Chapter 40 The Menu
\[Lilia\]
It was the very first time I saw Kael had ever been stunned since the time I had known him. He wasn’t the type of man who was immediately fazed by something or who was ever taken completely by surprise by anything in his life. Normally, he maintained his composure and his stare was usually calculated. However, right now, his eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly gaping open.
“I…um—maybe, I…needed something to eat?” I meekly contemplated, stuttering even to complete the sentence.
My face burned hotter every passing second, and I even bet it was redder than tomatoes as his gaze pierced my face. My mouth suddenly felt dry, and I was like a fish out of water, trying to speak, but words failed to come out.
Suddenly, Kael exhaled forcefully, bursting out of his astonished trance, and for a brief time, amusement crossed his features, and the corner of his mouth looped upwards as though he were struggling to keep his laughter in check, but then he cleared his throat and resumed his serious demeanor.
“I will call Val to get you some food.” He stated calmly, taking his phone out of his pocket and dialing on the screen. He did, however, take a brief stop and cast a peek my way.
“What do you want to eat?” he asked, looking at me through the corner of his eyes.
My brows immediately rose in amusement at the thought that he had, in fact, inquired as to what I would like to eat, but who am I to be choosy with him? So, instead, I said, “anything,” while trying to focus my gaze on the white-painted ceiling.
Now that I was awake, my eyes roamed over the place, and I was right. I am in the clinic, and this place is very much likely normal for some unbelievable reason. Yes, normal, like the white bed linen, the white-painted wall with a single cupboard with a red cross marked at the center adjacent to the bed that I am in. The space is only big enough for two single beds and a little table in the corner, which is piled high with papers and stabs of what appear to be tablets and capsules. The entire clinic matched the scent so close that I couldn’t even think we were inside the dome.
Or are we still? Where we were on the planet would be of little significance to me at this point, and the only thing I want right now is something to eat.
As a side note, I was under the impression that Kael had already placed an order, but instead he just stood there with his phone in hand and his stare locked on me, a deep frown plastered on his face.
“I need details.” Kael sternly stated, his mossy green eyes glinting from the faint light coming from the lampshade right to my side. Though what brought my attention was his inquisition.
“Really, Kael, any food will do,” I replied nonchalantly, lifting my arms and waving them. He's a massive grown-up man with a lot of muscle. I assumed he is aware of which foods are beneficial for me and which are not. Another thing is that Aya served my meal without first asking me what I would want to eat. By far, every single one of the goodies she had given me had completely filled my hunger. So, I don’t think ordering food would be that complicated.
But, my God, I've never been so completely wrong in my entire life before. Kael leaned in closer, his arm supporting his upper body against my bed so that the mattress somewhat sank under his weight, his phone closer to his mouth as he asked me the dreaded question for the second time.
“Kukla, what food do you want?”
I sighed, rolled my eyes, and then slowly enunciated, making sure I pronounced it right, “anything.”
He only shifted on his foot, yet his gaze never left mine. He put down his hand, holding his phone as he asked one more time.
“What would you like to eat then?”
Our gazes clashed. Mine was tinged with displeasure and annoyance at his relentless persistence. No one spoke for about a minute, but then my stomach growled again, reminding me of how hungry I am, and if cannibalism would be allowed up to this day, I would rather eat him than have to go through this horrifying conversation with him.
“Fine,” I groused, pushing myself up without breaking our eye contact, “I want a roasted beef that has been seasoned for about eight hours and is well-done. I don’t like it bloody. Mashed sweet potato that came from Thailand with steamed asparagus on the side, and a native chicken soup, whole thigh and leg part, homemade tagliolini pasta, topped with black truffles and two pounds of fresh lobster….”
My breath caught in my throat, and I tried to observe his reaction, but he simply put up his mask and kept his face blank, much to my dismay. He must have thought I was being excessively unreasonable with my options, but he was the one being persistent and I was only giving him the answer to the question he keep on asking.
So, I carried on with my demands in hopes to irate him even further.
“What else do I want to eat?” I pondered, tapping my chin as though I was really in deep thoughts when in fact, I was just being excessive. “Oh, and I want a fresh durian fruit, please.”
Nonetheless, the more I think about certain kinds of foods, the worse my stomach gnaws and the more my mouth waters. Now I have a strong desire for all of them, and those were nearly impossible to obtain. Like, those were literally halfway across the planet, and there's no way he could have gotten them unless he had some sort of magical ability to make it all happen for himself.
Which, to be honest, I seriously doubt.
Kael inhaled sharply, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his brows sank low to the bridge of his nose.
“Durian cannot be eaten with the lobster, kukla,” he remarked, standing up straight and crossing his arms across his chest.
I battled the impulse to roll my eyes at him once more, as I suddenly realized that I was already treading on thin ice and that at any moment, it may crumble around me.
I am well aware of how short his patience can be, and while I am probing it further, he might snap and pull a gun to my head. I have seen him become furious with the old man and kill the butler for simply not following his instructions. I have already first handedly experienced a gist of how cruel he can be to anyone, regardless of whom it was. If I don’t want to suffer the same fate as them, then I should remember where my place is before him.
It sucks, but I had no choice but to deal with him until I concreted a plan to get the hell out of this situation.
“No lobster with my pasta then.”
I swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat and averted my gaze, focusing instead on the fingers that were weaving their way through the seam of the thin blanket that had been put over me. I still have his coat on, no wonder why I feel warm and comfortable.
There was a bit of stillness around us, but it was instantly shattered by the static sound emanating from his phone, followed by his commanding voice.
“Do you get all that, Val?”
My head snapped towards his direction faster than lightning speed and gaped in bewilderment.
Was Val listening to this whole conversation over the line?
And as if to answer my flabbergasted unspoken inquiry, Val replied through the phone receiver.
“Yes, boss, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Wait, what? What the hell?
Was this supposed to be real?
They were kidding, right?