Chapter 110 Why Not Explain
After clocking out early, Katniss swung by the supermarket at Grand Era Mall, which was still open, and loaded up on groceries.
She ended up with this massive bag, and lugging it two blocks had her arm screaming.
When she got to her apartment door, she saw a faint light inside and knew Tristan was home.
The second she opened the door, Tristan's big hands grabbed the shopping bag before she could even catch her breath.
"What, you got a sixth sense or something?" Tristan peeked into the bag, seeing enough food to last them days.
Katniss kicked off her shoes, shrugged off her down jacket, and rubbed her frozen red hands. "Got off work early, figured I'd hit the store. Ended up buying half the place."
She trailed Tristan into the kitchen and popped open the fridge, finding it jam-packed with groceries.
She shot a surprised look at Tristan, who was standing by the dining table with a frown. "You bought all this too?"
He'd bought way more than she did!
"We'll make it fit," Tristan said, diving into the shopping bag and rearranging the fridge to cram everything in.
Neither of them brought up what went down at Grand Era Mall earlier. They acted like an old married couple.
Katniss didn't dare show off her cooking skills in front of Tristan, so she just washed and prepped the veggies. Suddenly, her phone on the dining table rang.
Her hands were wet, and she glanced at the unfamiliar number. "Can you grab that for me?"
"Sure." Tristan, still busy with the fridge, turned and answered the call on speakerphone, then went back to work.
"Katniss, what the hell are you doing? You actually got your boss to fire Jessica! Do you have any conscience? You don't take care of your own mother in her old age, and you blow all your money on your stepmom's medical bills. If you don't even care about Rupert and the others, see how I'll deal with you!"
Katniss's biological mom, Ember Stone, hadn't been in her life for over a decade, but Katniss recognized that voice instantly.
She took a few seconds to process, then looked at Tristan in shock. 'He fired Jessica?'
"I'm telling you, don't try to argue with me! Isn't it because Rupert went to your company to ask your boss for money, and it pissed you off? Rupert did it for your own good! You're so ungrateful, letting your boss take advantage of you for years."
Ember thought Katniss was silent because she was cooking up an excuse.
Katniss quickly dried her hands on her clothes and hung up the phone.
She glanced up at Tristan, who was standing by the fridge. The light from the fridge lit up his face, but from her angle, she could only catch his profile.
His features were tight, eyes slightly downcast, making it tough to read his mood.
Her phone rang again, same unknown number. She hung up without a second thought, then put her phone on silent and flipped it face down on the dining table.
Tristan had been staring at the fridge for what felt like forever without moving.
Just when Katniss thought he might be pissed about Rupert's extortion call, he suddenly moved, placing the last can of salad dressing on the table, shutting the fridge, and heading into the kitchen.
"Wash the tomatoes," his deep voice commanded.
"Okay." Katniss steadied herself and went back to the kitchen to keep working.
After dinner, Katniss cleaned up the dishes while Tristan went upstairs.
When she finished and went up, he had just come out of the bathroom, his damp hair sticking to his forehead and dripping onto his firm chest.
The water droplets trailed down his chest and disappeared into the towel wrapped around his waist.
His eyes were deep and unreadable, and the fresh, pleasant scent of his body lingered around Katniss's nose.
Her ears turned red involuntarily, and she tried to keep her voice steady. "Your pajamas from last time are still wet. I bought a new set and put them in the closet."
"Go get them for me," his deep, husky voice seemed to carry an electric charge, making Katniss's back stiffen.
She turned and went to the closet, grabbed the new pajamas, and handed them to him, avoiding looking at his tempting physique, and quickly escaped into the bathroom.
She had prepared her pajamas in advance, so after her shower, she dried her hair and finished her skincare routine before coming out.
Tristan was sitting at the low table by the floor-to-ceiling window, with freshly brewed tea on the table, filling the room with its aroma, mixed with a faint scent of smoke.
Seeing her come out, he switched the cigarette between his fingers to the other hand and pointed to the chair next to him. "Come sit."
His casual demeanor made him seem more approachable. She walked over and sat down, only to hear him point at his pants and say, "You don't even know my size?"
When he sat down, his pajama pants only reached his calves, and he had rolled up the sleeves to hide their shortness. The tightness around his shoulders made it clear that the pajamas were more than just one size too small.
"I was in a hurry when I bought them," Katniss explained softly.
Tristan raised an eyebrow but didn't pursue the topic. "Why didn't you explain?"
He finally couldn't hold back and asked.
During dinner, Katniss had already thought about how to answer this question.
Feeling a bit heartbroken, should she tell him he misunderstood, that his words had cut her deeply?
She smiled lightly, her face calm and unadorned. "No need."
Their relationship really didn't need much explanation.
Tristan's face darkened, a cold anger rising within him. Did she not care that his misunderstanding could break their relationship?
He smirked sarcastically. "Indeed, no need."
He tossed away his cigarette butt, drank the tea he had brewed, and began unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time.
His muscular chest became faintly visible, his broad shoulders and narrow waist forming a perfect silhouette.
If it weren't for his slightly gloomy expression, Katniss might have been completely lost in his allure.
They had been fine during dinner, and the misunderstanding had been cleared up, so why did he look even more upset?
She wasn't sure, but aside from the initial passionate and somewhat punitive kiss, he was gentle. His slightly rough fingers cupped her face, kissing her repeatedly from the corners of her eyes.
His deep, husky voice, accompanied by his warm breath, kept pouring into her ears.
Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she looked at him with a dazed expression.
Unbelievably, she and Tristan began living together in this apartment.
He would come over every day after work, and sometimes, if he finished early, he would walk to the entrance of Grand Era Mall to pick her up.
He would wrap her hands in his thick coat, and they would walk home together.
George's game studio was in a relatively remote area, a three-story commercial building in the suburbs.
The first floor had only the reception, the second floor was the office area, and the third floor was the employee dormitory.
At lunchtime, George ordered lunch for the employees and then went to the reception to find Matilda.
"Let me take you out for lunch," he said, leaning on the counter and looking at Matilda.
Matilda glanced at the untouched employee lunch and asked, "Why? Isn't there a boxed lunch?"
George picked up the calendar on her desk and tapped on the day she had marked with a heart. "If I'm not mistaken, it's your birthday, right?"
Today was Matilda's birthday. She had marked it with a heart to remind herself, but how did George figure it out?
"Tomorrow, I'm taking the team to a competition, and we won't be back for several days. I'll bring you a gift then, but for now, let me treat you to a meal!" George pulled out his car keys from his pocket and waved her over.
Matilda felt a warmth in her heart, set the boxed lunch aside, grabbed her coat, and followed George out.
As she hopped down the steps, she almost tripped, but George quickly caught her.
After steadying her, he flicked her forehead lightly. "Trying to break your neck on your birthday?"
"I was too happy and didn't watch my step," Matilda said, embarrassed, covering her head and continuing to follow him to the garage.
After a few steps, they stopped, seeing Sophia standing not far away.
"Mom?" Matilda called out in disbelief, taking a few slow steps forward to make sure she wasn't mistaken, then ran over. "Why are you out of the hospital?"
She tried to take Sophia's hand, but Sophia pulled away.
Sophia's gaze was unfamiliar, something Matilda had never seen before. "Come with me," Sophia said.
Matilda stood there, stunned, watching her mother walk in a certain direction. She bit her lip and looked at George. "George, you go ahead and eat. We'll celebrate another day."
"Alright." George put his hands in his pockets, watched Matilda follow Sophia, and stood there for a moment before heading back to the studio.
Sophia led them to a desolate junkyard, and further ahead was a foul-smelling ditch. Matilda hurriedly called out, "Mom, let's talk here. Don't... Ah!"
She took a couple of steps forward, but Sophia slapped her, followed by a barrage of questions. "What is your relationship with George? Why are you at his studio?"
Her cheek stung, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. Matilda covered her face, eyes wide with shock. "Mom, what do you mean?"
Sophia poked her forehead with a finger, speaking with resentment. "You don't understand? George is the boyfriend I found for Katniss. Why are you always with him?"
"I didn't!" Matilda denied vehemently. "I just work at George's studio. There's nothing between us!"
Hearing this, Sophia sighed in relief, but it was quickly replaced by endless regret. She grabbed Matilda's hand tightly. "Matilda, I'm sorry. I was too impulsive. The thing is, Katniss isn't getting any younger. If she doesn't find someone to marry soon, she might never find a good match! You need to avoid suspicion. Your relationship with George is too close. What about Katniss? You're still young, well-educated, and pretty. You'll definitely find a good match in the future, but Katniss is different."
Sophia treated Katniss like her own daughter.
Hearing this, Matilda's tears started to fall, and she nodded. "Mom, I understand. But I owe George a year's salary, so I can't quit yet. I promise to keep my distance from him."
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