He didn't make a sound to disturb her, instead, he just quietly watched.
Madeleine's dinner was anything but modest. Despite it being just the two of them, she had prepared an entire table full of dishes.
After setting the table, Madeleine turned and saw Howard standing behind her. She smiled faintly, "Let's eat."
Howard didn't speak. He walked over, pulled out his chair, and sat down.
Madeleine sat opposite him and, seeing that he made no move, said, "Let's eat."
It was only then that Howard picked up his chopsticks. He had spent the entire afternoon organizing in his mind what he would say to Madeleine, but now he found himself so nervous that he had forgotten everything.
All the dishes on the table were carefully prepared by Madeleine, the best ones she had learned to make to his taste in the ten months since they married.
After ten months of practice, these dishes were, indeed, top-notch. However, when Madeleine tasted them, she felt they were bitter.