Chapter 129

Noelle woke up around noon the next day. Her eyes fluttered open with a sudden movement, as if she’d been recharged, and she was a far cry from the weak and feverish state she’d been in the day before.

“Nick?” She sat up in bed and looked around the room, searching for Nicolas, but he wasn’t there. The room was empty–just her.

“Nick!” She hopped out of bed, barefoot, and rushed toward the door, ready to find him.

As soon as she stepped into the hallway, a wave of delicious smell hit her. It was intoxicating.

Her nose twitched, and her stomach growled loudly, demanding to be fed. She followed the scent, racing downstairs, where she spotted Nicolas–tall, handsome, and holding a bowl of porridge–heading toward the stairs.

When he saw her, a smile spread across his handsome face. “Elly babe, what are you doing running around like this?"

“I couldn’t find you, so I came looking!” Noelle chirped, bouncing over to him. Her eyes locked onto the bowl in his hands. “Nick, what’s that? It smells amazing!”

“Fish porridge,” Nicolas replied, amused as she practically drooled over the bowl. “I figured you’d be hungry when you woke up. Since you’re injured, I made something light. Think you can handle it?”

Noelle’s eyes lit up. “I’m starving! I could probably gnaw on a table leg right now!”

Nicolas chuckled, teasing her. “Guess I’ll have to make sure you’re well-fed, or else all the furniture in the house will disappear.”

Noelle giggled, reaching out to grab the porridge from his hands. “Let’s eat!”

She started toward the dining table, but after a few steps, Nicolas called her back. “Hold up.”

“Huh?” Noelle turned, blinking at him. “What’s wrong?”

Nicolas’s brows furrowed as he walked over, his gaze dropping to her bare feet. “Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”

Noelle looked down and then realized, eyes wide. “Oh! I forgot!”

Nick sighed, his expression softening, though a flicker of frustration lingered. This little scatterbrain, he thought, shaking his head with a mixture of exasperation and affection.

Without saying another word, he swept her up into his arms, his voice gentle but firm. “Even though it’s summer, the floor can be cold. No more running around barefoot, got it?”

“Got it!” Noelle grinned, her smile lighting up her face.

The sight of her sweet, innocent face made Nick’s heart soften. His chest tightened with affection, and it felt like a soft leather was brushing against his heart, over and over.

He swallowed hard, trying to steady his breath.

But Noelle was too focused on the food to notice. She wiggled in his arms, urging him, “Nick, what’s the hold-up? Let’s go, already!”

Snapping out of his daze, Nicolas carried her to the dining room.

Noelle, needing to replenish her energy after her injury, devoured the entire bowl of porridge. When she finished, she leaned back in her chair, patting her slightly rounded belly. “Nick, your cooking is amazing. This porridge is almost as good as mine!”

“Really?” Nick raised an eyebrow, amused. “You’re complimenting me and sneaking in self-praise at the same time?”

Noelle grinned. “I’m just telling the truth. Next time, I’ll make you something, too. I’m an expert chef, after all!”

“Alright, I’ll believe it when I taste it,” he teased, tapping her nose affectionately.

Noelle smiled, beaming.

Once she was full, she started feeling a bit sticky. She hadn’t taken a bath since the day before because of her injuries, and now felt uncomfortable.

She grabbed Nicolas’s arm. “Nick, I need a shower!”

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “You’ve got those serious injuries, and you want to take a bath! You’re asking for the wound to get infected again, aren’t you? Remember what happened last night?”

He was clearly remembering how she’d been burning with fever all night because of the infection.

But Noelle wasn’t having it. She clung to him, whining, “Nooo, Nick, I feel gross. I need a bath!”

“You can wait it out for a few days, just wipe yourself down with some water,” he suggested firmly.

“No! I want a real shower!” Noelle pouted, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You could help me, Nick. You’re so careful–you’d make sure my wound stays dry, right?”

Nicolas’s eyes narrowed. “You little troublemaker. Were you planning this all along?”