The Ex-Husband Wanted Me Back

She acted as if I poisoned the food.

“Here, drink this.” Charles handed her a glass of orange juice and she quickly gulped the whole content down.

“Thank you…” Amanda said after she recovered a bit, but her eyes looked wet as she said her next words in a soft tone. “Sorry, Alicia.”

Before I could respond, it was Charles who spoke first. “I forgot that you can’t eat spicy food.”

His eyes scrutinized the dishes on the table, probably looking for anything that wasn’t spicy, but of course, because I make them according to his preferences, there was none.

“You don’t need to be sorry.” Charles had a slight frown on his face.

To be honest, I knew that too many spicy dishes also weren’t good for the stomach, and thus the dishes I made weren’t that spicy, but I didn’t expect that she couldn’t swallow any spicy food at all.

I convinced myself that it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t invite her in the first place. Charles did.

“Ah,” Amanda let out a sigh as she stared at the dishes in front of her longing, and she sent me an apologetic look as Charles watched.

“Do you feel hungry? We can order a takeaway.” Charles suggested, and I instantly turned my head toward him, then lowered my eyes.

“But… Alicia has prepared all of this for us. We can’t waste her effort.” Amanda tried to convince Charles as she took another spoonful of the dish on the plate, but she ended up getting the same reaction as last time.

Her eyes slightly reddened, and she coughed.

“That’s enough. Don’t force yourself.” Charles scolded, but his tone was soft and it was clear that he wasn’t really angry. He rubbed her back.

“As Charles said, don’t force yourself.” I finally opened my mouth, smiling at her reassuringly. She seemed a bit at a loss at my reaction before she lowered her eyes, as if feeling guilty.

“Do you want to eat my cooking that much?” I asked her.

She peeked at me quietly before she tentatively nodded at my question. Her voice was soft, “Charles said that you are good at cooking, so I want to try it…”

Such behavior made it hard for one to suspect that she held any malice for people at all. She looked more like a girl who yearned for a simple thing that she could not gain, making one feel pity for her.

None would doubt her motive at all.

“I will cook something that isn’t spicy for you. Wait here.” I said kindly and then put the spoon down. Without waiting for any of them to respond, I swiftly headed toward the kitchen.

Luckily, there were still some ingredients left, and I quickly cooked something that was easy to make and passable in terms of taste.

I hadn’t eaten anything since this morning and I was quite eager to go back there and resume my dinner, so I picked anything that was quick to make.

After I finished, I returned to the dining room with the plate in my hand, still warm with the aroma wafted through the air.

However, the sight that greeted me was beyond my expectation. There they were, enjoying the dinner together as Amanda tried to feed a spoonful of roasted chicken to Charles, who accepted it just like that.

Amanda’s plate was already empty; it was unknown who had eaten that much food that had been piled on it. Charles also had finished his dinner, judging from his clean plate.

As soon as I appeared, they stopped what they were doing and looked at me.

I suddenly felt like I had interrupted a couple’s romantic dinner.

“Alicia…” Amanda whispered my name, and then she said shyly, “Thank you for cooking for me. It’s very kind of you.”

She glanced at Charles before she shifted her attention to me again. “I am sorry, but now I feel full. The one I tried earlier was the spiciest food, and um… Charles had picked some less spicy dishes for me.”

I stopped at the table as I put down the plate near her. She glanced at it and took a deep breath, then showering me with compliments. “It smells delicious. You are indeed good at cooking.”

Amanda looked apologetic as she said, “I would like to try it, but I have something urgent at the moment and I have to return home quickly. Sorry, Alicia. Thank you for the delicious dinner.”

I didn’t react much, but as sanity returned to my mind. I just waved it off and reassured her, “You can try another time. Be careful on the way home.”

Amanda nodded, and she stood up. At the same time, Charles also stood up.

“I am going to escort her back home. You don’t need to send us off. You should finish your dinner.” Charles said to her.

I almost couldn’t process entirely what he was saying. It was until they exited the door and silence reigned the entire room that his words sank in.

The food on the plate suddenly felt bitter, or was it my heart that was feeling it instead of my tongue?