Undressed By His Arrogance-Chapter 306: I Had Just Married Tom

She studied him over the rim of the glass. "You know Tim is your father," she said.

"Yeah," he replied calmly. "It came up when I met him. Bit of an awkward icebreaker."

Anna’s hand tightened around the glass. She took another sip, longer this time, then stared into the liquid. "I never planned for it to happen," she said softly. "Any of it. I had just married Tom. I was young and stupid and so full of hope it was embarrassing. I expected fireworks. Romance. A whirlwind." Her lips trembled. "But after the wedding, it was like a switch flipped. He turned cold. Frigid. Like I’d married a completely different man from the one who held my hand and promised me the world."

Winn stayed silent, letting her speak.

"I loved him," she continued. "God, I loved Tom. I kept telling myself he was stressed, that marriage was an adjustment. And then one day—barely weeks after the wedding—he hit me. I can’t even remember what it was for."

"Tim was there that night," Anna said. "He saw it. They fought. Tom stormed out. And I was left with Tim, crying and vulnerable." She swallowed hard. "And then... it just happened. One bad decision after another."

"Of course," Winn drawled. "It’s that simple. So tell me—why didn’t you leave?"

She turned the brandy glass slowly between her fingers, watching the light refract through it. "Because I loved Tom," she said quietly. Then, bitterly, "And because I wanted to prove your grandfather wrong." She let out a humorless laugh. "He warned me. Flat-out told me I was making a mistake marrying Tom Kane. I dug my heels in like a child and decided love would be my rebellion." Her shoulders sagged. "Then their father died. Tim left shortly after. He disappeared completely. I didn’t see him again until the day Sylvia died. By then, the guilt was... constant. It sat in my chest every day."

She paused, swallowing. "And then Tom changed again. He became the man I married. Attentive. Charming. Gentle." She shook her head slowly, realization dawning even as she spoke it aloud. "Looking back now, I see it so clearly. He needed money. Connections. His business was barely breathing. He needed investors, partners—and I handed him everything on a silver platter. God, I’m so stupid."

Winn straightened abruptly, checking his watch. "I’ve gotta be somewhere, Mum," he said, getting to his feet. "Ring the staff if you need anything. They’ll sort it."

"Winn?"

He turned.

"I’m sorry," she said. "I’m sorry I was such a terrible mother. I’m sorry I thought my silence would protect you. I told myself I was keeping the peace, that if I endured it quietly, you’d be spared."

"Honestly," he said, "it’s a little late for apologies. I’m glad you’re taking the right steps now. That you finally chose yourself. I do hope you go through with it."

Anna nodded. "I will."

"Good."

"I will be leaving tomorrow. Your grandfather bought me a house in Hawaii a few years ago. Said if I ever needed a getaway, I should go there. I didn’t think I’d actually need it, but...I don’t want to be around for this madness. I can’t handle the press."

Winn frowned. "Mum, you need to be close to your doctor," he said, concern cutting through his usual edge.

"He can come with me. It’s just for a few weeks. Until all of this blows over."

"Alright," he said. "A few weeks. No longer. And you keep your phone on."

"One more thing, Winn." She stopped him just as he turned toward the door. "Are you really over Ivy?"

"I could never be," he said quietly.

"Is she over you?"

He swallowed. "I’m guessing she is." He forced a shrug, the movement stiff. "She’s marrying another guy, isn’t she?" He deliberately looked away.

"I’m sorry about that too," Anna said gently.

"Mum, I really have to go," Winn said quickly.

"Fine! Go!" Anna huffed, waving him away with dramatic flicks of her fingers.

Winn stepped back toward her instead. He bent low and kissed her hair. "You take it easy," he murmured. "I’ll leave Reese here with you, okay?"

She smiled up at him, eyes shining. "You’ve grown into a good man, Winn."

"Thank you. Good night, Mum."

Anna smiled to herself as Winn walked out.

She reached for her phone.

There was one more thing to do before she left for Hawaii. One last move on the board.

*****

Ivy stood in the middle of her old house, slowly turning in a circle, letting the memories hit her one by one.

Every photograph on the wall told a version of her life she almost didn’t recognize anymore.

That was before money. Before power. Before blood and betrayal and love that burned too hot to be safe.

Now, her bedroom in the Everest house was nearly the size of this entire place.

She smiled faintly, fingers brushing over a framed photo of her and her father. She wondered what her life might have been like if she’d grown up surrounded by her entire family. If Sam had raised her from the start. If Evans and Irene had been there earlier. If laughter had come easier.

But if that had happened...

She wouldn’t have met Winn.

She wouldn’t have had Elizabeth.

And she wouldn’t be standing here now, heart pounding, carrying baby number two—his baby—while pretending to the world that she had moved on.

The low crunch of tires on gravel snapped her out of her thoughts.

She moved to the window, peeking through the curtain.

The streetlight caught the sharp lines of Winn’s face, the familiar way he walked—confident, purposeful, carrying the weight of too many decisions on his back.

She had told her grandfather to leave him a message, to meet her here. No one would question it. No one would imagine that Ivy Everest was hiding away with the man she wasn’t supposed to love anymore in her childhood home. It was perfect. Reckless. Dangerous.