Chapter 11 Preparing a Hearty Dinner for Him

• Therefore, Erin disliked rainy days, especially ones accompanied by lightning and claps of thunder like tonight.
• “How can I pretend that nothing has happened after I’ve taken your first kiss, you silly girl?”
• Erin rested in Arthur’s arms with peace of mind. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she vaguely heard Arthur whispering something, but she couldn’t make out what he said.
• When Erin woke up again, she found herself lying on her bed and was dumbfounded for a few seconds. Then, the incident last night crossed her mind like an electric current, causing her face to turn red instantly.
• After tossing and turning in bed for a few minutes with her face buried in her hands, she got out of bed with unkempt hair and calmly went to the bathroom to wash up. After changing her clothes, she calmly walked out of her room with her school bag in hand.
• However, she instantly lost her composure when she walked down the stairs to see Arthur, who sat in the living room downstairs while reading the newspaper with a solemn expression. It was one thing when she said herself last night that they should pretend that nothing had happened, but it was quite another when she actually confronted what had happened. After all, the person was Arthur, whom she had always regarded as one of her elders.
• Erin bit her lower lip while looking at Arthur downstairs with incredibly mixed feelings. She tried a few times to lift her foot, but she couldn’t step forward no matter what.
• Just then, Becky—who came out of the kitchen and was about to go upstairs to call Erin—was surprised to see Erin standing upstairs with her school bag in her hand. She greeted, “You’re awake, Miss Erin. Breakfast is ready; hurry up and come down to eat.”
• Erin was startled when she suddenly heard Becky’s voice. Going red in the face, she hurriedly turned to look at Arthur, who raised his eyes from the newspaper and was staring at her with his deep, frosty eyes.
• Erin gulped, but she could only brace herself and go downstairs. Arthur’s eyes slightly narrowed at the sight of the unnatural expression on Erin’s face.
• During the physical education class at Angelwood High School that afternoon, the PE teacher dismissed the students after some simple warm-up exercises, allowing them to exercise freely.
• Isabelle hooked her arm around Erin’s while saying generously, “I got paid yesterday. Come; I’ll treat you to some ice cream.”
• Erin was a little absent-minded, so she didn’t respond to whatever Isabelle said. After leaving the small shop, they walked hand in hand along the school path with ice cream in their hands.
• Taking a bite of her ice cream, Isabelle held it in her mouth while asking Erin with a slur in her voice, “Today’s Friday already. Will you be joining the autumn outing next week?”
• Erin pursed her lips as Jude’s handsome face and bashful smile crossed her mind. “I’d like to join.”
• “Join it if you want then,” replied Isabelle.
• “What can I do? Uncle Arthur forbade me to join the trip,” answered a discouraged Erin.
• Isabelle thought for a moment before turning to look at Erin. “I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?”
• Erin raised her brows. “What is it?”
• Isabelle gestured at Erin. “Come closer.”
• Erin had a twitch in the corner of her eye. Still, she moved her ear close to Isabelle’s lips. Isabelle finished her speech before looking at Erin, who looked visibly tempted. “What do you think?”
• “Is it really a good idea?” Erin hesitated, but her eyes visibly shone with approval as she looked at Isabelle.
• Erin was unusually well-behaved on the weekend; she stayed at home without going anywhere else. After collecting her thoughts for three days, Erin selectively put that intense night out of her mind without ever recalling it again. After all, what had happened that night was merely an accident and a misunderstanding.
• When Arthur came back from work at about 5.00 PM, Erin was standing in the kitchen while preparing something. Arthur handed his overcoat to Becky, who came up to him. “Where’s Erin?”
• Becky took the overcoat and hung it on the coat stand before looking back to smile at him. “Miss Erin is busying herself in the kitchen; she said she wants to prepare a hearty dinner for you.”
• Hearty dinner? Arthur raised his brow and stepped toward the kitchen.
• “Don’t come in, Mrs. Kay; I can handle it on my own.”
• Arthur paused at the door to the kitchen, only to see Erin clumsily holding a kitchen knife and carefully slicing the ginger on the cutting board. She planned to boil a nutritious soup for Arthur before preparing a salad.
• Leaning against the door to the kitchen with his thin lips curled into a visible smile, Arthur watched Erin’s careful and earnest efforts. “What are you doing?”
• “Aaah… Sh*t!”
• Arthur’s face instantly fell. Taking two steps forward, he snatched the kitchen knife from Erin’s hand and tossed it onto the countertop before holding her tender and fair hand with his large hand; his cold gaze instantly darkened when he saw the blood gushing non-stop from her slender and fair index finger.
• Erin hunched her shoulders while peeking cautiously at Arthur. She was startled when he suddenly spoke just now, so her hand trembled while holding the kitchen knife, causing her to accidentally cut her index finger that was holding the ginger in place.
• Arthur furrowed so deeply that his eyebrows met in the middle. After glaring at Erin, he gripped her wrist and turned around to walk out of the kitchen.
• Becky was astounded when she saw Arthur leading Erin out of the kitchen with his face as black as thunder. Just then, Arthur ordered coldly, “Get me the first aid kit.”
• First aid kit? Is she hurt? Becky let out a gasp. Not daring to neglect him and Erin, she quickly turned to take the first aid kit.
• Erin watched Becky taking the first aid kit in a fluster, only to gulp subtly when she noticed the side of someone’s darkened face out of the corner of her eye.