CHAPTER 37 - HARRIET’S COOKING"Clean well. Don't let my wife see the stain."
The horror returned, running up Heath's spine. Liam's cold voice evoked his urge to run and save himself from the predator Heath had always seen in him.
However, dislike also grew when he heard Liam's words just now.
"No matter how hard you try to hide your deteriorating condition from my sister, you know the truth, you won't be able to last long in this world, right?" asked Heath in a low, trembling voice, with fear and anger.
Liam just smiled casually. "Of course. More than you, I know that. And Harriet too. How many times do you think I've vomited blood in front of her?"
"Then why are you pushing yourself so much–?!" Heath stopped his questioning when Liam suddenly straightened himself quickly. On reflex, Heath tried to help the man who was slightly shorter than him to stand up straight.
But Liam raised his hand, blocking Heath from helping him with a smile that turned the other way.
"Madam, good morning," Liam said.
Heath looked straight ahead, where Harriet was standing, watching them in the hall. Heath noticed the shaking in Liam's hands leaning against his cane as Liam walked closer to Harriet. The man was trying hard to look fine by standing straight on his own.
"You are awake? What's wrong, you look so pale," said Harriet worriedly, immediately trying to support Liam's body.
"I'm fine," Liam put his arm around Harriet's waist, pulling her gently in the opposite direction of the stairway entrance. Heath immediately realized that Liam was trying to hide the blood he vomited on the hallway floor from Harriet.
Gently, Miriam touched Heath's arm. Sadness was evident on the young girl's face. Unknowingly, Heath also had the same expression on his face as he watched Liam and Harriet walk away. Seeing them felt really hurt… let alone imagining if they were in the same position as them.
Heath grabbed Miriam's hand and pulled her silently following Liam and Harriet who were walking away slowly.
"I heard Heath went to visit you, so I rushed over here," Harriet turned to Heath and glared at him.
Heath furrowed his brows in annoyance and looked away, while Miriam just chuckled helplessly.
"Mm, he came to ask how I was," Liam replied, clearly lying for Heath, which irritated Heath even more.
Liam mentioned the breakfast Harriet would make for Heath and shamelessly asked Harriet to make one for him too. Smiling triumphantly, the man turned to Heath who was staring at him in annoyance. Harriet then agreed to make Liam breakfast too.
At that moment, Miriam with sparkling eyes looked at Harriet and was amazed that her sister-in-law could cook too. What couldn't her beautiful sister-in-law do?
However, Heath secretly sneered.
In the dining room, Liam took a seat in the main seat, as the Old Duke had finished his breakfast early this morning. Heath sat next to Miriam to Liam's left, and Harriet was still standing, serving her food in front of Heath, Miriam and Liam.
When Liam and Miriam saw the salad that was served on the table, looking so delicious and beautiful, they couldn't wait to eat it. Meanwhile, Heath's expression became even flatter and hardened as the dish was served.
"Give it a try," Harriet said softly, and Miriam and Liam took their first bites.
And suddenly, Heath's sly smile returned.
Krausk!
Miriam's face turned pale at the first bite.
Hard? What was that crunch? Why was there no taste? Why did it smell weird?
Miriam's mouth felt many sensations at once, but these were not pleasant sensations. These were all bad sensations.
Hard carrots? Bird eggshells? No seasoning at all? And what was this smell? The smell of raw eggs?
The second chew was more horrible than the first. She could even feel that the vegetables in this salad were not yet fully cooked. Miriam's face turned blue and she wanted to throw up right now.
"S-sorry, I'll excuse myself first," Miriam said with a deathly pale face, then quickly ran away from there.
Heath's sly smile widened.
Right. His sister's cooking was unbearably terrible. However, Heath was able to eat it with an even and calm expression now, for he had been used to eating it since he was a child.
It wasn't only his older sister who could make a mask to hide her true reaction to what she was feeling, but after years of training by eating his sister's bad cooking, Heath was able to hide his ugly expression perfectly now!
So while Heath was able to eat the horrible, beautifully coloured meal on the plate in peace, he waited for his brother-in-law to react to his sister's terrible cooking.
Uh...?
No reaction?
"Hmm?" finally, a small reaction emerged from Liam.
Heath, who was almost glaring at the man from the side, furrowed his brows.
Liam smiled and chewed voraciously.
Heath blinked to make sure his eyes were right.
Liam smiled in admiration and chewed the food as if he was eating a star-rated restaurant meal.
What the—?
Was that man not eating his sister's cooking at this time?
No, no. He saw clearly that Harriet was serving food on Liam's plate from the same salad bowl as he and Miriam. Then how did this man...
"My Madam's cooking is truly unique," said the man with a genuine and warm smile. His smile blinded Heath and Miriam, who had just returned with a handkerchief on her lips.
How could one smile so beautifully after eating his sister's cooking?! Heath couldn't believe his eyes.
Not only were Miriam and Heath surprised, but Harriet looked surprised too.
"Madam cooked the carrots very thoroughly so they don't lose the nutrients, so it is understandable that they still felt a little tough. Bird's eggshells are known to strengthen bones and joints… Raw bird eggs are also known to increase energy, as well as add to the unique smell of Madam's cooking. Oh, did Madam minimize the seasoning because too much salt can raise blood pressure?" Liam asked quietly, chewing occasionally.
Miriam and Heath opened their mouths wide in amazement.
Even Harriet covered her open mouth with one hand.
"Y… you know… all the reasons I cook salads like that?" she sounded incredulous.
Liam chuckled and then replied, "I myself also often cook this way to maintain my health. Physicians call my cooking a dog food, and frankly, aren't Lycans also a kind of dog?"
Silence.
"Cough," Heath felt defeated.
Were this man and his sister meant to be together?
Was this heaven's way of bringing together the strangest couple in the history of living things?
Harriet was almost in tears. This was the first time someone appreciated her cooking like this because usually everyone would immediately vomit or run away as soon as they tasted one bite of her food.
"But Madam cooks better than me. What is this bitter taste? Pepper?" Liam asked with great interest.
Harriet was speechless and sat right next to Liam. "Right, it's pepper. It tastes a little bitter, doesn't it? Sorry, I couldn't find any good quality pepper in the north…"
"No problem," Liam touched Harriet's hand gently.
While Heath was still feeling beaten and lost in thought, Miriam quietly put her food onto her husband's plate. The girl felt guilty, but she couldn't eat the healthy food made by her sister-in-law, no matter how hard she tried.
While Liam and Harriet were still busy chatting amongst themselves, and while Heath was still feeling annoyed with himself, she fled from there with a pale face.
The family she married into was really… strange.