The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 455

She knew Hector had been down in the dumps lately. He was barely touching his food. She felt for Natalia, who had lost her daughter, but there wasn't much she could do to help, except try her best to cook a decent meal to get Hector to eat a bit more.

In no time at all, Bianca had whipped up a meal. She placed the dishes on the dinner table and turned to head upstairs, ready to call Hector down to eat.

At that moment, Hector was engrossed in his computer work, not even noticing Bianca's entrance.

"Mr. Hector, dinner's ready," Bianca said timidly.

Without looking up, Hector responded, "Alright, I'll be down in a bit."

Bianca lingered in the doorway, resting against the frame, admiring the busy silhouette of Hector at his computer, thinking how striking his profile was. When Hector finally finished his work and turned around, he found Bianca still standing there. Her eyes shone brightly, like there were stars hidden within them.

"Bianca? Why didn't you start without me?" Hector asked, a touch of surprise in his voice.

Bianca's cheeks flushed as she fiddled with her fingers. "Um... I thought... I thought I'd wait and go down with you, Mr. Hector."

Staring at Bianca in front of him, delicate as a budding flower, Hector felt his heart soften. How had he never noticed before how quietly graceful she was?

"Alright then, let's go down together," Hector said, rising to his feet and following Bianca down the stairs.

As Bianca led the way, her ponytail swished playfully with each step, her youthfulness shining through. Hector, trailing behind, admired her slender form and felt a wave of nostalgia.

They reached the dining table and sat opposite each other. After a while, Hector noticed that Bianca seemed a bit restrained in eating and asked in surprise, "Why aren't you having more? Don't you like it?" "Oh? I am. I am eating," Bianca quickly averted her gaze, worried that Hector had caught her sneaking glances at him.

Hector served her a portion. "Eat up, you're too thin. You need to be hearty and healthy, you know, for... one day."

Bianca's face turned even redder as she ate the food Hector had given her, her mind racing with the thought that this indirect exchange was almost like a kiss. Oblivious to her thoughts, Hector finished his meal quickly, stood up, and walked toward the stairs, pausing to say, "Oh, and could you bring me a cup of coffee later?"

Bianca nodded. "Sure thing, Mr. Hector. I'll brew it in just a bit."

"Remember, black. No sugar, no cream," Hector instructed before heading back upstairs.

Bianca cleared the table with her usual efficiency before setting out to make Hector's coffee. Since Hector was accustomed to freshly ground coffee, she got out the manual grinder and beans, ready to start the process. Bianca had tried instant coffee before, but it was only after coming here that she learned coffee could be brewed.

Hector's tutorial on the various grinds - coarse, medium, fine, and extra fine - had left her head spinning. So, she cleverly stuck to the three simple steps of brewing coffee. Measure the beans. Grind the beans. Boil the water and brew the coffee.

And that was exactly what she did. After grinding the beans to a texture she thought resembled granulated sugar, she added water to the pot, covered it, poured in the ground coffee, placed the filter on top, and set it to simmer on a low flame. Twenty minutes later, the aroma of coffee filled the air. She sniffed the brew, detecting a slightly bitter scent amidst the fragrant steam.

Mr. Hector had said no sugar or cream, so she carefully poured the coffee into a cup and took it upstairs. "Your coffee, Mr. Hector," she murmured.

He nodded. "Ah, thank you. Just set it down over there."

Bianca placed the coffee on the desk and waited patiently at the side. It was her first time making coffee, and she was eager for feedback to see if there was room for improvement. Finally free from his tasks, Hector stretched and took a sip of the coffee. Bianca watched nervously, anticipating either praise or criticism.

Hector frowned slightly but said nothing. Setting down the cup, he turned to Bianca, and after a brief silence, he advised, "Um, Bianca, next time, try to keep the water temperature between 92-96 degrees. It'll taste better."

Bianca tensed up. "Did I mess it up, Mr. Hector?"

Inwardly, Hector sighed. He'd forgotten to tell Bianca that instant would have been fine. His taste for freshly ground coffee was more a whim than a requirement. Newbies often struggled with the grind and temperature, resulting in a bitter brew.

But Hector didn't voice his thoughts. He was a gentleman through and through, not wanting to make Bianca feel bad about her first attempt at coffee brewing; he simply gave her some pointers for next time. "No, not at all, you did great. Just keep that in mind for next time, and it'll be even better," Hector complimented her carefully.

Bianca's eyes sparkled. "But you didn't drink the coffee I made. I know it must've tasted awful."

A grimace played at the corner of Hector's mouth as he lifted the coffee mug beside him. His determination mirrored that of a man facing his fate with grim resolve. With a single, decisive gulp, he downed the brew in one fell swoop. The bitter taste charged down his throat and stormed into his stomach, leaving a tangy aftertaste that made Hector silently swear never to let Bianca make him coffee again.

Bianca's eyes lit up with glee as she saw Hector polish off the coffee she had prepared. Her smile was radiant as she tilted her head towards him. "Sir, would you like me to whip up another cup for you?" Hector, petrified by the thought of enduring another of Bianca's coffee concoctions, waved his hands frantically. "No, really, I'm all set. Thank you."