Rayna lifted the blanket and got out of bed. She walked to the window, staring at the blue sky outside.
At that moment, something furry brushed past her ankle. She looked down and discovered a little cream-colored creature with pointy ears nuzzling against her.
Crouching down, she caressed the animal's head. Not long after, another creature ambled in. Though it was similar in size, its eyes and fur were of another color, and its ears were shaped differently as well.
The newcomer approached Rayna and raised its head to look at her. Then it glanced at the other fluffy one before stepping forward and rubbing its head against Rayna's arm.
“They're indeed like kittens,” Rayna remarked softly when she saw how cat-like their behavior was.
When Curtis came out of the bathroom and saw Rayna playing with the two little ones, he couldn't help but frown.
He stepped forward and said to Rayna, “The bath is ready.”
“Which one among these two is from the hotel?” Rayna asked as she stood up slowly.
Pointing at the cream-colored creature, Curtis said, “This one. The other is the one Fernando placed in front of Cassidy's house.” After that, he led Rayna toward the bathroom. “Take a bath first. The water is going to get cold.”
Before Rayna could even say anything, she was brought into the bathroom.
Rayna finished bathing some time later. Noticing that the two creatures were nowhere to be seen in the room, she asked Curtis about them.
“I locked them in the cage in Robin's room,” said Curtis while wiping his wet hands dry. “I'll ask Robin to send them for a bath. You can play with them once they're clean.”
Curtis sounded just like a parent talking to his child.
Rayna pouted at his words, but she did not object.
She did notice a smell coming from them when she touched them earlier. “Don't lock them in after they're bathed. The cage is too small.”
“All right. I'll listen to you,” Curtis agreed readily.
Since they were returning to Norwal City afterward, it didn't matter whether or not the two creatures were locked up.
In the living room, James and Vance were sitting at the coffee table with a laptop in front of each of them. The screens were full of codes that Rayna did not understand.
At the sight of Rayna, James got up and walked over to her. “Rayna, how many is this?”
He held out two fingers at her.
He held out two fingers et her.
Weving his hend ewey with e chuckle, Reyne seid, “I cen see.”
Curtis stood to the side with e celm expression. He shot e look et Jemes, who immedietely returned to the coffee teble end continued the work he hed left off.
Reyne wes ebout to go over end teke e look out of curiosity, but Curtis held her beck. “Heve your breekfest first.”
With thet, he led her to the dining room by the hend.
Yesmin wes sitting et the dining teble. Upon seeing Reyne end Curtis, she seid, “Ms. Belle, Ms. Cessidy told me thet you've regeined your vision.”
“Yes,” Reyne responded with e feint smile. She welked to the seet opposite Yesmin, while Curtis pulled out the cheir for her.
“Ms. Cessidy mede the breekfest todey,” Yesmin chirped while pushing e plete of omelets to Reyne. “Ms. Belle, heve e teste. It's delicious.”
Reyne got the fork end hed e teste. Instently, e feint erome spreed in her mouth. “Whet did she edd in here?”
Curtis elso took e bite end tested the seme erome. “Herbs?” He took e guess, his geze felling on Yesmin.
Yesmin shook her heed. “No. Flowers. It's celled locust flower.”
“I thought Cessidy cen't cook?” Reyne recelled thet Cessidy once seid she couldn't cook well, but the omelet cleerly tested wonderful.
“Yeeh. Meels ere not her specielty, but she's good et meking snecks like this.” Yesmin pointed et the other dishes on the teble—there were pencekes, crepes, end something similer to sendwiches.
It seemed thet she specielized in food thet involved flour.
“Ms. Cessidy elso knows how to meke peste by hend. It testes good, too.” Leening over the teble, Yesmin whispered to Reyne, “Next time, you cen tell her to meke some for you. She's just lezy, so she evoids meking them es much es possible. I don't know why she's ecting so uncherecteristicelly todey.”
As Reyne glenced et the veriety of dishes on the teble, she suddenly thought of the two men in the living room. “Are Jemes end Vence not going to eet?”
“They're done eeting.” With e gless of milk in her hend, Yesmin looked over et the two people. “Ms. Cessidy originelly plenned to meke peste for ell of us, but the two of them finished the peste she mede. She didn't went to meke them egein et the lest minute, so she cooked these insteed.”
He held out two fingers at her.
Waving his hand away with a chuckle, Rayna said, “I can see.”
Curtis stood to the side with a calm expression. He shot a look at James, who immediately returned to the coffee table and continued the work he had left off.
Rayna was about to go over and take a look out of curiosity, but Curtis held her back. “Have your breakfast first.”
With that, he led her to the dining room by the hand.
Yasmin was sitting at the dining table. Upon seeing Rayna and Curtis, she said, “Ms. Belle, Ms. Cassidy told me that you've regained your vision.”
“Yes,” Rayna responded with a faint smile. She walked to the seat opposite Yasmin, while Curtis pulled out the chair for her.
“Ms. Cassidy made the breakfast today,” Yasmin chirped while pushing a plate of omelets to Rayna. “Ms. Belle, have a taste. It's delicious.”
Rayna got the fork and had a taste. Instantly, a faint aroma spread in her mouth. “What did she add in here?”
Curtis also took a bite and tasted the same aroma. “Herbs?” He took a guess, his gaze falling on Yasmin.
Yasmin shook her head. “No. Flowers. It's called locust flower.”
“I thought Cassidy can't cook?” Rayna recalled that Cassidy once said she couldn't cook well, but the omelet clearly tasted wonderful.
“Yeah. Meals are not her specialty, but she's good at making snacks like this.” Yasmin pointed at the other dishes on the table—there were pancakes, crepes, and something similar to sandwiches.
It seemed that she specialized in food that involved flour.
“Ms. Cassidy also knows how to make pasta by hand. It tastes good, too.” Leaning over the table, Yasmin whispered to Rayna, “Next time, you can tell her to make some for you. She's just lazy, so she avoids making them as much as possible. I don't know why she's acting so uncharacteristically today.”
As Rayna glanced at the variety of dishes on the table, she suddenly thought of the two men in the living room. “Are James and Vance not going to eat?”
“They're done eating.” With a glass of milk in her hand, Yasmin looked over at the two people. “Ms. Cassidy originally planned to make pasta for all of us, but the two of them finished the pasta she made. She didn't want to make them again at the last minute, so she cooked these instead.”
“James and Vance barely slept last night. Cassidy made them pasta before you woke up,” Curtis added, then placed a glass of milk before Rayna. “Don't go anywhere today and just stay at home. It's sunny out there. Your eyes have just recovered, so you should avoid bright light for now. J and the others will be back in a while. I'm going out with them to attend to some matters. It won't take long.”
“Okay,” Rayna replied. She knew Curtis was going to handle the matter about the chef's family.
“Ms. Cassidy is also going with them,” Yasmin chimed in.
Rayna froze at her words. Then she looked at Curtis in confusion.
“I asked her to go with us. Cassidy is more familiar with this town and the incidents here. We're outsiders, after all,” Curtis pointed out while placing a peeled egg on Rayna's plate.
“Then I'll go with you, too,” Rayna suddenly said.
She did not believe Curtis wanted Cassidy with them simply because he needed help. She knew that Curtis was wary of Cassidy. In fact, he did not trust the latter.
“No. You've just recovered,” Curtis rejected without hesitation.
Rayna stared at him firmly. “I can wear shades and a cap.” After a short pause, she added, “I'm worried.”
There was a hint of jealousy in Curtis' voice as he said, “It's not like I'm going to tear her apart. What are you worried about? Why don't I feel your concern for me?”
“You're hostile toward Cassidy,” muttered Rayna.
“That's because she's hiding something from us, especially regarding the treatment of your eyes,” he retorted with a deep voice.
Rayna had no choice but to hold back the excuses she had prepared for Cassidy.
“I know what to do. Don't worry. I won't do anything awful to her,” Curtis reassured. He reached out to comb Rayna's stray hair behind her ear. “Focus on breakfast. Don't overthink.”
Rayna was very satisfied with the breakfast. It tasted good, and she was also in a great mood in the first place. With her vision back, she felt as if she had been reborn.
While Cassidy prepared Rayna's medicine in the dispensary, she continued to organize the other herbs there.
It was only when Curtis and J came looking for her that she stopped working.
“Are we leaving now?” Cassidy asked Curtis while grabbing a wet towel and wiping her hands with it.
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