Chapter 104: Serving Her

Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Serving Her

Once they were out the university gates, Claire Kendall kept her arm linked with Miles Warren’s, tilting her face up to look at him.

"Dr. Warren, how do you know so much about embroidery? I haven’t even read Professor Quinn’s book."

Miles Warren’s voice was flat. "I just flipped through a few pages in the library."

Claire Kendall seized the chance to flatter him. "To remember so many details from just flipping through it... Dr. Warren, you must have been one of those geniuses with a photographic memory back in university!"

Miles Warren faltered in his step and shot her a deep look. ’Has she really forgotten, or is she just pretending?’

"Dr. Warren, what’s wrong?" she asked, giving his arm a little shake.

"Nothing."

He said it was nothing, but the oppressive mood he was giving off was impossible to ignore.

Claire Kendall laced her fingers through his. He didn’t pull away. ’I need to find a way to cheer him up,’ she thought.

"Dr. Warren, I’m hungry. The food street near Quillmore University is really famous. Want to go check it out?"

Miles Warren didn’t say a word, but he started walking with her.

The night market was bustling with activity.

Claire Kendall made a beeline for a fried chicken stall. Miles Warren’s brow furrowed slightly, but he followed and stood in front of the stall with her.

Claire Kendall glanced at him from the corner of her eye. ’Okay, Dr. Warren’s refined air really doesn’t fit in at a fried chicken stall.’

"Two orders of spicy fried chicken, please!"

"You got it!"

When the chicken was ready, Claire Kendall took one portion and handed it to Miles Warren. He hesitated for a couple of seconds before taking it.

A layer of bright red chili oil floated in the takeout container, and every piece of chicken was slathered in sauce.

Claire Kendall took a small bite. The chicken was juicy, and the savory flavor filled her mouth.

Her words were muffled by the food. "Dr. Warren, why aren’t you eating?"

Miles Warren stared at the thick layer of chili, and a fiery sensation already began to churn in his stomach.

He had stomach problems and couldn’t eat spicy food.

Claire Kendall blinked, seizing the opportunity for a romantic line. "When you like someone, you’re supposed to take them to try all your favorite foods!"

Hearing her words, Miles Warren met her expectant gaze, speared a piece of chicken, and ate it.

"How is it? How is it?"

"Mm, it’s good."

Like a child who’d just earned her teacher’s praise, Claire Kendall hummed smugly, her face alight with glee.

"This is the exact flavor! It’s just like the one from the food street at Aethel University—the one that was such a popular date spot. My friends and I had to buy some whenever we passed by!"

She let out a long sigh. "Brings back so many memories."

’A popular date spot. Friends.’

Miles Warren latched onto those two keywords.

’She must be talking about Jacob Sinclair.’

’So that’s why she suddenly brought me here. She must have run into Jacob Sinclair in Quillmore, and it brought back all her memories of them dating in university.’

Miles Warren looked away. He didn’t press the issue.

’There’s nothing to ask, anyway. I’m just an extra in that decade of her life.’

’Besides, he couldn’t control Claire Kendall’s thoughts. If she wanted to think about Jacob Sinclair, there was nothing he could do about it.’

The two of them walked through the night market, the air filled with the cries of vendors.

She dragged Miles Warren around, buying a pile of things. He paid silently with his phone and carried all her bags, big and small.

Leaving the night market, they walked back to the hotel they had just booked nearby. He kept her carefully shielded on the inside of the sidewalk the whole way. Claire Kendall chattered away, and he would occasionally offer a brief reply. She didn’t notice that anything was off about him.

It was almost ten o’clock when they got back to the hotel. Claire Kendall waited patiently for Miles Warren to scan the key card and open the door.

"It’s so dark. Can you turn on the light?"

The words were barely out of her mouth when a hand suddenly gripped her waist, pinning her against the door.

Her back was to him. In this position, she was completely out of control. It made her feel vulnerable, and a little mortified.

"Dr. Warren... what’s wrong?"

Miles Warren didn’t answer. He unzipped her dress and pressed his lips to her fair, smooth back, kissing his way down.

"Does it still hurt?"

"N-no, it doesn’t hurt anymore."

"May I?"

Claire Kendall nodded.

The next second, Miles Warren lifted her into his arms and pressed her down onto the bed.

In the faint moonlight filtering through the window, Claire Kendall met Miles Warren’s gaze. His eyes were churning with intense emotion.

Her hands braced against his chest as she asked in confusion.

"Miles Warren, you’re acting a little strange all of a sudden. Did something happen?"

He didn’t answer, simply kissing her. "Focus."

What followed was a matter of course. He held Claire Kendall tightly in his arms, giving her no chance to resist from beginning to end.

’I’m so tired.’

"Claire Kendall."

"Hm?"

His voice was very low. "That fried chicken from the food street... was it really good?"

Claire Kendall froze. ’Why is he asking that now, of all times?’

"It was good. Are you hungry? Should I order some takeout?"

Miles Warren said nothing. From that moment on, fried chicken became the food he hated most in the world.

「The night grew deeper.」

Claire Kendall’s mind was a muddle. She had only one thought: ’I’m never eating fried chicken again.’

Afterward, Miles Warren carried her into the bathroom. He attended to her, washing her clean, inch by inch.

Once she was clean, he knelt on one knee beside the tub and meticulously dried her hair.

When it was dry, the man gingerly took Claire Kendall’s hand.

"Miles Warren, don’t..." she began to plead.

"My hands have no strength left... I can’t help you."

The man flicked her lightly on the forehead. "What’s on that dirty mind of yours?"

’It wasn’t her fault for letting her mind wander. The way Miles Warren was acting today, it was like he’d gone mad. He was completely different from his usual self.’

The next moment, Claire Kendall felt something slide onto the ring finger he was holding.

She froze and looked down at her hand. A ring now sat on her ring finger.

The near-perfect facets of the diamond sparkled brilliantly under the bathroom lights.

’So expensive... so big... She’d only ever seen a diamond like this in online video shorts.’

She went to touch it with her left hand, but he seized her wrist as soon as she lifted it. His tone was sharp, carrying a hint of warning.

"Don’t take it off."

He thought she was going to take the ring off.

Claire Kendall leaned in a little closer, her voice turning mischievous.

"My husband gave it to me. I’d never take it off."

As she spoke, she lifted her hand and kissed the ring with a loud SMOOCH.

"Thank you, my darling husband!"

"If you’re thanking me, you should be kissing me. Why are you kissing the ring?"

Claire Kendall licked her lips. ’What a king of jealousy,’ she thought. ’He’s even jealous of a ring.’

She gripped the smooth edge of the tub, straining to lean out far enough to just barely kiss his chin. "Thank you, husband!"

She craned her neck, looking like a noble martyr.

"If that’s not enough, you can go for another round."

The suggestive heat in the bathroom began to rise.

Miles Warren suppressed the impulse, took her fingers, and kissed them.

It was a light, exceptionally reverent kiss.

Miles Warren carried her out of the bathroom. Lying in bed, Claire Kendall couldn’t stay still. She snuggled up next to him, hooking her small hand around his finger.

She saw a matching men’s ring on his hand as well.

Her voice was a soft, coquettish purr. "Dr. Warren, when did you buy the rings?"