Chapter 3

While Dean was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck. He turned his head and met Shane's cold, beast-like gaze. Shivering fiercely, he dared not wander in his thoughts anymore, focusing solely on driving.

Fortunately, Shane only gave him a cold glance, warning him to drive properly, and quickly withdrew his gaze.

After getting out of the car, Shane took Haley into his residence. He fetched a clean set of clothes from the closet and handed them to her. "Go take a hot shower first. There aren't any women's clothes here, so you can wear mine for now."

"Okay," Haley's cheeks flushed slightly as she hurriedly took the clothes and entered the bathroom. She almost fled, too afraid to meet Shane's gaze and thus missed the fleeting smile in his eyes.

Haley spent a long time in the bathroom, leaning against the wall, letting the shower water wash over her. Being betrayed by James and Xena was something she had never expected, and marrying Shane was even beyond her wildest imagination. She felt that something was amiss, but her mind was a jumble, unable to sort out her thoughts.

Soon, steam filled the bathroom, reddening her fair, snow-like face. When she emerged from the bathroom, Shane was no longer in the bedroom. Descending the stairs, she found a tall figure bustling about in the kitchen.

The man was tall, clad in a white shirt and neatly tailored trousers, exuding extraordinary charisma. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing well-defined arms. He wore a dark blue apron that softened his cold and aloof demeanor, adding a touch of warmth.

Haley's eyes flashed with surprise. Could it be that Shane, a business tycoon, also cooked for himself?

What a gentle and domesticated man!

He perfectly matched her criteria for a partner from head to toe!

Suddenly, something crossed her mind, and Haley's admiring gaze turned into pity. She sighed silently in her heart.

How could such an outstanding man have hidden ailments?

What a pity!

Hearing footsteps, Shane paused and slowly turned around. His gaze fell upon Haley, and his eyes darkened slightly.

Her petite figure was enveloped by his white shirt, the hem barely covering her thighs, revealing a glimpse of slender and fair legs, straight and well-proportioned. In the light, they seemed dazzling.

Shane's eyes lingered on those pretty, slender legs for a moment, suddenly feeling a heat rise within him. He averted his gaze, his voice tightening slightly. "Go put on some pants."

Haley lowered her eyes and realized that dressing like this in front of an adult man was indeed a bit ambiguous. Her cheeks flushed in response.

She whispered, "Your pants are too big for me, I can't wear them."

Shane's expression turned cold as he went upstairs without looking back. If Haley had observed carefully, she would have noticed that his steps were somewhat disordered. But her cheeks were already as red as ripe shrimp, and she had no mind to observe Shane.

Not long after, Shane came downstairs with a black pair of trousers and a belt in hand. "Put these on," he instructed. Perhaps sensing his tone was a bit harsh, he added, "Be careful not to catch a cold."

Haley took the pants and went to the bathroom to change. With the constraint of the belt, she managed to put on the pants, though they were long and baggy, appearing quite bulky. She had to roll up the cuffs.

When she came out of the bathroom, she found Shane had already set a bowl of freshly made chicken noodle soup on the table. It was a comforting and savory bowl of soup, with tender noodles and garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

Haley was so shocked that she couldn't speak. She never expected Shane to actually cook. Though it was just a simple bowl of noodles, coming from Shane, it felt somehow out of place.

Seeing Shane heading to the kitchen to fetch utensils, she followed him voluntarily.

"Mr. Ford, do you need any help?" Upon hearing the term "Mr. Ford," Shane's body stiffened, and a hint of coldness almost overflowed from his eyes. He lowered his gaze, forcing himself to restrain his emotions, and hoarsely replied, "No need, just sit down and wait. I'll handle it myself."

Haley didn't insist further and obediently sat down at the table, waiting for the meal to begin. After experiencing so much this afternoon, she was indeed feeling a bit hungry.

Shane handed her the fork and spoon, then sat down opposite her. 'Dig in, just be careful, it's hot.'"

Haley immediately started eating, the fragrance of the noodles filling her taste buds. A warmth spread through her empty stomach. Perhaps even she hadn't noticed, but her wariness and guard against Shane were slowly diminishing.

As she ate, she raised her thumb towards Shane. "It's delicious, Mr. Ford. I didn't expect you to be such a great cook!"

The warm-toned light in the dining room shone on her, illuminating her delicate and fair cheeks, soft and beautiful. She lowered her gaze, her cheeks puffing up with each chew, her eyes squinting with happiness and contentment.

She looked so obedient that it made him want to ruffle her hair.

But he couldn't do that, or he might scare her away.

A skilled hunter should possess patience above all else, and that was one thing he definitely had... Patience.

His palm curled slightly, then he casually retracted it. Shane silently told himself that there was plenty of time ahead.

Haley was immersed in her food, completely unaware that she had become the lamb to be slaughtered, enjoying her meal with extra satisfaction. Halfway through, she noticed there was a poached egg at the bottom of the bowl.

She looked up at the man across from her, but saw him eating his noodles gracefully, his expression showing no sign of anything unusual.

Haley silently watched him eat until he finished his bowl of noodles, but there was no sign of the poached egg. So, was it specially made for her?

Haley's emotions suddenly became somewhat complicated. Previously, she always felt that Shane's gaze was too intense, so she always tried to avoid it whenever possible. Coupled with the rumors surrounding him in the outside world, she became even more afraid of him.

But now, it seemed like he wasn't that scary after all, and he was even very attentive and meticulous.

After finishing the meal, Shane got up to clean up the dishes. He glanced at a girl sitting in the chair, gently stroking her belly, her face filled with contentment, and a smile formed at the corner of his lips.

Haley quickly stood up from her chair, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "Mr. Ford, let me do it, I know how to wash dishes."

"No need, just leave it to me," Shane dodged her hand and walked straight to the kitchen.

Watching him skillfully turn on the faucet and start washing the dishes, Haley touched her nose, feeling like she would just be a hindrance if she went, so she sat back down.

Shane finished washing the dishes and came out of the kitchen, handing Haley a printed document.

Curiously, Haley took it and saw several large words written on it, "Marriage Agreement, Party A: Shane, Party B: Haley..."

She widened her eyes in surprise. "Mr. Ford, when did you write this?"

Meeting Haley's clear and bright eyes, Shane cleared his throat lightly. "On the way back."

Actually, when Haley went into the hotel to "catch the affair," his car was parked nearby, and that's when he started writing this marriage agreement.

But these were things he absolutely couldn't say out loud.