Chapter526IAmWithYour
Whentheyreturnedtothehotel,therestaurantwasalreadylitupwithbrilliantlights.
Lysanderheadedstraightpasttherestaurantentrance,makingherwaytowardtheelevator.
Josiahstoppedher.“Eatsomemore.Earlier,youwereinsucharushtotakeAuroraoutthatyouhardlyateanything.”
Havingsaidthat,hedidn’tevenwaitforLysandertorespond.HereachedouttowardAurora,gesturingtoholdher,and said,“LetmetakecareofAurora.Yougoaheadandcat,”
Thankfully,AurorahadgrowntiredofyinginLysander’sarms.Thebabughedandlungedforward.
AsLysanderwatchedthesceneunfoldbeforeher,shethoughtitwasapitythat<b>Josiah</b>wasn’tAurora’sbiologicalfather.Meanwhile,thechild’srealfatherwassomewhereinahotel.
Shegentlyshookherhead,banishingthethoughtfromhermind,andsaidsoftly,“I’mnothungry.”
Josiahpulledhercloseoncemore,asking,“Haveyouforgottenwhatthedoctor<b>said</b>?”
Lysanderconfidentlystated,“I’mjustabouttoheadbacktorest.”
Josiahwas<b>even</b>morereasonablethanher.“Youshouldatleasthavedinnerbeforeyougoback.Otherwise,
whichwillifyougethungryinthemiddleofthenight, te–nightsnackwillneedtobedeliveredtoyou,stillbeahasslefortheworkers.”
Thus,Lysanderdidashesuggested.
AssoonasJosiah appearedintherestaurant,thewaiterledthemtoatablethathadbeenreservedinadvance.ItwastheveryspotwhereLysanderhadpreviouslysat,boastingthebestview.
Asnightfell,theviewfromthatwindowofferedasceneevenmoreuniquethanwhatwasseenduringtheday.
AurorawasseatedonJosiah’p,hertinyheadtiltedas sheleanedonhisarm,gazingoutward.
Josiahmaintainedthisseeminglyufortablepose.
AsLysanderrememberedtherestaurantarrangementsmentionedbythewaiterwhenshehadbreakfast,sherosefromherseat,saying,“I’llgogetthefoodfirst.”
Josiahhaltedandsaid,“Justsitdown.I’vealreadyarrangedeverything.”
JustasJosiahfinishedspeaking,awaitercameover,pushingafoodcartbrimmingwithdishes.“Mr.Guerra,thesedisheshavebeenpreparedstrictlyordingtothenutritionist’srmendations.Everything,fromthetastetotheingredients,hasbeenchosenasperyourinstructions,”hesaid.
Uponopeningthetoplid,thewaiterrevealedthreemaindishes,onemeatandtwovegetables,alongwithanarrayofcolorfulsidedishes.Eachdishwasfullofcolor,aroma,andvor,allofwhichwerelightyetnutritious.Beneaththose,therewereseveralsmallypots,eachaboutthesizeofabowl.
Thatwasfarmoreimpressivethanabuffet.
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Chapter526.1AmWithYou
fromhim.
Thewaiter,understandingthesituation,handedthemenutoLysanderandaskedheropinion,“Ms.Thorne,whichsoupwouldyouprefer?Thesoupsaresimmeredoveralowheatinthekitchen.Ifthere’sanything unsatisfactory,wecanadjustitatanytime.”
Finally,Lysanderunderstoodwhythewaiterhadtodeliverhermealusing acart.Afterncingattheorder,shesaid,“Thepumpkinsoupwillbefine.”
Thewaitercarefullycedthepumpkinsoupontheheat–resistantmatinfrontofher.Afterliftingthelidtoletitcool,hebegantoarrangetheremainingdishesonthetable.Theteswerenorge,buttheircharyinthevarietyofdishes<b>,</b>noneofwhichwererepeated.Innotime,morethanhalfoftheroundtablewasfilled.
Thecartwasswiftlypushedawayagain.
Lysanderlookedatthe spreadofdishesbeforehim,feelingabitoverwhelmed.“Areyoutryingtostuffme
todeathor<b>saving</b>mefortheNewYear?”
JosiahwasamusedbyLysander’squestion.“Thisisamealfortwo.Ihaven’teatenallday,andIalsoneed
tocal.
Lysanderhesitated,wordscaughtinherthroat,butintheend,shesimplysaid,“Then,doyourbest.”
Shegenuinelywasn’tthathungry.Thus<b>,</b>shdledaspoonfulofpumpkinsoup,blewonituntilitcooled,andsippeditslowly.Sheonlyasionallypickedatthevegetablesandbarelytouchedthemaincourse.
Fortunately,therewasn’tmuchgoingonatthemoment,allowingthemtotaketheirtimeandenjoytheirmeal.
Aftertastingthestir–friedvegetables<b>,</b>Lysanderasked,“Thechefsheremustbeearningquiteaheftysry.right?”
Josiahnodded.“Doesitsuityourtaste!”
Lysandersetdownherforkandcontinuedsippingthesoup.“It’snotbad.”
ThelookinJosiah’seyessoftened.“That’sgood.I’llgivehim<b>a</b>raisenextmonth.”
Thetablewascalmandquiet,andsuddenly,the<b>conversation</b>cametoahalt.
Aurorahadgrowntiredofthescenerythere,utteringan“Oh.”
Havingnearlyfinishedhermeal,Lysanderstoodupand<b>said</b>,“I’llholdher.It’sabouttimetofeedAurora.Atthisstage,childrenaregrowingrapidlyandneedtobefedeverytwotothreehours.<b>”</b>
Josiahhadlefttheroomwithabaginhis<b>hand</b>.Heopenedit,wenttofetchsomehotwaterhimself,andusedittopreparethebabyform.
LysandertookAurora’sbottleandsatbackdown,supportingAurora’sbackwithonehandwhileliftingthebottlewiththeother.
OnceAurorahadhadherfill,twomorecustomersenteredtherestaurant.
Beaming.DillongreetedJosiahinanalmostingratiatingmanner.“Mr.Guerra.Iheardthattheviewhere
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isquitespectacr.Sinceyou’vebeenstayingherefrequently,Idecidedtobringheralongandbookedaroom.Uponourarrivaltoday,Erealizedthatthehotel’samenitiesareevensuperiortoafive–starestablishment.Thechiefistop–notch.Thearomaof thesouphepreparedearlierreachedmefromafar.”
Josiahncedatthefatheranddaughter.“Didn’tyougoback?What,istheresomethingelse?”
Underherfather’sguidance,Tiffanyalsotooktheinitiativetogreetthem.“Jose,Lysa,areyoutwodiscussingsomethingimportant?”
Withanonchntexpression,Josialscountered,barelyahintofemotioninhisvoice,“It’sjustameal.Whotoldyouwe’rediscussingsomething?”
Withaninnocentlook,Tiffany exined,“No,itwasjustaguessonmypart.”
Having
aidthat,shelookedtowardLysandersomewhat pleadingly,appearingratheraggrieved.
LysandermetTiffany’sgaze,butunlikebefore,shedidn’tspeakupforthtter.Instead,sheactedasifshedidn’tseeTiffanyandcontinuedwithherownbusiness.
Auroradidn’tshowmuchinterestinthetwonewarrivals,continuingtogiggleandywithLysander.
Dillonnoticedaslightchillintheatmosphere,soheanimatedlysaid,“Mr.Guerra,itwasIwhosentTiffanytomeetyou.Iheard<b>that</b>Ms.ThoookgoodcareofTiffduringthesummitinApexCity.So,Ithoughtitwasonlyrighttothankherpersonally.”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.
Ashespoke,heneveroncelookeddirectlyatLysander.Instead,hewassolelyfocusedonobservingJosiah’sattitude.
JosiahspokeuponbehalfofLysander.“There’snoneedtogotosuchlengths.She’salwaysbeenkindtoothersandreadytolendahand.Shewon’tmindthistrivial<b>matter</b>.”
Josiah’sdemeanorhadnoticeablyturnedicy, leavingDilloninanawkward<b>position</b>.Hishanddroppedtohissideashespoke.“Well…”
CradlingAurora,Lysanderwantedtostandup.“Youguyscontinueyourchat.I’ll<b>take</b>Aurorahomefirst<b>.”</b>
“There’snothingmuchtotalkabout.I’lljoinyou.”Josiahalsostoodup,busyinghimselfwithgatheringAurora’s belongings.
Tiffanybrokethesilence,hervoiceringingoutclearandcrisp,“Jose,howcanthisbe?It’sone<b>Lysa</b>tobekind,butImustshowmygratitudein return.”
thingfor
BeforeJosiahcouldopenhermouthtospeakupforLysander,TiffanyhadalreadytakenituponherselftositnexttoLysander.“<b>Lysa</b>,thisbabyissoadorable.”
Uponhearingthesuddenloudvoide,Aurorafeltufortableandrubbedherears.
Calmly,Lysandershiftedthebabytotheotherside,coveringAurora’sears.ShehadnochoicebuttolookatTiffany.“Ms.Lanister,ifyouhaveanybusiness,pleasedealwithMr.Guerradirectly.There’snoneedforsmalltalkwithme.”
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