Noemi watched her closely as she handled the soup with a glint in her eyes.
Feeling the heat radiating from the bowl, Rosalynn placed it on the table to cool.
Noemiâs frown deepened.
âWhy arenât you eating it?â
âItâs still a bit hot.
Iâll eat it once it cools down slightly,â
Rosalynn explained, watching the steam swirl above the bowl.
Without a word, Noemi sat beside her and took over the task of cooling the soup, gently blowing across the surface.
âItâs not hot anymore.
Have a taste,â she insisted, scooping a spoonful of the soup and bringing it towards Rosalynnâs lips.
Rosalynnâs eyes flickered with a mix of suspicion and bemusement.
Her mother-in-lawâs attentiveness was unusual, almost unnervingly so.
It made her wonder fleetingly if this were some kind of benevolent last supper.
Shaking off the grim thought, she considered a more hopeful possibility-perhaps Noemi had decided to show genuine care.
Treating her well was also caring for the child she carried, after all.
She guessed Noemi surely wanted the future heir of the Hughes family to be born healthy.
Lost in these hopeful thoughts, Rosalynn offered a polite smile.
âThank you.
I can handle it from here.
â
She reached out for the bowl.
Noemi hesitated for a moment but didnât object, allowing Rosalynn to take it.
Carefully, Rosalynn scooped a spoonful of the soup and gently blew on it, the steam carrying a peculiar aroma.
She paused, her senses heightened.
Sniffing delicately, she detected something unusual about the soupâs fragrance.
It was different-more complex than usual.
Both her mother and Noemi had been particularly attentive to her diet lately, frequently incorporating nutritious ingredients.
It seemed todayâs chicken soup included some extra ingredients.
âWhy arenât you eating? Chicken soup is most nutritious when itâs hot,â
Noemi urged, a hint of impatience in her voice.
Rosalynn was pulled from her musings by Noemiâs insistent tone.
She glanced at her mother-in-law, nodded appreciatively, and brought the spoon to her lips, still contemplating the unexpected concern and the subtle changes in the soupâs scent.
Just then, a servant rushed in.