Husband With Benefits-Chapter 809: Stew

Her eyes narrowed in frustration as she spun on her heel and marched toward the other closed door. She didn’t care what he said. This had to be another bedroom—anything else would be better than staying near him. Once inside, she slammed the door shut, leaning back against it with a sigh of relief.

That relief was short-lived as she groaned, realizing her mistake. In her hasty retreat, she’d left her bag outside. Brilliant. Now it was stuck out there with him. There was absolutely no way she was going to open that door and retrieve it, not after storming off like she had. She cursed herself for not trusting her instincts earlier.

At the time, she’d hesitated for a moment, bothered by the hefty penalty if she breached the contract. But she’d brushed it aside, telling herself she was being silly for questioning it. She had no intention of breaking any clauses. Now, only a few hours in, all she wanted was to tear up the contract and walk out—before things got even worse.

Just then, a knock at the door made her jump. She glared at it, as if the door itself was to blame for her predicament. Then, Cai’s voice drifted through. "There’s some chicken stew on the stove. And I’ve left your bag by the door. Come out whenever you’re done hiding."

Her frown deepened. Hiding? She wasn’t hiding. But her conscience immediately argued back. Yes, yes, she was hiding. She bristled at the thought, refusing to admit it to herself, let alone to him.

Her stomach, however, had other plans. It grumbled loudly in response to the mere mention of food. After hours of traveling and the exhausting task of hauling her oversized suitcase around, she was ravenous. The faint aroma of the stew now crept under the door, teasing her senses. She could practically taste it. And he had definitely left it on the stove on purpose, knowing full well its delicious scent would eventually draw her out.

Still, she shook her head, trying to resist. No. She couldn’t just waltz out there. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts, organize her next move, and—most importantly—set some boundaries. She had to maintain her distance from him if she had any hope of getting through this.

But her stomach growled again, louder this time and more insistent.

She clutched her stomach and looked down at it before shaking her head. This was not going to happen. Nope. In an effort to stop herself, she took off her shoes and threw them aside. Ha! Not going out! Her bare feet sank into the soft carpet as she tried to ignore the gnawing hunger in her belly and purposefully walked towards the bed.

"You’re not going out there. He’ll think he’s won.", she reminded herself.

But deep down, she knew that wasn’t it. It wasn’t about Cai thinking he’d won—it was about her. Being around him made her feel unsettled and she did not like the flustered feeling, one bit.

She sighed and walked over to the small window, pulling the curtain aside. Outside, it was already turning dark, even though it was barely evening. She couldn’t hide in here forever. Eventually, she’d have to face him. Besides, she was starving. As all these thoughts ran through her mind, she decided that she would go outside.

"Okay, Lily," she whispered to herself. "Just get the bag, at least you have some snacks there that might last you through tonight. So get the bag and race back to this room. Simple."

With one last determined breath, she opened the door a crack, peeking out to make sure the coast was clear. There was no sign of Cai, and her bag sat neatly by the door, just as he said. Her stomach growled in approval as she crept out and snatched it up.

But the moment she straightened up, the scent of the stew hit her full force. Her mouth watered, and her willpower wavered. She could feel her resolve slipping as her gaze darted toward the kitchen. She just needed a quick warm bite, something to tide her over until she could think straight again. The cold snacks might not cut it.

Her feet moved before her mind could catch up, carrying her toward the kitchen. The stew simmered on the stove, steam rising from the pot like a warm invitation. She grabbed a spoon and dipped it in, taking a small taste.

Oh, God. It was even better than it smelled. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"Good, huh?"

Lily froze, the spoon halfway to her mouth again. Cai leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her with that infuriatingly calm expression. She quickly lowered the spoon, feeling caught in the act like a red handed thief...

"I wasn’t—" she started, but he cut her off.

"Relax, I heated it up for you. Figured you’d be hungry after the long trip."

"I am not..." She tried to refute again but before she could, Cai straightened up and cut her off," Enjoy your dinner, Lily. I have no intention of forcing my company on someone who doesn’t want it. And you have made the quite clear. So, there is no need to starve yourself just to avoid me. We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night."

Lily stared at the empty doorway where Cai had just been, a pang of guilt tightening in her chest. His words were calm, but they carried the weight of unspoken accusation. She hadn’t expected this from him, to leave her standing there with a spoon in her hand and a stew on the stove, like she was some sort of ungrateful child. And yet, here she was—guilty, frustrated, and completely conflicted over her own behaviour.

After all, he had done nothing. Every ’problem’ had been in her own head. Whether her fear of being shadowed by Jasmine or now, feeling her own unstable emotions, he had not been responsible. And yet, he’d been caught in the crossfire. It was no wonder he chose to escape to his room than sit there and see her make a fool of herself.