The events from last night weighed heavily on Sidney's mind. Jayson had gotten drunk and said he wanted to live a good life with her, but that wasn't her original intention. If he had remained indifferent to her and they continued their old way of interacting, she believed she could leave in six months. But now, she wasn't sure if he would let her leave unscathed.
She regretted being too nosy yesterday by caring about him. Maybe if she had been a little colder, their relationship would have remained stuck at the freezing point.
This morning, she purposely went downstairs early to avoid him while he was still in bed. She didn't know how to face him, and she wasn't sure if he remembered what he had said last night.
After Jayson came downstairs and had breakfast in the dining room, he took his keys and left without speaking to Sidney. She deliberately avoided making eye contact with him. Once he was gone, she sighed with relief and began to do her own things. The clothes he had bought for her the day before were dry, and she watched the housekeeper put them away in the closet. The housekeeper noticed the unopened paper bags and asked if she wanted them washed. Sidney awkwardly declined, and the housekeeper smiled, telling her not to feel embarrassed, as washing underwear was part of her job. Sidney still awkwardly refused.
In the afternoon, a call came in. The butler informed Sidney that Jayson had sent someone to pick up lobster, crab, and sea urchins from the club, and they would have dinner together later. Sidney joined the butler in preparing the seafood, and he respectfully asked how she wanted it done. Sidney thought for a moment, originally planning to cook according to Jayson's tastes, but now, she had a different idea. "Let's go for something light and refreshing," she said, deciding to prepare a seafood ceviche, marinating the fresh seafood in citrus juices, with a hint of spice and a few finely chopped herbs. It was her own way of enjoying the delicate flavors of the seafood while keeping it vibrant and bold—something less heavy, yet full of flavor.
She transformed the entire box of lobsters and sea urchins into cold seafood dishes and even prepared a batch of dry noodles with her own twist to complete the meal. The housekeeper glanced at the table and remarked, "Madam, these are all pretty light dishes."
"I'm in the mood for something light today."
"But Jayson insists on something heavier."
"It's fine."
The housekeeper seemed a little troubled, but Sidney felt quite pleased. This way, she wondered if Jayson would still want to come home for dinner with her next time.
Jayson arrived home around six. He didn't say anything when he saw the table full of light dishes. He simply took off his suit jacket and sat down to eat.
Sidney had originally thought he would explode in anger and refuse to eat, but she had completely misjudged him.
Sidney placed mustard in front of him, but he didn't dip it.
Sidney was eating lobster with a side of cold pasta, and she had to admit the combination was a bit strange. But that was exactly the point—she was deliberately going for something unusual!
Jayson quietly finished the noodles in his bowl and even asked the housekeeper to make another bowl for him. Sidney's spirits sank further. Not only did he not question the meal, but he also seemed to enjoy it…
Once most of the dishes were finished, Jayson politely wiped his mouth with a napkin. He glanced at Sidney, still struggling with the sea urchins. "Is it good?"
Sidney swallowed and nodded in response. After all the light dishes on the table, she found it hard to eat any more. Besides, there was no way the two of them could finish all this food.
"What do you want to eat tomorrow?"
She swallowed hard, feeling a bit nauseous from eating too much.
"What do you mean?" She played dumb.
"What do you want to eat? What special food do you like? I'll have someone bring it back." Jayson placed his hands in his pockets and leaned back in his chair, leisurely watching Sidney finish the seafood on the table.
"Why?" Was he trying to please her now?
"I thought you really liked eating these," he said, amused, his peach blossom eyes filled with a smile.
"..." Sidney put down her chopsticks and glared at him, feeling so disgusted that she was about to throw up. Her face didn't look good.
"I didn't expect you to eat a whole box of cold dishes in one meal. Isn't that too much?"
"I just like light food!" Sidney thought to herself that she had really gotten herself into this, and it was all her own doing.
"If you can't eat anymore, then don't."
"I can eat, I love it."
"Your face looks awful."
"... Then you eat the rest."
"I won't eat it."
"You're wasting it if you don't eat! I worked so hard to make this dinner for you! Do you know how hard it was to peel all these shells? And if we leave it till tomorrow, it won't be fresh anymore!"
"It's not about the money. Who told you to cook everything at once? Just throw it away."
"Do you want to eat it, housekeeper?" Sidney shouted towards the kitchen. The housekeeper popped her head out and said she couldn't eat seafood. Sidney awkwardly looked at the table full of cold dishes, "If you don't eat leftovers, a thunderstorm might strike you!" Sidney exaggerated dramatically.
"Bullshit."
Sidney shot him a glare and picked up her fork to continue eating. She thought to herself that these premium ingredients weren't cheap, so how could she just throw them away?
Jayson pressed her hand down, stopping her from eating. She struggled in his grip, "I can still eat!"
Jayson had no choice but to pick up his fork and eat with her.
"Next time, don't cook so much."
Jayson helped her finish everything, and they finally cleared out the entire box of lobster and sea urchin. Sidney let out a big burp, feeling like her stomach was about to burst.
Jayson sighed, went upstairs, and didn't come down again. Sidney paced back and forth in the living room, doing some digestive exercises. When it was almost bedtime, she went upstairs and saw that he had turned off all the lights and was lying on the bed.
Sidney anxiously climbed into bed, worried that she wouldn't be able to sleep without the light. She could feel that Jayson hadn't fallen asleep yet, tossing and turning in bed.
Something felt off to her because the frequency of his tossing and turning was unusual. She gathered her courage and turned on the light, "What's wrong with you?"
She saw that Jayson was sweating profusely, his face pale, and he looked weak.
"I have food poisoning."
"Huh?" Sidney was shocked. She ate the same food as him, so it should have been fine!
He looked in agony, propped himself up, and staggered toward the bathroom. After vomiting, Sidney realized that the situation was serious!
She quickly called the housekeeper and had the bodyguard drive over. Together, they helped the weak Jayson into the car and rushed him to the hospital.
When they arrived at the emergency room, the doctor made an initial diagnosis and explained that Jayson already had a history of gastric bleeding. His stomach had always been weak, and eating too much at once had aggravated it, causing sudden inflammation. After giving him an IV drip and prescribing medication, the doctor said he could be discharged.
Sidney stood beside the hospital bed, looking at Jayson, who was as pale as a sheet. She bit her lip, unsure whether she should apologize.
"Why didn't you tell me your stomach was weak?"
"... Even if I told you, you would still make me eat it!"
"If I had known your stomach was this sensitive, there's no way I would have let you eat that much..."
"Didn't you go all out with the food today just to get to me?"
Sidney suddenly felt very sad. She lowered her head even more, staring at the tips of her shoes, filled with guilt. She had been thinking about how to restore the relationship between them, but never anticipated such a consequence.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted impulsively." Sidney bowed her head in apology.
Jayson didn't say anything. After finishing the IV, she took the initiative to help him out of the hospital. The housekeeper and bodyguard drove the car over, and Sidney helped him into the car before getting in herself.
Once they were home, she followed him closely, "Just tell me what you need to do, I'll help you."
He leaned against the headboard. Actually, after the IV and medicine, his stomach wasn't hurting much anymore. He tilted his head, looking at her with a half-smile.
Sidney sat on the edge of the bed, unable to stop herself from apologizing again.
"I want to lie down and rest now. Come give me a foot massage."
Sidney thought the request was strange. Although it was winter, the house had heating. She didn't dare to argue, and the guilt forced her to comply. She filled a basin with hot water, rolled up her sleeves, and carefully placed his legs into the water, rubbing them just like she used to do when washing Shelby's feet.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed it.
After washing his feet, Sidney dried them and actively helped him lie down on the bed. He waved his hand at her, "Come here."
Sidney leaned by the bed, waiting for his next command.
"Come sleep with me."
"…"
