Chapter 211
Chapter 211
Regent Residences was an upscale villa community in Wilt Spoon, inhabited by either the wealthy or nobility. Before Zachary obtained his marriage license with Serenity, he spent nearly every day there, returning to his old residence only occasionally to visit his elders. The villa he resided in was originally composed of several smaller villas, which he demolished to construct a large one upon purchasing the land. This spacious villa featured both front and back gardens. Although not as expansive as his old residence, it was ample for his solitary living situation. Knowing that Zachary would be returning before mealtime, Sam instructed the kitchen to prepare lunch in advance.
Zachary woke up late and enjoyed brunch in one sitting. After finishing his meal in the familiar surroundings of his home, his bad mood improved slightly.
He settled onto the sofa and called Josh. Josh had not yet woken up; the previous day, he and Duncan went out drinking with Zachary. While Zachary could handle his liquor without becoming inebriated, Josh ended up so drunk that he required hotel staff to take him home. Duncan, with a higher alcohol tolerance than Zachary, was not drunk at all. However, since he couldn’t drive after drinking, he opted to stay overnight at the hotel. When Josh finally answered, his voice was slightly hoarse. “Morning, Boss.”
Zachary paused for a moment before replying, “It’s not morning anymore. I just finished lunch.”
Josh fell silent, moving the phone away from his ear to check the time. It was indeed noon, which explained why his boss was calling to wake him. He felt a twinge of stomach discomfort, but fortunately, his head was clear; otherwise, he would have stayed in bed all day.
“What’s up?” Zachary inquired. “Do you have any plans for this afternoon?”
Josh shot upright and again moved the phone away from his ear. Confirming that he was indeed speaking to his boss and friend, he prepared to respond.
Zachary laughed and asked, “Did the sun rise in the west today? Did you just ask if I have plans? Don’t you need to be with your wife on Sundays?”
Zachary’s expression darkened, though Josh couldn’t see it. Naturally, Zachary wouldn’t share the details of his argument with his wife. In a subdued tone, he replied, “She usually visits her sister to help with her nephew whenever she’s free. Otherwise, she goes shopping with friends. She doesn’t need me to accompany her.”
Josh recalled how dependent Serenity and her sister were on each other, so he didn’t question Zachary’s words. “I’ll call Duncan to see if he has any plans and get back to you.” “Sounds good,” Zachary replied.
He didn’t want to be alone. Being alone meant he would dwell on what happened the previous night. He thought, ‘That could be called a quarrel, right? We’re also giving each other the silent treatment today. Is this a cold war?’
Duncan suggested golfing, and the trio went out together. Meanwhile, Serenity spent the entire day at the store, working on her crafts, and had all her meals there. When evening arrived, she closed up shop and rode home on her e-bike.
She had the maneki-neko and the golden dragon that she promised to give to Zachary. He was upset because she had given Elisa a maneki-neko before presenting one to him. To make amends, she included an additional dragon as a peace offering.
Bringing home the maneki-neko didn’t mean she was yielding to him; she simply felt obligated to fulfill her promise quickly, as she didn’t want to owe him anything.
When she returned, the house was empty, with no one in sight. Serenity placed the maneki-neko and the dragon on the coffee table before heading out to the balcony to water the flowers and plants. Afterwards, she sat on the swing and quietly gazed at the night scenery.