For quite a while after that, Elysia kept trying tofort Janelle and Richard.

    Winona, on the other hand, didn''t say a single word.

    Elysia noticed something was off, and the moment they left the Huber family''s ce, she couldn''t wait to ask,

    "Winona, are you okay? You haven''t said a word since Beatrix left. What''s going on?"

    Winona shot back, "What do you think about this Beatrix girl?"

    Elysia thought for a second. "I don''t really know her, so it''s hard to say."

    Winona said, "She''s definitely into Keaton."

    "Huh? What makes you say that?"

    "It''s not just that she wants to marry him. She wants Keaton to fall for her too. I mean,e on-if a woman wants both the ring and the guy''s heart, what else could it be but love?"

    Elysia lookedpletely dumbfounded, mulling it over for a while before she finally asked,

    "You think she faked that suicide attempt today just to force her parents to back off? Like, she did it on purpose?"

    "Isn''t it obvious?"

    "Obvious? Howe I didn''t notice?"

    “Because, Elysia, you''re such a lovable dummy!"

    Winona grinned teasingly, then nced at Tarquin, who was driving.

    "Mr. Bradford, you saw through it, right?"

    Tarquin kept his eyes on the road but didn''t deny it. "I''ve already got someone digging into the Sutton family."

    The drama the Suttons pulled today really did seem sketchy.

    Tarquin nced at Winona in the rearview mirror.

    "If you''ve got some time, could you help look after Keaton for a bit? I''ve already let the Huber family''s security know, so you cane and go as you like."

    Winona looked confused. "Wait, what do you mean?"

    Tarquin exined, "Keaton''s stubborn as a mule. If Janelle or I bring him food, he won''t touch it. But if you bring him something to eat, maybe keep an eye on him taking his meds too, just once a day or even every other day, at least he won''t starve."

    Winona raised her brows. "He''ll eat if I bring it?"

    "Yeah, he''s helpless around a pretty face. If a beautifuldy delivers his meal, he can''t say no."

    Winona rolled her eyes. "...Seriously?"

    Tarquin went on,

    "Plus, you im to be a rtionship

    expert, right? Maybe you can get

    Keaton to open up and figure out

    what''s really going on with him-why he insists on confessing to something he didn''t do."

    Winona didn''t have a good reason to say no, so she nodded. "Alright, count me

    in."

    Keaton had helped her out so many times; the least she could do was pay him back by sorting out one of his messes.

    As soon as Winona finished speaking, her phone started ringing-Caroline was calling.

    Winona answered, "Hey, Mom."

    Caroline''s voice was low and worried. "Winona, where are you right now?"

    "I''m with Elysia. Why, what''s up?"

    "Just you two? Is it safe to talk?"

    "Mr. Bradford''s here too, but go ahead."

    Caroline sounded tense.

    "Prisci showed up again with the police, saying you''re holding Zane against his

    will and demanding the cops search the house."

    "But they didn''t have a warrant, so they couldn''te in."

    "The police told me to let you know-Prisci is Zane''s mother, so she has the right to see her son. If you keep blocking her, they''ll take legal action."

    Winona''s eyes narrowed. "..."

    Ever since Zanended in her hands, his cronies had been egging Prisci on to cause trouble.

    Keaton had always been the one to shut things down.

    That''s the only reason Winona had been able to keep Zane out of sight for so long and finally get some payback.

    “I got it, Mom. I''ll handle it. Don''t worry."

    After she hung up, Elysia looked concerned. "Prisci''s stirring things up again?”

    "Yeah, she''s looking for her precious son."

    "Wow, she actually had the guts to show up in person?"

    Winona scoffed, "Only because

    bet

    Zane''s right-hand men are backin

    her

    Otherwise, no way

    dare

    show her face at my ce

    "Prisci may be arrogant, but she''s not stupid. She knows I''m not someone to

    mess with right now!"