Chapter 445

"That night? What do you mean, Mrs. Rodriguez? I'm afraid I don't follow," Winnie replied, feigning confusion.

Hellen squinted slightly, grasping Winnie's pretense but not about to engage with it. Regal Hellen pressed her lush lips together, took a sip of coffee, and elegantly tossed a card across the table.

She then coldly stated, "State your terms, Ms. Winnie. Keep your mouth shut, or else what do you think your fate will be?"

Winnie's hand tightened under the table. She knew too well what fate awaited her. A woman of Mrs. Rodriguez's stature could make someone disappear without breaking a sweat.

The secret Winnie stumbled upon was like a ticking time bomb, troublesome indeed. However, accepting the money would only grant Hellen greater control and leverage over her.

Winnie lowered her gaze, projecting calmness, before slowly raising her head with a soft smile. "Mrs. Rodriguez, if I'm not mistaken, Mars is your son, your biological one, correct?"

Winnie had pieced it together, recalling the family portrait in her mind and the middle-aged man she caught with Hellen the other night.

Hellen's expression darkened, and she froze. She had known from the start that this girl's piercing gaze was trouble.

Winnie shifted the tables from defense to offense, sitting with dignified poise.

"Hmph!" Hellen scoffed, lifting her chin and gripping the cup. "You think you can blackmail me?

You're out of your depth, Ms. Winnie. Everyone knows that Mars was a war orphan adopted by the old Mr. Rodriguez, with no blood ties to the Rodriguez family. Careful not to speak carelessly, or you might pay dearly!"

Winnie remained silent. Hellen's tension-riddled tone said all that needed to be said in response to her earlier remark.

Her fingers slid the card back across the table, her voice a careful blend of assurance and warning, "I won't go spreading rumors, but I thought you should know that I'm aware of certain things. About that incident the other night, I've no intention of informing the owner of the house or Mr. Rodriguez. I value my own life too much for that. Whether or not you grant me my continued silence, well, that's up to you."

Every word she said was a subtle threat, leveraging the secrets she held.

Hellen's eyes cooled to a steely gaze.

With a smooth and decisive motion, Winnie stood up. "Mrs. Rodriguez, I've finished my coffee. I think I'll take my leave now. Enjoy yours."

She walked out swiftly, her heart racing.

Once the door closed, Hellen signaled to her bodyguard to keep an eye on Winnie's departure then took out her phone and made a call. As soon as Mars answered, she said, "She's guessed your connection to me, the little wretch! She's keeping quiet for now, but stay cautious of her and Lawrence. If they get closer, she might back Lawrence, and once Bob discovers your true heritage, it's over for all of us."

"Just stay calm, Hellen," a deep, inscrutable voice advised from the other end of the line. "She's just a girl. If she becomes a problem, we'll handle her when the time comes."

"I suppose so," Hellen replied, her eyes narrowing with resolve. "We have to keep our eyes on this ticking bomb; she cannot jeopardize our grand plans."

Winnie got into her car, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she drove toward the airport, her mind in turmoil.

She couldn't help but be amazed by the multitude of secrets hidden within the Rodriguez family. Hellen's maneuvers were impressive, orchestrating plans that spanned over two decades. And poor Bob, a high-ranking general, unknowingly raising another man's "adopted son"-his wife's lover hiding in plain sight.

By raising Mars within the Rodriguez family, perhaps Hellen's ultimate aim was to take over the entire dynasty.

And Lawrence... he could be walking right into a lion's den.

First things first, she thought, her breath frosting in the chill air. She could feel Hellen's eyes on her; her very life might be at stake.

"Rock." At the airport entrance, near where the cars lined up, Winnie offered a smile to the man approaching with his luggage in tow.

The warm-faced man reached her and embraced her tenderly. "Winnie, I've missed you..."

Winnie's smile turned stiff for a moment as she gracefully excused herself from him, quipping, "Rock, you've become quite the smooth talker. We better get going."

She quickly turned to pull open the car door.

Rock's eyes narrowed slightly as his hands formed into a loose fist. She was still maintaining a clear boundary between them. He wasn't in a hurry, he reasoned. According to his sources, Lawrence had acquired a new girlfriend after rejoining the Rodriguez family and had completely severed ties with Winnie.

The man climbed into the car with a smile, and Winnie drove off.

Neither of them noticed that not far behind, Angela had hastily captured several photos with her phone.

Angela, who had come to pick up a friend, stumbled upon Winnie with a man. She sent the photos to Ishara with a sneer: "Could this be that married man from Lymington Winnie's with? They look like two bumpkins all over each other."

Ishara received the photos. The embrace between Winnie and this man was unmistakable. With a squint reminiscent of a sly fox, Ishara instructed Claire, "Check into this man."

Soon, Claire got the information through Peter. "Miss, this man is named Rock. He's Winnie's rumored flame from Lymington."

"I see," Ishara muttered, thinking of Lawrence, and let out a soft cough of laughter, keeping the photos for later.

"Rock, I'm impressed that you've already established several factories in Trento City, all smartly located in the economic development zone," Winnie remarked as she followed Rock on a tour of the two Harrington Group's factories.

"I've also spotted The Harrington Group's headquarters and the Triton building site nearby," Rock said with a smile. "Let's go check them out now."

Arriving at a huge vacant lot on the outskirts of Trento City, Winnie's eyes widened in surprise. She never knew that there was such a prime land still available there. Building the company here would allow for an adjacent jewelry production factory, achieving complete integration for the business.

Rock shared, "I've heard that this central lot is tangled up in a legal dispute, which is why it's priced so low. You know that land outside of Trento City is exorbitant. It's a rare opportunity, and if we can acquire it, Triton's and the Harrington Group's headquarters issues will be resolved."

As they were engrossed in their conversation, a deep male voice interrupted from the side, "Ms. Winnie?"

Winnie turned abruptly. It was Bentley. Her eyes widened slightly as Bentley, lugging a hard hat, strode over, towering above the project managers trailing behind him.

"Well, Mr. Bentley, what a coincidence," she said, offering a polite smile.

Bentley extended his hand and said, "Quite the coincidence indeed. I was just taking a look at this plot of land. And who might this be?"

"Mr. Rock Harrington, a friend of mine."

Rock sized up Bentley, noting an air of affluence about him that suggested he might hail from one of Trento City's distinguished families. His keen gaze upon Winnie hinted at a deeper interest.

The formality of Winnie's introduction caused a subtle frown to crease Rock's forehead, but he masked his displeasure with a cordial handshake. "Mr. Bentley, a pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine. Ms. Winnie, now that we've bumped into each other, how about I join you for a look around the property?" Bentley said cheerfully.

He approached Winnie casually and said, "This land was initially intended for a golf course-it belonged to Anday from the Rodriguez family, at least according to what I've heard. It appears they've encountered some difficulties and decided to sell it. Many people are eyeing it due to its discounted price, including me from the Jenkins family, and even the Wen family. Are you also interested?"