CHAPTER 41: WHAT DOES SHE LIKE TO EAT?

Kael’s POV

I stood silently, watching as Roman gently coaxed her into his arms. She slowly calmed down under his touch. But she still refused to look at me—as if I were some kind of monster and she wanted to hide from me even if it meant hiding Roman’s arms.

What the hell have I ever done to her?

Instead, she’s the one who destroyed my life, took everything away from me, my family, my happy future with them.

All I did was help her jump down the building terrace to fulfill her own wish of dying, and then last night, I had no other option but to silence her. If that’s what made her think I’m a monster, then so be it.

Let her be a madwoman, as long as she is used in saving Sophia and giving us a pup.

She should count herself lucky it was Jason and Lucian who broke her. If it had been me—if I had allowed my cruel side to come out—she would’ve cursed the day she was born. She would’ve known what true suffering felt like. Worse than what Keiren, her lover, endured the night I killed him.

Roman looked at me, and his words brought me back to my senses. "Kael, I will work from home. I have to look after her and then check if the side house is ready."

"I will check it for you," I told him.

As I was the one to insist he take care of her, then I shall at least give him a hand. Didn’t look like it was easy to care for her in the situation she was in.

He hummed in acknowledgment, and I glanced at the mattress. A wide, damp patch stained the surface. I didn’t comment. Just walked over and stripped the sheets off. I flipped the mattress so the dry side faced up and spread a fresh bedsheet over it.

"This will do until you move her to the side house," I said.

"Thank you," he said, while she sank further the moment I went closer to the bed. ’Still pretending? How far is she willing to take this act? Damn fake woman.’

I left without another word and headed to the side house. I gave the workers detailed instructions, urging them to move faster. I wasn’t doing it for her sake, but for Roman’s. He’d be staying there, and I wouldn’t let my brother live in discomfort.

She could rot in a pigsty for all I cared.

The place was already livable—it just needed some updates. It had been unused for a long time, but it was still home.

By the time I returned to the main house for breakfast, the others had gathered. Liam was there too. Of course he was. So eager to check on her, as if he thought we’d hurt her again.

If he was allowed, I’m sure he’d camp here permanently, just to babysit her personally. He was the only one who still believed in her.

Though what he said yesterday made sense, I was still not going to let my guard down around that bitch.

Liam headed to her room, and none of us followed as Roman was already there.

We only waited for Roman to come out for breakfast until Jason finished preparing it.

Jason busied himself in the kitchen, clearly in a bad mood after his earlier argument with Roman. He didn’t bother cooking anything for her—not even a crumb.

After a while, Liam came out, with Roman following him.

"She’s at least calm now," I heard Liam say as they entered the drawing room. "That’s a good sign. She seems to be responding well to you. Keep doing what you’re doing, and she’ll start returning to normal."

Roman gave a small hum, and asked, "She still refuses to eat. How long can she keep going like this, just surviving on IV fluids?"

Liam’s brows creased. "You are right. Try offering her something that she likes. Maybe that’ll spark her appetite. After all, hunger is a primal instinct of every living body."

Roman nodded slowly. "But... what does she like?" he murmured. "I have no idea."

To be honest, even I didn’t know. She was nothing but a young girl I didn’t have anything to do with, other than just seeing her once in a while just because she was Alice’s friend.

"In the past, when she was around, there must’ve been something you noticed she liked?" Liam suggested. "Try to recall it. Or just bring whatever young girls used to like back then. That’s your best bet. I’ve got a surgery to attend. Take care of her," and with that, the old man left.

Roman looked genuinely troubled. "What would she like?" he muttered. "I’ve never been close to any girl... it’s hard for me to even guess."

It was true.

Roman never had a mother. Never had a sister. Never had a girlfriend. His only experience with women involved fucking them and walking away without remembering their names or faces. Expecting him to understand a woman’s preferences was asking for too much.

"Yeah, you’ve never had a woman around," Lucian said coldly, rising from his chair. "But you sure as hell know how to coax that pretentious cunt. Way to fuck her, brother."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked to the kitchen, where Jason had nearly finished cooking.

"Move," he snapped, brushing past him to the stove.

Jason wordlessly stepped aside and came over to the dining table where we sat.

We all stared, stunned.

Lucian... cooking?

Was this real? Or were we hallucinating?

But he was serious, his expressions focussed as he found everything he needed, from utensils to ingredients.

This stubborn wolf—who usually did nothing more than helping Jason with menial tasks like washing vegetables or stirring a pot once in a while—was suddenly playing chef.

"Does he even know how to cook?" Roman asked Jason, eyeing Lucian with disbelief. Being brothers, Jason’d know him best.

Jason, far calmer than the rest of us, replied without much expression, "Rarely..." and stopped.

We could feel there was more to it, but Jason chose to be quiet.

As we watched Roman, we could tell he had done it many times. He knew exactly what to do, not a tinge of hesitation or confusion—just precise, practiced movements.

Soon the warm, sweet and tempting scent of chocolate pancakes wafted through the air, wrapping the house in a surprising comfort which reminded us of our childhood days.

Without bothered by our stares at him, Lucian finished cooking two pancakes, slathered them with chocolate spread, and carried the plate over to the dining table.

He looked at Roman and spoke, as blunt and biting as always. "Go feed it to that bitch. If she still refuses, let her starve to death."

Roman didn’t mind his words. He quickly picked up the dish and went to her room.

Lucian turned back to us—Jason, Rafe, and me—with a scowl darkening his already foul mood. "Are we going to starve ourselves as well just because one ungrateful bitch refuses to eat?"

Jason quietly stood and went to the kitchen to bring out the breakfast he had prepared for us while we waited for Roman to join us.