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Winona was at a complete loss for words. The elder's heavy declaration left her sitting on pins and needles.

Right now, she rebelliously hoped the old man would just kick the bucket.

But when it came down to it, aside from being terrifyingly strict, Reginald Shaw had never actually done anything to directly harm her.

He simply disliked her, and his lofty status meant he would never stoop so low as to personally target a junior.

Yet he was rigid and aloof, possessing a ruthless cold-bloodedness that made Winona feel suffocated and afraid.

In the past, whenever she was in his presence, she walked on eggshells, feeling as though she were standing at the gates of hell, too terrified to even breathe.

Reginald Shaw's absolute favorite grandson was Zachary, purely because Zachary had inherited his grandfather's cold-blooded nature flawlessly—perhaps even surpassing it.

She should have guessed that the old man would intervene in this mess.

Her only priority now was to make sure Zachary cooperated with his medical treatments.

She forced herself to calm down. She had lost her composure earlier simply because she was genuinely terrified of Reginald, a fact Zachary knew perfectly well.

When Winona was a child visiting the Shaw estate, she always had to make sure the old man wasn't downstairs before she dared to sneak around and play.

That fear was carved into her very bones, which was why Scarlett Shaw's threat had genuinely sent her into a panic.

Now, steadying her breathing, she asked the person on the other end of the line, "Marcus, tell me. Why exactly did you want me to come back?"

A heavy silence stretched over the line for several seconds, weighing down the conversation.

"Let's wait until you've firmly planted your feet over there before we discuss it. It's a private matter of mine. You're my protégé, and those people will find you eventually. So, whether you know the details of the mission or not, you're already caught in the crossfire."

Having shadowed Marcus Bennett abroad for over two years, Winona knew her mentor harbored a dangerous amount of secrets.

Otherwise, Marcus wouldn't spend every single night drinking herself into a stupor. She had given Winona a second chance at life, yet there were times Marcus clearly wanted to end her own.

The only thing keeping her tethered to this world was an unfulfilled wish, acting like a nail driven into her skull, making it impossible for her to truly let go.

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