Chapter 39 Herbal Soup
Calliope’s tummy was hurting very badly, so she took a day off from work.
Unfortunately, the pain still didn’t subside although she had been resting at home all day. When she woke up in the morning, she caught a whiff of a strange herbal scent coming from the
kitchen.
Calliope struggled to get out of bed. When she arrived at the kitchen, she saw Dominic busy cooking.
He had prepared breakfast for her. On the table, there were charred fried eggs, burnt toast, and a bowl of oatmeal with almost no oatmeal in it.
That must have been a challenge for a man who had never cooked before.
A bitter smile appeared on Calliope’s face. She leaned against the door frame and said softly, “You don’t know how to cook. Let me do it.”
Startled by her voice, Dominic turned around to look at her. “You’re awake? Aren’t you feeling unwell? Go back to bed after having your breakfast. I will handle everything.”
“What else do you need to do?”
“Oh… I’m going to boil some soup for you.” Flustered, Dominic urged her to leave the kitchen. “Go and lie down. Once the soup is ready, I’ll bring it to you.”
Calliope pursed her lips as a warm sensation welled up in her heart. The next second, however, a thought popped up in her mind. Did he use to be so sweet to his first crush? He was sixteen years old back then. In his youth, I’m sure he was just as pa**ionate and attentive….
With that thought in mind, the smile on Calliope’s face froze. The familiar uneasy feeling surfaced in her heart again, and coupled with the pain in her belly due to standing too long, she became increasingly irritated.
Just then, Dominic turned to look at her.
Calliope glared at him and returned to her room before slamming the door shut.
Dominic was confused. Do all women behave like this during their period? One moment, she was smiling at me. The very next second, she was staring daggers at me. She’s so difficult to comprehend.
At that moment, Jonathan sent him a message, telling him to come to Grandeur Hotel for a discussion. He turned off the cooker and was about to inform Calliope when there was a knock on the door.
Serena was standing outside the door. She heard that Calliope was feeling unwell, so she came by to check on her while she was out doing business.
“So, you are Dominic?” Serena was taken aback when he opened the door.
That was her first time meeting him, and he was nothing like how she had imagined him to be. Knowing that he had once been imprisoned because of fighting, she thought he would be a roguish-looking guy. In fact, she was expecting to see a really mean-looking man.
To her surprise, Dominic was tall, muscular, and charming. His chiseled face sported an aloof demeanor while his gaze was deep and penetrating, making it difficult for one to discern his emotions. His aura was so overwhelming that Serena could not help but take two steps back.
“Yes, I am,” Dominic replied gently. “Are you Serena?”
“Nice to meet you,” said Serena with a smile.
Dominic stepped aside to allow her entry.
The moment she stepped into the house, she caught the strong stench of traditional medicine and frowned.
“What happened? Is she very sick?” asked Serena as she looked at him. “Why does she need to take medicine?”
“Her stomach has been hurting, so I found out about a formula that will help alleviate her symptoms. I’m brewing some soup using the ingredients listed in the formula.”
“I see.” Serena nodded pensively.
Her mom practiced traditional medicine and was well-versed in gynecology. The environment she grew up in equipped her with relevant knowledge regarding traditional medicine. As such, she knew a thing or two. The medicine smelled weird to her, so she was thinking of checking it out when she got the chance. She had to make sure nothing was wrong with the medicine before Calliope consumed it, just to be careful.
“Serena, you’re here?” Calliope greeted the other woman as she walked out of her room. “So sorry to make you worry. I’m just having period cramps, that’s all. You didn’t have to come visit me…”
Serena smiled. “Period cramps are serious to women. You don’t look too good. Does it hurt a lot?”
“Yes,” said Calliope with a frown. “Serena, can you please get me the painkillers that your mom has prescribed for me? That medicine is really effective. I immediately felt better after taking it last time!”
“Why do you need painkillers?” Serena pointed to the kitchen and chuckled. “Your husband is brewing some soup for you. That is way better than the painkillers!”
Calliope looked up at Dominic, and he smiled back at her.
He then left after informing her he had to go out. As usual, he didn’t let her know who he was meeting and when he would be back. He only told her not to wait for him to come back for dinner.
Calliope watched him leave and let out a soft sigh.
“That doesn’t sound right.” Serena looked at her with a smile and asked, “Is everything okay?”
Calliope bit her lip and told Serena everything about Dominic’s supposed first crush.
After listening to the whole story, Serena could not help but laugh out loud.
“That’s why you’re upset? Calliope, why would you torture yourself over an ‘enemy’ that probably doesn’t even exist? You’re so funny!”
“There’s no solid proof, and I know I’m being ridiculously paranoid, but I can’t seem to control myself.” Calliope sat on the couch while hugging her knees, cradling her face in her hands.
Serena tried talking some sense into her. “You’re being silly! That’s all just your imagination! You can’t accuse him of being disloyal to you just because of a sentence he didn’t finish. For all you know, he might not even have a first crush! Even if he does have one, that was such a long time ago. He ended up marrying you, didn’t he? So what are you afraid of?”
Serena pursed her lips before continuing, “Furthermore, who would want to fight with you over a man like him? He doesn’t have a background or a job. Heck, he even has a criminal record. You’re probably the only person in this world who thinks he’s a gem!”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Calliope curled her lips into a smile as she eyed her friend coyly.
After chatting with Serena, Calliope felt much better. Even her stomach did not hurt that much anymore. Just then, the pot made a hissing sound, and the medicinal soup nearly spilled out.
Serena swiftly rushed over to open the cover.
She appeared shocked after studying the ingredients in the soup.
