Chapter 45: Apprehension
APPREHENSION
RAYNE’S POV
“Good morning, wife.” He said and smirked at me. “I’m making you Ramen, just how you like it, with lots of kimchi.” Hearing those familiar words, I felt something knot in my stomach. I had said them yesterday, and here he was making them for me this morning.
ERIC’s POV
“Then in the evening, I’d make you rice and meat soup.” As I said those to her, I couldn’t help noticing the excitement in her eyes.
“You know how to cook?” She asked, peeking into the pot of noodles on the stove.
“Of course, I told you that I’m good at a lot of things, didn’t I?” I said and saw her smile. She was starting to do more of that since we arrived in the city, and I like it.
“Do you like Ramen as well?” She asked.
“In my part of the world, it is called noodles, and I can’t remember the last time I ate any.”
“Yeah, you barely even eat.” She murmured then pouted. “But if you don’t eat, how then do you look so strong and healthy? Or, are you a vampire, do you feed on blood? You know, I’ve read quite a few vampire stories where the male lead barely even eats human foods, they mostly feed on blood which sustains them for some time.” She said and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What did you spend your life all these years doing, reading fiction?” I asked and she pouted.
“They are usually interesting stories.”
“You like them?” I asked and she nodded.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Alright, let’s see one together after dinner.”
Her big hazel eyes popped out of their sockets, and a wide smile spread across her small face. “Really?” She asked.
“Yes,” I replied and watched her throw her hands midair in excitement.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
“I can’t wait!” She muttered and I couldn’t help but giggle at her childish attitude.
By the time the noodle was ready, I let her have it in the pot. Koreans preferred to eat the Ramyeon directly from the pot. I learned that from my research last night and she seemed to be really excited when I did. She picked a chopstick from the dish rack and began eating.
“Go gently, it’s ho…” I was saying, but before I could finish off, she already had her mouth filled. I marveled at the sight of it. I wondered if it didn’t burn her, but seeing the bright smile on her face as she ate so heartily, proved that she wasn’t in the least burned,
“How do you know to make these so perfectly, have you been to Korea before?” She asked in-between mouths full. I had expected that comment, I mean, I didn’t expect anything less, not when I had stayed up all night watching YouTube tutorials on how to make the perfect Korean Ramyeon with Kimchiz just for her. And seeing her enjoy it so happily, I knew my sleepless night was worth it.
Eric! What won’t you do just to see her happy and smiling? The answer was nothing. I was slowly realizing that. How she could just come into my life and turn me into that, was still a mystery to me.
“You’re just lucky to have a perfect man like me for a husband. I’m every woman’s dream, you know?” I said and watched her chortle. That small laugh came all so naturally that for a moment, I lost myself in watching her.
“You should try it, it’s so delicious.” She said, rolling an ample quantity into the chopstick. She added a kimchi and then brought it up to my lips. “Here, have some.”
Her cheeks were flushed just by carrying out that one act. I glanced between her and the food she was offering me, and seeing the eagerness in her eyes, I ate the food and watched her face turn red, fifty shades darker.
“How’s it, good right?” She asked as if she instead of I had made the food. I nodded gently. “It tastes so much like how my mom used to make it,” She said and carried on eating with so much enthusiasm. I watched her, and the twitch of sadness in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed.
RAYNE’S POV
“Do you want to find the people behind their death?” Eric asked all of a sudden. I glanced up at him, wondering the reason he suddenly asked that.
“We can find their murderers if you want. Probably after they’ve been locked up, will you find peace in you?”
I shook my head against it. “Before their death, Mom and Dad often said if something happened to them, I shouldn’t bother finding out the reason behind anything. And since their death, I’ve tried not to. And now, trying to, after these many years, might just end up hurting me.”
“But…” Eric was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang, cutting him off. He stopped, picked up his phone from the counter, and immediately he did, his brows creased into a frown as he stared into his phone, then he untied the apron from his waist and slid out of the counter. Then he looked down at me, and meeting my gaze, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. I could tell it was forced for a purpose. Probably to not make me worried. But, at the thought of that, I found myself wondering what it was he had read, and where he was going to.
“I won’t be back until evening, do not go anywhere and do not see anyone. Also, don’t take any calls from unfamiliar numbers.” He instructed me like a father to his child, kissed my forehead, and then walked away.
All those words, those carefulness, the tone in which he had said them, and the look in his eyes, made me worried and scared, but not for myself. The sudden realization that I had no idea of who Eric was, scared me and I found myself wondering who he really was, and what was going on. Was he going to be okay?
ERIC’s POV
“I won’t be back until evening, do not go anywhere and do not see anyone. Also, don’t take any calls from unfamiliar numbers.” I instructed like a father to his child, kissed her forehead, and then walked away. The sadness mixed with a slight apprehension in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed, and I felt something knot in the pit of my stomach. I noticed the uneasy way she watched me leave. It didn’t sit well with me. I wanted to stay with her and spend the entire day with her, but the situation at hand was urgent and required my presence.
“Surround the house, every nook and cranny of the walls. Make sure to protect Mrs. Arnold.” I ordered my chief guard as I stepped out.