Ghost of My Heart - Chapter 111

“All bones and may have low intellect,” Jennet said getting the gloomy feelings clouding her heart.

Everyone was fooled by how he looked. He may be looking frail and feminine but he isn’t at all. Also, grandpa had no idea just how strong her husband was when they are on the bed.

Wait, why would she compares their bedroom activity and working in the fields in the first place?

Jennet clicked her tongue, an action that she didn’t or probably have not done in front of any of her family members before. Also, she was unaware that her action impresses her sister who kept staring at her in awe.

Elaine enjoyed watching Jennet making an unexplained looking frown on her face. She also heard her sister clicking her tongue. It would be the first time she heard her making such a sound.

‘Thank you, Hue. Thank you so much for turning my sister into a human again.’ Elaine said her prayer, rejoicing for the change in Jennet.

“Then, where is your husband?” Elaine asked getting excited to know of his whereabouts. She must thank him later when she gets the chance. The tremendous change in her sister is a blessing!

“My husband was taken away to work with grandpa. I don’t know if my husband will last like papa.” Jennet replied and she sighed.

‘I hope he won’t end up crying like how he was when we’re back at the villa.’ She prayed hard in her heart. For the sake of keeping her face, she desperately hopes for her own husband to endure whatever treatment he got from grandpa.

Grandpa is only a human. Hue, you’re a God. You can do it! She cheered within herself.

Jennet feared her husband would break down because grandpa would make him suffer in the field and purposely trying to lower his self-esteem and humiliate him with harsh words. She knew grandpa would give her husband a few tests to be passed with an acceptable score.

“I am sure your husband is a man of many abilities. He’s the man that you pick so you must trust him.” Elaine smiled at her. She knew her sister picked a man worthy enough to be called as her brother-in-law.

Jennet smiled at her sister. No, it was more of a forced smile to hide her worries.

Ah, no one knows about her husband’s other nature. He is a man so perverted in mind and body and will only be focused on doing his best to bed her.

Also, he cries a lot if he can’t get what he desires!

***

Lloyd couldn’t hold his tears when he laid his eyes upon the daughter whom he hasn’t seen for years. The middle-aged man cried silently in front of all the eyes that stared at him.

The awkward air made everyone turned to silence. A few had silently wiped their tears and some sucked air for so many times to suppress the sore in their throats. They were touched by the reunion of the father and daughter because they knew Lloyd had gone through a lot to meet his own daughter. They knew how hard his life had been because of her disappearance.

But, who was to blame for all the trouble?

“Let’s eat together, papa,” Jennet invited Lloyd to dine together with the rest of their relatives. She gave him a smile. It was a sweet and innocent smile.

Lloyd felt the tensed muscles on his face had relaxed when a smile, unconsciously, broke on his face. He had meant to keep on a fierce face but he failed to keep the appearance when he saw her smile that he had missed for so many years.

For the first time, everyone ate together except for Hue. Although Grandpa Ingell had returned home from the field a long hours ago, Hue was nowhere to be seen. Hue disappeared just like that and Jennet was anxious because grandpa had not said anything to her.

Jennet hid her uneasiness throughout the dinner. She will wait patiently until the end. Hue must be close to her vicinity.

As all of them finished with their desserts, Lloyd complimented the meals.

“Hmm, I’ve never tasted foods as delicious as these before,” Lloyd said with a smile when he wiped his lips. The rest of his siblings nodded their heads in agreement.

Jennet was shaken by surprise. Delicious foods?

She glanced around and seeing everyone nodding their heads, complimenting the foods as well, she silently felt relieved. Her instinct told her that Hue was in the kitchen.

Grandpa Ingell wiped his lips and said, “It was made by our newly appointed chef.” He placed the napkin back on the table.

“New chef?!” Everyone at the table gasped in awe. Every eye gleamed with expectations and happiness. It was a piece of happy news to have a new talented chef in the house.

Grandpa Ingell motioned his eyes towards Jennet who took her time to feed Little Veen. She had a worry-free face on.

He coughed softly, “Correction, he’s a temporary chef in this house until their vacation ends.”

Got to change his mind now before the rest tried to snatch the chef away from his kitchen. Since the Lockharts have huge appetites due to their lifestyles living in the countryside, they would do anything to get the best chef to cook in their houses.

“Temporary?!” Again, everyone gasped. Good food can only be tasted for a few days? Why does such a person with such skills have to leave?

Most of them were groaning with desperation. They are all so carefree about their manners, manners that may shake the hearts of other noble houses if it was to be known to outsiders.

“We didn’t know you ever hire anyone new after you let Chef Rovo go back to his home country.” Rebecca, Lloyd’s older sister smiled at their father.

Chef Rovo was a refugee and Grandpa Ingell accepted him into the family, helped him to achieve his dream to be a chef before helping him to return to his home country as a first-class chef. It helped him to make a living and have secured income in his own home country. Chef Rovo was now well-known as the top first-class chef admired by many in the world because of his vast knowledge about cuisines from all around the world.

“Hmm, ask his daughter about that chef.” Grandpa Ingell directed his eyes towards Jennet.

Jennet raised her head when everyone stared at her, “Could he be my dear husband?” She assumed.

Tasty food such as that could only be made by her husband. She had tasted his food for so many times so she knew it was prepared by Hue.

“What?” Everyone gasped together.

Silence filled the huge dining hall. The silence was then broken by the sound of a spoon falling on the floor.

Then, every eye gazed towards Hue who was standing at the entrance to the kitchen, holding a tray and a glass of milk in each of his hands.

“Hue?” Lloyd was speechless upon seeing him for real. His son-in-law, indeed, very handsome and so capable!

Hue nodded his head and walked towards Jennet and placed the glass of milk before her. He leant a bit towards her and whispered. “Finish the milk before bed. Sorry, I couldn’t sleep together with you. I have to stay at the stable to tend the horses.”

“Thank you, honey…” Jennet whispered back at him while smiling widely.

Her heart bloomed the moment she saw him around her. Her fears were at bay whenever he’s around. She found her safe haven around him.

“Ahem!” Grandpa Ingell cleared his throat. The couple immediately distances themselves from each other.

The other Lockharts smiled at their awkward actions. Grandpa Ingell was in his stern mode again. Haish, every son or daughter-in-law will have to go through his evaluation before they are accepted into the family.

“Since you served milk for my granddaughter tonight, then I want for tomorrow’s breakfast, you must prepare fresh cow’s milk for everyone. It’s an order and how you get the milk all depends on you. We have a huge barn here and make sure on the breakfast table at eight in the morning, there must be milk in each glasses.” Grandpa Ingell said with a stern tone.

Everyone at the table stayed silent as soon as Grandpa Ingell gave the order. No one dares to object him. His commands were absolute.

Up until the dinner table was cleared, Hue couldn’t manage to speak again with his wife. Both of them were separated from each other.

***

It was already late in the night, Jennet sneaked into the stable with a blanket and a small basket full of freshly baked muffins and a bottle of hot drink. It was prepared by her aunties and they helped her sneaked out of her room to meet her husband.

Jennet sneaked stealthily into the stable and saw her husband sleeping on top of a stack of hay. He was hugging his long knees while sleeping. Such a poor sleeping posture and so unsightly for a God of Comfort.

Where did all of his comforting powers go when he needed them?

“Hue…” Jennet aroused him softly as not to startle him. Hue shot up into a seating position and immediately hugged her.

“My wife!” He cried softly in her neck. Her warm and toasty body made him glued himself to her even tighter.

“I’ve brought you something to eat and a blanket for you to keep warm throughout the night.” She spoke as they part from each other.

She wrapped the warm and thick blanket around Hue’s cold and shivering body. Then, she placed the freshly baked muffin onto his cold palms.

“Eat it while it’s still warm. My aunties baked them for you as thanks for making a delicious dinner for them.” She explained and then she poured a cup of hot chocolate drink for him.

Hue ate the muffins and drank the hot chocolate until the last drop. He beamed with happiness at the attention he got from his wife. He was touched by the kind gestures from her family members.

“Here, take this socks,” Jennet pulled off a few layers of socks from her feet. “Keep your feet warm.” She added before putting it on his feet. Not only that she wrapped her mafella around his neck as well.

Hue was even more touched by her gestures to the point he was about to burst into tears before her. She gave him everything she had on her body but left none for herself.

Hue pulled her into his embrace and wrapped their body under the thick blanket. Feeling her body succumb to coldness, he felt guilty.

“Keep yourself warm as well. Remember, you’re not alone. You have to keep our babies warm inside your tummy.” Hue whispered in her ear, reminding her about her pregnancy.

“I know. I’ll be warm once I’m back in the room. It’s you that I’m concerned about. You must not fall sick for as long as grandpa had his eyes set on you.” She voiced out her worries. She didn’t want to see her husband getting sick before the final round which they didn’t know when it will come to pass.

Hue chuckled and lean his cheeks against her cheek. Tightening his arms around her body, he said in a soft and hushed voice, “I won’t surrender. I won’t let you down for as long as I am with you.”

“Do you want to duel with my papa?” Jennet shifted the question while looking up with a smile on her face.

“Um, let me finish duelling with grandpa and then I’ll take the duel from papa.” Hue answered. He was too tired to even think about duelling with her papa at the moment.

He had a hard time in the fields on the first day of his arrivals to her home country. He did all the hard works as soon as he arrived. He wasn’t spared any time to rest. As the sun fell at dusk, and after a quick shower, he had busied himself in the kitchen. He made dinner for everyone inside the huge house.

Tomorrow, he didn’t know how he will get milk for breakfast. Milking the cows will take a lot of time if he does it alone. He had to wake up early to get the milk.

“I’m just joking. Don’t worry about papa. Once grandpa sees your worth, papa will follow suit. Papa won’t try to make your life hard.” Jennet explained. “Papa seldom talks with anyone so he’s easy to handle but if you push his buttons, he’s the scariest among all.” She added, sharing with him the nature of her papa.

“I’ll try my best not to push anyone’s button. That’s the safest route for someone like me who’s a newcomer in your family.” Hue whispered. He leaned his chin on her shoulder while embracing her body tightly.

He will do his best to win everyone in her family. He will do his best to be a man worth for her. He won’t do things that will worry her family members.

Jennet leaned her back against his chest. “But, don’t overdo whatever you do.”

“I won’t…” Hue replied and he snuggled with her under the thick blanket.

“Also, no cheating with your powers. It must be kept as a top-secret between the three of us including Veen.” Jennet whispered.

“I know.” Hue replied softly.

Meanwhile, outside the stable, Grandpa Ingell turned around once he heard their voices. He walked back into the house with a blanket in his hands. He had meant to give it to Hue but since Jennet came earlier than him, so Hue doesn’t need the blanket anymore.

“Father, don’t be too harsh on that child. He’s innocent.” Rebecca opened her mouth as soon as she saw him closing the back door silently behind him.

“Yes, father. My daughter loves him so much and I am happy for both of them.” Lloyd added. He saw the rays of happiness on his daughter’s face and he wishes nothing but only happiness for her.

Grandpa Ingell glared at his children and snorted, “Do you think I am blind and heartless?”

“No, we didn’t mean that…” Both said.

“Don’t worry, I mean well by how I treat him. I care for everyone who has been accepted onto this family. I want them to prosper in their lives without having to rely on outsiders who may not be genuine with the help they give.” Grandpa Ingell explained with a smile.

Lloyd and Rebecca smiled even more widely after hearing his explanation. They know their father didn’t mean to hurt Hue but at some time, they were scared if he went overboard with how he treated that child.

“However, I won’t spare him if he tries to cheat on my beloved granddaughter with that kind of look.” He added again.

He won’t forgive such a handsome face if he tries to find another when he already had a wife. He will hunt him down no matter where he hides.

“We won’t stay quiet as well if he cheats behind her.” Said Lloyd. “It is I who will pummel him down even if I am not strong enough to fight a young man like him.” He added, getting pumped.

Their conversation was put to stop when Jennet was seen leaving the stable. The three of them dispersed as quickly as they could. The house turned dead silence as if no one has woken up yet.

Jennet entered the house from the back door and glanced around to check if anyone were still up. However, the huge house was in silence. She tiptoed into her room and snuggled with Little Veen who was fast asleep on the bed.

Little Veen, too, has been too tired. He has been taken to walk around. Ever since he appeared in the body of a human, he gets tired so easily. It was also probably because he took after the form of a child so his stamina was like a normal human child.

When he was in his otherworldly form, he never gets tired. His body never knows the foreign feeling of ‘tired’ and ‘exhaustion’. He had always been a being that never sleeps as well.

Both beings were experiencing something new in their lives within the realm of reality.

***

The sun hasn’t even risen yet when a few tall figures walked towards the stable with torches in their hands and a few more unknown things. One of them entered the stable while the rest scouted the area. All of them stayed alert of their perimeter.

Hue was still laying on the haystack, snuggling himself for warmth underneath the blanket that wrapped his body like a ball. The towering figure approached him as silently as possible before…