First Love After Marriage by Flora Nancy

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Chapter 22 

Chapter 22 

James pounded on the door with force. He was determined to give Nadia a lesson she would not forget, making sure she would never dare to lock him out again. 

Nadia was half asleep, constantly feeling like there was a tapping sound near her ear. She thought it might be a neighbor knocking on their door and cursed them for disturbing the peace at such a late hour. Annoyed, she turned over, pulled the blanket over her head, and tried to continue sleeping. 

But the knocking sound showed no signs of stopping. Frustrated, Nadia sat up abruptly, fuming at the thoughtless person on the other side of the door. Rubbing her eyes, she realized that the sound seemed to be coming from the entrance. 

Checking the time, she saw it was nearly one o’clock. She hurriedly put on her shoes and dashed towards the direction of the door. 

She had thought James would not be coming home tonight, but upon hearing the frantic knocking at the door, she could not help but suspect that it was James who had returned. 

Her hands trembled as she unlocked the door. In her mind, she silently prayed that it was not James, hoping someone was knocking on the wrong door. 

As the door swung open, she was met with a pair of intense dark eyes. They were staring at her intensely, as cold and foreboding as ice. Nadia quickly pulled James into the house and peeked out to see if she had woken any of the neighbors. Thankfully, the coast was clear. 

Seeing her rather flustered state, James’s earlier anger seemed to dissipate somewhat. 

However, noticing she was still wearing the same silk camisole from the previous night, revealing more than it covered, his face tightened once again. 

He struggled to suppress his rising frustration, his expression turning as rigid as a stone wall. “Starting tomorrow, I don’t want to see you in that sleepwear,” he said, his voice remaining unchanged, icy and stern. 

If she always showed up at the door like tonight, wearing nothing but flimsy sleepwear, he had a headache coming. Two other households were on the same floor, and even though they were only nominally married, he did not want others to catch glimpses of her like that. 

Nadia was a bit puzzled, wondering why this man was so mercurial. His expression constantly changed, and now he was concerned about her choice of sleepwear. 

“Okay, I’ll change tomorrow. I thought you wouldn’t be coming back today, so I locked the door,” Nadia explained earnestly. After all, this was James’s house. 

Staring at the infuriated man before her, looking tall, handsome, and distant, she felt that the aura he exuded demanded. respect and sent shivers down her spine at the same time. Nadia found herself immersed in his presence. 

Even when he was angry, he was still so strikingly handsome. It just did not seem fair that someone could be this perfect. Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt something warm trickling from her nose, then down to her lips, filling her mouth with a metallic tang. 

Startled. Nadia touched her nose with her hand. She had not expected to start bleeding. 

After having lived for 20 years, it was the first time she had ever experienced a nosebleed from being excited by a handsome guy. She could not help but feel embarrassed. 

James’s brooding expression softened a bit when he saw Nadia’s nosebleed. Instead, he looked worried. “You’re bleeding from the nose. Tilt your head back,” he instructed. 

Guiding Nadia into the kitchen, James ran some cold water and placed it against the back of her neck. He then fetched a stack of tissues from the living room. 

Nadia rinsed her face with water and then used tissues to stop the flow from both nostrils. 

Watching James fret, she could not help but smile. An embarrassed smile tugged at her lips. “Mr. Howe, I’m fine. It’ll stop in a bit, she reassured him. 

James had initially been ready to reprimand her for locking him out, but seeing her nosebleed, his anger subsided. He was genuinely concerned. “Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” 

Nadia hastily waved him off. “No need. Look, it’s already stopping.” 

Just the thought of ending up in a hospital and having a doctor ask her why her nose was bleeding made her awkwardly wish for the Earth to split open and swallow her whole. 

“And what if they figure out it’s all because I went all gaga over a good–looking guy? Talk about a one–way ticket to humiliation city! But then again, can doctors even diagnose hotness–induced nosebleed? Nah, let’s not delve into that rabbit hole,” thought Nadia. 

Chapter 22 

James still looked uneasy. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” 

Nadia nodded firmly. “I’m sure. Thank you.” 

“Have you been working overtime? Are you hungry? Do you need me to make something for you to eat?” 

James shrugged off his suit jacket and loosened his tie. “No need. I never eat at odd hours in the middle of the night.” 

“Okay!” 

Now she understood why he had such a fit physique. He never indulged in late–night eating. 

“I usually lock the door before going to bed. From now on, I’ll give you a call before doing that. Just to check if you’re coming back.” 

“No need to lock the door in the future.” 

He was busy and did not have time for these trivial matters. 

With that. James retreated to his room. 

Watching his retreating figure, Nadia was left dumbfounded by his domineering personality. She sighed deeply. After all, she was living in his house. She had to compromise. 

As someone staying as a guest in someone else’s home, she had neither the right nor the standing to chastise the homeowner. 

In another half a year, she would have repaid the money she owed him, and then, they would get divorced. By then, there would be nothing left between her and James. 

The thought left Nadia with a sense of melancholy in her heart. 

The next morning. Nadia got up early and went to the market. 

She bought some lamb, along with a generous bundle of baby spring greens, parsley, mint, and a few sprouts. 

Locking James out last night weighed on her conscience, and coupled with his help in securing a better room for Iris, she felt the need to repay him. 

She remembered how James had eyed their lamb kebabs with longing during breakfast the previous morning. As a way of making amends, she decided to prepare a lamb kebab for him today. 

The market was conveniently located nearby. Within half an hour, she had gathered all the ingredients she needed. 

After coming home, she placed the groceries in the kitchen, casting a glance toward the living room. She saw James had not woken up yet. 

First, she marinated the lamb and threaded it onto skewers, placing them on the grill to cook. She could hear noises coming from James’s room. He was probably awake. 

Just when she was about to make the salad, James emerged from his room, dressed in a black suit and carrying a briefcase. 

Nadia walked out of the kitchen, holding a pair of forks. “Good morning!” 

James responded with a neutral expression, “Morning.” 

“I made lamb kebabs. Would you like to have some before heading to work?” 

Seeing Nadia in her apron with lotus leaf edges and the fresh groceries spread on the kitchen counter, James knew she must have been up very early. 

He set his briefcase aside and took a seat at the table. 

Nadia quickly placed the lamb kebabs on a plate, accompanied by a side of salad. Just like yesterday, she used tomato sauce to draw a smiley face on the lamb kebabs. She then brought the plate over to James. 

“Do you want to try it with mustard? Most people might not know, but it pairs really well with this dish.” 

“I don’t like mustard. It’s too strong for me and makes the taste uncomfortable.” 

Nadia brought her own plate of lamb kebabs to the table, putting it down and adding mustard on top. She then grabbed a bottle of hot sauce, adding a bit to her dish, followed by a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce. 

Although her way of eating might seem peculiar to others, she found it incredibly delicious and flavorful. 

“Would you like some hot sauce too? It’s not too spicy,” Nadia asked, holding the bottle in her hand. 

“No, thanks.” 

With that settled, James began to eat methodically, taking his time. Meanwhile, Nadia enthusiastically took a big bite of the kebab. The flavor was simply irresistible. In no time, she had devoured her entire meal. 

Looking up, she noticed James eating slowly and carefully, using a napkin to wipe his mouth after each bite. Nadia was 

Chapter 22 

struck by how refined and graceful his manner of eating noodles was, unlike anyone she had seen before. 

What baffled her even more was that he had placed a napkin on his lap. She could not comprehend why he was so meticulous even when having a meal at home as if he were dining with royalty. 

Just then. James’s phone rang on the table. He wiped his mouth and answered. 

“Mr. Howe, I’ve taken care of the matter you instructed me about.” 

After hanging up, he finished his food, stood up, and walked to the door, changing his shoes. Softly, he turned to Nadia. “Are 

free tomorrow? If you are, I’ll take you somewhere for a surprise.” 

you 

Considering the breakfast she had prepared for him, he wanted to return the favor with a gift. 

Send Gift