Love Rents A Room
Chapter 88: Chaos Amidst Danger

Chapter 88: Chaos Amidst Danger

Joanne cleared her throat, forcing herself to meet his gaze. A part of her wanted to look away, to avoid the heavy tension crackling in the air, but she knew she couldn’t. If there was something wrong—if there was something off about Jeffrey’s demeanor—she needed to understand it.

One thing was certain: whatever had put this distance between them, she needed to clear it.

She took a breath and steadied herself. Start with honesty.

"You might want to sit for this," she said, keeping her voice light despite the tightness in her chest. "It’s a long story."

For a split second, she thought she saw his expression soften, the rough edges smoothing just a little. But it was gone as quickly as it came.

Still, she told him everything.

She spoke of how her grandfather and Philip Winchester had been friends, how Philip had visited their farm a handful of times, always kind to her in a way she never forgot. She told him how she had longed to leave this town, had fought tooth and nail to earn a degree from Harvard, only to have fate pull her back when her grandfather died, leaving behind a crushing debt that she had no way to repay.

"I thought I’d have to sell everything," she admitted, her voice growing quieter. "The house, the farm... Papaw’s car... and even then, it wouldn’t have been enough."

She swallowed hard, gathering the courage to say the next part.

"It was then that Philip Winchester met with me... and suggested—" Her throat tightened.

She had to be honest, right?

"You might not believe this, but... he asked me to marry his grandson in exchange for clearing my debt."

Joanne didn’t dare look at Jeffrey. The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. She stared down at her hands, her heart hammering in her chest.

"And you agreed to marry Jeffrey Winchester?" His voice was cold, unreadable. Then, the judgment bled through. "For money?"

The words stung. She pressed her lips together and covered her face with her hands. It wasn’t just for money... Liam had helped her understand that. But how could she explain it now? How could she tell JD that—once upon a time—she had loved Jeffrey Winchester?

Hey, I love you now, but you should know I loved this rich guy before and agreed to marry him for money. He hurt me, his family hurt me, and before I could walk away, he walked away and so the wedding didn’t happen.

Would he even listen? Would he even care?

"It’s more complicated than that..." she said. If she was in Jeffrey’s position, she wouldn’t believe her either. But she wanted to try and see if he would listen.

The sound of his scoff cut through the room like a knife.

Then footsteps.

He was walking away.

Joanne squeezed her eyes shut, the sting behind them unbearable. She didn’t even try to hold back the tears as they slipped down her cheeks.

How? How could one mistake... one reckless decision made in the past— one that she didn’t even go through, continue to haunt her, ruin her happiness even now?

Her fingers curled into fists.

I hate you, Jeffrey Winchester. I curse the day I met you!

I hate you!

-----

Jeffrey let the cold water cascade down his body, his hands braced against the shower wall. His pulse was still hammering, his anger still simmering beneath his skin.

At least she had been honest now. But what was so complicated about it? She had agreed to marry a man for money—plain and simple. And now that she was wealthy herself, she was bragging about rejecting a rich man? What was she trying to prove?

But still...

When he came downstairs, she was still there, sitting at the dining table, her head bowed. Silent tears streaked down her face as she covered her face.

His heart clenched.

It was unbearable to watch her cry last night. It was even harder now.

But his pride held him back. His hatred, his past, the years of resentment—all of it kept his feet planted where they were. Before, he never had to think about moving toward her. His body had always acted on instinct, drawn to her like gravity.

Now, his instincts were at war.

He clenched his fists, jaw tightening. Why do I want to comfort her?

He scoffed.

That was when he realized—he had already moved. He was standing too close. His hand had almost reached her shoulder.

No.

He forced himself to step back. He didn’t have the heart to confront her but he didn’t have to comfort her.

No.

Each step away from her felt heavier, like something was being ripped from his chest. But he kept walking.

He didn’t look back.

-----

Sebastian hurried into the study, tablet in hand. "Sir, Joanne Smith sent you an email," he announced, offering the device.

Philip Winchester’s lips curved the moment he saw her name on the screen. By the time he finished reading, his smile had widened.

"She wants to return the money..." he mused, chuckling. "Darling Poppet..."

Sebastian couldn’t help but smile as well. No one could lift his boss’s mood the way Joanne Smith could. And truth be told, he was immensely proud of her. "She’s saved over fifteen million," he added, admiration evident in his voice.

Just then, a notification popped up on the tablet. Philip passed it back to Sebastian without a second glance. "See what it is," he said absently, still lost in thought.

A moment later, Sebastian’s expression drained of color.

"Sir..." His voice was grave. "I asked about Caruso’s parole hearing since it was coming up. But..." He hesitated. "He escaped over a week ago. He still hasn’t been found."

Philip’s smile vanished. His face turned cold, his sharp blue eyes darkening.

"Why weren’t we informed?" he asked, his voice eerily calm.

Sebastian swallowed hard. "They say Joanne told them not to." He hesitated, knowing full well that wasn’t the full truth. They both did.

Philip exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. Of course. She would have tried to handle it herself but they didn’t want to let him know too. Those useless people would know that the moment he found out, he would escalate it to the highest levels of authority and they wouldn’t like that.

He straightened, his demeanor shifting from relaxed to steel-hard resolve.

"Ready the jet," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Call the President. I want Caruso’s current location by the time we land in Rockchapel."

Sebastian gave a sharp nod and hurried off.

Philip turned to the window, his hands tightening behind his back. The last time Caruso, Joanne, and Jeffrey had crossed paths... he had almost lost both of his precious kids.

That wasn’t going to happen again.

-----

The old figure filled with hatred, now lingered along the fences. It was a nice talk with that fella. He showed the way inside Joanne Smith’s farm.

Now all he had to do was find that camera that was not working and get in without alerting her.