Page 161 of King of Ruin

For the first time that night, Xavier's heart had skipped a beat.

It hadn't mattered that it was only an omelet.

To Elise, it had been as though he had hung the moon in her bedroom just for her. No matter how small the gesture was, she had cherished it with her whole heart, and something deep inside his chest had stirred that night—something he hadn't understood back then.

The memory disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving Xavier standing alone in the silent mansion.

He blinked slowly, his breathing uneven as he looked around the house.

Almost without thinking, he turned and walked toward the kitchen. He quietly pulled a skillet from the cabinet and took out a few eggs before beginning to cook.

It had been a long time since he had made an omelet, and his drunken hands weren't nearly as steady as they should have been. The first one fell apart when he tried to flip it. The second browned too much around the edges. By the third attempt, he'd burned his fingers against the hot skillet more than once, and several eggs had already been sacrificed in the process.

Still, he didn't stop.

Patiently, he started over again until, at last, he made one he was satisfied with.

He slid the omelet onto a plate and stared at it for a moment before quietly carrying it out of the kitchen.

With each step he climbed toward the bedroom, the haze of alcohol seemed to fade a little more, replaced by a strange nervousness he couldn't explain.

When he finally reached the bedroom door, he slowly pushed it open and stepped inside.

As soon as Xavier stepped into the bedroom, his eyes instinctively searched for Elise.

The room was empty.

His heart sank.

His gaze swept across every corner of the room before the bathroom door suddenly opened.

Elise stepped out, fresh from her shower.

Her damp hair clung to her shoulders, tiny droplets of water still glistening against her skin. Wrapped in a soft white bathrobe, her face was completely bare, free of makeup, making her look even softer than usual.

The moment Xavier saw her, something inside his chest stirred.

His heartbeat, which had felt so painfully heavy all night, suddenly began pounding so hard it seemed to skip several beats at once.

Elise blinked in surprise at his unexpected appearance.

Before she could ask anything, Xavier quietly closed the bedroom door behind him and walked toward her.

She watched him with a puzzled expression as he gently took her hand. Without saying a word, he led her to the chair in front of the dressing table and carefully helped her sit down.

Then, to her surprise, he crouched in front of her.

Holding out the plate in both hands, he looked up at her and said quietly, "I made this for you."

His voice was almost hopeful.

"Look... it's really good. I made sure it isn't burnt anywhere, and it's cooked perfectly, just the way you like it. There isn't any runny egg this time."

Elise lowered her gaze to the plate.

The omelet was perfect.

He had remembered exactly how she liked it.