“Angie, Miss Georgina.”
The butler, already waiting at the entrance, gave a brief nod in their direction. As if that alone had been a signal, Angela immediately stopped running and came to a halt. Georgina, seeing the child approach the butler with quiet, graceful steps, followed and stood just behind her. In the meantime, the car slowed down and came to a stop in front of the mansion. Georgina waited patiently until the butler, who had stepped forward, bent down and opened the car door. At last, the man they’d been waiting for emerged.
For a fleeting moment, Georgina unconsciously held her breath. Though spring was already upon them, with warm breezes brushing gently against her cheek, the man seemed to carry winter with him—an invisible chill lingering around his form. Clad in a flawless suit with not a hair out of place, there was not a single crack in his composure. He looked as if he had just stepped out of his room, perfectly prepared for the day ahead—yet Georgina knew full well that he had just returned from work. It was impossible to believe that this man had just finished a long day.
She had seen him mere hours ago, completely disheveled.
And yet, Winston had reverted to his impeccably polished self—as though everything she’d witnessed had been a dream. She found herself bewildered by the stark contrast. Just as she began to question her own memory, their eyes met.
A shiver crawled down her spine.
His piercing gaze cut through her like a blade, as if he could see straight into her soul. It was the kind of look that left no room for secrets, no matter how trivial. She imagined this might’ve been the same gaze that inquisitors of the Middle Ages wore—cold, merciless, devoid of emotion—sentencing sinners to the flames without a flicker of sympathy. That chilling face of a man who would pronounce a death sentence with no hesitation overlapped with Winston’s features—
Then, all at once, his expression softened. His long eyes tilted in a gentle curve.
…What?
It was as sudden as ice melting under a burst of spring sunlight. Stunned by this unexpected shift, Georgina’s eyes widened. What the hell is going on? she wondered, confused by the sudden change—but Winston was no longer looking at her. Following the path of his diverted gaze, Georgina turned her head and spotted Angela standing nearby.
And it didn’t end there.
To her astonishment, Winston cleared the steps of the mansion’s front entrance two or three at a time, quickly closing the distance with long, purposeful strides. Startled, Georgina instinctively took a step back, swallowing her breath—but Winston didn’t so much as glance her way. His attention was fixed on only one thing.
With a swift bend at the waist, he scooped the child up into his arms, and then—smiled. So affectionately. So shockingly.
“Angie, did you have fun?”
He held her in his arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his voice soft and full of warmth. Georgina’s mouth fell open in disbelief. She had never been this stunned. Winston? Talking in that kind of tone? Smiling like that?
And yet, Angela’s response was just as surprising.
The moment Winston appeared, the girl raised both arms high and pushed up onto her toes, as if this next step had been prearranged. Winston effortlessly lifted her into the air and beamed at her with a brilliant smile, as though this had always been part of their daily routine.
“Mhm, my friend came over and we had tea together.”
Angela nodded, then pointed straight at Georgina. Reflexively, Georgina flinched. Bracing herself for Winston’s gaze to land on her, she straightened her back, which had begun curling in on itself without her realizing it. She planned to give a quick, casual greeting and then excuse herself with a polite lie.
After all, to Winston, she was clearly an unwelcome guest…
The moment she was certain she should leave, their eyes met.
Compared to the gentle gaze he’d shown Angela, Winston’s face was chillingly cold. Georgina reflexively hunched her shoulders. She had misjudged. The frosty stare, as if he were inspecting some inanimate object, made her squirm with unease.
“Uh, well… I should get going.”
She stumbled over her words awkwardly, trying to excuse herself. But just then, Angela—who had clearly caught on—spoke in a small, dispirited voice.
“Georgina, you’re leaving already?”
Her voice, heavy with disappointment, caused Winston’s gaze—firmly fixed on Georgina—to waver for a moment. It was the barest flicker, barely a blink, but Georgina noticed it. She saw it—the way his eyes, which had been focused on Angela, shifted back to her.
And then, something unbelievable happened.
Winston’s stern expression began to ease, and the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
“Georgina’s not leaving. Right?”
Still smiling at Angela, he turned to Georgina and added the rest directly to her. His face, now softened, carried an expression far gentler than before. Maybe it was the warmth still lingering from his gaze toward Angela. But Georgina had seen something eerily similar a few times before—when she’d visited a friend’s house and their parents looked at her with a familiar kind of affection.
The gaze a parent gives their child’s close friend.
Realizing this, Georgina felt like she’d been struck in the head. Of all people—Winston Campbell? Looking at her that way? Really?
Am I dreaming with my eyes open?
“Georgina.”
“Huh? Y-Yes?”
She jumped at the sound of her name, startled, and stuttered. But the surprises weren’t over yet.
With a voice as gentle as his gaze, Winston offered something completely unexpected.
“If you’re not in a hurry, would you like to stay for dinner? Angela said she wants to invite you.”
Georgina was too shocked to respond.
Did that really just come out of Winston Campbell’s mouth? A line straight out of a normal parent’s playbook? And with that sociable smile?
Maybe there’s some kind of power switch hidden somewhere on his body. Or maybe he’s an A.I. still going through its learning phase. These were the ridiculous thoughts tumbling through her head as her eyes spun dizzily. Then Angela, still perched on Winston’s arm, chimed in.
“You should sleep over, Georgina.”
“What?”
Not one step ahead, but ten—Angela had already taken the leap. She looked away from the stunned Georgina and turned to Winston.
“That’s okay, right? Winnie?”
Georgina immediately realized that Winnie was a magic word. Angela clearly knew it too. Winston’s face melted into a wide smile, his eyes dripping honey as he looked at the girl.
“Of course, Angie. You can have whatever you want.”
Holding the child’s hand, Winston smiled sweetly and added:
“You’re my daughter, after all.”
Buoyed by that reassurance, Angela turned to Georgina with a look that said, See? No problem at all. And finally, Georgina’s dazed mind began to stir back to life, having stood frozen and speechless this entire time.
What the hell is going on right now?
Her instincts were screaming that something was off. Andrew’s confession had already left her uneasy, so she’d decided early on to make a quick exit—and she still stood by that judgment. More than anything, her rational mind was sounding the alarm: politely decline, make your exit. Every warning bell in her head rang in unison, urging her not to get involved any further with these people…
“Okay, Angie.”
And yet, her curiosity drowned out that clamor.
She knew all too well that this was her greatest flaw—but she just couldn’t help herself. She wanted to know more. More about all of them. Most of all, she’d only just realized that the smile Winston gave her was subtly, but undeniably, different from the one he gave Angela. It was slight—but it was there.
Maybe… maybe he’s faking affection? With someone like Winston, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. If that’s true, then why?
And the thing about Yu-jin not being pregnant—what on earth was that supposed to mean?
There were far too many questions left unanswered for her to simply walk away. So, Georgina chose curiosity over conscience. Even knowing she was stepping straight into a trap, she willingly extended her foot into the mire.
“I’ll be in your care today, Winston.”
She mustered up her courage and flashed him a bold, radiant smile. Adopting the same warm tone and expression one might use with a friend’s parent, she greeted him with an air of familiarity—and to her surprise, Winston smiled back and turned to Angela.
“That’s great news, right, Angie?”
Angela nodded enthusiastically, clearly delighted, and Winston began walking forward. Georgina naturally followed as they moved into the mansion, her heart pounding with a strange mix of anxiety and anticipation.
