CHAPTER 282: CHAPTER 282: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? I’LL TELL YOU

Seth Yates wiped his hands, quickly stepped forward, and took over Zeke Pierce’s wheelchair.

Zeke Pierce’s eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, making it impossible to read his expression, but he slightly tilted his head towards Tanya.

"Ms. Sinclair." He tugged at the corner of his mouth slightly and said indifferently, "It’ll be a bit of trouble for you to take care of my brother tonight. Phoenix Court is worth a good tour, especially the third floor..."

Zeke Pierce hadn’t finished speaking when something flew from behind. Seth Yates didn’t hesitate to raise his hand to block it. It was a fruit knife, and the sharp blade scratched the back of his hand.

Nobody knew when Declan Pierce got there, leaning lazily against the kitchen island, with a row of knives at his side. He pulled out a boning knife, smiling slyly as he glanced at Seth Yates.

Declan Pierce: "Secretary Yates, how many arms do you have spare?"

Seth Yates: "..."

Zeke Pierce sneered coldly and instructed, "Let’s go."

As Zeke Pierce’s wheelchair disappeared at the door and the door closed again, Declan Pierce tossed the knife back and looked up, seeing Tanya standing in his kitchen, with a pot of simmering rib soup behind her.

The scene was so harmonious, it felt somewhat unreal...

Declan Pierce felt a little uneasy.

He suddenly remembered the small kitchen at Tanya’s house, with its warm lighting, unlike here... the dead white cold light, making it look like a show home.

For the first time, Declan Pierce regretted not listening to that wild man Zion Monroe and making the kitchen feel a bit more livable.

If he had known that one day Tanya Sinclair would stand here...

"Standing like this isn’t okay." Tanya Sinclair spoke first, her eyes falling on Declan Pierce’s leg that couldn’t support him, frowning slightly as she walked up to him.

"Support yourself on me." Tanya said in a low voice, lifting Declan Pierce’s arm over her shoulder, "I’ll help you lie down on the sofa."

Declan Pierce: "..."

She was so small, Declan Pierce was worried he’d crush her, so he carried most of his weight, but left his hand draped over her shoulder.

Her hair was soft, occasionally brushing against his fingers as they walked.

Declan Pierce gently hooked a finger, catching a strand, but afraid of hurting her, he restrained himself and slowly let it go.

Tanya didn’t notice Declan’s small action, and she managed to get him onto the sofa.

"The soup still needs a while. I saw there are lots of ingredients in the fridge. Is there anything else you’d like to eat? How about I make you some fish congee?"

She asked seriously, her expression calm, as if she was really not in any confusion.

She had heard Zeke’s words but asked nothing... because she was afraid he would feel embarrassed.

Declan Pierce gave a slightly faint smile.

"Anything is fine."

The princess had long forgotten that he used to be a little beggar who would even rummage through trash to eat.

There was fresh fish fillet in the fridge, ready to be prepared easily. In Declan’s current condition, having some nutritious congee was for the best.

If only there were some medicinal herbs, she could have made him a medicinal congee.

The kitchen was open-concept, so Declan, sitting on the sofa, could see Tanya busy inside. Watching for a while, he retrieved a sketch pad from under the coffee table and began to draw...

The congee needed a bit more time to cook, and when Tanya came out of the kitchen, she saw Declan drawing.

Tanya was a little surprised.

She never knew Declan could draw.

When she walked closer, she saw that Declan was sketching her recent form in the kitchen. It was just a silhouette, but it captured both form and spirit perfectly.

She widened her eyes slightly, amazed at how well Declan could draw.

Completely at a professional level.

"When did you learn to draw?"

Declan squinted his eyes slightly, "When I was bored abroad, I drew to pass the time."

He didn’t tell Tanya that being confined in a room with four white walls, chained by the neck like a dog, was just so ’boring’.

"You really have a talent." Tanya looked at her own image on the paper, a few strokes already capturing the essence. She joked, "I might think you have drawn me countless times to be this familiar with me."

She laughed as she spoke, turning back to meet Declan’s deep eyes.

These eyes always looked at her with such focus and seriousness as if in his presence, there was nothing she could hide. He understood her completely.

But she had never seen through Declan.

Neither seven years ago nor now.

Tanya suddenly felt it was so unfair.

"Declan..."

"Hmm." He would always respond to her, without exception.

"I know nothing about you." Tanya’s voice was trembling slightly.

This was the same thing Declan had told her the day of the explosion on the mountaintop.

And that day, he called her ’princess’...

Declan gave a gentle smile, "What do you want to know? I’ll tell you."

He never intended to hide anything from her; he just felt there was nothing much worth saying.

The princess only needed to be happy.

He would handle the rest.

Tanya had too many questions to ask, but seeing Declan’s pale and weak face, she decided to have a meal first.

"Let’s talk later."

Tanya served Declan the fish congee, and the soup was placed in front of him. The two of them conveniently used the coffee table as a dining table.

Declan scooped a spoonful of congee into his mouth.

"Does it suit your taste?" Tanya asked.

He nodded, "It tastes good."

Tanya tasted it herself, and it was actually just average.

Declan’s cooking skills surpassed hers by far.

After they finished eating, Tanya wanted to clean up, but Declan stopped her.

He said calmly, "Leave it, someone will come to clean up."

Tanya sat down again, and just as Declan wanted to withdraw his hand, Tanya held onto it, placing it on the coffee table to check his pulse.

Feeling Declan’s disrupted, weak pulse, Tanya’s frown deepened.

Declan’s body was like a high-speed machine, seemingly having its dials pushed to the maximum, but actually, it was at its limit, ready to collapse at any moment.

What puzzled Tanya even more was that any normal person would have crumbled at such a depleted state, yet Declan’s bodily functions, under such exhaustion, could still operate. From the outside, he seemed just like a normal person...

Where exactly was his breaking point?

"Declan, when did Zeke Pierce start... extracting your blood?" Tanya’s voice trembled, "Did he do something else to you to make it easier?"