On My 18th, I Escaped To Yu’s Group

Chapter 3

Winona trembled at his words.

"But she's Miss Dempsey. Her family has too much power..."

'You have nothing to fear. In ten days, she will be the one looking up to you.'

According to the selection plan, once Winona joined Dempsey Group headquarters, her status would surpass Freya's. But for now, she was still only an ordinary heiress from a wealthy family. She had neither the confidence nor the standing to openly challenge Freya.

Her mind went blank. She had no idea how to respond.

The voice in her mind remained calm.

'Don't be afraid. Trust me. Just repeat my words exactly.'

Winona suddenly rose to her feet.

The entire garden fell silent. The laughter and conversations stopped at once, and every gaze turned toward her.

She first gave Freya a respectful bow. Then she straightened her back, took a deep breath, and repeated the words she had heard in her mind.

"Miss Dempsey, my gown was spotless when I entered the estate. It was accidentally stained by wine moments ago, which disrupted the reception and upset you. That was indeed my mistake."

Freya raised her chin slightly.

"At least you understand that."

But Winona gently shook her head.

"Unfortunately, it is a shame."

"A shame about what?" Freya asked instinctively.

"It is a shame that the staff here lack proper judgment. A guest arrived at the reception with a stained gown, yet no one knew how to handle such a simple matter. If this gets out, people may assume that you, Miss Dempsey, do not manage your estate properly and cannot even control your own staff."

On the surface, Winona was criticizing the staff's poor handling of the situation.

But her true meaning was clear: Freya was the one responsible for failing to manage her own estate.

Freya's expression darkened instantly.

She shot to her feet and pointed at Winona with a trembling finger.

"You... How dare you criticize me?"

Winona did not back down. Instead, she met Freya's furious gaze calmly.

"Miss Dempsey, please don't misunderstand. I never said you personally ordered the staff to stain my dress."

Nathan, sitting nearby, stared at Winona in disbelief.

He could not understand what had caused such a sudden change in her or where she had found the courage to confront Freya in front of everyone.

Just as Freya was about to lose control, the butler behind her stepped forward and quietly reminded her,

"Miss Dempsey, have you forgotten Mr. Dempsey's warning from a few days ago? If today's matter gets out of hand and reaches him, he will surely reprimand you."

The day before, Elijah had personally warned Freya to control her temper in public and stop targeting other families without reason.

Freya's expression shifted several times.

If Elijah learned what had happened today, she would undoubtedly receive a harsh lecture.

Yet she was unwilling to apologize to Winona.

For a moment, she stood there, caught between anger and hesitation.

Rosie's eyes flickered, and she immediately stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Winona, please don't be upset. Miss Dempsey would never intentionally make things difficult for you. Someone, please take Winona to the lounge so she can change."

Winona had no intention of continuing to pretend that she and Rosie were close.

She followed a server out of the garden and headed to the lounge to change.

Along the way, she quietly asked the voice in her mind, "How did I do?"

A faint hint of amusement colored the man's voice.

'Not bad. You learn quickly with only a little guidance.'

A small spark of happiness quietly bloomed in Winona's heart.

As she passed Nathan's seat, she heard him scoff.

"You certainly have more courage to fight back than you used to."

Winona paused briefly.

But she did not reply or spare him a glance. She simply kept walking.

She reminded herself that none of this mattered.

She only needed to endure all of this for ten more days.

Once she entered Dempsey Group headquarters, she would finally be free from these cruel words forever.

Repeating those words silently, she continued walking farther and farther away from Nathan.

Nathan watched her determined figure disappear into the distance.

His expression slowly turned cold.

After the reception ended, Winona returned to Eastwood Manor by car.

The moment she entered the house, she saw someone she had not seen in a long time.

David was sitting on the main sofa in the living room.

Tall and imposing, with sharp features and a naturally intimidating presence, he looked cold whenever he wasn't smiling.

The sight of him made Winona's heart sink.

"David..."

Before she could say anything else, David raised a hand and stopped her.

"Rosie already told me. You publicly challenged Miss Dempsey at her reception today, didn't you?"

His voice was icy, and there was not a trace of warmth in his eyes.

He did not sound like he was speaking to his younger sister. It was more like he was questioning someone who had committed a crime.

Winona clenched her hands tightly. Her face slowly lost all color.

David was ten years older than her. Once, he had been the person who loved and protected her more than anyone else in the world.

Winona still remembered the day their parents were buried after the car accident.

David had knelt before their grave, his eyes red from grief, and sworn,

"Mom, Dad, I promise I will take good care of my sister. She will never have to worry about anything for the rest of her life."

That day, rain poured over him, soaking him completely. Yet his back remained straight.

Even now, Winona could still clearly see that scene in her mind.

And for many years, David had kept his promise. No matter the season, he handled everything in Winona's life with care.

Countless wealthy young women envied her for having a brother who protected and cherished her so deeply.

But everything changed two years ago.

David took in Rosie, the daughter of his late subordinate, and brought her to live at Eastwood Manor.

At first, David only saw Rosie as a younger girl who needed his protection.

But Rosie began following him everywhere, calling his name sweetly and showing him endless care.

She was gentle, thoughtful, and always remembered every little thing he liked.

At first, Winona did not mind. She even felt sorry for Rosie, who had lost her parents, and took the initiative to care for her.

But as time passed, David slowly changed.

Winona did not know when it happened.

She only knew that, eventually, Rosie became the only person David seemed to see.

Every morning, the first thing David asked was where Rosie was.

Whenever he returned from a business trip, Rosie was always the first person to receive his gifts.

David's sudden change left Winona uneasy.

Unable to endure it any longer, she suggested that he buy Rosie an apartment and let her move out.

She never expected David to scold her so harshly for the first time. "Winona, when did you become so narrow-minded and jealous?"

That very night, Rosie found a small effigy hidden beneath her bed.

It was a curse doll with Rosie's name carved into it.

Rosie cried with red-rimmed eyes and insisted that Winona had placed it there.

David never investigated. He immediately decided that Winona was guilty.

That night, he locked her in the attic of the old house as punishment.

The attic was dark, cramped, and freezing. Thunder shook the sky as heavy rain poured outside.

Cold wind slipped through the broken windows, creating an eerie whistling sound.

Winona curled up in fear. She pounded on the door again and again, desperately trying to explain herself.

But no one answered. All she heard was the endless sound of rain.

For three days, no one brought her food or water.

David did not open the door until she was barely conscious.

His only words were cold and merciless.

"I will forgive you this once. If it happens again, you will leave the Eastwood family and never come back."

Those words hurt Winona more deeply than the freezing rain that night.

Now, David frowned at her silence.

"Was being locked in the old house not enough punishment? Now you even dare to offend Miss Dempsey. Do you still want to remain an Eastwood?"

His cold words struck Winona like a heavy weight crushing her chest.

Every breath became painful.

Her lips moved slightly, but she could not say a single word.

She knew the truth would not matter.

No matter what she said, David would never believe her.

At that moment, the voice in her mind spoke softly, 'Say whatever he likes to hear and get it over with. We will be leaving this family very soon.'