Chapter 680 When to Register for Marriage
The next day.
Zachary got a call from the police station. "Mr. Bailey, we found some items at the deceased's house that are connected to you and Ms. Sullivan. We need both of you to come down to the station to help with the investigation."
There was a long pause before the officer asked, "Mr. Bailey, is this a bad time?"
Zachary's voice sounded distant. "Sorry, I'm making breakfast, and it's a bit noisy. Could you repeat that?"
The officer could hear the sound of a spatula and was stunned into silence for a few seconds. The CEO of the Bailey Group? Cooking himself?
Zachary poured the soup into a bowl and, seeing that the officer still hadn't spoken, impatiently frowned. "What is it?"
The officer swallowed and repeated the message.
Zachary replied, "Alright."
After hanging up, he went upstairs to call Winona for breakfast. She was still asleep, her long hair spread messily on the pillow, with a few strands sticking to her face. Her beautiful cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the bed.
Her dark eyelashes and red lips made her already stunning face look even more like a painting.
Zachary crouched beside her. She was in a deep sleep and didn't wake even as he got close. "Winona."
Winona didn't respond. He called her a few more times, and she, annoyed by the disturbance, pushed his face away. "I'm tired, go away."
She mumbled and turned over, trying to go back to sleep.
Last night, she had trouble sleeping because of Maeve, and Zachary took the opportunity to keep her up for a long time. She only fell asleep in the early morning and then had a nightmare.
Now, she was very tired and didn't want to deal with anyone, not even God.
Winona's hand was weak and soft, easily caught by Zachary.
The hand she waved happened to be the one with the engagement ring. When Zachary held it, he also held the ring in his palm.
Her hand was warm and soft, and he lowered his head to kiss it gently. The cold diamond quickly warmed up against his lips.
Zachary called softly again, "Winona."
No response. After a moment, he looked up, sensing something, and saw that Winona, who had been asleep, was now awake and looking at him. The sleepiness hadn't completely left her eyes, but she was definitely awake.
"You're awake? Let's go downstairs for breakfast. I made all your favorites."
Winona pulled her hand from his grasp and held it up, the ring on her middle finger catching the light and sparkling. "Do you think this ring is pretty?"
Winona had chosen the ring herself, so Zachary didn't hesitate. "It's beautiful."
"It used to look pretty," she said, turning her hand back and forth in front of him. "But now, I guess I've looked at it too long, and it doesn't seem as nice anymore."
Zachary wasn't sure if she was really talking about the ring or hinting at something else. They had known each other for over a decade, been married for three years, divorced, reconciled, and gone through so much. It seemed normal to feel some weariness.
Even Evander and Lydia, who had such a strong relationship, went through a rough patch. Lydia, in particular, found everything about Evander annoying, even the way he held his fork.
During that time, Madam's frequency of watching soap operas increased, and thinking about the male model photos Winona had on her phone recently, it seemed similar.
Seeing Zachary's changing expressions, Winona knew he was overthinking again. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she decided to be direct. "Zachary, when are you going to marry me? This engagement ring is about to fade, and you still haven't replaced it."
"What did you say?" Zachary's excitement was unmistakable. He had clearly heard her. He held her hand, his thumb caressing the back of it.
Since their divorce, he had been hoping to remarry. After his successful proposal, he was eager to register their marriage. Now that Winona brought it up, he was even more thrilled.
His mind was filled with one thought: Winona cared about him and wanted to marry him.
But soon, his excitement cooled. His raised eyebrows fell, and he looked downcast. Given his current health, agreeing to marry Winona would be a burden and irresponsible.
"Winona," Zachary held her hand tightly and promised seriously, "If you don't like this ring, we'll get a new one. But let's wait on the wedding until we handle the current situation. The police called earlier. They found something at Maeve's house related to us and want us to check it out."
Winona wasn't buying it. "Zachary, don't lie to me. Are you postponing the wedding because of unresolved issues or because of your illness? Are you afraid that if your condition worsens, you'll be a burden, so you want to wait until you're better to marry me?"
Zachary didn't deny it. "Winona, I'm afraid that if we get married, I might forget you. I can't predict or stop the progression of my illness, and I don't want you to witness these changes as my wife."
Facing a partner who remembers nothing would be different as a girlfriend than as a wife.
All he could do for Winona was to give her an out. If his condition worsened and she grew tired, she could leave without the hassle of another divorce.
Winona's face was stern. "Do you think I'm the kind of person who can only share wealth but not hardship? Did you think I was talking nonsense in the warehouse? You never believed me, did you?"
"Winona."
"Shut up. Don't call my name. Just answer me. Did you never believe me?"
"No, I just don't want you to regret it."
"Why do you think I would regret it? You just don't trust me," Winona threw off the covers and got out of bed. "Fine, consider everything I said nonsense, past, present, and future."
Seeing her genuinely angry, Zachary quickly reached out to grab her, but she avoided him.
"No, I heard everything you said, and I remember it. You can't go back on your word. You said you'd create new memories with me, that you'd marry me. I remember it all."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
