Aimee entered the mansion and noticed the surprised looks on Camdyn and Riley’s faces, particularly the subtle guilt in Camdyn’s gaze.
Camdyn himself knew that his grandson had no interest in Elsie whatsoever, but Aimee was unaware of this fact.
Concerned that Aimee might read too much into the situation, Camdyn cautiously began, “Aimee, just now…”
“Grandpa, I came back late today, and I need to prepare soup for Mr. Hayden. I’ll head to the kitchen first,” Aimee interrupted Camdyn, uninterested in discussing Patrick’s romantic history with him.
For her, Patrick was merely a means to break free from the Read family.
Any feelings she had towards him now were solely due to him being her patient. Being able to heal him would bring her a great sense of accomplishment.
As for anything beyond that, Aimee simply didn’t care.
In Camdyn’s eyes, it appeared as jealousy.
Camdyn gazed at Aimee’s retreating figure, remaining silent for a long while.
It wasn’t until Aimee disappeared into the kitchen that Camdyn sighed and turned to Riley, seeking his opinion. “Riley, tell me, is Aimee upset? But Pat clearly has no interest in that woman. He never gives her a chance.”
Riley wore a happy expression as he responded to Camdyn, “Mr. Hayden, I think you should be glad about her reaction.”
“How so?” Camdyn sighed, while giving Riley a stern look.
What was happening? Patrick’s love life wasn’t going well, and Riley could still be happy?
Riley explained, “I believe she is feeling jealous, which indicates that she cares deeply for him.”
“Is that true?” Camdyn asked skeptically.
“Absolutely,” Riley affirmed, “And look, despite her obvious unhappiness, she’s still preparing dinner for him herself. It’s clear that he holds a significant place in her heart.”
After pondering for a moment, Camdyn found himself agreeing more and more with Riley’s assessment.
He joyfully patted Riley on the shoulder and declared, “You’re right! When you put it that way, it seems to be true. I always knew Aimee is a remarkable girl, and it’s our Pat’s good fortune to marry her.”
“Indeed, you have excellent taste,” Riley remarked.
Unbeknownst to Camdyn and Riley, Aimee was in the midst of their impending praise.
She skillfully handled the ingredients, catching James’s attention. Impressed, he leaned over and complimented her.
“Mrs. Hayden, could I have the honor to let you teach me sometime when you have the chance?”
Aimee smiled modestly, feeling slightly embarrassed. She replied, “I only know how to make soup. There’s still a lot for me to learn from you.”
She had no intention of showcasing her full culinary skills; she only revealed her expertise in soup-making. That was the only area where she could add her secret touch.
Given the limited time she had today, she couldn’t cook the kind of soup that required extensive preparation. Instead, she opted for a simple beef soup, discreetly incorporating the medicine she had prepared in advance.
Once dinner was ready, James took it to Patrick’s room.
Aimee didn’t feel like engaging in conversation with Patrick that day. She silently set the table and began mechanically feeding Patrick.
Patrick could sense Aimee’s indifference towards him, knowing that their conversation from the previous night had left her uneasy.
He kept his gaze fixed on Aimee’s face, attempting to speak up several times, only to have his words interrupted by the food she placed in his mouth.
Patrick mechanically finished his dinner in haste. Aimee cleared the table and prepared to leave.
“Wait,” Patrick called out to Aimee.
Aimee turned around, looking at him, and inquired, “Is there something wrong?”
“On the table, take the box and eat it,” Patrick said, motioning towards the direction of the table.
Only then did Aimee notice the delicate little box tied with a golden ribbon. It was hard to discern its contents just by looking at it.
Aimee wanted to refuse but hesitated for a moment before deciding to remain silent. She walked over to pick up the box and left Patrick’s room.
Patrick stared at the closed door, at a loss for words, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Patrick couldn’t comprehend why Aimee was so angry. Even if she wasn’t pleased with their conversation from the previous night, he didn’t expect her to react this way.
Aimee was typically defensive in nature, always ensuring that the other person couldn’t find fault with her actions. So, Patrick understood that her current behavior, not even saying thank you, was intentional.
However, Patrick was genuinely unaware of when he had offended Aimee.
After returning the tray to the kitchen, Aimee retreated to her own room. She stared at the box for a while before finally giving in to her curiosity and untied the ribbon to reveal its contents.
Upon seeing what was inside, Aimee felt a mixture of emotions-fear being one of them.
It was a box of macarons.
The memory of the bitter coffee she had at the café lingered, and Aimee had actually desired to buy some macarons to enjoy. However, after dealing with the safe and purchasing ingredients for Patrick at the supermarket, she had completely forgotten about her craving for macarons.
Now, faced with this beautiful and delicate box of macarons, Aimee found herself in a peculiar state of mind.
She struggled to describe her feelings, and she was fully aware that it didn’t signify any kind of tacit understanding between her and Patrick.
Yet, she couldn’t help but let her thoughts wander in that direction.
These tangled emotions weighed on her, rendering her unable to regain her composure for a significant period of time.
It was only when her phone rang that Aimee was jolted back to reality. Glancing at the caller ID, which displayed Matilda’s name, she subconsciously checked the time and furrowed her brows in concern.