My Vampire Beloved Husband
Chapter 140: Darling

Chapter 140: Darling

Naomi’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to him. "You have to be serious. Stop whatever you’re doing."

Zylan tilted his head slightly, his expression a perfect mask of innocence. "What am I doing?"

She shot him a glare, lips pressing into a thin line. "You know exactly what you’re doing."

The amusement in his eyes deepened as he leaned against the counter, arms folded across his broad chest. He was enjoying this—teasing her, making her flustered. And the worst part? He wasn’t even trying.

Her cheeks burned, and Zylan chuckled, his voice a deep rumble that sent an odd shiver down her spine. Who knew cooking could be this fun? If this was what it felt like, he would have made sure to cook with Naomi every single day from the start.

Then it hit him—he had missed so much by leaving her at home. For some reason, the thought of taking her with him that night, even though she had been drunk, didn’t seem like such a bad idea anymore. Sure, he hadn’t been thrilled about it at first, but now? If he hadn’t, moments like this—filled with laughter, teasing, and stolen glances—wouldn’t have happened. Instead, he would have remained the same cold, indifferent Zylan.

Shaking off the thought, he grabbed a cucumber and started chopping while Naomi finished with the other vegetables. His movements were careful, controlled, but she could tell he wasn’t used to it.

Naomi stole a quick glance at him, watching how he held the knife with a firm yet hesitant grip. He wasn’t struggling, but there was something slightly awkward about it, like someone trying to recall a long-forgotten skill.

She bit back a smile. "You can cut them into squares or triangles," she instructed, setting the tray of carrots in front of him.

Zylan nodded. "How do I do that?"

Naomi picked up the knife, her fingers effortlessly guiding it through the crisp vegetable. "First, you divide them in half—like this." She demonstrated, slicing smoothly. "Then, you cut them slowly. As a beginner, you won’t get it perfect at first."

Zylan smirked. "Show me the fast one."

Naomi eyed him, debating whether to insist he start with the basics. He should probably practice cutting in simple shapes before jumping to anything complicated.

But before she could speak, he added, "But I want the difficult one."

Of course he did.

She rolled her eyes, already knowing how stubborn her husband could be. Shaking her head in exasperation, she handed him the knife.

"Here."

To her surprise, Zylan’s hands moved quickly, slicing the cucumber with smooth precision. The rhythmic sound of the knife against the cutting board was almost hypnotic, the pieces falling into uniform shapes with unnatural ease.

Naomi’s eyes widened. He really was a quick learner.

Or rather... he wasn’t learning at all.

Just as she was about to turn and start cutting her own vegetables, something caught her attention. The way Zylan was slicing the cucumbers —it was different. Too fast. His movements were precise, fluid, but... unnatural.

Wait... was he using—

Oh my.

She giggled softly, watching in fascination. Was he really using his vampiric speed just to chop carrots?

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. For a moment, she completely forgot about her own task, too absorbed in watching him. The way his hands moved—silent and efficient, almost a blur—it was as if the knife had become an extension of him.

Zylan finally stopped and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Aren’t you supposed to be cutting yours?"

Naomi shook her head, a playful smile on her lips. "Yeah, but finish yours first. I want to see it."

It took him a second to realize what she meant. She was talking about his vampiric speed. Again.

For some reason, every time anything related to vampires came up, Naomi always looked excited—far more than he ever expected. And for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why.

A soft smile rose on Zylan’s lips as he noticed the way Naomi looked at him—pure awe in her golden eyes. The pride in his chest swelled, and he couldn’t help but smirk as he continued slicing at vampiric speed, letting her watch.

"Wow," she breathed, watching in fascination.

Encouraged by her reaction, he kept going, wanting to impress her even more. And judging by the sparkle in her eyes, it was working.

Before he knew it, she had already finished cutting her own vegetables. Then, without hesitation, Naomi grabbed a knife and gestured toward him.

"You can cut them too, you know," she said, demonstrating how to slice them properly.

Zylan took the knife, mimicking her movements. To his surprise, his new cuts were even more precise than before—thin, delicate slices that looked far neater than the carrots he had chopped earlier.

Naomi’s eyes widened in delight. "Wow! You’re a genius."

Zylan’s chest puffed up slightly at the praise. He flashed a smug smile. "I sure am."

Naomi shook her head, amused. She turned toward the fridge, pulling it open to check if there was any chicken she could grill, pan-sear, or fry.

She blinked in astonishment. Everything inside was neatly organized—fresh ingredients perfectly arranged, not a single thing out of place.

Naomi could tell right away that this was a grand hotel. Everything was arranged with such precision, almost too perfect. It felt like a premium honeymoon experience, the kind designed to be cherished forever.

The fact that they had a private kitchen just for them made it even more special. It wasn’t just a luxury; it felt intentional, like a way to bring them closer. Cooking together, sharing these simple yet intimate moments—it was the kind of thing couples would call "goals."

Whoever planned this had truly been thoughtful.

Zylan, who had never cared much about food, found himself unexpectedly enjoying the process. And it was all because of his wife.

Quietly, he leaned in and asked, "So, tell me... how did you learn to cook?"

Naomi paused for a moment before answering. "I just did it out of boredom. I used to watch cooking shows online and would practice whenever my parents and sister were out for business meetings. The chefs at home didn’t seem to mind—they’d clean up after me if I made a mess." She let out a small chuckle. "Over time, I just kept doing it. I guess that’s how I got better."

Thinking back, she realized she had actually done a lot of productive things back home, even if she never really acknowledged them before.

Zylan watched her with a soft smile as she reached for the chicken. "You can mix the ingredients together," she told him. "Just put them all in, and I’ll come back to handle the rest. For now, wash the chicken."

He nodded, and they moved together in quiet harmony.

Everything flowed smoothly between them—like an unspoken rhythm they both understood. Naomi gave instructions, and Zylan followed them perfectly. By the time she had finished frying the chicken, the salad was already prepared, and the rice and sauce were ready.

"Get the apple juice," she instructed.

Zylan nodded but then smirked, his voice laced with amusement. "Why am I enjoying this? The way you’re ordering me around, huh?"

Naomi’s heart began to race for some unknown reason. She immediately acted as if she hadn’t heard him clearly, focusing instead on arranging the dishes on the dining table while Zylan set the plates. They stole quick glances at each other before Naomi smiled and spoke.

"You’ve been so good today."

"Oh, I hope that lasts long, my darling," Zylan murmured, his voice teasingly low. "Because after this, I plan to be very... naughty."

Naomi glared at him as she spoke, "I’ve already told you before—your words."

Zylan chuckled as he moved toward her, closing the distance between them. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, his embrace firm yet teasing. She expected him to bury his face against her neck as he often did, but instead, he did something entirely different.

His lips brushed against her skin before he suddenly licked her neck—hard.

Naomi gasped, a sharp moan escaping her lips before she could stop it. The sensation was unexpected, catching her completely off guard. She was used to him hugging her, used to the way he pressed his face into her neck. But this? This was new.

Zylan smirked against her skin, his voice dripping with amusement. "Oh? Look at who’s already yearning for my touch, huh?"

Naomi’s cheeks flushed a deep red. Embarrassed, she quickly lifted the back of her hand to cover her mouth, as if that could take back the sound she had just made.

He pulled away before pulling out the seat for her, guiding her as she sat down.

"You know," he murmured, his voice smooth and teasing, "all you have to do is ask, and I’ll fulfill your every need."

Naomi finally leaned in, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Hmm, really now? Then why do I feel so excited to tell you what I want?"