Chris pushed himself up from the sofa. His expression was cold as he glanced at Winter curled up in the corner. He picked up his phone, swiped the screen, and answered the call.

“Focus on your recovery first. That’s the most important thing. As for anything else, have someone reach out to Gavin.”

Whatever the person on the other end said, his response was gentle and incredibly patient. Nothing like the man he had been with her.

After hanging up, Chris picked up the glasses he had tossed aside earlier. He did not look at Winter again. He stood, grabbed his suit jacket, and headed for the door.

“Are you going to see Skyla?” Winter asked, her eyes burning red.

Without turning back, he said, “That’s none of your business.”

Bracing her aching right leg, Winter struggled to her feet. She looked at the man standing there, immaculate and composed, a stark contrast to her own disheveled state. Her heart sank to the bottom of her chest.

“Chris Xander!”

She staggered forward and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

Afraid he would shake her off, she held on with all her strength. Every bone in her body screamed in pain.

The divorce papers in the drawer, Skyla’s return, and the fact that she could no longer hold on to Chris’s heart all crowded her mind.

It was time to put an end to everything.

Winter closed her eyes in pain, almost mocking herself for still hoping.

“When you married me back then, you didn’t have a choice,” she said quietly. “I just want to know the truth of how you really feel.”

Chris held his glasses between his long fingers. He looked down at her coldly.

“What game are you playing now?”

“Call it a game if you want.” Winter slowly loosened her grip.

She looked up at him. Her eyes were clear without a trace of confusion. She spoke each word carefully.

“If Grandma hadn’t used company shares as leverage, would you have agreed to marry me?”

Deep down, she knew there was no point in asking. But a part of her couldn't let it go. This was her last chance to speak up. No matter what he said tonight, she would never ask him again.

Chris narrowed his eyes as he studied her. Then he smiled, though the smile never reached his eyes.

“Does it matter?”

He let out a soft scoff. His dark eyes fixed on her as he stepped closer.

“You were the one who insisted on marrying me back then. You didn’t care about anything else. So why bring this up now? What are you trying to do?”

Without his glasses, the sharpness in his gaze was fully unleashed.

The crushing pressure and biting cold made Winter instinctively take a step back.

Chris grabbed her waist and looked down at her. His eyes slid lower, to her lips, still faintly swollen from his kiss. He leaned in, his warm breath brushing her ear.

“You want to know my real answer?” he murmured. “I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

The grip at her waist vanished abruptly.

Winter’s right leg gave out. She collapsed onto the floor.

She stared blankly in the direction he left, her body trembling uncontrollably.

A black sedan was parked outside the gates of the Xander estate.

Chris, radiating a cold intensity, got into the car. He yanked off his loosened tie and tossed it aside, stretching out his legs.

The heater was on, but the temperature inside the car seemed to drop the moment he sat down.

His assistant, Gavin Lincoln, glanced quickly at the rearview mirror, then looked away and started the car.

“Mr. Xander, Ms. Jasper called earlier. She said her younger brother got into some trouble. He incited an assault.”

“Who was the victim?” Chris asked.

“She said it was someone who meddled too much. The person isn’t seriously hurt and only has minor injuries. But the police have already traced it back to the Jasper family. Ms. Jasper is very worried.”

Chris lit a cigarette. The flare briefly outlined the sharp line of his brow.

“Go take care of it.”

*

Word of Chris leaving the estate the previous night reached Mrs. Xander Sr. early the next morning.

At the breakfast table, Mrs. Xander Sr. was about to say something to comfort Winter, but Winter smiled and placed a croissant onto her plate.

“Grandma, let’s just enjoy our breakfast. We shouldn't talk about things that ruin the appetite.”

After Chris had been summoned away by a phone call from Skyla, Winter did not sleep in their marital home. Instead, she returned to her old room, right next door to Chris’s.

In the past, she used to go looking for him whenever she had the chance. Even though Chris found her annoying, he had never changed rooms all those years.

After finishing breakfast with Mrs. Xander Sr., Winter prepared to leave. With her injured leg, she could not drive, so she asked Mr. White to arrange a car for her.

While waiting, she took a tube of anti-inflammatory ointment from her bag.

She had found it that morning on the table outside her bedroom. It was the same ointment Mrs. Young had used on her back at Blackwood Manor. She had no idea who had left it there.

She walked into the courtyard and stopped, lifting her gaze to the magnolia tree that stood two stories tall.

Magnolias in Liono City only bloomed in April. Now, in December, the branches were bare and lifeless.

She remembered when she first came to the Xander estate. It had been magnolia season.

She was seven. Chris was twelve.

That day, the sun had been bright. Chris had stood beneath the magnolia tree while the servants introduced her to him. He had glanced at her coolly and said only one thing: “Just don’t bother me.”

“What a relaxed mood you’re in,” a voice said coolly from behind her. “Everything’s falling apart in the house, and you still have the leisure to stand here staring at a boring tree.”

The mockery in his tone was unmistakable.

Winter did not need to turn around to know who it was. It was Steve Xander, Chris’s cousin.

Steve had never gotten along with Chris. Winter had no interest in engaging with him and stepped forward, ready to leave.

“Hey—” Steve stretched out his arm and blocked her path, smiling faintly.

“Don’t you want to know where Chris arranged for Skyla to stay?”

Winter stopped.

Seeing her pause, Steve grinned. He strolled over to stand in front of her, looking down with a raised eyebrow.

“You’ve been married to him for three years, and yet Chris is so heartless…”

Winter slipped her hands into her pockets and cut him off.

“How things are between Chris and me is our business as a married couple. It has nothing to do with you. If you have so much time to meddle, you should spend it figuring out how to secure your footing within the Xander Corporation.”

The words struck a nerve.

Steve’s expression darkened. He grabbed her arm and sneered, “You and Chris, a married couple? That’s just wishful thinking on your part. Has Chris ever treated you like his wife?”

It felt like a public slap in the face. Winter felt a sharp pang in her chest. Everyone in the Xander family knew that Chris had never truly acknowledged her.

“Whether he treats me as his wife or not, I’m still your sister-in-law,” Winter said coldly as she shook his hand off. “Touch me again and see what happens. I won’t hesitate to call for help.”

True enough, Steve did not dare push things further in the Xander estate.

He stood beneath the bare branches, staring at her darkly.

“I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you finally find out the truth.”

Winter ignored him.

After getting into the car, she reached down and rubbed her aching leg.

“Ma'am, are we going to the station?” the driver asked respectfully. It was a workday, and he didn't know she had been given time off.

“Yes,” she replied.

She still had an interview transcript that needed editing. Keeping herself busy would help distract her from her thoughts.

Winter was a senior reporter in the station’s news department. She specialized in investigative journalism, focusing on unethical corporations and illegal businesses. Through her work alone, she had already helped rescue many vulnerable youths from dangerous environments.

As soon as she arrived at the newsroom, Sam called her into his office.

He closed the door, motioned for her to sit, and hesitated, clearly struggling with what to say.

Meeting Winter’s calm, questioning gaze, he finally sighed.

“Winter, there’s something I need to tell you. The people who attacked you have been identified, but…”

“They have powerful backing?” Winter asked calmly. She was not surprised. Anyone who dared assault a reporter was either stupid or well protected.

Sam poured her a glass of water and placed it on the desk.

Then, his voice grew heavy. “I’ve asked around. The person who ordered the hit is the younger brother of Chris Xander’s ex-girlfriend. Chris is protecting him. He even got the three men who actually beat you released. The Xander family has people at the police station…”

Winter barely heard whatever he said after that.

Winter’s fingers clenched so tightly they trembled, her nails biting into her palms until she drew blood.

The silence was suffocating.

“Winter. Winter…”

Sam frowned deeply as he called her name.

Winter sat there like a frozen statue. After a long moment, she finally moved her stiff lips and answered calmly, as if nothing were wrong. “I’m listening.”

Her composure unsettled him even more. No tears. No anger. Nothing at all.

Sam worried she might be bottling everything up, heading toward a breaking point.

But there were things he still had to say.

He slid a check across the desk. “This is compensation from the Jasper family.”

It was clear what they wanted. They were trying to make the matter disappear.

Winter glanced at the amount.

One million dollars.

She almost laughed. Turns out her injuries were worth quite a bit.

Sam said a few more words, trying to make her feel better.

“Fine. I understand,” Winter said. She took the check, stood up neatly, and left the office.

The door closed quietly behind her. Sam stared at it, his brow still furrowed.

This was not like her.

In the past, whenever Winter ran into trouble, she fought back head-on. She never backed down. She never took hush money and walked away.

But this time, the people involved were protected by the Xander family. Even if he wanted to help her, his connections did not reach that far.

If she really chose to let it go like this, he had to admit he felt disappointed.

He had entrusted her with the most dangerous investigations precisely because she feared no power and no retaliation. Exposing corruption and buried filth required exactly that kind of backbone.

And now she had taken the money and left.

However, it was her decision. Maybe she had her own difficulties. After all, she was a young woman with no parents and no backing. As an outsider, what right did he have to judge?

Winter returned to her desk and buried herself in her unfinished interview drafts. She stayed at the station until after hours, never leaving.

The next day, she showed up to work as usual.

Everyone at the station knew she had been assaulted. Colleagues she was close to came by to check on her, offer comfort, even suggested going out for dinner after work to shake off the bad luck.

She declined them all politely.

“If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to go out if I’d almost been beaten into a pulp,” Wendy Stone said, leaning against Winter’s desk. She held a freshly bought coffee, her long, wavy hair cascading down her shoulders.

She and Winter were rivals, both eyeing the “Outstanding Employee” title for the year-end evaluation.

“I was not beaten into a pulp, but thank you,” Winter replied. She casually took the coffee from Wendy’s hand, took a sip, and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. “Thanks. This is my favorite. You’ve been paying close attention to me, haven’t you?”

“Who said that was for you?” Wendy nearly jumped. “Give it back!”

Winter took another sip. “I’m drinking it anyway. What are you going to do about it?”

Wendy huffed and didn’t actually try to grab it back. She clicked her tongue and looked Winter up and down. “Good thing you’ve got skin this thick. Otherwise, you really would’ve been beaten to a mess.”

Instead of being annoyed, Winter found her oddly endearing.

Just as Wendy twisted her hips and turned to leave, Winter called out, “Wendy, sweetie, do you happen to have a VIP card for the JX Club?”

“Why?” Being called sweetie by someone as striking as Winter clearly put her in a good mood. “You want one?”

Winter blinked at her playfully. “Lend it to me, and I’ll tell you where I got my double eyelids done.”

Wendy’s eyes flew open. “So you did get work done!”

She knew it. No one was born with double eyelids that perfect.

She hurried back to her desk, pulled a black card from her wallet, and shoved it into Winter’s hand. “Now tell me.”

Winter leaned in close and whispered in her ear, smiling. “Actually, I got them done... in my mom’s womb.”

That meant they were natural.

Wendy’s expression twisted through several emotions before she exploded, stamping her foot.

“Winter! You lied to me!”

“Thanks for the VIP card,” Winter said, not even turning around as she waved casually in Wendy’s direction.

*

After leaving the TV station, Winter stopped by a mall and picked out an outfit that was both comfortable and party-appropriate. She swapped out the short skirt the sales associate suggested for a pair of fitted black pants, which conveniently hid the bruises on her thighs. She paired them with knee-high boots. With a slight tweak to her makeup, her look shifted instantly, cool, bold, and unapologetically edgy.

Then she drove straight to JX Club, a nightlife hotspot popular with the city’s young and reckless.

As expected, she was stopped at the entrance.

Winter rested one hand on the steering wheel as she handed over the VIP card. “I’m here for Jacob’s birthday.”

Jacob Jasper, Skyla’s brother, was hosting his party at the club tonight.

One look at her fashionable outfit told the security guard she belonged here. More importantly, the VIP card was all the proof he needed. He waved her through without hesitation.

As she walked deeper into the club, the louder the music became, pounding hard enough to rattle her chest.

Winter took a drink from a passing server, pretending to sip as her eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Jacob.

Jacob was infamous in Liono City. He was a notorious troublemaker and his bright red hair made him easy to spot.

The moment she stepped into the party, heads turned. A stunning woman like her didn’t go unnoticed. Men and women alike looked over.

Winter rarely dressed like this. She had a great figure—a slim waist, soft curves, and long legs accentuated by fitted pants and knee-high boots. And then there was her face, striking enough to stand out in any crowd.

That was exactly why she usually wore a mask during interviews. She hated being the center of attention.

A few men tried to approach her, but she smiled and deflected smoothly.

“Sorry,” she said lightly. “I’m here as Jacob’s guest.”

The moment they realized she was a guest of Jacob’s, the men backed off without another word.

It didn’t take long before she spotted him at the poolside.

A woman, soaked and trembling, was shoved into the indoor pool. Jacob tossed a stack of cash down and laughed.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he jeered. “Hit her harder!”

“Jacob.”

Someone tapped his shoulder.

“Who is it?” Jacob snapped as he turned around.

Before he could finish the sentence, his vision went dark followed by a loud crack.

A glass bottle shattered against his head.

The music cut out abruptly as a few sharp screams pierced the air.

The atmosphere dropped instantly, cold and suffocating.

Even the assault in the pool stopped.

Blood trickled down Jacob’s forehead, sliding into the water and spreading in slow red swirls.

“Who the hell wants to die?” Jacob roared, grabbing a bottle to swing back.

But someone was faster.

Another bottle smashed straight into his head.

A clear, icy voice cut through the chaos.

“You’ve got some nerve asking. I’m your worst nightmare!”

The crowd held its breath. No one had imagined that Jacob would get his head cracked open at his own birthday party.

Jacob staggered, wiping the blood from his eyes. Through the red haze, he saw a stunningly beautiful face that was deathly calm.

The moment he recognized Winter, his expression twisted, venom flooding his eyes. “So it’s you,” he snarled. “I should’ve had you killed that day. What, you got a death wish coming back here?”

It was Winter who had ruined his business.

A sharp, scathing article she had posted online had gone viral online, stirring up a public uproar and getting Jacob’s bar shut down. Half a year of his blood, sweat, and money had gone down the drain.

He had been itching to settle that score for a long time.

His original plan was to have his guys beat her, assault her, and take photos to use as blackmail. Who would have guessed she would be lucky enough to escape? But today, she had practically delivered herself to his doorstep.

“You really aren't afraid to die, are you?” Jacob sneered.

He took the towel a bodyguard handed him and pressed it against the cut on his head. She actually had the nerve to smash a bottle over him.

Luckily, he had dodged during the second strike, so it wasn't as deep as it could have been but the amount of blood lost and the sheer humiliation in front of the crowd made him see red.

No matter what, he was not letting her walk out of here tonight.

He leaned in close, a twisted grin pulling at his face. “Don’t think you’ll get lucky every time.

“Still thinking about going to the police?”

He had specifically sent men to beat her on the day his sister returned to the country. He had planned for the worst from the start. Even if Chris found out afterward, he was confident he could hide behind Skyla and walk away untouched.

What he hadn’t expected was for Winter to actually call the police. The investigation had traced everything back to him. And yet Chris had stepped in and protected him anyway.

That told him everything he needed to know.

Winter clearly meant nothing to Chris.

What kind of husband watched his wife get beaten and did absolutely nothing?

It was obvious that Chris despised her.

“As long as Skyla says the word, Chris will cover for me,” Jacob said coldly. “But you? Has he ever shown you even a shred of concern? Winter, this is your karma for stealing her boyfriend three years ago.”

Winter’s expression stiffened for just a split second.

Jacob caught it and smiled darkly. “You’re going to regret what you did tonight.”

Winter scoffed, looking at him like he was trash. “The only thing I regret is not hitting harder. I should’ve smashed your skull instead of leaving you standing here barking.”

The smile vanished from Jacob’s face.

“Get her,” he barked. “Hold her down. Strip her. I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave this place alive.”

She was still talking back even with death staring her in the face.

Empty bottles were scattered across the table. Jacob grabbed one and smashed the bottom against the edge. Jagged glass glinted sharply under the lights.

At his order, two men beside him rushed forward, eager to prove themselves.

The sound of their smug laughter made Winter’s blood run cold. She recognized them at once.

They were the same men who had attacked her that night.

Perfect. That saved her the trouble of tracking them down herself.

The moment they moved in, Winter quickly pulled a switchblade from her pocket and drove the tip into one man’s thigh.

A sharp scream rang out.

He collapsed to his knees, clutching his leg. The other man had not even figured out what had happened before Winter caught movement in the corner of her eye. She lifted her right leg and slammed her heel into him.

Pain tore through his thigh, and he cried out as he dropped to his knees as well.

Winter gripped the bloodied switchblade and stared coldly at the two men kneeling on the floor, screaming in pain.

She did not care who had kicked her leg that night. One leg each was fair. They had it coming.

That night, she had been careless. They had caught her off guard.

Did they really think a reporter like her had no idea how to defend herself?

William Zeller had hired professionals to teach her self-defense techniques. She had let her training lapse last year because of her pregnancy, but she still remembered enough for situations like this.

If William ever found out she had been beaten, he would abandon the entire film crew and rush back to stand up for her.

She refused to let anyone look down on her, especially not for failing to avenge herself.

“All of you, get her!” Jacob roared when he saw his men taken down. His expression turned dark with rage. “Are you all useless? You cannot even handle one woman?”

Jacob had more than ten bodyguards. Winter immediately backed away.

They were all professionally trained. She knew better than to fight them head-on. Instead, she shot a quick glance toward the direction she had come from.

This was Jacob’s territory. She had walked straight into danger, but she had not come unprepared.

So why had the security guards she hired not shown up?

She had arranged everything carefully. Something had gone wrong.

As Winter found herself surrounded, one bodyguard attacked from behind and pinned her arms.

Jacob’s blood-smeared face lunged close as he grabbed her by the throat. “You think you're so tough, Winter? Let’s see how tough you are by the end of the night!”

He showed no restraint, cutting off her air completely. Her face began to change color, yet she made no sound. She looked at him the way one would look at trash.

“Looking for death?” Jacob snarled.

“Stop!”

A woman’s sharp command rang out from nearby.

The hand around Winter’s throat froze.

“Sis, what are you doing here?” Jacob turned around.

But the first person he saw was not Skyla.

It was the man standing beside the wheelchair, tall, composed, and coldly refined.

The moment Jacob met those pitch-dark eyes, a chill ran down his spine.

Chris Xander.

Why was he here?

Winter’s gaze followed as Jacob turned his shoulder. The instant she saw him, her face drained of color.

She understood everything.

The people she had arranged outside the club had been intercepted by Chris.

To protect Skyla’s brother and keep the birthday party from being disrupted, he had truly gone that far.

As Jacob stood there distracted, Winter summoned every ounce of fury in her soul. She wrenched herself free from the guard and kicked Jacob away. Before anyone could react, she lunged at him, pinning him down. She grabbed a jagged bottle fragment from the floor and began slamming it into his head.

Her eyes were bloodshot and wild. The sound of glass shattering against bone echoed as bystanders screamed and scrambled away from the flying shards.

No one had time to react. Even the bodyguards froze.

At that moment, Winter no longer looked human. She looked like a vengeful spirit crawled out from the depths of hell.

Jacob lay on the ground, disoriented, his words slurred. It was unclear whether he was begging or cursing.

Still, Winter showed no sign of stopping.

She reversed her grip on the switchblade, grabbed his collar, and drove it down with swift, decisive intent. Anyone watching would have thought she truly meant to kill him.

Suddenly, a hand clamped around her wrist.

The grip was overwhelming. She had no chance to struggle. Her strength was cut off instantly, and the blade fell to the floor.

“Mrs. Xander,” Gavin said softly, frowning.

Even he had been shaken by what he had just witnessed.

Winter collapsed to her knees. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gavin retrieve the switchblade from the floor.

He was Chris’s personal bodyguard. He only followed Chris’s orders.

“So it is fine for him to have people beat me and try to kill me,” Winter said softly with a low laugh. “But when I want his life, I need your permission?”

A shard of glass had grazed her cheek when the bottle shattered. Blood streaked down half her face.

Gavin froze.

Something finally clicked.

His heart tightened as he instinctively turned to look at Chris standing not far away.