Chapter 7
Tara didn’t catch Soren’s gaze from the other side of the table.
“Yes, Mr. Swain,” she answered Lance promptly.
Then, she turned to set the items in her hands on the serving cart. Her expression lifted noticeably, a sharp contrast to her earlier weariness.
The other three at the table took no interest in whether a housekeeper was present. Aside from Soren, the other two didn’t even glance up.
Leah and Hailey held back their amusement, careful not to seem too eager in front of the men. They were just as hungry.
As Tara turned to leave, relieved, Stella spoke. “Tara, go ahead and eat. I’ll stay here and handle things.”
Stella’s considerate words and gentle smile hit Leah and Hailey like a bucket of cold water, freezing them in place. They hesitated, uncertain whether to leave or stay.
Stella had spoken deliberately, knowing that Tara would never let her take the spotlight alone in front of the men. She fully expected Tara to insist on staying instead.
With complete confidence, Stella watched Tara, waiting. However, Tara didn’t react. After all, the female lead’s persona was built on being irresistibly attentive, captivating all four men at the table. She would never dream of “abandoning” them now.
“Oh, okay,” Tara replied, then walked out of the dining room without a second thought.
Stella stared after her, completely bewildered.
A flicker of surprise crossed Soren’s face as Tara’s legs carried her away at lightning speed, as if she feared they might call her back if she dared to slow down.
When his gaze returned to Stella, he noticed more than just shock. Her earlier composure was beginning to crack.
Soren couldn’t stifle a quiet laugh. He’d never paid much attention to the housekeepers’ little power struggles before, but now? He found it unexpectedly entertaining.
Lance shot him a questioning look. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. I just noticed an interesting little detail,” Soren replied.
Lance studied him briefly, confused, but didn’t press further.
Hailey and Leah exchanged a glance before following Tara out, leaving Stella standing alone, her face now tight with barely concealed frustration.
She couldn’t believe it. Tara, who was always so jealous of her, had just walked away without a care, leaving Stella to work her flawless charm on the men alone.
Lance didn’t bother turning toward Stella. “You can go eat as well. We won’t need anything for now.”
Although her face clouded over, Stella managed a stiff, unwilling nod.
In the staff dining area, Tara was already reheating her dinner. Hailey and Leah, who had followed her in, knew that this break was thanks to Tara’s actions, so they bit back their usual cutting remarks.
The microwave beeped. Tara pulled out her meal and sat at the table without so much as a glance at the others.
Stella entered moments later. As she passed Tara, she subtly watched the latter for a reaction. But Tara remained focused on her food. She registered Stella’s arrival but otherwise paid her no mind.
The chef’s exceptional culinary skills had thoroughly captured Tara’s attention. She was completely absorbed in her meal when the scrape of a chair broke the quiet. Stella had settled directly beside her.
Nearby, Hailey and Leah exchanged surprised glances. They couldn’t believe that Stella was actually approaching Tara.
Tara gave Stella a brief look before ignoring her.
“Tara,” Stella began, feigning hesitation. “If Mr. Oakley finds out about what happened earlier, you could be held responsible.”
Her words were calculated. Stella couldn’t stand seeing Tara enjoy her meal so unbothered and wanted to rattle her.
Tara didn’t pause between bites. “Doesn’t matter.”
To her, eating came first. Everything else could wait.
Stella stiffened. Tara’s complete nonchalance was nothing short of infuriating.
“The way you’re handling things…” Stella said, pausing deliberately, her tone laced with pointed criticism meant to guilt-trip.
“I don’t want to hear it,” Tara snapped, cutting her off before she could finish.
Stella’s words lodged in her throat, her confidence draining away.
Tara ignored her. She refused to indulge someone who was only trying to provoke her. She had no patience for it and refused to tolerate it.
After Tara’s sharp reply, Stella stayed silent for the rest of the meal. Once she finished eating, Tara pushed back her chair and headed to the kitchen, turning on the faucet to wash her plate.
Hailey and Leah exchanged glances, their eyes flicking toward the kitchen and then back to Stella’s tense expression. Neither made a move to comfort her. They didn’t think that there was no point in risking getting caught in the crossfire.
After dinner, Tara grabbed a container of fruit from the refrigerator and stood there, eating strawberries and pieces of honeydew melon one after another.
There was no denying it—the food here was excellent. Tara had no complaints. By the time she finished, the male leads were still in the dining area, leisurely sipping their drinks.
Tara and Hailey walked back from the staff dining area. Tara positioned herself behind Soren, waiting for their conversation to wrap up. Only when the men headed upstairs could she finally finish her shift.
When Lance announced that he was leaving, his gaze landed on Tara across the room. He saw her half-asleep, eyelids drooping.
Lance was surprised. The men’s voices were loud, and the atmosphere was so noisy. He couldn’t understand how she was dozing off.
Although he didn’t like her, he wasn’t the type to make things more complicated than necessary. After a final toast with the other three men, he suggested they all turn in early.
“Get some rest early. We have work tomorrow,” Lance said.
At the mention of work, Soren’s expression darkened for a moment. He had hoped to isolate himself to focus on his project, but some obligations had been scheduled months in advance. He couldn’t get out of them now.
“You go ahead. I’ll stay here a little longer.” Soren leaned back in his chair, his face unreadable, exuding a quiet defiance that was oddly charming.
Hailey stole a glance at him, her heart fluttering. She had feelings for Soren, who was the most approachable of the four men.
Lance and Shawn might seem gentle, but they were distant and hard to reach. As for Jonah, his stern expression matched his cold demeanor. He was downright intimidating.
Lance rose to head upstairs, his gaze drifting to Tara, who stood behind Soren.
When he mentioned calling it a night, her eyes lit up with interest. But as soon as Soren declared that he was staying, her lips formed a faint pout, and her shoulders sagged in disappointment.
Lance gave a small smile at how easily her emotions showed. He smoothed down his cuff, then walked out of the dining area without sparing another glance at Tara.
Jonah and Shawn left soon after. Since Shawn had been sitting on the same side as Soren, he had to walk behind the latter to leave.
Just as Shawn was about to pass by, Soren, who had claimed he would stay longer, suddenly changed his mind when he saw the others leaving. He pushed his chair back and stood.
Realizing that Shawn needed room to pass, Tara instinctively stepped forward, only to end up dangerously close to Soren’s chair as he stood up abruptly.
Flustered, she staggered back half a step to avoid the chair, only to bump into someone behind her.
Her right shoulder ached faintly from the impact. It was a minor pain, easy enough to ignore. What puzzled her was why Shawn hadn’t moved farther away from her in such a large dining area.
Shawn, too, seemed surprised. His brow furrowed as he glanced down at Tara, assuming the bump had been intentional. That was until he noticed her pressing a hand to her shoulder, her striking face slightly pale as if shaken.
Seeing her reaction, he reconsidered and thought that it might have indeed been an accident. Or maybe she was just good at faking it. He didn’t rush to judgment.
Frowning, he walked out of the dining area without acknowledging Tara’s hesitant attempt to speak.
Tara let out a quiet sigh of relief as Shawn walked away.
She thought that the situation might have been worse if she had bumped into Jonah instead. He would’ve lost his temper, convinced that she’d done it on purpose. Shawn, at least, was more easygoing and good-natured by comparison.
Even so, this wasn’t her fault. There was no way she could’ve known Soren would stand up so suddenly. She hadn’t even had time to react.
