Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Mind Your Own Business
"I don’t need your protection. It will only cause me more trouble."
Wren Wynter hurried away from Kaden Xavier.
Kaden Xavier caught up and grabbed Wren Wynter by the wrist. "I helped you today. Shouldn’t you treat me to a meal?"
"I didn’t ask you to help me." Wren Wynter’s brow furrowed slightly.
It wasn’t as if she absolutely had to buy those clothes.
Besides, indulging in a momentary war of words wasn’t her style.
"But—"
"Kaden Xavier!" Wren Wynter cut him off. "Just worry about yourself."
With that, she strode away.
Kaden Xavier looked down at his empty palm, a part of his heart feeling just as hollow.
Wren Wynter took out her phone to contact Finn Wynter and Shaun Quinn, only to remember it wouldn’t turn on. With a helpless sigh, she found a chair and sat down.
Just then, a noise came from inside her purse.
Wren opened it, perplexed, and discovered her phone had miraculously turned on.
She froze.
’That’s impossible.’
’I was sure it wouldn’t turn on. I tried several times.’
Wren Wynter narrowed her eyes, her lips pressing into a thin line. A thought surfaced, and a jolt of alarm shot through her.
"Wren!"
Just then, Finn Wynter and Shaun Quinn hurried over.
They had been watching secretly from a distance and hadn’t expected Kaden Xavier to appear. They tried to step in, but his men stopped them.
"Are you okay? Why didn’t you answer my calls?" Finn Wynter asked, his expression full of concern as he looked Wren over.
Shaun Quinn, his face grim, watched Wren with equal worry.
Though he said nothing, he was clearly no less concerned than Finn.
Wren shook her head, but the thought of her phone mysteriously shutting down made her face pale.
"It wasn’t that I didn’t want to answer. I couldn’t."
She told Finn Wynter and Shaun Quinn everything, and both of their expressions darkened simultaneously.
"Someone definitely tampered with it," Finn Wynter said.
"It was Tina Wallace."
Under the circumstances, Wren couldn’t think of anyone else.
To humiliate and frame her, Tina Wallace would truly stop at nothing.
"What’s your plan now?" Shaun Quinn asked slowly.
"I still don’t have concrete proof that Tina Wallace is Seraphina Sutton. I was planning to trick her into revealing something today, but running into Helen Sawyer ruined my plan. I’ll just have to play it by ear for now." Wren felt a headache coming on.
You could say their trip was a complete waste.
When Wren returned to View Gardens, she saw Assistant Lynch standing at the entrance, talking to Butler Chandler.
"Assistant Lynch, why are you here?"
"Mrs. X... Miss Wynter, I’m here to deliver the clothes you bought today."
Wren glanced at the bags on the ground with a complex expression, then said evenly, "Take them back."
She didn’t want to be indebted to Kaden Xavier, nor did she want any further involvement with him.
"But Mr. Xavier ordered me to deliver them directly to you, Miss Wynter. I’m just a humble assistant," Assistant Lynch said, looking troubled.
’If Mr. Xavier finds out I didn’t get these into Miss Wynter’s hands, he’ll probably dock my pay for the month.’
Wren frowned. Her fingers twitched at her side, but ultimately, she didn’t reach out.
"Miss Wynter..."
Before Assistant Lynch could say more, Finn Wynter shot him a cold glare. The sheer force of his presence was so overwhelming that the assistant could barely breathe.
He’d been with Kaden Xavier long enough to be used to powerful men like Finn Wynter, but Finn’s intensity still made him tremble.
"Didn’t you hear her tell you to leave?"
"But—"
"How you answer to him is your problem. Don’t use your job to emotionally blackmail Wren."
Finn Wynter took Wren’s wrist and turned, heading back toward the villa.
Watching the villa door close, Assistant Lynch was left with a look of helpless frustration.
’Now what am I supposed to do?’
Assistant Lynch heaved a deep sigh, then picked up the shopping bags to leave.
Just as he was walking out of View Gardens, a voice came from behind him: "Assistant Lynch, wait!"
Butler Chandler came running up from behind, out of breath and his face flushed. "Assistant Lynch! Our Miss says you can just give the clothes to me."
"Okay."
Overjoyed, Assistant Lynch handed the shopping bags to Butler Chandler.
Butler Chandler took them, gave the assistant a slight nod, and turned to go back.
The three people inside the villa had watched the entire exchange.
"Wren, you’re too soft-hearted," Finn Wynter said.
"Finn, I’m tired. You should get some rest, too."
Wren didn’t want to discuss it further. She turned and went into her room.
’Assistant Lynch is innocent. I can’t let him get dragged into our problems.’
「The next day.」
Wren was woken up by a phone call.
"Hello."
"Wren, are you free today? Want to go shopping? It’s Crystal’s first time hanging out with us since she got married."
Wren thought for a moment, then agreed.
"Okay, I’ll see you in a bit."
She quickly changed, said goodbye to Finn Wynter, and left.
Finn watched the villa door close behind her, then took out his phone and made a call. "Follow Miss Wynter. Report back immediately if anything happens."
"Yes, President Wynter."
Wren arrived at their meeting spot. It had been a while, and she noticed Crystal Nash’s entire demeanor had changed. Whatever Joy Lynch had just said to her had brought a shy blush to her fair cheeks.
"What are you talking about?"
As Wren drew closer, Joy immediately ducked behind her, grinning. "Why can’t you let someone tell the truth? Crystal, you’re playing dirty, aren’t you?"
"That’s nonsense!"
Crystal Nash’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. She lowered her head, but the happiness brimming in her eyes was impossible to hide.
"Wren, you be the judge! I just said that since she’s married and has a man to ’tend’ to her, she’s got that radiant newlywed glow, and she accuses me of teasing her! The injustice!"
Wren raised an eyebrow, giving Crystal a playful once-over. Crystal shyly ducked her gaze and covered her cheeks with her hands.
"It’s true, Crystal. Marriage really does change you."
"Wren, you’re making fun of me, too!"
Crystal Nash shook her head with a helpless, shy smile. Then, as if a thought struck her, her already flushed cheeks turned a shade of crimson so deep it looked like blood might well up.
Watching Crystal Nash’s reaction, Wren felt genuinely happy for her. It seemed Miles Shaw was treating her well after the wedding.
"Come on, I booked a restaurant nearby. I have a major announcement to make today."
Joy Lynch linked arms with each of them, pulling Wren and Crystal toward the restaurant.
Once the three of them were in the private dining room, Wren looked at Joy curiously. "So, Joy, what’s this big announcement?"
"Wren, I’ve decided to quit my job."
Wren was taken aback and said nothing. The only reason Joy Lynch had joined the airline, a subsidiary of the Xavier Group, was because of her.
Ever since deciding to divorce Kaden Xavier, Wren had been planning her own resignation, but she hadn’t tried to take Joy with her.
The airline offered good pay and benefits; she couldn’t let Joy lose such a great job opportunity just because of her own problems.
After all, Joy’s family background was different from hers and Crystal’s. Joy came from an ordinary family and had three younger brothers to support. She couldn’t afford to be jobless.
’But for her to suddenly decide to quit... there must be another reason.’
"Joy, why do you want to quit so suddenly?"
"Does there have to be a reason? I just don’t feel like working there anymore. The pay and benefits are great, but I can’t stand the people."
