Chapter 11: Suspicion
When Mia's collagen-filled face appeared in front of James on the video call, his expression had already returned to normal. Looking at her, he said gently, "Did the housekeeper wake you up?"
"No, I woke up hungry."
Mia sneaked a glance behind him and saw his background - he was indeed in the office.
She instantly felt extremely guilty.
This video call under the perfect excuse was, at the end of the day, still her not trusting him.
She was used to being straightforward with him, and this was the first time doing something like this. Her eyes flickered, not daring to look directly at him.
She spoke quickly, "James, the housekeeper is about to cook. I wanted to ask if you've finished work? Do you want to come back for dinner?"
"Just finished."
As James spoke, he stubbed out the cigarette he'd only taken a few puffs of in the ashtray.
"I'm heading back now. If you're hungry, eat first." He picked up his jacket from the chair and walked out.
"I'll wait for you to eat together. The housekeeper just gave me a big bowl of soup and I drank it all, look."
Mia felt too guilty. To change the subject, she turned the camera toward the empty soup bowl, taking deep breaths continuously, adjusting her emotions, afraid he'd notice.
Little did she know, her face that couldn't hide anything had already betrayed her the moment the video call connected.
"Good girl."
The gentle praise rang in her ears, making Mia feel even more guilty.
She turned the camera back and watched James, who had already left the elevator and was opening the car door, speaking rapidly with instructions.
"I'm hanging up now. Drive slowly. I drank soup to fill my stomach, I'm not hungry, I can wait for you."
After James agreed, she quickly ended the call.
She tossed her phone carelessly onto the dining table, lowered her head in frustration, and pressed her forehead against the table.
Her hand kept tapping on the table surface as she muttered to herself, "Mia, oh Mia, what are you doing?"
"How could you doubt James? He's been with you for four years, when has he ever lied to you?"
"He's kept all his promises to you, yet here you are being paranoid for no reason. Do you want to take the same wrong path as your parents?"
"Mrs. Smith, what's wrong with you?"
The housekeeper had heard their conversation and knew James was coming back.
She opened the fridge to prepare two more dishes, then turned around to see Mia spacing out at the dining table and asked with amusement.
The childishness that Mia sometimes showed, spoiled by James, was really adorable.
"Nothing, nothing."
Mia lifted her head. Seeing the meat in the housekeeper's hand, a light bulb went off in her mind. With an excited expression, she got up and walked toward the kitchen.
She spoke enthusiastically, "Leave today's cooking to me."
James wasn't like her - he wasn't a typical foodie.
He wasn't particularly passionate about food, had no special favorites, and no dietary restrictions.
She was acting weird today and wanted to secretly make it up to James.
Before pregnancy, when she knew she was in the wrong, she would usually be obedient with James, endure the exhaustion and cooperate with him, let him have his fun as compensation.
But now with the baby, that method wouldn't work.
She could only - find another way.
One dish, she could do it!
She'd watched the housekeeper make it so many times, it was super simple.
Just one dish - she was so smart, how could she not handle it?
"Mrs. Smith—" The housekeeper looked at Mia, wanting to stop her.
From the moment she arrived here, James had instructed her to keep Mia away from the kitchen.
"Let's start." Mia took the apron and tied it on, rolling up the sleeves of her loungewear.
That confident look made the housekeeper wonder if James was just too protective of Mia, which was why he'd given her those instructions.
"Mrs. Smith, be careful of the oil splashing on you."
"Okay, I'll be careful."
Mia made an OK gesture to the housekeeper.
When the housekeeper turned around to prepare other ingredients, she confidently turned the lowest heat setting back to the highest, and without drying her washed hands, poured in the oil directly.
The water-soaked oil hit the scorching hot pan.
A few seconds later, a scream rang out in the kitchen—
The housekeeper was speechless.
Too hasty.
...
When James got home, four dishes were already on the table, and the housekeeper was making the last one.
Hearing the door open, Mia got up and went to the entrance, "James."
She went forward and hugged his waist, sneaking a glance toward the kitchen. Seeing the housekeeper focused on cooking, she stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.
At this unexpected bonus, James held her waist and was about to deepen the kiss.
Mia shyly buried herself in his arms.
Getting closer, she smelled the heavy cigarette smell on him. Disgusted, she pushed him away, "Quick, quick, quick, go upstairs and change. You reek of cigarettes, it smells awful."
"Okay." James responded in a low voice, following her push and walking forward, going upstairs.
When he came back down, he'd changed into loungewear.
Matching couple's outfit with Mia.
He went to wash his hands and walked toward the dining table. Passing by the kitchen, he smelled an obvious burnt smell that the housekeeper hadn't noticed. "Is the food burnt?"
As soon as he spoke, Mia, who had been sitting at the dining table with her face in her hands, smiling at him, instantly froze with an awkward expression.
"No, Mr. Smith." The housekeeper said, glancing at Mia without saying more.
Mia's ears turned red as she stood up, grabbed James, and pulled him over, pressing him down into a chair.
Seeing her expression and the housekeeper's glance just now, James smartly connected the dots. With a half-smile, he looked at her, "You went into the kitchen?"
Mia was speechless.
What kind of way was that to talk?
Could he speak properly!
What did he mean she went into the kitchen!
"I call that a momentary slip."
She argued defensively, "It must be a problem with the ingredients. That's why as soon as I put them in, they got burnt."
That's exactly what happened!
"Yes, I'll have someone report it to the industrial and commercial administration department on Monday." James went along with her seriously.
"...Haha." Mia immediately burst out laughing, falling into James's arms, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
The housekeeper in the kitchen, watching the happy couple, couldn't help but smile too.
This was probably what young people nowadays called marrying for love!
...
On a workday, James went to the company early in the morning, and Mia slept until she woke up naturally.
Opening her eyes, she lazily stretched and got out of bed, going to the vanity to get her phone and check the time.
The first thing she saw when she lit up her phone was a WhatsApp message on the home screen, from Alice.
Mia's eyes lit up instantly, immediately alert and awake. She dialed a call.
Alice was driving, arranged to come pick her up, and hung up the phone.
...
Twenty minutes later, Mia, who had just finished getting ready, received a message from Alice.
【Arriving in five minutes.】
She replied with a "got it" emoji, and went downstairs.
She greeted the housekeeper who was cleaning: "I'm meeting a good friend for lunch, no need to cook for me."
After giving her instructions, she happily went out.