Chapter 114 - Provocation To Empowerment

Winter can tell how tense and nervous Lacey is throughout the whole conversation.

She must be uncomfortable enough to leave, but because Wynonna Snow is that rare of a catch, she chooses to stay there and bear it. Even though her insults aren't really directed to her, she still gets offended in her family's stead. She has to commend her for her loyalty to them and Bianca. However, it'll all be for naught in the end – this is what she calls blind devotion.

"Oh, right. Putting your inheritance aside, I've also caught wind that you're going to marry someone as soon as you finished university. How old are you, Ms. Park?" Winter asked with an easygoing, carefree tone.

"I'm twenty two years old, M-Ma'am," Lacey answered a little hesitantly.

"And your fiance? How old is he?" 

"He's around forty, I think."

"Goodness, that's quite a huge gap! It's like the age difference between a father and a daughter!"

Winter made a show of laughing, pretending to be amused. That already pulled the last straw for Lacey. 

She didn't bother to keep herself from scowling this time, and she's slightly trembling from either aggravation or mortification. Of course, she'd be affected by this. Then again, out of all the decisions that her family forced on her, this marriage of hers was the one that broke her the most. She never wanted this arrangement, but she couldn't disobey.     

After all, the man whom Lacey wants to marry is none other than Jared.

"Anyway, going back to where we were before…" Winter continued, grinning mischievously.

"Why not put your manor up for sale and use that money to leave this country? That way, you don't have to depend on your family anymore. You can marry whoever you want, too. Besides, is it such a big deal to marry? If you're single and have lots of money, you can always go abroad and pick a man as strapping as a stallion. Who cares about what others will say?"

"D-Do you… plan to humiliate me, M-Ma'am…?" Lacey accused vehemently, having already heard enough. 

"W-Was it my brothers? D-Did they send you to tell me all of these? O-Or are you just one of those who covet the manor?

As she started pointing fingers at every single one she came to think of at that moment, she recalls all the downgrading and discrimination that she experienced. She remembers how her father asked her if she could even manage the property considering that she lacks managerial abilities, and how his eldest son seconded that and told her to leave the affairs concerning her bequest to him. Then, there are also those who proposed that she should put it up for auction and obtain some hard cash.

If they just want the manor for themselves, they should not have turned it into her inheritance in the first place.

"Are you foolish? Of course, they have to give it to you to keep up their appearances. What would others say if they learned that the firstborn child didn't receive anything even though your family is so wealthy…?" Winter chimed in as if answering Lacey's thoughts.

"It's all about maintaining images, Ms. Park. Don't you get it? They act all kind and generous to you, but in reality, they just want to take advantage of you. If you continue to turn a blind eye on this, you will lose all that you have before you know it." 

"J-Just what is it do you have against my family? Are you trying to ruin their reputation?"

"I'm not holding anything against them nor am I trying to ruin them. I'm only stating facts and predicting what can happen if you stay unaware of them."

"Predicting, you say?"

Now that Lacey thought about it, Wynonna Snow didn't get so well-known if it wasn't for this crucial fact – she can always tell what will be trending in the near future. 

On top of her fortune-telling ability, she's well-informed when it comes to business-related affairs. She gives one of the wisest counseling and the most effective advices. Furthermore, she wouldn't involve herself with anyone for no good reason. That could only mean that she really did approach her with a certain intention.   

"You know for yourself that you're being underestimated all your life. Why deny it…?" Winter sweetly remarked, making Lacey slightly perk up. 

"You've got three choices, Ms. Park. First is to stay where your family is telling you to stay put. Second, sell the manor and live a good life abroad. And thirdly, keep the manor and learn how to manage it on your own – without depending on that family nor that fiance of yours."

"W-What? Are you telling me to go i-independent? I'll be disowned if I don't obey them-"

"Better that than marry a forty-year-old man and end up relinquishing the manor little by little. Do you think they can't steal it from you only because you'll have the ownership right once you inherit it? Making it yours isn't the last step, you know. You'll also have to run the household. Can you do it? Or you'll have to rely on others again?"

Winter intently regards her with a serious look. Lacey went silent and still, already wavering.

"It's not that hard to learn about managing a household, and it's not like women are prohibited to become the head and take the lead at this age," the former commented with a nonchalant shrug.

"In my family, it is. Us women have to follow our husbands all the time," the latter informed her, though she knew that she was already aware.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Just get disowned already. The world is so vast. It doesn't only revolve around your family."

Winter finally stood up then, thinking that she already said all that she had to say. Lacey looked up to her as she stepped out of the balcony, still in a bit of a daze. 

Everything must have blown her away. She's still not done, though. For the finishing blow, she prepared a little something for her. 

As she took a look at the crowd that had gathered inside, she immediately spotted the person she'd been anticipating. Earlier, she had secretly slipped an order to one of the waiters in the bar – that is, to get this certain someone to come to that balcony.

"There really is no need to worry, Ms. Lacey Park. All you have to do is to pick a side. I left my business card on the table. Call me if you finally made your decision…" Winter said for the last time, sparing Lacey one final smile.

"By the way, you can enjoy the champagne with this gentleman here. I saw you going at it earlier. You shouldn't really hide away in the dark like that if you truly love him. After all, wouldn't you want to brag about the man you chose from time to time?"

That's when Jared stepped in the balcony, taking Winter's place. 

Lacey was so astonished that she couldn't help but gape. 

--- 

Winter couldn't believe that she really managed to do the deed.

Never did she imagine that she'd one day prepare a dinner date for Lacey and her secret lover. It was a last-minute addition to her plan. In order to persuade her more, she shouldn't only use provocations all the time. She also had to give her some sort of early reward that can motivate her to pick her side

And Jared just happened to be the best one to do the trick.

'This is fine. Besides, now that Ms. Park is out of the picture, Bianca's plan will crumble. Ms. Rockwell can't possibly do her evil bidding all alone. They can't get me drunk this time…' Winter thought to herself after changing back to her clothes and putting Wynonna's disguise away.

'Now, let's go home. I'm already beat up.'

She will just have to ask Amanda to take her back. If she refuses, she can steal their car keys and drive herself back home. That'll be a satisfying way to get back at her and Lacey for attempting to pull a stunt on her.   

But then, what she didn't expect was another intervention. 

"Hey there, young miss~" 

All of the sudden, someone suddenly appeared before Winter and Amanda at their table. Taken aback, they look up to find a drunken guy with a beet-red face and a strong smell that reeks of trouble.

"I never saw you here before. You're really pretty. You two know each other, huh…?" he asked before roughly grabbing Winter by her shoulders, catching her and Amanda off guard.

"Mind if I get to know you, too~?"

As he said that with a low, raspy voice, his breath mixed with the stench of alcohol, Winter freezes on her seat, greatly perturbed. Anyone can tell that this person is trying to hit on her – a thought that gets her turning stiff.

Even Amanda is confused, unsure of what to do. She also probably never encountered this kind of situation before.

As the stranger keeps on peering at Winter as if undressing her with his impish gaze, she finds herself silently hoping for Marcellus to appear. 

"Take your filthy hand away from her."