Edie rushed into the kitchen. It was quite clean there. It was a little different from what she imagined.
She only saw two men there, and one is the apprentice, the other is the cook.
The cook was a 170 cm fat manâa little short. Edie looked at his back. She thought he must be a kind man.
"You cooked all those dishes?" Edie asked him. Her voice was trembling. She wanted to cry out. Because....she didnât see that man.
The cook turned around and smiled, "yes, miss. Do you like it?"
"Yes, they are all delicious. Itâs been a long time since I ate such delicious food last time."
Edie couldnât help herself crying. Tears fell down from her face.
Why?
Why wasnât he?
The more she expected, the more she was disappointed.
"If you like it, I can make you one more dish. What about braised beef?"
"Great. I like that. Thank you so much."
She bowed towards the cook to express her appreciation and turned around.
Seeing her walking out, Aaron felt sad. She looked really sad and lost.
He walked towards her, "are you okay? What happened?"
"Cook is good. He is a kind man. I want to eat more."
She got back to the seat and enjoyed the meal carefully.
At the moment, the changing roomâs door was opened. A man in a white shirt walked out. He looked tall and elegant. He didnât like a cook.
His suit was put aside. He wore the apron on and looked towards the cook.
"Thank you."
"Youâre welcome. Were you lovers? Is she dating with others now? I can tell the girl still loves you. If you show up just now, she might get back to you,"
The cook saw the man standing beside Edie. They looked so close. He thought he was Edieâs boyfriend now. And Stuart was her ex.
Hearing his words, Stuart smiled. His voice got more gentle, "thank you for your concern. Please help me keep the secret."
"I know. You want to cook the braised beef, right?"
"Yes."
He cut the meat and prepared all the ingredients. He didnât ask anyone to help him.
He was so focused as if what he was doing was not a dish but an artwork.
Finally, he finished. The cook served the dish, "Quite hot now. Try it. Give me some advice to improve."
Edie tried immediately.
It was the same as the dish Stuart cooked. Exactly the same.
She took a deep breath to hold her tears back and said, "Very good. They are all so delicious. I love them. Thank you very much."
It would be better if that man cooked them.
After the cook left, Aaron said, "Like them? I can buy them for you every day. What do you say?"
"Thank you," Edie was really happy.
She lifted the chopsticks and took the meat to her mouth. Tears fell into her bowl.
She thought...she would never be able to eat such delicious food.
It was the most delicious dinner since she got divorced.
At the same time.
Stuart was standing at the door of the kitchen and looked at her. He didnât even have the courage to walk out.
Even though he still stood straight. He was so focused on staring at her face.
To capture every expression on her face, to learn her feeling at the bottom of her heart.
It took her quite a while to eat that food up. She didnât want to leave immediately.
She walked out of the restaurant slowly and got in Aaronâs car.
When Aaron was about to start the engine, Edie suddenly rushed out of the car suddenly,
"Where are you going?"
She didnât notice his asking. She rushed into the restaurant like a little beast and checked the cashier desk, employeesâ changing room, the kitchen, the managerâs office, finally she came to the ladyâs room, and then to the menâs washing room. She kicked to open all doors.
But when she kicked the last door open, she still didnât see the man.
She was in despair.
But she didnât expect that Aaron held her hands and dragged her back. She didnât know whatâs in the room.
"Are you out of mind? Do you have any idea what you are doing?"
"I know," she shouted out. Tears fell down. "I can feel his smell. He is still here. He still loves me. He is here,"
"Stuart, come out, tell me it is not true. It is just a nightmare. Why do you still hide behind? I know you are here. Come out.... please, look at me. Talk to me. Please. I beg you."
Seeing this, Aaron frowned. He dragged Edie into his arms and shouted out, "it is not true. Stuart stays with Hicks at the moment. He couldnât be here. If you started missing him because of that food, I promise I wonât take you here again, letâs go back, okay?"
"Stuart is here... I can feel him. Aaron, please, could you help me find him?"
Edie struggled to get rid of him. But she was too weak to pull him away,
"I couldnât leave you deceiving yourself."
He lifted her body up and walked out of the toiler. At that moment, one door was opened.
Stuart walked out of the room.
His heart was burning.
Edie went back into the car again. To prevent her from rushing out again, Aaron locked the door.
Edie calmed down. She looked at the restaurant blankly. Aaron frowned. He hated this.
He started the engine and left the place.
As the wind blew on Edieâs face, she felt cold. It was so cold in her heart.
After quite a while, she took a deep breath, "Sorry, I was not meant to do that. I want to go to that restaurant again."
"I forbid it," Aaron refused her immediately.
"Aaron, please. This is....the first time I feel I am so close to him after the divorce." she lowered her eyes. Her eyes were full of tears, but she tried the best to hold them back.
Aaronâs heart was trembling.
She was pretending all these days. She pretended to be happy and hopeful. She did those to tell others she was fine. They didnât have to worry about her. Now, she wasnât pretending. She finally stopped pretending. This was the real Edie.
"Okay. But promise me, donât this again."
"Actually, you are right. I am deceiving myself all these days. He stays with Hicks at the moment. How could it be possible for him to go to that restaurant. I wonât.... wonât do such stupid thing again."
She said and breathed. Finally, she said her depression out.
After getting back to the villa, she took a bath and went to bed.
She didnât turn off the light because she didnât dare to.
Once she turned off the light, she would keep thinking of Stuart.
His figure, his sound, his smell...
Everything about him.
She didnât know whether Stuart didnât want to let her go, or she didnât want to let her go.
She closed her eyes and sobbed. It took her quite a while to fall into sleep.