Chapter 3
Quinn saw me and gave a respectful nod. "Ms. Watson."
"What's going on?" I straightened up. "Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing major," Quinn replied, his expression a bit odd. "I just need to talk to you about something."
"Speak," I said.
"Samantha Sawyer," Quinn paused, "got stung by a wasp when she went out today. No one really knows how it happened."
I blinked, a bit stunned.
"Where did she get stung?" I asked.
"On her face," Quinn said.
I stared at Quinn for three seconds, making sure he wasn't joking.
"Is it serious?" I asked.
"Pretty serious," Quinn said, his expression growing even more awkward. "Her face swelled up. I heard the doctors at the hospital almost didn't recognize her."
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Honestly, I was not the kind of person who took pleasure in someone else's bad luck.
But this news was just what I needed. It really made my day.
I laughed so hard that my eyes squinted, leaning against the sofa armrest, my shoulders shaking with laughter.
After I finished laughing, I suddenly realized something.
I wondered if this was just a coincidence.
I only found Samantha annoying yesterday, and she already got herself into a mess today.
I looked up, about to ask Quinn what was going on.
But as soon as I lifted my gaze, it met with someone else's.
Nathan had come back and was standing in the entryway.
He was wearing a dark gray casual jacket, his hair a bit messy. It looked like he'd just hurried in from outside.
He leaned against the doorframe, hands shoved in his pockets, watching me, eyes fixed and unblinking.
His gaze was practically burning.
It was so intense that even someone as dense as me could tell something was up.
He wasn't looking at me like I was just a pretty pet in a cage.
It was more like he was staring at something priceless.
Feeling uneasy under his stare, I instinctively sank deeper into the sofa.
"What are you staring at?" I asked.
He didn't answer and just curled his lips up in a slight smirk.
It suddenly hit me.
I'd been living here for almost a week, and Nathan had never touched me, not even once.
He came home late every night and left early in the morning.
When he was home, he'd eat with me or, like now, just sit next to me and stare.
A guy paid for a woman to live with him, but didn't even make a move.
Something was definitely off.
A flicker of suspicion started to creep into my mind.
I squinted at him, letting my gaze drift from his face to his eyes.
His eyes were gorgeous, deep-set, sharp, and so bright that they almost looked shining.
Right then, those eyes were locked on me, full of emotions I couldn't even begin to figure out.
I ended up staring into his eyes for way too long.
It was too long for me to realize it was rude to stare at someone like that.
And then I noticed something.
His ears had flushed red.
It was just a faint pink, spreading from the base up to the rim.
His hair was a bit long, covering part of his ears, but I could still see it.
His hands, resting on his thighs, were now tightly clenched, his knuckles prominent.
He pursed his lips and asked, "What?"
His voice came out a bit rough.
I broke eye contact and waved him off.
"Nothing," I replied.
I decided to let it go.
If I couldn't figure something out, I would stop thinking about it. That was my best trait.
I needed to save my brain cells for things that actually mattered.
"Is there any steak left in the kitchen?" I asked.
Nathan just stared at me, speechless.
I ignored him, got up from the sofa, and slipped into the kitchen in my slippers.
The hem of my light blue sleep dress dragged across the floor, and the bear headband on my head was a little crooked, but I didn't bother to fix it.
When I reached the kitchen doorway, I glanced back over my shoulder.
Nathan was still sitting on the sofa, his eyes never leaving me.
His gaze was stormy, like he was holding something back.
But I didn't really pay attention.
To me, nothing mattered more than eating.
I headed into the kitchen.
Another week went by.
My life was still just about eating and sleeping, and it repeated.
My weight kept going up, my skin looked brighter, and I felt lazier than ever.
This was exactly the life I'd always wanted.
Every morning, I'd wake up to sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, all warm and cozy. I'd roll over and go back to sleep.
When I finally woke up, I'd shuffle over for breakfast. After eating, I'd come back and lounge around on my phone. When I got tired, I'd take a nap. Once I woke up, I'd have afternoon tea.
After that, I'd catch up on my favorite shows. When I got tired of that, I'd have dinner. Then I'd keep watching TV until I was sleepy, and finally crash for the night.
Life was just perfect.
I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, and honestly, I couldn't help but sigh, "This is the life. It's just too good."
But good times never lasted.
One morning, while I was still fast asleep, I suddenly felt someone was watching me.