Chapter 27

At the Bryant Manor.

After seeing off Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez, Janet broached the subject of the dinner party planned for the following evening.

It was a special affair organized in honor of Winnie’s return home, a formal introduction to the inner high society that was now in jeopardy.

With Winnie gone, the future of tomorrow evening’s festivities hung in the balance.

All eyes turned to Bacchus, silently imploring him for guidance.

Bacchus squinted his eyes thoughtfully before declaring firmly. “The dinner will proceed as planned.” Then, turning to Springer, Cutler and Hobson, he added, “You lads, go apologize to Winnie tomorrow. If you can’t bring Winnie back, don’t bother returning yourselves.”

These guys widened their eyes in disbelief, shocked that their grandfather would issue such an ultimatum.

Could it be that Winnie, a granddaughter he’d barely known, was more important than his grandsons?

Even Springer, the hothead he was, couldn’t believe it. Hobson was the same age as Winnie. and Cutler was older. Apologize to Winnie? Was their pride worth nothing?

Up until now, they didn’t feel they had done anything wrong.

Family squabbles leading to Winnie leaving home seemed like an overreaction on her part, they thought. Yet they dared not voice these thoughts now.

As they were about to speak, Clifford cut in, “I’ll accompany the boys to Winnie’s tomorrow.”

Clifford vividly remembered the look in Winnie’s eyes when she declared she was moving out. Especially since Horace had pointed out that the room they asked her to vacate was prepared for her by him and his wife.

At that moment, Winnie must have been so disappointed in him.

Absorbed in his career over the years, with Horace always excelling without much need for concern, Clifford had paid little attention to Winnie’s return. It wasn’t until Horace’s reminder that he realized he didn’t know the first thing about raising children.

This time, he was determined to make amends.

Fortunately, despite his stern exterior, Clifford was not a man bound by outdated notions of male pride. He believed in acknowledging mistakes and making amends, regardless of age or status. Moreover, it was his daughter whom he had neglected for eighteen years.

The next day, as Winnie was just waking up, she found four imposing figures at her door, standing like a mountain range before her.

It was then that she understood why Horace had insisted on taking her back to her apartment the night before. He knew they would come.

“Winnie… is this where you live?” Clifford had been incredulous when he received the address from Horace.

He had assumed that even if Horace made Winnie leave, he would have ensured she had at proper place to stay. But here she was, living in such a place?

Winnie glanced at Clifford and the three boys with mixed expressions behind him, pressed her lips together, and silently stepped aside.

“Come in,” she said.

The living room was small, and it felt almost overstuffed when Clifford and the boys stepped inside. Springer, Cutler and Hobson looked even more uncomfortable.

Winnie’s apartment, located in a mid–range complex often rented by recent graduates and junior white–collar workers, was decent but nothing special.

To Springer, Cutler and Hobson, who had grown up in luxury, it was the epitome of squalor.

Even the living room was smaller than their bedrooms at home. How could Winnie live in such a place?

“You didn’t have to settle for a dump like this, even if it’s just temporary. It’s not like our family is short on cash…” Hobson frowned, convinced this was Winnie’s ploy to play on their guilt.

Winnie just glanced at him and said nothing Hobson was about to retort when a white fluffy fox bolted from a corner pet house and snuggled up to Winnie.

Only then did they notice the pet house and well–worn toys in the corner, signs that Winnie had been living there for some time. It was clear this was indeed her home.

Springer, ever blunt, couldn’t hold back, “Weren’t you staying with the Henderson family before? Why are you renting a place by yourself now Did they kick you out?”

His voice was laced with anger. Even if he resented the idea of this so–called cousin returning home, it was a matter for the Bryant family alone. Winnie was a member of the Bryant family, and it wasn’t for outsiders to mistreat her.

Hobson and Cutler also looked displeased, feeling that the Henderson family’s actions were a slap in the face to their family’s reputation.

Winnie found their sudden shift in attitude baffling. Just yesterday, they treated her like an unwelcome intruder, and now they seemed to be defending her honor. What was going on? “The Henderson family’doesn’t allow pets so I rented this place to keep my fox,” Winnie explained slowly, her eyes fixed on them.

the They suddenly recalled the previous morning’s dispute about not allowing her to keep the fox at home, and their expressions became a mix of embarrassment and consternation.

Clifford, having heard about the fox from Horace, quickly offered, “Horace has prepared a pet house for the fox. You can bring it home. I assure you nobody will object to it again.”

“There’s no need. We’re happy here,” Winnie replied, pausing before adding softly, “We’re accustomed to it.”

felt an unexpected pang of hurt. The realization of his neglect hit him harder than he anticipated.

Having seen the true nature of Suzan, Clifford should have realized that Winnie’s life with the Henderson family might not have been as rosy as everyone imagined.

People assumed that since the Henderson family was well–off, Winnie must have been pampered and doted on, but they overlooked the fact that she was not their flesh and blood. How could the Henderson family cherish a child that wasn’t theirs?

These thoughts made Clifford deeply regret the words he had uttered the day before.

“Winnie, about what happened yesterday, I was wrong and I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”

Winnie blinked in surprise at his words. She had guessed that Horace’s insistence on them visiting her humble apartment was a ploy to gain sympathy. She wasn’t the type to suffer in silence or beg for mercy, but still… she hadn’t even started playing the victim. And here was her father, already apologizing.

At the sight of Clifford who commanded respect and wielded influence without hesitation, now bowing his head to her, she didn’t feel any better Everyone thought her outburst the previous day was just said in the heat of the moment, but she knew it was her true sentiment.

With silent sigh, Winnie simply said, “I was never angry you in the first place, so there’s nothing to forgive. You don’t need to apologize to me.”

After a pause, she added, “I’m of age now, perfectly capable of living on my own. You don’t need to worry about me. I chose to move out because I wanted to.”

The implication was clear that she wasn’t coming back. ?

Clifford frowned slightly as he processed her words, about to speak again when Hobson, standing off to the side, muttered under his breath, “I’m of age too. Is the reason haven’t moved out because I don’t to? It’s because the folks at home won’t have it.”