Chapter 654 Cannot Sleep Together
Finally, Winona turned off her phone with a heavy heart, promising to ignore everyone else tonight and just have dinner with him, which finally ended his endless complaints.
She had intended to call Zachary to let him know, but Frank said he had already informed him when he arrived that she would be staying at his place tonight and not returning to Regal Oaks.
"Winona, you gotta keep some distance with men, give them the cold shoulder for a few days. Otherwise, if there's no challenge, they'll think they've completely won you over and won't cherish you anymore," Frank said, sounding like an overprotective father worried about his daughter being deceived by a bad guy.
Seeing him getting more and more ridiculous, Winona couldn't help but smile and remind him, "Dad, you're a man too."
Frank was momentarily speechless, then met her gaze and said, exasperated, "I'm talking about Zachary. I'm just giving you some tips on dealing with men."
Just as he finished speaking, Rodolfo came in. "Sir, Mr. Bailey is here."
Frank pursed his lips. He sure came quickly. If he had known, he would have had someone erase the traces, making him worry a bit longer. Let's see if he dares to spread rumors with other women again.
He glanced at Winona, who was smiling, and reluctantly said, "Let him in."
Seeing his displeased expression, Winona said, "Dad, it was really just a misunderstanding. Don't give him a hard time, or he'll think you're not satisfied with him."
Frank replied, "I'm not satisfied with him. If it weren't for you insisting on him, I wouldn't have given him a second look."
Zachary came in quickly, his eyes immediately locking onto Winona. Confirming she was unharmed, his tense demeanor visibly relaxed.
Even though he knew she was with Frank, he couldn't be completely at ease until he saw her with his own eyes.
Seeing his relieved expression, Winona asked, "What's wrong?"
"You didn't come back, and your phone was off. I was worried and had Dylan check the surveillance," he said, his few words enough for Winona to imagine his anxiety when he couldn't reach her.
He added, "Call Rebecca. I asked her if she knew where you were, and she thought I had upset you. She gave me an earful and is now looking for you."
Winona turned to her father, surprised. "Dad, didn't you say you told Zachary?"
Frank awkwardly clenched his fist and coughed. He hadn't expected to be caught in a lie so quickly, especially in front of his daughter.
"I was just trying to give him a scare. He was rumored to be with another woman online. Letting him worry a bit is only fair. Otherwise, he'll think you have no one to back you up and can bully you as he pleases. If it happens again, I'll take you back to Mode City."
Winona was touched and gave Zachary a helpless look before turning on her phone to text Rebecca.
Zachary placed the gift he brought on the table. "Dad, the media made that up. I barely know the woman. It was just a coincidence."
"Don't call me 'Dad' yet. You and Winona aren't married," Frank said, rolling his eyes. He couldn't stand Zachary's indecisiveness. It had been so long since he proposed, and still no wedding. He was very dissatisfied.
In business, Zachary was known for being decisive. What a joke. If he were truly decisive, the wedding wouldn't be dragging on like this.
Winona wasn't getting any younger, but she couldn't be the one to bring up marriage. If she did, who knows how she'd be treated in his family.
Seeing Zachary standing there looking dejected and pitiful, Winona said, "Dad, don't be so hard on him."
Frank's eyes bulged with frustration. He was doing this for her, after all. "Just because I raised my voice a bit, you think I'm being hard on him?"
He looked at Zachary and said sarcastically, "Mr. Bailey, need a massage?"
Zachary stiffened, his pupils contracting in silence.
Winona couldn't help but laugh.
Frank's expression softened instantly when he looked at her. "I'm heading back to Mode City tomorrow. Winona, why don't you stay here tonight? We rarely get to see each other."
Winona couldn't refuse and agreed, "Okay."
"I'll have Rodolfo make up the bed for you."
"I'll do it myself."
"No need for him."
Winona and Zachary spoke at the same time.
Frank glared at Zachary. "If not him, then who? You? Do you even know how? Don't expect Winona to do it herself."
Zachary had never made a bed before, but he wouldn't let another man do it for Winona.
Though Rodolfo was officially Frank's bodyguard, it was clear Frank treated him like a son. If they wanted, Rodolfo could easily become a son-in-law. "I can do it."
"Fine, go ahead. Once you're done, leave. It's late, and we need to rest."
"I'll stay here tonight. It's too late to drive back safely."
Frank couldn't stand his pretense. He knew exactly what Zachary was up to. "You're a grown man. What's unsafe about it?"
Zachary turned to Winona, looking like a puppy left out in the rain.
Winona's heart softened. "Dad, it's a long drive back to Regal Oaks. It's almost eleven."
Frank had expected this. He had seen how fake Zachary could be today, so he didn't even bother arguing. "You can't stay in the same room."
He chose two rooms as far apart as possible and told Zachary, "You're not married yet. You need to stay separate."
Zachary, unusually obedient, said, "Okay."
Frank didn't know that Zachary's compliance was because he planned to sneak into Winona's room once Frank was asleep.
Under Frank's watchful eye, Zachary struggled to make the bed, then was practically shooed out of the room.
As he left, he mouthed to Winona, 'Wait for me.'
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