Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Chapter 101 Rare Warmth
It’s her? She’s cooking? Is it to thank me for sparing Felix?
As the thought crossed his mind, Nicholas felt inexplicably disappointed, but then he quickly dismissed that thought and comforted himself. You have to learn to be content, Nicholas. No matter the reason, it’s good enough when this moment is what you want.
He lightened his footsteps and walked toward Nancy, who happened to be turning around.
Seeing Nicholas appear before her and so close at that, she jumped in shock.
She was a split second away from shouting when Nicholas reached out and embraced her, holding her securely in his arms.
“Did I scare you?” Nicholas asked.
“Yeah. Nancy nodded, quietly slipping out of his embrace. “Why did you walk so quietly?”
Nicholas had originally wanted to say, “You were too focused. That’s why you didn’t notice me coming in. However, when he saw her pouting and her big, clear eyes, his heart softened, and he replied, “Yes, it’s all my fault.”
Upon hearing this, Nancy felt a bit embarrassed and quickly said, “Go wash your hands; I’ve finished cooking.”
“Okay.”
Soon, a table of dishes was served. The main course was steak and pasta, accompanied by some other side dishes.
“Steak and pasta?” Nicholas asked with some surprise.
Nancy nodded. “Yeah, I thought you liked it.”
Actually, she had told a fib. She had originally intended to cook some local dishes, but when she searched for recipes, she found that there were too many side dishes to prepare and various unfamiliar spices were needed. In contrast, preparing steak only required a quick sear. They had professional kitchen tools at home, and the seasoning packets already came pre-mixed, so making that was much easier.
As the dishes were placed on the table and the lighting highlighted the vibrant colors of the steak, Nancy looked at the table with a sense of accomplishment.
“Would you like some red wine?” Nancy offered.
“Sure.” Nicholas nodded.
1/1
He sat in his chair, resting one hand on the table. His cuffs were slightly rolled up, revealing strong
and muscular forearms. A faint smile played on his lips, and his gaze softened as he looked at Nancy.
Nancy quickly brought the red wine, prepared wine glasses, and poured the wine for Nicholas.
With everything ready, she said, “Let’s eat!”
Nicholas lowered his gaze to the wine in his glass and then back at Nancy, who didn’t have a glass in front of her.
“Aren’t you going to have some?”
Thinking of the baby in her belly, Nancy immediately shook her head. “I’ll pass. It’s easy for me to get tipsy. I’ll just watch you drink.”
Imaginations tended to play wonderfully in one’s mind. However, when Nancy took the first bite of the steak and lowered her head, her expression immediately changed.
This steak is… It’s so tough! What happened to it being tender and delicious? This taste is completely out of line with tender and delicious meat. And the sauce… Even a kid can do better than this! Alas, not being able to cook is truly a bright kind of sadness.
She looked up again and saw that Nicholas had just cut a piece of the steak and was about to take the first bite. Nancy quickly walked over and stopped him, saying, “Don’t eat it yet.”
“What’s wrong?” Nicholas looked at her with confusion.
Nancy bit her lip and could only tell him honestly, “I’m sorry. I originally wanted to thank you by making a meal for you, but I didn’t expect it to turn out so badly. This steak is too tough. I can’t even chew it.”
It can’t be that bad, can it? Nicholas thought and insisted, “Let me have a taste.”
“I really don’t think you should,” Nancy advised.
However, Nicholas had already put a piece into his mouth, and after just one bite, his expression froze. It was even tougher than he had imagined.
Upon seeing his expression, Nancy understood everything. She immediately said, “How about I take you out to cat?”
“No need.” With those words, Nicholas set down his knife and fork, took off his suit jacket, and walked toward Nancy, asking, “Do we have any fresh steaks left?”
“Yeah, we have some. I bought quite a few.” She nodded.
In the next moment, her hand was held by Nicholas, and he led her into the kitchen.
2/1
“What are you doing?” Nancy wondered.
“Can you help me thaw the steaks and cook the pasta?”
This time, even Nancy, who was a bit slow on the uptake, understood. She looked at Nicholas with disbelief and asked, “Are you going to cook?”
“Yeah!”
“You know how to cook?” Nancy’s eyes were filled with skepticism.
Feeling irritated at being underestimated by his own wife, Nicholas rolled up his sleeves with determination and said, “Wait and see.”
Next, Nicholas took charge as the chef while Nancy assisted him.
Even though they were starting over, this meal was prepared quickly.
Half an hour later, Nicholas’ steak and pasta were served. Nancy felt like she was useless.
“Give it a taste.” His gaze turned to Nancy, and he spoke softly.
Nancy cut a small piece and put it in her mouth. When the tenderness of the beef and the deliciousness of the sauce merged perfectly on her palate, she nodded in satisfaction, saying, “It’s
delicious.”
“Just delicious?” Nicholas sounded a bit disappointed.
Nancy smiled, her eyes crinkling, and immediately said, “It’s extremely delicious, almost on par with a five-star restaurant. I wonder if you’re satisfied with that compliment, Mr. Sallow?”
“That’s more like it.”
He lowered his head, holding a knife in one hand and a fork in the other, and his slender fingers skillfully cut the steak on the plate. Compared to his elegance, Nancy didn’t feel very ladylike.
She cut and ate one piece at a time while Nicholas cut all the steak at once.
A few minutes later, the plate in front of her was suddenly taken away.
Nancy was puzzled, but the next moment, Nicholas gently placed the steak he had cut in front of her and said, “Have this plate. I’ve already cut it for you.”
“It’s fine,” Nancy instinctively declined. However, Nicholas had already taken her plate away. began to cut the steak on it.
“Let’s switch. I’ve already had that plate,” Nancy said, feeling a bit embarrassed and shy.
and
2/1
Unexpectedly, Nicholas didn’t seem to have heard her at all. He continued cutting the steak until he had a piece on his fork, and then he looked at Nancy, calmly saying, “I know. I don’t mind.”
“But…” Nancy wanted to say that she minded, but in the end, as she watched a certain someone savoring the meal, she swallowed her remaining words.
After finishing dinner, Nicholas was doing the dishes in the kitchen while Nancy sat on the couch watching television.
Suddenly, a phone rang.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t Nancy’s phone but Nicholas. What was even more important was that the caller ID displayed “Madelline Phillip”
In the past, she would’ve totally turned a blind eye to it, but for some reason, almost as if on impulse, she answered the call this time.
Seeing that the call was picked up on the other end, Madelline was overjoyed and immediately exclaimed, “Nicholas, you finally-
“It’s not him. It’s me, Nancy,” Nancy interrupted.