Chapter 544

Vivian Bennett stood in the center of the empty living room.

Silence surrounded her.

The light from the crystal chandelier spilled down coldly, illuminating her solitary shadow.

She suddenly felt that this opulent villa was like a giant ice cellar.

The chill spread from the soles of her feet to her heart.

The look in her cousin Grace Harper's eyes when she left kept flashing through Vivian's mind.

That look held disappointment, distance, and a complex emotion she couldn't decipher.

It felt as if an invisible wall had suddenly sprung up between them.

And Liam Sullivan...

Thinking of him, Vivian's heart grew even more unsettled.

Their future was like scenery shrouded in fog, indistinct and full of uncertainty.

Too many things weighed on her heart.

Like heavy stones, piling higher and higher, almost crushing her.

Those unspeakable secrets. Those fears she couldn't confide in anyone.

Not even the person closest to her.

This loneliness was more torturous than any injury.

She gripped the arm of the sofa and slowly crouched down.

Her knees pressed against the cold floor.

Tears welled up without warning.

She bit her lip, not wanting to make a sound, but her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

Why did it have to be her?

Why, just when she thought she had finally touched happiness, did everything begin to feel precarious again?

She cried silently.

Only tears fell one by one onto the back of her hand, scalding yet cold.

Right then—

Click.

The door connecting the side hall to the kitchen was pushed open.

Vivian froze.

She couldn't be seen.

Absolutely not.

She quickly wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and forced herself to look up.

Then, she froze.

Liam Sullivan stood in the doorway.

He was wearing an apron covered in sunflowers.

In his hands, he held a large silver platter, steam rising from the dishes on it.

His other hand... was actually holding a spatula.

Vivian blinked.

She thought she was hallucinating again.

Who was Liam Sullivan?

The head of the Sullivan Group, always impeccably dressed in suits, always aloof and untouchable.

He should be on the cover of financial magazines, on the podium at international conferences.

Not wearing such a cute apron, holding a spatula, like... like a househusband.

But this wasn't a hallucination.

Liam was really standing there, and he even raised an eyebrow at her.

"You're back?" The corner of his mouth lifted in a smug smile. "Stunned? Do I look even more handsome?"

Vivian opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Liam placed the silver platter on the dining table and walked towards her.

The apron strings swayed gently behind him.

He stopped in front of her and waved a hand before her eyes.

"Hey, snap out of it."

Before he finished speaking, Vivian suddenly threw herself into his arms.

The force was so strong it made him take half a step back.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burying her face deep in his chest.

Her arms held him so tightly, as if afraid he would disappear if she let go.

Liam was taken aback for a moment.

Then, he felt the body in his arms trembling slightly.

He looked down, only seeing the top of her dark hair.

He raised a hand and gently stroked her hair.

"What's wrong?" His voice softened. "Are you this moved just because I cooked today?"

Vivian didn't speak.

She just held him tighter.

Tears silently soaked the fabric of his shirt.

Liam's eyes darkened.

He didn't press further, just wrapped his other arm around her back.

His palm was warm, the heat seeping through the thin fabric of her clothes.

After a long while, Vivian finally spoke, her voice muffled.

"You... how do you know how to cook?"

Liam chuckled softly.

"I learned." He said it lightly, as if it were nothing. "Can't have you doing all the cooking forever."

Vivian looked up.

Her eyes were still red, like a frightened little rabbit.

Liam looked at her, and something in his heart softened.

He raised his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the tear tracks at the corner of her eye.

"Why the tears?" His voice was very gentle. "I'm right here."

Vivian's nose stung.

She almost cried again.

She quickly turned her face away, looking towards the dining table.

"What did you make?"

"See for yourself." Liam took her hand and led her to the table.

Several dishes were arranged on the silver platter.

Their appearance... could only be described as passable.

But each one was steaming, giving off a fragrant aroma.

Vivian looked at the dishes, then at the apron Liam was wearing.

Suddenly, she let out a soft laugh.

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

"You." Vivian pointed at his apron. "This... where did it come from?"

"Bought it." Liam said without changing his expression. "I thought it suited me."

Vivian laughed even harder.

Tears still clung to her lashes, but a smile had already bloomed on her face.

Liam watched her laugh, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted.

He reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

"Good, you're laughing." He whispered in her ear. "Don't cry alone in secret anymore."

Vivian leaned against his shoulder and softly hummed in agreement.

The gloom in her heart seemed to have been dispelled a little by this sudden dinner.

At least for this moment, she wasn't alone.

Liam released her, picked up a fork, and brought a piece of rib to her lips.

"Try it."

Vivian opened her mouth and took it.

The taste... was a bit salty.

But she still nodded.

"It's good."

Liam's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Really." Vivian said earnestly. "Especially good."

Liam smiled.

That smile held a childlike pride.

Vivian looked at him and suddenly felt that maybe the road ahead wasn't so dark after all.

At least right now, there was someone willing to put on an apron and pick up a spatula for her.

Even if it wasn't perfect.

That was enough.

She picked up another fork, also took a piece of rib, and brought it to Liam's lips.

"You have some too."

Liam opened his mouth and accepted it. He chewed a couple of times, his brow furrowing slightly.

"It seems... I used too much salt."

"It's fine." Vivian forked some greens. "I like it."

Liam looked at her, his gaze deepening.

He didn't say anything more, just took the fork from her hand and served her some other dishes.

And so, the two of them shared an imperfect dinner in the empty living room.

The light was warm.

Steam rose gently from the food.

The chill in Vivian's heart was gradually dispelled.

She didn't know what the future held.

But at least for this moment, she could temporarily forget those fears and anxieties.

And focus on enjoying this clumsy warmth.

Liam ladled her another bowl of soup.

"Careful, it's hot."

Vivian took it and drank it in small sips.

The soup's taste was actually quite ordinary.

But she felt it was the best soup she had ever tasted.

"Liam." She suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Liam paused.

He looked up at her.

Vivian kept her head down, her lashes casting a small shadow under her eyes.

"For what?" He asked.

"For cooking today." Vivian said softly. "And for... being here."

Liam was silent for a few seconds.

Then, he reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Silly."

Vivian looked up and smiled at him.

That smile held weariness, vulnerability, but also a few scattered points of starlight.

Liam looked at her, and a certain resolve in his heart grew firmer.

No matter what happened, he would stay by her side.

He wouldn't let her face those dark things alone.

"Eat up." He served her more food. "It won't taste good when it's cold."

Vivian nodded and focused on her meal.

The dining room fell quiet, with only the faint clinking of utensils.

But this quiet was no longer cold. It was filled with warmth.

Outside the window, the night grew deeper.

But the lights in the villa shone like a tiny star.

Stubbornly emitting light in this darkness.