Chapter 8

The next morning.

Calvin stood in front of the bedroom mirror, adjusting the cuffs of the white shirt he was wearing. Behind him, Tata moved back and forth with focused concentration, making sure Calvin’s work outfit looked perfect.

“The shirt fits well,” Tata said with a smile. “This gray tie matches too, right?”

Calvin glanced briefly at the mirror’s reflection. His brows immediately furrowed.

“Are you sure?” he asked coldly.

Tata fell silent for a moment. “Why?”

“A white shirt with a dark gray tie and a navy blue suit,” Calvin replied flatly. “They don’t match.”

Tata stiffened. “But… I thought—”

“That’s enough,” Calvin cut her off. He removed the tie and placed it on the table. “Don’t do it again next time.”

Tata tensed. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t prepare my work clothes anymore,” Calvin continued. “I’ll take care of it myself.”

His tone wasn’t loud, but it was enough to make Tata feel sharply reprimanded.

“Oh,” Tata replied softly. “Alright.”

She lowered her head, her fingers twisting together. For two months living in that house, Tata had tried to do everything perfectly. Waking up earlier, preparing breakfast, choosing his clothes, even making sure Calvin never missed his vitamins and stomach medicine. Yet she still felt like she was always wrong.

Calvin took his jacket without looking back. “I’m leaving.”

“Yes,” Tata replied quickly. “Take care.”

The bedroom door closed. Tata stood alone, staring at her own reflection in the mirror.

“What else is lacking?” she murmured softly.

Inside her heart, irritation began to build. Not only toward Calvin, but also toward the figure who wasn’t in that house, yet whose shadow seemed to fill every corner.

Who else could it be but Camelia.

In a foreign city far from New York, Camelia walked along the sidewalk at a slow pace. The old buildings around her looked beautiful, but to her they felt unfamiliar. The language she heard also sounded different, forcing her to focus more whenever she spoke.

She stopped for a moment in front of a small café, reading a job vacancy notice posted on the glass.

“Looking for a waitress,” she murmured.

Camelia took a breath, then went inside. The aroma of coffee immediately greeted her. A middle-aged woman behind the cashier counter looked at her kindly, though her gaze quickly turned hesitant when Camelia began speaking with a foreign accent.

A few minutes later, Camelia stepped back outside.

“Sorry, we’re looking for someone with experience who can speak the local language fluently,” the woman had said earlier.

Camelia nodded politely, even though her heart sank slightly. “It’s okay. Thank you.”

She walked on without any clear destination. Her steps began to feel heavy. Her body was tired, her head slightly dizzy.

Camelia stopped at a small park bench and sat down. Her hand reflexively touched the jade necklace around her neck. The green stone felt cold in her palm.

“Juna,” she whispered softly. “If you’re still alive, I hope we can meet.”

Since childhood, she had always kept that necklace. Her older brother had one just like it. When he disappeared more than a decade ago, that necklace became the only reminder that Camelia had once had a family.

“At least… I still have this,” she said quietly.

She gently rubbed her belly. It still didn’t look big, but its presence was already very real to her.

“You’re tired too, aren’t you?” Camelia said softly, as if speaking to her baby. “Mama is tired too.”

Her stomach suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable. Not pain, just sudden hunger.

“Strange,” she murmured. “What do I feel like eating?”

Camelia fell silent for a few seconds, then let out a small, soundless laugh. “I’m actually thinking about European food.”

She shook her head. “Impossible.”

Food prices in that city weren’t cheap. Camelia knew her money had to be saved. She rubbed her belly again.

“Be patient, okay, my child,” she said gently. “Once Mama has a job, Mama promises I’ll buy it for you.”

The afternoon breeze blew softly. Camelia closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her strength before getting up and continuing her steps to look for another opportunity.

In New York, Calvin sat in his office with a serious expression. A stack of financial reports lay open on the desk. He read with focus, but suddenly his stomach growled softly.

Calvin stopped reading.

He leaned back in his chair, one hand pressing against his stomach. “Why am I this hungry?”

Even though he had already eaten breakfast. And quite a lot, at that.

He pressed the intercom button. “Ronal.”

A few seconds later, Ronal entered. “Is there anything I can help with, Sir?”

Calvin exhaled. “Buy me some food.”

“Yes, Sir. What kind of food?” Ronal asked automatically.

Calvin fell silent. A few seconds passed.

“European food,” he finally answered.

Ronal blinked. “Pardon, Sir?”

“European food,” Calvin repeated, slightly firmer.

Ronal looked hesitant. “Sir… don’t you usually dislike—”

“Just buy it,” Calvin cut him off. “Anything. Pasta, soup, or bread. As long as it’s European food.”

Ronal lowered his head. “Yes, Sir.”

After Ronal left, Calvin looked back at the reports in front of him. But his mind wasn’t fully there.

“Since when do I want to eat this?” he murmured.

A few minutes later, his phone vibrated. Tata had sent a message.

Have you arrived at the office? Don’t forget to eat lunch.

Calvin read the message briefly, then put the phone down without replying.

For some reason, his thoughts drifted to old memories. Camelia, who used to often force him to try various foreign foods.

“You can’t be picky,” Camelia had said back then while handing him a spoon.

“This is weird,” Calvin had replied coldly.

“Just try it first. If it’s not good, I’ll finish it.”

Calvin rubbed his face.

“Damn,” he murmured softly.

When Ronal returned carrying several food boxes, Calvin immediately caught the aroma. Without much talk, he began to eat.

Ronal stood some distance away, watching in surprise.

“Sir,” he said hesitantly, “you’re eating quite a lot today.”

Calvin didn’t answer. He kept eating, as if his stomach were truly empty.

Ronal finally gathered the courage to ask, “Is the food to your liking?”

Calvin paused for a moment, then gave a brief nod. “Not bad.”

A response that rarely came from his mouth.

Ronal frowned slightly, but didn’t comment.

Calvin leaned back after finishing his meal. His stomach felt calmer, but his chest felt strange instead.

He stared at the large window of his office. New York City looked as busy as ever.

“Ronal!” Calvin called out.

“Yes, Young Master?”

“Continue the search! Madam must be found as soon as possible!”

“Yes, Sir!”

In his heart, Calvin said, “I’ll pay you back for this, Camelia, for daring to play hard to get with me.”