He Was Too Soft to Hurt Anyone Until They Took Me Away Chapter 08

He Was Too Soft to Hurt Anyone Until They Took Me Away Chapter 08

An hour later, I was standing in the laundry room, staring at a pile of clothes.

He’d told me to do his laundry. And that was exactly what it was. Just laundry.

Julian tossed me his wine–stained shirt and disappeared into his study.

I didn’t see him again until dinner time, when a man named Arthur Mills showed up at the door.

“Miss Tessa, dinner’s ready. Mr. Ashford is expecting you.‘

Tessa. The cover name the system had set up for me.

Arthur led me to the dining room. Julian was already seated at the head of the table.

One look at the table, and my breath caught.

Three of my favorite dishes. Sitting right there.

I sat down, took a bite, and the familiarity hit me all at once. I knew this cooking.

He still cooked. After everything, he still cooked.

I went through those three dishes like I hadn’t eaten in days.

The roasted carrot dish sat untouched on my plate. Some things never changed.

Julian watched me eat in silence. Then, casual as could be:

“Any good?”

I was too busy stuffing my face to play it cool.

“So good.”

The tension I’d been carrying started to loosen.

I figured this was my opening. If I was going to get close to him, I had to keep the conversation

going.

“I didn’t know you cooked, Mr. Ashford. This is incredible.”

The room went dead still.

Julian set down his fork. He looked up, his eyes dark and unreadable.

“How do you know I made this?”

My blood ran cold. I had no answer.