Chapter 585

Wilfred’s expression was complicated.
If she knew what he had done, she would not say such things.
He did not dare touch her hand, let alone tell her about the darker parts of his life.
Wilfred did not refuse her this time, letting her hold his hand.
They sat quietly for a long while. The beads in Nina’s hand seemed to deepen in color, the red tint becoming more prominent.
She noticed this and asked, “Are these beads changing color?”
Wilfred’s eyes darkened. “Are they?”
Nina held the beads up to the sunlight, confirming the brightening red. “I thought the beads might darken over time from wear, but this red seems to be getting brighter. These are your beads, right? Haven’t you noticed?” Wilfred instinctively clenched his wrist, then smiled. “Maybe they’re fake. I never had them tested.”
Nina’s gaze fixed on Wilfred. “Would you wear fake beads for so long? I’m not saying they’re fake, just that it’s strange to have blood inside them.”
She sniffed the beads. “They smell of herbs and blood. It’s really strange.
“Didn’t you notice?” she asked again.
Wilfred had not expected Nina to be so sharp. Even if she did not know everything, she could still detect when something was off. And no explanation seemed to make sense. “Forget it,” Nina said, letting it go. “Since you gave me these beads, I’ve felt protected. I actually feel much better now.” Her fatigue seemed to have lifted, and she felt more energized. Relieved, Wilfred said, “You must be hungry after sleeping so long. I’ll cook something for you.”
“You can cook?” Nina asked.
She had been to his place and workplace, and they never had any sign of cooking.
“You’ll see,” Wilfred said, heading to the kitchen.
Curious, Nina followed.
In the living room, she saw a basket of strawberries, the same dark red kind he always brought. She could not understand why Wilfred was so insistent on bringing her strawberries. She picked one up and popped it into her mouth. It was still very sweet. “Don’t you grow any other types of strawberries?” she asked.
Wilfred replied softly, “This variety is the sweetest. Eating something sweet can help take away the bitterness in your mouth.”
Nina was a bit surprised at how thoughtful Wilfred was, even knowing about the bitter taste in her mouth. It was as if he could read her mind.
Sitting in the chair, eating strawberries, Nina noticed that the sweetness did indeed take away the bitterness.
It was strange, though. She had not been taking any medicine, so why did her mouth taste bitter?
Was she coming down with a cold? Or had her sense of taste changed?
As Nina pondered this, she heard noises from the kitchen. She saw Wilfred’s back and his professional demeanor, as if he were performing surgery rather than cooking. Watching him, she remembered moments when Nash would cook for her.
Nina snapped out of her daze, reminding herself that those days were over. This house would never see him again.
She walked to the kitchen doorway, and Wilfred said, “Hungry? It’ll be ready soon.”
“You really can do everything,” Nina said.