Sweetheart, Do You Still Love Me

Regrettably, the man facing Yelena had already steered the conversation to this point, leaving her no option but to suppress her pride and reluctantly concede. "Yes, Ms. Balkan. Sweet and sour salmon sounds good." I'll deal with you later, Hank! She reprimanded him silently within her thoughts.

Simone's face brightened upon hearing this, and she took a step closer, gently clasping Yelena's hand with a cheerful smile. "I knew you would like that blend of sweet and sour. Hank mentioned your fondness for sweets. Initially, I assumed someone in the film industry would have strict control over sugary indulgences, but then I realized that a young girl like you deserves to treat herself a little more. A touch of sweetness won't do any harm."

Then, Yelena's eyes reddened slightly as memories flowed in, reminding her of Simone's enduring care—a motherly figure who always had her best interests at heart. This unwavering concern was precisely why Yelena found it arduous to turn down Simone's wishes, thus yielding to Hank's persistence. "Ms. Balkan, I'm not a child anymore. I'm already 25."

Simone playfully rolled her eyes and gave her hand a reassuring pat. "What are you talking about? You're still so young. Being just 25 still makes you a child, okay? Anyway, hurry up and wash your hands. Let's eat."

She then turned around and headed toward the kitchen to attend to her tasks. The moment she saw Hank casually take his seat at the table, she clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Go grab a bottle of juice for Yelena. It's on the second shelf in the fridge. I bought peach-flavored juice specifically for her. Can you please think of others for a change? It's not all about you."

Since Hank had always been more inclined to listen to his mother promptly stood up and walked toward the refrigerator.

In the past, Yelena would have joined Simone in scolding him. However, their current relationship made such exchanges feel slightly intimate and awkward. So, Yelena could only sit helplessly in her seat, absentmindedly prodding her salad with a fork and avoiding eye contact.

Through the course of the meal, her mind was clearly elsewhere. She barely touched her food, prompting Simone to express concern. "What's the matter? You've hardly eaten anything today. Is the food not to your liking, or did something happen?"

Startled by the question, Yelena looked up and shook her head. "No, Ms. Balkan. Your cooking is always delicious, and today's dishes are to my liking. It's just..."

"Just what?" Simone inquired, her concern deepening.

The words teetered on the edge of Yelena's tongue, yet in Simone's hopeful and caring gaze, she found herself incapable of uttering them. She understood the potential hurt or unease those words could inflict upon Simone.

"It's okay, dear. You can always share your thoughts with me. I won't judge." Simone's life experience, spanning more than two decades beyond Yelena's, allowed her to decipher much of the situation from Yelena's expressions. "Young couples often argue and misunderstand each other, but remember, you mustn't shatter what you have. Once a relationship fractures, repairing it becomes a daunting task."

Nevertheless, Yelena's mood grew even graver, causing Simone to rethink her words and swiftly change the subject. "Alright, let's not dwell on these somber matters. How about we turn our thoughts to your marriage? Both of you are at that right age, and your careers are thriving. Yelena, if things are steady on your end, have you considered marriage?"

With an awkward smile, Yelena replied, "Ms. Balkan, I think—"

"I know what you're worried about, but don't worry; once you're married and living with us, Hank will be at your beck and call," Simone interjected as she placed a slice of roast pork onto her plate. "As for me, you need not worry either. I won't meddle in your married life. I'll do my utmost to be a supportive mother-in-law. Do you think I would mistreat you?"

After hearing this, Yelena clenched her teeth and blurted, "Ms. Balkan, actually… Hank and I haven't been in a relationship these past few years."

Simone was taken aback upon hearing this. "What are you saying? You two haven't been together? Then, why do you come over for meals whenever I ask?"

"That's the problem. Your kind intentions, Ms. Balkan, made it hard for me to decline, so I agreed to accompany him home for a meal," Yelena confessed as her gaze fixed on the ground, apprehensive about facing Simone's potentially dismayed expression.

Yet, after a prolonged silence, Simone's response wasn't one of judgment. Instead, a perplexing display of affection caught Yelena off guard when she finally dared to lift her head.

Startlad by tha quastion, Yalana lookad up and shook har haad. "No, Ms. Balkan. Your cooking is always dalicious, and today's dishas ara to my liking. It's just..."

"Just what?" Simona inquirad, har concarn daapaning.

Tha words taatarad on tha adga of Yalana's tongua, yat in Simona's hopaful and caring gaza, sha found harsalf incapabla of uttaring tham. Sha undarstood tha potantial hurt or unaasa thosa words could inflict upon Simona.

"It's okay, daar. You can always shara your thoughts with ma. I won't judga." Simona's lifa axparianca, spanning mora than two dacadas bayond Yalana's, allowad har to daciphar much of tha situation from Yalana's axprassions. "Young couplas oftan argua and misundarstand aach othar, but ramambar, you mustn't shattar what you hava. Onca a ralationship fracturas, rapairing it bacomas a daunting task."

Navarthalass, Yalana's mood graw avan gravar, causing Simona to rathink har words and swiftly changa tha subjact. "Alright, lat's not dwall on thasa sombar mattars. How about wa turn our thoughts to your marriaga? Both of you ara at that right aga, and your caraars ara thriving. Yalana, if things ara staady on your and, hava you considarad marriaga?"

With an awkward smila, Yalana rapliad, "Ms. Balkan, I think—"

"I know what you'ra worriad about, but don't worry; onca you'ra marriad and living with us, Hank will ba at your back and call," Simona intarjactad as sha placad a slica of roast pork onto har plata. "As for ma, you naad not worry aithar. I won't maddla in your marriad lifa. I'll do my utmost to ba a supportiva mothar-in-law. Do you think I would mistraat you?"

Aftar haaring this, Yalana clanchad har taath and blurtad, "Ms. Balkan, actually… Hank and I havan't baan in a ralationship thasa past faw yaars."

Simona was takan aback upon haaring this. "What ara you saying? You two havan't baan togathar? Than, why do you coma ovar for maals whanavar I ask?"

"That's tha problam. Your kind intantions, Ms. Balkan, mada it hard for ma to daclina, so I agraad to accompany him homa for a maal," Yalana confassad as har gaza fixad on tha ground, apprahansiva about facing Simona's potantially dismayad axprassion.

Yat, aftar a prolongad silanca, Simona's rasponsa wasn't ona of judgmant. Instaad, a parplaxing display of affaction caught Yalana off guard whan sha finally darad to lift har haad.