A Vow of Deception, A Vow of Revenge novel Chapter 143

"Darn it!" Winona muttered under her breath.

Just a moment ago, she'd been plotting how to get back at Elvis, but now, watching him fail to snag the stuffed bear, she was even more anxious than before.

Elvis glanced over at her, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Don't worry," he said gently.

"I—I'm not worried at all!"

Winona insisted she wasn't, but her fingers curled unconsciously, her gaze locked on the round, plush teddy bear in the claw machine. She was holding her breath without realizing it.

Elvis fed two more coins into the slot.

This time, the claw latched onto the little bowtie around the teddy bear's neck.

With a soft click, the claw tightened, hoisting the stuffed bear into the air.

Winona barely breathed, watching as the bear slowly made its way toward the chute. When it finally dropped with a satisfying thunk, she clapped her hands in delight. "You got it!"

She turned to Elvis, eyes shining with excitement.

His smile deepened. He bent down, picked up the teddy bear, and handed it to her.

"It's yours."

Winona hugged the bear to her chest, its fuzzy belly pressed against her palms—so soft it made her heart skip.

"Guess you've got some hidden talent for these claw machines," she teased.

"Maybe. Or maybe it's just luck," Elvis replied modestly. "Let me try again."

But as it turned out, Winona was onto something—he only got better with practice. He wasn't winning every round, but his success rate was impressive, nearly half the time.

At some point, a small crowd had gathered. A few parents, their kids perched on tiptoes, watched with wide-eyed amazement, pressing close to the glass.

So Winona handed out the bunnies and tigers and other stuffed animals to the kids, who squealed with delight. Their chorus of "Thank you, mister!" "Thank you, miss!" and "You're so pretty, miss!" made the two of them feel like celebrities—or perhaps, angels.

Though Elvis felt a bit awkward.

Mister and… miss? Weren't they supposed to be the same age?

"Miss, this is for you!" A little girl in a pink princess dress pressed two candies into Winona's hand. "They're really sweet!"

They gave away almost all the toys, but Winona never let go of that teddy bear.

It wasn't the fanciest prize among them, not by a long shot.

But to her, it was the most precious.

She glanced over at Elvis, only to find him watching the children as they skipped away, his brow furrowed, as if he were pondering something deeply serious.