Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem ( Elysia and Tarquin)

"Break his hand if he dares to lay a finger on her!"

"Break his leg if he dares to step out of line!"

Elliot chimed in, "Zane's no fool. Now that Winona's back, he'll play the role of the perfect husband. He wouldn't dare harm her."

Tarquin spoke softly, "Don't worry, I've got everything under control. If you want to protect Winona, no one will lay a finger on her."

Elysia felt a wave of relief wash over her. She ruffled Elliot and Evan's hair and then reached out to take Tarquin's hand, feeling a surge of gratitude.

Before leaving the hospital, Elysia checked in with the doctor about Winona's test results. Some would only be available the next day, but from what they currently had, Winona's overall health was surprisingly good. There were scars, yes, but no internal injuries. The only concern was her stomach issues, which were quite severe, but manageable over time.

It was remarkable that Winona still had the strength to fight, given the psychological turmoil she had endured. On the drive home, Elysia asked Tarquin, "Where did you guys find Winona?"

Since Winona's rescue, Elysia's focus had been solely on her, and she hadn't had the chance to ask until now. Tarquin frowned slightly, understanding the anger this news would incite, and gently clasped her hand in his.

"At a woman named Lyra's place."

"Lyra?" Elysia's eyes widened. "Winona's old assistant?"noveldrama

"Yeah, she's turned into a con artist, involved in human trafficking with some overseas rings. She scouts for pretty girls here, lures them with various pretexts and sends them off to some place like Burmalia for profit."

"She's got a modeling school as a cover to find targets and keep suspicions at bay. Her private villa was actually a hub for her trafficking operations. After Winona was moved from the Thorne family, she was kept in Lyra's basement."

Elysia's brows furrowed in anger.

She didn't know Lyra well but remembered her. Back in college, Winona had started acting and Lyra was her first assistant. Despite her poor background, Lyra was pretty, hardworking, and an excellent talker. Winona had seen potential in her and offered a salary double the market rate after her internship, hoping to give Lyra a chance and help with her financial struggles.

But it turned out Lyra was untrustworthy, sneaking around and stealing makeup, jewelry, and other items from the set and fellow actresses. Winona had no tolerance

for dishonesty and prophet

fired

her, albeit with dignity, never revealing the real reasons to the public.

But Lyra didn't take it well. Instead, she started spreading malicious rumors about Winona, accusing her of wild nightlife and even cruelty to animals. Elysia remembered a particularly shocking photo of a mangled stray cat that Lyra claimed

Winona had killed, sparking an

online uproar.

Initially, Winona ignored her, but as the rumors escalated, she sued Lyra, who

subsequently vanished from Winona's life.

Elysia asked, "And she's involved with Zane?"

"Yeah, she was one of Zane's flings," Tarquin replied.