Love Rents A Room
Chapter 187: He Disobeyed His Grandfather

Chapter 187: He Disobeyed His Grandfather

Joanne finally found her way out of the endless hallways and reached the grand front door. Sebastian was nowhere in sight, but a chauffeur stood waiting, ready to take her back to her hotel.

Wordlessly, she climbed into the car, the weight of the day pressing heavily against her chest.

As the estate disappeared behind her, Joanne leaned back against the seat, staring blankly out the window. She could only hope Philip would think carefully about what she had proposed.

For now, all she could do was wait.

-----

Inside the bedroom, Sebastian quietly gave a rundown of everything Joanne had done while in the house.

"She touched the camera, almost like she couldn’t help herself," he said. "Then she went to the bed. She looked like she was about to jump on it, but changed her mind. After that, she poked around the closet for a bit... and then she left. That’s all."

Philip leaned back against the pillows, his brow furrowed.

"Do you think she’s still in love with him?" he asked, sounding genuinely perplexed.

After all, Joanne had come here asking for executive power, prepared to challenge Jeffrey head-on. She seemed willing to sever herself from him completely.

Christina, still knitting, let out a soft, amused scoff.

"Oh, Darling. You saw her. Why are you even asking that?" she said, glancing up at him. There was no doubt in her mind; Joanne was still hopelessly in love with Jeffrey. She was fighting for Philip’s legacy, yes, but she was doing it for Jeffrey’s sake too.

"She’s very much in love, Sir," Sebastian added, his voice gentle.

Philip only sighed; the sound heavy with a sadness he couldn’t quite put into words.

-----

That evening, during dinner, Philip, Christina, and Jeffrey sat around the long table.

Jeffrey sat with his lips pressed into a tight line, lost deep in thought.

He had been like this for months now—hiding his pain, fighting silent battles to forget the gaping hole in his chest.

A Joanne-shaped hole.

At Philip’s nod, the chef placed a bowl of stew before Jeffrey—the same stew Joanne had made earlier.

Jeffrey thanked the chef absently, barely glancing at the bowl.

At first, he ignored it entirely. But then... he looked again. Really looked.

Without a word, he shoved everything else aside and drew the bowl closer.

He took a sip.

Philip watched as Jeffrey’s eyes reddened instantly.

"She was here, wasn’t she?" Jeffrey rasped; his voice hoarse. He cleared his throat and whispered, "Jo?"

Philip lifted a brow; Christina covered her mouth in awe.

He recognized her cooking, not from the taste, but just by looking.

"She came to inform me that you’re..." Philip exhaled heavily as he realized something. "This was your plan all along, wasn’t it? I forbade you to contact her, so you baited her here."

Christina’s eyes widened. That was news to her. Jeffrey had been purposely mismanaging the company... to bring Joanne to them?

Jeffrey bowed his head and took another spoonful of the stew, as if trying to fill the hollow inside him. After months, finally...finally... he tasted home again.

"I did everything with your permission," Jeffrey said, his voice low but steady. He looked up, reading his grandfather’s every twitch and flutter. "What were you thinking? You surely didn’t think I did it all just to throw our enemies off? Philip Winchester is not dumb. You knew it and yet you let me. Did you want to test her? To see if she’d come?"

He got his answer in the silence that followed.

After Wimbledon, everything had changed. His grandfather had dragged him back to the estate, seized his phone, and forbidden him from contacting Joanne.

Yes, he had tried desperately to reach her.

But caught every time, he resorted to the only thing that could pull her back: sabotaging Winchester Logistics. He had other intentions too.

"Did she propose a merger?" Jeffrey asked, almost smiling to himself.

She had proposed it to him once before. Back then, he had misunderstood, thought it was just business pragmatism. But now he knew; she had been trying to secure Winchester Logistics for him.

"A temporary one," Philip answered.

Jeffrey scoffed, shaking his head. "That idiot..." Yet, despite his words, a faint, proud smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"What are you going to do next?" he asked, eyes sharp with emotion, as if daring Philip to underestimate Joanne.

"She’s willing to go against you to protect Winchester Logistics," Philip said.

Jeffrey turned to the chef, tapping the rim of his bowl. "Is there more?"

It was a silly question. If Joanne had cooked, there would be plenty left.

"Bring me another bowl."

"She made enough for the entire estate," Philip replied. "I let the staff have the rest. You have that bowl. It’s empty now..."

Jeffrey’s expression darkened. How could they give away something so precious? And was his grandfather implying something?

He stood up abruptly. "She doesn’t have to go against me," he said. "You know that. I know that. So, can I talk to her?"

"No," Philip said at once.

"Why?" Jeffrey’s voice rose. "I’ll make it discreet!"

"I said no." Philip’s tone was iron.

Jeffrey glanced at Christina, silently pleading for her support. Christina opened her mouth, but Philip shot her a look. That look. She gulped and said nothing.

Grumbling under his breath, Jeffrey stormed out of the dining room, leaving behind both his dinner and his wounded pride.

Christina turned to Philip, unable to bear it any longer. "Must you oppress him this much?" she asked, her voice tight with emotion.

Philip sighed heavily. "He shouldn’t be threatening my company," he muttered, though the conviction in his voice was weaker now.

Christina reached across the table and took his hand. "Philip," she said gently, "he’s been nothing but obedient these past months. He loves her, and still he listened to you."

She squeezed his hand, her voice softening even more. "And she—she loves him dearly, even if she won’t say it aloud. Please... don’t keep them apart any longer."

Philip let out a slow, deep breath, gazing out the window. But he said nothing.

Meanwhile, Sebastian quietly informed Jeffrey that Joanne had spent some time in his room earlier.

Philip sat back in his chair by the window in his bedroom, picking up the day’s crossword puzzle. But as he filled in a few squares, he caught a familiar movement from the corner of his eye.

With a dry chuckle, he said, "Look at your obedient grandson... running off to meet her."

Christina patted his arm with a smile. "Oh, don’t be a killjoy," she said warmly, following his gaze.

Outside, they both watched as Jeffrey’s car zoomed down the driveway, the headlights slicing through the dusk.

"Is he going to propose? We need to arrange for the wedding soon..." Christina was excited.

"She has to say ’Yes’ for a wedding to happen," Philip said dryly.