Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

"Join us!" Chris said, without asking for my opinion.

Jewel promptly sat down and looked at the dishes in front of her with a longing expression. "Grilled fish! I've been craving this lately."

"Shall I order you some foie gras as well?" Chris asked without a hint of hesitation.

"And add a dessert, please. Frozen yogurt with strawberry jam. For the drink, I'll have orange juice," Jewel said. She turned to me. "Madeline, would you like some orange juice too?" "It's alright. I'll just have water," I replied, putting the foie gras on my fork into my mouth.

The foie gras was smooth and creamy with a milky scent.

"Chris, is the foie gras you brought me before from this place?"

Jewel's words made me pause mid-chew.

I looked at him and saw a slight discomfort in his expression.

He slowly replied, "Yes."

No wonder he knew the foie gras here was good; he had bought it for someone else many times. Meanwhile, today was my first time having this.

He was doing this out of guilt as a form of compensation.

Suddenly, the foie gras in my mouth lost its flavor. I couldn't swallow it.

"So that's why the smell of the foie gras was so familiar when I passed by here." Jewel smiled at Chris, her eyes filled with a delicate tenderness that seemed to ensnare me, making it hard to breathe. She then turned to me. "Madeline, Chris must bring you here often. That's why he bought the foie gras for me; he knows how good it is."

As if stabbing a knife into my heart wasn't enough, she had to twist it. I felt the full impact of her words.

I looked at Chris. "No, this is the first time. I'm not as lucky as you are, Mrs. Goodwin."

Jewel's smile faltered, and she lowered her gaze.

whisper in a frail voice, "Lucky? Ian has left me and...

to fall

How did a simple conversation lead

tissue. "Don't think

murmured as she took the tissue from Chris and wiped her

she started to stand up, Chris reached out and held onto her. "You're worrying about something

on her plate with his fork when I interrupted, "Chris, you should use the serving utensils, not your own fork, to serve Mrs. Goodwin." Chris froze mid-action,

"Chris, there's no need to serve me. I can help

carefully removed the bones for me. I remembered the time I got a fishbone stuck in my throat.

one hand and offering me

Chris treats you

fish in my mouth. After a moment, I added, "It would be a problem if he treated others the same way, wouldn't it, Mrs.

wouldn't have been so evident if

Goodwin, how far along are you in your pregnancy?" I

Jewel could respond, Chris interrupted, "Maddie, if you don't eat your foie

was trying to stop me from asking

had assured me the child wasn't his. Why wasn't I

the child or he was

was his

is already off,"

my appetite after learning that

me sharply when he sensed my change in tone. I returned his gaze,

when we first entered the

were served. The waiter politely asked, "Would

me cut it? You've done it before; you know just

services. Let's not

Madeline. I didn't think it

others, especially now