Undressed By His Arrogance

"Go to hell, asshole!" Evans shot back.

Winn threw his hands up dramatically. "You all are crazy in this house! And why the hell is there only one bathroom?!" He glanced around the hallway as if expecting architectural logic to suddenly appear. "Kane and Everest working together to keep a baby safe and you couldn’t get a bigger house?" He shook his head, muttering under his breath.

*****

Joey sat across from Winn at House of Kane, utterly stunned. Winn had barely settled in before he’d done it—ripped the band aid clean off.

"Diane’s death wasn’t an accident," Joey repeated slowly. His eyes lifted. "You are telling me that my wife was killed."

"Yes." Winn nodded.

"How long have you known this? And why are you deciding to tell me now? And also—" He stopped, spinning back toward Winn. "—what motive could Sylvia possibly have to want to kill my wife?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"This is where it gets complicated, Joey, and I need you to know that I was always going to tell you. I just needed to confirm the truth. I didn’t want to break your heart all over again."

Joey let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Diane warned me," he said. "She told me to quit. To walk away. To start something of my own. But no—I stayed. Loyal dog. Tail wagging. Because you were there. You are my fucking best friend!!! Do you realise what the fuck it is you are telling me? That you knew what truly happened to my wife and instead of telling me, you kept it to yourself?"

"I only just found out, Joey! I just did," Winn insisted. "I didn’t have proof before. Suspicion isn’t enough when it comes to something like this. I wasn’t going to drop a grenade into your life without knowing for certain."

"Why was my wife killed?"

"Joey..." Winn whispered.

Joey’s head snapped up. "Say it goddamnit. I’ve never known you to be a fucking pussy!!!"

Winn closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and met Joey’s gaze head-on. "She wanted you back."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Joey shook his head slowly, disbelief carving deep lines into his face. "It doesn’t make any sense. I don’t believe you. Because Sylvia stayed the hell away from me after my wife died. If she wanted me back, why disappear?"

"She couldn’t handle the guilt." Winn answered.

"So Diane died for nothing. Your family is poison. Total poison." His eyes lifted to Winn, red-rimmed and wild. "Every single person who comes in contact with you people, you ruin."

Joey got up abruptly and headed for the door, anger giving him momentum when his legs threatened to give out. "You know what? I quit. Effective immediately." His hand wrapped around the door handle.

"Joey, I can’t let you do that." Winn pushed off the desk and took a step forward, instinct overriding pride.

Joey spun around. "You... you can’t?" he scoffed, incredulous. "What will you do? Order a hit on me? You know what, fuck you!" He jabbed a finger toward Winn, years of loyalty and friendship cracking in that single gesture.

"Joey, I need you. Please."

"News flash, big man." Joey backed toward the door now, shaking his head. "I’m out." And with that, he turned and walked away, shoulders stiff, refusing to look back. As he passed the outer office, he noticed Lydia scampering near her desk, papers suddenly very interesting.

"Lydia!" Winn called from his office.

Lydia startled convincingly and hurried in, eyes wide. "Yes sir?" she said, breathless.

"As soon as Joey sends in his resignation letter," Winn said evenly, "notify the PR department so they can get ahead of the situation."

"Mr. Winsford is leaving?" Lydia gasped, hand flying to her chest, pretending she didn’t already know. "That’s... that’s quite sudden."

Winn turned to her slowly. The look he gave her was arctic.

Lydia swallowed hard and nodded. "Of course, sir. Absolutely."

She fled the office a moment later, leaving Winn alone. He exhaled slowly and sank back into his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. Joey’s words replayed in his head—your family is poison.

Now, Winn just had to wait. The wheels had been set in motion. He just didn’t know which direction it would head, to peace or to damnation.

*****

When Ivy and the rest of the family—excluding Mary and Elizabeth—got back into town, she went to Eugene’s house. There was no use dragging it out. The truth had finally crystallized in her chest. Not just because her daughter was alive—miraculously, impossibly alive—but because she could no longer ignore that there was no future version of herself that didn’t orbit Winn. No matter how messy, no matter how dangerous.

She rang the bell, smoothing her hands over her coat, before the door opened.

"Hey." Eugene said as she entered, surprise flickering across his face before concern settled in. He pulled her into a brief hug, careful, respectful, as he always was.

"Hi." Ivy replied softly, stepping inside.

"I have been trying to call you, to call everyone since I heard Winn’s sister died." Eugene said, closing the door behind her. "I wasn’t able to reach anyone. What’s going on?" His brow furrowed as he studied her face.

"We were out of town for a few days." Ivy said. "We just needed to get away for a bit."

"How are you?" he asked gently. "The news is quite sketchy, but it says you were there when it happened. I don’t understand what is going on, Ivy." He gestured for her to sit.

She perched on the edge of the sofa instead of settling in, her posture already defensive. "Eugene, we have to talk." She sighed, rubbing her palms together. "I really do not want to drag you into the madness that is my life..."

He let out a small, humorless laugh and sat across from her. "You’re engaged to me," he said lightly. "I think the madness is kind of implied."

Eugene was good. Kind. Safe. Everything she should want. "You don’t deserve any of this," she said quietly. "And I don’t think it’s fair to keep pretending I can give you what you want."

(Sorry this came late. Woke up to find we were at 200 power stones already. 400 anyone?)