Chapter 1963 A Roof Over His Head


    "Now that you''re awake, get out," she snapped.


    Pain radiated through Magnus'' limbs at the mere thought of moving. Leave? To what? The streets? The cold?


    "What''s your name?" Magnus asked, deliberately ignoring her dismissal.


    The woman sighed. "Denise Laney."


    Denise?


    "I''m Magnus," he replied. "Just so you know, my family has money. More than enough. Shelter me now, and I''ll repay you generously when I return home."


    The truth was, leaving meant certain danger. His enemies were still hunting for him, and going back wasn''t an option - not yet.


    "Oh? Then you should go home. I don''t need you to repay me," Denise said dryly.


    Her tone made it clear she didn''t believe him. What wealthy man would be lying battered in my attic?


    Magnus clenched his jaw. Without his wallet or contacts, he had no way to prove his ims. "I''m still unwell," he said instead, voice tight. "A few more days, that''s all I ask."


    The loft might be cramped and dingy, butpared to the deadly streets outside, it was paradise.


    "No way!" Denise snapped without hesitation. The tter of her cooking spoon against the pot punctuated her refusal as she stirred the pasta.


    "You''ll leave after breakfast," she said tly. "I''ve got a part-time job to get to."


    Every weekend minute was precious - between researching her parents'' treatment and her 10 AM flyer-distributing gig, she couldn''t afford dys.


    The pasta finished quickly. When Denise opened the fridge, a single egg stared back at her. She hesitated, fingers tapping against the door, before finally cracking it into the pan. The scrambled egg went on Magnus''s te alone.


    "Eat," she said, pushing his serving forward.


    Magnus eyed the nd pasta, nose wrinkling. “Just... pasta?"


    "Obviously." Denise rolled her eyes, thinking he was just a spoiled brat who didn''t know hunger. "Not hungry? I''ll take it—"


    "I''ll eat it!" Magnus quickly said.


    Having food now was certainly better than starving-Magnus couldn''t afford to be picky.


    Only then did Denise set her te down on the table.


    Magnus noticed something odd. Her te was missing the eggs. Curious, he asked, "You don''t eat eggs?"


    Denise hesitated, then replied, "There was only one left."


    "Oh. All right then." Magnus dipped his head and resumed eating without another word.


    Denise stared at him, incredulous. Seriously? No protest? No guilt? If it were me, I''d at least feel bad.


    Just as Magnus was about to raise the lone egg to his mouth, Denise struck quick as lightning, her, fork speared the egg and transferred it to her own te.


    Magnus blinked in surprise, confused. "What are you doing?"


    "You''re unbelievable," she snapped. "I''m done being generous. I''ll eat it myself." Originally, Denise had reasoned that Magnus, still


    recovering, needed the protein. But seeing how matter-of-factly be epted her sacrifice, she suddenly felt foolish. Why did I even bother giving him thest egg?


    After speaking, Denise took a big bite of her food.


    Ah, it tastes so good!


    Watching her eat, Magnus involuntarily swallowed.


    For the first time in his life, he found himself craving something as simple as scrambled eggs.


    "Are you sure there aren''t any more eggs?" he asked.


    "There aren''t," she replied tly.


    Magnus rose and headed to the refrigerator.


    What he saw made him pause. The fridge was nearly bare, with just a single


    packet of pasta sitting on an otherwise empty shelf.


    "You eat pasta and eggs every day? Don''t you like meat?" he asked, baffled.


    Denise looked up, already


    exasperated. She bit back the sigh rising in her chest. Does he seriously


    notand what being


    means?


    "I can''t afford to buy meat," she said inly.


    poor


    Magnus frowned. "What about your money? Didn''t your parents give you any? Or


    your rtives? Don''t you have siblings?"