Chapter 474 Break the Door
Winona totally got what Zachary was hinting at. The last time she saw those scars on his body, it was like something out of a horror movie.
She glanced down. Zachary's shirt was buttoned up all the way to his neck, hiding those scars. Even though she couldn't see them now, they were burned into her memory.
A wave of suffocation hit her, like someone was squeezing her heart, making her feel super uncomfortable.
She quickly shoved Zachary away. "I'm gonna take a shower."
"Winona..." Zachary was caught off guard, and she slipped away. By the time he tried to grab her, it was too late.
The bedroom door slammed shut and locked from the inside.
Zachary stood there, anxious, gently knocking. "Winona, if you don't want to look, then don't. Just open the door first."
Silence.
He wasn't sure if she was still behind the door, but the apartment was small and not soundproof, so he knew she could hear him. "Don't be mad; it's not good for the baby."
Winona had been feeling sorry for his injuries, but hearing that, she was so frustrated she wanted to scratch him. "Haven't you already got the baby? Go back and take care of them. If you don't feed them soon, they'll starve!"
Zachary was speechless.
The only thing Winona had ever given him was that cheap pillow, and he never thought of it as a baby. Hearing her now, he figured she was just mad and tried to calm her down. "The baby is secondary. I'm mainly worried about your health. Winona, please open the door, okay?"
Meanwhile, Winona was filling the bathtub. The bathroom door was closed, and with the sound of the water, Zachary's voice was muffled.
The weather had turned cold, and Winona loved taking baths.
Hearing Zachary go on about the baby, she rolled her eyes. What an idiot! Shouldn't he know if she was pregnant or not?
He always used protection, wore a condom every time. Sure, accidents happen, but they weren't using faulty products, so it wasn't likely to break.
Zachary, waiting forever without a response, knocked more urgently. "Winona, if you don't say anything, I'm gonna break the door down."
Winona shot back, "If you break the door, I'll call the cops and have you arrested."
Zachary's voice softened. "What will it take for you to believe that I am Zachary?"
Winona lay in the bathtub, warm water surrounding her. The air was filled with the scent of essential oils meant to help her sleep.
She'd been using this scent for months, but it never worked. This time, after just a few minutes, she felt drowsy.
Winona relaxed completely, closing her eyes. This was the best bath she'd had in months.
The knocking outside stopped. Winona didn't know if Zachary had left, but she touched her flat stomach. Zachary had been treating her like a pregnant woman. If he ever found out she wasn't, he'd probably lose it.After her bath, Winona took her time drying her hair and putting on a face mask. She spent a good hour and a half on her skincare routine—cleansing, tightening, hydrating, and even fitting in some massage time. While waiting, she managed to watch two episodes of her favorite show.
When she finally finished, she opened the door, expecting Zachary to be gone. But there he was, still on the sofa, fast asleep.
It was cold out, and if he slept there all night, he'd definitely catch a cold. Winona reached out to wake him but hesitated when her fingers touched his shirt.
"Nicholas..." she whispered.
No response. She bent down, listening to his steady, deep breaths, and tried again, "Zachary."
Saying his name after four months brought a rush of mixed emotions, spreading from the back of her tongue to her entire mouth.
Winona squatted down, gently unbuttoning Zachary's shirt from top to bottom.
The fabric parted, revealing his scarred body. The wounds had healed, but the scars were still there.
What kind of hell had Zachary gone through during his disappearance to end up with so many scars?
Winona wasn't an expert, but the size and severity of the scars told her they were serious.
She wanted to touch them but was afraid of waking him. Her fingers hovered above the scars, motionless for a long time.
She stared at the scars, her eyes filling with tears. Just as she was lost in thought, Zachary, still asleep, suddenly frowned, his face showing signs of struggle. He grabbed Winona's hovering hand and pulled her into his arms.
Was he having a nightmare?
Winona looked up. Zachary's eyes were moving rapidly under his eyelids, his head occasionally shaking as if trapped in a terrifying dream.
His other hand was tightly around her waist, holding her close. No matter how hard Winona tried, she couldn't break free. She wanted to wake him, but with his shirt open, how could she explain undressing him while he slept?
She had refused to admit he was Zachary, and now she was undressing him in his sleep. Wasn't that being a pervert?
With her face pressed against his warm skin, Winona felt his chest rise and fall with each breath, nearly bringing her to tears.
She stayed in that position, silently praying that Zachary would soon finish his nightmare, let her go so she could button his shirt, wake him up, and kick him out.
She had felt sleepy during her bath, and now, lying on Zachary's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat like a lullaby, her eyelids grew heavy.
Zachary had turned on the living room's air conditioning, and the temperature had risen, making it warm and cozy.
Winona tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was like steel. She couldn't pull or pry it open, yet she didn't feel any pain.
Her breathing gradually became steady and deep.
Beneath her, the 'sleeping' Zachary slowly opened his eyes, glancing down to see just the top of her head, a glimpse of her eyelashes, and the tip of her nose.
He reached out, his fingertips gently brushing her soft face, careful not to wake her and make her run away again.
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