Daniel reentered Maisie's world and often stayed in her apartment, claiming to watch over and protect her. Despite
her attempts to refuse, she eventually relented.
While he had to settle for the sofa, he was content with it, believing he could sleep beside her one day. Daniel spent
most of his time with Maisie, taking care of household chores and cooking her meals. Now, he truly understood how
challenging it had been for her to do these tasks for him before and how much she had loved doing them every
day.
Sometimes, Maisie watched him bustling around the house, puzzled by inexplicable dreams that haunted her.
However, she admitted to feeling more at ease with Daniel around. He provided a different kind of comfort
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtcompared to what Graham had offered.
In the past, Graham often deferred things, saying, "wait until later", "when there's an opportunity", or "in the
future".
In contrast, Daniel frequently assured her, saying, "I'm here", "leave it to me", and "don't be afraid". His words
lacked overt expressions of love but were filled with care. -
One day, Maisie had the day off, and Daniel was in the kitchen, carefully stewing carrot and beef brisket. It was a
dish he had recently learned to cook, and he treated each ingredient and seasoning like a precise chemical
experiment.
The aroma soon filled the apartment, and he smiled in satisfaction, covering the pot and lowering the heat. Just
then, the doorbell rang.
Daniel was surprised to find Linda at the door. "Linda? How did you find me here?"
Linda teased, "I have some foresight. I knew I'd find you here. Your brother-in-law even suggested I go to Liz-Inn,
but I told him you wouldn't be there."
Daniel invited her in, but Linda declined, handing over a bag of his clothes and some documents. "I brought these
from my place for you."
"Thank you," Daniel said.
Noticing Maisie wasn't around, Linda asked, "Is Maisie still sleeping?"
Daniel smiled softly. "She took the day off, and I wanted her to rest. She works hard during the week."
Linda expressed her surprise at Daniel's consideration, "I never expected you to be so considerate. Do you plan to
keep living like this with Maisie?" "Of course not," Daniel replied. "Continuing like this isn't a solution. I'll find the right
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmmoment to propose to her and make amends for everything I owe her."
"But if she remembers the past..."
Daniel remained composed. "That's okay, too. Even if she hates me for the rest of her life, I won't let go of her
hand again."
Linda sighed. "If you love her, you must take responsibility. Money, power, status—these aren't the criteria for
evaluating a man. The most important thing is a man's sense of responsibility."
"I understand, Linda."
Linda hesitated before adding, "Graham hasn't been in the best mental state lately. Nicholas and I have visited the
Bayers twice, but there's still some distance between us due to what happened with you. It seems the relationship
between our two families won't be the same as before."