Love Rents A Room
Chapter 155: He Changed His Heart, But...

Chapter 155: He Changed His Heart, But...

It wasn’t even about whether he could tell her or not anymore. Wouldn’t it be easier if he just... didn’t? If he never said a word and lived the rest of his life as Jeffrey Daniels? She clearly didn’t know who he was—she spoke about Jeffrey Winchester like he was some other man entirely. A stranger.

Liam was wrong. Joanne didn’t know.

And maybe that was for the best.

He could stay hidden behind the name he chose. Stay in this life they built together. He’d still see his grandparents through her. That was enough.

No one else needed to know.

Problem solved.

He chose the coward’s path.

But still... he was curious.

"So... what will you do if Jeffrey Winchester stood in front of you? What would you say to him? Would you forgive him?" he asked, trying to sound casual, though his heart thundered in his chest.

It was a roundabout way of asking for her forgiveness—one that wouldn’t jeopardize what they had now.

Joanne looked at him. Really looked at him.

His eyes betrayed him.

He didn’t even realize it, but he was practically begging for the truth—his gaze flickering across her face, searching, hoping, desperate to know what she truly felt. That faint crack in his expression when he thought he was still fooling her...

She should’ve been angry. Furious, even—that he thought she was naïve enough to not see through him. That he truly believed he was hiding something so obvious from her.

But...

Pride aside...

She saw what was underneath the silence.

It wasn’t betrayal.

It was fear.

The kind of fear that only came when someone was hopelessly in love. A scared, foolish kind of love that would rather live in pretense than risk losing everything.

And somehow, it was... endearing.

No one had ever loved her like that. No one had ever gone to such lengths just to stay by her side. She didn’t normally tolerate lies—not even small ones—but this?

This was Jeffrey.

What could she do but love him for it?

"If Jeffrey Winchester stood in front of me," she said gently, watching how his breath caught, "I think... I wouldn’t have much to say to him. Except maybe... I’m not mad anymore. Because in the end, I found true love. And if he wanted forgiveness..."

She paused, her voice softening even more.

"...if he did even half as much as you’ve done for me—I’d forgive him."

That was all she needed to say.

She knew.

She loved him.

And he didn’t have to carry his guilt alone anymore.

Besides—how adorable was it that he still believed she hadn’t figured him out? As if he, of all people, could calmly sit through a conversation about another man if he wasn’t that man. Jeffrey wasn’t the type to stay silent while someone else stole his woman’s attention.

Jeffrey was stunned into silence.

And just like that, all the guilt that had been twisting and smothering the joy in his heart rotted and turned to dust.

Her love chased it out—filling him with light like sunshine cutting through a storm.

His lips met hers in a kiss that was more than passion; it was surrender. He poured everything into it: the guilt, the longing, the thankfulness, the relief. Joanne welcomed it, arms winding around his neck as she let him melt into her, her fingers threading through his hair like they were made to hold him there.

Jeffrey’s heart had changed just like that.

There was no room for lies between them anymore. Not after this. He was going to tell her the truth.

Joanne kissed him back with equal fervor, but there was something deeper in it too—an understanding, a promise, a forgiveness that didn’t need to be spoken aloud. When they finally broke apart, breathless, she looked up at him with the faintest teasing smile.

"Jo..." Jeffrey said softly. "You might find this a shock, but..."

He gently placed his hand over her forehead, covering the edge of her bandage, his thumb brushing against her hairline with such care it made her heart ache.

"I need to tell you—"

Rrrring!

Her phone shrilled loudly, cutting through the quiet.

Joanne nearly ignored it, even though a part of her was dying to know who would call at such an hour. But Jeffrey’s tone, his touch—he had been about to say something important.

She turned to him, brows furrowed, lips parting to ask—but the ringing wouldn’t stop.

"It’s Gr—Philip Winchester," Jeffrey said, glancing at the screen. He picked up the phone and offered it to her.

Joanne sat up, confused. What could Philip possibly want at this hour?

"Hello?" she answered cautiously, pressing the phone to her ear.

"Sorry for calling so late, Poppet," came the apologetic voice of Philip Winchester.

Jeffrey leaned closer, subtly trying to listen in. Joanne was tempted to push him away, but she let him—just this once.

"It’s alright. Is everything okay? How’s your health?" she asked gently.

"Oh, it’s nothing serious, really. This old fool’s just gotten a bit sentimental and now I’m disturbing you when I shouldn’t be," he said with a chuckle that sounded more embarrassed than ill.

"It’s no problem at all. I was still awake," she said, her tone kind.

"You haven’t checked your mail yet?" Philip asked. "It’s really nothing, but I sent over a couple of tickets. Thought you might like to go with that lad you’re seeing."

There was a slight pause. "We’ll talk more later. I just wanted to be sure you got them in time. Don’t mind me now—go to sleep, alright? Good night, sleep tight, and don’t let the bedbugs bite."

He laughed softly and hung up before she could respond.

Joanne stared at the phone with a small smile. He’d called just to make sure she’d go. That was oddly sweet.

"I wonder what tickets are so important," she said, unlocking her phone.

She didn’t even need to look to know Jeffrey was leaning in, trying to peek. His curiosity practically radiated off him.

She opened the email. And then—her eyes widened.

"Wait... Is this—Wimbledon?!" she gasped. "And what’s a Royal Box?"

Her eyes darted to the date. "This is ten days from now!"