As Leilani stood in the kitchen, preparing lunch, she was struggling to find any motivation to do so. Last night's lack of sleep was weighing heavily on her as she couldn't shake off the words Hannah had said in the park about being in love with Nelson.
But that wasn't the only thing bothering her. She had also told Nelson to forget about the payment, yet she was still obligated to stay on until the deal was finalized. Frustrated and angry, she forcefully slammed the rice spoon down on the counter. Just then, her phone started ringing, interrupting her thoughts.
With a sigh, she picked up the phone to see it was Hannah calling. Without wasting any time, she answered the call, trying to keep her anger in check.
"What's up, Hannah?" she asked, taking a deep breath.
"Lani!!" Hannah's voice came in loud and excited, causing Leilani to briefly pull the phone away from her ear. "Guess what? I have some incredible news for you!"
A small crease formed in Leilani's brow as she sat down on a nearby stool, urging Hannah to tell her the news.
"No, no, bestie. You have to guess first," Hannah teased.
Leilani paused for a moment before excitedly gasping, "Did David propose to you?"
Hannah rolled her eyes. "No, it's not about David. It's about your brother, Ethan."
Leilani's heart raced at the mention of her brother. "What happened? Is something wrong?"
"No, no, something good is about to happen for your brother, Lani," Hannah exclaimed. She then proceeded to enthusiastically explain everything, leaving no detail unmentioned, except for David's rude behavior and abrupt departure.
The news filled Leilani with a mix of anxiety and excitement, and she couldn't wait for it to finally be official.
"Hello, Lani. Are you there?" Hannah inquired when Leilani remained unresponsive to her words.
"Are you telling me the truth, Hannah? Is this not just a figment of your imagination, but reality?" Leilani demanded in a hushed tone, her breath catching as excitement threatened to overwhelm her.
"I assure you, I am not joking. Allow me to pass the phone to Ethan so that you may hear for yourself," Hannah replied, and Leilani heard her brother's voice on the other end.
"This is no false news, sis. Our mother has finally sent aid our way. Aid that will enable me to walk again, and you need not worry about your handicapped brother any longer," Ethan said in a choked voice, on the brink of tears.
Meanwhile, Leilani was unable to contain her emotions. Tears streamed down her cheeks like precious pearls slipping from a string.
With a loud shriek, she sprinted out of the kitchen and into the yard, jumping and crying in sheer excitement, until she finally collapsed onto the lawn, a grin plastered on her face.
"Thank you, Lord," she exclaimed, her chest heaving as she gazed up at the sky. "Thank you, Mother."
Meanwhile, from the first floor window, Nelson couldn't help but smile, a smile that spread across his face as he watched the unbridled joy radiating from Leilani.
Seeing her happy brought him a sense of pride, knowing that his actions were able to dispel her previous state of despair.
Yes, Nelson was the mastermind behind it all. He had meticulously planned everything together with Herbert, but he preferred to remain anonymous until after the surgery.
He didn't want Leilani to discover that he was the one footing the bill. He couldn't explain why, but it brought him great joy to see her happy, knowing that his small gesture made all the difference.
Leilani remained sprawled on the lawn, unsure of how long she had been lost in thought. With a contented smile, she finally rose and made her way back into the house, heading straight to the kitchen to finish preparing lunch.
Her cheerful mood did not go unnoticed by anyone in the household. Even the servants, accustomed to seeing her as a simple girl, could sense her happiness radiating from within. It was a rare sight, one that they had never witnessed before.
As Leilani and the cook busied themselves with arranging the dining table, a maid was sent to fetch Nelson for lunch. It did not take long for him to join them, and the three of them began their meal together. However, Leilani had no intention of lingering at the table once he had arrived.
"You don't want to dine with me?" Nelson asked nonchalantly, not bothering to look in her direction as he picked up his cutlery.
Leilani's lips twitched at the question, and she silently signaled to the other maids to leave them alone.
"It is not proper for me to dine with you, sir," she spoke softly, deliberately avoiding his gaze.
In truth, she was simply trying to avoid being alone with him. Ever since Hannah's accusation the night before, Leilani had been consciously keeping her distance from Nelson.
A frown creased Nelson's brow as he glanced up at her, causing her to quickly avert her eyes.
"You used to dine with me in Mother's presence," he pointed out, trying to mask any hint of disapproval in his tone.
"That was only to uphold the pretense of our deal, remember?" Leilani retorted, meeting his gaze head on.
Not wanting to argue with her further, Nelson fell silent. However, he could not help but wish for her company at the table.
Just as Leilani was about to make her escape once again, Nelson's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Would you be so kind as to fetch me an orange juice?" he asked politely.
Leilani couldn't help but stare at him, unsure of what to make of his sudden change in behavior. But she nodded nonetheless and swiftly made her way to the kitchen.
In no time, she was back at the dining table, carefully setting a jar of juice in front of him.
"Is there anything else you want?" she inquired.
"Give this beef a taste," Nelson demanded, sending a chill through Leilani as she cautiously took a seat across from him.
"What seems to be the issue, sir?" Her voice lacked confidence as she inquired.
Ignoring her question, Nelson placed a slice of beef on a plate and slid it towards Leilani with a stern expression. "Try it," he commanded.
"I may not be a skilled cook, sir, but I am certain I prepared this beef properly," Leilani attempted to assure him.
"Just do as I say, Lani, and don't argue with me for once," Nelson scolded, his demeanor hardening.
Choosing not to argue further, Leilani took a fork and sampled the beef.
She chewed thoughtfully, searching for any imperfections, but found none. The beef was seasoned and cooked to perfection.
"I don't taste anything wrong, sir. Can you tell me what the problem is?" Leilani asked politely.
Nelson licked his lips and quickly thought of an excuse. The truth was, there was nothing wrong with the beef. He had lied to get her to join him at the table.
"Well, it tastes fine to you because you prepared it," Nelson shrugged nonchalantly as he continued eating.
"And that is why I am asking you what is wrong with it," Leilani's tone turned sharp, not appreciating his earlier comment.
Not wanting to continue the conversation, Nelson cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Did you happen to win the lottery? I saw you jumping around earlier," he asked.
A wide smile spread across Leilani's face as she remembered the good news. "Yes, Mr. Carter, I am so happy. It was more than just a lottery," she gushed, her eyes shining with excitement. "You know, sometimes the most unexpected things happen. Especially good news."
Leilani continued to talk, her heart pouring out as Nelson couldn't take his eyes off of her. He was deeply attracted to her. She had never opened up to him like this before.
"Mr. Carter, are you listening?" Leilani called out with a slight wave when she noticed his distant demeanor.
Nelson blinked twice and hastily diverted his gaze from her to his plate.
How could he have lost his senses like this?
"You still haven't shared the good news with me," he remembered, slowly reaching for his water glass and taking a sip.
Their eyes inadvertently met through the glass, and they quickly looked away.
"Well, it's a private matter, Sir. And our agreement doesn't mention sharing personal details," Leilani replied calmly, a smile still present on her lips.
Nelson clenched his jaw. What a girl!
"Sir, I will be going out and returning late in the coming days as I will be occupied with maintaining my good mood," she disclosed, fidgeting with her fingers.
A silence fell between them.
"Don't I have the right to know what you will be doing, as your supposed husband?" Nelson demanded in a less than friendly tone.
"You are not my husband, Sir," Leilani quickly corrected, smiling and getting to her feet. "Let's respect each other's privacy."
After her statement, she turned and walked away, leaving Nelson dumbfounded.