Chapter 686 This Time is Different
Zachary stared at the closed door in front of him, remembering the last time they registered. They had shown up at the courthouse separately, without picking a special day or time.
After taking their photos and filling out their forms, they sat in silence in the waiting area. They didn't exchange a single word until it was over, making others think they were there for a divorce.
He glanced at Winona, who looked stunning, and couldn't help but smile. He took her hand, interlocking their fingers like any ordinary couple. "No, I paid them."
Winona raised an eyebrow. "You paid them, and they just let you?"
To be able to queue up so early, they must be a couple who valued ceremony.
Zachary was a man of few words. "They didn't refuse."
It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Winona more; he was just nervous. He was afraid she'd notice if he misspoke, which would be embarrassing. It wasn't his first time going through this, but he still felt like a kid.
Winona instinctively turned to look for the couple they had swapped places with, but she couldn't find them. Instead, she locked eyes with the couple behind them, who looked like they had just lost a fortune.
The girl pinched her boyfriend's waist and complained, "I told you to come earlier, but you had to blow-dry your hair. Now we've lost nearly ten grand. That money could've paid for a honeymoon in the Maldives."
Though her expression was fierce, her tone was playful.
The guy pretended to yelp in pain, wriggling to avoid her pinches. "I'm sorry! I didn't expect to run into such a rich guy today. If I'd known, I would've queued up a month ago."
Just then, he met Winona's gaze.
The couple awkwardly smiled and covered their faces, pretending to scratch their noses.
Winona then pinched Zachary's waist, but unlike the playful couple, she meant it. Even with his muscles, he winced in pain.
"Zachary, you spendthrift! You spent ten grand just to buy this…"
She was so angry she couldn't find the right words to describe the expensive spot.
While others might be fierce but playful, Winona was genuinely angry.
No wonder the other couple agreed to swap; she would've agreed too. Hesitating for even a second would be disrespectful to the money.
Zachary wrapped her hand in his, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently. His eyes were full of deep affection. "I wanted to be the first to register our marriage, Winona. I've waited fourteen years for this day."
Winona blushed at his sudden display of emotion, coughing awkwardly. Zachary's gaze was intense, and she couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds before looking away.
She was worried he might kiss her in front of everyone. In this regard, Zachary was always bold.
Because of Zachary's extravagant gesture, they were now the center of attention. Winona didn't want to make a scene. "Didn't we already register before? It's just a piece of paper. Life now is the same as it will be in the future."
Zachary tightened his grip on her hand. "This time is different."
Last time, she had no feelings for him and kept a cold face the entire time. He saw it and felt both bitter and frustrated, unable to muster any joy or anticipation.
Soon, the courthouse doors opened.
They took their photos and received their forms. Having gone through this before, they were familiar with the process.
Winona glanced at Zachary's form and noticed his ID section was blank. "You don't remember your ID?"
He used to remember it. During their previous registration and divorce, he filled it out directly.
"Yeah," Zachary didn't look up. "I'm unsure about a few numbers."
He didn't hide it from Winona or try to make excuses, which made her happy but also worried about his health. She frowned. "Did the doctor really say there's no way?"
It wasn't a terminal illness. How could it be untreatable? They couldn't just let it progress unchecked.
Zachary pressed his lips together, pressing the pen harder against the paper, leaving deep marks.
After a moment, he let out a single sound. "Yeah."
After they finished registering, Zachary led Winona out of the courthouse.
"Where do you want to eat for lunch?" Zachary's smile was wide. He was finally married to Winona again.
From now on, Winona was his wife. This time, they would grow old together, loving each other without doubt, unlike their last disastrous ending.
Zachary couldn't help but slip his hand into his pocket, his eyes full of joy.
In contrast, Winona's calm demeanor made her seem emotionless. "Let's go back to the old house. We need to tell Mom and Dad about our remarriage. Mom was really shocked before. The family doctor said she hasn't been doing well mentally. We should check on her."
Zachary wanted to celebrate alone with her, but hearing about Lydia's health, he agreed without further comment.
Seeing them return unexpectedly, Lydia was surprised but happy. She quickly put down her watering can and walked over, linking arms with Winona.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Sarah went to a parent-teacher meeting for her grandson. It's just your dad and me at home, so I gave her the day off. You'll have to eat your dad's cooking tonight."
The Bailey family had been wealthy for generations. Evander didn't cook, but with Lydia's recent illness, he started learning from online videos. He failed eight out of ten times.
Lydia looked at Winona's face, worried. "Haven't you been sleeping well? You've got dark circles. I have a new set of skincare products I haven't opened yet. Take them with you. You must be exhausted from taking care of Zachary in the hospital."
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