Chapter 38

Winnie remembered the day she walked away from the Henderson family, how Kathryn had gloated about her crush on Parker. And now Parker himself claimed she was into him.

So who was spreading lies about her?

Parker, caught off guard by Winnie’s question, seemed stumped for a moment but quickly masked it with a smirk, as if looking at a girlfriend throwing a tantrum.

“Come on, Winnie, it’s pretty obvious. I don’t need anyone to it out for me,” he said with a confident chuckle. “You were always hanging around me, showing up wherever I went, buying me sandwiches in the mornings, cheering at my games… You didn’t say it, but it was clear as day.”

Winnie’s lips twitched in annoyance, then she replied, “The only reason I didn’t declare it is that I don’t like you. As for the reason I followed you… believe me, you don’t want to know.”

Her denial was sharp and unyielding, leaving Parker momentarily taken aback, but he clung to his belief.

“Why do you deny your feelings for me? Is it because of Kathryn? Or does your new family forbid you from being with me?” asked Parker in confidence.

At this point, Winnie was truly speechless.

Some people’s vanity deafens them to others, and she had just witnessed a prime example.

She didn’t bother continuing this pointless argument and got into her car.

Parker clenched his teeth in frustration, mulling over how to make her stay, when he saw the rear car window roll down. His expression softened, and he gave her a tender, confident smile.

But Winnie’s gaze cool and detached as she glanced over his face, asking simply, “That excuse took you two days to cook up?”

this was Did he think some cheesy old–school romance, where he’d play along with a forced love triangle to appease Kathryn?

The flicker of embarrassment in Parker’s eyes went unseen as Winnie slowly rolled up the window and instructed the driver to head out.

Watching the car drive away, Parker felt a mix of shame and anger. To him, it was no excuse. It was a lifeline he’d thrown her, expecting her infatuation to make her grab it instantly. With her current status, she could demand he break up with Kathryn right there and then, and he would have agreed. But… she had rejected him.

Climbing the ranks of the Bryant family really did change a person.

Inside the car, as soon as the window closed, Winnie had already cast Parker from her mind. She checked the message, her eyes flickering with interest.

“Eddie, don’t head back home. Take me somewhere else,” she Instructed.

The driver in the front seat. Eddie, complied, steering the car towards an underdeveloped business park in the suburbs.

Though it was a business area, the lack of successful Investment left it desolate.

Eddie, appointed by Horace as both driver and bodyguard, voiced his concern, “Miss, what business do you have in a place like this? Maybe should come with you.”

“It’s fine. Just wait here,” Winnie assured, pausing briefly before adding, “I might be a while. Feel to take break or head back.”

Eddie insisted on waiting for her, so Winnie proceeded alone Into the seemingly abandoned business park.

She bypassed derelict buildings until reaching an inconspicuous red–brick structure at the park’s center. Descending into the building and through a lengthy corridor, she emerged into a lavishly decorated underground auction house. The space wasn’t vast, hosting no more than three hundred people.

A waiter approached and said respectfully. “Miss, may I see your invitation?”

Before Winnie could respond, a mellifluous male voice called out from another entrance, “She’s with me.”

Recognizing the newcomer, the waiter bowed deeper, “Sir.”

The man exuded an androgynous allure, his captivating eyes always hinting at playfulness. He wore an exquisite deep purple suit, with his slightly long hair casually tied back, radiating an air of oriental mystery. He gestured towards Winnie with a suggestive curl of his finger, a flirtatious twinkle in his eye.

Winnie was used to his antics and followed him to a private room behind the auction hall.

The room was decorated in a classic style, matching his personal flair. A decorative screen divided the space, with one side for receiving guests, and the other showcasing various curiosities soon to be auctioned. Unlike typical auction houses dealing in antiques and art. Hector’s offerings were diverse and peculiar; he could procure nearly anything requested.

“What about the item you mentioned?” Winnie asked eagerly upon entering.

Hector, amused by her impatience, began rummaging through the collection, muttering to himself as he searched, “Not this… nor this… Ah, there’s that human bone relic I was wondering about. This box… oh, here it is.”

He returned, holding a long case, and flashed Winnie sly look. “I can’t be sure it’s what you’re after, but take look.”

Opening the case, Winnie saw a withered branch inside–a charred piece of Rowan wood, a revered object in mystic circles, thought to ward off evil.

Quality Rowan wood was rare, and a millennial piece, charged with the power of ancient lightning strikes, was even scarcer. Such artifacts were treasured heirlooms among mystic. families, making it all the more impressive that Hector had managed to find one.

The warm light of ancient lightning seemed to emanate from the Rowan wood in Hector’s hand, a clear sign that it was no ordinary stick. However…

“This isn’t the one I’m looking for.” replied Winnie.

Hector’s confident demeanor cracking slightly as he glared at her, “Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a millennium–old Rowan Wood? You should be grateful to even have one.”

He pushed the wand closer to her, “Why don’t take another look? After all, branches tend to look alike.”

Winnie didn’t even spare a glance as she pushed the wand back to him, her expression grave.

“I’m certain, mine is different. Besides, I’ve already told you, I’m not searching for a mere magical tool.”

She was seeking the person who possessed it, her mentor. They had agreed she would stay until Winnie’s eighteenth birthday, but suddenly she vanished without a trace.

No matter how Winnie divined or calculated, she couldn’t capture even a hint of her mentor’s presence. It was as if she had never existed in this world all.

Now, her only lead to finding her mentor were the magical tools she once carried, and Winnie had no other way to track her down.

Seeing her resolute stance, Hector clicked his tongue in irritation. The Rowan Wood, once. treasured, was tossed carelessly over his shoulder. “Tch, all that effort for nothing.”

Winnie winced as she heard the thud of the box hitting the table.

“This may not be the thing I’m searching for, but it’s still a genuine, thousand–year–old Rowan Wood! That’s no way to treat a treasure of the Mystical Sects! You owe it an apology!” She thought.