While she was consoling Maya, Nina herself started to tear as she, too, missed Mommy. In the end, both of them hugged each other to sleep.
It was a long and lonely night.
As Maya sobbed, she slowly drifted back into sleep. Meanwhile, Nina’s small arms were wrapped around Maya’s chubby body. The two children were huddling together pitifully and dreamt of Mommy coming back to them.
The next day.
Juan and Kyle got up and rushed downstairs to check what was for breakfast.
The night before, Susan had promised them handmade spaghetti. Hence, they wanted to see what Susan’s spaghetti was going to look like, and if it would taste the same as Mommy’s.
When they arrived at the dining room, they saw Susan helping the maid with the dishes. When she saw the children, she set the table for them.
Juan saw the spaghetti and some meatballs on the table. Furthermore, there were a few other dishes to go along with it.
He didn’t expect Susan to actually prepare the spaghetti for them.
“I made this especially for you. Why don’t you try some and see if you like them?”
When Juan saw the spaghetti, he fell silent. Although Mommy’s spaghetti seldom came with meatballs, it smelled way better.
Taking a mouthful of it, he commented. “Mommy’s is a lot more delicious.”
“This is my first time making it. Anyway, they taste better if you mix them all together. I’ll do better next time.”
Just as she spoke, she swaggered upstairs.
As Juan watched her walk away, he wondered, “She’s not going to ask Nina and Maya down for breakfast, is she?”
Beside him, Kyle sighed. “I think she is going to get Daddy.”
Right then, Juan’s mind spun like lightning, and something within his brain clicked. “She is getting Daddy to try her cooking! I think she wants to show him that she can cook better than Mommy.”
Kyle nodded. “She wants to replace Mommy.”
“We can’t let her succeed.”
As the brothers exchanged glances, they shifted their gaze to the dining table at the same time.
Knock! Knock!
Feeling especially anxious, Susan gently knocked on the door to Evan’s study.
I wonder how he is feeling today?
She exposed part of her arm on purpose to reveal the scar left by the fire. Since Evan was someone sentimental, she hoped that he would treat her better when he was reminded of how she saved him earlier.
As the door opened, Evan looked at Susan and asked coldly, “What is it?”
Susan shifted her arm on purpose in front of him by pretending to fiddle with her hair.
“Evan, I’ve made breakfast. Why don’t you come down and have some.”
Evan noticed her movements and inadvertently noticed the scar too.
As his eyes darkened, his attitude towards Susan did become more gentle. As expected, his tone was also less harsh.
A faint smile broke out from his lips. He replied softly, “I’ll be down in a short while.”
Susan was delighted. “Alright, I’ll be waiting for you.” With that, she sauntered away.
After packing up his things, Evan came to the dining hall. There, he saw the four children staring at their food.
Susan looked curiously at them and wasn’t sure what they were up to.
“Eat up, guys. Your teacher will be here soon.”
When Evan sat down, Juan commented, “The spaghetti is just not edible. So are the meatballs and everything else.”
Susan furrowed her eyebrows curiously. She had deliberately woken up two hours earlier to prepare breakfast for them. Moreover, she had tasted them too. Despite not up to Michelin standards, she still felt it was decent.
Hence, she suspected Juan was causing trouble on purpose.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll make something else for you tomorrow.”
“Forget it, just get the chef to cook. Is your cooking even fit for consumption?”
Nina gave her a picky look as she spoke. Then, she pushed her plate away.
At the same time, Evan looked towards Maya, who was licking her lips while saying, “It’s too salty. I don’t like it.”
When even Maya, the food connoisseur, said the same, Evan believed that the food was really bad. After giving it a try, he spat it out immediately.
