Read Novel Full Chapter 787: Teasing
Chapter 787: Chapter 787: Teasing
Just as she finished setting everything on the dining table… the doorbell rang.
Danielle’s heart instantly sank. ‘Please don’t tell me Jackson is still outside… did he seriously wait all this time just to ruin my lunch?’
Frowning, she quietly walked toward the entrance before cautiously looking through the peephole.
The moment she recognized the person standing outside, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
It was Asher. A gentle smile unconsciously appeared on her face as she unlocked the door. The moment Asher saw her, he chuckled.
“You really give off the vibe of a housewife.”
Danielle rolled her eyes before smiling helplessly. “Is that really how a superior comments on their subordinate’s lifestyle?”
Asher laughed. “You are probably the only person who still considers me your superior.”
He shook his head with a helpless smile. “I’ve always considered you my friend. And this is how you repay me. Honestly… my heart is broken.”
Danielle couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Without waiting for an invitation, Asher casually walked inside the apartment as though he had visited countless times before.
The cozy scent of homemade food instantly reached his nose. His stomach quietly growled. Danielle looked at him with amusement.
“So… Is there something you needed?”
Asher dramatically placed a hand over his chest. “You really are heartless. I thought you’d at least pretend to be happy to see me.”
He sighed exaggeratedly before his playful expression slowly became serious. “Fine. I’ll tell you the truth. My brother has returned.”
He paused briefly before continuing. “So… “I’ll most likely resign from the military.”
Danielle froze. For the briefest moment… a bitter feeling quietly spread through her heart.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the edge of the dining chair. ‘So… this is really happening. He’s finally getting what he’s always wanted.’
A tiny part of her wanted to ask him not to leave. To ask him to stay. To continue seeing her. But she immediately suppressed those selfish thoughts.
‘No… This is a good thing. He deserves his freedom. I shouldn’t keep dreaming about things that could never happen.’
After taking a slow breath, she forced a sincere smile onto her face.
“Well… Congratulations. You’ve finally achieved what you’ve always wanted. You’re free now.”
Asher quietly stared at her. He carefully observed every tiny change in her expression.
However… there wasn’t even the slightest trace of sadness on her face. At least… not one that she allowed him to see.
His heart inexplicably sank. ‘I was overthinking… Maybe… she truly only sees me as a friend.’
Suppressing the disappointment inside his heart, he smiled faintly. “Alright. Then I should get going.”
He slowly stood up before looking back at her. “But remember this. If anyone ever gives you trouble… just call me.”
Danielle nodded with a smile. “I will.”
On the surface, she agreed without hesitation. However, deep inside… she knew this was probably Asher’s final act of kindness.
He was most likely worried that Jackson would continue harassing her after he resigned.
That was probably the only reason he had made that promise. With those thoughts in mind, she suddenly smiled.
“Since you’re already here… you should at least try my cooking.”
Asher’s eyes immediately lit up. “Alright!”
He agreed so quickly that he didn’t even pretend to refuse.
Meanwhile, Danielle, whose heart had quietly become heavy after hearing about his resignation, simply wanted to cherish whatever little time remained.
The two silently sat across from one another. Neither of them spoke much.
Only the soft clinking of chopsticks against porcelain plates echoed throughout the peaceful apartment.
Despite the silence… neither of them found it awkward. Instead… it felt strangely comforting. After taking another bite, Asher’s eyes widened slightly.
“This is delicious.”
He took another mouthful before nodding repeatedly. “It’s almost on par with my brother’s cooking.”
A second later, he corrected himself. “No… Honestly… It’s even better than my brother’s cooking.”
Danielle immediately burst into laughter. “If General Silas ever hears you talking trash about his cooking… he’ll definitely punish you.”
Asher casually waved his hand. “There is almost no one I’m afraid of. Especially my brother.”
The moment those words left his mouth… Ding-dong. The doorbell rang once again.
Danielle’s smile instantly disappeared. She couldn’t help but wonder if Jackson had returned.
Just as she was about to stand up, Asher gently raised his hand. “I’ll get it. If it’s another troublemaker… I’ll deal with them myself.”
Without waiting for her response, he confidently walked toward the entrance before opening the door.
The instant the door swung open, he froze. Standing outside were Silas and Ivy.
For several long seconds… nobody spoke. Danielle, who had quietly followed behind, also looked toward the entrance.
The moment she recognized the legendary couple, her eyes widened in disbelief.
‘It’s really them… The famous couple everyone talks about…’
Stories about them had spread throughout countless bases. One of them had once been willing to abandon everything for love… while the other had built an entire base just to protect the person they cherished.
Even after hearing countless stories… seeing them together in person was an entirely different experience.
They looked unbelievably good together. Standing side by side, they looked almost unreal. Danielle honestly wanted to fangirl right there on the spot.
However… the teasing smile in Ivy’s eyes immediately made her feel embarrassed. It was almost as though Ivy had completely seen through her thoughts.
Danielle quickly looked away. For some reason… she felt like a child who had been caught doing something embarrassing.
Asher finally recovered before smiling faintly. “Brother. You’re here.”
He tilted his head slightly. “May I ask why you’ve decided to grace the house of a completely unrelated person with your presence?”
The moment Danielle heard the word ‘unrelated’… a tiny flicker of sadness flashed across her eyes.
Although she hid it almost instantly, Ivy still noticed. She quietly glanced toward her brother-in-law before shaking her head inwardly.
‘Brother… You’re definitely going to suffer later.’
Silas calmly looked at Asher. “I originally went looking for you. But I couldn’t find you. So I asked around. That’s when I found out you were here.”
He then shifted his gaze toward Danielle. “I simply wanted to meet the subordinate capable of making you skip work just to visit her.”
His lips curved into a faint smile. “Good choice.”
The moment those words were spoken… Danielle’s cheeks immediately turned crimson. She shot Asher a furious glare before hurriedly looking at Silas.
“W-We are just friends.”
Silas smiled calmly. “Yes. You are friends.”
For some strange reason, Danielle couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t believe a single word she had just said.
Silas turned back toward Asher. “Go ahead. Finish your conversation. We’ll talk later.”
With that, he naturally intertwined his fingers with Ivy’s before the two quietly walked away together. Asher watched their departing figures with an expression full of betrayal.
His brother had clearly come just to tease him. Even so… he didn’t dare leave. Instead… he stayed.
Even after lunch had ended, he still showed absolutely no intention of going home. Danielle honestly found it rather surprising.
Instead of leaving, Asher casually wandered around the apartment, quietly observing the little decorations she had placed throughout the house.
Eventually… his footsteps stopped before a small framed photograph resting on the table. He picked it up gently.
Pointing toward the smiling couple inside the picture, he asked softly,
“Danielle… are these your parents?”
Danielle slowly walked over. The moment she saw the familiar faces in the photograph, warmth and nostalgia quietly filled her eyes.
A faint smile appeared on her lips. “Yes. They were wonderful parents.”
Asher remained silent for a moment before asking carefully, “Where are they now?”
Danielle’s smile gradually faded. She gently lowered her eyes. “They divorced. My mother started a new family. And my father did the same.”
She let out a soft sigh before forcing another smile. “Anyway… That’s all in the past. Let’s not dwell on it.”
Asher nodded quietly. “Alright.”
Knowing he couldn’t stretch their meeting any longer, Asher finally stood up to leave.
However, before walking out the door, he somehow managed to collect almost every possible way to contact Danielle.
Her phone number. Her email address. Her Insta ID. Even her personal identification details.
Only after making sure he had every possible way to reach her did he finally leave the apartment with a satisfied smile.
Once Asher was finally satisfied, he reluctantly left.
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the apartment unusually quiet.
Danielle slowly walked back toward the living room before collapsing onto the sofa with a long, exhausted sigh. She leaned her head against the soft cushion and stared blankly at the ceiling.