After Drae storms out of the dining room, Winter leans back in her chair, lightly tracing the edge of her glass as she replays everything that had just unfolded.
Why is Drae so angry with Marcus?
she wonders.
From what she can tell, the resentment is mutual.
Winter is beginning to realize that to truly understand this family, she needs to uncover the cause of the deep rift between them.
If she can understand what happened, maybe she can help ease the tension—or at the very least, avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
After all, she has to survive in this house for the rest of the year.
At least until she escapes to college.
“Are you done eating, dear?” Sarah asks, her voice breaking through Winter’s thoughts.
Winter looks up at her mother, her expression neutral.
“Yeah,” she replies quietly.
“Why don’t we take a walk, then?” Sarah suggests.
“The garden is beautiful this time of night.”
Winter hesitates, caught off guard by the suggestion.
They’ve been distant lately, so her mother’s sudden desire to spend one-on-one time feels unexpected.
Is she just trying to be polite, or does she genuinely want to reconnect?
Curiosity wins out, and Winter nods slowly.
“Sure, Mom.”
Marcus gives Sarah a curious look, though it quickly disappears as he forces a smile.
“You two should enjoy the walk,” he says casually.
“But don’t be too long, Sarah.” He smiles again, but Winter notices the stiffness in his expression.
“I’ll miss you.”
Sarah’s cheeks flush slightly, and Winter rolls her eyes internally.
Marcus’s charm always feels a bit too polished, leaving her constantly doubting its sincerity.
They walk in silence as they enter the softly lit garden, the cool night air wrapping around them.
Winter doesn’t like admitting it, but the truth is, she and her mother are practically strangers.
Even when her father was alive, Sarah had been emotionally distant.
And after he died, her absence had only grown worse, leaving Winter to grieve alone.
Her mother hadn’t been around to comfort her or talk about what happened.
Instead, she had left Winter to deal with the loss in isolation.
Those thoughts linger as Winter finally breaks the silence.
“Mom, what do you know about Drae’s mother?” she asks.
It feels like a safe topic, and she genuinely wants to know what her mother thinks of Beverly Bond. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
The question seems to catch Sarah off guard.
Her steps falter slightly before she regains her composure.
She’d clearly expected Winter to complain about the new arrangements or express frustration over their current situation.
The mention of Marcus’s late wife doesn’t seem to have crossed her mind at all.
“His mother?” Sarah repeats, glancing at Winter with a slight frown.
Winter nods patiently.
Sarah thinks for a moment before responding, realizing there’s no real harm in sharing what little she knows.
“Her name was Beverly Bond,” she begins.
“Marcus told me she’d been sick for a while before she passed, about a year ago.”
Winter thinks quietly for a moment before asking, “Do you think that’s why Drae’s been acting out? Because of his mom?”
Sarah’s brow furrows slightly as she considers the question.
“I suppose it could be,” she replies slowly.
“Maybe he feels it’s too soon for someone new. Drae is… complicated.”
Winter sighs inwardly, disappointed.
It seems her mother doesn’t know much either.
They continue walking quietly for a few moments before Sarah speaks again, her tone softer this time.
“I know things haven’t been easy between us,” she begins carefully.
“But everything I’ve done… it’s for us. For you.”
Winter looks at her mother, surprised by the sudden vulnerability in her voice.
Is she being sincere?
“This world is different now,” Sarah continues, glancing toward Winter.
“We have to find a way to survive in it. I know things have been hard since your father died, and I wish things could’ve been different. But Marcus…” Her voice softens almost pleadingly.
“He’s helping us. He’s been good to me.”
Winter stays silent as Sarah continues.
“I want us to rebuild what we had, Winter. To start over.”
Winter gives her mother a small smile, unsure how to respond.
Is this really an attempt to reconnect, or is Sarah simply trying to keep the peace?
Either way, Winter decides to play along.
Maybe her mother truly wants to bridge the gap between them.
“Sure, Mom,” Winter says with a nod.
“Let’s try.”
Sarah’s face lights up instantly.
“Wonderful! How about we go shopping tomorrow after school? You’ll need something nice for the wedding. And for the birthday too! We can find something perfect for both.”
“Yeah,” Winter replies, trying to keep enthusiasm in her tone.
The thought of more shopping is exhausting, but if this is a chance to bond with her mother, she’ll go along with it.
She glances at the screen with a small frown before offering Winter a soft smile.
“Marcus needs me,” she says, slipping the phone back into her pocket.
“Are you heading up to your room?”
Winter nods.
With a warm smile, Sarah wishes her goodnight before heading back inside.
The garden grows quiet once more.
Winter takes a deep breath before slowly turning toward the ivy-covered wall that had piqued her curiosity two nights ago.
She had almost forgotten about that night.
Now, with no one around, this feels like the perfect chance to investigate how Drae had vanished so quickly from that exact spot.
If he’s hiding something, perhaps it could give her the leverage she needs to confront him.
Moving toward the wall carefully, she runs her fingers over the cold stone, feeling for any hint of a hidden mechanism.
The surface feels mostly smooth beneath her fingertips except for a small indentation near the edge.
Winter presses her hand against it.
And just as she feels something shift—
“Miss Winter?”
Winter spins around instantly, her heart racing wildly in her chest.
George stands a few feet away holding a lantern, his weathered face lined with curiosity.
“Oh, George,” she stammers quickly, pulling her hand away from the wall.
“I was just… admiring the ivy.”
The lie sounds weak even to her own ears.
George gives her a polite nod, though his expression suggests he doesn’t entirely believe her explanation.
Still, he doesn’t press the issue.
Deciding it’s best to come back another time, Winter forces a smile.
“I’ll head back inside now. Good night, George.”
He returns the greeting warmly, and Winter quickly hurries back toward the mansion.
Once inside her room, she collapses onto the bed, excitement thrumming through her veins.
She had definitely felt something shift inside that wall.
She just needs the right moment to investigate further.
Her phone suddenly buzzes on the nightstand, pulling her from her thoughts.
Winter reaches for it and glances at the screen.
A text message from an unknown number appears.
You have no idea what I had to do to get your contact.
Winter’s heart skips a beat as she stares at the message.
Who could this be?