Chapter 307

307 The Shepherds’ Disgrace
The Shepherds grimaced at the Vanderwoods’ taunting, but they dared not retort. In the end, they fled
the hall in shame.
Much like the rumors suggested, the Shepherds had resorted to underhanded ways to call off Charlie’s
engagement to Wynter.
They had chosen Yvette as the ideal wife for Charlie, believing that only an heiress who was both
learned and cultured could be good enough to marry into the Shepherd family. As such, the betrothal
was made very early on with the Shepherd’s future glory in mind.
However, the Shepherds never expected Charlie to be betrothed to an imposter, or for that imposter to
have come from such a powerful
background.
To make matters worse, the Shepherds hadn’t discovered the latter part until after the engagement had
been called off.
Safe to say, none of them were happy about this. They were fumin by the time they came out of the
hall.
Their foul moods worsened when Charlie began to pelt his uncles with inane questions. “Uncle Jonah,
Uncle Vance, why do you both
look so grim?”
“What do you think? This is all your fault!” Jonah Shepherd growled as he patted his chest. “You
embarrassed our entire family today! How am I supposed to show my face in public after this?
“Nelson, keep an eye on your son if you want to stay the head of the family. I can always have you
replaced!”
Charlie had been coddled his entire life. His family praised him, and he was popular in school and at
work.
Being the most talented child in the family, he had never once been admonished by his uncle, much
less so harshly. Even his second uncle, Denzel Shepherd, didn’t bother to spare him a second glance.
Upset, Charlie turned to his father helplessly. “Dad, what happened?”
“Shut it,” Nelson snarled in a low voice. He wanted nothing more than
to get out of there.
Charlie trudged after his father to the car, feeling the passers-by’s contemptuous gaze on him.
When he got into the car, Nelson slapped him on the face and roared, I told you to be smart in
choosing women, and this is what you did?”
“Dad!” Charlie gaped at his father in shock. “What’s wrong with the woman I chose? Yvette’s doing well
in Kingbourne, and that’s a territory that we can only dream of setting foot in!”
“There’s nothing wrong with Kingbourne. But at the end of the day, roots are in Southdale,” Nelson
snapped, clenching his fists. “Thing would be easier if we had power in Kingbourne, but you’ve made a
mess of our lives here in Southdale just because you couldn’t handle
a woman!”
Charlie cupped his throbbing ch*ek as rage filled his eyes. “Dad, did that bumpkin stir up trouble
again?”
“Don’t you ever call Wynter a bumpkin again, at least not out loud. She’s Jackson Munn’s disciple!”
Nelson closed his eyes as if to collect his thoughts. “Not that it matters anymore at this point. I’ll ask
you this, Charlie-are you sure that brat still has feelings for you?”
Charlie smirked. “She can’t leave me alone. I mean, you saw the Tetters she wrote to me.”
“She certainly didn’t behave that way today,” Nelson countered darkly. He considered his options and
added, “Why don’t you go test the waters and see if she still likes you? If she does, then you have to
make her believe you have feelings for her too.”
Charlie’s jaw dropped. “Are you suggesting that I cheat on Yvette,
Dad?”
“No, you’re just making another friend behind her back,” Nelson said
deviously.
Wynter’s connection to Jackson was far too valuable for him to pass up. “Besides, you’re still the
golden boy of Southdale. Surely you can charm your way back into Wynter’s life.”
Charlie was a little reluctant at first. But after hearing his father’s spin on the situation, he supposed he
could see the logic.
After all, with Yvette thriving in Kingbourne, Charlie could pursue Wynter in Southdale without the
former ever finding out.
He would be lying if he said Wynter’s pretty face wasn’t a persuasive factor in its own right. It had been
half a year since he last saw her, and her sparkling eyes were still as beautiful and captivating as ever.
Licking his l*ps, Charlie began to consider the plan in earnest. It was a shame he hadn’t been able to
take things to the next level with Wynter while they were still engaged.
Meanwhile, over in a private dining room of a restaurant in Southdale,
the table boasted a spread of the town’s local delicacies.
Jackson was a simple man who couldn’t be bothered with the high life. He couldn’t care less about
where he was having his meals as long as the establishment was clean and respectable.
However, simple as he was, he still had the grace and mannerisms of
an apex predator. Even as he sat at the table, he looked so intimidating that none of his bodyguards
dared to step any closer.
The air in the dining room only warmed slightly when Wynter showed
1.
Jackson beamed at her and appraised her for a moment, before frowning. “You’ve lost weight.”