Geoffrey eyed his reddened hand, thinking cooking wasn’t so hard…
He didn’t know why he’d suddenly gotten up to cook. Maybe guilt over last night’s harsh words.
Maureen entered the dining room, froze at the sight of Seafood Chowder, and didn’t touch her spoon.
Thinking it tasted bad, Geoffrey pulled out a chair, took a sip–plain but edible.
“If you don’t want it, toss it.”
After speaking, he sipped his congee without another word, yet his gaze remained fixed on Maureen’s face.
Maureen picked up her spoon, scooped some congee, and softly murmured, “First time anyone’s made me seafood congee.”
Geoffrey missed the weight behind her words.
“Eat more.”
Maureen took a bite, then asked, “We’ve known each other about 17 years now, right?”
Geoffrey never kept track of such things.
“Yeah, over a decade.”
Maureen slowly fed herself spoonful after spoonful, whispering almost inaudibly, “…How foolish I was.”
Geoffrey didn’t catch it. “What did you say?”
“I said it’s delicious.”
“You always cook fish. This was my first try,”
Geoffrey replied.
Maureen finished the entire bowl.
“Are you full?
If not, I’ll ladle more.”
Geoffrey stood to serve more, but Maureen stayed silent.
He looked back at her–red splotches now covered her neck and hands.
“What happened?”
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His eyes narrowed sharply.
“I’m allergic to seafood,”
Maureen met his gaze, gently said.
Sevent years of knowing each other, three years of marriage, and he’d never known.
Geoffrey’s mind reeled. He swept her into his arms, rushed her to the car, and sped toward the hospital.
En route, he snapped, “You’re insane?
Allergic and didn’t tell me?”
“I told you, maybe you forgot.”
Maureen had indeed told him.
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Back then, she was still in high school, when they went to the Sutton Family’s old mansion for holiday celebrations.
Geoffrey noticed she hadn’t eaten enough at the banquet, so he secretly took her out for good food.
Right then, she told him she couldn’t eat seafood because she was allergic.
Maureen remembered clearly how he said: “I’ve noted it down, I’ll never forget.”
But Geoffrey couldn’t recall her ever mentioning seafood allergies.
He only remembered how Maureen always prepared seafood dishes whenever he came home.
He naturally assumed she loved it too.
As if reading his mind, Maureen added: “I used to cook fish for you often, not because I liked it, but because you did.”
Geoffrey’s chest tightened even more.
The road to the hospital seemed to stretch endlessly.
“You didn’t need to do this.”
After a long silence, Geoffrey spoke.
Only then did Maureen realize her years of devotion earned just these words: “You didn’t need to do this.”
How foolish her past self had been.
“I understand now, I’ll never do it again.”
Never again would she show kindness to someone incapable of loving her.
That afternoon, Katherine rushed over upon hearing Maureen was hospitalized.
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Geoffrey wasn’t there.
Seeing Maureen covered in red spots, her heart ached.
“How could you be so foolish?
Why eat something you can’t have?”
Maureen reassured her: “Don’t worry, I’ve had check–ups before. The allergy isn’t life–threatening.”
“You’re talking nonsense! I know severe seafood allergies can kill!
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If you pull this again, I’ll…” Katherine trailed off, struggling for a threat before blurting, “I’ll make myself allergic too.”
Maureen couldn’t help but laugh.
“Silly, I’m not lying.
My symptoms just look dramatic, really not dangerous.”
“With Ethan and Jacob to care for, why would I gamble with my life?”
Katherine frowned: “Then why torture yourself?”
“Geoffrey never trusts me. He despises me. I needed him to lower his guard.”
He always stopped at the final moment.
“Only this clumsy idea came to mind–making him feel guilty.”
“I was too foolish before, hiding everything. Letting him believe I lived contentedly by his side… letting him think I clung to his status.”
Now, I want him to know how much grievance I’ve endured by his side.”
This was also why she restrained her anger yesterday upon hearing Geoffrey say those things to another woman.
“This is also why I still need to return the money Noelle and Adrian swindled from him.”
Maureen knew her little schemes were never a match for Geoffrey.
Rather than that, she’d disguise herself as before–the only difference being she’d make Geoffrey clearly see her kind- ness toward him versus his cruelty toward her.
Katherine understood.
“Reenie, you’re pushing yourself too hard like this.”
“You absolutely mustn’t let Jacob know about today’s matter–he’d worry.”
Maureen reminded.
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“Yeah, don’t worry.”
Maureen noticed it was getting late and asked Katherine to leave first.
As Katherine stepped out, she collided head–on with Geoffrey approaching.
Geoffrey stood tall with sharp, chiseled features, radiating aristocratic elegance.
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Katherine had seen Geoffrey in news reports before, but meeting him in person made her realize why Jacob turned out so extraordinary.
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