Chapter 584 Are You Hiding Something from Me
Winona waited for a bit, but Zachary stayed silent. Just as she was about to ask, he leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek, and whispered in her ear, "Cheer me up."
"You wanna give Matthew a gift, and I'm not cool with it. So, you gotta cheer me up."
Zachary was acting more childish by the day, getting upset over something like this.
Winona stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Better now?"
Zachary pursed his lips, clearly unsatisfied. "Who cheers someone up so half-heartedly? Let me show you how it's done."
He cupped Winona's face and leaned in for a kiss, not a quick peck like hers, but a deep, passionate kiss, full of desire.
Under the warm yellow light, Zachary's eyes were hazy with lust, his Adam's apple moving up and down. He pressed Winona down onto the couch, kissing her deeply and passionately.
The living room was warm, the heater on full blast. Even in just a thin shirt, it didn't feel cold.
Winona's period had just ended yesterday, and maybe it was because of the long abstinence, but Zachary was particularly intense.
Sweat dampened the hair on her forehead. Winona tried to grip the couch beneath her, but unlike bedsheets, the couch's surface didn't give much, leaving only a few white marks from her efforts.
"Zachary," she called out in a soft, broken voice, her nails leaving red marks on his back.
Zachary frowned, hearing her call his name. He kissed her lips gently. "What's wrong?"
His breath was ragged and hoarse.
Winona couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Zachary. He was too silent, his brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, the veins on his neck standing out. It all seemed to signal discomfort.
But soon, Winona couldn't think about it anymore. Her mind was filled with the image of Zachary's prominent collarbones and firm chest.
Afterwards, Winona lay there, staring at the warm light above, still lost in the afterglow. She lay on her side, breathing in Zachary's scent.
Too tired to move, she closed her eyes, her body still flushed, her long black hair spread out, half-covering her.
She heard rustling behind her but didn't pay it any mind. The next moment, a large, warm coat was draped over her.
Zachary's fingers brushed her flushed face, his eyes lazy and satisfied. "Can you walk? I can carry you to the bath."
Winona closed her eyes. "No need, I'll go myself after resting a bit."
If Zachary carried her upstairs, he'd find all sorts of excuses to stay and help her bathe. Once was enough to tire her out, and she had work tomorrow. She didn't want her coworkers asking why she was walking funny.
Zachary could go from a gentleman to a beast in an instant.
His hand rested on her lower back, gently massaging her. "I'll just carry you up, I promise I won't do anything else."
Winona didn't trust him, but she was too exhausted to argue. She hesitated, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "Just put me in the tub. I have work tomorrow, I can't be too tired."
Everyone in the industry had their eyes on that crown. The foreign restorers were looking down on them, just waiting for them to mess up so they could swoop in and charge a fortune. The local restorers were rooting for their success, eager to prove those arrogant foreigners wrong.
The pressure was intense, and it fell heavily on restorers like Winona.
Caleb was so stressed his lips were swollen, ready to smash his phone with every call.
Under such pressure, they were all on high alert, not daring to make a single mistake. It wasn't just about personal reputation, but national pride.
Zachary picked Winona up from the couch. "Alright."
He carried her to the bathroom, ran the bath, and then left.
The warm water enveloped Winona, washing away her fatigue. She sighed in relief, closing her eyes.
After her bath, Winona came out of the bathroom but didn't see Zachary in the room.
She called out in surprise and went to look for him.
Zachary was in the living room, the couch already tidied up. The flickering light of a cigarette glowed in his hand, moving up and down as he smoked.
The empty living room was silent, the smoke curling around him, making Zachary seem lonely and distant.
Winona could only see his back, unable to read his expression, but his aura told her he wasn't in a good mood.
Zachary pressed a hand to his temple, the ashtray on the coffee table already filled with cigarette butts.
Were they there before?
Winona couldn't remember.
But probably not. The maid cleaned every day, and she and Zachary had come home together. She hadn't seen him smoke.
"Zachary." Her voice didn't startle him, so she had to call out again.
Zachary paused mid-drag, stubbed out the cigarette, and turned to her. "Why are you down here?"
"I didn't see you in the room, so I came to find you."
Zachary took a couple of steps towards her, then stopped. "You go up first. I smell like smoke. I'll come up after it airs out."
Winona's eyes lingered on the ashtray. "Zachary, are you smoking more than before?"
Zachary used to smoke occasionally, only when he was really stressed. Since they got back together, she hadn't seen him smoke much.
Now, all those butts were from just now.
"Work's been stressful lately. If you don't like it, I'll stop."
Zachary walked over and pulled her into his arms. "Let's go upstairs. You said you were tired. You need to sleep early for work tomorrow."
"Okay."
Winona let Zachary lead her a few steps, then glanced back at the ashtray.
He didn't seem well lately, often pressing his temples, looking visibly worn out.
"Zachary, are you..." she hesitated, "hiding something from me?"
Zachary smiled, ruffling her still-damp hair. "No, I'm just busy with work. What could I possibly hide from you?"
Winona still wasn't convinced. "Really?"
Zachary scooped her up, teasing, "Maybe I didn't work hard enough earlier, and that's why you have the energy to overthink."
Winona pushed his face away. "What are you talking about?"
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