“Hey, what are you staring at? Hand me the water,” Winter said.

Zach felt all the pleasantness shatter the moment she spoke. His lips twitched as he replied, “Can I make a suggestion?”

“Go ahead.” She took a sip of ice water and instantly felt refreshed.

“Can you tone it down when you talk to me? We’re a couple, not enemies. If you keep this up, my mom might start to worry.”

“Why would she be worried?” Winter asked.

“She worries that her son is getting bullied by you.”

She fell silent. “Tell me, honey. Is this how you want me to talk with you? Do you think Mrs. Graham will like the dress I’m wearing? I spent ages picking it out, you know.”

Zach felt utterly dazed. “Uh… maybe you should stick to being a little fierce. It suits you better.”

He thought she seemed more natural when she sounded fierce. But whenever she used that high-pitched voice, he felt like he was about to be choked to death.

“Try saying ‘fierce’ one more time.”

Zach quickly replied, “No, you’re not fierce.”

Winter was taken aback that he was still using that word. She quickly applied a light layer of makeup. “All done. Let’s go.”

He stared at her, bewildered. “Your makeup…”

“What do you think? Looks pretty natural, right? This is what they call a ‘no-makeup makeup look.’ It looks like I’m not wearing any, designed specifically to fool a bastard like you. Pretty good, right?”

After being fooled countless times, he couldn’t shake the feeling that every word was aimed directly at him.

It was nearly noon when Winter and Zach arrived at the Graham Estate.

Phoebe Sinclair stood at the entrance and scanned the street until she finally spotted Zach’s car. She hurried out to greet them with a smile.

As Winter stepped out of the car, Phoebe took her hand. “Winter, you’re here. Hurry up and come in. It’s too hot out here.” She led her inside the house enthusiastically.

Zach raised an eyebrow. He wondered why his mother didn’t worry about him getting sunburned. “Mrs. Graham, I’m so sorry, I worked overtime last night, so I overslept this morning. I got caught up picking out my clothes and doing my makeup. I really apologize for my tardiness.”

He walked through the door and overheard Winter sweet-talking to Phoebe. Her voice was sweet and far more pleasant than when she annoyed him. He snorted when he realized she was doing it on purpose.

Phoebe voiced her concern, “That’s okay. Staying up late means you need to catch up on rest. We just happen to have some gourmet honey simmering in the kitchen. Maggie!”

“Mrs. Graham, what is it?” Maggie Evans, the housekeeper, asked.

“Please get a bowl of gourmet honey for Winter. Also, let Mandy know I’d like to schedule an essential oil spa appointment… hmm, let’s also include an anti-aging treatment. Tell her to come over around 3:00 pm. Is that okay with you, Winter?” Phoebe asked.

“I’m fine with that,” Winter replied.

It was a fantastic offer. She hadn’t been to a spa in ages, and the idea of having services brought to her was a pleasant surprise.

These senior socialites truly knew how to indulge, and she felt fortunate to be included in their circle. At that instant, she felt Zach seemed a bit more appealing. She thought that this partnership had potential.

Lunch was served at Graham Estate, with the long dining table filled to the brim.

Zach’s father, Collin Graham, had even taken time out of his schedule to return from the company. This showed how important Winter was.

After the meal, Phoebe pulled her aside and handed her a decorative box with a smile. “Winter, go ahead and open it.”

Winter obediently lifted the lid, and she gasped in surprise. Despite having seen many valuable items throughout her life, she was taken aback by the bracelet inside.

It was a perfectly round royal emerald bracelet with remarkable clarity and color. Its quality could easily reach auction-level standards.

“Mrs. Graham, what is this?”

Phoebe replied, “It’s a gift for you. I recently visited Echo Bay and went to an auction with some friends. When I saw this bracelet, I knew I had to get it. I thought it would be the perfect gift for my daughter-in-law.”