Andrew was shrewd. He looked at me and knew what I wanted right away. He uttered, "We all had a long day today. Besides, the food outside is often too unhealthy and oily for a recovering patient like Ms. Taylor. Let's not eat out.

"Laura has bought a lot of ingredients. Why don't I cook something for you? It'll be some simple yet heartwarming dishes. You won't mind that, will you, Ms. Taylor?"

Then, he glanced at Jasmine. For some reason, it felt like he was looking at her with misgivings and contempt. Andrew took the words out of my mouth, so I raised my hand in agreement. Colin often indulged me, and he did not oppose the suggestion either.

Besides, where I was from, we only invited those we held dear to dine with us at home. Inviting Jasmine to a home-cooked meal was the most polite form of treatment we could give her.

Still composed and well-mannered, Jasmine said that dining together in the apartment felt cozier. However, her frown told everyone present that she was displeased. Perhaps aware that she was a guest in somebody's place, she did not protest. She thanked everyone and apologized for the trouble.

Andrew then went to cook with Laura. A clamor soon broke out in the kitchen, and the scent of food filled the room.

Colin had been busy for many days. I knew he must be tired, so I forced him to rest in the bedroom. Meanwhile, I continued to keep Jasmine and the other two men company in the living room. And by keeping them company, I meant staring at each other awkwardly.

Even back when we were students at Lincoln University, she and I did not share many common conversational topics other than Colin. Moreover, now that she had made it clear that she had come to take Colin away, I felt even less inclined to talk to her.

After half an hour, Jasmine looked weary. I asked if she wanted a cup of instant coffee. She thought about it and reluctantly said yes.

I then went to the kitchen to make her coffee. I turned back and saw the two men talking to her. The tall one even leaned forward with a hand on his abdomen to keep the hem of his shirt from flapping needlessly.

Judging from the interaction, I could tell both men were very respectful toward her. However, it wasn't like the respect an employee or a student had toward their superior or teacher. It was more like the reverence a commoner had toward their ruler. I wondered who those men were to her.

Instant coffee was clearly beneath Jasmine. She quickly put down the coffee mug after she took a sip, her lips twitching in protest. Still feeling languid, she said, "Sorry, Lulu. I'm rather tired now. Can I rest for a moment?"

I had been observing her in secret. She did look sick. And after such a long journey, I could understand that she felt tired.

That said, both bedrooms in the apartment were occupied, and I could not evict their occupants. She could sleep on the couch, but that was Andrew's spot. Where would he sleep if she took his place? And compared to Jasmine, Andrew felt closer and more trustworthy than her. I wasn't going to sacrifice my good friend for my love rival.

Frustrated, I rubbed the back of my head. "Jasmine, this is a small apartment, and we don't have any spare beds. Perhaps I can take you to a hotel nearby and get you a room? I'll pick you up when the food is ready."

"No need for the hassle. It's just a quick nap. My wheelchair will do."

The short man did something to the back of the wheelchair. Following two clicking noises, the wheelchair unfolded and became a comfortable bed. The tall man then took out a blanket from his bag and put it on Jasmine.

Jasmine shot me an apologetic smile and closed her eyes. Both men then stood next to her like royal guards.

What an interesting trio.

Bored, I wanted to scroll on my phone, but I feared that I might wake Jasmine up. I went to the kitchen to help out, but Andrew just kicked me away.

I wasn't going to bother Queenie's rest, so I went to the bedroom to keep Colin company.

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you replace any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report