Chapter 33: His Fingers Were Long and Slender with Prominent Knuckles

His fingers were long and slender with prominent knuckles, their pale ivory hue accentuated by the supermarket freezer's fluorescent glow. Clara's gaze drifted to the shopping cart filled with instant meals and frozen dinners.

"Professor Mercer, you can't possibly eat like this every day?" She arched an eyebrow.

Elias adjusted his glasses. "Too busy with late-night research to order takeout."

"These have scientifically balanced nutrition—proper protein, vitamins, and carbohydrates."

Clara burst into laughter. "Only a physicist would calculate meal ratios like chemical formulas."

"If you had to choose between home-cooked dishes and these frozen meals right now, which would you pick?"

After a brief silence, his answer was obvious.

Clara flashed a mischievous smile. "I'll cook tonight. In exchange, you'll help me with a small favor."

Thirty minutes later, Elias stared at the thrashing fish on the cutting board, frowning slightly. "This..."

"The supermarket usually prepares them, but it's crowded today..." She offered a sheepish explanation.

Rolling up his sleeves, he removed his glasses. "Let me try."

Clara exhaled in relief. She'd intended to skip the messy work, but watching the renowned physicist in her kitchen suddenly felt like sacrilege.

Five minutes later.

The fish lay in paper-thin slices, arranged with surgical precision.

"Will this suffice?" Elias asked, wiping his hands.

"More than suffice!" She gaped. "You could open a restaurant with skills like this."

A rare smile touched his lips. "Dissection practice from biology classes."

They cooked hotpot with the fresh fish and vegetables, the aroma filling the kitchen.

After dinner, Elias insisted on washing dishes. By midnight, Clara walked him to the door. "I'll take out the trash. Get some rest."

He nodded and left. Expecting insomnia, she instead fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

The next morning, Sloane's video call woke her.

"Lucky you sleeping in. I've got a blind date at seven." The girl on-screen applied lipstick halfheartedly.

"Want to join me at the library instead?" Clara teased.

"No thanks. One academic genius in the family is enough." Sloane pouted. "By the way, I edited those amusement park photos."

messages notifications chimed repeatedly. Clara scrolled through images—her wearing a fox headband with cheeks pinched, Sloane's ghostly pale face after the rollercoaster.

Her finger froze on the last solo shot. In the background, Paige and Grant stood hand-in-hand.

Though the photo was hers, she'd accidentally captured someone else's love story.