I Stopped Waiting and Started Loving novel Chapter 144

Bonnie, holding her bowl, answered honestly: "My mom suddenly came up from the county. I just went to check her into a hotel."

She pointed at the food on the table, a touch of warmth returning to her eyes. "She grew all of this herself. They were just picked from the garden."

Quentin lowered his gaze, his eyes sweeping over the plates.

Sautéed asparagus, roasted tomatoes with egg, and garlic eggplant.

Not a trace of meat. It was almost aggressively healthy.

But whether he was genuinely starving or the food was just remarkably good, he took another bite of the eggplant.

As he chewed, he realized it tasted infinitely better than the vegetables he usually ate.

Seeing him eat so much, Bonnie's eyes curved into a bright smile. "It's completely organic. No pesticides at all. My mom spends her days out in the dirt picking the bugs off by hand. Tastes way better than the grocery store stuff, right?"

Quentin didn't say a word, but he ate significantly more than his usual portion.

By the time he put his fork down, he actually felt comfortably full.

Leaning back in his chair, he suddenly had the urge to go downstairs for a walk.

But knowing Bonnie—a woman utterly oblivious to social cues—if he waited for her to suggest it, he'd be sitting there until the end of time.

As Bonnie efficiently finished cleaning the kitchen and walked out wiping her hands, Quentin stood up.

He adjusted his lightweight loungewear and asked casually, "Do you want to go downstairs for a walk?"

Bonnie blinked in surprise.

She looked at him with genuine relief, thrilled that the billionaire was finally willing to step out of his gym cave.

But remembering her mother's condition, she gave him a helpless, apologetic look. "I don't think I can tonight. I need to run to the pharmacy and pick up her medication. So... can I walk with you tomorrow instead?"

Quentin's thin lips pressed into a firm line as his dark eyes locked onto her. "Your mother is sick?"

"It's a chronic condition. She needs to take her medication on schedule."

Quentin fell silent for a moment before his deep voice broke the quiet. "Do you need me to play the role of your husband?"

Bonnie's eyes went wide as saucers, and she practically waved her hands frantically. "No, no, no! Absolutely not!"

Her face flushed with panic. "My mom has no idea I'm married. If she found out, the shock would literally put her in the hospital."

She looked at him with absolute seriousness. "Besides, this is just a contract marriage. You're my boss. It doesn't make any sense for the boss to stoop down and play pretend for an employee."

Quentin's brow instantly furrowed, and the atmospheric pressure in the room plummeted.

He stated coldly, "Since we signed the papers, I think you should take this relationship seriously. There is no need to draw such a hard line."

Bonnie was entirely bewildered.

How could she not draw a line?

This was quite literally a job. She was being paid to provide a service. She wasn't actually married to him.

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