“Wait a minute,” Josie rummaged in her bag before grabbing a piece of paper. She quickly scanned through it.

“What?”

“I’m looking at your dietary requirements; what you like and do not like to eat!” Dexter had given her that piece of paper, and she had carried it with her since being reprimanded yesterday.

Dexter was stunned.

Josie shook her head as she looked through the list.

I can’t believe this guy. He is so boring; he doesn’t eat sweets, and there’re so few things he likes to eat. It’s like food is just a means of survival to him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I feel sorry for you.” She looked at him pitifully.

“Don’t you like Italian? Let’s have this,” Dexter said coolly as he grabbed a jar of spicy arrabbiata sauce from the shelf.

Josie’s eyes lit up, and she teased, “So, you like spicy food? Why didn’t you say? I’m a pro at that.”

Dexter had no time to retaliate as Josie sped off to grab some ingredients. She did not stop to choose her groceries. Soon, the cart was full of food.

“Julie will probably think we’re feeding a zoo,” Dexter said with a raised eyebrow.

Josie reached for an eggplant impulsively and said, “If you say anything else, I’m going to force you to eat ratatouille.”

Dexter’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he avoided looking at the eggplant.

Josie burst out in laughter, “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe the mighty Mr. Russell is scared of an eggplant.”

She was laughing so loudly that she garnered the attention of passersby.

Dexter felt embarrassed standing next to her. He quickly clasped his hand over her mouth and whispered into her ear, “Stop laughing!”

Josie shuddered in his hold. She was distracted by the feel of his hand on her mouth. It was sensitive and hot.

Dexter quickly released her when he felt her warm breaths on his palm. However, Josie seemed unbothered as she raced for the ice cream section.

She loved desserts, but it was too expensive. After long contemplation, she decided not to get any.

“Alright, let’s go pay.” She forced a smile.

Dexter had been watching her, “Why aren’t you getting any?”

Josie sighed and said impatiently, “It’s too expensive. I’ll get it when I strike the lottery!”

Josie had shopped here before. Back then, she was too stressed from work and wanted to get a tub of ice cream to comfort herself, but it was too expensive, so she had never gotten it. She needed to look after herself and her father; she couldn’t buy things impulsively.

Dexter frowned and then opened the freezer door. He took out the tub of ice cream she had been looking at.

It cost two hundred and eighty.

He paused for a moment and then put five tubs into the cart.

“I’m paying.”

She couldn’t reject.

Josie jumped and tried to stop him, “No, I can’t. I know you feel sorry for me, but I don’t need these. I want to buy it with my own money and not your pity money.”

Dexter looked at the hand holding her wrist. Her hand was so small she couldn’t even wrap around his wrist fully.

He waited until she said her bit before replying, “There are five flavors here. I’m going to put it in my freezer. I’ll reward you with a tub whenever you do something that benefits Russell Group. That includes winning a design competition award or getting a partnership agreement.”

Josie looked at him questioningly. He’s trying to control my work.

“Mr. Russell, I have got to say, you know how to incentivize your employees.”

“I don’t do this for everyone.”