Jonathan sat on the couch with Norman, catching up over their drinks. Still, their gazes unconsciously strayed to Scarlett's bustling silhouette, her habitual moves flowing into one another—synchronized and methodical.The sight of her mesmerized the pair.As both Jonathan and Norman hailed from wealthy families, they had almost never tasted the cooking of their own mothers. Their mothers had been women who refused to get their hands dirty, let alone cook a full meal. Now that Scarlett was cooking especially for them, Jonathan and Norman felt a sense of warmth neither had experienced. It was a kind of feeling that was difficult to put into words.Unlike Scarlett, Jonathan knew nothing about cooking. He was a man who preferred to use brute force; a task as meticulous as cooking simply wasn't in his nature. Norman, on the other hand, was a bon vivant at heart. He had shadowed a Freyan chef once as an apprentice, his experience providing a wealth of knowledge in the preparation of exquisi
Jonathan glared at Norman irritably. His words were blunt, unrelenting. "Hey, you've freeloaded enough. I'm not giving you a ride back. The door's over there. See yourself out, eh?"Norman retracted his gaze from Scarlett and bumped Jonathan once. "God, are you turning into a Scrooge? What's all this rush? Can't I sit for a while before leaving?"Jonathan's expression turned serious. He leaned closer to Norman and told him solemnly, "We've been inseparable since we were kids, which is why I'm not wasting my breath talking nonsense with you. There are certain things you ought to know my limits for, and this is one of them. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"Norman might appear to be a carefree individual, but he was, like everyone else, a normal person with an eye for beauty. The way he looked at Scarlett was apparent to Jonathan. Jonathan knew he himself looked at Scarlett the same way, just more naked and direct in comparison to Norman's furtiveness.In order to prevent jeop
She hesitated for a long time, for there was something she had wanted to discuss with him for a long time now. Instead of delaying it further, Scarlett decided to bring it up now. "I have something to ask you," she began. "Can I find a different place to stay?"Jonathan did not expect her to ask him that. Without hesitating, he denied her request at once. "No fucking way! Where do you plan on going?"Scarlett lowered her head, her voice pleading. "I don't mean that. I'm not saying I want to leave you. I just hope you can arrange for me to stay at a different place. Too many of your acquaintances frequent this place. Remember what happened last time? Besides, it's too far away from my college."Jonathan grew even more displeased the more she spoke. If he could, how he wished he could chain her by his side in a large house where she belonged to him and only him. She wouldn't have to leave, nor would she be under the scrutiny of other men outside the four walls of her confinement.But Jon
Scarlett sighed as his color returned bit by bit. Jonathan had always acted like a tyrant who expected everyone else to cater to his needs. Now that he was sick, he acted like a spoiled child who needed her to care for him instead. Scarlett couldn't be bothered to explain to him the contents of the soup; it was nothing but a folk remedy. Would he have known about it, even if she had enlightened him?After he'd finished the bowl of soup, Scarlett got him another one. As he started to sweat slightly, she then fetched a towel from the bathroom to wipe away his sweat. Her actions were gentle, and Jonathan enjoyed the warmth and coziness it brought him as she swept his hair to one side. However, Scarlett's action of brushing aside his hair inadvertently revealed the scar of a recent injury that caused a rush of memories to subsequently flood her mind.If she wasn't mistaken, this injury of his must have been from the time he came to rescue her but ended up being hit on the head by her. Her
As Jonathan remained silent with his eyes shut, Scarlett let out an exasperated sigh. No matter what, there was no way she could free herself from his hold. If Jonathan wanted her to sleep by his side, so be it.Admittedly, she was rather exhausted as well. After worrying about Ms. Zimmer for the better part of the day on top of preparing an entire meal for Jonathan and Norman, her energy had long been depleted.If she allowed herself to sleep for a while, she could potentially recharge. Scarlett closed her eyes resignedly, unaware she had fallen into Jonathan's trap.As for the scheming man, he glanced at the sleeping woman in his arms, a peculiar smile on his face. Scarlett's meticulous care of him had been excellent.If his being sick warranted this degree of gentleness from her, he wouldn't mind making himself sick once in a while.It puzzled him how he could lose control like this, considering it was the first time he tried Scarlett's dishes. He had always been healthy, his gut he
Could he be inferior to Justin in every aspect possible? It had been one text; she didn't have to be this angry at him over something so trivial.The more Jonathan thought about it, the angrier he got. Without thinking, he slapped her across the face, his slap merciless and even more brutal than Scarlett's.The sheer magnitude of his slap elicited tears of agony from her. Just as she prepared to leave, Jonathan caught hold of her, preventing her from sprinting out the door.Never had he felt such distress, as if a noose was tightening around his throat, squeezing any and every remaining air out from him.Jonathan had always been privileged, and he had never experienced such turmoil. He supposed Scarlett was the only person who could make him feel this bitter. Not just bitter—angry, resentful, and intensely so.He found himself unable to bear this any longer, but he couldn't very well slap her and leave. If she made him unhappy, then he would make her unhappy in return, too. That was si
Scarlett did not turn to meet his gaze, for she had already caught a glimpse of his brooding expression from the mirror. His face was carefully blank, not a hint of emotion present on his features. Scarlett's heart contracted painfully. Did that mean he was still angry? Was he here to torment her again?No matter how stubborn she was, Scarlett harbored an inherent aversion to such matters. She not only disliked her involvement in them, she feared having to be an active participant. Jonathan had a tendency of making her feel oppressed—that much had always remained true, even now.As for Jonathan, he looked at her but was at a loss as to how he ought to explain things to her in the aftermath of it all. He wasn't used to apologizing—he hadn't had to apologize for anything in his life, ever—but when it came to Scarlett, he didn't want her to misunderstand.After a long pause, he stuttered, his face red. "I'm the one at fault earlier. I shouldn't have done that."He left as quickly as he'd
Jonathan felt a pang of sorrow, though it remained unclear whether it had been for Scarlett or himself. This was still the first time he'd felt any kind of pity toward someone else.After replacing the bag's contents, he smiled at Julian. "That's all for now. Thanks for your hard work. You did great."The truth, to some degree, still shocked him. He'd never imagined things could turn out this way with Scarlett. Having misunderstood her, the more he thought about it, the tighter his chest clenched, an invisible pain perpetually present between his ribs.Julian replied nonchalantly, "Of course. Whatever you ask of me, I am obligated to carry them out to perfection."After getting off work, Jonathan did not return to his house. Instead, he went to his grandfather's house, knowing Scarlett wouldn't be home anyway. For some reason, the idea of returning to an empty house without her filled him with dread.What he failed to anticipate was the lectures dealt by his grandfather the minute he s