Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 9
Zachary, now that he had eaten, took out his wallet and started rifling through it, but he realized he didn’t have much cash on him. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled out a debit card and placed it in front of Serenity.
Serenity raised an eyebrow, eyeing him with curiosity.
“You’ll need money to buy things. This card is for you,” Zachary said, his tone direct. He quickly searched for a pen and paper, jotting down the PIN before handing it over to her.
“You can use this card for household expenses. I’ll transfer the money into the account every month when my salary comes in, but I need you to keep track of whatever you buy. I don’t mind you spending the money, but I want to know what it’s spent on.”
When they had first discussed the marriage, Serenity had suggested splitting the expenses, but Zachary had refused. As husband and wife, they were family, and he didn’t mind giving her money to manage the household. He had more money than he could count and little time to enjoy it, given his busy schedule. At least now, his wife could make use of some of it.
However, Zachary wasn’t about to let Serenity take advantage of him. He considered her a scheming woman, and while he had no issue with her spending money on the house, he was wary of being manipulated.
Serenity, however, could not stand his attitude. She calmly slid the debit card, along with the paper containing the PIN, back to Zachary without even looking at the numbers.
“Mr. York,” she said, her voice steady, “You’re not the only one in this house. I’m living here too. You bought the house, so I’m saving on rent by staying here. I can’t let you pay for everything. I’ll take care of the house expenses.”
She paused, then continued, “If there’s something over two thousand bucks, we can discuss it, and you can chip in whatever you think is fair.”
Her income was enough to cover daily expenses. There was no need for him to pay unless it was a large purchase. It wasn’t that she couldn’t accept his money, but his condescending attitude was more than she could tolerate. He was making it sound like she was after his wealth, and the notion of her having to keep track of purchases was insulting. She already kept track of her business expenses, but not her personal life.
Zachary, being no fool, understood what had just transpired. His attitude had hurt Serenity’s pride, and he realized it only too late. After a brief silence, he pushed the debit card and the paper with the PIN back toward her.
“I know you own a shop, but how much can you really make? You said this is our home. You’re a part of it, and so am I. How can I let you shoulder all the household expenses? Take the card. Don’t keep track of your purchases if you don’t want to.”
His voice softened as he continued, “Have you considered getting a car? Do you need my help with the down payment? Your income should be enough to cover the monthly payments.”
Zachary hadn’t looked too deeply into her earnings, but he assumed she was doing well. After all, she owned a bookshop near Wiltspoon School, a place that surely brought in a decent income. At her age, it was easier than ever to get people, especially women and children, to spend money.
Serenity shook her head lightly. “The house isn’t far from my shop. I can take my bike. Traffic in Wiltspoon is awful during rush hour. A two-wheeled ride is better than a four-wheeled one.”
Zachary was momentarily speechless. She had a point. He himself avoided rush hour as much as possible, but there were times when, during emergencies, he found himself stuck in traffic. It often made him wish he could just take his private jet instead.
“It would make your life easier with a car,” he pressed, “You could drive on weekends and take your sister and nephew for short trips.”
Zachary remembered Nana mentioning that Serenity lived with her sister, and he knew her sister and nephew were the most important people in Serenity’s life.
Serenity gave a small smile. “Maybe later. We just got married…”
