Love Rents A Room -
Chapter 151: His Hesitation
Chapter 151: His Hesitation
Jeffrey swallowed hard, his thoughts spiraling. Heather knew something only the police and his grandfather should’ve known—that his careless words had drawn Caruso to Joanne’s farm.
His grandfather would have ensured that truth never saw the light of day. And the police? If Liam had known, Jeffrey wouldn’t be on the phone right now—he’d be buried in the woods behind their property.
So how did Heather know?
"Did your uncle tell you that?" Jeffrey asked evenly, masking the storm inside.
Congressman Campbell. Of course. That meant the union members—the ones he’d sat across from all day—knew as well. That meant they believed he was against Joanne. Because they knew.
A wave of nausea rolled over him, as if he were standing knee-deep in a pit of writhing maggots.
The guilt had already eaten at him for weeks. That one slip-up had nearly cost Joanne her life. It was the very thing that kept him from telling her everything—from falling at her feet and baring the truth. It was his wall, his cliff edge, the one truth too heavy to carry.
And now, it was in Heather’s mouth.
If Joanne found out from someone else... could she ever forgive him?
Heather’s laugh—low and syrupy—snapped him back.
"I always knew you had it in you, babe," she purred, her voice dipping into a husky fry. "I knew you’d do anything for me."
His jaw clenched. A muscle ticked along his cheek. "I thought we were over, Heather," he said, voice flat.
Where was this delusion coming from? He hadn’t thought of her in two years—not once. All that time, it had been Joanne. Even when he was angry with her, it was still Joanne. Always her.
"About that..." Heather’s chuckle sent a shiver down his spine. He knew that laugh—it was the one she used right before she lied. "I didn’t want to break up. I just wanted to give you space... let you get back at the woman who hurt you. I waited, Jeffrey. Two whole years."
"You still left me," he said. "That was your decision."
"What was I supposed to do when you said your account was empty?" she said, half laughing. "You wouldn’t even take a credit card. How were we supposed to live?"
Jeffrey let out a breath. A scoff slipped past before he could stop it.
Funny. That wasn’t what she said back then. She had a list of complaints, how he was not enough, and how she was in the right space for a committed relationship.
"Don’t take it the wrong way," she added quickly. "I just... I’m used to luxuries. But I knew you’d come back to me when you could afford me again."
The words struck like a slap. The same sting he felt when he learned Joanne had waited for him all those years—faithfully, silently, loving him still. This felt just as powerful.
Who was the gold digger again?
"You have to come back to me, Jeffrey... You have a reason to," Heather’s voice oozed sickly sweetness, but the threat beneath it made Jeffrey’s heart pick up pace.
He caught the shift instantly. It wasn’t a plea—it was a trap.
"What reason?" he asked, his tone flat, careful. He needed to hear the lie she’d spin.
"Love, Jeffrey..." Heather breathed, followed by a delicate sniff. "We were on and off, sure, but we were together for years. I waited for you. We could be a family..."
Jeffrey remained silent.
Yes, they’d been on and off. Each time, she ended things—and when she came crawling back, it was always on her terms. He’d jump through hoops, swallowing his pride just to be her boyfriend again. Back then, he thought that was love.
But it wasn’t.
It was Joanne who had taught him what love truly was.
Heather never loved him. She used him. Manipulated him. And he had danced to her tune, convinced it was affection. It wasn’t until he felt Joanne’s steady, unconditional warmth that he realized how hollow everything with Heather had been.
And now, with chilling clarity, he saw all the pieces. Every time he brought up a future, Heather skillfully dodged it. She spoke of marriage until his family name lost its worth—then suddenly, she "wasn’t ready." And when the money disappeared, so did she.
Now she was back—because she must’ve heard the news. That his grandfather wanted him back. That the Winchester name, and its fortune, might soon be his again.
She wanted a second chance—not at love, but at legacy.
He’d wasted precious years on her. Years that could’ve been Joanne’s. Let Heather waste some time now.
"Wait a little longer," he said at last.
He needed time. Time to set things right, protect Joanne, protect them. Not just her company—his own future with Joanne was in danger. And the weight of truth... it was crushing. He still hadn’t found the courage to tell Joanne that it was his thoughtless words that led Caruso to her doorstep. That his mistrust had nearly gotten her killed.
He couldn’t look her in the eye and say it. Not yet.
"I nearly got you killed because I mistakenly believed you were the gold digger who had ruined my life." How could he say that while looking into her beautiful green eyes, which held all the love in the world for him?
He couldn’t. He just couldn’t.
"I’ll wait..." Heather said softly, then her voice turned playful, amused. "I’ve got a surprise for you. When you come back to me, we’ll be a family again..."
She giggled—a sharp, muffled sound that made his blood run cold.
"I can’t wait to see her face when you walk away. That bitch actually thinks you won’t leave her. She told me to ’try’ taking you." Heather laughed. "She has no idea you belong to me."
Jeffrey’s breath caught. Ice filled his veins.
"You... You talked to her?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"I sent a text," Heather said with a smug shrug in her tone, like she’d just scored the winning move in a game only she was playing.
Jeffrey’s throat closed. "I’ll talk to you later," he muttered, ending the call before she could say anything more.
He sat in silence, the room darkening around him. His hands rested on the desk, but he didn’t move. Couldn’t.
Joanne knows.
Heather had reached her. Gotten into her head.
What the hell was he going to do now?
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