5.Chapter 5 The Family Dinner

Fillip blurted out, “Ms. Jenkins, would you consider joining Chandler Group? I can offer you—”

“No,” Gwyneth cut him off and left.

Fillip watched her slim figure walk away, his eyes flickering a spark of admiration and a flutter of something more.

*****

With one more task checked off her list, Gwyneth returned to the hotel, feeling relieved. After resting for a few hours, she headed back to the duplex villa.

The garden was trashed. Bella, dressed in Gwyneth’s clothes and an expensive wool shawl, was bossing around the servants like she owned the place—ordering them to uproot every perfectly tended flower right from the roots.

When Bella saw Gwyneth step out of the car, a smug grin spread across her face. ‘I haven’t even posted a mocking video, and she’s already back. Even better,’ she thought.

“What are you doing here, Gwyneth?” Bella asked sweetly. “Zachary said you were staying at the hotel. He told me to make myself at home.”

She pretended to cough into her hand. “My allergies can’t stand flower scents. Zachary had to stay up all night taking care of me. You aren’t mad, are you?”

Gwyneth’s eyes stayed fixed on the drooping flowers, her lips pressed tight.

After she left Everprosper Group, Zachary had brought her rare flower seeds to keep her busy, knowing how much she loved gardening.

Some of those delicate plants had taken her months to nurture. The day they bloomed, she’d even snapped pics for Zachary, gushing about using them in her bridal bouquet. Now they were just mush.

“Good job. Keep at it,” Gwyneth said flatly, turning away to march straight up the stairs.

Bella’s smile wavered. She’d expected screaming, but to her surprise, Gwyneth was eerily calm.

Gwyneth walked into her bedroom, the space where she’d lived for years. She scanned the room, hit by a wave of emptiness.

Even though she and Zachary had slept in separate rooms, everything still came in pairs—his-and-hers towels, his-and-hers mugs, all that stuff.

She grabbed a giant black trash bag and started stuffing. After five trips to the bin, the room was bare. The servants were all in the garden, so no one noticed her actions.

On her last trip back, Zachary’s car pulled in. He rushed into the living room and hurried upstairs, completely oblivious to her presence.

As Gwyneth walked past, Bella’s sobs drifted from his room. “Zachary, maybe I should go. Those flowers…” Her voice hitched with a cough.

“Silly girl, they’re just flowers. We’ll plant new ones if she likes them. Your health is what matters. Look at you, crying so hard you’re a mess.” Zachary’s voice was soft, each word stabbing Gwyneth like a knife.

She retreated to her room and packed the last of her belongings into a suitcase. She’d just snapped it shut when the door swung open.

“Gwennie, you—” Zachary stared at the empty closet, his voice catching in his throat. “Where’d all your stuff go?”

Gwyneth turned with a wry smile. “Out with the old, in with the new. Got a problem with that?”

Zachary paused. Something didn’t feel right—he could tell. But they were supposed to head to City Hall next week, and replacing old stuff just made sense.

Plus, he’d told her to come home and look after Bella, and here she was, not even mad about last night. Shoving down his unease, he walked over and ruffled her hair like he always did.

“I know you’re ticked off. Go on a shopping spree these next few days. Abel’s already scouting a place for Bella, and she’ll be out by Monday. Then we can redecorate the whole room with your new stuff, yeah?” he said softly.

Gwyneth let out a silent sigh, her voice dead calm. “Zachary, after we get married, will you still take care of Bella like this?”

Hearing her mention marriage, Zachary felt more relieved. He leaned in, those killer dark eyes sparkling. “No more jealousy, no more drama. Just play nice.”

“Sure.” Gwyneth nodded. Truth was, she’d never been the jealous type anyway.

*****

Before Gwyneth could make her way back to the hotel, Victor’s call came through, demanding Zachary bring her to the family dinner.

Ever since Zachary founded Everprosper Group, his status in the Flynn family had skyrocketed. Even Matthew, who once snubbed him, now acted like a doting dad—always bragging about Zachary being his “most successful son.”

But every family dinner was a minefield Gwyneth walked into knowingly. The Flynns didn’t know her real background; they thought she was just some unwanted orphan.

“Zachary, I’m so nervous. What if your family doesn’t like me?” Bella sat in the passenger seat, her cheeks flushed as she watched him drive—he never brought assistants to the Flynn manor.

Zachary didn’t reply to Bella. Instead, his eyes met Gwyneth’s in the rearview mirror. His lips thinned at the sight of her stubbornly sitting in the back.

He thought, ‘She’s making a scene again. Just because I brought Bella along, and she refused to sit up front earlier? How could we leave Bella alone at home? Besides, she is still a patient.’

The car ride was tense. But Bella acted like nothing was wrong, turning in her seat to chat with Gwyneth every now and then. When she got the cold shoulder, she’d pout and cuddle up to Zachary instead.

Gwyneth ignored them, closing her eyes to rest—and she dozed off. Forty minutes later, she dragged herself out of the car, still half-asleep.

“You could’ve said you didn’t want to come. This is the Flynn manor. Don’t make a scene,” Zachary hissed from above. Gwyneth looked up to see the disdain in his eyes.

Since she quit her job at the company, Zachary rarely invited her to public events. She’d assumed he was looking out for her—sparing her from stuffy social obligations. It never crossed her mind he might just be ashamed of her background.

“Welcome home, Mr. Zachary Flynn. And this young lady is…” The butler rushed over with a smile, glancing between Gwyneth and Bella. His expression quickly shifted to something more complicated.

“I’m a friend of Zachary’s. Hope I’m not crashing the dinner,” Bella said sweetly, looping her arm through Zachary’s to show their closeness.

The butler caught on quickly. He gave Gwyneth a pitying look, then jerked his head toward the study. “Mr. Matthew Flynn and Mr. Victor Flynn are in the library. Mrs. Selena Flynn’s in the parlor.”

Bella’s eyes lit up at the mansion’s grandeur, hunger practically oozing from her. ‘Someday, all this will be mine,’ she vowed silently.

“Let’s go, Gwyneth. We can’t keep Zachary’s family waiting,” she said, pulling Zachary inside. All the nervousness from the car ride had vanished.

Gwyneth watched them walk away, wanting to turn and walk away. But she couldn’t confront Zachary yet—not before tying up loose ends.

Plus, Victor had always been kind to her. With his health failing, she wouldn’t cause drama here. She took a breath to steady herself before following a few minutes later.

The moment Gwyneth entered the hall, Selena’s sharp voice cut through the air. “Zachary, this has gone too far. First you get involved with an orphan, and now you’re bringing some random girl home? What, are we running a charity here?”