Chapter 46 Unexpected Connections

Chapter 46 Unexpected Connections

Today Emily wore a simple black cotton t-shirt paired with cream-colored wide-leg pants. Her satin-like long hair was tied in a ponytail that draped elegantly at her side, giving her a look that was both professional and gentle.

Watching her carefully iron his shirts, Morris was suddenly struck by an odd notion, like the lady of the house. The thought startled him, and he quickly turned his attention back to the television. Still, his eyes kept involuntarily drifting back toward Emily.

After finishing the ironing, Emily methodically hung each shirt in the closet. Throughout this entire process, Morris's gaze followed her movements. Fortunately, Emily was so absorbed in her household duties that she remained completely unaware of his attention.

Once everything was tidied up, Emily dusted her hands with satisfaction. The clean, organized villa filled her with a sense of accomplishment.

"Mr. Anderson, what would you like for dinner?" she asked, turning toward Morris.

He cleared his throat and quickly averted his gaze. "Anything is fine. You decide."

Emily nodded. "Then I'll need to go to the grocery store to pick up some ingredients."

Since it was a holiday weekend and no one had been home for several days, they had temporarily suspended their regular food delivery service.

"I'll come with you," Morris said, rising to follow her.

When Emily looked as if she might object, he added, "I might see something I want to eat."

"Alright then," Emily conceded, unable to refuse after his explanation.

At the supermarket, Emily immediately spotted a beautiful cut of prime beef.

"This beef looks perfect—well-marbled with excellent color," she said excitedly. "Mr. Anderson, how about I make beef Wellington tonight?"

Morris examined the beef, unable to see what made it so special. However, the genuine enthusiasm lighting up Emily's eyes was undeniably charming, making it impossible to refuse her request.

"Beef Wellington sounds good," he agreed.

"Wonderful!" Emily happily placed the beef in their shopping cart.

They continued shopping, picking up mushrooms, puff pastry, and other ingredients needed for the dish. As they were heading toward the checkout, they passed through the fruit section.

A middle-aged woman approached them. "Ma'am, we just received a shipment of fresh durians. Would you like to buy one? Members get a ten percent discount today."

Emily politely declined. "No thank you."

Though she loved durian, she had noticed that Morris disliked strong-smelling foods, so she never prepared dishes with overpowering aromas. The thought of eating something as pungent as durian in Morris's home hadn't even crossed her mind.

The saleswoman, however, wasn't ready to give up. She had carefully observed the pair and noticed they never checked price tags before adding items to their cart. These exotic durians at $299 per pound would be perfect for such well-heeled customers.

"Ma'am, please take a look. These just arrived today—they're perfectly ripe with abundant flesh and small seeds. You won't regret buying one!" she persisted.

"No, really," Emily stepped aside. "I don't need any. Perhaps you could ask someone else."

Seeing Emily wouldn't budge, the saleswoman turned her attention to Morris. "Sir, why don't you buy a durian for your girlfriend? Women absolutely love durians."

"We're not a couple," Emily quickly clarified.

This correction made Morris frown slightly as he looked at the spiky fruits on display.

He had always kept his distance from these particularly pungent fruits, but hearing the saleswoman's words, he couldn't help asking Emily, "Do you like them?"

Emily felt awkward—answering either way seemed strange in this situation. But seeing Morris's earnest expression, she stiffly nodded.

Encouraged, the saleswoman continued, "And durians have so many benefits for women! They're great for skin health, boost immunity, and even help with menstrual cramps. Don't hesitate, sir—get one for your girlfriend."

Emily blushed and clarified again. "I'm not his girlfriend."

The saleswoman ignored her protest completely, and Morris's focus was elsewhere.

"It really helps with menstrual cramps?" he asked.

The saleswoman nodded with conviction. "Absolutely. Durian improves blood circulation, which helps ease menstrual pain. I'm not making this up—you can verify it online if you'd like."

After hearing this, Morris nodded decisively. "We'll take one. Please select the best one."

"Mr. Anderson, you really don't have to—" Emily protested.

But the saleswoman had already swiftly grabbed the largest durian, weighed it, packaged it carefully, and placed it in Morris's shopping cart, then flashed Emily a professional smile.

"Enjoy, Ma'am. Come back if you like it!"

The durian cost nearly two thousand dollars—a luxury Emily had never allowed herself.

Back in the car, the distinct aroma of durian filled the interior. Morris pulled out a couple of tissues to cover his nose, which nearly made Emily laugh out loud.

"Mr. Anderson, please deduct the cost of the durian from my salary," she offered.

Although Morris had insisted on buying it, Emily knew he was persuaded by the saleswoman's claim about menstrual cramps. Since the purchase was ultimately for her benefit, she felt it was only right that she should pay.

She understood the principle, but she couldn't help feeling pained about the money. Normally, spending one or two hundred dollars on a durian would require careful consideration. Today's fruit had cost nearly two thousand dollars—enough to buy ten regular ones!

With this thought, Emily gave Morris a slightly discontented glance.

Sensing the displeasure from the passenger seat, Morris smiled. "Don't worry about it. Consider it your overtime pay. You came back to work during your holiday, so you deserve some perks. It's only fair."

Hearing this, Emily felt even more pained.

If only it could be converted to actual cash instead!

Back home, Emily began preparing the beef Wellington. First, she needed to sear the beef perfectly. As she worked, she kept sighing, which made Morris laugh uncontrollably—he found her increasingly endearing.

When the filling was ready, Morris approached. "Emily, I've never made beef Wellington before. Will you teach me?"

"Of course," Emily readily agreed. "First, take the puff pastry and lay it out flat. Then place a thin layer of the mushroom mixture... now the beef goes here... not too much... then fold it like this and like that..."

Under Emily's guidance, Morris completed his first-ever beef Wellington, perspiring slightly from concentration.

"You're amazing, Mr. Anderson. You learned so quickly!" Emily applauded, offering genuine praise.

Morris lifted his chin proudly. "It's just beef Wellington—piece of cake."

At that moment, Emily noticed a bit of flour on his chin. Without thinking, she reached out to wipe it off. Morris, confused by her gesture, caught her hand.

Their eyes met and their breaths mingled as they both froze in the moment.