Chapter 50

It was about one o'clock, and lunch, prepared by Daphne, was about to be served. Charlie left to attend to something, leaving only Lauren and Leo.

Daphne served the dishes one by one. Lauren turned to Leo and gestured for him to roll up his sleeves. The temperature was rather high lately; Leo was wearing only a light coat and a T-shirt.

The dishes were on the table, most of them spicy. Lauren was surprised, raising her eyebrows and asking, "Does Leo like spicy food?"

Daphne smiled, brought over a plate of spicy food, and placed it in front of Lauren. Pointing to several dishes, she said, "The spicy dishes are especially for you, Miss Bennett." She then returned with a cup of yogurt, saying, "And this is for you."

Lauren looked at the yogurt, lost in thought, as images flashed through her mind.

"I want to eat spicy food!" a girl's voice echoed in her memory, speaking from behind a man.

"But it's not good for your health," the man replied firmly but gently. Though Lauren couldn't clearly see his face, she sensed his gentleness.

"That's okay. I can drink a cup of yogurt. Drinking yogurt beforehand protects the stomach," the girl insisted, looking at the man.

This time, the man didn't stop her. He held her head and kissed her. His voice, as gentle as a spring breeze, said, "Do you really need to eat something spicy today? I really think it's not good for your health."

The girl relented.

The memory fragments were vague, but the affection between the couple was undeniable. Lauren was certain they were deeply in love.

"Lauren?" Leo's childish voice pulled her from her reverie. "What are you thinking?"

Lauren pressed her temple, trying to dismiss the memories. Lowering her head, she smiled at Leo. "I was thinking how delicious those dishes look."

Leo looked at the spicy dishes. "But they look so spicy. I want to taste them too."

Lauren touched his soft hair. "You can taste them when you're older."

Leo nodded. "Dad said so too. He said I'll have the same taste as Mom's."

Lauren raised an eyebrow. This was the first time Leo had mentioned his mother. She found Leo different from other single-parent children, who often avoided discussing their parents. Leo seemed untroubled by it.

Lauren had avoided the topic, fearing it might hurt Leo, but since he'd brought it up, she asked, "Do you miss your mother?"

"Yes," Leo nodded seriously. "My mom loved spicy food and knew medicine. She was also very beautiful." He lowered his head, then raised it, glancing at Lauren several times. He whispered, "Lauren, do you know medicine?"