Chapter 18

Sebastian couldn't help but want to laugh when his mother called Winter a cougar. Because he knew damn well who the real cougar was in here.

'In my previous life, you replaced me with a new CEO—your boyfriend, who's only three years older than me. You fucking filthy cougar.'

"Mm, you're right. Don't worry, Mom. I won't fall in love with her," Sebastian lied to reassure his mom. "If you have nothing else to say, you should leave now. I have another meeting in thirty minutes."

"Before I leave, I want you to tell that woman about the penthouse," Camilla said. "I want to live there, but the security in the apartment building won't let me in unless I have her permission. So you should tell her to give me one."

Sebastian remembered this. 

Soon after he married Winter, his mother demanded Winter to empty the penthouse, and she was forced to comply.

Camilla stayed inside that penthouse for only a month before realizing it wasn't her style and moved to the newly purchased mansion.

Winter returned to that penthouse, but everything had been redecorated with Camilla's stuff, and his mother would yell at her if she dared to touch anything. 

Camilla waited for Sebastian to agree to her demand, but he went silent for a while before finally saying, "I'll think about it."

Camilla was a little appalled by his answer, but she didn't pay too much attention to it as long as Sebastian followed her instructions. "Do as I said, and you will be happy, son."

'I did what you said, and I ended up dead and depressed,' Sebastian thought. 

But he just nodded, and Camilla grabbed her clutch before getting up. "I'll have my lunch then, adieu~."

Sebastian stared at his mother's back as she walked out of the CEO's office. Once she was gone, he set the document down and closed his eyes, pondering how to protect Winter without making it too obvious.

He did have a way to ensure that his mother wouldn't want to take that penthouse and wouldn't bother Winter, but it meant he would have to be the one bothering her instead.

"Well, I suppose it's better to be bothered by me rather than that witch, right?" Sebastian shrugged.

*

Winter lowered her head as her heels tapped against the lobby floor. She ignored the curious gaze of people around her since her black dress was very eye-catching.

She just bumped into Camilla and, as expected, she was still the same insufferable bitch that made her blood boil. 

In her previous life, Winter was simply outmatched. She didn't know how deep Camilla's connection was and how strong her influence over Sebastian was, so Winter was left powerless against her mother-in-law.

But not anymore.

'Slowly but surely, I will find a way to whittle her down until I get my freedom from that crazy mother and son duo,' Winter vowed in her heart. 

As she left the lobby, she saw Arthur leaning against the car, absentmindedly playing with his phone. He looked gloomy, but that was just typical Arthur, right?

He was the no-bullshit type dedicated to his job. 

Winter walked up towards him, and for some reason, Arthur seemed to have a way to detect her presence.

He darted his eyes like an eagle, and his gaze softened when he saw Winter.

However, that soft gaze didn't last long when he noticed her puffy eyes. He clenched the phone and tried his best not to scare his Madam by asking softly, "What happened inside, Madam?"

"I just had an argument with him, that's all," Winter replied curtly. She didn't want Arthur to know too much about her, simply because she was afraid that he might get agitated and start doing something that'd only get him killed in the future. 

"It's not 'just an argument' when you come out crying, Madam! He's obviously bullying you!" Arthur said with a gaze of an eagle ready to kill someone. "Let me talk to him. Your late husband had never made you cry before, but that bastard—"

"Arthur!" Winter raised her voice, and Arthur was stunned once he realized he had shown too much of his feelings. 

As much as he wanted to defend her, he knew he had to keep the boundary, otherwise, he might get fired because she was too uncomfortable with him.

"Forgive me, Madam. I misspoke," Arthur apologized.

"No, you didn't misspeak. I just don't want this problem to escalate. I'm fine, still alive and kicking. So let's leave now."

"Yes, Madam…"

Arthur held the door open for Winter, and then they drove out of the office building together.

They headed back to the penthouse as Arthur thought Winter wanted to return. But Winter suddenly told him to go left, going further away from the penthouse building.

"Where do you want to go, Madam?"

"To my mom's house. You know where it is, right?" 

"Yes, Madam."

The car drove through the busy streets of New York to Brooklyn Heights, where her mother currently lived with her little sister. 

Winter had argued with her mother about her housing before.

She wanted to move Gina, her old mother, to a gated community where she would be safe and well-monitored.

But her mother was born and raised in Brooklyn, and she refused to move out even after Winter begged her to.

Thus, they made a deal to move her to a better area within Brooklyn instead. She currently resided in a two-story apartment and was well monitored with all of her needs provided by Winter. 

Winter stood in front of the door. She felt guilty because she didn't try hard enough to fight against Camilla so her mother could attend her second wedding.

'I guess this is the best time to mend our relationship. I'm sure Mom must've been bitter since she didn't get an invitation,' Winter thought. She took a deep breath to brace herself and knocked on the door.