At the end of the day, the two of them simply hadn't spent enough time together. They didn't know each other well enough yet.
His hot breath lingered near her ear, and Emma's heart ached a little. When you explained something like this, shouldn't you be face to face, speaking sincerely? How had it turned into this with Liam?
There was no way to explain anything in such an improper state. He hadn't even patiently waited for her reaction before Liam had already dragged her into his own emotions.
Finally, Emma's consciousness slowly faded. Exhausted, she fell asleep leaning against his chest. Even in that hazy state, a trace of lingering regret remained.
She shouldn't have given in to him so quickly. It would make him think he was too easy to forgive. That wasn't a good sign.
Liam looked at the woman sleeping in his arms. He twisted a strand of her sweat-dampened hair between his fingers, remembering how charming she had been just moments ago. That was something she would never show him otherwise.
Only at times like this could Liam truly feel that Emma belonged to him. Her entire being was his.
When she woke up the next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows. She opened her eyes. The man beside her was already gone. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, then got out of bed. While washing up in the bathroom, she saw the blue marks he had left on her skin the night before. They were still there, making her feel a little upset.
Luckily, it was winter now. She didn't have to worry about anyone seeing them.
Otherwise, she would be too embarrassed to face anyone. She'd want to crawl into a hole.
When she came downstairs, Liam was wearing a light gray robe, preparing breakfast in the kitchen. The smell of sausages filled the air.
Even in loose pajamas, with only his back visible, Emma had to admit that this man always had the power to draw all eyes to himself.
She even thought that if Liam wore his pajamas to Fashion Week, he would become the media's favorite. He would outshine all the famous models who had prepared so hard, becoming the cover star of every magazine.
Thinking about this, Emma remembered her own luck. She really was fortunate.
But that luck had an expiration date.
Liam had arranged their schedule for the day. He took Emma to see Uncle Theo first. Luckily, Uncle Theo's foot wasn't seriously injured. He just needed to rest for a few days.
After leaving Uncle Theo's house, they went to Lake Serenity. The lake had formed a thin layer of ice. But the winter scenery was still beautiful. They strolled along the edge of the lake, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
Emma wasn't very keen on shopping. She would rather chat with Olivia. But being with Liam, she lacked interest.
The thought of Mr. Thompson waiting for her to try on clothes made her lose all pleasure in dressing up.
As the sun slowly set, Liam drove Emma to the market. She bought a lot of ingredients. Because Liam liked squirrel fish, Emma wanted to try making it. She had practiced it several times in the company cafeteria. Although the chef always drank a big jar of water after tasting it each time, she had made great progress. Every time, he drank less water.
Back at the villa, Emma saw a cream-colored cat curled up in the snow, licking its paw. When she saw it yesterday, she thought it was someone else's cat. She hadn't mentioned it to Liam that night. She didn't expect it to be a stray.
Seeing that its paw seemed injured, Emma handed the bags to Liam. She put on her sheepskin boots and stepped into the snow to pick up the kitten.
"Poor little thing. Let's take it inside."
Although Emma looked up and asked Liam, she didn't wait for his answer. She couldn't wait to carry the kitten back into the house.
Liam remembered what Emma had said yesterday. His eyes suddenly turned cold. Even though he didn't like it, Emma had already brought the cat inside. He could only accept it.
Once the kitten was in the living room, Emma asked a servant to bring the first aid kit. She treated its wound. She found some towels and made a temporary nest for the kitten in a corner of the sofa. Then she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Liam sat on the sofa, turned on the TV, and watched the local financial news. From time to time, he glanced at the kitten in the corner. His cold eyes made the little white cat shiver. It thought the man of this house was really terrifying.
When dinner was ready, Liam came to the table. He looked at the extra dishes Emma had made tonight. They seemed full of color, aroma, and flavor. He thought her cooking had really improved. He was about to pick up his chopsticks to try a piece of the squirrel fish Emma had made. But Emma stopped him.
"Wait. I need to feed Xiaobai first."
Emma took a small plate and put a large piece of fish belly on it. She picked out a few bones. Then she brought the kitten over and placed it in an empty spot beside the table. A soft light shone in her eyes. "Xiaobai, you must be very hungry. Come on, this piece of meat is the most tender."
Liam's cold eyes fell on the happy cat again.
"It's just a cat. Just give it to the servants. Are you planning to take it back to the city and keep it?"
He picked up a piece of squirrel fish with his chopsticks and ate it without hesitation. His words carried a hint of displeasure.
"How do you know I'm going to take it back?"
Emma looked at Liam with clear eyes. Liam paused with his chopsticks. If there was any regret medicine in the world, he would take a whole bottle right now. Fine. He took back what he just said.
"If you really want one, I can take you to the pet market to choose one. It's just a stray cat."
Liam's meaning was very clear. He disagreed.
"It doesn't make any difference to me. They're all kittens. Look how cute it is. It doesn't even look fully grown yet. It's a child that needs to be taken care of."
Emma reached out her hand and stroked the kitten's back. The kitten squinted comfortably.
Looking at her soft eyes, Liam suddenly felt that the scene of one person and one cat was quiet and beautiful. It made him want to hold Emma in his arms and love her properly.
"Since you want to, take it back to the city."
Liam coughed uncomfortably and agreed. Although he didn't like small animals very much, he found them troublesome. But if Emma liked it, he was willing to give in.