Raj then drove Paige to the supermarket, where they bought ingredients and kitchen utensils together.
When it was time to check out, Raj reached for his wallet to pay the bill, but Paige stopped him.
"You've helped me so much today, and I want to thank you with this meal. If you paid for the groceries too, I'd feel terrible about it." Paige waved her hand and insisted on paying.
Raj nodded and accompanied her back home.
"Make yourself comfortable. I should have this ready soon." Paige smiled as she headed to the kitchen, planning to fry steak for Raj.
"Sounds good." Raj nodded and sat down in the living room.
He watched as Paige pulled out her phone to look up recipes online, simultaneously trying to marinate the steak according to the instructions. She moved frantically between tasks, clearly flustered.
"Have you never cooked before?" Raj asked curiously, observing her struggle.
Paige shook her head.
She'd lived a chaotic life before this—rotating through different foster families, never staying in any one home for more than two or three months at most. She'd never had a stable place to call her own.
Because she couldn't stay anywhere long, and because no one really wanted her around, no one had ever bothered to teach her how to cook. Deep down, she yearned for that kind of warm, nurturing family life she'd never experienced.
"Here, let me help you," Raj offered, standing up.
"No, that's not right. I'm treating you to dinner today—I can't let you do the work," Paige immediately protested.
"It's okay, I really enjoy cooking," Raj said with a smile. "Actually, I took cooking classes."
"Really?!" Paige looked at him in surprise.
"Really," Raj nodded. "I wanted to learn so I could cook for someone special someday."
"Wow." Hearing this, Paige felt a wave of emotion wash over her.
Most American guys she'd met were irresponsible, talking about how much they supposedly liked or loved someone, but their real purpose was just self-gratification. They didn't care about the girl's feelings at all, much less do anything meaningful for her.
The fact that Raj had actually taken the time to learn cooking skills for someone he cared about showed a level of devotion and responsibility she rarely encountered.
Raj moved into the kitchen and began helping Paige cook.
Having taken proper cooking classes, his movements were far more confident than those of the novice like Paige.
Watching Raj skillfully dice onions, tenderize the steaks, and grind fresh pepper, Paige found herself genuinely impressed.
When Raj had mentioned his cooking lessons earlier, she'd assumed he was exaggerating—that he'd be mediocre at best.
But now it was clear that Raj had reached near-professional level, which spoke to how much effort he'd invested in developing this skill.
Most men in America, in her experience, had a macho streak—men handled the outside world while women managed the home. Men earned money while women did housework. Few men willingly cooked, let alone put serious effort into learning how.
"Raj, you're really good at this," Paige couldn't help but compliment him.
"Thanks," Raj said with a smile. "Why don't you set the table? The steak will be ready soon."
"Set the table? Oh, right." Paige nodded and moved to prepare the dining area.
She wiped down the dining table, then arranged the silverware and placed a bottle of red wine on the table.
Raj quickly finished cooking the steak and plated it beautifully.
Seeing the bare-bones table setup, he shook his head with an amused smile. He grabbed a napkin and quickly folded it into a decorative swan, placing it beside each plate.
Then he pulled out his phone and selected some soft, soothing music. Instantly, the atmosphere transformed into something more intimate and refined.
Seeing the difference, Paige nodded appreciatively.
"Okay, let's have some wine first, then you can try my cooking," Raj said, opening the red wine and pouring glasses for both of them.
"Sounds perfect." Paige raised her glass. "Raj, thank you for everything you've done for me today."
"My pleasure," Raj smiled. They each took a sip, then began cutting into their steaks.
"Mmm, this is really delicious," Paige said after her first bite, genuine surprise in her voice.
"Well, those cooking classes weren't for nothing," Raj laughed.
"I'll say," Paige smiled. "Honestly, I haven't had steak this good in a long time."
"Really? When was the last time you had a great steak?" Raj asked curiously.
At his question, Paige's expression darkened.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—" Raj quickly backtracked, realizing he'd touched a nerve.
"It's okay," Paige waved her hand. "The last time I had steak this good, it was made for me by Grandma Maria. That was four years ago."
"Is she still around?" Raj asked gently.
"No, she passed away four years ago," Paige shook her head, and Raj noticed her eyes beginning to redden.
"I'm so sorry," Raj said quickly, handing her a tissue.
"Thank you," Paige accepted it with a nod.
Realizing he'd brought up painful memories, Raj didn't dare press further. Instead, he shifted the conversation to his own story.
He told her about leaving India to study in the UK, then coming to the United States after earning his doctorate, and how he'd been living here for four years now...
Hearing that he too had left home at a young age, Paige felt an unexpected kinship with him.
As their conversation deepened and the wine continued to flow, Paige finally opened up about her experiences in foster care.
When she was eleven, her mother had abandoned her. Because her grades had plummeted, and she'd developed problems with petty theft and lying.
She'd tried to find her father, but he'd started a new family and made it clear she wasn't welcome. So she'd ended up on the streets, often going hungry, never knowing where she'd sleep.
Eventually, Child Protective Services found her and placed her in foster care. But she was still acting out then, and the foster families couldn't handle her, so they gave up on her one after another.
Some of the foster fathers, seeing that she was pretty, had tried to take advantage of her. Those experiences had made her deeply wary of men ever since.
The more enthusiastic a man was toward her, the more frightened she became—which was why she'd rejected Howard when he'd tried to court her.
Then, when she was nineteen, she met Grandma Maria—a kind-hearted elderly woman who happened to be her landlord. Seeing Paige all alone, Maria had regularly invited her over for meals.
Over time, their relationship deepened. Maria's warmth had melted Paige's frozen heart and rekindled her will to live. After that, she'd gone back to school, re-enrolled in university, and completed both her undergraduate and master's degrees through work-study programs.
As Paige recounted her story, her emotions overwhelmed her, and she finally broke down in tears.
"Don't cry. The past is behind you now. You have a bright future ahead—try to focus on that," Raj said softly, moving closer to comfort her.
His words only made Paige cry harder. She leaned against him, and after a while, his shirt was soaked through with her tears.
"It's okay. It's all in the past now," Raj repeated gently, stroking her back.
After some time, the crying gradually subsided.
Raj glanced down, puzzled by the sudden quiet, and realized that Paige had fallen asleep against him.
He smiled tenderly, then carefully lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He gently removed her shoes, pulled the covers over her, and then quietly slipped out of the room, heading downstairs to return to his own apartment.
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