Love's Change of Heart

Chapter 85

It was 12.00PM and Leanna went to the kitchen to lend Naomi a helping hand while the latter was making lunch.

Naomi said, "Just wait outside. Why squeeze in here when there's not enough space?"

Leanna asked with a smile, "Ms. Fletcher, could you make more of the stew?"

"Why? Could you finish that much of it?"

"Well…" Leanna's eyes flickered. "My friend would like to have some, too. I'll bring it to him later."

Naturally, Naomi knew which 'friend' that Leanna was referring to. Instead of giving an answer, she merely added some more water to the stew, saying impassively, "As you wish."

Leanna suppressed a smile. "In that case, Ms. Fletcher, I'll be waiting outside."

"Uh-huh," Naomi mumbled.

A smile curved Leanna's lips for a moment as she sat in the yard while resting her chin in one hand. At last, she found out who Aidan had inherited his tendency to say one thing and mean another from.

After lunch, she went leisurely to the hotel while carrying the thermos Naomi had left in the kitchen. Jonathan led her to the door to Aidan's room, saying, "Miss McKinney… President Pearson may refuse to see you at the moment."

He refuses to see anyone, let alone her, he thought.

Leanna replied, "It's okay. I just want to talk to him for a second. If he really doesn't want to see me, then never mind."

He nodded. "In that case, Miss McKinney, please call me if there's anything," he said before fleeing the explosive battlefield as fast as he could.

She pressed the doorbell and asked, "President Pearson, could you hear me?"

There was no answer from inside the room. After waiting for a few seconds, she rang the doorbell several times again, saying in a louder voice, "President Pearson, I've brought you some fish stew. If you still don't come out, I'll finish it myself."

There was still no answer, though.

He's quite phlegmatic, huh? thought Leanna. After a few minutes, she said with disappointment, "President Pearson, since you're so unwilling to see me, I'll be leaving for a place no one could find to get out of your sight and your mind—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the closed door before her suddenly opened.

Aidan stared at her expressionlessly while asking, "Are you done talking?"

Leanna looked dejected. "I'm here to say my final goodbye to you, President Pearson. Thank you for being big-hearted and tolerant toward me all this while."

Aidan didn't even look at her, though. He merely retorted with a sneer, "Didn't you call me a hypocritical and domineering bully yesterday? And today you're thanking me for being big-hearted, huh?"

"Well, I didn't say yesterday that I was talking about you, President Pearson. If you insist on thinking that way, then—"

"That's enough." He impatiently interrupted her. "What's the matter, exactly?"

She lifted the thermos she was carrying. She said ingratiatingly, "I heard that you haven't eaten since last night, so I went out of my way to bring this to you."

Aidan had no intention of letting her in, though. Folding his arms across his chest, he leaned against the door while staring at her icily.

Feeling somewhat guilty under his piercing stare, Leanna averted her eyes awkwardly. "Don't get the wrong idea, President Pearson. I'm here to thank you for the kindness you've shown my brother," she said. Then, seeing that he was silent, she added, "I heard from him that he'd gone back to school. This is all thanks to you, President Pearson."

"Since you know that, do you think you can return the favor with just a bowl of fish stew?"

Leanna was rendered speechless. Just get straight to the point and say you wanna eat this or not. Why are you beating around the bush?! She took back the fish stew, saying, "I see. You're right, President Pearson; that's not sincere enough indeed. In that case, let me think about how I can express my gratitude to you. I won't bother you anymore. I gotta go."

Aidan fell silent for a moment. Then, he said, "Wait a minute."

She kept smiling as she looked back. "Is there anything else, President Pearson?"

His eyes darted sideways to his room. Then, he turned around and went inside.

Leanna curled her lips and entered the room after him. Then, she poured the fish stew in the thermos into a bowl and handed it to him. "Have a taste, President Pearson."

Aidan took the bowl with one hand and picked up the spoon with the other before taking a mouthful of the stew.

Leanna's eyes widened with anticipation. "How is it? Is it delicious?"

"What's the difference? This isn't your first time making it."

"O-Of course there is. What if my cooking skills have improved?"

He gave her a look. "No, that didn't happen."

She was rendered speechless. I just knew that nothing good ever comes out of this *sshole's mouth! Unwilling to accept such an outcome, she insisted, "Why don't you taste it again? The fish stew has fish mint in it, so the broth's even thicker and tastier. Isn't it particularly delicious?"

Aidan frowned in displeasure. "What the hell are you trying to say?"

"Never mind, it's nothing. Just finish the stew, President Pearson. I have to take the thermos back after you finish it."

He stopped eating, though. Instead, he put down the bowl and said apathetically, "Stop doing pointless stuff, Leanna."

Leanna was stunned. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.

Aidan's voice was emotionless. "Just get out of here with your stuff."

"President Pearson, I know there are some things that I'm not qualified to say, but… What if there's a misunderstanding between you two?"

"Leanna, could you mind your own business first before advising someone else?"

"I—"

He said coldly, "If you think everything can be explained and forgiven with the word 'misunderstanding,' how about I have Jethro brought to you right now?" All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

She was instantly lost for words. Never mind, this is none of my business in the first place. I just thought of giving it a try because I feel that Ms. Fletcher has taken so much care of me these days, she thought. Still, before she left, she couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "Ms. Fletcher and Jethro are different."

However, Aidan ignored her.

Leanna withdrew her gaze and left with her head hung low in dejection while carrying the thermos. After she left, Jonathan gingerly poked his head through the door, asking, "They're here, President

Pearson. Would you like to meet them? Or would you like to put it off until tomorrow?"

Aidan got up and replied impassively, "No, it's not necessary. I'll be there right away."

"Yes, President Pearson."

…

After leaving the hotel, Leanna looked at the leftover fish stew in the thermos. Finding it a pity to let it go to waste, she found somewhere to sit down and finished it in one gulp. I should've starved that *sshole to death instead of taking the trouble to come here. Still… I know nothing about the past between them, and I shouldn't have spoken out of turn, but I didn't ask Aidan to forgive Ms. Fletcher at once. I just feel that they haven't seen each other for such a long time. The past 20 years have been a very long time for both of them, so any misunderstanding between them should be cleared if there's one. And yet, that *sshole had to touch my sore spot by mentioning Jethro. What a fool I am for my pains. She exhaled and sat a while longer before going back.

Naomi was sorting out the junk in the yard when she came back.

When she saw Leanna, she merely said without saying anything else, "Just give it to me. I'll wash it."

"Uh… It's okay. I'll wash it."

Naomi darted a look at her and asked impassively, "He didn't finish it?"

Leanna promptly replied, "He did. He finished it." Then, fearing that Naomi might not believe her, she opened the thermos on purpose. "Look, Ms. Fletcher. It's empty."