The Substitute Bride: Idiot Or Not?

Therefore, Winnie deliberately came up with an excuse. She exclaimed in a high-profile manner, "Granny! Winnie wants to pee. Winnie can't hold it in anymore!"

To announce a personal matter so loudly in public completely fitted her character as a fool. Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the scene turned awkward.

Benjamin's face darkened. "Hamish, how dare you introduce a daughter like her to us? You should already be grateful I did not send her packing back to your house! I can't believe you still have the audacity to behave so brazenly by negotiating conditions with me!"

"Dad!" Xavier disliked others speaking ill of Winnie. Even his father was no exception. He regarded Benjamin with an indifferent look. "That's enough. We are only notifying them about the divorce. There's no need to mention other unrelated matters."

Benjamin glanced at his son, then shifted his gaze to Winnie.

After all, it was his biological son standing before him, so he could vaguely sense Xavier's fondness toward Winnie.

That finding shocked Benjamin to his core.

I can't believe my son is falling for a mentally challenged woman. She's undoubtedly beautiful, but that doesn't change the fact that she's a fool!

He shouted in the direction of the door, "What are you all still standing there for? Hurry up and send someone in to bring Ms. Winnie to the bathroom!"

A maid hurriedly entered the next moment. "Mrs. Fairchild, please, follow me."

Benjamin grimaced upon hearing the way the maid addressed Winnie. "You should bear in mind that from now on, there is no Mrs. Fairchild in the Fairchild family. Do you understand me?" The maid quickly nodded.

Winnie continued yelling that she was about to lose bladder control while signaling her grandmother with a look.

Jacinta fathomed her granddaughter's intention and hastily said, "You go to the bathroom first, Winnie. I'll catch up with you very soon."

Then she strode up to Benjamin. "Mr. Fairchild, let me introduce myself. I am Winnie's grandmother and the only surviving family member she has. I can see that you are very dissatisfied with this marriage too. To be honest, Winnie and I are also not content with this arrangement. I believe you've also witnessed how dense Winnie is. When Hamish took her away in the past, I was unaware that this was all part of his scheme. He arranged for Winnie to marry into your family for the sake of his other daughter. If I had known his plan, I would never have sent Winnie here even if I needed to stop Hamish at the cost of my life. I represent my granddaughter to express her will today. This divorce is a must!"

She paused briefly before adding, "There is no need for you to argue further with members of the Garland family too, Mr. Fairchild. As long as I live, I'll have a say in all the matters related to Winnie. All right. Now that I've expressed everything in my mind, there's no more reason for me to stay. That's it for now. I'll be returning to the village with Winnie tomorrow. From this moment onward, our families shall never cross paths again."

Benjamin wore a poker face. "Okay. It's settled, then. As for Garland Group..."

He turned around to look at Hamish and Yara.

Jacinta could not care less about Garland Group's fate. After stating her stance, she immediately headed out to search for her granddaughter.

That courtyard had a traditional design, so the exit of the room was connected to a complex corridor.

Jacinta failed to locate the bathroom as she wandered around the long corridor with various turns and branches. Just as she was about to look for someone to ask for directions, a young man appeared before her.

She remembered that the young man's name was Louis Tanser, and he seemed to be Xavier's subordinate.

"I suppose you are Mr. Tanser? How can I help you?" Jacinta could not shake off the uneasiness in her chest. Ever since she discussed that divorce with her granddaughter, she had been feeling unsettled. She had a hunch that night would not pass uneventfully.

Her anxiety intensified following Louis' arrival.

"Don't be nervous, Mdm. Summer. Mr. Xavier wishes to speak with you, so please follow me to wait for Mr. Xavier in a different place. It will not take much of your time," Louis replied politely.

Having no other choice, she followed him to meet with Xavier.

Approximately five minutes later, Xavier really showed up.

He appeared slightly exhausted. "Granny, you mentioned you'll bring Winnie back to the village tomorrow. May I know if you said that out of anger, or do you truly plan to do so?"

Winnie had her personal matters to attend to, so they certainly would not be returning to the village. However, Jacinta was not about to tell Xavier the truth.

"I did not say that on the spur of the moment. Otherwise, are you suggesting we continue staying here so you all can bully us further? I will bring Winnie back within the few upcoming days."

Xavier lifted his hand to rub his temples. "Okay. Let me make the arrangements, then. I'll instruct someone to send you two back to the village. If you require anything else, please feel free to let me know. I will do my best to satisfy your needs."

"That's not needed. Winnie and I led a perfectly fine life before we came to the city, so we don't need anything else. I'm going to find Winnie now."

Xavier fell silent afterward and waved his hand, gesturing for Louis to guide Jacinta to the bathroom.

Once the others left, Xavier leaned against the door frame as if he was drained of all strength.

Dumbo is leaving. We will probably never meet again once she's gone. With her level of intelligence, perhaps she will forget everything about me in two or three months. She might not even remember how harshly I treated her previously.

However, Xavier vividly recalled every time he touched her. His yearning to possess her intensified the more he could not have her.

The sky had turned dark at that moment. He was reminded of how Winnie would always request him to carry her to the bathroom every time they were home.

At that instant, he even had the urge to wait for her outside the bathroom and carry her when she came out. Still, he managed to stop his legs from moving.

Xavier might have control over his lower limbs, but his heart was a mess.

Various emotions churned within his chest, causing him to feel agonized and suffocated.

He raised his hand to yank off his necktie.

"Have you gone soft in the head? I can't believe you fell for a fool! Are you still my son?" Benjamin's voice sounded from the other end of the corridor the next second.

Xavier did not anticipate his father to be there. He quickly straightened his posture, retied his necktie, and put on his previous indifferent look.

"Dad, I've already divorced her."

"I hope you know what you're doing. Let me tell you, Xavier. I am different from your grandfather. He may believe those unfounded statements about that fool being your benefactor, but I do not. If you dare to fall in love with her and do anything that will tarnish the Fairchild family's reputation, then don't blame me for harming that dim-witted woman."

Xavier frowned. "Dad, I strongly advise you not to do something like that."

The tension between them grew palpable instantaneously. "That will have to depend on your performance. I don't wish to see the media publishing news about my son being a psychopath."

Xavier knew his father's character too well.

Benjamin was someone who could drive his illegitimate child to death for the sake of maintaining his good name. There was no way he would hesitate to do away with Winnie, a halfwit from the Garland family who was completely unrelated to him.

Meanwhile, Winnie was staring intently at the surveillance footage on her phone screen. "I think most of the people are here. This timing is just right."

Jacinta was also boring her eyes into the image on her phone motionlessly. After a while, she suddenly shouted, "I see it! I see the birthmark, Winnie!" Winnie leaned closer to her grandmother in exhilaration. "Which one?"