Chapter 2

The candlelit dinner should be romantic, with flowers adorning the table. But there were three people around the table.

Only Cecily was quiet during dinner.

Each time a new dish was served, Emily would exclaim loudly.

"Oh my, what is this tiny fork used for? I've forgotten again."

"Wow! This sauce is so unique. The taste is incredible!"

Chris had usually preferred quiet meals, but he was surprisingly responsive to her.

He even laughed loudly with her.

Emily looked at Cecily with envy. "Sorry to make you laugh at me, Cecily. You must always have these dishes. It's my first time at such a fancy place."

Chris laughed warmly. "If you want to eat something from now on, just tell me. I'll treat you."

Emily's eyes lit up. "Really? I won't hold back then, Professor Lambert."

Cecily watched Chris and Emily talk so intimately, and she picked up her glass. "Since you are so close, it is touching. Why don't we toast to it?"

Chris raised his hand to stop her. "We can't. Emily is allergic to alcohol."

Emily obediently put down her glass but flashed Cecily a provocative smile when Chris didn't notice it.

Cecily saw it clearly and felt something was off about Emily.

Though she met Emily for the first time, she felt the latter was familiar.

Just then, a waiter served a new dish.

The sizzling hot pot was still making noise.

Emily stood up eagerly to catch it. "Let me..."

But before she could finish, her hand accidentally brushed against the hot edge of the pot.

"Ah!" Emily cried out, and her wrist jerked back.

The scalding dish suddenly spilled towards Cecily.

"Watch out!" Chris quickly pulled Emily into his arms and looked distressed at her reddened fingers. "Cecily, I'll take Emily to the hospital now. You can take a cab home."

Cecily watched as Chris left, holding Emily in his arms closely.

A nearby waiter gasped. "Miss, your arm is badly injured. I'll take you to the hospital right away."

Even strangers noticed her injury, but Chris only had eyes for Emily.

In the past, even a small scrape would have Chris rushing her to the hospital.

He checked on her multiple times a day to see if her tiny wound had healed.

But he didn't even glance at her after her arm was badly burned and red.

She didn't feel any burning pain.

Only chill spread in her mind.

Cecily didn't go to the hospital.

She found a small clinic by the roadside.

While rinsing her wound, she bit her lip from the pain but didn't shed a tear.

The doctor shook his head when he saw her swollen, red burn. "Young lady, you'd better go to a big hospital for proper treatment. The burn is too large. Improper care could lead to infection and scarring."

Cecily nodded numbly.

She glanced at her phone. She didn't receive any message from Chris.

It was already eleven at night.

Chris had stayed with Emily for such a minor burn until now.

When did they begin like this?

Why hadn't she noticed anything about Chris, even though she shared her life with him?

When she finally couldn't hold back her tears, Chris called her. "Cecily, there's an emergency at the lab today. I have to work overnight. Go to bed early. Don't wait up for me."

On the other end, she could faintly hear Emily's voice whining. "Professor Lambert, my hand hurts."

Chris whispered, "Let me soothe it for you," and the call ended.

Cecily's tears quietly splashed onto the phone screen.

She gritted her teeth and sent a message. "Laura, please cancel the wedding photo shoot I scheduled for tomorrow."