I was startled, and to my surprise, I turned around to find Cameron standing there. He had just walked in, carrying a cake in his hand, with Yasmin following behind him, carrying a lot of groceries.
“Miss Campbell is back, why didn’t you turn on the lights?” Yasmin smiled and put everything in the kitchen, then turned to Cameron, “Mr. Lynch, everything is inside, so I’ll…”
“You can go now,” Cameron said softly.
His expression was somewhat awkward.
I wondered why he let Yasmin leave at this hour. Who would cook dinner tonight? Besides, I hadn’t seen him for three months, and I had gotten used to being alone here. His sudden appearance caught me off guard.
If there were a third person there, it might have been a bit better. I quietly slipped into the kitchen and took out all the groceries. Then I heard his deep voice, “Let me do it.” He rolled up his sleeves, tied an apron around his waist.
Was he telling me he would cook tonight?
“Aren’t you busy enough?” He glanced at me. “Stop standing there like a log! Can you open the cake on the table? Clumsy.”
“Oh.” I mumbled in response.
It seemed that his temper had worsened during his three months abroad.
I carefully lifted the cake base, gradually pulling it out of the box. But when I saw it in its entirety, I froze. It was a petite fondant cake, in the cherry blossom pink that I’ve always adored since childhood. On the cake stood a rainbow and a unicorn. The cake was adorned with strawberries all around. The two large chocolate words in the middle: “Happy Birthday.”
Happy Birthday…
Was today my birthday?
My heart pounded, a sour feeling rising in my throat.
“Today is your birthday, isn’t it?” Cameron walked out of the kitchen, placing a freshly cooked dish on the table. “If I remember correctly, today marks fifteen years since you first came to The Lynch Family.”
Yes, today could be considered my birthday. Actually, I had no idea when my actual birthday was. I never had a mother, and living with a father like that, even having a full meal was a luxury, let alone celebrating a birthday.
So I took the day The Lynch Family adopted me as my birthday. After all, it was the day I was reborn.
I didn’t dare to celebrate ostentatiously; no one had ever noticed before. Each year on this day, I would secretly buy a small piece of cake and quietly eat it in my room. But today, Cameron…
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Happy birthday.” He lowed his head, uttering these two words stiffly before turning and heading into the kitchen.
Shortly after, he brought out a few dishes. In his hands was a bottle of red wine, from which he poured a glass and handed it to me.
“Laura,” he said flatly, “don’t think I’m celebrating your birthday on purpose… I finished my business abroad and came back to relax a bit.”
I was taken aback, then chuckled.
“If you want to celebrate, I don’t know how many people would be at your beck and call… But why bother, dining with someone you hate, making yourself uncomfortable.”
“You’re wrong about that,” he looked up. “Sometimes it’s good to dine with someone you hate, to make yourself uncomfortable and aid digestion.”
“Nonsense!”
When our eyes met, it felt like an electric current surged through me.
“This cake…” He paused. “I bought it on my way back.”
I knew he would say that.
But my heart feels like I’ve just had a taste of honey.
He still looked handsome and majestic, with an air of nobility. He was a born king, capable of conquering everything and deserving of admiration. However, just now, I saw a particularly childish side of him.
I smiled, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.
“Eat up,” he urged me. “Afterward, we’ll light the candles and make a wish.”
“My wish is to become a chief journalist one day!”
“Are you crazy?” He frowned, staring at me. “Wishes shouldn’t be spoken aloud; they might not come true!”
“Why are you so fierce?” I looked at him. “Is it because my wish doesn’t include you, so you’re unhappy?”
“Laura, how come I never noticed before that you’re so talkative?”
…
After dinner, I lay back in the chair, not wanting to move. That despicable Cameron even had the nerve to order me to do the dishes. He wanted me to clean the kitchen and living room, and even change a new bedsheets in the bedroom.
New bedsheets? I hesitated, then slowly walked in.
Just as I finished changing, this man slammed the door shut, and pinned me tightly.
“Cameron, you…” I felt conflicted, pushing him hard. “Stop it!”
“Why?” He grinned, “What are you nervous about?”
He lifted the covers, wrapping me up, and then withdrew himself, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me with a smile.
“You…”
“Aren’t you disappointed that I’m not sleeping with you tonight?”
“Get lost!”
His expression softened unexpectedly, gazing at me for a long time before speaking softly, “I know you’ve been working hard lately. But sometimes, hard work doesn’t always pay off.”
“Are you not going to mock me?”
“I just want to say that if you want to become a chief journalist, you’ll have to work even harder.”
“Don’t you think what I’m doing is wrong?” I turned my head away, “I’m giving up my family, striving for a career that hasn’t achieved much, and repeatedly betraying my husband.”
“It’s not wrong for a woman to pursue what she likes,” he said. “But your mindset is dangerous. If you give up what you like for a husband like that, I’ll truly despise you, Laura.”
“What kind of husband? Did you officially get married?”
“We had a wedding after all; everyone knows we’re married.”
“A wedding, and you’re willingly tied to him for a lifetime?” Cameron chuckled lightly, then leaned down, his voice hoarse as it lingered in my ear. “Then I’ll give you a wedding too. Will you leave him?”
…
I lay in bed, experiencing the first restful sleep in three months. There was no burden of meeting deadlines, no task of brainstorming for news stories. I didn’t have to think about anything work-related or dwell on the past. I was enveloped in warmth, sleeping deeply yet still aware of Cameron’s presence beside me.
The next evening after work, I didn’t go back to the apartment; I returned home early. As soon as I entered, I noticed Carter’s face full of unhappiness.. I lowered my head.
In truth, I had only intended to take a short nap yesterday and return later. Little did I know I would oversleep and end up spending the night in the apartment. Carter must be displeased; his condition for allowing me to work outside was that I must also take care of the household.
I changed clothes, poured a glass of water, and sat on the sofa, flipping through the materials I brought back.
Carter kept changing TV channels. For a long time, neither of us spoke a word.
“Aren’t you going to say something to me?” Carter lifted his head.
I was taken aback. Meeting his gaze, I felt calmer than I had imagined. Suddenly, I wanted to break free, to lay everything bare. I wanted to tell him, “Carter, I appreciate your kindness, but gratitude can’t turn into love. Gratitude isn’t a reason for me to be bound forever. Can we still be siblings? I’m willing to regard you as my most respected brother for life, and I’ll do my best to take care of you. Just don’t tie me down, okay?”
But before I could speak, Carter said, “You’ve been tired lately, haven’t you?”
He wheeled himself to the door and called downstairs, “Housekeeper, bring dinner up for us!”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I hurriedly offered, “Let me help you downstairs to eat.”
“Why go downstairs?” He turned back, a wry smile on his face. “Dad isn’t coming back, Mom is in the nursing home, and Cameron…”
He paused, giving me a meaningful look.
“Eating downstairs is boring. Let’s dine upstairs instead,” he chuckled. “You’ve been busy lately, running around…”
“I’m not tired.”
“You’ve lost weight, I know, you’re busy with news reporting and writing articles. You’ve always worked hard.”
With just a few words, he brought out the guilt buried deep within me.
“I’m sorry, Carter…” I murmured, bowing my head, “I didn’t keep my promise to you last night. I’m truly sorry. But please believe me, I was just tired from writing, and I fell asleep…”
“Forget it,” he said, his profile emitting an unusual indifference.
I felt like I had exhausted the last bit of trust between us. Our marriage had long been in tatters, and it wasn’t really a marriage at all; it was just a means for The Lynch Family to keep me tethered.