Josh would be the first to quit and stay as far away as possible if Zachary were interested in

men.

Problem with his manhood?

Zachary had not fallen head over heels for Serenity. Well, he would show her once he took a fancy to her and consummate the marriage!

It took a while before Zachary got up and made an abrupt exit to his room. He slammed the door behind him.

The loud bang was a reflection of his foul mood.

Serenity waited until he closed his bedroom door before getting up. She picked up the paper, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it into the bin while mumbling under her breath, “It was a good thing I thought it through. Otherwise, I’d have lost to him.”

The lesson today was not to make a bet before getting full intel on the opponent. There was a risk of things blowing up in her face.

As for her proposal of a wager and her sudden change of heart, Serenity was not concerned at all. It was normal to back out of a deal since they had not signed a contract.

While humming a tune, Serenity turned off the living room lights and returned to her little haven. She sprawled on the bed to play on her phone before washing up and turning in for the night.

The following morning, Serenity rout pproached her window and withdrew the heavy curtains. With the window pushed open, a chill crept into her room. Shivering in the cold, she quickly closed the windows.

By the looks of the gray sky, it was going to rain.

The earlier chill announced the drop in temperature.

Since Wiltspoon and Annenburg were in the same region, the weather was roughly the same. It was cold in the mornings and nights during late fall and early winter. Once the sun rose, so would the temperature. It would be warm then.

The temperature drop along with the rain was only a reminder to the people that it was time to layer up with a thin jacket.

Serenity stretched and went to brush her teeth. She then changed out of her pajamas and went from her bedroom to the kitchen to make Zachary a pasta dish. That was his request yesterday. Opening the fridge door, Serenity realized that they were out of fresh produce. The milk was barely enough. She also ran out of cheese which was essential for any pasta dish.

Serenity decided to make a quick run to the market.

She exited the kitchen as Zachary came out of his room. Dressed in a blue tracksuit and sneakers, Zachary looked like he was going for a run.

“It’s a little chilly today. It’s likely to rain too. Are you going out for a run? Don’t forget to bring along an umbrella, so you don’t get soaked.”

Seeing that Serenity was carrying her purse that contained her phone and keys, he asked, “Are you going to the market?”

“Our fridge is running low on inventory. I’m going to get groceries from the market. Do you want to come along? You can run to the market and back.”

Considering the distance between Brynfield and the market, Zachary shook his head. “I’m just going to jog around the neighborhood. You can get groceries from the nearby supermarket. There’s no need to go to the market.”

Serenity responded to Zachary while making her way out, “The supermarket prices are more expensive than in the market. We can’t just spend extravagantly. We must be budget conscious.”

Zachary had no words as he stared at her back.

“The allowance I gave you should be enough for us to live comfortably. Don’t be too frugal. You got to treat yourself. What’s the point of earning money? It’s so we can eat better, have better clothes, and live life without reservation.”

Serenity stopped outside the door and waited for Zachary to come out before closing and locking the front door. She then replied, “Be grateful that you married a wife who is budget conscious and careful not to splurge. Do you think you can afford me if I waste a few hundred thousand dollars on a bag?”

Patting Zachary on the chest, she added. “Consider yourself lucky, pal. You got a good thing going on.”

Zachary was speechless.