After dinner, Yasmine and Serana tidied up the dining area.

“Cleaning up” was a generous term, considering Serana was doing most of the

work.

Yasmine, who had grown up in an orphanage, may not have had the easiest

childhood, but she was never required to do chores like cooking, laundering, or

chopping wood. Once she left the orphanage, such tasks were even further from

her reality. Her hands were soft and beautiful, with slender, pale fingers.

Standing beside Serana at the sink, the most Yasmine would do was to wipe

down the already clean dishes. And she had this air about her, as if she had

done some monumental task that deserved high praise.

Enter title…

Serana wasn’t much of a talker. It seemed ever since Yasmine started dating

Boyd, Serana had become even quieter. The time they spent washing dishes

was particularly tough for her. The moment the last plate was dried, she let out a

sigh of relief and quickly said, “There’s nothing left to do now, Yasmine. You

should get on with your evening.”

Yasmine rinsed her hands under the faucet and watched Serana put away the

dishes. “I’ve always meant to say, you have a real knack for cooking and

cleaning,” she said.d2

Serana paused for a moment, then smiled at her. “I’m just curious about these

things, so I tend to pay more attention. Boyd isn’t too keen on eating out. If you

have the time, I could teach you a few of his favorite dishes.”

Yasmine chuckled and shook her head. “No time for that.”

After putting away the utensils, Serana turned and gave her a strained smile.

“They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m sure Boyd would

be delighted if you cooked for him.”

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Yasmine smirked, looking at

her. “Is that what you thought back then?”

Serana’s smile froze instantly. Her eyes locked with Yasmine’s for a few

seconds before she forced herself to look away, her grip tightening on the edge

of the countertop. “It seems like you’ve misunderstood something about us,”

Serana said softly.

Yasmine observed her for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. “Why so

tense? Who did I misunderstand you with?” she teased.

Serana bit her lip, replying quietly, “Nothing…”

Noticing Serana’s trembling hand on the counter, Yasmine’s eyes sharpened.

“Thank you for the meal,” she said.

Serana didn’t reply, only managing a stiff smile.

Yasmine left the kitchen, thinking Serana’s smile was more unsettling than

comforting.

Boyd was lounging on the sofa, perusing the stack of books she’d brought over,

exuding a mature, reserved charm that struck a chord with her. She approached

and held out her hand. Puzzled, he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

Yasmine looked at him with faint disgust. “I wanted you to smell it, not kiss it.”

“It smells nice,” he said.

“I just washed dishes. So you like the scent of dish soap?”

Boyd pulled her down beside him, his brow furrowing with suspicion. “You?

Washing dishes?”

Yasmine pressed her lips together tighter, withdrawing her hand. “I did half the

work.”

Boyd chuckled and reached into the drawer under the coffee table, pulling out a

tube of hand cream. He squeezed a generous amount onto Yasmine’s hands

and began to massage it in.

The faint scent of flowers filled the air. Once her hands were soft and

Boyd kissed them again,

that

an eyebrow, admiring her well-cared-for hands. “Fine,

I won’t

laughed, shaking his head as he gently tugged at her

tonight?”

him a languid look. “Not

Boyd paused, hand still on

away. “Of course. But until it’s

about are off

frown deepened

shoulder.

on the coffee table. “What about starting next

Yasmine cut him

“Five days from now.”

“No.”

“Three days.”

“No.”

the books off the

and headed for the

night, no

he laid her down on the bed and leaned

still here. Have

her hand.

out of his embrace. “Then we’ll talk after she leaves. I’m

the watchful eyes of a third

joking, Boyd sat

of bed. “I’m going

Boyd wasn’t

and stepped out, intending to get

left yet, and Boyd was speaking with a detached tone

graduation. You’re thinking about this

he said.

think my

silent for a moment before conceding, “If

it’s up to you.”

breathed a sigh of relief.

beginning of their conversation, but she had

about what it entailed.

bedroom, Serana stood up

moment.

a glass of water. “It’s at

temperature.”

watching Serana pick up an orange peel from

it in the trash. She took a

her of the way Bryson’s wife,

home. She would cook

liked, tidy the house until it was spotless,

she prepared the meal.

glass, half-drunk,

a couple of trash bags and stepped

any better, I’d say Serana was the

the water and set

thing you do

her eyes at the doorway,

looked at Boyd with a half-smile that wasn’t

she’s not, so be it. What’s there

her back

after an afternoon’s hard work—I

that amusing.”

was shallow, “So are you relieved she wasn’t upset, or that

didn’t make her upset?”

pondered for a moment. “Is

Then why

head, “Since you’ve pointed out the difference, if I were

would probably

your answer is definitely one I don’t want to hear,”

but pushed him away and dived under the covers. “As you

consequences are indeed severe.”

small smile curling his lips.

scrolling on her phone, looked up at him. “If

another room, or shall I go?”

the blanket.

and covered her again, his

“I’ll take a

didn’t reply, diving back into her mobile

his shower, Boyd found Yasmine already

set aside, her back to him, still as

under the covers, and was greeted by her

fragrant scent.

arms, he gazed into her

“I didn’t think you’d fall asleep

him. “Do you think I was joking

severe consequences?”

Boyd paused, “So…”

smile, “So

arguments.”

compromise with regret, still pulled

at the well-defined muscles on his chest for

letting him hold her as she drifted

next morning, Boyd was gone. She got out of

up, opened the closet, and chose

clothes had pushed his to a

She pushed her clothes aside, making

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