Chapter 13
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Winifred had expected Bradley’s displeasure at her unannounced return. She knew better than to hope for immediate forgiveness, though even she hadn’t expected to face such instant rejection. Three years of absence had done nothing to diminish his anger.
“Dad-“Winifred began, only for Bradley to cut her off.
“Dad?” Bradley’s voice cracked like a whip. “Don’t you dare call me that. I have no daughter.” He kept his face turned away, his expression` unreadable.
Truman stepped between them. “Come on, Dad. We’ve all caught you looking at her picture when you thought no one was around. She’s home now -don’t let your stubbornness mess this up. You’ll regret it if you push her away again.”
“Absolute rubbish!” Bradley’s glare turned icy. “When did I ever cry? That was you!”
“Fine.” Truman conceded, raising his palms in surrender. “It was me, then.”
Winifred met her father’s stony gaze. “Dad,” she said quietly but firmly, “I’m divorcing Gregory. This is where I belong–here, with you.”
Bradley went still. “Divorce?” His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Hmph. I thought you were madly in love with Gregory. You’re actually leaving him?”
Winifred kept her gaze down, her expression unreadable. “I… I don’t love him anymore.”
Bradley studied her face, his frown deepening. “So the Hoffmans threw you out, and now you’ve come crawling back to the Chappells?”
Truman cut in hastily, “Winifred left Gregory–not the other way around. He’ll live to regret it.”
Bradley stared at her in silence. After a long pause, his voice dropped to a quiet, dangerous tone. “You think you can just walk back in?
“When you left, you said I wasn’t your father. You said you wanted nothing to do with this family–with your own brothers. Did you forget?”
Winifred now understood that choosing Gregory over her family had been the gravest mistake of her life.
Her hands trembled as she reached for Bradley’s arm. “Dad, I was wrong,” she said, her voice barely steady. “I’m here to beg your forgiveness.
“I was young and stupid–so in love that I couldn’t see sense. But I swear I’ll never hurt you like that again. Please… just let me come home.”
Truman’s breath caught when he saw Winifred’s white–knuckled grip on their father’s sleeve. In three quick strides, he was at her side, covering her shaking hands. “Enough,” he said quietly. “You’re still a Chappell. That’s not something you need to beg for.”
Winifred glanced at Truman, but her hand stayed firm on her father’s arm. She couldn’t bring herself to walk back into this family without her father’s forgiveness. The weight of her shame weighed heavily on her.
Bradley watched his daughter with a pang in his chest. The years had left her too thin, too fragile. His fingers twitched with the urge to confront Gregory personally, but he maintained his composure.
“You may return to the Chappell family,” he said measuredly, “but only if you prove your commitment. You claim you’ll divorce Gregory and start anew?”
“Yes.” Winifred’s response came without hesitation, her voice clear and firm.
Bradley considered for a moment. “Very well. You may come home–provided you ensure the Chappell Group’s stake in Lavisburg surpasses the Hoffman Group’s.”
“Dad,” Truman cut in sharply, his temper flaring, “if you mean to reject her, have the decency to say so plainly.”
Everyone in Lavisburg knew the Hoffmans ruled the town. The notion that the Chappells could carve out market share from them seemed laughable at best.
Yet Winifred didn’t hesitate. “I promise,” she said. “Just let me come home after I succeed.”
Bradley’s stern expression softened for the first time, a glimmer of warmth returning to his eyes.
This was the daughter he remembered–he’d always known what she was capable of. Now that she’d finally turned her back on Gregory, he believed she could help the Chappell Group establish itself in Lavisburg.
Joseph woke the morning after his surgery, still weak but showing signs of recovery according to the doctors.
“What? Winifred left with Truman?” When he learned Winifred had left with Truman, he demanded to see her immediately.
Chapter 13
Gripping his bedside cane, he hurled it at Gregory. “You worthless fool. Your wife just walked out with another man. Go after her!”
The cane struck Gregory with a sharp crack, but he stood unmoved. “I was divorcing her anyway,” he said coldly, though a spark of anger burned behind his composed expression.
