Chapter 5: Harmony relationship

After Finn had gone upstairs in a cold manner, Annie had no choice but to follow him, keeping a safe distance to avoid making him feel uncomfortable. Back in her room, Annie slowly began to tidy up her belongings, neatly stowing them away in the drawers. Since she had brought very few possessions, Annie quickly completed the task.

Annie wasn't accustomed to idleness, so after sitting around for a while, she decided to go downstairs to find Keelin, who was busy in the kitchen.

"Hi, can I help you with anything?" 

Annie asked with a hint of boredom in her voice. Keelin had heard of Sofia's reputation as a haughty and disdainful fiancée, even going so far as to pour wine over the head of the maid in her home just because the food wasn't to her liking. Therefore, Keelin was initially wary when Annie approached. However, Annie's demeanor and warm smile quickly dispelled any reservations.

"Don't worry; I just want to help you prepare dinner. May I join in?" Annie spoke sincerely, her face radiating purity and sincerity. Keelin, impressed by Annie's willingness, nodded in agreement. She gently asked Annie to prepare a truffle mushroom dish for dinner, and Annie eagerly got to work, surprising Keelin with her efficiency.

The initial impression of a snobbish heiress quickly dissolved, and in no time, Keelin found the rumors about Sofia were unwarranted. The atmosphere soon became harmonious, as Annie's previous experience working as a sous chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant allowed her to prepare even the most luxurious dishes in an easy way. Keelin couldn't help but praise the exquisite meals Annie was preparing.

"Is this dinner for Finn? Let me take it upstairs for you." 

Understanding Keelin's intent, Annie took the initiative to bring the meal to Finn. She believed that approaching Finn slowly and cautiously could reduce his aversion to her, so she eagerly seized every opportunity to get closer to him.

"Sure, thank you," Keelin replied.

Annie carefully carried the tray of exquisite dishes upstairs and politely knocked on Finn's door.

"Finn, may I come in? I've brought dinner for you."

Finn, who had been sitting by the window, lost in thought, heard Annie's voice. His expression revealed his impatience, but he responded with a chilly "If you have no objections, then come in."

Annie gently pushed the door open and entered. Finn's room was minimalist, predominantly black and white, with everything neatly organized. Finn was sitting at a small table near the window, his face slightly downturned, making it hard for Annie to read his emotions.

She placed the tray on the small table, her voice soft as she explained.

"I've placed the food in front of you, and you can reach out to get it. If you don't mind, I can even lend you a hand to locate the position of the food," Annie said.

The more Finn listened, the more he felt that Annie was hypocritical, harboring a deep disdain for a blind person like him. But he had to maintain an appearance of gentleness. In just a few encounters, Finn realizes that his fiancée wasn't the type of person Annie pretended to be, and what he despises the most is the deception.

"Step aside. From now on, you won't have to bring food here; Keelin will handle that."

Since unintentionally losing his sight, Finn has become incredibly sensitive to how people treat him. Previously, there were many maids and even a personal butler in his apartment, but he had let them all go and retained Keelin, who had been helping with household chores and cooking for Finn since his birth.

Finn didn't want anyone else coming to live here, disrupting his life, or witnessing his struggles, leading to feelings of pity or disgust. So, Annie's presence in the house left him really dissatisfied.

Furthermore, what Annie is doing seems like she is pitying Finn's situation, and he detests people who pitied him at this point in his life.

Not discouraged by the rejection, Annie spoke softly, "It's okay. I have some free time, so I'm helping Keelin a bit. Why don't you try the food to see if it suits your taste? Today, I've prepared some nutritious dishes for your health."

Annie's gentle and unaffected manner was unfazed by Finn's coldness, which made him feel like he was punching a cushion. He gritted his teeth and continued speaking.

"I've already said it; there's no need to pity me. Don't pretend to be kind in front of me; this makes me nauseating."

Annie acted as if she hadn't heard, continuing to advise.

"Alright, go ahead and eat to keep it warm. In a little while, the food will no longer be as delicious when it's cold."

Annie's stubbornness succeeded in infuriating Finn. He furrowed his brow and angrily knocked the food off the table, creating a jarring and headache-inducing sound.

"Are you deaf, or do you not understand human language? I already said, Stay away from me. I don't need your care or cooking; it's unnecessary."

Finn's actions also frightened Annie, and her gaze became concerned. Annie tried to remain calm, silently cleaning up the mess on the floor, not saying anything further.

Though Finn couldn't see, he heard the sound of porcelain clinking as Annie bent down to clean up, and he coldly added, "You don't need to pretend to be diligent here; just let Keelin handle everything. You can leave now."

Annie bit her lip, quickly cleared away the broken pieces into a tray, and then left Finn's room. In front of Keelin, who was waiting outside with a surprised expression, she shook her head slightly to signal that everything was fine and asked Keelin to prepare a fresh meal for Finn and bring it in.

"Also, bring in a tube of burn cream. When I knocked over the soup bowl, Finn got a slight burn on his hand."

Annie's voice remained soothing and pleasant, as she had long grown accustomed to incidents like this. When working as a restaurant server, she had been splashed with hot liquid and even slapped in the face by customers when they were dissatisfied with her attitude.

Keelin sighed, patted Annie's shoulder in consolation, and then carried another lunch tray upstairs. When Keelin knocked on Finn's door and was allowed to enter, she heard Finn's low, impatient voice.