Chapter 7-

Lucius, unperturbed, responded, “Mm-hmm.”

Isabella finally couldn't contain the overwhelming urge to punch him. She raised her small fists threateningly in front of him.

Lucius, seeing the small, fair fists, blinked and coolly refused, “Arm-wrestle with me? No way, I’m still injured.”

This statement reminded Isabella: was he deliberately provoking her to make her fall into a trap? If she accidentally hurt him more, he’d have an even better excuse to stick around.

Catching herself just in time, Isabella grinned and continued shaking her fists, “Keep trying, you’ll remember eventually.”

But she couldn't let him get away with everything. Smiling sweetly, she said, “You need a name. Since you can’t remember your past, I can’t just call you ‘hey,’ right?”

After thinking for a moment, she suggested cheerfully, “I found you at the entrance of my house, so how about we call you Mucky?”

Lucius’s face darkened, “Mucky?”

He caught on quickly. Isabella stifled her laughter and switched tactics, “If you don’t want it, we could use Muddy. Muddy sounds nice too.”

Lucius gave her a disdainful look, “You’re not very creative.” He tapped his finger on a newspaper on the table, “I think this name sounds powerful and imposing.”

Isabella stretched her neck to see. It was an old newspaper, and his finger was pointing at a name in a headline: Lucius Knight.

Isabella stuck out her tongue and asked in surprise, “You want to use that name?”

Lucius calmly nodded.

Isabella was taken aback, “Are you crazy? That’s a huge name to take on. Do you know who Lucius Knight is? He’s the boss of the Knights business empire, an emperor-like figure. Aren’t you afraid of offending the Knights by using his name?”

Lucius smiled subtly, “You think I have good taste too. It’s a great name. So that’s settled.”

Isabella was speechless. When had she ever praised him? Was this like talking to a brick wall?

She gave up arguing. Let him be. If the Knights came after him for having the same name, he’d regret it.

Seeing her silence, Lucius prodded her, “Bella, I’m hungry.”

Isabella snapped out of her thoughts. Seeing how naturally he ordered her around, she retorted, "Why don't you cook something light for yourself?"

Heh, he really thought she was his cook.

In fact, even if he hadn't asked, she had already been planning to make lunch. They had been busy all day yesterday, and with him having lost a lot of blood, he needed nourishment to recover quickly. The sooner he regained his health, the sooner she could send him home.

But she really didn’t like being bossed around. Why did it feel like she owed him something for saving him?

Isabella wrinkled her nose and pouted, ready to retort when she heard noises from the kitchen. She opened the door and was stunned by the lively scene: live chickens, fish, shrimp, and crabs were all moving around. Fresh vegetables still had dewdrops on them.

Lucius leaned lazily against the door frame. Even in simple sportswear, his outstanding looks and physique made every casual movement look like a photoshoot.

With a warm smile and a magnetic voice, he said, “These fresh ingredients were just delivered. All-natural, green, and pollution-free. Use them to cook, and make sure it’s tender and tasty.”

Isabella’s jaw dropped.

Suddenly, she remembered a pressing question. Turning stiffly, she asked, “Where did you get the money to buy these? And where did your clothes come from?”

Lucius, thinking her reaction was exaggerated, answered, “I used your mobile payment app. The delivery was fast, just in time for lunch.”

Isabella’s face twitched. Using her money?

With so many ingredients, it was like moving an entire farm. And his clothes, though brandless, were clearly high-end.

How much did this all cost?

She quickly checked her account balance, and sure enough, it showed: ‘Balance: 0.’

Isabella felt as if she’d been struck by lightning. With no source of income after being kicked out, how was she supposed to survive?

“What’s wrong, Bella?” Lucius, seeing her shocked expression, asked innocently, “I could hear your stomach growling. You shouldn’t starve yourself, go cook.”

Isabella looked up, her eyes flashing with anger, “Who allowed you to use my payment app?”

Lucius replied matter-of-factly, "You're hungry, so naturally we need to buy ingredients and cook. Plus, it's not like I can go around without clothes, right? So, obviously, we need to shop for clothes."

Isabella was left speechless, her fists clenched in frustration, trembling with anger.

Completely oblivious to Isabella's simmering rage, Lucius cheerfully urged her, "Let's get cooking, shall we?"

Isabella's anger churned in her stomach. She really felt like giving him a good beating. But what if she couldn't control her strength and ended up seriously hurting him again?

Since he was already capable of going out for a stroll, he should be able to fend for himself and prepare a meal.

With gritted teeth, she locked eyes with him, her breaths coming in heavy. Abruptly, she clutched her forehead and staggered towards the bedroom, groaning, "I'm feeling dizzy, can barely stand. Must be from last night, looking after you. I feel awful, just awful."

With that, she collapsed onto the bed, looking utterly drained, weakly suggesting, "Maybe you should cook for yourself."

Lucius was taken aback. "Me? Cook?"

Though he was quite the eater, cooking was a whole different ball game. For him, cooking was as daunting as reaching for the stars.

Isabella weakly waved her hand, her voice feeble, "You managed to go out for a walk, so cooking shouldn't be a problem."

With that, she ‘fainted.’

Lucius sighed. This woman sure was quick to pick up on things.

Though her fainting act was a tad dramatic, the exhaustion etched on her face couldn't be hidden, evoking a twinge of sympathy.

Straightening up, Lucius said, "Alright, I'll handle it."

Isabella sneakily cracked open her eyes to peek at the closed kitchen door, quietly cheering to herself, feeling a sense of relief and satisfaction.

She lay back on the bed, feeling refreshed, watching TV dramas until the clamor from the kitchen overpowered the show.

Thud... bang... clang... clatter...

Isabella couldn't take it anymore. Was he tearing apart her kitchen?

***