Aimee was taken aback by Patrick’s sharpness, not expecting him to be so perceptive.
She scooped another spoonful and gently fed it to Patrick, asking, “Is it delicious? I’ve still got some decent cooking skills, you know.”
However, this time Patrick kept his lips tightly shut, his defensive gaze fixed on Aimee.
“Why? Are you afraid I’ll poison you?” Aimee furrowed her brow, feeling hurt by Patrick’s rudeness.
Patrick replied, “Yes, I’m afraid you might do something.”
Aimee’s eyes flickered. If she hadn’t been aware that someone could walk in at any moment, she would have pinched Patrick’s mouth shut and poured out all the soup from the bowl.
She sighed, “You don’t have to worry like that. This idea is just for you, not for Grandpa. He’s already drinking it, so there’s no need to be concerned.”
Patrick caught the emotions in Aimee’s eyes, narrowing his gaze and becoming more convinced that she was up to something with the soup.
However, for some reason, Patrick didn’t dislike her behavior.
On the contrary, he found it intriguing and wanted to see what this gentle, obedient, and sweet young woman was up to.
He was curious to witness her next move.
So, when Aimee raised her eyes and stared at him, Patrick opened his mouth and drank the soup from the spoon.
Aimee was momentarily stunned, not expecting Patrick to cooperate so readily.
She stared at him, realizing that he wasn’t about to confront her, and smiled, saying, “Don’t worry, I won’t harm you.”
The implication was that even if she did something, it was for his own benefit.
He had no reason to worry.
Patrick remained silent, quietly and obediently consuming the soup Aimee fed him.
Aimee carefully calculated the portion of food Patrick should eat and brought it over.
Initially, she had thought she would need to use some method to force Patrick to cooperate and finish the food.
But she didn’t expect him to be so well-behaved.
She fed Patrick the last bite, and after putting the spoon aside, she gave him a thumbs up and exclaimed, “You’re doing great. Thumbs up for you.”
Patrick felt utterly speechless. What was this woman thinking?
Was she treating him like a kindergartener and trying to coax him?
Aimee paid no mind to Patrick’s expression at that moment. She didn’t dwell on it and advised him, “You should be more responsible. From now on, eat properly, following today’s example, and don’t let Grandpa worry about you anymore.”
Although she hadn’t been in the Hayden family for long, Aimee could clearly see how much Camdyn had done for Patrick.
Patrick was taken aback by her words. He stared at Aimee’s face for a while, and eventually said, “You genuinely care about Grandpa.”
According to the information he had, Aimee had never met or had any prior contact with Camdyn before joining the Hayden family.
How could these two individuals be so considerate of each other? Patrick couldn’t help but feel like an outsider among the three of them.
Hearing Patrick’s response, Aimee lowered her lashes and avoided his gaze.
She replied, “Grandpa has been incredibly kind to me. I cherish that and feel like we’re family.”
This was the first time Aimee spoke such words in front of Patrick.
It was also the first time she openly revealed her longing for family and affection to someone else.
Patrick’s gaze grew deep, clearly observing Aimee’s expression.
He knew that the Reads hadn’t treated her well.
That was why she cherished the kindness she received from Grandpa, even if it was just a little.
Patrick felt an indescribable sense of suffocation, his heart filled with emotions he had never experienced before.
Unbeknownst to him, the distressed expression in Patrick’s eyes as he looked at Aimee went completely unnoticed.
As Aimee lifted her gaze, she found herself meeting Patrick’s intense stare.
Surprised at first, she quickly broke into a smile and said, “I’ll take these back first, and later I’ll come to give you a massage.”
Patrick remained silent, his gaze fixated on Aimee’s face.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable under his unwavering gaze, Aimee swiftly picked up the tray and left Patrick’s room.
Coincidentally, Camdyn had finished his dinner as well. Seeing Aimee approaching with an empty tray, he felt even better.
“Aimee, you have a way with Pat. He hasn’t eaten like this in a long time,” remarked Camdyn.
“Don’t worry, Grandpa. Mr. Hayden will start eating well from now on,” assured Aimee.
Though Patrick hadn’t made any promises, Aimee could sense that he genuinely cared about Camdyn.
To ensure Camdyn’s happiness, she believed Patrick would also take better care of himself in the future.
Aimee was certain of it.
Camdyn’s happiness only grew upon hearing her words.
He quickly exclaimed, “Aimee, thank you. You’re an angel to our family.”
Aimee blushed sheepishly and didn’t say anything more.
Camdyn added, “Now go and have your dinner quickly. I’ll go see Pat.”
“Okay, Grandpa,” Aimee replied, making her way towards the dining room.
Camdyn entered Patrick’s room and inexplicably felt that Patrick’s complexion looked better than usual.
“How are you, Pat? Was the soup delicious tonight?” asked Camdyn.
Patrick smiled and looked towards Camdyn. “Grandpa, you truly like Aimee,” he said.
“She’s a good girl, kind and virtuous. Naturally, I’m pleased with her,” replied Camdyn.
“Grandpa, have you already chosen her from the start?” Patrick asked, not as a question, but as an affirmation.
Later, he came to know that Camdyn had secretly contacted various nobles, inquiring if they would be willing to marry their daughters into the Hayden family and become his wife.
Although Patrick was unfamiliar with most noble ladies, many of them had made efforts to have their daughters catch his attention before his accident.
Patrick himself had no interest in such matters and grew weary of dealing with these noble ladies, so he let Trace dismiss those who could be dismissed.
For those who didn’t know how to act properly and persisted in making him unhappy, he would unceremoniously teach them a lesson.
Thus, Patrick had a mental list of the type of women Camdyn would approach.
However, Aimee’s presence on that list was impossible.
Even if Grandpa chose the Read family, Aimee would never have been considered.
While it could be explained that the Read family didn’t want their other daughters to marry a paralyzed man and potentially become a widow one day, as long as Grandpa desired it, there were always other ways to make them comply.
So, out of all the possibilities, Grandpa eventually chose Aimee. It was an incredibly peculiar matter.
He said, “Grandpa, tell me. What kind of enchanting power does Aimee possess that made you choose her?”
Camdyn knew Patrick’s temperament all too well. If there was something he wanted to know, he would undoubtedly uncover it.
Furthermore, no one dared to deceive him with lies.
Glancing at Patrick, Camdyn finally let out a sigh and said, “Pat, I don’t want to tell you, and I can’t tell you. I simply want you to know that Aimee is truly remarkable. You must not mistreat her or let her down.”
Patrick’s gaze remained calm, as if he had expected Camdyn’s response, yet he didn’t react much.
He was merely filled with suspicion. How could Grandpa be so stern about this matter?
It only intensified his curiosity about Aimee.
He yearned to peel back layer after layer, revealing what lay beneath her exterior, and his desire to explore grew even stronger.
Aimee had successfully piqued his interest.
In fact, she had ignited a glimmer of hope for him to truly live.
Until he comprehended Aimee, thoughts of ending his life would not even cross his mind.