Silly Bride novel (Winnie and Xavier)

Flashing a smile, Harold patted Josiah on the shoulder. “In that case, I'll take my leave first.”

“Okay, I'll walk you out.” Josiah stuffed his hands into the pocket of his lab coat as he followed Harold

out.

However, Harold stopped him. “I'll be fine. You should get back to work.”

“All right then.” Josiah didn't insist as his gaze trailed Harold's leaving silhouette.

Cognizant of the way Josiah was looking at him, Harold was irritated. I have to get rid of this annoying

jerk someday.

The moment he stepped out of the hospital, Harold heard his phone ring.

However, when he saw that it was Winnie on the line, he put it back into his pocket, ignoring her call

deliberately.

It wasn't until Winnie called a few more times that “Xavier” finally answered.

Over the phone, “Xavier” mentioned that he was busy but confirmed that he would return to Lagune

Mansion for dinner.

Hence, Winnie waited for him.

Unfortunately, there was still no sign of “Xavier” even when the food had turned cold.

When Winnie called again to check, she found out that Benjamin had returned to the country.

Therefore, “Xavier” had gone back to the Fairchild residence together with his father.

The sudden turn of events baffled Winnie. “Why didn't you tell me earlier? I've been waiting for you the

whole time.”

Paying no heed to Winnie's complaint, Harold cooked up a random lie. “My dad was speaking to me

the entire time, so I didn't have the opportunity. I remember asking Louis to inform you. Did he not do

it?”

“No. If he did, I wouldn't be waiting at home like a fool!”

“What?” Noticing the anger in Winnie's tone, Harold relished in schadenfreude. “Looks like he has

forgotten my instructions. I'll deduct his pay, then. Anyway, my dad told me a lot today and expressed

his intense dissatisfaction with you. I wanted to pick you up so we could all have dinner together at the

Fairchild residence, but that doesn't seem like a good idea.”

“Yes. That's why I should avoid going there for the time being.”

“Okay, I'm hanging up now. I probably won't be back tonight, so don't wait up.”

“Sure.” Winnie, too, didn't have much to say when she sensed “Xavier's” lack of desire to chat.

Nevertheless, this was the first time he didn't return for the night.

Sensing something amiss in the back of her mind, she dialed a string of numbers.

It was a number she never saved on her phone because this was the first time she ever called its

owner—the spy whom she implanted in Fairchild Corporation.

Back when Xavier found out about it, he gave his tacit approval. In fact, he didn't even question who

that person was.

In other words, apart from Winnie, no one else knew that the person was acting as Winnie's spy while

working for Xavier.

“Ms. Garland.” The lady was clearly shocked when she received Winnie's call. “What can I do for you?”

Winnie replied flatly, “There's something I want to ask you.”

Even though Louis was the one who knew everything “Xavier” did, Winnie didn't fully trust him since he

was Xavier's subordinate.

As a result, she sought someone on her side. “Have you noticed anything strange with Mr. Fairchild's

behavior over the last two days, be it at work or his usual routine? Tell me everything you know.”

Although Winnie hadn't called her up in a long time, the lady was still on Winnie's payroll all this while.

Thus, she continued to diligently make notes every day, just in case Winnie needed them out of the

blue.

The lady chose her words carefully as she replied, “I have noticed some minute differences, but I'm not

sure if I'm just being too sensitive.”

“It's fine. Just give me what you have. I'll make my own judgment.”

“All right.” The lady continued, “Perhaps because of the injuries in his throat, Mr. Fairchild hardly

speaks recently and seldom makes any decisions. Instead, he lets Mr. Tanser do all the talking in his

place. Also, Mr. Fairchild has been making mistakes with minor details and needs Mr. Tanser to remind

him about things. This is something that has never happened before.”

“Is that so?” Winnie knitted her brows. “What sort of details? Tell me about them.”

“Names. Mr. Fairchild addressed two members of senior management wrongly. In fact, he even got a

major client's name wrong.”

“What?” The words caused the frown on Winnie's face to deepen.

It doesn't seem like he has any problems with his memory at all. Messing up the names of senior

management and a major client is a serious matter.

“Anything else?” Winnie asked.

“Yes. Over the last two days, he has been using his stamp instead of his signature while signing

documents. Ever since he returned, he has not signed his name at all. This is probably because both

his hands were injured, but it's something unprecedented.”

At that moment, Winnie fell into deep thought.

Although the reason sounds logical, are the injuries on his hand really that serious? Given that

contracts worth tens of billions pass through his hands, can he really make do with just a stamp instead

of his signature? Were the documents due to be signed over the last two days coincidentally trivial?