By Zephyria Winston looked down at her with a chilling gaze and reached out his hand.
“Give it to me, Mother.”
His tone was slow, but that made Mrs. Campbell feel even more threatened. She felt goosebumps rise on the back of her hand and let out a dumbfounded, hollow laugh. But she quickly regained her composure. She was belatedly furious at herself for having been intimidated even for a moment, and she even felt resentful. How dare he treat her like that. Mrs. Campbell raised her chin and glared at her son.
“Go to the bathroom right now and take a cold shower. I can’t stand to see you like this any longer.”
She urged him to hurry, but Winston didn’t budge.
“Give it to me.”
Even though she commanded him in her usual stern voice, it had no effect on her son. Mrs. Campbell was even more dumbfounded to see him grinding his teeth and repeating the same words as if growling.
“What on earth is the reason for this?”
She finally snapped in a shrill voice.
“Is this the time for you to be spacing out like this? If you can’t get the inheritance because that lowly thing disappeared, you should find another way. What’s going to change if you just drink like this in such a pathetic state! Are you giving up? Pull yourself together, you need to be even more level-headed in times like these!”
Winston frowned at his mother’s frosty rebuke.
“Inheritance?”
He looked away as if he couldn’t believe it, let out a short sigh, twisted the corner of his mouth into a smile, and then turned his gaze back to his mother.
“I don’t care about any of that. Just give me the alcohol.”
“What?”
Mrs. Campbell opened and closed her mouth several times before narrowing her eyes fiercely and growling.
“If it’s not because of the inheritance, then what is this mess? Don’t tell me you’ve become like this because of that lowly thing?”
The last words were clearly laced with ridicule. Even though she was the one saying it, it was so absurd that she almost laughed. But when she saw Winston’s expressionless reaction, her laughter soon disappeared, and her expression gradually hardened.
“Surely not, it can’t be. What, something like that…”
Mrs. Campbell wanted to deny reality, but the look on her son’s face made it impossible.
“Winston, tell me it’s not true.”
Her voice trembled faintly with anger. This was impossible, it couldn’t be happening. Her son, her perfect son, had fallen for that male prostitute.
How dare he betray her again.
Her breath grew ragged with anger. She trembled slightly and bit her lip. Uncontrollable anger overflowed.
Because of that lowly male prostitute.
“Winston!”
Unable to contain her rage, she burst into a shout. Not satisfied with that, Mrs. Campbell continued to yell and press her son.
“Pull yourself together, Winston Campbell! Are you going to disappoint me again? Have you forgotten what you went through because of him? Are you going to ruin your life again because of that male prostitute! How, how could you do this to me!”
She was angry and couldn’t bear it. In the end, she blurted out words she shouldn’t have said.
“He’s probably already hooked another man and left you. It’s foolish for you to be so hung up on him, you can’t have that male prostitute, and you shouldn’t! Never!”
In that instant, Winston’s eyes turned golden. The pheromone scent that had been subtly flowing, mixed with the smell of alcohol, suddenly intensified and enveloped the surroundings. Mrs. Campbell was startled and flinched. She had even forgotten that she was angry.
“Why?”
Winston finally opened his mouth. In contrast to Mrs. Campbell, his voice was low and subdued, but his bloodshot eyes glared at her with extreme anger. Her son was looking at her with those eyes. Mrs. Campbell was immensely shocked. Winston continued to speak to her, who was standing there blankly.
“Why can’t I? Why can’t I have Yu-jin?”
Mrs. Campbell was momentarily speechless. It would be more accurate to say that her mind had gone blank. Even as he looked at his mother like that, Winston still didn’t give up and pressed her with rapid words.
“Tell me, Mother. I have everything in the world. So why can’t I have Yu-jin? Why?”
Winston smirked and asked Mrs. Campbell, who was just blinking.
“Father is dead now, too.”
At those words, Mrs. Campbell’s last remaining reason flew away. *Smack*, a sharp sound echoed in the room. Her skin, which had turned pale, gradually turned red. For the first time, she slapped her son hard across the cheek. Her palm was stinging, but her anger was still not relieved. Just as she was about to slap his other cheek, Winston reached out his hand.
“…Hic!”
The moment she saw the large palm in her vision, Mrs. Campbell gasped and cowered. She closed her eyes tightly, terrified at the thought of being hit and filled with instinctive fear. She expected to see sparks in front of her eyes, but unexpectedly, the surroundings were silent. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and saw Winston looking down at her. Mrs. Campbell was shocked once again by the contemptuous look he was giving her.
Winston reached out his hand again to her, who was frozen in place. Ignoring his mother’s startled reaction, he brazenly snatched the liquor bottle away. Mrs. Campbell could only helplessly watch as her son slumped back onto the sofa and poured himself another glass of alcohol.
“…Ha.”
As her reason barely returned, she was now overcome with humiliation. She let out a choked breath and turned her back without waiting any longer. She stormed out of the room, but Winston didn’t stop his mother. That made her even more ashamed.
How dare you, how dare you, how dare you.
Mrs. Campbell couldn’t control her face, which was flushed with anger, and walked quickly down the hallway as if she were on patrol. How should she release this anger? There was only one answer. It was all because of Yu-jin that her precious son had defied her and insulted her like this.
She should have killed him back then.
She once again regretted it. If she had killed him back then, Harold wouldn’t have left such a will, and Winston wouldn’t be betraying her again now. It was all because of that lowly male prostitute.
She had to find him.
She already knew how hard Winston was looking for Yu-jin. But he had disappeared without a trace, as if he had hidden somewhere.
He was definitely still in this country.
The inheritance was now secondary. Right now, her wounded pride was more important than anything else.
Stupid thing, failing.
Thinking of Charlotte made her angry again. He had several opportunities to get rid of Yu-jin, but he somehow survived each time. What an incredibly lucky person.
But he wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.
Mrs. Campbell stood in front of the elevator and took a deep breath. In any case, Yu-jin was gone now. If he had disappeared from Winston’s life forever, that was fine, and if Winston found him again or Yu-jin showed up on his own, if she could just find him, then.
Just then, the elevator doors opened. She stepped inside with a chilling expression and vowed.
This time, I’ll kill him for sure.
The face visible beyond the closing doors was filled with murderous intent. Like a wounded snake.
***
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Grant.”
Yu-jin greeted him warmly and led him into the house, bringing out tea. Grant wasn’t alone. He had come with his daughter, and he smiled gently as he spoke.
“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly without notice. I called, but you didn’t answer.”
“Ah, I must not have heard it.”
When Yu-jin apologized, feeling embarrassed, Grant smiled and said it was okay.
“I was passing by nearby and thought I’d check on the progress of the manuscript and see if there was anything you needed. I hope I’m not interrupting your writing?”
“No, not at all.”
Yu-jin quickly shook his head. While the adults were talking, the children, who were of similar age, sat facing each other on one side of the living room and began to play.
“This is Princess Diane’s castle. A dragon is guarding the castle.”
Angela showed off the toy castle that Yu-jin had bought her and explained it enthusiastically.