Chapter 690 Didn't Expect It to Be So Scary
Winona glanced at Zachary's tightly pressed lips. He was staring up at the roller coaster tracks above them.
From her angle, she couldn't quite see his expression, but she could feel his grip on her hand tightening. "You scared?"
Zachary replied, "Nope."
Winona stood on her tiptoes, stretching her neck to get a better look at his face. "Really?"
He answered so quickly, it seemed like he was hiding something.
Leaning forward like this, she was at risk of falling. Zachary wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her gently against him. "Really."
The previous group had just gotten off the roller coaster, and the line started moving forward. Zachary half-embraced Winona as they followed. "Stand still, don't fall."
The roller coaster could only seat about twenty people at a time. They had VIP tickets, but there were still a lot of people. They didn't make it on this round. Zachary looked at the long line ahead and quietly exhaled.
He had only been to this place once, a long time ago, and couldn't remember if he had ever ridden this roller coaster. He probably hadn't, since there were height requirements, and he was actually a bit afraid of heights.
Winona was held tightly by Zachary, unable to stand on her tiptoes to see his expression. But she didn't stand still; she kept wriggling in his arms. "I feel like you just let out a sigh of relief."
Zachary would never admit to Winona that he was scared of roller coasters. He turned his head, covering her face with his hand, and laughed softly. "You're imagining things."
Seeing his calm demeanor, Winona started to doubt her own feelings. Zachary was the type who could remain unfazed even in the face of disaster. How could he be scared of a little roller coaster?
Behind them was a group of college students discussing their plans after graduation. Their youthful energy made Winona, a seasoned professional, feel invigorated.
Listening to their ambitious dreams, she felt a surge of motivation, imagining herself ousting Caleb from his position and taking over.
But this enthusiasm lasted less than twenty minutes before it completely faded.
It was hot.
It was summer, and even though the queue area had some shade, it was still sweltering. The high temperature and the crowd made her feel like a fish being dried out in the sun.
Winona raised her hand, fanning her face. "It's so hot."
Zachary, despite his wealth, couldn't do anything about the heat. "How about we skip it today? I can have Dylan arrange for us to have the park to ourselves for a day."
He had decided to come to the amusement park on a whim after seeing her diary that morning, so there hadn't been time to make many arrangements. He hadn't expected so many people on a weekday.
Seeing the empty entrance, he had assumed the park would be less crowded inside.
Zachary checked his watch. They had been in line for an hour.
Winona wasn't a child and didn't have a particular fondness for amusement parks. She was mainly here for the fun atmosphere.
If Zachary rented out the park, it would just be the two of them, and the excitement would likely fade quickly.
She glared at him playfully. "With all that money, you might as well build me a new park. It could become a family business, passed down through generations. Your son could play, then your grandson, and your great-grandson. If one of them turns out to be a spendthrift, they could still make a living running the park."
Zachary didn't pay attention to the part about sons and grandsons. He only heard that Winona wanted him to build her a park. "Do you want one?"
Winona fell silent.
She was hot and talking was exhausting. She couldn't tell if he was serious or joking. She didn't want to speak, but knew if she didn't, Zachary might take her silence as agreement and actually build a park. "No, I want ice cream and water."
Unlike others with bags and backpacks, they were traveling light, with only a small purse on her shoulder that could barely fit a phone and some tissues.
Zachary said, "I'll go buy some."
There was a shop right next to the roller coaster. He bought water, ice cream, some snacks, an electric fan, and a sun hat.
Two hours later, it was finally their turn.
Winona chose a seat in the middle. The front row, with its prime view, was better left to the energetic youngsters. She wasn't sure she could handle it.
Zachary bent down to fasten his seatbelt, fumbling twice.
Winona noticed his stiff movements. "If you don't want to ride, you can wait outside."
She thought Zachary insisted on riding because she had teased him about being scared, hurting his pride. So she spoke more gently this time. She wasn't a child who needed someone to ride with her.
The metal buckle finally clicked into place.
Zachary held Winona's hand, about to speak, but the staff came by to check the seatbelts.
Winona squeezed his hand, reassuring him. "The track doesn't look steep, and I didn't hear anyone screaming. It shouldn't be too scary."
The safety bar came down, the bell rang, and the roller coaster took off.
Unlike other amusement parks, this roller coaster was high-speed the entire way, with no time to catch their breath. Screams filled the air.
Winona hadn't heard the screams earlier because the speed drowned them out. All she could hear was the wind rushing past.
Two laps felt quick from below, but being on the ride made it seem endless.
When the ride finally stopped, most people were slumped in their seats, taking a few seconds to unbuckle their seatbelts.
Winona unbuckled hers and saw Zachary looking pale and motionless. "What's wrong?"
Had he not recovered yet?
Seeing him silent, Winona grew anxious. "Is your head hurting again? Are you feeling unwell? Should I call an ambulance?"
He was tough, and if he wasn't speaking, it meant he was really unwell.
Winona started to call for help, but Zachary grabbed her hand. "I'm fine. My legs are just weak."
Her heart, which had been racing, finally settled. It felt more thrilling than the roller coaster.
She wanted to scold him but couldn't bring herself to do it seeing his pitiful expression. "I thought you weren't scared?"
Zachary replied, "I didn't expect it to be this terrifying."
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