Chapter 309 Want to Do Some Exercise?
"Impossible."
Winona shot down Zachary's proposal the second he finished, her voice spiking with intensity.
Zachary rubbed his ear, wincing. "I'm asking you to move in for your own safety. The Turner family might not have much pull in Dreamopolis, but they could mess with you without breaking a sweat."
He looked dead serious. "And it's just living together, not sharing a room. Why are you freaking out? Even if we did share a room, I wouldn't try anything. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. So chill."
He said it so casually, like it was no big deal.
Winona couldn't decide if he was brave or just plain shameless.
"I'm fine where I am."
"That place? Carlos could have you snatched up in no time. You really think it's safe? It's just temporary. Once this blows over, you can move out anytime," Zachary kept pushing. "You don't want to get yourself killed before finding your mom's killer, do you? Or are you planning to rely on me to avenge you? That's something you can only ask as Mrs. Bailey. Right now..."
He stopped himself, realizing "unclear relationship" would make her bolt. "You can save some money and buy a house. You can't rent forever. Matthew will get married eventually, and your situation could cause problems."
Winona got his point. She'd moved in with Matthew because she couldn't find a place. Later, she was too busy and had already paid a year's rent, so she didn't rush to move out.
She'd been looking for a new place recently.
Zachary watched her, seeing the struggle in her eyes. "If you don't want to live in Regal Oaks, pick another place."
Winona was starting to come around.
To find her mom's killer, she had to stay alive. She could hire security, but she couldn't afford it.
But she didn't want to owe Zachary. She was already drowning in debt; adding a personal favor would be even worse.
Zachary saw right through her. He stayed calm, speaking slowly, "In return, you cook for me every day. My stomach's been acting up, and the doctor said to avoid oily, spicy, and cold foods. Bodyguards get paid a salary, not commissions. Protecting one person or two costs the same, so it won't cost me extra."
Winona hesitated. "I'll think about it."
It was a lot to take in, and she needed to weigh her options.
Zachary didn't push. "Alright."
Winona didn't take long to decide. The next day, she chose to move to Regal Oaks because, after Zachary dropped her off, she had goneout again that night and felt like someone was following her when she got back.
She had glanced back but seen nothing out of the ordinary.
Whether she was overthinking or someone was actually tailing her, she decided to move to Regal Oaks for now.
This time, she wasn't moving back as the mistress of the house, so the place didn't feel as repulsive as before.
Zachary was in the kitchen, cooking. His shirt sleeves were casually rolled up to his elbows, showing off a bit of his well-toned arm. He was chopping vegetables with more skill than she had.
The busy figure, the swirling white smoke, the low hum of the range hood, and the clinking of pots and pans painted a serene picture.
Winona knew Zachary could cook, but seeing him in action felt surreal.
Without turning his head, Zachary said, "Go take a shower first. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."
Winona asked, "Didn't you say I should cook?"
Zachary turned around, saw her serious face, and chuckled. "Tonight's your welcome dinner. Starting tomorrow, you'll have plenty of chances to cook. No rush."
Winona glared at him and went upstairs with her luggage.
She picked a guest room farthest from the master bedroom, took a shower, changed clothes, and started making the bed.
The villa had daily cleaning service, and every corner was spotless. The bed was ready to sleep in.
Winona came downstairs right on the half-hour mark.
Zachary had just placed the last dish on the table. Seeing her come down, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you put a monitor on me? Such perfect timing?"
"I'm not as perverted as you."
He looked at her, half-smiling. "How am I perverted?"
Winona was annoyed by his attitude, as if he was undressing her with his eyes. "Put away those dirty, perverted thoughts in your head. Stop looking at me so lecherously."
"If you weren't so perverted, why would you think I am? Mrs. Bailey, keep your thoughts clean. Not every man thinks with his lower half and wants sex whenever he sees a woman."
Winona sneered.
Zachary walked to the wine cabinet. "Want some wine?"
"No," she said, then added, "and you can't drink either."
If he got drunk and tried to take advantage of her, she wouldn't be able to escape or fight back, and no one would come to her rescue.
Zachary chuckled playfully. "You think you can control me?"
"Then go ahead and drink."
Despite her words, Zachary closed the wine cabinet and returned to the dining table.
Three dishes and a soup, common home-cooked dishes. Winona didn't have high expectations. After all, for someone like Zachary, who had been pampered all his life, it would be impressive just for him to cook the food properly.
She took a bite and was surprised by how good it tasted, very appetizing.
The result of this appetizing meal was that Winona ate an extra bowl of rice and was stuffed.
Zachary put the dishes in the dishwasher and watched Winona pacing in the living room to digest her food. He casually asked, "Winona, want to do some exercise?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
