Chapter 159 Hidden
I ran down the stairs, out the front door, and all the way I really hoped to bump into Katniss halfway. Unfortunately, all I saw along the way were unfamiliar strangers looking at me in confusion as I ran past. I hailed a taxi and quickly made my way to the riverbank, where I rented a small boat to head towards the island in the middle of the lake where Nathan was.
Sitting in the boat, my emotions were mixed. Would I see Katniss when I arrived at Nathan's place? This feeling of anticipation and fear made my heart race and my breathing quicken, highlighting the tension within me. As the boat rushed halfway, I received a call from Katniss.
"Honey, have you arrived?" Katniss's voice on the phone sounded calm, and I couldn't tell where she was at the moment.
"I'm here, will check into the hotel in a while." Since this boat was electric, there was no engine noise, making it very quiet. I didn't know why I lied on the phone, perhaps afraid of scaring Katniss and missing something? I carefully listened to Katniss's voice on the phone, trying to detect any abnormalities, but I didn't notice anything unusual.
"Have you finished helping Dad? Are you back home?" I asked in a casual tone, trying to find out if Katniss had returned home and where she was at the moment.
"I'm done, you're not home, so I'm alone and bored. I've left Dad's place and I'm planning to go shopping with friends. When you get there, be sure to drink less at the dinner with your colleagues, take care of yourself, and rest." Katniss, upon hearing my questions, perhaps fearing what I might think, quickly explained to me.
"Alright, don't stay out too late, come home early, and be safe at home." Hearing Katniss say she was going to go shopping with friends, it seemed to confirm one of the two possibilities I had guessed. Hearing Katniss's answer, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed but also relieved. After a brief conversation with Katniss, I hung up the phone.
I continued to sit in the boat, wondering if it made sense to go to Nathan's place if Katniss wasn't there. I was about to tell the boatman to turn back to the shore when I looked up and saw that Nathan's island was already close by. Since I was almost there, I decided to go and see Nathan. First, I doubted if what Katniss said was true, and second, since I was almost there, I might as well visit Nathan.
Nathan's house was on the north side of the island, while the boat dock was on the south side. So, when the boat reached the island, Nathan's house was not visible. I paid and took the boatman's phone number, then got off the island and headed towards Nathan's house. There were several fishermen's houses along the riverbank, as well as a hotel, all part of some small island tourism facilities. There were probably dozens of houses, like a small village. Nathan's house was in a special location, in the dense jungle in the center of the island, surrounded by a fence with a wind turbine and located far from the other residents' homes. So, it was very quiet around Nathan's house, and without a key, it was impossible to enter the area of the wind power generation.
Fortunately, because I had been helping Nathan with his house recently, he had given me a set of keys to all the gates on the island's power station, including all the keys to Nathan's house. Passing by the other residents' homes, I followed a jungle path towards Nathan's house, which was situated on higher ground, surrounded by low bushes and trees, appearing very secluded.
Glancing at the time, it was just five o'clock in the afternoon, and since I had rushed out, less than forty minutes had passed since I left home. The day was short, and it was already getting dark. I carefully opened the gate to Nathan's enclosure, trying to be as quiet as possible. Then, I cautiously made my way towards Nathan's house along the path. The lights of Nathan's house slowly came into view.
With the sky darkening, Nathan's house was now in sight, but my heart couldn't help but tighten when I saw it. In Nathan's house, in the bedroom where Nathan and Jennifer were, the curtains were tightly drawn, with only a faint light visible through them. Since Nathan was newly married, I had bought him thick red curtains, so even with the lights on inside, it was impossible to see clearly from outside.
Suddenly, my heart raced. Could Katniss still be at Nathan's house? If she was, what were they doing? I slowly approached Nathan's house like a cat, and upon getting closer, I noticed that the front door of Nathan's house was open.
The layout of Nathan's house was similar to that of a rural house, with a central entrance leading to a 10-foot corridor, with two bedroom doors on either side of the corridor and the kitchen door at the end. Upon entering the house, I first went to the window of Nathan's bedroom, pressing my ear against the glass to listen for any sounds coming from inside. I held my breath, but after listening for a while, there was no sound at all. Was I overthinking?
It seemed Katniss wasn't here. Feeling a bit relieved, I decided to go inside to see Nathan since I was already there, and I had already planned my reason for the sudden visit. As soon as I entered the front door, I noticed that the kitchen light at the end of the corridor was on. The door was also open, and there were sounds of cooking inside. I didn't disturb Nathan in the kitchen but went into Nathan's bedroom instead. The door to Nathan's bedroom was also open, as the house had just been renovated and needed ventilation to get rid of harmful gases.
Upon entering Nathan's bedroom, I saw a dining table set up in the center of the room with two dishes already prepared. Hearing the sound of cooking coming from the kitchen behind the bedroom, I couldn't help but smile. Nathan seemed to be living quite well on his own, making so many dishes, and they looked quite sumptuous.
"Katniss, this dish is ready, bring it over, and I'll finish the last dish, then we can eat." As I stood in the bedroom feeling happy, I suddenly heard Nathan's voice, calling out Katniss's name. Upon hearing Nathan's words, I stood frozen on the spot, cold sweat running down my face.
"Okay, Dad, one more dish is enough, don't make any more, we can't finish it." Before I could even react, Katniss's familiar voice responded. Yes, it was Katniss. It turned out she had lied on the phone earlier; she hadn't left Nathan's place at all and was still here. But why did she lie to me on the phone? Was she planning to make love with Nathan tonight, or was it just a normal dinner at Nathan's place? Perhaps she was afraid I would think too much, especially after my reaction last time that scared her completely.
Before I could gather my thoughts, I heard the sound of Katniss's high heels. It seemed she was walking towards the bedroom with the food in hand. What should I do? This situation was too sudden. By the time I rushed out of Nathan's bedroom, it would be too late. If I stepped out of Nathan's bedroom, Katniss would see me in the corridor. I didn't have time to think much; my eyes quickly scanned Nathan's room, looking for a hiding spot. I had prepared excuses and reasons to deal with Nathan before entering his house, but I hadn't thought of a reason to explain to Katniss.
At that moment, I noticed the curtains in Nathan's bedroom were already drawn, a scene that felt familiar. I remembered when I eavesdropped at the hospital, I had hidden behind the curtains. Luckily, the curtains I bought for Nathan's house were even larger and thicker than those at the hospital. With no time to spare, I quickly hid behind the curtains. There was some distance between the curtains and the wall, and I pressed my back tightly against the wall. I didn't dare lean against the glass in case any reflections at night might reveal my silhouette.
Within three seconds of hiding behind the curtains, Katniss entered the bedroom, carrying a plate of food. I controlled my breathing to the utmost quietness. Unlike the hospital incident, this time, I was so close to the dining table, and Nathan's bedroom was much smaller than the hospital room.
Katniss was dressed in formal attire, a small suit on the upper body and a skirt on the lower body, typical office attire. She wore an apron in front, indicating they had been busy cooking in the kitchen. After placing the food on the table, Katniss set the tableware. I had just hidden behind the curtains, trying not to breathe loudly, fearing Katniss might hear me. My heart was pounding, as if it might jump out of my mouth at any moment.
Soon, Nathan, also wearing an apron, walked in from the kitchen. After placing the food on the table, he wiped his forehead lightly with the back of his hand and smiled slightly at Katniss. It was evident that spending the afternoon together had reduced the awkwardness and unfamiliarity between them.
"Let's eat." Nathan sat down first and handed the utensils to Katniss.
"Okay." Katniss also sat down.
Watching the two of them, their relationship seemed more relaxed compared to before. It felt like they had returned to a genuine father-daughter-in-law relationship. Although they seemed close at the moment, they maintained a necessary distance unintentionally. I realized I had overthought things; perhaps nothing had happened between them before I arrived, and they were just cleaning up the house. Through the curtains, despite their thickness, the close distance, the bright room, allowed me to see clearly behind the curtains, even their expressions.
"Katniss, thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me tonight." Nathan hadn't even used his fork yet but fed Katniss a bite of food first, then poured her half a glass of red wine before starting to eat.
"No need to be polite, Dad. You cooked for me, so I should thank you." Katniss avoided Nathan's gentle gaze, took the red wine he handed her, and from his eyes, she understood that Nathan's feelings for her had never changed, but circumstances had forced them apart.
"You helped me all afternoon, so it's only right for Dad to treat you to dinner. And this kind of atmosphere for dining won't happen again in the future." Nathan, noticing Katniss avoiding his gaze, couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He sensed Katniss's distance from him, but who could blame her? It was just a matter of not meeting the right person at the right time.
"Dad, let's just enjoy the meal. Let's not overthink things. The past is the past, and you're getting married now. I genuinely hope you can be happy. It's so precious." Katniss felt the sadness in Nathan's words, and she seemed to be affected by the atmosphere, showing a hint of sorrow and reluctance in her eyes, along with a tinge of reminiscence.
"Thank you, and I hope you and Kevin can live well together. Stay together and grow old together, unlike me. Okay, let's eat. Don't drink too much wine." As Nathan spoke, he seemed to think of his late wife, with a mix of nostalgia and guilt on his face.
The two clinked their wine glasses, took a sip of red wine, and began to eat. The atmosphere at the dining table was somewhat subdued, with conversations leaning towards the melancholic side. Watching them eat, sip red wine, and enjoy the food on the table, I licked my lips; I hadn't had dinner yet, and surprisingly, I was feeling hungry. I could only watch the two of them eat eagerly behind the curtains, praying that my stomach wouldn't make a sound and expose me.
The two at the dining table fell into silence, slowly eating their food. Katniss ate while looking at the room she had tidied up in the afternoon, admiring the latte art, the new furniture, the new red bedding, and the elderly wedding photo of Nathan and Jennifer hanging on the wall. The sense of reluctance and sadness in Katniss's eyes seemed to grow stronger, and Nathan, too, looked at Katniss and then around him. Both of them seemed to sigh involuntarily.
As Nathan's wedding approached, the complex emotions that had been building up between them seemed to slowly unravel. They didn't clink glasses but drank their own red wine, as if the sorrow in their hearts was weighing heavily on them, leading them to drown their sorrows in alcohol. At that moment, they seemed to be less concerned about anything else, just using alcohol to numb and vent their inner feelings. They didn't speak, perhaps not knowing what to say to each other. Lost in their thoughts, they unknowingly finished a bottle of red wine, even though its alcohol content was low. By now, Katniss and Nathan both had a slight flush on their faces.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
