Chapter 7 Unconventional Taste
Winry was struck so hard that she fell to the ground. Half of her face was swollen from the blow, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Covering her face with her hands, she felt a mixture of anger and shame and began to sob as she lay on the ground.
Overcome with anger, Caiden raised his hand again.
“Winry!” Eunice rushed forward to shield her daughter. She tearfully pleaded with Caiden, “Wearing the wrong clothes isn’t a big deal. Winry is still young and doesn’t understand. A few words of reprimand would suffice. What if you hurt her?”
Winry huddled behind her, sobbing uncontrollably.
I hate Josephine! All I did was wear her dress and necklace, but it ended up making Mr. Jaywalker angry. Even Dad is furious.
It’s all Josephine’s fault!
Caiden lowered his hand, letting out a heavy sigh.
The reputation of the Sommer family was utterly tarnished.
He turned around and offered Michael an apologetic smile. “Mr. Jaywalker, I must’ve made a fool of myself for not knowing how to discipline my daughter properly.”
Michael didn’t even spare him a glance. He had no interest in other people’s affairs.
When he saw the video last night, he already had an idea of how his bride was being treated at the Sommer family’s. That was why he had made a point to come and pick her up early that morning.
Fortunately, he had used the name of Jaywalker Group last night to contact various major online media outlets, preventing the video from leaking out. Otherwise, it would have caused a citywide uproar that day.
He asked coldly, “Where is Josephine?”
“I’ll go look for her,” Caiden quickly said.
“That won’t be necessary.”
With a wave of his hand, Michael sent dozens of bodyguards charging into the Sommer residence.
He didn’t trust the Sommer family.
Caiden could only watch as the bodyguards rushed into the mansion in search of Josephine. He dared not utter a single word of dissent.
A few minutes later, Jorvan emerged. He hesitated for a moment before whispering a few words into Michael’s ear.
Michael’s face clouded over. His gaze on Caiden was filled with menace. “You made my bride stay in a doghouse? And you locked her in? She’s not in the basement now. Where did you hide her?”
“Mr. Jaywalker, what… what did you say…” Caiden was utterly confused. “What do you mean by ‘locked her in’?”
“Mr. Sommer, you’d better ask your daughter,” Jorvan suggested, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
Caiden was taken aback for a moment. Then, recalling something, he abruptly turned around to fix his gaze on Winry.
Startled, Winry quickly stepped back, hiding behind Eunice.
She didn’t expect to be exposed so quickly.
“Where is she?” Caiden yelled.
“I… I don’t know…” Winry shook her head. “I didn’t do anything. She ran away on her own.”
I really didn’t do anything to Josephine. I only locked her in.
But I added an extra lock. How did she get out and even go missing?
Caiden’s face turned ashen. He finally understood what Winry had been doing behind his back, and his anger nearly boiled over.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, he suppressed his anger at his daughter and swiftly turned to Michael.
“Mr. Jaywalker, this is all my fault. Rest assured, I’ll provide a suitable explanation. I’ll find her immediately.”
Michael’s face was clouded with an extreme gloom, his disdain for Caiden reaching its peak. Without a single glance at him, he rose to leave.
He instructed Joven, “Search the entire city for Josephine and take all the betrothal gifts with you. Not a single item should be missing.”
Remembering something, he cast a sidelong glance at Winry on the ground.
“I don’t want anything she’s worn before. I find it distasteful.”
With that, he headed toward the car.
“Mr. Jaywalker!” Caiden knew he had completely messed up that day. Without caring about his dignity, he hastily chased after him. “This is all my fault. I will definitely find Josephine.”
Jorvan extended his arm to block him. “Mr. Sommer, did you hear everything Mr. Jaywalker said? Please find Josephine as soon as possible and bring her to the Jaywalker residence. If Mr. Jaywalker gets angry, he might just send you straight into retirement.”
Caiden blanched, knowing that a single word from the Jaywalker family could lead to his bankruptcy and force him into retirement.
At that very moment, Josephine was hiding in a black sedan, witnessing everything with great interest.
Winry had locked the door from the outside, but that didn’t deter her.
In the countryside, a locksmith had sought medical treatment but couldn’t afford the bills. She suggested he teach her how to pick locks as a form of payment.
Using just a single hairpin, she effortlessly picked the lock on the basement door and slipped out.
She had planned to leave directly through the back door, but she noticed Michael in the front yard, angrily confronting Caiden about the video.
A man she had never met was unexpectedly defending her. At that moment, Josephine felt a certain fondness for Michael and decided to eavesdrop on the conversation.
But no sooner had she slipped over to a black sedan than a bodyguard approached her.
In a moment of desperation, Josephine noticed that the car window was left open. Without a second thought, she quickly climbed in, intending to hide temporarily until the bodyguard had left before making her departure.
The necklace held significant importance to her. The photo within its pendant was of the person she was searching for. Her journey to the city was solely for this purpose.
Josephine was hiding in the car when she realized it belonged to Michael.
The extended Rolls-Royce Phantom exuded luxury. A subtle scent of wood wafted through the interior. On the passenger seat sat a delicately packaged pink box, its contents a mystery.
After watching the bodyguard walk away, Josephine planned to climb out of the car window. However, in her carelessness, she accidentally knocked over the box.
The contents of the box spilled out, scattering a multitude of colors throughout the vehicle.
When Josephine turned her head to look, her eyes nearly popped out.
She couldn’t resist glancing at the magazine inside the car, which featured an interview photo of Michael on the cover.
In the photo, he wore a black suit, his gaze detached, exuding an aura of aloofness that made him seem unapproachable. His handsome and noble demeanor, paired with his pride, painted the perfect picture of an elite.
But what is this huge pile of lollipops all about?
And they were kept in a pink box!
Could it be that Michael, who normally appears so proud and aloof, actually has a softer, more girlish side?
He’s already twenty-six, yet he still enjoys eating lollipops?
Josephine was taken aback. Mr. Jaywalker has such unconventional taste…
Rumors are rife in the town about his volatile temperament and utter disregard for humanity. His enjoyment of such things certainly paints him as somewhat… twisted.