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Novel Catalog
Chapter 84
Zachary stood silently, his gaze fixed on Serenity as she watered the plants, before he finally spoke. “It’s late. Get some rest. Don’t fall asleep here again. It’s chilly at night, and you’ll feel the pain when you catch a cold.”
With that, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. Serenity couldn’t help but grin as she heard him lock his door behind him. “Who is he trying to keep out by locking the door?” she muttered to herself. Clearly, Zachary was trying to keep her out, even though she had no intention of barging into his room.
Back in his room, Zachary went straight to the bathroom, but instead of taking a bath, he found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror. The faint blush on his face made it clear: Serenity had definitely made an impression on him. His hand instinctively reached up to touch the spot on his face where she had caressed him. The lingering tingle was still there, and he couldn’t help but smile, even as he washed his face to calm his racing thoughts.
“I’ve never let anyone touch my face for as long as I can remember,” Zachary murmured to himself. His aloof and reserved personality, along with the wall of bodyguards around him, made it virtually impossible for anyone to get close. But Serenity had somehow breached that wall, and it left him conflicted.
Though he couldn’t deny that Serenity was his legal wife, the way she casually touched his face and teased him had thrown him off balance. His usual control over his emotions and actions had slipped, and he couldn’t help but laugh at himself.
After his shower, Zachary stood in front of his bedroom door, hesitating for a moment. He was aware that if he walked out without his dressing gown, he’d be giving Serenity an unintended peep show. He quickly donned his dressing gown, ensuring everything was covered before stepping out into the hallway.
When he reached the balcony, he found Serenity had indeed fallen asleep on the swing. He had warned her not to, and now she was paying the price. With a sigh, Zachary gave the swing a nudge, startling her awake. “Mr. York? Is it morning already?” Serenity asked groggily, her eyes still half-closed.
Zachary couldn’t help but chuckle at her dazed expression. “You fell asleep here. Get up and return to your room. I told you not to do this. If you wanted to feed the mosquitoes, I would have moved your bed to the garden.”
Serenity, still groggy, mumbled something under her breath as she slowly got to her feet. “Oh,” she said, almost apologetically, before retreating to her room to shower and rest.
The night passed quietly, and the next morning, Zachary found himself greeted by breakfast at the table. Serenity was outside, watering the plants on the balcony. He stepped out to join her.
“Morning, Mr. York,” she said with a bright smile, still focused on her task.
Zachary hummed in response, his thoughts drifting as he watched her water the plants. Serenity was tending to the roses, which were blooming beautifully that day.
“It will be beautiful when the roses climb all over the balcony and blossom,” she remarked, glancing at the flowers with a satisfied expression.
Zachary’s thoughts wandered back to the rose garden at the Yorks’ estate. The sight of blooming roses used to take his breath away, but after so many years of seeing them, he rarely stopped to appreciate their beauty. Even in his family’s greenhouse, filled with a variety of roses, he never found the time to truly enjoy their delicate splendor. Serenity’s care for the plants, however, reminded him of the small, beautiful things in life he often overlooked.
