Ever since he stopped avoiding Vivian, Ethan started coming home for dinner every evening. However, their encounters didn't increase; instead, Vivian moved out of the master bedroom into the guest room. Although they still lived under the same roof, Ethan often didn't see Vivian emerge from her room until he went to sleep. She seemed to have an endless list of tasks, with dinner being sandwiches delivered by the butler.
The butler had attempted to offer various foods, but Vivian had no particular preferences. After witnessing her mix all her food together, the butler abandoned the idea of introducing her to different dishes.
In the mornings, Vivian woke up earlier than Ethan for her self-training, jogging the ten kilometers to their workplace, leaving Ethan impressed by her determination. Consequently, apart from at the office, Ethan hardly ever saw Vivian.
So, when Ethan returned home that day, he stared at the dinner on the table for a while—a Spanish seafood paella, prepared with the freshest mussels and white shrimp, yet failing to stimulate his appetite. Seeing the butler about to carry a sandwich to the guest room as usual, a sudden thought prompted him to intercept him.
"I'll take it to her." He took the sandwich from the butler's hands and, under the butler's puzzled gaze, let him off early.
The butler nodded, tidied up, and quietly left the house.
Vivian actually had a healthy appetite, likely due to her high physical activity. Her plate was piled with three or four different flavored sandwiches, quite substantial in weight.
Ethan walked to the guest room door and knocked softly. Footsteps approached swiftly, and Vivian cracked open the door, startled to find Ethan standing there, "What are you doing here?"
Ethan, amused by her surprised expression, smiled faintly and asked, "What are you busy with?"
"I'm testing a new system... I figured since the budget is limited, I might as well try to improve it... But I'm not an expert in this area... So it's taking more time..." Vivian explained in fragments, her tone lacking confidence.
"Too busy to eat dinner?"
"I do eat," Vivian gave the sandwich in his hand a puzzled look, unsure why he was holding it.
Ethan fell silent but held the sandwich aloft, showing no intention of handing it over.
Vivian eyed him quizzically. She could easily take the sandwich, but why had Ethan brought it to her door and not given it to her?
"Do you want that sandwich?" Vivian pondered and concluded, "If so, you can have it first, and I'll ask the butler to get me something else later."
"The butler's gone for the day," Ethan glanced at her, stating coolly.
"That's okay, I'll check the kitchen later and eat whatever's there."
"There's seafood paella in the kitchen. It's my dinner."
"...?" So...? You have dinner and still want her sandwich? Are you that hungry?
Seeing her confusion, Ethan murmured almost to himself, "Do we have to live together like strangers, each busy with our own things, hardly ever seeing each other?"
Although Ethan's expression remained indifferent, his tone hinted at a subtle complaint.
"You want to have dinner with me?" Vivian finally understood.
"No, you can eat alone if you want." Ethan, caught off guard, looked unnatural as he shoved the sandwich plate into Vivian's arms.
Vivian laughed, quickly took the sandwiches, and then held his hand, saying, "If that's the case, you should have said so!"
"I said I didn't," Ethan tried to retract his hand but remembered Vivian's formidable combat skills and gave up after a slight struggle.
Her smaller hand was incredibly warm, and Ethan felt all his senses focusing on the hand she held, hot yet unwilling to break free.
But once they reached the dining room, Vivian released his hand and busied herself pulling out a chair to sit.
The sudden drop in warmth in his palm left Ethan a little reluctant. His gaze towards Vivian became clouded with an inexplicable complexity.
Vivian, skilled at sensing others' emotions, noticed Ethan's furrowed brow and immediately exclaimed, "Sorry, sorry, I got too excited that you invited me to meal, I forgot about our agreement."
"What agreement?"
"I promised you before that I wouldn't touch you without your consent. I grabbed your hand just now, I'm sorry!"
Ethan recalled there was indeed such an agreement. It happened the day they first slept together, after Vivian overpowered and violated him, she suddenly felt guilty and vowed never to do so again.
Of course, Ethan deliberately ignored the fact that it was his tears that triggered Vivian's sudden sense of guilt.
Looking at Vivian, Ethan felt a complex mix of emotions.
He remembered that since that day, while Vivian often verbally teased him , she never physically touched him again.
It was a promise anyone would assume was casually made to soothe the moment, something even he hadn't taken seriously. Yet, Vivian took it to heart, even apologizing for something as trivial as holding his hand.
She had done far more audacious things but chose to be serious about insignificant gestures that nobody would care about.
He was increasingly perplexed by this woman. Bold, unconventional, and always unpredictable in her actions, yet in certain aspects, she was unexpectedly serious, sincere, and impressively principled.
Which version of her was the real one?
