Chapter 121
The heavy silence inside Alfred Wyndham’s study stretched for far too long.
The old man sat in his grand executive chalt, his shoulders leaning slightly backwards, his cane resting against the edge of the desk. His tired eyes moved between the two people seated before him.
in front of his sat his son and daughter-in-law-and the other restless faces scattered around the room
He looked deeply disappointed.
“First of all,” Alfred began, his voice low and tired, “I’m disappointed in you, John. Whatever disagreement you both had, it should never have reached this level. You didn’t just wake me up in the middle of the night, but you woke the entire family,”
The room fell into another silence.
Landon and Mia sat side by side on the sofa, still in their pajamas. Wyatt and Sia stood near the door, both looking annoyed and sleepy. It was clear, they were all tired.
John sat stiffly in one of the chairs in front of the desk, his hands resting on his knees. Beside him, Anna sat upright, her lips pressed tightly together, her face pale and drawn with anger.
Alfred’s expression didn’t change. His old eyes were tired, but his tone carried the full weight of authority. “So,” he said finally, “will someone tell me why I’ve been dragged out of bed at this hour?”
Anna didn’t hesitate. Her voice came out sharp, almost trembling with fury.
“John is cheating on me,” she declared, “with another woman.”
Gasps filled the study. They are shared glances.
Wyatt’s brow shot up. Landon didn’t even bother to hide his reaction, he let out a short laugh, shaking his head.
“What?” he said incredulously. “All this noise… because you think Father is cheating on you? Mother, that’s ridiculous.”
Anna shot him a deadly glare, but he only raised his hands in mock surrender.
Alfred’s face remained unreadable as he leaned slightly forward. “So,” he said slowly, “you woke up half the household because you think he’s cheating?”
“I did no such thing,” John said, his voice was too calm for someone that was accused. He looked tired rather than angry. “And even if I did,” he added, his tone flat, “what’s the big deal?”
Anna’s mouth dropped open. “Father, did you hear that?” she said, her voice rising. “That’s the same thing he said to me earlier! He doesn’t even care!”
John’s patience snapped. His hand hit the armrest lightly. “Because you keep accusing me of nonsense, Anna!” he shot back.
But Anna wasn’t backing down. “Well, let me make something very clear,” she said coldly, crossing her arms over her chest. “If you think you’re going to get a divorce from me, you’re wasting your time. Anna Wyndham will never set you free.”
Alfred leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. His cane rested on his knee as he watched the argument play out in front of him like a play he didn’t buy tickets for.
He was angry, yes, but also mildly entertained. There was something absurd about it all.
“Who’s talking about divorce?” John snapped suddenly. “You’re the only one bringing it up!”
“You don’t need to say it,” Anna shot back. “I just thought I should warn you.”
Landon groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Seriously? Is this what I got out of bed for?” he muttered under his breath, earning a nudge from Mia.
Alfred finally raised a hand. “Enough.” Itis tone quieted the room instantly. “Anna,” he said, “how exactly did you find out that your husband was cheating?”
Silence followed immediately. Updates are released by find•novel.net
All eyes turned to her. The question hung in the air like a challenge.
Did she catch him herself? Was there evidence? Or was this another one of her wild assumptions? Everyone waited curiously. They were restless, and expectant.
“I just asked you a question, Anna,” Alfred said again, his tone firmer this time. “It’s late. I’d like to go back to sleep, but before I do, I need to know how you came to this conclusion.”
Anna shifted uncomfortably. Her throat tightened.
She couldn’t tell them the truth. The truth that she had gone to a nightclub looking for Gabriel and had been humiliated by her daughter-in-law in front of everyone. She couldn’t bear the thought of that shame being repeated here.
So did the best she could. She lied.
“Well,” she began, lifting her chin, “someone saw them together and told me. And I believe it’s true.”
“Someone?” Landon repeated, disbelief clear in his tone.
“Yes,” Anna pressed on. “He’s been behaving strangely lately. Always on his phone. Barely talking to me. Sometimes he even smiles while texting.”
Landon let out a small snort. Mia elbowed him quickly to stay quiet.
John sat still, his face unreadable. But inside, he was boiling. His wife had dragged him, their father, and half the family out of bed… because he smiled at his phone?
He felt humiliated-utterly humiliated.
Alfred’s patience had run out. He pushed himself up from his chair, steadying his weight on his cane. His voice was tired now, stripped of irritation.
“Since this accusation is baseless,” he said, “I think we should all go back to sleep.”
He turned and started toward the door.
But before he reached it, Anna suddenly blurted out, “Father, wait!”
The old man stopped mid-step, but he didn’t look back. He just stood there.
“It was Isla who told me!”
The room shifted.
Gasps broke out again. And this time, it was louder and sharper. Even Alfred turned around, his brows lifting in genuine surprise.
“Isla?” he repeated.
Everyone in that room knew one thing-Isla Wyndham will not lie. Even those who didn’t like her knew she was honest to a
fault.
The air shifted again. Every pair of eyes turned toward John, their expressions mixed with confusion and suspicion.
And for the first time that night, John Wyndham felt like a man standing trial-guilty or not, the court of family opinion had already reached its verdict.
Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.