Chapter 30

By the time morning light seeped through the curtains,Yvonne woke with a hollow ache in her stomach.

The faint,soothing aroma of breakfast drifted in from outside, and her belly gave a loud, needy growl

Who on earth would be making breakfast in her home?

Baffled, she pushed herself upright, only to feel something cool and damp stuck to her forehead.Peeling it away, she discovered it was a fever patch.

The fragments of last night replayed in her mind, and her breath hitched. Could Julian be the one moving about outside?

It couldn't be. She brushed the thought aside at once Julian would never spend the whole night watching over her. That left only one possibility:Spencer.

Kicking off the blanket, Yvonne swung her legs out of bed. The fever had broken,yet her limbs still trembled with weakness, and the room tilted faintly as she stood.

"Snowy?" she rasped, calling for her little puppy, her voice rough from sleep and illness.

Accustomed to solitude, she never noticed how her loose pajamas slipped off one shoulder, baring the pale curve of her delicate skin.

When she stepped into the living room,Julian lifted his eyes from the newspaper at the dining table. The unexpected glimpse of her bare shoulder left him momentarily arrested, his gaze darkening as if shadowed by something unspoken.

Startled, Yvonne probed sharply, "What on earth are you still doing here?"

The chill in his expression made her regret it instantly.She forced a small, apologetic smile, trying to soften her words.

As she moved closer, she spotted Snowy nestled comfortably in his lap, happily rubbing its little head against him.

What a traitorous puppy! What tricks had Julian pulled to sway its affection?

Bitterness clawed its way up her chest. She pursed her lips in a small pout, then shifted her gaze toward the dining table-only to freeze in surprise at what she saw

Steam curled from the glass of milk, accompanied by toasts and a fried egg. Feeling quietly moved, Yvonne slid into a chair. After a beat of hesitation, she softened her voice. "About last night... thank you."

Julian's tone was clipped. "I'm not the doctor. What's there to thank me for?"

The sharp edge in his words puzzled her. She sensed the irritation simmering underneath but couldn't fathom its cause. Deciding not to spoil the fragile warmth between them, she forced a small, easy smile."All the same... thank you."

For a moment he froze, eyes flicking away as though unsure how to respond. "Eat it before it cools."

She gave a subtle nod and picked up a slice with a faint smile. "Where did you get this? It actually looks pretty good."

Julian arched a brow, lips pressed in silence, though his gaze slipped back to her with a flicker of restless expectation.

Yvonne dismissed the fleeting thought as if it were just her imagination and lifted the milk for a sip.

Right then, Julían's voice cut through the quiet."Have you really fallen for Spencer?"

His voice betrayed a simmering frustration he couldn't hide.

The sudden question caught her mid-sip. Her eyes went wide, and she choked, coughing hard.

Still sputtering, she stared at him in shock. "What did you just say?"

Julian pressed his lips into a hard line and turned away."Forget it." His cold gaze flickered with a flash of regret before he let the silence settle between them.

Yvonne's gaze flickered, deciding not to pursue the matter any further. She dabbed at her lips with a napkin, then frowned and muttered, "Looks good but tastes bad. It is toasted too much."

Julian stiffened, his fist tightening at his side as he instinctively hid the burn on his palm.

He hated how pathetically ridiculous he was acting,baffled by himself-why had he gotten up at dawn to follow some cooking tutorial, only to scald his hand?Why the damn hell had jealousy slipped out of him when he asked if she'd fallen for somebody else?

Catching the subtle shift in his demeanor, Yvonne's jaw dropped. With a stunned look, she remarked,"Don't tell me you actually made this breakfast yourself?"