Silly Bride novel (Winnie and Xavier)

“Can I come in, Mr. Fairchild? There’s some urgent business.”

Winnie could not stand the persistent knocking any longer and left Xavier’s embrace.

She said, “Let him in. It could be a complicated matter.” At the same time, she straightened out Xavier’s tie for him.

Despite his reluctance, Xavier agreed, caving to his principles.

He was the CEO of Fairchild Corporation, and he made sure he performed his duties responsibly while at work.

He knew when to prioritize his work over his identity as Winnie’s husband.

Hence, Xavier strode to his desk and pressed a small button under the table, unlocking the office door.

Winnie was dumbstruck. She asked, “Did you lock the door from the inside?”

“What do you think?” Smirking, Xavier added, “I don’t want anyone to interrupt me while I’m cuddling you.”

An exasperated Winnie asked, “Weren’t we working just now? Or did you already have this all planned out?”

Xavier laughed in response. “Dumbo, I was the only one working. You were playing games. Plus, I have more foresight than to leave the door unlocked while you’re around.”

“Fine, you win.” Winnie pouted good-naturedly and admitted, “I was playing games, and I’m going to continue playing it now. You can let your staff in.”

Then, she plonked herself back on the couch.

Xavier reluctantly retracted his gaze from his wife and called out to his employee outside.

“Come in.”

The door opened from the outside.

Both Xavier and Winnie had expected Louis to come in, having recognized his voice earlier.

To their surprise, the first person who rushed into the room was Jacinta.

“Granny?” Stunned, Winnie leaped to her feet and asked, “Why are you here?”

“So you were here, Winnie!” Jacinta immediately approached her granddaughter and seized her wrist. “You told me you couldn’t accompany me because you were busy with work. Were you with Xavier this whole time? How could you lie to me? I always thought you were pulling extra hours at the company until I saw the news on the Internet calling you the Vinnie Couple. There was also some livestream thing. That’s how I knew you’d been cooped up in Fairchild Corporation for the past two days. What did you promise me in the past? You said you would cut off all ties with this man once you avenged your mother.”

Xavier was still standing beside them in the office. Winnie did not think he would be affected by her grandmother’s words until she brought up the last bit about cutting ties with Xavier. She worried that it would agitate him.

The medication he was on tended to amplify every emotion he felt. It was all well and good if he was feeling positive emotions, but any hint of negative emotions could potentially spiral out of control and spur Xavier to harm others or even himself.

Sadly, though Xavier’s mind was affected, his hearing clearly was not.

He had heard every single word of Jacinta’s rant, and his expression darkened instantly.

Sadness and disbelief warred in his heart as he asked, “Dumbo, is your granny telling the truth?”

Winnie struggled to muster a reply. Eventually, she said, “Granny, things have become quite complicated. It’s hard to explain everything in a few words. Why don’t I talk to you somewhere else?”

“Somewhere else?” Jacinta’s grip tightened on her granddaughter’s wrist as though fearing Winnie’s escape. “Where do you want to go?”

Winnie furrowed her brows before shooting Louis a subtle glance. “Mr. Tanser, help me prepare an empty guest room.”

“Sure!”

at home? Why do it on someone else’s turf?

voice cajolingly. Sometimes,

can’t you leave? Those are your legs, not his. You can leave as and when you

to know the true reason,

forward and blocked Winnie’s path once he noticed she was leading Jacinta out of

demanded, “You still haven’t answered my question. Was your granny

pulled Winnie behind her like a protective mother hen before continuing, “Why would I lie about such a

up with him before, and as long as Xavier had not forgotten that part of

had pained him back when Winnie

part of his memories, hearing the suggestion again would undoubtedly hurt Xavier again, even if

at Winnie and

despite having a reply ready in

answered, someone would

to be indecisive or

she tightly knitted her brows, Winnie replied somberly, “Xavier, I admit that I’ve said those words before, but that was in the past. People change, and I’m formally retracting my old statement. On that note, I never meant to lie to my granny either, and I have to explain to her why things have changed for me. Please trust me. I’ll be away now for some time. I’m not asking for your permission; I’m merely informing you of my wish.

conveyed her words with both sincerity and

mind was a mess. He had no idea how he had fallen so hard for a woman nicknamed Dumbo, yet it felt like the most natural thing

and responded, “I won’t stop you

Jacinta planted herself between the couple and declared, “We

with her and uttered, “You’ve really let me down,

go, Granny. We’ll

attempted to break the tense

her grandmother huffed pettily and turned away from her

Corporation, and Winnie prepared to hail

taxi. Someone’s here to fetch us. It’s the

of her finger and

a luxury vehicle

is Granny riding around in some stranger’s expensive car? Who’s the

tugged on Winnie’s arm and asked disbelievingly, “Are you regretting your

whose car

not answer her question and replied vaguely,

say something else when she

camera or microphone in

going on?” The flashing cameras flustered Jacinta to

Winnie hurriedly pulled Jacinta behind her and

a reporter from Orange News. Is it true that you’re actually from Yartran and not

asked, “Who told

it is true? You aren’t Chanaean?” another

ensued. “Did you know that Garland Group is as good as a national business of Chanaea? It has been around for decades. You forcefully took over the corporation from your biological father and changed the company forever. How do you plan on running Garland Group now? Will you turn this Chanean business into a Yartran business instead? Please

Winnie was perplexed.

gotten their information from, and she hated the invasion

she replied, “That’s

lead Jacinta away after her curt

photographers surrounded them, preventing them

microphone almost hit Winnie in

who’s also a foreigner. He has helped foreign investors to obtain sizeable stakes in many corporations in Chanaea.

the microphone to her face than the difficulty of the

out and elegantly pushed

declared, “Please have some professionalism. You’re trying to interview

is far more than an interview. Someone was livestreaming the entire

hired a slew of ghostwriters to post comments on the

busy posting nasty comments: Get lost from Chanaea, you foreigner! Return our national corporation! Winnie Garland, get out of Chanaea! That was the gist of most of the

been paid off to