Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 332: food poisoning

Ryan stared at his task panel, feeling troubled. Sometimes, knowing too much made things harder than staying in the dark.

Take now, for example. He knew Bella had murderous intent toward Alice and was about to make her move, but without knowing exactly how or when, it only made him more anxious.

After getting home, Ryan didn’t relax. He might’ve looked like he was watching TV on the couch, but his eyes never left Bella for a second.

He wasn’t sure what had happened during the day, but Alice seemed fine, so Bella probably hadn’t made any overt moves yet.

The mission had a three-day window, but Bella’s behavior was becoming more and more erratic. Whether it was the intense, unhidden gaze she gave Alice when standing behind her, or the bold move she made while Alice was asleep on the way home, it was clear Bella was losing her patience.

As soon as Bella walked in, she was on the phone with the head of the Langston family. Ryan found this a bit puzzling. Bella had been adopted four years ago by a well-off family, sure, but in the grand scheme of things, her personal abilities shouldn’t have mattered much to a business dynasty like the Langstons. Why were they so invested in grooming an outsider like her to be their heir?

Ryan watched Bella’s figure disappear into the kitchen, his brow furrowing slightly. Over the past four years, instead of gaining clarity, he found Bella harder and harder to read.

Dinner came quickly. By the time Alice had gone upstairs to change, the table was already filled with a feast.

If this had been at the orphanage, a spread like this would only appear during the holidays, and even then, half the dishes would be decorative salads no one really touched.

But here, this lavish meal was just a regular dinner at Alice’s place.

Ryan sat next to Alice, occasionally glancing at Bella. Despite Alice’s status as a powerful crime boss, Ryan’s connection with Bella was actually closer. After all, they came from the same background.

He remembered their time at the orphanage. Every Christmas, the headmaster would prepare a huge meal for everyone, and no one cared about manners. After a quick prayer, they’d all stand on their chairs and grab food with their hands.

Bella, being younger and shy, would’ve probably ended up with just some soup if left to fend for herself.

Back then, she always sat next to Ryan, and he looked out for her like a protective older brother. All she had to do was point at what she wanted, and Ryan would get it for her.

Thinking about it now, Ryan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. He should’ve distanced himself from Bella, but the past clung to him like chains around his ankles. No matter how far he went, he couldn’t shake those memories.

“Let’s eat.”

Alice noticed Ryan seemed preoccupied. She was about to ask him what was on his mind, but with Bella sitting there, watching her for some reason, she decided to hold off. Instead, she quietly signaled for dinner to start.

The sound of plates being moved filled the room. Alice hadn’t had a proper rest in days since the construction site incident. It was obvious from the way she paused for a few seconds between bites.

“Ryan, I want some shrimp. Can you peel it for me?”

After eating for a bit, Alice, too tired to continue, turned to Ryan, who had been unusually quiet, and asked for help.

Ryan’s gaze flickered slightly. Alice’s voice, softened by exhaustion, lacked its usual coldness and had a hint of vulnerability. If it weren’t for the difference in tone, he might’ve mistaken her for Anna or Mia sitting beside him.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t want to?”

Alice’s face flushed as soon as the words left her mouth. Though her relationship with Ryan was gradually deepening, her tone just now had been a bit too suggestive.

The coldness in her eyes had melted away, and it was only in moments like this, when she was with Ryan, that she allowed her softer side to show.

Ryan looked at her, noticing the faint blush on her cheeks and the hint of shyness in her eyes. His heart skipped a beat, and he bit his tongue lightly to force himself to look away.

“It’s not that…”

Ryan mumbled, reaching out with his fork to grab the shrimp. But just as he was about to pull it back, he felt a slight resistance.

By coincidence—or perhaps not—Bella had also reached for the shrimp at the same time. Their forks clinked together, knocking the shrimp off Ryan’s fork.

“Sorry.”

Bella’s face remained calm, but her tone was icy. She quickly apologized, then swiftly speared the shrimp that had fallen from Ryan’s fork and placed it on her own plate.

Ryan had a feeling Bella did it on purpose, but he had no proof. He glanced at Alice, who didn’t seem to notice anything unusual, and could only take a deep breath and grab another shrimp.

As he peeled the shrimp for Alice, the earlier playful and intimate atmosphere between them seemed to dissipate.

Sensing how convenient it was to have Ryan at her service, Alice continued to enjoy being fed by him. Neither she nor Ryan noticed, however, that Bella, watching their interaction, had slipped her right hand under the table, her thigh already bruised from how hard she was pinching herself.

Alice and Ryan made small talk about the events of the day. Ryan had never been to a press conference before and found the whole thing fascinating. Alice, caught up in the conversation, ended up talking more than usual, forgetting her usual rule about not speaking during meals.

As the conversation flowed, Alice eventually put down her fork, leaving only a bowl of seafood soup in front of her, which she sipped from occasionally.

Ryan had never seen Alice talk so much. He wasn’t exactly the chatty type himself, so he just followed her lead, responding when necessary.

“Back at the orphanage, I didn’t really care much about food. As long as I could fill my stomach, that was enough.”

The conversation shifted to Ryan’s past, and Alice rested her chin on her hands, listening intently. Though Ryan spoke casually, Alice could sense how difficult those times must have been.

Her gaze softened, the usual sharpness in her eyes completely gone. She simply listened, playing the role of a quiet, attentive listener.

“We had some pretty funny moments back then. Like, we’d eat whatever we could find, not knowing which foods didn’t go well together. I ended up with food poisoning more than once.”

Ryan chuckled, recalling the time the headmaster had to rush him to the hospital in the middle of the night. If the hospital hadn’t been nearby, and if they’d been even a little later, even a stomach pump might not have saved him.

As he spoke, a sudden shiver ran through his body. His eyes quickly scanned the lavish dinner spread in front of him, as if something had just clicked in his mind.

His gaze landed on Bella. The girl, who had been trying to maintain her calm demeanor, suddenly stood up, her face pale. She muttered something about not feeling well and hurriedly left the table, heading toward the basement.

Ryan watched her retreating figure, while Alice, confused, asked, “Ryan? What’s going on? Are you—”

“It’s… it’s nothing, Miss Alice. I’ve had enough to eat. Let me take you upstairs so you can rest.”