Looking at his gloomy face, she slowly set down her chopsticks. Her lips pursed a little, and in a small voice she said, "Are the dishes not to your taste today? Then, tomorrow I will..."
"I don't need you to do anything." Jacob interrupted her coldly, but his eyes fell upon her injured hand and involuntarily he softened slightly, "Why do you like to be a servant so much?"
Saying this, he abruptly swept all the dishes off the table and smashed them on the ground. Broken pieces of porcelain scattered and the gravy splashed against the walls.
Emily was stunned by the violent act and the mess left behind.
"I am sorry." After a long time, she apologized softly, lowering her eyes. Her long eyelashes hid her emotions in their shadows.
But he saw her expression and her helpless depression. She was like a wounded deer. It reminded him of an inescapable despair and roused a great feeling of discomfort in him.
"Get out." He heard himself saying coldly, "Bring Beryl here."
With a low voice, Emily responded, "Okay." She stood up and left, her head still bowed low.
Only Jacob remained in the dinning room with its war-zone appearance, where plates lay murdered on the floor, bleeding out gravy and bits of food. He sat down, frowned deeply, and he couldn't help but recall Emily's expression again.
He was inexplicably irritable.
Why was this woman always affecting his mood?
Most of the table setting had been swept off onto the floor, except for one plate which had stayed safe and lonely in the furthest corner of the table.
Gazing at the dish for a few seconds, he pulled it closer and sneered, "What the damn did she cook?"
Although he said this, his hand involuntarily took up the chopsticks and he began to eat. The taste was oddly familiar and he felt as if he had enjoyed this dish many times before.
After tasting it, Jacob could not stop eating.
It was far worse than what the cook could prepare. But to him it was delicious, and he could not stop eating. It was as if he was addicted to it.
This dish seemed to have something magical in it, which calmed his mind and spirit. The empty space in his heart temporarily filled through the fulfillment of his appetite.
He even felt regret for his rashness of sweeping the other dishes onto the ground. He was curious now as to their taste.
Forget it. He could always just ask her to cook it everyday in future.
As soon as the idea came up, he thought of her cut hands and he frowned again.
'Gee, I do not need what she cooked.
I know exactly what she's up to! She wanted me to get addicted to her cooking! I will not let her succeed!' he thought stubbornly.
...
As Emily left the room, she met the maid again in the passage.
"Finally, you are driven out by our master?" There was no one else around, and the maid did not hide her nature any more. Her tone was mean and bitter.
In her eyes, Jacob did not care about Emily at all. So naturally she didn't have to treat her with respect either.
Emily did not want to tangle with her, and she tried to brush past her on the other side of the passage. The maid continued harassing her though and blocked her way saying, "Why are you in such a hurry? I want to have a good chat with you!"
"I've got nothing to discuss with you." Emily looked at her coldly. Nothing could affect her mood except for Jacob and this maid was a minor nuisance.
What the maid hated most was the way she behaved. It was like Emily saw her only as a tiny ant, small and insignificant.
After all, Emily was just a mistress who gave birth to a bastard daughter, instead of a son to carry Jacob's name. Why was she standing here all high and mighty?
"I just want to find out how you managed to get into Mr. Jacob's bed? What was it like giving birth to his child? Huh? Can you give me a few pointers?"
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