Taming The Billionaire's Obsession - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Luke clearly noticed the change—just a moment ago, Jane had relaxed in his arms at the sight of all the food, but now her whole body had gone stiff.
She was like a little hedgehog, covered in hidden spikes. Even if she didn't show it on her face, her guard was all the way up as she stared at him warily.
For the first time, something unfamiliar flickered through Luke's usually cold heart. He didn't like seeing that look of distrust on the face of the little pet he kept under his roof.
"Mandy, bring the meds," he said quietly, offering no explanation to Jane.
Mandy didn't dare delay. She quickly brought out a small pot that had been sitting on the stove, kept warm the whole time.
The "meds" Luke mentioned were actually a pot of soup. It was still steaming, bubbling gently as Mandy set it down.
Jane stared at the dark little pot and instantly frowned, reminded of the medicine her mom used to make her take as a kid. She'd always hated the bitter taste.
Luke had already humiliated her with those pills before, and now he wanted her to drink down a whole pot of bitter soup? It felt like he was doubling down on torturing her.
Jane's eyes, already sore, turned even redder. Tears welled up, threatening to fall at any moment.
But Mandy still carefully poured the soup into a small bowl on the table. Instead of the bitterness Jane expected, the air filled with a sweet herbal aroma.
Mandy forced a smile and said, "Mrs. Drake, this is butternut squash soup. It's really good for your health. I stayed in the kitchen all afternoon making it and added lots of rare herbs. You should have it while it's hot."
Jane stared blankly at the steaming bowl in Mandy's hands. For a long moment, she didn't react. Her tearful, slightly red eyes blinked in disbelief—once, then again. Her thick lashes fluttered faintly.
She never expected the "meds" Luke mentioned to be anything other than birth control—certainly not a warm bowl of nourishing soup. It was hard to believe he'd go that far for her.
"I..." she tried to say something, but her voice came out hoarse, like something was stuck in her throat. "I-I'll drink it later."
"No, drink it now," Luke said, frowning, clearly annoyed by her hesitation.
Still, he lightly patted her thin shoulder and added in a low, almost offhand tone, "If you wait any longer, it'll get cold. Or do you want me to feed you?"
Jane's lashes trembled again, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. Of course she didn't dare let Luke feed her.
"I'll drink it now," she said softly, pressing her lips together before reaching out with both hands to take the bowl of butternut squash soup from Mandy.
As she passed the bowl over, Mandy could barely hide the look of disgust in her eyes. She was annoyed that Jane had stood there acting all hesitant while she held the hot bowl, burning her hands.
Mandy had no idea why Luke was suddenly being so nice to Jane, even going as far as ordering a special soup for her health.
To her, Jane's dragging and stalling made her seem totally ungrateful. Making her that soup felt like a total waste of ingredients.