Thaddeus persistently shook his head and said, "Enjoy your meal. It's all for you." He struggled to come to terms with the flavor. He had already reached his limit for tolerating it without opening the windows or car doors. Getting him to eat it would be almost impossible.Jessamine let out a resigned sigh."Fine, but you're passing up something truly delicious."After she finished talking, she glanced over his right leg and observed some holes on the knee of his suit pants, as if they were caused by a sharp object piercing through. She then asked,"Does it hurt?"Thaddeus took a moment to realize that she was inquiring about his knee."It doesn't hurt."Following his response, he felt a sense of warmth within his heart.Thaddeus found himself inexplicably transforming into a lovesick young fool, resembling Jordan more and more with each passing day. Just a small gesture of concern from her would fill him with joy, causing him to savor the feeling for an extended period. "C
Thaddeus moved with speed, efficiently getting the beef brisket ready. After immersing it in cold water and blanching it, he then cooked it with the tomatoes in the stew pot. The way he cooked showed expertise and ease, as if he had made this dish numerous times. In the kitchen, he was occupied with various tasks, donning an apron, as Jessamine casually observed him from the countertop. After preparing the mash potatoes and prepping the greens, Thaddeus was ready for the beef brisket to finish cooking so he could stir-fry the vegetables and serve the meal. Once he washed his hands, he realized that Jessamine had been watching him attentively. "Jessie, are you hungry now?"Jessamine answered honestly,"I am not really hungry, but watching you cook is quite a pleasure."Thaddeus put his hands on his hips, looked at the apron he had on, and jokingly asked, "Interesting hobby you have there—a fascination with uniforms maybe?"Jessamine blushed slightly as he listened to his
"Have you checked and confirmed that it's a reputable and safe tour group?"Jordan assured confidently. "Mr. Holt, you can rest assured. This is a legitimate group. I found it through a trusted contact, so it's reliable.""When is the departure?""The day after tomorrow.""Handle the payment and paperwork. I'll send you the money.""Alright."It was now settled. Thaddeus believed it would be good for Heather to venture out and explore the world, enjoy the scenery, and capture some pictures. It would be preferable to prevent her from becoming irritable and causing problems at home due to her menopausal mood swings. The main reason was that he realized it was essential to help his sister change her perspective on the world. However, with the presence of Heather, all efforts would be fruitless.Jessamine grabbed a glass of water and settled next to Thaddeus on the couch. "Are you really planning to ask her to travel abroad?"Thaddeus smiled. "It may seem like I am being a cold-
However, what preoccupied Thaddeus' mind was that Jordan's wedding would be held in Zenville. He would have to go back if he wanted to attend it.Everyone finally had time off during the National Day holiday. He wanted to spend time with Jessamine and the kids. So, it would have been quite a dilemma if he couldn't be with her. Jessamine raised an eyebrow and inquired, "You were born and raised in Zenville. Even your home is in Zenville as well. Why can't you go back alone?"Thaddeus looked aggrieved. "The same goes for you. Why don't we go back together? We can stay at Jardin Estate." Jessamine snorted with laughter. "Mr. Holt, you're a bit clingy."Thaddeus didn't deny what she said. Now, he wanted to cling to Jessamine so that no one could drive him away from her.He pressed his forehead against hers and asked again, "Would you like to go back with me?"It was an event more than a month later. Jessamine didn't dare to guarantee she would have time for it now. After all, she
Thaddeus did well this time. The taste was pretty much as good as he had hoped for. He had mastered making the dish."Jessie, come sit here beside me," Thaddeus requested.Jessamine agreed and switched seats so that she and Thaddeus were sitting side by side.She helped herself to only one spoonful of mashed potatoes. She had already eaten two large pieces of jackfruit, so her calorie intake was over the limit. She needed to watch her figure."Is your knee still hurting?" Jessamine asked.Thaddeus had nearly forgotten about it until she brought it up. He had wanted her to take care of him on a whim earlier. But within a few minutes, he almost gave himself away.He stiffened his right leg and said, "It hurts a bit.""Do you have a first aid kit at home? Let me take a look. If there's a splinter that's gotten in, it needs to be extracted, and your wound must be disinfected. Otherwise, you might lose your leg," Jessamine said solemnly.Thaddeus raised an eyebrow and urged, "Let's
Jessamine tidied up the kitchen, took off her apron, and walked out of the kitchen."Where is your first aid kit? Let me take a look at your knee," she said.Thaddeus snapped back to reality. He admitted that he told the lie just to satisfy his own selfish desires and never expected her to take it so seriously."I haven't lived in this house for long and haven't prepared a first aid kit yet. Jessie, it's not a big deal. Come over here and rest for a bit," Thaddeus said."I'm not tired. Let me help you disinfect first," Jessamine said while rummaging through the cabinet in the living room. She found a box marked with a red cross and started examining it closely."Isn't this a first aid kit?"Thaddeus felt his throat tighten up. It did indeed require 100 lies to cover up one lie. "I forgot that I already had it at home."Jessamine didn't notice his discomfort and came over with the first aid kit. She reached out to roll up his pant leg after she reached the couch.Thaddeus couldn
Jessamine couldn't bring herself to lie to him. While she wanted to pretend to comfort him, she was also afraid that the truth would hurt his feelings.Jessamine remained silent.Thaddeus chuckled softly and lifted her onto his lap.What more could he possibly want? As long as she had him in her heart, that was enough for him. After reflecting on how he spent the past four years, he felt like a walking corpse. Being able to find her again and rebuild their relationship was already a stroke of incredible luck."Jessie, as long as you have me in your heart, that's enough. I'm not greedy, but I hope you are. You should want all of me, and have your heart filled only with thoughts of me. I want to give you everything; do you want to feel it?"He took her hand and placed it on his chest. He gazed at her intently. "Jessie…"Jessamine felt her eyes grow hot with tears and beneath her palm was his strong heartbeat. Each beat of his heart resonated against her palm and sent a warmth thr
Thaddeus looked at Thomas in a daze. He was momentarily unsure of what to say.Jessamine was sitting with her back to the door and didn't see Thomas standing there. She noticed Thaddeus' sudden emotional distancing. Frustrated, she hooked her hands around his neck, tilted her face up, and leaned in to kiss him again.Thaddeus froze for a moment, as he felt reluctant to evade her enthusiasm. Under Thomas' watchful eyes, he couldn't respond in any way, so he just stood there stiffly as she kissed him."What's wrong with you?" she asked.Jessamine noticed his absent-mindedness. He was the one who initiated the kiss, and now he was ignoring her. What was he doing?Thaddeus licked his lips and glanced toward the door again."Jessie, come down first," he said.Jessamine furrowed her brows slightly. She was evidently displeased with his attitude."Thaddeus, what do you mean? You were the one who just picked me up and put me on your lap. Is this how you act when you're trying to woo so