Chapter 168 Cooking
My dad, caught by my mom’s sharp remark, immediately fell silent.
Finished
Watching them bicker like this took me back to my childhood, when I’d watch my dad get scolded daily. Their arguments were small. harmless things, but they were constant. Still, they managed to carry on, year after year, day after day.
People liked to joke that my dad was henpecked, that he wasn’t much of a man. But I never agreed. I saw a man who, for the love of his wife, didn’t mind taking the backseat. It wasn’t weakness–it was wisdom, his way of showing love. He loved my mom, and he loved their life together.
Before I got married, my mom had a serious talk with me. She told me that, after I got married. I’d need to keep an Shawn. She said men weren’t as emotionally mature as women, that they were like big boys who needed guidan
eye on
At the time, I was so wrapped up in the excitement of love that I didn’t listen. I thought I knew everything. After the wedding. I paid little attention to Shawn. I figured that if a dog couldn’t be kept on a leash, it would eventually run off. Back then, I naively believed that even though everyone was at the bar for a good night, only Shawn was there for the food.
Now! I could only shake my head.
The sizzling sound of oil in the pan filled the kitchen, the vegetables crackling as they fried. The air thickened with the scent of hot oil and spices.
I’d been a stay–at–home wife for six years, and I was good at cooking. It didn’t take long to get everything ready.
Just as I set the last dish on the table, the doorbell rang. My parents exchanged looks. I quickly moved to answer the door.
And there he was. Shawn, standing in the doorway
He paused when he saw me wearing an apron. Maybe the sight of me, in my element, reminded him of the times I used to circle the stove at home.
I wondered if he felt disgusted now.
“What’s up?” I asked, my voice flat.
“I just came by to check on your parents, he said, holding a bag of fruit and a bottle of wine.
I frowned. That damn man. He couldn’t stay away.
My dad stepped forward. “Since Shawn’s here, let’s all have dinner together.”
With my
lost.
dad’s words, I had no choice but to let him in. As he passed by, I caught him glancing at me again, his gaze distant,
My dad was always easygoing. Even though Shawn and I were heading for a divorce, he still treated him like family–at least as long as things hadn’t completely fallen apart.
“Sorry for worrying you both with my and Tiffany’s issues, Shawn said, raising his glass. “Let me make up for it. Three drinks.
for me.”
“Alright, enough with the drinking,” my dad cut in, his voice firm. “It’s just a casual meal, not a drinking competition.”
Shawn, however, ignored him completely. He tipped back another three glasses in quick succession
While we ate, I listened to my parents converse with him. Shawn was smooth, too smooth. He didn’t say anything that could upset them. Instead, he weaved through their questions effortlessly, making it seem like our argument was nothing more than a simple squabble–no sign of a divorce in sight.
When dinner was finally over, I couldn’t wait for him to leave. I quickly muttered that I needed to go downstairs to get some
1/2
11:25 AM
Chapter 168 Cooking
lef
10
Finished
I couldn’t stop the sarcastic tugging at my lips. “Yeah, you haven’t seen me in an apron for a while. Does it still look as sloppy as before?”
Shawn shook his head, his expression unexpect serious. “No. Even in an apron, you’re different now,”
“Different how?” I asked, stepping into the elevator. He followed, standing too close behind me.
The elevator doors closed with a soft thud, and the air between us thickened. His gaze lingered on me, intense and a little too bold for my liking. He leaned in, voice dropping lower. “You never cooked in a professional outfit before.”
1 blinked, then glanced down at myself. I was wearing a rose gold blouse, the fabric soft against my skin, and a knee–length linen skirt that hugged my hips just right. With the apron tied around my waist, I could see how the combination was unusual
-professional clothes, cooking in the kitchen.
Shawn let out a low laugh, almost a whisper. “You look really beautiful like this.”
“Stop,” I said, holding up my hand. “No more flattery. Next time you want to see me, ask if I’m available. Don’t just show up, okay?”
His eyes widened slightly, as though my words had struck him harder than I’d intended.
The elevator door opened, and I stepped out, eager to leave it all behind. “Bye. You can walk off on your own,” I said, my voice
cool
But i
just as I turned to walk away, I felt his hand on my arm. “Tiffany… actually, I’ve been following you for a while. Ever since you left the company, I’ve been keeping track of you. I know it sounds weird, but… I really wanted to see you. I know this is how you used to live. I never asked what you did before, but today… I saw you at the store. Shopping…”
1 froze. My eyes went wide with shock and anger. “You’ve been following me? Shawn, this isn’t like you. This isn’t right.”
I could feel the heat rising inside me. “And by the way, I used to be a stay–at–home wife. Going to the market, shopping- those were my routines. Don’t act like you’ve just discovered something new. This was my life. Always.”
I yanked my arm out of his grasp, my voice hardening. “Now that I think about it, I didn’t have to struggle at all, considering the money you made. I thought I was being romantic… but I was just fooling myself.”
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