Chapter 47: Brazen Servant
She had agonized over what to bring him, rejecting Mirian’s suggestions and finally settling on giving him her last fruits, despite her love for them. The thought of him smiling as he received her gift had motivated her, but now, seeing the tray already laden with an assortment of fruits, including juicy apples that had just come into season - yet expensive, her gesture felt redundant and thoughtless.
Seeing Reana’s eyes had turned colder, Ryder immediately understood what thoughts were going through her. He grasped her hands in his, his eyes locking onto hers with an intense seriousness. "They’re not mine," he denied in a heartbeat.
"I woke up to find them there. Perhaps they were brought in by Zeta Marcus." His grip on her hands tightened, as if he feared she might pull away, his gaze burning with a desire to reassure her.
As the silence stretched on, Ryder’s anxiety grew. He bent forward, the sudden movement pulling at his wound, but he ignored the pain, making no sound. His hands closed around the basket of fruits she brought, and he lifted it off the floor and onto the bed. "These are mine, right?" he asked, his eyes searching Reana’s face for any hint of emotion.
However, Reana continued to stare at him, her expression unreadable, but the coldness in her eyes had decreased considerably.
Ryder’s lips pressed together in a thin line. "I heard the kitchen staff mention that your fruit storage was almost exhausted, yet you brought me these..." His voice trailed off, and a beautiful smile spread across his lips. "That’s because you see me differently, don’t you, My Luna?"
He paused, his gaze locking onto hers, filled with a deep sincerity. "So, how can I not cherish your gift with my life? I could easily die without–"
"Ryder!" Reana exclaimed, her hand flying out to slap his arm. That word again!
Ryder chuckled, his chest vibrating with the sound, eyes sparkling with mirth. Reana’s cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink as she watched him, relieved that he appreciated the gift. She had been rendered speechless earlier, unsure of how to respond to his thoughtful words, and had simply frozen, her emotions swirling beneath the surface.
He plucked a banana from the selection and carefully peeled it open, his eyes locked on Reana’s as he said, "I heard the merchants broke their deal with our pack. You can’t start your day without fresh fruit, can you?" He paused, his gaze softening with concern. "Is there a plan to establish trade with other merchants?"
"Hm," Reana hmmed. "We’ve sent delegations to the Southern Islands...but we need a plan B for when the southern islands negotiation fall through." She didn’t understand why she had to explain to him, but somehow, she felt relief from the burden of buckling it up for days.
With the banana neatly peeled, he brought it to her lips. Reana frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched him, perplexed. Why was he trying to feed her?