Love Rents A Room
Chapter 125: The Trusting Smile

Chapter 125: The Trusting Smile

Joanne walked into the kitchen, her legs moving on instinct. She leaned against the counter, staring blankly at the gleaming surface beneath her fingers. The world around her felt surreal, as if she were watching her life unravel from a distance.

It was one thing for her logistics company to be under threat, but to be accused of trafficking? Of crimes so vile they made her stomach turn?

She pressed a hand to her chest, willing her racing heart to slow. The initial panic had struck like a tidal wave, but now, in its wake, a new feeling settled inside her. Heavier. Sharper.

She couldn’t afford to crumble. She wouldn’t.

She had to act. Not just to protect her company, but to fight back. Whoever was behind this, whoever was ruthless enough to endanger innocent lives just to destroy her, had made a grave mistake. They had forced her into this battle. Now, she had no choice but to win.

She had never set out to build an empire. That had never been her dream. She only wanted her father’s company to thrive, just as he had always wanted.

But her heart... her heart was at her farm.

She had dreamed of peace. A few short-term goals for the farm in addition to the sheep and the horses and the goats. A simple life with a chicken coop for fresh eggs each morning, a couple of cows for milk, a vegetable and flower garden she could tend with her own hands.

She never aimed for more. That was enough. That was happiness.

But that dream would have to wait.

Because now, she was going to turn her father’s company into a global powerhouse. Not just to protect it, but to make it untouchable. If someone thought they could threaten her into submission, they were about to learn exactly how wrong they were.

They expected her to break, but she had a terrible habit of refusing to give up, especially when everything crumbled around her.

That was how she had survived before. That was how she would survive now.

She would fight with everything she had.

Her fingers curled against the counter. Fighting had always been her way of life. But this time...

She wasn’t alone.

She had Jeffrey.

Jeffrey Winchester.

The thought of him brought warmth, steadiness... until a dark whisper slithered through her mind, sending a chill down her spine.

What if he betrayed me?

Her breath hitched.

What if all of this was orchestrated by him? What if, in the end, he walked away, leaving her company in ruins, her name tainted beyond repair?

It was just a fleeting thought, a defensive instinct she couldn’t quite silence. She had always been careful, always doubted everyone when it came to her business. Why should he be any different?

But he was different.

He wasn’t just an employee. Not just an ally.

He was the man she loved.

And Fiona had been right. The worst thing he could do wasn’t destroy her company. It was breaking her heart.

That was a battle she didn’t think she could survive.

Joanne clenched her jaw, turned, and stuck her head into the freezer, letting the ice-cold air bite at her skin. Maybe the chill would numb the fear clawing at her chest. Maybe it would clear her mind before she did something reckless.

Or maybe it was just the only way to keep from screaming.

She heard him walking down the stairs, and before she even realized it, she was already there, drawn to him as if by instinct. But when she saw him, she stopped in her tracks, eyes widening in surprise.

"You’re wearing the suit!" she exclaimed, her face breaking into a radiant grin. The dark skepticism that had gripped her heart earlier vanished in an instant, dissolving as if she hadn’t spent any time worrying about him at all.

The hold he had on her... it was undeniable.

But she didn’t have time to dwell on that, not when she was too busy admiring the breathtaking sight before her.

Jeffrey Winchester, a man who was already magnetic and effortlessly charming, now stood before her in the suit she had gotten him. His hair was slicked back, his presence commanding. He looked like a star on the red carpet.

No, not even a star could match him.

There wasn’t another man alive who could wear that suit the way he did.

"Wow!" she breathed, her hands pressing against her cheeks in awe.

Jeffrey, who had been composed just moments ago, suddenly felt warmth creep up his face. His hand shot up to cover his mouth, trying to hide the blush threatening to betray him.

This woman...

He had been so serious, so focused on the night ahead, and here she was, looking at him as if he were the only man in the world. As if he were something to be adored, something to be devoured by the sheer intensity of her gaze.

"Wipe off your drool, Jo," he teased, though his voice was softer than usual, betraying just how much he was affected by her attention.

She wasn’t drooling, but she might as well have been. He could see the stars in her eyes, the way they sparkled just for him.

Joanne chuckled and reached up, threading her fingers through his hair. "Wow, Jeffrey... Just... wow," she whispered, as if she had no words to describe what she was feeling. As if "wow" was the only thing her heart could muster.

His chest tightened.

Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms.

She let out a small laugh, struggling against his hold. "I don’t want to ruin the suit," she protested.

But he didn’t care. He held her tighter, savoring the warmth of her against him.

How did he manage to get in the good graces of a woman like her?

Her smile alone lifted him up. Her voice, her touch, her unwavering belief in him—she made him feel like he could do anything.

But it made him nervous too.

Was he even worthy?

Joanne rested her head against his chest, and that was when she noticed it.

His heartbeat.

It was fast. Too fast.

She blinked. Was he excited... or nervous?

"Jo..." he murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of her head. "I don’t want to ruin anything... Should I bring someone else with me?"

His voice was steady, but she could hear the hesitation underneath.

Jeffrey Winchester—the man who always exuded confidence, the man who had promised her that he would handle this—was doubting himself.

Jeffrey was second-guessing himself. He had seen his grandfather deal with similar situations before. He had watched the old man navigate dangerous meetings and make difficult decisions. But Jeffrey himself had never done it.

This was different.

This was her company. Something she built from the ground up.

This was on him.

The weight of that responsibility... it was making him hesitate.

Joanne let out a slow breath.

She understood.

She had dealt with the Winchesters. She knew what they thought of him.

Useless. Irresponsible. Good for nothing.

They had never trusted him with real responsibility. And the few times they had, he hadn’t taken them seriously.

He had disappointed his grandfather more times than he could count.

But this wasn’t about them.

This was about the man standing in front of her now, trying to take that first step.

Joanne pulled back slightly, just enough to look up into his eyes. "Jeffrey," she said softly, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "You don’t need to bring anyone else. You’ve got this."

She met his eyes and before she knew it, her lips curved to a smile.

A trusting smile.