Noemi's frown deepened. "Why aren't you eating it?"

“It's still a bit hot. I'll eat it once it cools down slightly,”

Rosalynn explained, watching the steam swirl above the bowl.

Without a word, Noemi sat beside her and took over the task of cooling the soup, gently blowing across the surface.

"It's not hot anymore. Have a taste," she insisted, scooping a spoonful of the soup and bringing it towards Rosalynn's lips.

Rosalynn's eyes flickered with a mix of suspicion and bemusement. Her mother-in-law's attentiveness was unusual, almost unnervingly so.

It made her wonder fleetingly if this were some kind of benevolent last supper.

Shaking off the grim thought, she considered a more hopeful possibility-perhaps Noemi had decided to show genuine care.

Treating her well was also caring for the child she carried, after all.

She guessed Noemi surely wanted the future heir of the Hughes family to be born healthy.

Lost in these hopeful thoughts, Rosalynn offered a polite smile.

"Thank you. I can handle it from here."

She reached out for the bowl. Noemi hesitated for a moment but didn't object, allowing Rosalynn to take it.

Carefully, Rosalynn scooped a spoonful of the soup and gently blew on it, the steam carrying a peculiar aroma.

She paused, her senses heightened.

Sniffing delicately, she detected something unusual about the soup's fragrance. It was different-more complex than usual.

Both her mother and Noemi had been particularly attentive to her diet lately, frequently incorporating nutritious ingredients.

It seemed today's chicken soup included some extra ingredients.

"Why aren't you eating? Chicken soup is most nutritious when it's hot,"

Noemi urged, a hint of impatience in her voice.