Once he couldn’t keep it in anymore, his voice got louder, with a bit of a wronged tone.
“My stomach acts up… I can’t eat takeout.”
I finally looked up from my phone, irritation plain in my eyes.
“Then make something yourself. There are ingredients in the fridge. I’m worn out, can you stop fussing at me like some old woman?”
He froze, thrown off, the color in his face slowly fading.
I didn’t bother giving him another look.
I picked up clean clothes and walked straight into the bathroom.
When I came back out, two bowls of thick, strange-looking noodles waited on the table.
Chase had grown used to how I cared for him; his taste was picky to an extreme.
A bit too much salt or oil and he’d claim his stomach hurt.
For years, I simmered gentle broth for him every few days. I personally made all his meals, never missing one.
Yet he used my effort carelessly, carrying the dishes I made with effort to hand to Zaria or even dropping them off for the stray dogs near the hospital.
He turned into the generous “Brother Chase,” and Zaria became the “sweet angel.”
Only I ended up as the sad joke.
When he saw me walk out, Chase quickly stood, forcing his expression to soften.
“Astraea, I made noodles. Want to eat together?”
I shook my head. “I’m not hungry. You eat it. I’m going to rest.”
He blocked me at the bedroom doorway.
“I noticed the fever pills on the table. Are you running a fever?”
I avoided the hand he lifted to touch my forehead.
“It’s nothing serious. I already took medicine.”
Before, whenever I had the slightest discomfort, I would purposely mention it and act spoiled, just to get a bit more care from him.
Now I avoided his touch like it was something dangerous.
Chase stood stunned, a slow panic tightening in his chest.
He caught my hand.
“Yesterday… I spoke too harshly. Zaria had a hard childhood, you know. I just feel bad for her, so I look after her more. I only think of her as a younger sister….”
Before he finished, I cut him off in a calm, mild way, “I get it. Don’t worry. I was too hardheaded before. I won’t act like that anymore.”
My sudden composure caught him completely unprepared.
“That’s not what I’m trying to say. You’re my fiancée. If you don’t like me getting close to another woman, it just means you care. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
So he did know I hated seeing him close to other women. Yet he kept doing it.
I yawned, looking sleepy.
“Hmm, I understand. She’s your apprentice. It’s normal for you to look after her. I won’t bring it up again. I’m really sleepy. Can I rest now?”
He sighed and leaned in as if to hug me.
I tensed and instantly blocked the door.
“I’m truly tired now. Go sleep in the guest room.”
Avoiding his cold look, I shut the door.
For the first time in a long while, I slept well. When I woke up, Chase still hadn’t gone to work.
The table was full of breakfast.
Usually by this hour, he and Zaria would’ve already shared several morning selfies.
That was strange.
“Astraea, you’re up? Come try breakfast, I grabbed all your favorites.”
I sat down and was about to bite into the chicken, but suddenly recalled something and asked just to confirm. “This… I’m okay to eat this, right?”
His tall frame paused in an instant.
He obviously also recalled, a year earlier, Zaria had stomach trouble from cold drinks, so she wasn’t allowed greasy food.
I ate chicken next to her, and she instantly cried softly. “Astraea, you know my body is weak, and I can’t eat oily food… why did you tease me on purpose? Do you hate me that much?”
He remembered it clearly. And so did I.
