“I just find it strange. Why couldn’t he have called me instead?” Xavier asked with a frown.
Winnie chuckled in amusement when she heard that. “Are you seriously getting jealous over something like this?”
“Do you really think I get jealous that easily? I’m just worried about you, that’s all.” Xavier reached out to hold Winnie’s hand as he continued, “I know Grandpa likes you a lot, but I still can’t help but feel worried. So, what was it about?”
“Don’t worry! He just wanted us over for dinner tonight. He said he tried calling you but couldn’t get through.” Winnie was pleased with Xavier’s action.
Xavier frowned. “He couldn’t get through? How is that possible? My phone is in my pocket. Help me take a look at it.”
“Okay. Make sure to stay focused on the road, okay?” Winnie said as she reached for his phone.
Xavier tensed up all of a sudden when he felt her hand in his pocket.
“Hey! Watch where you’re touching, Dumbo!”
“Shut up! I didn’t do anything! Honestly, is your mind perpetually filled with dirty thoughts?” Winnie snapped back at him as she fished his phone out of his pocket.
“It’s funny you say that when you’re the one giving me all these dirty thoughts,” Xavier mumbled in response.
“Is that so? What are you thinking of, then? Come on, tell me!” Winnie asked with a seductive grin as she traced her fingers along his thigh, sending a shiver down his spine.
“Be careful. You’re playing with fire here, Winnie,” Xavier warned her in a hoarse voice.
Winnie leaned against her seat and let out a carefree chuckle. “Haha! Just keep your eyes on the road! I haven’t enjoyed you enough, so I’m not about to put my life at risk like this!”
Xavier’s eyes darkened when he heard that. “Enjoy me, huh? Why didn’t you say so sooner? I would’ve put the driver behind the wheel instead!”
“Oh, well… It’s too late for that! You’re my personal driver now!” Winnie said with a smile. She then plugged his phone into the power outlet as she continued, “By the way, your phone is dead. That’s why Grandpa Rufus wasn’t able to reach you. He’s no longer in charge of the company’s affairs and lives all by himself, so it’s normal for him to feel a little lonely at times. You should visit him more often, you know?”
Xavier nodded. “All right, but you’ll have to go with me. Grandpa likes you very much, so seeing you will make him really happy. By the way, I just remembered something…”
“What is it?” Winnie asked.
“I vaguely recalled something when you asked me about the badge back then. I felt like the badge wasn’t the only thing I had forgotten, but I couldn’t quite recall what the other thing was. I remember now. You wanted me to help your granny look for her grandson, right?”
Winnie smacked herself on the forehead. “Yes, you’re right! Man, I’ve been through so much lately that I completely forgot about that! It looks like your men haven’t had any luck, huh? I mean, they’d have informed you if they found something, right?”
“Theoretically, that should be the case. I’ll ask them about this when I arrive at the office later.” Xavier then shot her a glance as he continued, “Will you be coming with me to the company?”
“No,” Winnie rejected him without any hesitation as she had plans of her own. “I need to learn from Old Mr. Xander while he’s still here. It’ll be hard once he returns to Yaleview. You could drive me there if it’s convenient for you. Otherwise, just drop me in front, and I’ll take a cab there myself.”
Xavier frowned. “Drop you off so you can take a cab on your own? Winnie, please don’t say something like that ever again. Not only am I going to drive you there, but I’ll also pick you up myself later.”
“Wait, are you seriously going to be my personal driver?”
“No, I’m going to be your dearest husband!”
Just like that, Xavier headed over to the office after dropping Winnie off at the Xander residence.
Xavier wasn’t joking when he said he’d pick her up himself, but Winnie declined his offer as she knew how busy he was.
She hailed a cab after she was done studying that day, much to Xavier’s displeasure.
“I told you I’d go pick you up, didn’t I? Why can’t you learn to depend on me a little more?”
Winnie wanted to tell him that she wasn’t some helpless damsel, but she held herself back after giving it some thought.
They say guys want to feel like they’re needed. If that’s the case, I suppose I could spoil my man every now and then.
“All right, I’m sorry. You can pick me up at Aqua Moana, then. I’ll get a change of clothes, and we’ll head over to the Fairchild residence together, okay?”
“Sure thing. Make sure to wait for me this time. Don’t go running off on your own again!”
Despite what he said, Xavier was already sitting in the living room by the time Winnie returned to the condominium.
He had arrived in advance, and Jacinta was sitting on the couch opposite him.
Judging by the look of displeasure on Jacinta’s face and the tense atmosphere around them, Winnie could tell that the two of them weren’t exactly getting along very well.
“Hi, Granny!” she greeted Jacinta before turning toward Xavier. She asked, “When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell me in advance? I could have at least let Granny know you were coming.”
“I sent you a text, but you didn’t reply,” Xavier explained.
Winnie frowned as she pulled out her phone, only to realize she had missed his text.
“You’re right. It’s my fault for not noticing,” she said while waving her phone at him.
Winnie was perfectly capable of handling negotiations with business partners and competitors.
That was especially the case when dealing with her enemies.
However, she found herself stumped when dealing with Xavier’s relationship with Jacinta.
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