Episode 147

Just then, Elijah glanced up from his phone and queried, “I haven’t had a bite either. Would it be alright if I joined you for a meal?” Elizabeth dismissed Elijah’s presence and fetched a pot to boil some water.
His voice drifted gently through the room. “No chili, please.”

Her kitchen was open-plan, and through the haze of rising steam, she could make out Elijah’s form sprawled on the couch, his fingers flying over his phone as he answered emails.
For a fleeting second, a sense of disbelief washed over her.
This was the vision of married life she had cherished in her dreams—a cozy sanctuary where they could partake in their daily activities, yet always remain within each other’s gaze.
A sardonic smile crept across her face. It was almost comical that she was living out her marriage ideal on the brink of their separation.

Caught up in her reverie, she absentmindedly reached for the pot with one hand.
Today, she was preparing noodles for two, and the pot, filled to the brim with both water and noodles, was unusually heavy.
Her grip faltered, and the pot tilted dangerously, sending noodles and scalding broth cascading towards her.
She hastily, yet not before the hot broth splattered onto her foot.
The skin on the top of her foot reddened immediately, a fierce burn and intense sting attacking her senses.
She couldn’t help but exclaim in a pained whisper, “Ow!”
“What happened?” Elijah’s concern was palpable as he abandoned his phone and closed the distance between them in mere moments.
“N-nothing, I merely lost my grip, and some water splashed on my foot,” she stammered, visibly flustered as she took a clumsy step back. She attempted to maintain a casual tone.
Memories of how she once exaggerated the slightest discomfort to capture his attention flickered through her mind. It was both absurd and slightly pathetic.