"I'll be your assistant then. You can prepare today's dishes." Lucas generously passed the position of head chef to Jonathan, and he graciously accepted.Jonathan picked up the knife and skillfully cut up the carrots, with every piece equally sized, not one too big nor too small. Lucas was impressed with Jonathan's skills, and even though he still thought he was better, he was reassured that tonight’s dinner was in good hands. Scarlett was watching TV on the couch, but she wasn't paying attention as her gaze kept wandering over to the kitchen. It was a heartwarming sight for her to see the two of them busy together.The ring on her finger suddenly felt like it was exuding heat, as if it were burning her skin and punishing her for her infidelity. She glanced at the ring and touched it gently. She knew she should stop having second thoughts when she'd already accepted Dylan's proposal. Yet, if Lucas wanted to acknowledge Jonathan as his father, she would just let him be. She had me
Dylan trusted Scarlett to keep her promise and not go back on her word since she'd accepted his proposal. However, what he truly wanted was her heart, and he was worried that it would go to Jonathan. It didn’t feel good, and he didn’t like it. If that day came, he probably wouldn’t know what to do. He would be unwilling to let go. Jonathan was the only one who made him feel threatened. Back in Amerstica, Scarlett had been friendly with a few men too, but he knew that they were just platonic. Scarlett had always said Jonathan was just a friend, but he could sense that wasn’t the truth. Dylan might be sensitive and jealous, but that was because he loved her. He had stood silently beside her for the past six years, wanting to give her the world, but she didn’t need it. He knew she was a headstrong and stubborn woman; that's why he’d stood by her side, patiently waiting for her to look back, so that when she got tired, she could nestle into his arms for warmth and dependence. But s
Scarlett remembered the phone call a little too late. She only realized the call had ended when she hastily looked at her phone. "He wouldn't have heard anything, right? Otherwise, he would've called again," she thought. It would be weird to call back just to ask if he heard anything, so she suppressed her guilt and disregarded the situation in the end. “He probably didn’t hear anything.” She comforted herself. This made Scarlett pissed at Jonathan again. Why did he have to speak so loud? “Did he have to shout just for a bottle of vinegar?” She cursed at him while getting up to get the keys and go out."You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Lucas casually asked Jonathan. While Jonathan was smart and understood what Lucas meant, he hadn't expected him to figure it out that quickly. He usually didn't like it when other people could see through him, but it was different with Lucas. "Why ask when you know the answer?"Although he wanted Jonathan to end up with his mother, Lucas could
The both of them noticed Scarlett as well, but they continued cooking in silence. Scarlett surveyed the dishes, which were an assortment of her favorites. Grilled rib-eye steak, spaghetti carbonara, classic meatballs, fish casserole, and even her top favorite—baked potato with sour cream. When she'd lived in Amerstica, she’d missed Atville’s local dishes but wasn’t particularly good at cooking. The only dish she knew how to make was baked potatoes, and she never got tired of it no matter how many times she made it.Her mouth was watering just looking at all the dishes before her, and she was getting increasingly hungry. Without realizing it, she'd walked right in front of the baked potatoes. Just as she was about to take a bite, Lucas stopped her. Scarlett looked at Lucas with a pitiful expression, her gaze protesting, as if saying, “Why are you stopping me? I’m hungry!” Scarlett looked just like a shepherd dog in Lucas’ eyes—pitifully cute—and his heart softened. “Mommy, you
“Why don’t you guess?” Jonathan countered.“Come on, if I knew, I wouldn’t have bothered to ask.” Lucas griped to himself. He then replied smoothly, “Why don’t you guess what I’m guessing?” “Why don’t you guess what my guess will be?” Jonathan retorted immediately. “Are you having fun?” Lucas rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe a grown man could be this childish. Jonathan wasn’t the type to give in. He said dejectedly, “I answered only because I was afraid you might feel lonely. Usually, I wouldn’t even bother to answer when someone asked.”Why did that sound so familiar? That’s right; he’d said the same thing to Mommy before. He looked disdainfully at Jonathan. “Is this what they mean by blood connections?” After further reflection, he realized he was probably overthinking things since strange coincidences weren't uncommon.Scarlett lounged on the couch ungracefully, holding the plate of baked potatoes and savoring each bite deliciously. Feeling content that she could f
“Alright, time to eat. Sit down now, or the food will get cold.” Scarlett gestured for Lucas to sit down as she stopped dwelling on the matter. Initially, both Scarlett and Lucas dined with poise and grace. But it wasn’t long before they abandoned their manners and ate messily. Jonathan raised an eyebrow, wondering if they had been pretending to be cultured all along. Before he knew it, he was eating just like them, even fighting over food like a child.It took them two hours to finish dinner, which was quite a feat in Scarlett and Jonathan’s books. They rubbed their satisfied tummies, both of them feeling very full. "Lucas, clean up," Scarlett ordered.Lucas wouldn't compromise so easily. "Uncle Jonathan, clean up."Jonathan silently gave them a vicious stare, then stood up and cleared the table. Even his movements while cleaning up were elegant, and he did it so skillfully. The house was restored to its clean state in no time, leaving both Scarlett and Lucas impressed. They t
Macy Fairmont was Dylan’s sister. Even though Macy wished Scarlett would end up with her brother, she never pressured Scarlett and always advised her to go with the flow. She'd been Scarlett’s best friend for the past six years. They were of the same age, but Macy was more optimistic. She’d once been abandoned by a trashy guy she’d loved immensely and had been devastated when they broke up. However, it only took her three days to return to the happy and lively Macy. Perhaps she wasn’t that deeply in love, or she'd buried her feelings deep in her heart.There were many things that Scarlett only shared with Macy. Even though Dylan was her brother, Macy was extremely loyal and never revealed Scarlett’s secrets to him. She knew how to keep her personal and professional lives separate and would never let her emotions tie her down or hinder her thoughts. That was probably why they had a good relationship. There were times when Scarlett was lost, not knowing what to do next. There we
Macy was smiling, but the words she spat out were hurtful. Lucas wasn’t fond of others pinching his cheeks, but his mommy and Aunt Macy were the exceptions. He stopped dwelling on the matter, thinking it was better to be a good, obedient boy since Aunt Macy could be pretty unforgiving. He put on a smile and said, “Aunt Macy, Mommy's waiting for you inside.”“Really? She said she’s excited to see me but won’t come out to meet me?” Macy asked with rightful indignation. Lucas prayed for his mommy, as he hadn't meant to betray her. “I’m sorry, Mommy,” he thought to himself. He knew all too well that Aunt Macy was frightening. He could afford to offend his mommy, but never Aunt Macy. Of course, only his actions bore witness to his statement, as he never dared to speak it out loud. “Mommy, she… She’s too full and can’t move.” Lucas made an excuse for his mommy. “Forget it, let’s go in,” Macy said as she walked in without turning back.Lucas trotted behind her. “It wasn't me. Don’t a