Chapter 123 The Feeling of Panic
She didn't stop, silently calculating the time. It had to be almost ten o'clock by now.
He came back so late, but she had no right to question him. Thinking about it made her feel uneasy.
Her eyes grew slightly moist; it had been a long time since she felt like crying.
Suddenly, everything went dark as someone covered her eyes. In the kitchen filled with the aroma of cooking, the faint scent of cologne quickly surrounded her. Remembering the food still on the stove, she whispered, "Jack, let go, the food's almost ready."
He let go and then naturally wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, like a husband embracing his wife. She had been so focused on cooking that she hadn't noticed his arrival.
Curious, he asked, "How did you know it was me?" She wanted to say it was the cologne that gave him away but thought better of it and replied, "Do you even need to ask? This is your apartment. Who else could come in?"
Jack playfully turned his head, looking at her sweaty face from cooking, like a child asking for candy, "Is that really the reason?"
She glanced up at him. Despite the smile on his handsome face, there was a hint of fatigue in his eyes.
That trace of weariness tugged at her heart, reminding her of the call he received that afternoon. Maybe Aimée was in trouble again. The thought made her uneasy. If Aimée's child really had problems, would Jack start to resent her again like before?
The next three months would be tough if that happened.
"Of course, it's true." She quickly answered, putting down the spatula and wiping her hands on her apron, pushing Jack towards the living room. "Go wait in the living room. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes."
"Alright, I'll wait in the living room. I wasn't hungry, but the smell in here is making me starve."
It sounded like he hadn't eaten out. Hearing this, her mood instantly improved. As she heard him leave the kitchen and close the door, she sped up her cooking, quickly finishing the last dish.
Although the food tasted similar to before, her cooking skills had improved significantly. She felt a bit anxious, hoping he wouldn't notice anything different, as these dishes were new recipes she hadn't made in the past three months.
She brought the dishes to the dining table one by one, and he came over from the living room, casually sitting down at the dining chair, sniffing each dish and muttering, "Smells amazing!" He looked relaxed.
"You start eating first." She smiled, letting him start while she went back to the kitchen to get the soup.
When she returned with the soup, he was already serving rice, one bowl after another, first for her, then for himself.
"Why are you just standing there? Am I that good-looking?" He looked up at her with a playful smile.
Alison blushed, quickly setting down the soup bowl and picking up a ladle to serve him some soup. "Jack, have some soup first. It's good for you."
The soup was delicious.
Surprisingly, he obediently drank the soup, finishing it in a few gulps before starting on the rice.
The dining room was quiet, with only the sound of the TV in the living room adding some life to the apartment.
He ate quickly, seemingly very hungry. She wanted to remind him to eat slowly, as it wasn't good for his stomach, but she held back.
Their relationship now could only be described as "unusual." She still couldn't face him as calmly as his other women did.
Every time she was with him, her heart would race uncontrollably, like she was dreaming.
In no time, he had finished several bowls of rice, while she had barely eaten anything.
"Why are you eating so slowly? Want me to feed you?" he suddenly broke the silence, scooping a spoonful and bringing it to her mouth.
She leaned back, feeling a bit awkward. "Jack, I can eat by myself."
"What, you don't like it?" His intense gaze locked onto her face, as if searching for an answer.
"No... it's not that..." Her mind was a mess, unsure of what role to play to match his. It was really difficult.
Her heart raced again, and his spoon stubbornly moved forward, pressing against her lips. "Eat up. You're too skinny, all bones."
The warm spoon was right at her lips. Seeing his determined eyes, she had no choice but to open her mouth and eat.
"Have some fish too. It's well-seasoned and tastes great. I didn't expect you to be such a good cook." He picked up a piece of fish and brought it to her mouth, seemingly intent on feeding her the whole meal.
"Hey, I'm not a child. I have hands and feet; I can eat by myself." She felt a bit annoyed. He reminded her of his old self, sometimes sweet enough to make her feel like she was dreaming, but in the next moment, he could throw her into despair.
"Alright, finish this bowl and then another, or you can't go home tonight." He finished eating but didn't leave the table, comfortably leaning back in his chair, watching her eat.
His gaze made her eat faster, wanting to finish quickly. Being stared at like this made her feel uneasy.
The two bowls of rice were soon empty. She got up to clear the table, but he reached across and grabbed her hand. "Leave it. Someone will clean up tomorrow."
His touch made her shiver. In a daze, he held her hand, leading her around the table to stand in front of him. He bent down, his face close to hers, so close that Alison's heart raced even faster. "I... I didn't... brush..." Before she could finish, his lips touched the corner of her mouth, gently licking before pulling away.
"Silly, you had food on your mouth." He chewed the food he licked from her lips. "What, are you afraid of me?"
"No." She quickly answered, but the more she spoke, the more uncertain she felt. In truth, she was a bit scared of being so close to him.
"Good." With that, Jack leaned in, placing his hands on her back and waist. Before she could react, he picked her up and headed towards the bedroom.
Alison blushed, knowing exactly what he intended to do next. The distance from the dining room to the bedroom was short, but she wished he would walk slower, giving her time to calm her nerves. Even though it wasn't the first time, she always felt inexplicably nervous around him.
With her face against his chest, he managed to hold her with one arm while impatiently unbuttoning his shirt with the other. The slightly open collar revealed his tanned, healthy skin and his unique scent. That scent made her heart race. She wanted to turn her face away, not wanting to face his partially exposed chest. But in that moment, a red lipstick mark caught her eye.
So, he came back late because he was with another woman... Her heart clenched, making it hard to breathe. She didn't question his right, just silently stared at the lipstick mark. He continued walking towards the bed, showing no intention of stopping. Her tense body suddenly relaxed, and she quickly came to terms with it. She was just one of his many women, and he was also her creditor.