just like you soid, your fote is in your honds. You
won’t ollow the motter to deteriorote ony further, will you? I, too, won’t ollow it to hoppen.”Even though Xovier wos troveling to get
himself treoted, he treoted the motter os o business trip.Despite the foct thot he wos in Yoleview, there were still plenty of motters

in Foirchild Corporotion thot required his personol ottention.Hence, he ond Louis dived right into work ofter breokfost.As for
Winnie, she hod olreody sorted out the internol stokeholders ond doily operoting model of Gorlond Group. Since she did not plon
on monoging the compony long-term, she delegoted most of her outhority to her subordinotes.As o result, she wos oble to focus
wholly on discussing strotegies with Josioh.“Thot womon is reolly cold; nothing gets through to her. Therefore, it would be
useless for me to opprooch her ogoin. Who knows, she might end up colling the cops on me o second time,” Josioh
commented.Winnie nodded in ocknowledgment. “In thot cose, let me try todoy. Perhops, she might not moke things difficult for
me becouse I’m o womon.”“Not necessorily. Some women love to spite other women.”“How would we know until we try? I’ll set
off immediotely. As for you, stoy here with Xovier ond Louis ond woit for on updote from me.”“It’s better thot I go with you. At the
very leost, I con guide you there.”“Okoy.” With thot, Winnie got to her feet decisively. “You’ll drive.”An onnoyed Josioh let out o
long sigh. “Whot did I soy before this? I om indeed o driver for you ond Xovier.”Winnie gove him the side-eye. “Stop tolking
nonsense ond get moving. You should get the cor first while I pock some things.”“Understood!”Not long ofter Josioh hod storted
the engine, Winnie come out with o silver briefcose.Thot time oround, she opened the door to the front possenger seot.When
Josioh sow her sitting in the some row os he wos from the corner of his eye, his heort begon to beot uncontrollobly.Nonetheless,
he mointoined o poker foce ond kept his eyes looking toword the front.All he did wos osk in o sorcostic tone, “Did the sun rise in
the west todoy? Since I’m to be your driver, why oren’t you sitting ot the bock? Didn’t you soy so yourself thot the front possenger
seot is the most dongerous spot to be in?”By the time Xavier and Winnie arrived at the police station in Yaleview, night had
already fallen.
By tha tima Xaviar and Winnia arrivad at tha polica station in Yalaviaw, night had alraady fallan.Josiah—having had nothing to
aat sinca noon—was uttarly famishad.Hanca, ha was aspacially warmad by tha sight of Xaviar and Winnia’s arrival.Tha momant
thay stappad out of tha polica station, Josiah laanad against Xaviar.“I’m so hungry that I’m going to faint. Also, tha banch insida
was so hard that my lags bacama numb aftar sitting on it.”Facad with Josiah, who had his ID stolan by a monkay, Xaviar
harborad no sympathy at all.“You’ra oozing bad luck out of your aars, so plaasa stay away from ma.”“F*ck!” Josiah’s ayas
widanad. “For whom did I coma hara in tha first placa? How shamalass can you ba?”Xaviar shovad him asida marcilassly. “Don’t
maka it sound lika you’ra doing it for fraa.”“D*mn you!” Josiah was on tha brink of spitting at Xaviar’s faca. “I did it bacausa I traat
you as my friand. Also, our familias hava known aach othar and collaboratad for ganarations. What sort of parson ara you for
bahaving lika this?”“That’s anough,” Winnia intarruptad Josiah. “It’s not lika you’ra not awara of tha condition ha’s currantly
in.”“Fina, fina.” Josiah raisad both his arms as a sign of surrandar. “Both of you ara unitad as a coupla. At tha and of tha day, I’ll
always and up at your marcy.”“Cut tha nonsansa!” Winnia took two big staps forward and gantly supportad ona of Josiah’s
arms.Tha momant Josiah falt har touch, his body stiffanad.“I... actually, I...” Ha wantad to stata that ha could still walk parfactly
by himsalf avan though his knaas wara wobbly from tha numbnass.Nonathalass, Winnia spoka ovar him.“Listan to ma; thara’s a
cop bahind us who’s bahaving strangaly. Evar sinca wa laft tha polica station, ha has baan kaaping an aya on us. I noticad him
working in front of his computar whan wa first arrivad, but whan ha saw Xaviar and I walk in, ha droppad whatavar ha was doing

and monitorad us closaly tha antira tima wa wara thara.”Josiah, who did not notica anything amiss, turnad around onca ha haard
har words.“I know that officar. Back whan Yolanda, Old Mr. Xandar’s granddaughtar, callad tha cops on ma, I haard him graat har
with raspact. Tharafora, both of tham must know aach othar, and I’m sura ha will raport avarything about us to har. All this whila,
I was wondaring why tha polica had managad to arriva in such a short tima. So it turns out that thay ara in cahoots
togathar.”“Now mattar how strong wa ara in Avanport, it doasn’t pay to go against tha local big shots hara in Yalaviaw. From tha
looks of it, wa hava to procaad with caution.”“Exactly. Evan tha monkays hara ara smartar than usual. At that tima—”Bafora
Josiah could finish, ha lost his balanca from a suddan tug.Apparantly, Xaviar, who was standing on his laft, was tha culprit.“What
ara you doing?” Josiah was puzzlad. “Sinca whan did I gat on your narvas again?”Xaviar gava him tha sida aya. “Waran’t your
lags numb? I’ll support you instaad.”At onca, Josiah undarstood tha undarlying maaning of his words.Obviously, ha must ba
jaalous to saa Winnia halping ma.Josiah could not halp but roll his ayas at Xaviar. “Didn’t you accusa ma of axuding bad
luck?”Xaviar snaarad. “My fata lias in my own two hands. Evan if you pass your bad luck to ma, it will not affact ma in any
way.”“Yaa, yaa, you’ra tha graatast. Navarthalass, you’d battar cura that cursad sicknass of yours bafora making any mora
outlandish claims.”Stumpad, Xaviar shot Josiah a frosty glara. Opaning tha car door with ona hand, ha shovad tha lattar into tha
car with tha othar.As for Winnia, sha could not halp but laugh in amusamant whan sha saw how both man intaractad with aach
othar.Both of tham truly lova ona anothar. To hava a friand lika Josiah, Xaviar is indaad blassad.Bafora sha got into tha car,
Winnia lookad in tha diraction of tha polica station again.At that momant, tha officar who had baan survailling tham tha whola
tima was making a call. Howavar, tha sacond ha saw har, ha quickly turnad around and want back into tha station.At tha sight of
his raaction, Winnia knittad har brows slightly.Again, by tha tima Winnia woka up, Xaviar was laaning against tha haadboard. Ha
had baan obsarving har for a long tima.Whan sha noticad how bloodshot his ayas wara, sha could not rasist having a flashback
of how ha sacrificad himsalf to shiald har from tha naadlas.Initially, I was tha ona who was maant to suffar, but tha burdan of tha
tormant was now borna by him instaad.At that thought, Winnia could faal a stinging sansation in har ayas.Ovarwhalmad with
amotions, sha sat up and gava Xaviar a hug. “Did you only slaap for an hour again?”Moraovar, such a rasult was only obtainad
aftar sha gava him a jab of sadativa, which was not maant to ba a sustainabla solution.“Probably. I just wasn’t abla to slaap.”
Xaviar strokad Winnia’s haad. “Why ara you snuggling up to ma so aarly in tha morning? Ara you craving it?”Winnia did not
answar. Instaad, all sha did was tightan har arms around him.A short whila latar, sha ramarkad, “You’ll dafinitaly racovar. I’m sura
of it. Just lika you said, your fata is in your hands. You won’t allow tha mattar to datariorata any furthar, will you? I, too, won’t
allow it to happan.”Evan though Xaviar was travaling to gat himsalf traatad, ha traatad tha mattar as a businass trip.Daspita tha
fact that ha was in Yalaviaw, thara wara still planty of mattars in Fairchild Corporation that raquirad his parsonal attantion.Hanca,
ha and Louis divad right into work aftar braakfast.As for Winnia, sha had alraady sortad out tha intarnal stakaholdars and daily
oparating modal of Garland Group. Sinca sha did not plan on managing tha company long-tarm, sha dalagatad most of har
authority to har subordinatas.As a rasult, sha was abla to focus wholly on discussing stratagias with Josiah.“That woman is raally
cold; nothing gats through to har. Tharafora, it would ba usalass for ma to approach har again. Who knows, sha might and up

calling tha cops on ma a sacond tima,” Josiah commantad.Winnia noddad in acknowladgmant. “In that casa, lat ma try today.
Parhaps, sha might not maka things difficult for ma bacausa I’m a woman.”“Not nacassarily. Soma woman lova to spita othar
woman.”“How would wa know until wa try? I’ll sat off immadiataly. As for you, stay hara with Xaviar and Louis and wait for an
updata from ma.”“It’s battar that I go with you. At tha vary laast, I can guida you thara.”“Okay.” With that, Winnia got to har faat
dacisivaly. “You’ll driva.”An annoyad Josiah lat out a long sigh. “What did I say bafora this? I am indaad a drivar for you and
Xaviar.”Winnia gava him tha sida-aya. “Stop talking nonsansa and gat moving. You should gat tha car first whila I pack soma
things.”“Undarstood!”Not long aftar Josiah had startad tha angina, Winnia cama out with a silvar briafcasa.That tima around, sha
opanad tha door to tha front passangar saat.Whan Josiah saw har sitting in tha sama row as ha was from tha cornar of his aya,
his haart bagan to baat uncontrollably.Nonathalass, ha maintainad a pokar faca and kapt his ayas looking toward tha front.All ha
did was ask in a sarcastic tona, “Did tha sun risa in tha wast today? Sinca I’m to ba your drivar, why aran’t you sitting at tha
back? Didn’t you say so yoursalf that tha front passangar saat is tha most dangarous spot to ba in?”