Feeling touched, Alyssa kneeled in front of Lily on one knee and flashed a brilliant smile. âDonât worry!
Iâll be a good friend to Jimmy.â
Jameson took off his jacket and strode to the kitchen in his white shirt and gray vest. Alyssa, though a guest, felt uneasy about having him cook for her. Hence, she followed him into the kitchen.
âIâll lend you a hand. You donât even have a chef. It would take ages to prepare the dishes,â Alyssa softly.
suggested, her eyes fixed on the exquisite ingredients laid out on the table. She couldnât resist the urge to start cooking herself and began rolling up her sleeves.
âNo worries. Everythingâs ready to go. The seafood dishes will be ready in no time, Jameson reassured her, a concerned look in his eyes.
âLyse, I remember youâre allergic to smoke. Itâs quite oily and smoky in the kitchen. Why donât you join my mom in the living room for a chat instead?â
A surprised expression crossed her face as she tensed up. She stammered, âH-How did you know about my allergy?â
âRemember when Uncle Winston brought you to our house and Josh insisted on having grilled meat?
So the maids set up a barbecue in the backyard.â Jameson fondly recalled, a chuckle escaping him.
âWhen the smoke wafted over, Uncle Winston quickly whisked you away, mentioning your allergy. I can still picture the way he tensed up, like he was in the midst of a battle. He even scolded my dad over it,â
Jameson reminisced.
âYou mean the world to your dad, Lyse.â
Alyssa stared at him blankly with bitterness that turned into tears. Despite her best efforts, her eyes.
brimmed with tears.
She had played a dutiful wife to Jasper for three years, but he had never known she was allergic to smoke. In contrast, Jameson remembered the small detail from a decade ago.
âItâs alright. Iâll help you,â she replied, standing by his side in front of the sink. She lowered her head and deftly prepared the fresh ingredients.
A glint sparkled in Jamesonâs eyes, and he swallowed as he took a step toward her. He mumbled, âThank you, Lyse.â
âI should be the one thanking you for the dinner invitation.â
âNo, itâs not about the dinner,â he croaked.
âYouâve probably noticed my momâs condition. Her memories are fading fast. Sometimes, she doesnât even recognize me. She still thinks Iâm an eight-year-old.â
âI understand. Thatâs one of the symptoms of Alzheimerâs,â Alyssa said with a sigh.
âIâm grateful that youâre willing to bring some joy to her with me,â Jameson said. Their eyes met, and their foreheads gently touched. They both seemed surprised and soon broke into laughter.
The villa was filled with warmth and merriment, a stark contrast to the wintry climate and unforgiving wind outside.
Standing by the villa like a statue, Jasper gazed longingly at the cozy lights within. He had lost track of how long he had been standing there. In truth, he wasnât sure how much longer he could stay there.
Only one thought occupied his mind-he would wait for Alyssa to come out and meet him. She would come out to see him somehow, wouldnât she?
All of a sudden, he felt a chill on his face that spread through his body. He slowly raised his head and observed snowflakes drifting onto his pale face with his bloodshot eyes.
It was snowing the first snow in Solana City He would love to spend many more winters in his life with Alyssa. He so wished to experience the first snow with her.
His breath condensed into a misty cloud as he shakily took his phone and dialed her number.