Chapter 92

In the high society household, children were expected to be multilingual and musically adept from a very young age. At eight years old. Lucy Sanchez could already play a piano sonata with the grace of a seasoned pianist.

It wasn’t until the piano’s melody filled the grand hall that quests realized the young Miss Sanchez was no longer the simple, unaware child they remembered. While her features still bore the innocence of youth, there was a newfound cleverness in her eyes.

As the final notes drifted away, Lucy curtseyed to the audience with impeccable manners before skipping over to Winnie, her exuberance reminiscent of a fluttering butterfly.

“Did you like my playing. Winnie?” she chirped.

Winnie, always nice to children, nodded her approval. “Not bad at all,” she said, despite the two notes Lucy had missed. Considering the girl’s recent return to health, recalling a piece from eight years prior was impressive enough.

Winnie wasn’t one to obsess over minor details and it was the warmth the two that finally shook the room awake to the reality that Winnie had cured Lucy.

The guests‘ gazes towards Winnie grew warmer, recognizing that the Bryants were bound to gain a remarkable member in her.

Amber hadn’t had time to use Lucy’s recovery as a talking point before the Sanchez family eagerly endorsed Winnie. She wondered what the Sanchez couple was thinking, showering such attention on an eighteen–year–old girl as if they weren’t wary of people laughing at them.

Those who had previously sneered at the situation now held their tongues, realizing it was unwise to mock the success Winnie, feeling vindicated, was bored with the petty squabbles and ready to leave the gathering. As if on cue, her phone vibrated in her purse. It was a message from Drake. They had exchanged only a few words since adding each other as contacts.

“Mr. Patterson, what tirhe will you be back tonight?” she had texted.

*Out of town. Back tomorrow,” he replied.

“Great, I can work through the night,” Winnie had responded.

Curious why Drake would reach out, she opened the message to find a photo of her pet fox, plump and wide–eyed, in the grasp of a hand that sparkled with an expensive watch.

With a terse message attached: “Come and get this one.”

Without hesitation, Winnie excused herself and headed towards Patterson Manor. But just as she stepped out of the hall, a voice she didn’t expect called out to her.

“Winnie.”

1/3 12:12 Turning, she saw Parker with a gift bag, dressed like a dashing heir to a fortune. He had come for the event as well.

“You can go straight in,” she told him curtly, unwilling to deny anyone access to the Bryants” event.

She was about to continue on her way when Parker hurried to catch up with her. “I came here to see you,” he said, a more earnest expression replacing his usual smugness.

“Thank you for letting me see my grandmother. I misunderstood things before,” he admitted.

Winnie nodded, her message clear: As long as you understand.

Just when she thought she was rid of this dumbass Parker continued “I know you’ve never liked me, but I think I’ve really fallen for you. Don’t worry, I’ve completely broken things off with Kathryn. This time, I’ll pursue you with all my heart…”

Winnie felt a mix of irritation and disbelief. She had overestimated Parker’s intelligence; he simply couldn’t grasp a clear message.

“I thought after explaining myself, you’d keep your distance, even act as if you didn’t know me. But here you are, spouting these tiresome words. It seems you’re set on not letting me go,” she said, her voice carrying a chill.

Parker, taken aback, argued that he just wanted the opportunity to court her. But Winnie had run out of patience.

“I don’t like repeating myself,” she said sharply, pulling a tiny, grey charm from her purse–different from her usual trinkets.

Holding it between her delicate fingers, she glanced coolly at Parker and said, “This conversation is over.

“If you’re hell–bent on doing this, I doubt anything I say will stop you. Might as well get a real taste of what you’re dealing with,” she said with a hint of resignation.

As the words left her mouth, she lifted her arm in a swift motion, and a tiny talisman flickered towards Parker’s face.

Parker jumped back, startled. He had seen her summon the spirits with just a flick of her wrist. so he instinctively raised his hands to shield his head.

But then, the talisman vanished into thin air. Just inches from his face.

Parker blinked in confusion, not quite sure what had happened. When he looked up, Winnie was already walking out of the Bryant family’s front door, having slipped past him unnoticed.

He patted himself down and looked around to make sure nothing was around before letting out. a huge sigh of relief.

It seemed Winnie had just been trying to spook him. He knew she wouldn’t really hurt him.

Parker chuckled to himself, a mix of exasperation and affection in his smile.

12:13 Not far from the doorstep, Winnie felt a shiver run down her spine, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her skin. She was caught off guard by the sudden chill when a burst of golden light caught her eye.

Turning her head, she saw Drake standing to the side with a plump and docile fox at his feet.

There they were, both gazing at her.

Winnie blinked, and her first thought was- Did he just witness that whole scene?