Chapter 55: Chapter 54
After receiving confirmation, Simon Lockwood grunted. A long moment passed before he gave another order.
Special Assistant Warren was inwardly surprised.
In the first-floor reception room, Joanna Kennedy was oblivious to all of this. She felt the bottom of the food container. It had cooled down quite a bit.
She glanced at the time again, then stood and walked toward the door of the reception room, planning to ask the front desk staff to bring the meal upstairs for her.
Just in time to see Serena Sutton get on the elevator carrying a thermal container.
The elevator was already heading up when Joanna finally stepped toward the front desk, only to be suddenly stopped.
"Miss Kennedy, the CEO has asked you to come up."
"......"
Special Assistant Warren escorted her all the way to the door of the CEO’s office on the top floor before leaving.
Joanna Kennedy’s fingers tightened on the handle of the food container, her thoughts in a jumble. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and knocked slowly on the door.
"Come in." Through the door, the man’s voice sounded even deeper and more resonant.
Joanna Kennedy forced a bright smile onto her face before pushing the door open and entering.
The vast office was bright and minimalist. A black desk was positioned in front of a large, floor-to-ceiling window, and the light fragrance of millet porridge permeated the air.
Simon Lockwood sat behind the desk, not working. His cuffs were casually rolled up as he held a white porcelain spoon, having taken a few sips from a small bowl of millet porridge.
An image of the thermal container in Serena Sutton’s hands flashed through Joanna Kennedy’s mind.
She instinctively tried to hide her own food container behind her back.
’But... wasn’t the reason she came here to express her gratitude?’
Joanna Kennedy walked over in silence and placed the bag with the food container on a corner of the black desk.
Simon Lockwood didn’t look at her. The air was silent, save for the solitary clinking of his spoon against the bottom of the bowl.
Joanna Kennedy waited for a moment, but Simon Lockwood still showed no sign of acknowledging her. Feeling a little disappointed, she tactfully turned and started for the door.
The moment she moved, Simon Lockwood’s cool voice echoed in the quiet office. "If you’re going to leave, take your things with you."
"......"
’If he despises her so much, why did he have her come up? And now that she’s here, he’s just trying to chase her away.’
Joanna Kennedy didn’t understand. Simon Lockwood had never been the kind of person who took pleasure in toying with others.
As she thought this, the rims of her eyes quietly reddened. She lowered her head, feeling pathetic, and walked back over. As she reached out to grab the bag, a stark, purplish-blue bruise circling her wrist was exposed, exceptionally glaring against her fair skin.
Simon Lockwood’s pupils constricted. He grabbed her wrist forcefully.
The sudden turn of events startled Joanna Kennedy, and a second later, she felt the pain from her wrist.
Simon Lockwood was not gentle, and his grip was right on her injured spot. Joanna Kennedy’s face contorted as she cried out in pain, "It hurts, Simon Lockwood, let go..."
It was hard to say whether it was those two words that provoked him,
but Simon Lockwood didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, he squeezed even tighter.
Just as Joanna Kennedy was starting to wonder if her wrist was about to be crippled, Simon Lockwood seemed to snap back to his senses and abruptly let go.
The moment she was free, Joanna Kennedy immediately took a step back to put some distance between them, her eyes wide with panic as she looked at him.
Joanna Kennedy... was afraid of him.
The air around them seemed to freeze.
Simon Lockwood’s face was grim as he struggled to contain his anger. "Joanna Kennedy, are you still a child?"
Joanna Kennedy, not understanding his meaning, shook her head.
"........."
’Her wrist is injured like this, yet she didn’t say a thing last night. Today she’s acting like it’s no big deal, and on top of that, she comes here to bring him food?’
Simon Lockwood wanted to pry open her skull and see what in the world was rattling around in there.
’She was the one who broke up with him, and now she was the one taking the initiative to approach him again. In Joanna Kennedy’s eyes, was he just someone she could summon and dismiss at will?’
’She’s 24 years old, of course she’s not a child. She’s just thoughtless and unfeeling.’
Joanna Kennedy didn’t understand why he had suddenly gotten angry again. Simon Lockwood had changed so much, and she had no idea how to interact with this complete stranger he’d become.
She thought Simon Lockwood’s "child" comment was a jab at the fact she’d nearly been assaulted the night before, that she was incapable of protecting herself. A sense of grievance welled up in her. "I didn’t want to go," she said defensively. "Someone tricked me."
Joanna Kennedy explained what had happened the previous day, leaving out the part where Charlotte Underwood had threatened her with her bracelet. By the time she finished, even she thought she sounded stupid.
At the same time, an even greater sense of grievance welled up inside her.
’She had only been tricked in the first place because she was trying to get the bracelet back—the one Simon Lockwood had given her...’
Simon Lockwood didn’t say anything. After a long moment, he pushed the food container toward her, gesturing for her to open it.
Joanna Kennedy froze for a second, then began fumbling with the lid of the food container. The more nervous she got, the harder it was to open.
Just as she was about to pry it open with brute force, a large, well-defined, clean, and fair hand covered the back of her own. It was dry, warm, and strong...
Joanna Kennedy’s heart skipped a beat. She stopped moving, allowing Simon Lockwood’s long fingers to guide her own soft and slender ones to open the lid.
There was fluffy white rice, topped with a layer of small green vegetables, an egg, a few pieces of braised pork, and several peeled shrimp.
For some reason, Joanna Kennedy suddenly blurted out, "...It looks like it’s cold. Maybe you shouldn’t eat it."
She regretted it the moment the words were out. This was a meal she had made with her own hands, and she had even arranged the food carefully.
Simon Lockwood, of course, did not miss the unconcealable anticipation in her eyes. A sarcastic remark circled on the tip of his tongue several times before he forced it back down.
He asked the question he had wanted to ask from the very beginning. "Why did you bring me food?"
Bringing food to someone at their workplace is a very intimate gesture.
Joanna Kennedy’s answer was both expected and unexpected. "...I still haven’t thanked you for last night."
"So, this is your way of showing gratitude?" Simon Lockwood looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. The corners of his mouth curved, but there was no trace of a smile in his gaze. "Anyone who helps you, you cook them a meal and deliver it?"
Before Joanna Kennedy could explain,
Simon Lockwood stared at her mockingly, his words slow but forceful. "Joanna Kennedy, do you really think everyone is willing to play house with you?"
".........I’m not."
Joanna Kennedy’s cooking skills had, in fact, never been good. In her real world, she had grown up in an orphanage, eating the bland, tasteless meals prepared by the caretakers every day.
Later, it was cafeteria food. Then, once she was busy with filming, her assistant ordered takeout for her most of the time.
In this world, she had even less of an opportunity to learn to cook.
In two worlds combined, she had only ever cooked for Simon Lockwood, and only he had ever tasted her not-so-great handiwork.
Joanna Kennedy wanted to explain, but when she met Simon Lockwood’s cold, mocking gaze, a wave of helplessness washed over her. "...I wasn’t playing house. If you really don’t want to eat it, then... just throw it away."
Joanna Kennedy didn’t want to stay any longer. For the first time, she was discovering just how strong her pride was; a single look from Simon Lockwood was enough to make her feel mortified.
"...I’m so sorry for disturbing your work." Joanna Kennedy forced a smile, trying to keep her voice steady. "I’ll go now."
"Leave it."
"...But you said you didn’t want to eat it," Joanna Kennedy said, her voice soft.
