Married at First Sight1-100

Novel Catalog

Chapter 70

Zachary stood in front of the car dealership, his expression serious as he looked at Serenity. She had just finished questioning him about the car, and his response was a simple shrug, almost like he was trying to downplay the gesture. Serenity was still processing what had just happened. Over a hundred thousand dollars, just like that.

“Didn’t you say you were only going to help me with the deposit?” Serenity asked, her voice laced with hesitation. She wasn’t sure if she was overthinking the situation or if Zachary was truly doing something unexpected.

Zachary glanced at her with a slightly annoyed expression, almost as though her question had caught him off guard. “I could afford the car you picked, so I paid in full,” he said nonchalantly.

Serenity blinked, her mind racing. “Oh,” was all she managed to whisper. She wasn’t sure how to process this. Was Zachary giving her the car? It didn’t make sense. Sure, he was wealthy and could easily pay for it, but it was still a significant amount of money. And given their situation—married for only a short time, with a contract to go their separate ways in a few months—it felt wrong for him to just give her such an extravagant gift.

“I’ll wire you half the money later,” Serenity added, trying to make sense of it all. She didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of just accepting something so expensive without understanding why.

Zachary glanced at her, his eyes briefly flicking to her face before he shrugged it off. “It’s fine,” he said, clearly uninterested in discussing the matter further. Serenity was left speechless. Was he really telling her to keep the car?

She dragged him away from the dealership, her curiosity piqued. “Mr. York,” she began, her voice low but firm. “Can you tell me why you’re gifting me with a car? I won’t feel comfortable driving it unless you clarify that. I don’t want to be indebted to you.”

Zachary met her gaze, his expression unreadable. There was a long pause, and Serenity almost thought he wouldn’t answer her. Finally, he spoke, but his words were slower this time, almost hesitant.

“Last night, um… I misjudged you…” His voice trailed off, as if he was still unsure of what to say. Serenity’s eyes widened as everything clicked into place.

“So, you feel that you’ve wronged me, so the car is an apology gift?” Serenity asked, already understanding. Zachary’s eyes met hers again, and this time, she saw the sincerity there. He was being genuine.

He nodded, his face softening slightly. “We cleared the misunderstanding last night, and you apologized to me. Although I was really angry then, I got over it. There’s no need for you to splurge on a car to make up for it.”

Serenity’s voice softened as she spoke, her tone understanding. “It’s handy to have a car around.” She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, especially since she understood the convenience of having her own car. But there was something about the way Zachary was acting that didn’t sit right with her.

Zachary gave a small nod in response, his gaze now focused on something in the distance. “I know,” he said simply. “But it’s more than that. It’s about making things right. I misjudged you, and I wanted to make amends.”

Serenity took a deep breath, considering his words carefully. She hadn’t expected this. After everything that had happened, Zachary’s sudden generosity felt overwhelming. She appreciated the thought, but it still didn’t feel entirely comfortable.

“Don’t feel like you have to do this,” Serenity said, her voice steady but kind. “I don’t need a car to forgive you. We’ve already moved past that.”

Zachary’s expression softened at her words. “I know. But I still want to do something to show I’m sorry.” He paused, looking her in the eyes as if trying to convey the depth of his apology.

Serenity gave him a small smile, though it was filled with mixed emotions. “I appreciate it, really. But just… let’s keep things simple, alright?”

Zachary met her gaze for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “Alright. I’ll respect that.”

They stood there for a moment in silence, neither of them knowing exactly how to navigate the unspoken tension that still lingered between them. It wasn’t the first time they’d experienced a moment of vulnerability, but this one felt different—like they were both trying to figure out what came next.

“Well, let’s go,” Serenity said finally, her voice breaking the silence. She didn’t want to linger on the topic any longer.

Zachary glanced at her with a small, almost reluctant smile. “You sure you don’t want to take the car?”

Serenity shook her head with a soft laugh. “Maybe I’ll think about it.”

With that, they turned and walked away from the dealership, the weight of their conversation hanging between them, but without the pressure it had carried before.

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