Chapter 284 Winslow's Diary
Chapter 284 Winslow's Diary
Aurora Ross's POV:
After leaving Eder's room.
I headed straight to the villa I had passed by many times but never entered.
The rusty iron gate looked even more desolate in the night.
I stood at the entrance for a while, then aimed the gun in my hand at the lock that had been sealed for fifty years.
With a loud bang that echoed through the night, the lock fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The villa, once again, revealed its former glory.
I felt along the wall for the light switch and pressed it, not expecting much. Surprisingly, after flickering twice, the overhead light emitted a faint glow, like an old man using his last bit of strength.
Though dim, it was enough for me to see the interior.
Teacups scattered on the table, books spread out on the sofa, and cute dolls placed on the windowsill... Everything told me stories of what had happened here.
Unfortunately, thick layers of dust had left irreversible stains and damage.
I walked around, picking up a teacup from the table. Its peculiar design caught my eye the moment I entered. It felt rough to the touch, not like something made by a professional designer. But it was clear the person who made it was meticulous, as the edges were smoothed out.
I looked at the bottom of the cup. The engraving was still clear: "Winslow."
So, this villa really belonged to Winslow.
But the handwriting...
I examined it closely. After learning from Eder for so long, I was certain this was Eder's handiwork.
He had made this cup for Winslow himself.
I raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised.
I suddenly understood why Harry said Winslow was the only person Eder had treated specially.
But the ending...
I put the cup back in its place and explored the first floor. Since the gem was a small item, I checked every possible hiding spot. Even heavy books could be hollowed out by a thief to hide it. Fortunately, there weren't many books left on the shelves, or who knows how long it would take to find it.
In the depths of a rusty cabinet, I found an old diary wrapped in a book cover. It belonged to Winslow.
I hesitated. Reading someone else's diary was never a good thing. I was about to put it back when my toe hit something. I looked down, and my eyes widened.
"A gem?"
It was wedged in the gap between the cabinet and the floor. If I hadn't accidentally kicked it, I might have missed it.
I bent down to pick it up. As I left the room, I glanced back.
...
[I was chosen to be Eder Phillips' fiancée because I perfectly met their requirements for a lady: beautiful, graceful, gentle, a blonde Barbie. I'm about to marry him, even though I haven't met him yet.]
[The family hosted a banquet, and he attended. I kept sneaking glances at him, but he didn't look at me. I'm really curious about the man I'm supposed to spend my life with, but my mother told me it doesn't matter.]
[What matters is his background.]
[Endless boring banquets. I've lost count of how many times I've snuck out. I'll probably get scolded again, but I can't be what they want me to be.]
[Seems like I'm not the only one running away tonight?]
[It's him.]
[He looked at me, but didn't recognize me...]
[Does he not care at all who his future wife is?]
[Heard his name again. He seems impressive, able to suppress their family. I certainly couldn't do that.]
[But there's nothing to envy. If I'm a commodity, he's just another commodity.]
I lay on the bed and flipped through the pages. The rest were daily trivialities. It felt strange, like watching someone else's life through the years.
So Winslow was the fiancée chosen for Eder by the family. Just like Nora.
[Father doesn't like me studying herbs, says it's a waste of time and I should learn to dance instead.]
[I think he's crazy, always wanting to turn the women in the family into pretty faces.]
[I'm going to put some laxatives in his coffee tonight.]
I couldn't help but laugh. Winslow's personality seemed different from what I imagined. She appeared obedient on the surface, but was a bird longing to escape the cage, resisting being just a pretty face.
Unfortunately, her strength alone was too small. She ended up engaged to Eder...
[Not even married yet, and they've sent me to the Phillips Manor. I've had enough.]
[Why does Eder always have a cold face? Does he think I want to marry him?]
[He's so pretentious.]
[I've decided to put some laxatives in his drink too.]
I chuckled softly and turned over in bed. Light streamed through the curtains. I suddenly realized I had spent the entire night reading. Oh no, I stayed up all night. And I'm pregnant.
I hurriedly put the diary down and closed my eyes, forcing myself to sleep.
I spent several days reading the diary intermittently. During this time, I didn't leave the house, almost obsessively watching the years unfold.
Winslow played the role of a perfect wife in the manor, but her inner resistance led her to secretly target Eder, who enjoyed her care while giving her the cold shoulder.
The Eder she described was so unfamiliar. He would use childish methods to secretly retaliate against Winslow. On the surface, they seemed peaceful, but behind the scenes, they were deliberately tormenting each other.
Until one banquet, when Eder chopped off a man's hand for bothering Winslow. A brutal act, but it silently declared Winslow's officially recognized status by the Phillips family.
From that day on, something began to change.
[Today I saw a book. One sentence in it perfectly matches my current mood. I left a note on it.]