Reborn: The Duke’s Obsession

Eric came back to the kitchen from the stove and served their food, placing a steaming, fragrant plate in front of Delia.

The simple meal of roasted chicken, potatoes, and greens smelled like heaven. As soon as he dropped her plate on the table and a glass of water, much to Eric's complete and utter surprise, Delia picked up her fork and immediately started eating.

"Oh, this is so good," she said, her voice full of a simple, honest pleasure. "I missed this."

Eric just sat down in his own chair, his own plate completely untouched. Before, she would stare at the food and eat a little while he finishes the remaining. He watched her, a look of stunned surprise on his face. She ate another bite, then another, with a healthy, steady appetite he had never seen from her before.

"Eric, you are such a good cook," she said, looking up at him with a genuine smile. " I don't think I ever got to tell you."

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, she dropped her spoon onto the empty part of her plate and pulled her notebook closer, her mind immediately returning to her work. She began to scribble down some new calculations, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Eric looked at her half-empty plate, then at her, completely engrossed in her work. A slow, wide smile began to spread across his face. He felt a wave of happiness so pure and so profound it almost took his breath away.

She must have felt his stare, because she looked up from her notes. He said, his voice full of a quiet wonder, "Just now, you didn't hesitate to eat. Not for a second. You even ate before me. And your plate is almost empty." His smile widened, his happiness completely visible now, shining in his dark eyes.

Delia looked down at her plate, then at his own untouched one, and saw that it was true. A small, shy smile touched her own lips.

" I guess I missed your cooking so much that I didn't give it a second thought when I saw the plate before me." She said, her voice low from being shy.

She picked up her fork again, took another bite of chicken, and then another, until her plate was completely empty.

She then did something that made Eric's heart stop. She held her empty plate out to him. "Can I please have some more?" she asked, her voice a little hesitant, but her eyes shining. "I am still kind of hungry."

Eric was completely, utterly dumbstruck. For a moment, he just stared at her, at the empty plate she was offering him, a look of joy on his face. He quickly took the plate from her, his hands not quite steady, and added another portion of chicken and potatoes, his movements a little clumsy in his excitement. He placed the refilled plate back on the table in front of her.

"Thank you," she said, her smile wide and beautiful. She took another bite, closing her eyes for a moment to savor the flavor.

She opened them again and saw Eric just staring at her, his expression full of a love so deep and so tender it made her own heart ache in a good way.

" Looks like I've have to get you a bigger plate." He teased.

Delia just smiled and continued eating.

"I am so proud of you, Delia," he said, his voice now a low, emotional murmur. He stretched out his hand across the table and gently patted her head, a gesture full of a deep, father-like praise. "You did a very good job."

Delia joked, a playful light in her eyes. "For finishing my food and asking for more?"

"It was a hard thing for you to do," Eric replied, his voice now serious, though his smile remained. "You didn't throw up and asked for more. It's worth celebrating. What changed all of a sudden?"

She just smiled, her white pearl teeth flashing at him in a look of pure happiness. And in that moment, he just melted. He didn't need an answer. Seeing her happy, seeing her healthy, was enough. He finally picked up his own spoon and began to eat his own meal, the food tasting better than anything he had ever eaten before.

She asked him, her own voice full of a light, happy curiosity, "How was your business trip? You came back quite early."

"Well," Eric replied, "it turned out my presence was not needed there anymore. So, I decided to come back to the person who needs my presence much more." He raised a single, teasing eyebrow at her.

She giggled and continued eating, a comfortable, happy silence settling between them. After a while, as they were finishing their meal, she broke the silence, her tone turning serious.

"Eric," she called his name softly.

"Mmm?" he replied, his full attention on her.

"I think Baroness Augusta knows," Delia said, her expression now grim.

"Knows what?" he asked.

"She knows that I know," Delia clarified. "That I am the real daughter of the Ellington family."

Eric just sat there, listening, letting her speak.

"I won't just sit back and watch her take things that are mine by right anymore," Delia vowed,her voice gaining strength.

Eric replied, his own voice soft with concern. "You might get hurt, Delia. She is a dangerous woman."

Delia smiled, a small, confident expression that was full of a strength he had never seen in her before. "Then I can heal here," she said, looking around the warm, safe kitchen. "At home. The safest place in the world." She then listed all the reasons why.

"Eating the delicious food you cook for me, enjoying your company, and… enjoying you satisfying all of my other needs…" She paused, her cheeks flushing a bright red as she realized how her last sentence sounded.

Eric chuckled, a low warm sound. He simply nodded, accepting all of her, the strategist, the survivor, and the passionate woman she was becoming.