The moment he saw me, his eyes widened in shock. In a single stride, he snatched the chopsticks right out of my hands.
“What are you doing?” I asked, startled.
His brows furrowed in irritation. “Paula has a cleanliness obsession. If she finds out you touched these, she’ll refuse to eat.”
He muttered to himself, as if coaxing Paula was the hardest task in the world. “You have no idea how much effort it takes to calm her down.”
Just then, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the apartment.
Paula stepped inside, her expression tense, as though she were bracing herself for something.
“Paula!” Jason’s face lit up instantly and he hid the chopsticks behind his back like a guilty child. “You’re back! You’ve come to your senses, haven’t you?”
But Paula ignored him. She walked straight ahead, her voice calm but resolute. “No, I’m just here to grab my things. I’ll leave after that.”
Panic flashed across Jason’s face. He darted in front of her, his voice trembling. “What are you saying, Paula? This is your home!”