The Chain [Tom Riddle]

Chapter 4

As everyone was getting ready for dinner, Delilah was stuck in the kitchen prepping for the dessert. It was a little challenging without the helpers she could only hope it wouldn't come out as a complete disaster.

Everyone else was getting ready while Delilah tried to gather all the strawberries for the strawberry mousse. She heard someone come down and assumed it was her husband. She wiped the frosting off her hands and peeked her head through the doorway and leads to the dining room.

"Valter can yo-" She stopped when she noticed it was Tom instead. The sight of him made her smile seeing him in his new black suit she had bought for him. She could tell he took time in grooming himself especially with his hair.

"Oh Tom you look very handsome!" Tom could've return the compliment but Delilah was a mess.

"Aren't you going to get ready?" Tom asked.

"Yes, but do you mind helping me with the dessert?" Tom didn't want to but he agreed. He followed her into the kitchen seeing it was a complete mess. Yet the food at the island counter looked very delicious. She had cooked roast beef with mashed potatoes and a pot of vegetables. But Tom was more focused on the roast beef. It was the first meal in this household that made Tom actually want to eat. The smell of it made him more hungry.

"Please cut the strawberries vertically in half and place one on top of the strawberry mousse cups." Delilah took off her apron and properly washed her hands before cleaning the rest of the kitchen.

Tom washed his hands before grabbing a knife, the strawberries were already washed. He supposed he shouldn't be complaining so much since Mrs. Cole would have him do more than what he was doing. Each cut he made had to be in the center if it wasn't he tossed it away. He heard Delilah mutter a scouring charm to help her clean the mess. Tom decided he could use this moment to get more information about Delilah. "Have you always lived here?" He asked.

"My whole bloodline yes, but my parents had me in North America. After my brother and I graduated from Ilvermorny we moved here to be closer with our relatives." The last few words she said quietly before putting away the pans. Tom noticed her arms had a few bruises, they looked fresh. Is Valter hurting her? No, it doesn't make sense. Her medium brown hair was greasy and it was just the only imperfect thing about her besides the bruises. She appeared healthy since she was still young, but her eyes said something else.

Delilah reached the handles of a heavy pot trying to put it in the cabinet, but her wrists started to cramp up. She thought she was going drop it but two hands gently touched her hands and grabbed the handles. She looked up to see Tom carrying the pot his face was expressionless but Delilah gave him a soft smile. "Thank you, just put it inside there." She pointed at the cabinet, Tom listened and placed it in the correct area.

As Delilah was rubbing her wrists Valter came in and frowned at the sight of an exhausted Delilah. He walked over to her and gently took her wrists and started to massage them.

"You should've asked me to finish dinner for you." Delilah scoffed but smiled at her husband.

"But then everything would taste bland. You need to change the recipes for the chefs, I'm tired of the bland meals." Tom fought back a glare towards Valter. Ah so he's the culprit.

"Nessa doesn't seem to mind, plus it's better for you two."

"You can give Nessa burnt fish and she'll still eat it, she's not the type to waste anything" Delilah pulled a hair pin out letting loose her hair, "and just because Nessa and I are on a special diet doesn't mean poor Tom here have to suffer as well." Valter pinched the bridge of his nose knowing there was no use of arguing with her, the bland meals would have to stop.