Chapter 33: Dinner Together
Seeing
the expression on Layla’s face, Chloe felt a momentary pang of suffocation. After all, years of feelings aren’t so easily discarded. Letting go was never going to be simple.
Layla stepped forward, her posture exuding the confidence of a victor as she said, “Do you regret it now? But even if you do, it’s too late. You’ve lost all your chances.”
Hearing this, Chloe suddenly chuckled softly. She looked at Layla calmly. “You think you’re special because you believe he only did that for you. But can you really be sure you’re the only one he’s done that for?”
Chloe knew exactly what to say to break Layla’s composure, and sure enough, Layla’s confident expression wavered.
Chloe continued, “You’ve been by his side for a while now, so you should know–you’re just one of many. How can you be so sure you’ll be the last?”
After delivering her cutting words, Chloe didn’t wait to see Layla’s reaction. No matter what Layla’s face showed next, it wasn’t going to be good.
Meanwhile, Matthew had been sitting inside the library working on his practice exams. It wasn’t until he finished the last question that he realized Chloe hadn’t returned for quite some time. Wondering where she had gone, he was about to ask around when Chloe finally came back.
When she returned, her expression was strange, as if something unpleasant had happened.
“Are you feeling okay? If you’re not well, I can take you to the campus clinic,” Matthew offered.
Chloe shook her head. She couldn’t even feel the pain in her palms, despite the deep nail marks there, a reflection of her earlier internal turmoil.
“No, it’s fine. It’s just hot, and I feel a little stuffy. Let’s continue studying,” Chloe replied.
Hearing this, Matthew didn’t press further, and the two continued studying until the library closed for the day.
As they prepared to leave, Matthew suddenly remembered the dinner they had missed due to the previous day’s incident. “There’s a new restaurant nearby that’s supposed to be really good and affordable. How about we go try it out?”
Chloe stood there, not immediately responding. Her mind was clearly elsewhere. After a pause, she finally realized what Matthew had said.
“I’m not feeling too well today. Let’s reschedule for next time.”
Matthew could tell that Chloe wasn’t in the best shape, so he didn’t push it. “Alright, next time then, dinner’s on me.”
When Chloe returned home, she felt as though the last of her energy had finally drained away. She collapsed onto the couch, covering her eyes with her hands, feeling utterly spent.
The warm sunlight poured through the windows, casting a gentle glow on the floor as Chloe drifted into sleep.
When she woke again, it was already dark. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 8 p.m. Feeling hungry, she headed toward the kitchen to prepare something to eat, but halfway there, she remembered that she hadn’t stocked up on food recently due to her busy study schedule. Fortunately, the supermarket was still open at this hour.
Chapter 33. Dinner Together
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Deciding to make a grocery run, Chloe planned to stock up on enough supplies to avoid multiple trips in the coming days.
The supermarket had limited fresh produce left at this time of night, but there were still a few fish available. After selecting one, Chloe moved to grab various sauces and seasonings. As she reached for one, her hand bumped into someone else’s.
Looking up, she saw Wyatt, whose cart was filled with mostly prepackaged, ready–to–eat meals.
Chloe couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re being a little too casual with yourself, don’t you think?”
Wyatt explained, “Well, sometimes I get home too late, so I just grab something quick. These meals provide just the right amount of nutrients for one day–carbs, protein, vitamins, everything.”
As Wyatt earnestly broke down the nutritional content of his chosen meals, Chloe laughed again. “You’re such a physicist, even calculating your meals scientifically it if you had fresh, home–cooked food in front of you, what would you choose?”
Wyatt gave her a helpless look. Did that even need to be asked? Of course, he would prefer fresh food over prepackaged meals if it were an option.
“Well, Professor, how about I invite you to dinner tonight?” Chloe offered with a playful smile.
Wyatt sensed a hint of mischief but wasn’t sure what it was until they arrived in Chloe’s kitchen. That’s when he understood why she had been so eager to invite him–she didn’t know how to clean the fish and had passed the task on to him.
Chloe knew it was a bit much to ask Wyatt, a man dedicated to research, to handle the fish, but she was at a loss herself.
“I can’t manage it either. Why don’t you give it a try? If it doesn’t work out, we’ll eat something else,” Chloe suggested, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Wyatt thought for a moment before rolling up his sleeves. “Alright, I’ll give it a shot.”
The two of them divided tasks: Chloe focused on cooking, while Wyatt tackled the fish preparation. Chloe had worried that Wyatt wouldn’t be able to handle it, but when he presented her with the fully cleaned fish, she realized he had a surprising knack for it.
He was precise in his cuts, and each incision seemed almost methodical, like he was conducting an experiment rather than preparing dinner.
“Not bad for my first time cleaning a fish,” Wyatt remarked with a smile.
Chloe gave him a thumbs–up. “That’s amazing! Now I know who to call when I need help with tasks like this.”
Wyatt chuckled. He had never thought much about cooking, but his background in dissection classes had come in handy. He had simply applied what he’d learned in his academic studies to a domestic task.
Together, they finished preparing the meal, and the result was a delicious dinner.
After days of eating quick meals, Wyatt found himself deeply satisfied with this home–cooked dinner. Grateful for the meal, he even volunteered to wash the dishes afterward.
Chap 34 Sick
