The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 273

He and his daughter were standing right behind her, but Winona hadn't noticed. When Mia's shout made her whirl around, she met Julian's crimson-rimmed eyes.

The relaxed calm vanished from her face, replaced instantly by a storm of disgust and anger.

Before she could speak, Julian beat her to it. "Winona, you said you didn't want to stay at the house, that you wanted a hotel. I arranged it for you immediately. So why did you turn around and let Yves Prescott move you to another one?"

"Mr. Nicholson," Yves interjected smoothly, rising to his feet. "Where Winona chooses to stay is her business. You have no right to question her. I know you're her husband, so how about you deal with the mistress at your side before you start making demands of Winona? Otherwise, what right do you have?"

Yves's words were cold and sharp, a clear challenge.

"This is between Winona and me," Julian shot back, his expression just as grim. "You just said I have no right to make demands of her. What makes you think you do?"

Yves was momentarily speechless, but he recovered with a smirk. "Well, I guess that depends on who Winona prefers, doesn't it?"

With that, he turned his gaze to Winona.

Julian looked at her, too.

Behind the front desk of The Grand Venezia, seven or eight employees watched the unfolding drama, their eyes wide.

"Wow," one of the younger receptionists whispered. "Is this happening for real? A public showdown? That woman must be something special to have two gorgeous, powerful men fighting over her."

"Don't you know? She's the one who blew up online this morning. The professional mistress. That's why she's hiding out in our hotel with her whole family, to escape the bloggers hounding her."

"Her? A mistress? I don't see it. She doesn't look like a seductress at all. She has this fresh, relaxed vibe, more like a devoted wife and mother."

"Not only that, but she has a real strength in her features, almost an androgynous quality. Just because she was exposed online doesn't mean she's a bad person. The internet gets things wrong all the time."

"Hee hee hee…"

Caught between the two men, Winona was already mortified. Now, with her supposed grandmother and sister giggling like spectators at a sporting event, she wanted to strangle them both. How did she end up with this makeshift family, none of them blood, who seemed to exist only to sabotage her at every turn?

Taking a silent, steadying breath, Winona faced Julian calmly. "Mr. Nicholson, is this really the appropriate place to bring Tiana? Do you have any idea what this kind of back-and-forth does to a child's mind? Are you trying to make her grow up psychologically twisted?"

"So you do still care about her," Julian said, a flicker of hope in his voice.

Winona ignored him. Instead, she turned to the others. "Yves, Grandma, Mia, Zane—you all go upstairs first. I need to speak with Mr. Nicholson alone."

"Okay!" they answered in unison.

Soon, only Winona, Julian, and Tiana remained at the table. A server brought them a plate of delicate pastries.