The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 437

After hanging up the phone, Frank muttered to himself, “Miss Perkins, I meant you no harm. I know how painful it must be to see Mr. Nicholson and Miss Shepherd so happy. I just wanted to compensate you…”

Of course, Winona couldn't hear his solitary apology. She had left the wedding venue with a heavy heart and spent the rest of the day in a sullen daze. Sleep wouldn't come, and late into the night, her mind was still racing.

Then, her phone rang. It was Yves Prescott. “Are you asleep?” he asked gently.

“No,” Winona managed to say before bursting into tears.

She had always hidden her vulnerability from him, never imagining she would marry him. But today, he had proposed, and she had accepted. With him, she finally felt safe enough to let her guard down.

“Is this about Tiana?” he asked, knowing her so well.

“Yves… everyone was at Julian's wedding except Tiana. Everyone,” she sobbed, her heart aching. “Oh, God…”

“Winona,” Yves said softly, “have you ever truly been able to let her go?”

“She's only five. No matter how cruel she acts, I'm half-responsible for her behavior. I thought Julian and Felicity would be good to her. I wanted her to have a stable, complete family, but I never imagined Julian would…”

“Then bring her home,” Yves urged.

“Can I?” Winona's voice was bleak. “Tiana doesn't love me.”

“You won't be alone this time. I'll be here to help you raise her. If she ever tries to hurt you again, I'll deal with her. She's only five, Yves reminded her. “We can still correct her flaws. If we wait until she's a teenager, it'll be too late. Do you want your daughter to be beyond saving?”

“No!”

“Then get your daughter back.”

“Okay,” Winona said, a faint smile touching her lips through her tears. “I'll listen to you.”

“Good. Now get some sleep,” he coaxed. “I'll stay on the line with you until you do.”

That night, Winona finally slept, deeply and without dreams, waking only at dawn.

Julian's night, however, was a different story.

The wedding ended the moment Felicity left in the ambulance with Frank. Guests began to leave in small groups, their excited chatter echoing in the grand hall.

But he felt like he was choking on his own silent, black rage, unable to spit it out. Instead of going home, he called Claud and Mayo. On what should have been his wedding night, he got blindingly drunk.

Fueled by alcohol, he broke down completely, sobbing uncontrollably. “Winona… Tiana… come home…”

Mayo and Claud could only sigh in dismay.

“You have to admit, Felicity is vicious,” Claud said. “I've never seen a scheme so calculated.”

“Julian, she's going to drain you dry,” Mayo added.

“What was it all for?” Claud continued, his voice laced with frustration. “You had a wife who cooked for you, cared for you, and never gave you a moment's worry for years. Wasn't your original family of three good enough? You threw away both Winona and Tiana, only to invite a pack of wolves into your home!”

*CRACK!* Julian slammed his fist on the corner of the table, shattering the wood and splitting his knuckles open.

Blood dripped from his hand, but the pain was nothing compared to the fire in his gut. He had also drunk himself into a bleeding stomach.

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