Chapter 299
Vespera was speechless, but since Dominic was already there, what else could she do?
She turned to Dominic and—using the tone of a subordinate addressing her boss in front of others—said, “Mr. Reid, why don’t you sit and watch some TV? I’ll go help in the kitchen.”
Dominic gave her a warm, friendly smile. “Vera, we’re off the clock.”
Vespera froze in shock, and so did the three people standing in the kitchen doorway.
The air went still. Everyone looked like they’d just been hit with a stun spell–startled, confused, and mildly horrified.
A potato rolled out of Rebecca’s hand and hit the floor, bouncing twice before it finally came to a stop.
Gerard’s already–red, tear–streaked eyes went wide again, probably from yet another burst of emotional whiplash as a fresh tear silently slid down his cheek
Calvert, holding a lobster, just… ripped it in half.
The energy in the room turned weirdly intense and absurd all at once.
Vespera felt like she was skewered on a spit, slowly roasting over the open flames of social tension.
After what felt like ten seconds of stunned silence, she suddenly forced a laugh–loud, overly cheerful. “Mr. Reid, you are just so approachable after work.”
That seemed to break the trance.
Rebecca bent down to pick up the potato, Gerard wiped his eyes, and Calvert… was still smiling like a guy who snapped and kind of enjoyed it.
Gerard jumped in to smooth things over. “Mr. Reid is always like that when he’s in a good mood. He loves to tease people.”
Rebecca quickly nodded. “So down–to–earth. Incredibly approachable.”
Calvert opened his mouth. “Actually, I think—”
Rebecca slapped a hand over it. At the same time, Gerard grabbed his arms. The two of them hauled him toward the kitchen.
He was not allowed to think anymore. He needed to shut up.
“Mmph, mmph!” Calvert’s muffled protests echoed faintly as he was dragged away.
Byron was watching with a head full of questions, but when he saw Rebecca and Gerard struggling to drag Calvert, he ran over to help.
In the living room, Vespera’s face had gone stiff from fake–smiling too hard.
Dominic stretched comfortably on the couch, then picked up the remote and changed the channel, looking like he was in an excellent mood.
Vespera stayed silent.
He did that on purpose. Totally on purpose. She should’ve known better than to mess with him.
He was literal poison. A professional trap digger. A top–tier con artist. How on earth did she ever mistake him for dessert?
Vespera walked into the kitchen, carrying a deep sense of regret like a hundred–pound weight on her shoulders.
She shooed the guys out, one by one, then turned to the counter and started cooking silently to numb her thoughts. “Okay, what’s up with Dominic? He’s going hard with this whole pursuit thing,” Rebecca whispered, grinning. Vespera pretended she didn’t hear.
“Vera? Vera?” Rebecca called, and when she got no response, walked over and gave her a nudge.
“Stop calling me Vera!” Vespera snapped, sounding on the verge of a breakdown.
She now flinched at the mere sound of that name. Just hearing it was enough to trigger a full–on stress response.
Rebecca blinked, then burst out laughing. She leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eyes, putting on a dreamy voice.
“Ever since he started saying it, ‘Vera‘ hits differently now, huh? Like–‘Vera, the workday’s over, don’t call me Mr. Reid, call me darling!‘” Vespera was absolutely done.
Dinner was finally ready, dishes covered the table from edge to edge. 80% of them were made by Vespera.
She’d buried herself in the kitchen the entire time, laser–focused on the food, afraid that if she stepped out, Dominic would do or say something outrageous again. But now that the food was ready, she couldn’t hide anymore.
As she carried things out from the kitchen to the dining room, she carefully scoped out everyone’s seating. Sure enough, the seat next to Dominic had been left wide open just for her.
Three traitors and one helpless younger brother all looked at her with pitiful, apologetic eyes.
