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    Chapter 0606


    Nina


    By the time Enzo and I pulled ourselves away from our embrace, the clock read past four o''clock. I was beginning to feel restless, but Enzo was fast asleep. We had both dozed off yet again, although Enzo was more deep in sleep than I was.


    With a gentle sigh, I carefully extricated myself from Enzo, my fingers trailing lightly over his arm as I did so. He stirred, his eyelids fluttering before he let out a contented sigh and settled back into sleep.


    I couldn''t help but smirk as I watched him sleep. He clearly needed it, and I wasn''t going to wake him up.


    But then my eyes caught it; the mark on his wrist. It was almost fully healed by now, but I could just barely make out the faint line where the bruise had been before. It wasn''t so much the fact that he had the mark, it was the way he reacted when I pointed it out.


    It wasn''t like Enzo to flinch away when it came to injuries. Under normal circumstances, he likely could have pulled up his sleeve to have me look at it. He often liked to do things like that, joking that it was my job as his personal doctor-and often resulted in a smack from me and a lot ofughter.


    But this was different. Something about Enzo''s reaction when I had initially pointed the bruise out made me wonder if there was something he wasn''t telling me.


    A fight, maybe? A moment of clumsiness? Maybe he was just embarrassed.


    Either way, I decided to let my worries go for now and get dressed. I pulled afortable dress out of my closet and slipped it on, followed by a pair of slip-ons. It was just a casual dinner at home; there was no need to get dressed up.


    As an afterthought, though, I slipped one of the talismans ra had given me around my neck, concealing it underneath my dress. Just in case.


    Downstairs, the delicious aroma of simmering spices and herbs wafted through the house, pulling me closer to the kitchen. My parents'' voices carried through the air, and I could hear themughing, their cheerful banter filling the room.


    As I entered the kitchen, I couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight that greeted me.


    My dad was donned in an apron that read "King of the Kitchen," Flour dusted his nose, and there was a hint of sauce smeared on his cheek. He stood over a pot of bubbling sauce, his brow furrowed in concentration as he stirred vigorously.Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    My mother, equally amused, was perched on a stool by the kitchen ind, a ss of wine in hand and a mischievous glint in her eye.


    "Looks like someone has taken over the kitchen," I quipped, leaning against the doorframe.


    My father turned, a look of mock seriousness on his face. "Ah, Nina, you''ve arrived just in time to witness my culinary masterpiece. Tonight, I am the chef."


    My mother snorted withughter, nearly spilling her wine. "I tried to tell him that he didn''t need to cook, but he insisted on doing it himself tonight," sheughed.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle. My dad usually left the cooking to the servants, but something had begun to shift recently. I think my mother had an influence on him; she was rarely the type to let someone else do everything for her. Maybe she had finally convinced him that he didn''t need someone else cooking his meals every single day.


    With a flourish, my father presented a spoonful of sauce for me to taste. I obliged, taking a small taste. My eyes widened slightly as the vors hit my tongue.


    "Bravo, dad," I said. "Who knew you could cook?"


    "Oh, please," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I''ve always been a secret gourmand. After all, your sister..."


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