After her rebirth
Chapter 36

Anna glanced at the folks in the kitchen, all yapping away, probably bad-mouthing her.

She was about to blow a fuse. What's the big deal about asking Katniss for some cash? Shouldn't she chip in for the household bills? Who was she doing this for? Wasn't it for the family?

Anna stormed into the bedroom, dragging Daphne along.

Lighting up a cigarette, she shot a displeased look at Daphne standing there. She couldn't help but rant, "What the hell! Look at your husband. He's broke, has no ambition, and can't even afford a decent house. What did you see in him? You're making things hard on yourself!"

Daphne frowned, trying to calm her down, "Mom, Wesley might not be loaded, but he's solid and treats me well. Money isn't everything in today's world."

Anna slapped her leg in frustration, "How can you be happy without money? Don't buy into that crap, you really can't do without it!"

Taking a drag, she kept on, "I knew it would've been better if you married that guy with the Mercedes. You'd have a big house, designer bags, and a car to drive you around. Life would be so much better!" Daphne sighed, knowing her mom's mindset was tough to change, and just listened quietly, keeping her worries to herself.

Meanwhile, Katniss had already retreated to her bedroom, locking the door behind her.

She sat down, turned on a dim desk lamp, and pulled out a notebook, jotting down detailed medicinal recipes. She was planning her schedule in her head. With morning classes sometimes, she had to manage her time well. After listing the recipes, she decided to send a copy to Maximilian, so he and Felix would know her schedule. Plus, she was thinking of making a small investment with her money, not wanting to miss out on a chance to make some cash given her knowledge of future economic trends.

"Maximilian." Katniss's voice was clear and bright, her eyes sparkling with determination and gentleness, showing her care and gratitude.

Maximilian watched her quietly, a hint of surprise and warmth in his eyes. Whether it was real or not, Katniss always felt his gaze had softened a lot.

His complexion looked way better than before, too.

In her past life, she had missed out on so much. Now, with a second chance, she had found her hope. As long as you're alive, there's always hope.

"Maximilian!" Katniss called out cheerfully, thinking he looked a bit lonely sitting there by himself. She ran over with a goofy smile, pushing him from the shadows into the sunlight by the floor-to-ceiling window, saying, "Maximilian, come out and get some sun. It's good for you."

Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing Maximilian in a golden glow. He felt the warmth wrapping around him, his skin glowing softly. He lowered his eyes, looking at the light and shadow on his knees, the coldness on his face slowly melting away.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Katniss smiled as she got closer, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Yeah." Maximilian nodded, his gaze softening, like a touch of warmth on an icy mountain.

"Sunshine really does wonders for your mood," Katniss said softly, looking at his face, her heart filled with hope.

After pushing him there, Katniss quickly opened a box of yogurt and handed it to him, saying, "Maximilian, this is my special recipe, you can't buy it anywhere. Try it." The yogurt she made was way different from the usual homemade stuff, using a future recipe. It had a finer texture and was super smooth.

Maximilian stared at the yogurt in his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. Katniss opened another box and handed it to Felix, smiling, "Felix, you try it too."

Felix wanted to take a bite but felt a bit shy eating in front of Maximilian. He took it but didn't eat, instead watching Maximilian's reaction closely. Maximilian usually ate very little, especially sweets.

Even though he wasn't into sweets, seeing Katniss's hopeful eyes, he picked up the spoon and took a bite, slightly curling his lips, saying, "It's delicious."

Katniss's eyes widened; Maximilian actually smiled! She had been with him for quite some time, but he had always been cold. This time, he smiled so warmly.