Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Timothy turned his head and glanced at her before uttering two words, “To eat.”

Samantha was briefly stunned and stopped struggling immediately. A smile appeared on her face as she said, “Let’s go!”

She would never let her stomach suffer.

Timothy could not resist letting out a quiet huff.

She was very obedient when it came to those times.

They were back at the same hotel restaurant. After the two of them took their seat, Timothy slid the menu over to Samantha. “Order whatever you like.”

Samantha could not help but feel flattered.

Timothy was obviously upset earlier that morning. Why would he just disappear for a few hours and come back as if nothing happened? He was even so amiable toward her!

He brought her to eat when she was feeling hungry and told her to order whatever she wanted too.

Did he learn the Chinese art of face changing?

“What’s the matter? Can you satiate your hunger just by looking at me?” the man asked in a teasing voice.

The flurry of thoughts in Samantha’s mind disappeared immediately. She returned to her senses, picked up the menu at once, then put it in front of her face to block her slightly flustered and embarrassed expression.

She was not even sure what she ended up ordering because she randomly pointed at the items on the menu. When she finally looked up, the first thing she laid eyes on was the waiter’s surprised look.

Samantha was equally as puzzled and wondered if something was not right.

Timothy’s low voice sounded somewhat amused as he asked, “Are you sure you want to order three huge bowls of soup?”

“What?”

Samantha lowered her head instinctively and looked at the menu again. As expected, all she ordered was soup, and three different ones at that…

Her cheeks reddened uncontrollably.

Timothy was the one to blame! Had it not been for his unpredictable behavior that left her perplexed, she would not have embarrassed herself like that.

It was no surprise that the waiter looked at her as if she was an idiot…

“I think it’s better if I order the food,” Timothy said, then stretched out his hand and took the menu from Samantha’s hand.

He deftly ordered a few of Samantha’s favorite dishes and raised his eyes to look at her, teasing her with another question, “Is that enough?”

Samantha was speechless. Feeling irked from the embarrassment earlier, she just blurted out, “Yes, yes! That’s enough!”

Timothy did not get angry at all. On the contrary, his mood seemed to improve and there was even a little smirk at the corners of his lips.

He then asked the waiter to open a bottle of red wine.

Samantha was doubly curious when she saw that he had requested a bottle of red wine to be opened. What could possibly have happened in those few hours of his disappearance that turned his stormy mood into one that was much more exuberant?

Being with Timothy really put a strain on her brain’s ability to process things. It was just too difficult for her!

…

Ronald hid in a small corner and gasped as he watched the infinitely harmonious scene in the distance. As expected, his big boss was much more suited to Plan B—which was all action and no talk.

One could only hope that Timothy could keep it up so everything after that could proceed smoothly!

…

Samantha’s mood improved by leaps and bounds after her tummy was filled.

When she saw Timothy paying for the meal, Samantha said sincerely, “Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Barker.”

It was important to show some courtesy and be polite after being treated to a meal.

Timothy smiled and said nothing.

It happened to be sunset by the time the two of them walked out of the restaurant. The huge setting sun was floating just above the sea as it began its slow descent into the horizon.

Samantha eagerly walked to the balcony and gasped, “It’s so beautiful!”

She fished out her cell phone right away and snapped photographs of the sunset.

After taking a couple of scenery shots, she wanted to take a photo with the sunset but could not do a full body one if she was the one holding her cell phone. The sun was about to set any time soon, so she turned back to Timothy without thinking much of it and said, “Hey, Timothy, could you help me take a photo with me in it!”

Timothy nodded, “Sure.”

After Samantha handed him her cell phone, she was about to strike a pose when he unexpectedly grabbed her shoulder and embraced her in his arms. The next second, he raised his other hand up high and aimed the camera at the two of them.

A click was heard and he took a photo with her.

Samantha was speechless.

She had asked him to take a photo of her with the sunset, not take a photo of her with him!

However, at this time, the setting sun had completely fallen, leaving only a little afterglow on the horizon. Samantha wanted to shoot it but it was too late.

Timothy returned her phone and cocked an eyebrow when he saw her expression. “Are you happy with the picture?”

Could she say no?

Samantha flashed a smile and said, “I’m happy. Super happy.”

“Let’s go.”

…

That night, Samantha came out of the shower and did a simple skincare routine. As always, she called the caregiver and leaned on the bed after ending the call. She tapped into the photo album and looked at the sunset photos she had taken earlier that evening.

She swiped each photo one by one until she finally reached the final one—it was the wefie she took with Timothy.

Samantha did not get a clear look at the photo earlier because she was exasperated, but after looking at it again, it turned out to be a very beautiful photo.

She had a Duchenne smile while the corners of Timothy’s lips curled up in a slight grin.

Taking into account the wedding dress and suit that they wore respectively, she inexplicably felt that the photo was a wedding photo.

Timothy’s appearance inside the photo reminded her of him two years ago. Back then, he always smiled like that in front of her.

His smile was very charming and she was always captivated by it.

That was a far cry from the present…

She moved her fingertips gently and touched Timothy’s eyebrows in the photo, as if she had transcended through space and time to hold the past Timothy.

That Timothy was filled with tenderness.

Timothy happened to chance upon that scene when he walked out of the bathroom. Her finger movement seemed to have tugged on his heartstrings, sending endless ripples into his heart.

Perhaps he could also consider Ronald’s second suggestion.

Having children was something that had never crossed his mind before. Despite the countless daily reminders his grandmother gave him, everything she said went in one ear and out the other. However, when that idea came up once more, a chubby little baby appeared in his subconscious.

Its eyebrows were like hers.

Its laugh was like hers.

It even looked like her when it got angry.

He never really liked children because he found them to be a nuisance, but if it was their baby, it somehow seemed…acceptable.

Samantha keenly sensed Timothy’s vision. She looked up and shook her hand instinctively, turning off her cell phone screen instantly.

It might bring about unnecessary misunderstandings if Timothy saw her peeking at their wefie.

Timothy walked over, tossed the towel casually at the sofa beside him, then sat on the bed.

Samantha felt a little guilty and did not want to look at him. She calmed her voice as much as she could and said, “Well, I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed now.”

She immediately shifted her body to lie down.

However, Timothy stretched out his hand abruptly and grabbed her wrist to stop her from moving.

Samantha was startled. “What is it?”

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. Words came out of his mouth in a low and slightly magnetic tone, “Tonight is our first night as newlyweds.”

Samantha did not get it at first.. “So?”