Matthew knew Lucy could not see him over the phone. He looked down with a slightly sad expression.How could he sleep when his wife was in such a predicament?He was so worried for her that he could not sleep at all.Matthew sighed and massaged his temples. It was fortunate that Lucy had been sent out of the country and could not see the look on his face right now. It would have been so embarrassing for him.He tried his best to soften his tone. “How about figuring out a way to help me sleep, wifey? I really can’t sleep right now.”Lucy’s face turned red on the other end of the call. Why did it feel like Matthew had gotten more clingy after not seeing each other for a long time? She began thinking about this in a daze.“Why aren’t you able to sleep? Are you overworked? Do you need some light music to help you sleep, Matthew? You’ll fall asleep after listening to it.”Lucy tried to think about what would help her go to sleep and began making serious suggestions to Matthew.Matth
Matthew suddenly noticed Lucy shaking her head in the video, and a playful smile appeared on his face.Lucy looked like she was trying to shake something off her mind.Matthew looked at himself and realized that two of his buttons were undone on his shirt. It suddenly hit him what she was trying to shake off.He did not expect Lucy to develop this characteristic after she lost her memory.If this were before, she would have already been used to him looking like that and would never have blushed over this.It excited Matthew to discover this side of Lucy!Matthew stared suggestively at Lucy, which sent a chill down Lucy’s spine.“Close your eyes, Matthew.”Lucy thought indignantly, 'I’m trying to get him to go to sleep. I'm totally not trying to get him to stop staring at me that way.” Matthew sighed as he relented. He looked sadly at Lucy and closed his eyes obediently.He set up his phone to point at him by propping it up against the pillow before he closed his eyes. The ca
Lucy lingered a moment longer, watching Matthew's peaceful, sleeping face on the screen before ending the video call. The aroma wafting up from the kitchen reminded her that Cillian had dinner waiting downstairs.She descended the stairs to the first-floor lobby, which had been transformed into a cozy dining area by the mother and daughter. It was a welcoming space for their guests to enjoy their meals.As Lucy neared the table, her eyes widened at the sight of the spread before her. Cillian had downplayed his cooking plans, mentioning only ribs, potatoes, and soup. She did not expect that such simple home-cooked food would have its own flair when made by Cillian.The ribs were juicy and glossy due to the sauce, looking like utter perfection. They had an enticing aroma. There was also mashed potatoes on the table. Cillian had added some bacon to the potatoes, making the potatoes exceptionally flavorful. The mushroom soup was a far cry from the watery rendition one might find in
Lucy's coughing fit finally subsided as she accepted the water from Cillian. She downed it in one swift gulp. She then shot him a mock accusing glare. "This is all your fault. I wouldn't have choked if I hadn't been talking to you!"Looking at her playful stare, Cillian could not help but feel a tad sheepish. He averted his eyes.The rest of the dinner passed in peaceful silence, with both of them finishing their meal without further incident.After dinner, Lucy rose to clear the dishes, but Cillian stopped her. "Leave the dishes to me. You head upstairs, relax a bit, and maybe take a nap—whatever you like."Lucy touched her cheek, feeling a bit guilty. "I can't let you cook and clean. I'll be totally spoiled at this rate."With a resigned shake of his head, Cillian insisted, "You shouldn't be dealing with water and soap. That'll roughen your hands, and not even the best hand cream will be able to fix that."Lucy always marveled at how thoughtful Cillian was. He was the epitome o
Lucy did not dwell on it and happily trailed behind Little Milton, the little kitten who pranced about with the joy of newfound freedom. It basked in the cozy twilight.As she took in her surroundings, her satisfaction with the quaint guest house she had chosen grew. The place was a hidden gem, surrounded by lush scenery.Upon a second glance, the area was not just brimming with flowers but also boasted several small parks. There were enough neighbors around to make safety concerns a non-issue.However, just as she was patting herself on the back, Lucy abruptly retracted her mental compliment. What was she thinking? Her choice was far from perfect.From afar, she spotted a man who seemed to be bathed in a white halo.It might sound odd, but to put it simply, he was dressed in such a stark white that it seemed no other color dared to come close to him. That was Augustus, the very man Lucy had recently had a premonition about.Augustus' fashion choice today was bizarre, to say the
With a courteous nod, Lucy painted a clear picture for Augustus of what it meant to give a fake smile."Mr. Scruggs, is there something you wanted to talk about?"She inwardly groaned, praying not to get trapped in another pointless conversation like the one that morning. It had been filled with nonsensical chatter that dragged on forever.Cillian was at home waiting for her, and if she was late, he would surely start to worry—especially with how overprotective he had been lately.A headache began to form. She was not a child, after all. Regardless, she really did not feel like speaking to the man before her.Oblivious to Lucy's discomfort, Augustus cheerfully asked, "I actually have a matter to discuss. Also, I was wondering if you might come over to my place?"Alarm bells rang in Lucy's head. What was he implying? Inviting a near-stranger to his home… Were Charleston folks always so welcoming?That could not be right. She had heard that Charleston locals were known for being a
Lucy had reluctantly given her number to Augustus. Right after that, she found herself in a foul mood. Staring blankly at Augustus' number in her call history, she resolved to change her number as soon as she got back.Clutching the kitten, Lucy walked into the guest house where she was staying. The scowl on her face startled, Cillian. He asked gently, "What's troubling you? You look really upset."Lucy just shook her head and let out a weary sigh. She did not want to burden Cillian with her troubles, so she kept quiet.However, her obvious distress was exactly what worried Cillian. If he knew what was bothering her, he could handle it. However, her silence only made his imagination run wild."Lucy, please, I'm seriously worried about you," Cillian implored.Lucy's frown deepened as she stubbornly shook her head once more. It was just some creep who had gotten her number. She would change it soon enough, and then it would be fine.Cillian was at a loss watching Lucy's defiant sta
With no answer from Matthew, Lucy resorted to leaving a voicemail."Hey Matthew, it's Lucy. I'm about to switch my phone number. I'll call you again tomorrow at the same time. Keep an eye out for a new number, okay?" she said.With the message left, she ended the call. She felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.…Meanwhile, a stone's throw from Lucy's guest home, Augustus was practically skipping back to his mansion. He could not wait to show Theodore his latest find. "Guess what I've got," he beamed, holding up his phone.Theodore, distracted from his reading, eyed the phone with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "What's that? Not another lady friend of yours, I hope? Just so you know, I'm not interested in your conquests."Augustus' smile was stuck on his face, awkward and stiff. He had jumped through hoops and even begged to get the contact info Theodore had asked for. This was the thanks he got? He let the fake grin drop and slowly pocketed his phone, s