“Uh, what did you use to wash it? Seriously, can you stop bringing all sorts of weird sh*t from your place to our house? My grandfather’s health is at stake here! Even a single germ on that thing you called a bag might hurt him, and you bet your *as you’re not gonna be able to foot his hospital bill!”Helplessly, Deirdre took the food out of the bag while Julia—not so much holding it but pinching it between her fingers—dropped the bag into the garbage bin. “What’s that supposed to be?” she asked, her eyes set on Deirdre’s hands. “My dinner,” she answered.Julia snorted. “Well, guess I can’t fault you for thinking ahead. Your food isn’t included in our agreement,” she remarked. “You can put your food inside our fridge and then microwave it in the evening. Go.”“But my food’s still steaming. It’s not good to store it in the fridge when it’s still hot.” Deirdre hesitated for a moment and pulled the lid open. “I should cool it first.”It should take the food only half an hour to co

Julia held her chin with the thick of her palm. “I got bored of takeout, ugh! Sure, my grandfather hired a cook, but I bet she wishes she could be as good as you are. There’s no joy in eating what she makes! She still has her job because my grandfather explicitly forbids me from firing people out of my preferences!”Then, suddenly, her eyes glinted. She cast a very meaningful stare in Deirdre’s direction. “Wait a sec. Why don’t… you become our new cook!? Name your price! I bet it’ll pay you way more than being my piano teacher.”The prospect quite tempted Deirdre, but she remembered her pregnancy and dismissed the idea with a smile. “I’ll pass.”“You’ll pass? Oh, h*ll no. Are you just holding a grudge against me for being a little bit nasty to you when we first started? Huh! Who knew you could be this grudgeful, huh? Okay, I formally apologize for being a brat and a pain in your *ss! I promise I won’t ever say something nasty to you again!” she declared. “But if that’s not enough fo

Julia was in a rare mood to compliment others. “I know she sounds a little too young to be giving lessons, but I think she’s a good teacher. I actually get way more about piano from her than those teachers and their endless lectures about theories and all that junk!”A kind smile broke out on Professor Ward’s lips. “Few people could elicit such high praises from my Julia. I really think we’ve struck gold this time.”The girl’s cheeks went a little pink. “I mean, to be fair… I've been chowing down on the food she makes, too, so it’s not like I’m gonna bite the hand that feeds me, right?”“Eating her food? Young lady! And here I thought you’d rather buy takeout than eat home-cooked meals!”Her grandfather’s comment reminded Julia of the offer she had made. Deirdre might have rejected her when she asked the former to be her new cook, but maybe… if her grandfather was the one talking, Deirdre might relent after all!Her eyes twinkled. She snuck up to Professor Ward and threw her arms

Brendan furrowed his eyebrows. “When did they leave?”“Not long ago!” Henry’s answer sprung at the tail-end of his question. “About three or four days ago.”Three or four days ago? Meaning they had left the eastern Surstate and came straight to the west side. It was also the one blindspot of their manhunt. Brendan wished he could kick himself for this mistake. A part of him was mocking himself—oh, what lengths his darling Deirdre would not go to if it meant escaping him!How were they supposed to survive in the wealthier western Surstate now that Tobey’s bank account had been frozen? He shook himself out of his thoughts and finally turned to look Henry in the eyes for the first time. Part of him could not help but notice how much the man’s skin seemed to be glistening under the light. “Do you know where they went?”His display of patience made Henry feel honored and special. Brendan was the kind of elite, legendary figure everyone would scrape their knees to lick his shoes clea

”I”m not here for the professor!” Brendan cut her off, his fingers clutching Julia’s arms. He had never looked so anxious before. “That piano teacher! Where is she?”Julia froze for a second. “The piano teacher?”Brendan shoved her aside and ran toward the piano room as Julia reeled out of her shock to follow him. “Brendan, she’s clocked out. She has gone home.”“Gone!?” Brendan thinned his lips and turned to fix a piercing stare at her. “I’m going to ask you one question, and I need you to answer me honestly. That piano teacher is visually impaired, isn’t she?”Julia averted her gaze. “Visually impaired? You mean, like a blind person?”“Yes. A blind woman.”Julia laughed mirthlessly. “Come on. How’s a blind person supposed to be anyone’s piano teacher?”“She’s… an able-bodied person, then.”“Yeah,” Julia quickly answered, nodding. She could not stop herself from adding, “You’re really out of sorts, Brendan. Why? Did you think that piano teacher is someone you know?”“Yes.” Br