She didn't want to acknowledge the goodness of the food at all, not when it was him who had made it.

But she couldn't deny that it was surprisingly delicious, warming her throat and comforting her tongue in a way she hadn't expected.

Despite everything, the food was undeniably good, unbelievably so.

"I'm glad you liked it. Here, have some pancakes," Alex happily cut a bite from a chocolate pancake with a knife and fork, then fed it to her.

He felt a surge of happiness knowing she appreciated ...