One Hundred and ninety eight

CHAPTER 198

Nicholas got up from the sofa and looked around. Alicia wasn't there, and quietly, Nicholas immediately looked for her in the kitchen. The girl was cooking soup, and as she tasted it, Alicia seemed to be enjoying herself.

"What are you doing, darling?"

Alicia spit out the soup she was trying with a spoon, her tongue seemed to burn in surprise and she struggled in pain.

Nicholas, who saw the incident, immediately ran over to Alicia and handed her a glass of water. "Drink this!"

And Alicia drank the water given by Nicholas without comment. She drank it to relieve the burning sensation on the tip of her tongue. Alicia opened her mouth, putting her tongue out to be exposed to the cold air from outside.

"Are you okay?"

Alicia nodded her head. "You shouldn't surprise me, Nick."

But Nicholas frowned in confusion. He leaned his back against the table, then crossed his arms in front of his chest. One eyebrow raised, and he said, "What are you surprised about? Are you surprised that I showed up out of the blue, or are you surprised that I called you 'darling'?

A red tinge appeared on Alicia's cheeks. She hurriedly turned her face the other way out of embarrassment. Alicia felt something in her stomach, and it felt tingly. She deliberately turned her back on Nicholas because she couldn't help the smile on her lips. "You're weird, Nick."

"Weird?" A smirk appeared on Nicholas' lips. The man chuckled and grabbed Alicia's hips, then both his hands hugged Alicia from behind. "My beautiful girl seems to be misbehaving and shy. You know you're adorable when your cheeks are flushed, right?"

"My cheeks don't blush!"

Nicholas tilted his head, trying to see Alicia's face, but the girl avoided him by pretending to pick up a spoon.

"Hey, come on, I want to see your cute face." Nicholas tried to look at Alicia's face, but Alicia kept turning her body around, avoiding Nicholas who was teasing her.

"No, Nick. My cheeks aren't red just so you know."

"Let me see it," Nicholas teased while holding Alicia's hand.

Alicia couldn't help herself and looked at Nicholas. They were now face to face, and Alicia's cheeks were completely flushed. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Your cheeks are really flushed, Alicia, and I love it," Nicholas whispered seductively. He smiled, and it made Alicia even more unable to contain the expression on her face.

The girl removed Nicholas' hands from her body, she took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest. One eyebrow rose as her lips broke into a wide smile. "Isn't it a little early to be teasing me, Nick?"

"I'm not flirting with you, I'm just calling you 'sweetheart' you know."

"Stop calling me that, um?" pleaded Alicia, her face still as red as a boiled shrimp. "You know I'm busy here, look, the soup is done and you made me try the hot soup. It burned my tongue."

"Should I treat your tongue too?"

Alicia laughed, then hit Nicholas lightly on the shoulder. "Stop it, you pervert!"

The girl turned off the stove, then she took a slightly large bowl and prepared the soup in it. Nicholas' forehead observed that the soup in the bowl was not for him because when Nicholas took the spoon to taste, Alicia forbade him.

"This is for Mrs. Thompson," Alicia informed him. "I'm going to check on her, it's too cold outside and she has a son to take care of. Especially after yesterday's incident, I want to know if she's okay after the accident."

Nicholas' face turned serious. He nodded in agreement, then said, "Can I come with you? I want to know how she is too."

"Sure."

"Alright, I'll clean my face first," Nicholas said.

"I'll wait in the living room, I need to put some celery on the soup first."

"Sure."

Nicholas and Alicia put on warm coats and scarves, ready for the cold winter morning. As they stepped outside, the snow-covered landscape created a serene backdrop under the dim streetlights. They walked side by side, the rustle of snow under their boots echoing in the quiet neighborhood.

As they approached Mrs. Thompson's house, a sense of worry hung in the air. Yesterday's events had left their mark on everyone. Nicholas glanced at Alicia, who seemed dreamy, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

When they reached the door, Alicia hesitated before knocking gently. Mrs. Thompson opened the door, her tired eyes reflecting the lingering worry from the accident. The aroma of soup wafted from Alicia's hands, providing a cozy contrast to the cold air outside.

"Mrs. Thompson, we brought you some soup," Alicia said, handing her a bowl. "How are you feeling?"

A faint smile graced Mrs. Thompson's face as she accepted the kindness. "Oh, God bless you both. I appreciate your concern. Come in, come in."

The three sat in the cozy living room, the warmth from the fireplace creating a welcoming atmosphere. Mrs. Thompson, wrapped in a blanket, sipped soup while Nicholas and Alicia exchanged glances.

As the conversation progressed, Mrs. Thompson began to open up about her son's health and the challenges they faced. Nicholas and Alicia listened attentively, their empathy connecting them to her struggles.

"It was a bad experience, but I couldn't figure out who the man in the car was," Mrs. Thompson said. She looked at her two guests in turn. Smiling, Mrs. Thompson continued, "Did you find any clues about the accident, did any of the neighbors recognize the man?"

Nicholas cleared his throat, an uncomfortable look in his brown eyes. He then explained, "I've checked some CCTV cameras that the neighbors have, and the dashboard cameras in some of the cars parked outside, but none of them captured the license plate. I'm having trouble identifying the owner of the car without specific features. I'm sorry, Mrs. Thompson."

Mrs. Thompson waved her hand in the air, then smiled and said, "You don't have to worry. I'm just curious, you don't need to do any more investigating, it would be a waste of time."

Alicia and Nicholas exchanged guilty glances.