Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 1998

"Channing, lying is basically second nature to you now, isn't it!" Coralie complained, clearly annoyed.

"I was just terrified of losing you."

Channing's gaze dimmed, his voice dropping into a low, helpless murmur. "Coralie, I don't know what else I can do to make you forgive me."

Playing the sympathy card seemed to be the most effective strategy right now.

What other choice did he have?

Hearing his hoarse confession, Coralie stood absolutely still.

Yet, that one sentence—"terrified of losing you"—somehow made the frantic beating of her heart suddenly calm down.

"And I wasn't lying about the soup being delicious."

Channing pressed his lips together, adding quietly, "When I was a kid, I even ate dog food."

"What?"

Coralie thought she had misheard him. Despite everything, he was the second son of the Governor's family.

Eating dog food?

"My older brother despised me from the day I was born. He bullied me every chance he got."

Channing smiled, his expression unnervingly calm, as if he were recounting someone else's life. "Once, when my grandfather was away on business, he locked me in a dog cage."

"He starved me for three days, and then threw a moldy piece of bread into a dog bowl for me."

Coralie was horrified, a sharp ache clawing at her throat. "Did you eat it?"

"If I didn't, I probably would have died." Channing offered a small smile. "So, Coralie, how could anything you made with your own hands taste bad? It's filled with gentleness, with love, with the feeling of a real home. It's the best thing I've ever eaten."

Coralie maintained a stoic face, but her insides were twisting into knots.

Eating out of a dog bowl.

Channing had suffered so horribly when he was little.

She swore she would never call him a dog ever again.

"Don't go into the kitchen anymore." Channing took her hand and led her to the sofa.

Coralie snapped her head up. "And you said you didn't hate my cooking!"

"I'm just worried you'll hurt yourself." He grabbed a warm towel. As he gently wiped her hands, he noticed a few red spots.

She must have accidentally splashed herself while making the soup.

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