The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1992

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room grew tense. Even the lady standing nearby felt her heart tighten.

Celestine's expression suddenly changed. "Could it be…"

"That's right." Wynter's voice was calm. "Abundance and joy often go hand in hand, bringing wealth and success in career."

Wynter's deliberate pause had given Celestine quite a scare. "Oh, is that it? I thought..."

Wynter's dark eyes glimmered. "I'm just joking around, Mrs. Maynerd. Please forgive me if I've offended you."

"No, no, not at all." Celestine smiled warmly. "It's never too late to hear such great words. I hope things will turn out as you say, Ms. Quinnell. Wealth and prosperity shall follow."

She then turned to the lady beside her. "Ms. Pearson, why don't you have a reading as well?"

Denisse Pearson nodded and looked at Wynter. "Actually, I'd like to ask about my son's marriage. He's not young anymore, yet he still hasn't found a girlfriend."

"I'm no matchmaker. Matters of the heart depend on one's own will," Wynter replied.

As she withdrew her gaze and was about to leave, Denisse hurriedly grabbed her arm. "Please, Ms. Quinnell, help me with this. I really don't know what else to do."

Wynter stopped, her gaze deepening. "Do you have his horoscope?"

"Yes, I do." Denisse quickly pulled a slip of paper from her bag and handed it to Wynter, her face tinged with nervousness. She had consulted fortune tellers before, and they all said it simply wasn't the right time.

Wynter glanced over it, her brows knitting slightly. "This is your son's horoscope?"

"That's right." Denisse quickly added, "The other mediums all said it's because the time hasn't come, but he's already two or three years past the legal marrying age."

Looking at the chart, Wynter saw that it foretold a misfortune with bloodshed this year. Only by surviving this calamity could things change for the better.

However, she didn't reveal this and only said faintly, "This year is unsuitable for marriage. Wait until after the beginning of spring next year."

Denisse's expression shifted. She wanted to ask more, but Wynter stopped her. "That's enough for today. I'll be taking my leave."

Seeing this, Celestine comforted Denisse. "It must be true if Ms. Quinnell says so. Just wait until after the beginning of spring next year. Your son will surely find a good match."

"That may be so… but he's my only son. If I don't worry for him, he'll never worry for himself." Denisse frowned.

Celestine patted her back. "Let the child decide for himself. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how much parents say. We still have to ask whether the child is willing. If you keep arranging things he doesn't want, he won't feel grateful. He'll only think you're controlling him."

Hearing this, Denisse's tightly knit brows slowly relaxed. "You're right. Forget it, then. I'll let him decide for himself."

At this moment, Wynter had stepped back into the corridor. It was long, laid with thick carpet that completely absorbed the sound of footsteps.

As she turned a corner, she suddenly heard a muffled quarrel. Instinctively, she lightened her steps and approached a half-closed door from where the voices came.

"We can't delay this any longer. This must be dealt with quickly." It was Belle's anxious voice.

"Do you think I don't want to? But that thing is getting fiercer. Last night—" The other voice was Jerald's, his tone laced with impatience.

Belle's words carried resentment as she cut him off. "Isn't this all thanks to what your father did back then? Now we're paying for it!"

"Can you lower your voice?" Jerald frowned. "He's already dead. What matters now is fixing this problem."

Belle suddenly lowered her tone. "Do you think Ms. Quinnell might be able to help us?"

Jerald's gaze sharpened. "You told me that she asked about the stone lions at the gate as soon as she got out of the car, right?"

"That's right." Belle nodded. "And she asked twice while staring at the lions."

Jerald gave a slight nod. "If she didn't have real skill, how could she have noticed at a glance that there was something wrong with the lions? Perhaps she really can solve it."

Holding her breath, Wynter carefully backed away until she was far enough before returning to her normal walking pace.

As she walked, she recalled their exchange. It seemed there truly were hidden secrets within this villa.

"Ms. Quinnell, what are you doing here?" Celestine's and Denisse's voices came from behind.

Wynter turned calmly. "The house is big, and I lost my way."

Celestine nodded slightly. "Then, let's go back together. Everyone should still be in the main hall."

When they returned to the living room, Wynter immediately noticed the changes in Jerald's and Belle's expressions.

A moment ago, they had appeared gentle and composed, but now, both looked tense. Sweat beaded Belle's forehead, while Jerald's face had gone pale.

"Ms. Quinnell," Jerald forced a smile, "would you be able to take a look at my house's fortune right now?"

All the guests fell silent, turning their eyes toward Wynter. The air was filled with a strange sense of expectation, as though everyone were waiting for some kind of answer from her.

"Is it so urgent?" Wynter's gaze was calm as she looked at Jerald's smile.

A strong premonition stirred within her. She knew what she was about to see would be far more than a simple matter of fortune. The blood-eyed stone lions at the entrance were likely only the tip of the iceberg of the Rolland family's hidden secrets.

Jerald nodded vehemently. "The sooner it's resolved, the sooner I can finally sleep at ease."

"In that case, please lead the way." Wynter remained unfazed, her voice steady.

"Ms. Quinnell, this way." Jerald made a polite gesture of invitation, the curve of his lips carefully controlled—neither overly warm nor discourteous.

Wynter gave a slight nod, her fingers unconsciously brushing against the lucky token tucked in her sleeve. The cool touch kept her mind razor-sharp.

Following Jerald through the living room, she caught sight of Belle being surrounded by several guests in casual conversation.

"Ms. Quinnell, are you deeply versed in fortune studies?" Jerald asked as they walked, pretending it was an idle question.

"I know a little." Wynter's gaze lifted slightly, sweeping across the corridor's decorations.

Several landscape paintings hung on the walls, seemingly random, yet in fact aligned with the Nine Celestial Constellations' placements. A porcelain vase that was casually set in a corner happened to suppress the Fifth Blighted Starfall.

This house's geomantic layout was highly sophisticated, clearly the work of a true expert. An ordinary person could never have managed such precision.

"Ms. Quinnell, you can't fool me. Belle already told me that you stared at the stone lions for quite some time when you first arrived." Jerald halted, his voice carrying a faint tension.

"For the past six months, strange things have happened here. At first, people heard crying at night, then objects began moving on their own. More recently, it has even—" Jerald stopped short, as if realizing he had said too much.

"My father's relic." Jerald abruptly stepped forward, straightening the painting and shoving the astrolabe back into the compartment. "It's just an antique, worn with age. It's nothing special."

The astrolabe was clearly being disturbed by a powerful magnetic force, but no ordinary magnetism could cause such frenzied spinning unless there was something or someone else in this house. But Wynter didn't expose Jerald's lie.

Just then, the door opened. Belle appeared, now dressed in a pale green dress. An emerald necklace draped around her neck, each bead green to the point of blackness.

"There you are," Belle said softly. "The guests are all waiting. They'd like Ms. Quinnell to give them a reading."

Meeting her gaze, Wynter suddenly noticed the string of beads on Belle's wrist. Yet, instead of scripture, they were carved with distorted, twisted symbols.

"Alright, we'll be down right away." Jerald quickly regained composure. "Ms. Quinnell was just examining the master bedroom's fortune, so it took a little longer."

Belle nodded. "So, did you discover anything?"

Wynter's eyes flickered. "I must see the entire thing to have a conclusion. This is only the tip of the iceberg."

"Let's go down first." Jerald furrowed his brows and strode out of the room ahead of them.

All conversation among the guests in the living room stopped abruptly, and most eyes immediately shifted toward Wynter. After all, everyone knew Jerald had just invited her upstairs to examine the fortune.

"Thank you for your effort, Ms. Quinnell." Jerald signaled for someone to bring her a cup of tea. "Please rest for a moment."

Wynter's voice was cool. "Mr. Rolland, now that I've taken a look at your master bedroom, I must warn you that changes must be made. Otherwise, your life will be cut short."

Jerald's expression darkened. "What exactly did you discover?"

"The rosewood bed and the landscape painting," Wynter replied without mentioning the storage room.

Rosewood does indeed carry the effect of warding off evil, but the user must pay attention to placement. Otherwise, not only will it lose its power, but it will also harm the occupant.

"And that painting—yes, sunsets are beautiful and tempting, but the curtain always falls in the end. Over time, such imagery will affect both fortune and career within the household."

Jerald's heart jolted. "But that was my father's arrangement. Are you asking me to defy him?"

"That is not what I mean." Wynter's gaze remained calm. "What you choose to do has nothing to do with me. My role is to tell you what must be said. Whether you change it or not is beyond my control. After all, it won't be me losing my career, fortune, or life."

Seeing Jerald's reaction, the guests could easily guess Wynter was telling the truth. One after another, they crowded forward.

"Ms. Quinnell, please come to my home to check the fortune. I've also been suffering from insomnia lately."

Wynter's voice stayed casual. "You may speak with Ms. Maisie. She has reserved ten days of my time."

The moment Riley was named, the crowd surrounded her.

"Ms. Maisie, please lend me Ms. Quinnell for a day. I will reward you handsomely afterward!"

"I'm acquainted with the Patsy family. Mrs. Patsy, could you grant me this favor for Mr. Patsy's sake?"

Riley hadn't expected Wynter to command such influence. Flustered, she quickly responded to the eager guests, "Everyone, I'll need to go back and discuss with my husband first. Ms. Quinnell will most likely be coming to our home first."

Wynter's lips curved faintly. This was exactly the statement she had wanted from Riley.