Chapter 3
I waited until the sun set before the “battle” ended there.
Once I was sure Derek had gone to the bathroom to shower, I returned to the bedroom to find the first item Sage Elias had requested:
Chloe’s hair.
The bed was neatly made, not a single wrinkle.
The air freshener scent wafting through the room was my favorite sandalwood.
Even the trash cans around the room held no trace of a secret tryst.
After all, he’d used the same meticulous care when picking fish bones out for me back then.
Only now, that patience was being used to clean up the aftermath of his affair.
I was still feeling a pang of regret when I was suddenly embraced from behind by a hot body.
“Babe, what are you doing? Come on, dinner’s ready.”
Under Derek’s gentle pushing and pulling, I had to put it aside for a moment and follow him to the dining room.
He scooped a wonton, blowing on it thoughtfully to test the temperature before bringing it to my lips.
“My Queen, please grace me with your acceptance. I just learned to make these today. They might not look perfect, but I promise I’ll do better next time.”
All these years, no matter how busy Derek was, he always made me three meals a day.
From scrubbing vegetables to mastering gourmet dishes, he always did it all himself.
It was only because I’d become mortal and had to bear dual emotions that my body grew exceptionally weak.
To keep him from worrying, I lied and said I had a sensitive stomach.
So he became extra diligent about my diet, cooking for nearly ten years.
Initially, the food lacked color, aroma, and taste, but I still ate contentedly.
Now, his cooking skills had improved so much he’d even earned various chef and nutritionist certifications.
But I gradually couldn’t taste anything anymore.
It was his heart that had changed.
I stared into Derek’s eyes, saying nothing. I took the wonton from his spoon and chewed it roughly.
However, just as I was about to swallow,
I suddenly felt something long and coiled wrap around my tongue.
The moment I realized what it was, I sprang up, rushed into the bathroom, and locked the door.
Looking in the mirror, I indeed pulled out a tangled strand of long hair from my mouth.
It was exactly what I’d been looking for—Chloe’s hair.
The belated surge of revulsion made me almost throw up my guts.
Derek, locked outside, hammered on the door.
“Stella, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Don’t scare me, let me in to see you!”
I ignored him. With shaky hands, I finally managed to pull out my phone and open the kitchen surveillance feed.
I’d installed it years ago, worried about my pets getting onto the counters and knocking things over.
Now, it was serving a different purpose.
I pressed play, and the shocking scene on the screen instantly made my head spin.