Chapter 77 - 77: Cook for Him

"What if you change your mind?" Avery asks, suspiciously, "No—I'll only agree if you give me your ID card."

"What?" Leonie asks confusedly "My word is good. And I have to use my card all the time. Why would I give it to you?"

"I don't want your ID card. I want the photo on it," Avery clarifies.

Leonie is terrified of her fans seeing her without makeup. Every photo of her is always heavily photoshopped. On top of that, she never leaves the house without a full face of makeup. In her ID photo, she's completely barefaced, and she's terrified of anyone seeing her like that.

Leonie hesitates but she eventually agrees. Reluctantly, she takes her card out of her wallet. She covers her confidential information with her fingers and ensures that Avery only takes a picture of the picture. Without makeup, Leonie's face is bland and featureless—no one would recognize her in a crow or even look twice.

"I swear to god Avery, I'll make you pay if you release it," Leonie warns.

"You can trust me," Avery replies.

"I'll take your word this one time," Leonie says, her expression relaxing.

Avery looks at the creamy chicken soup, "What's the plan?"

"Just put in a good word for me."

"That's not difficult," Avery says with a nod.

Leonie ladles soup into a small china bowl, "Bring this to Evan for me."

"Me?" Avery scoffs, "Shouldn't you be the one doing this? Don't you want Evan to know you made it yourself?"

Leonie has to admit that Avery makes a good point, and she accepts the tray with the bowl. Avery walks in front of Leonie like a noble lady, while Leonie follows her like a humble servant. She walks carefully with her head lowered to avoid spilling the soup. Leonie quickly realizes how they look, but before she can object, they arrive at the door of Evan's study.

Evan sits on the sofa with crossed legs and a tablet on his knee. The photo albums have been put away. His look brightens upon seeing Avery, but then darkens again when he sees Leonie.

"Leonie made you chicken soup to help with your recovery," Avery says as she crosses the room and sits near the couch.

Evan frowns, smelling the rich aroma of the soup. He doesn't understand why the two women entered or why Avery seems to act so nice to Leonie. Leonie places the tray on the table and sits on a chair. She stirs the soup and moves to feed Evan.

"Evan, I heard that you caught the flu so I made chicken soup for you."

"Put it down," Evan says coldly as he turns to look at Avery.

Avery smiles, "It's the first time Leonie has ever cooked, and she did it just for you. Don't disappoint her—just try it."

Leonie raises the spoon and moves it toward Evan's mouth. Evan frowns and locks the screen on the tablet.

"It's good when it's hot," Avery assures him.

"Then drink with me."

"Leonie made it for you," Avery objects.

"I don't think Leonie will mind," Evan insists.

"I won't," Leonie chimes in, "I'll ask the servant to bring another bowl for you Avery."

Leonie shoots a quick scowl in Avery's direction as a servant enters the room with another bowl of soup. Avery quickly tastes the soup, watching as Leonie forces a friendly smile. The soup isn't inedible, but it doesn't compare to what the chef makes.

"Is it bad?" Evan asks.

Avery swallows and forces herself to smile, "No, it's delicious. Very fresh. I have to say I'm surprised by Leonie's skill."

Evan continues to ignore the spoon of soup hovering by his mouth.

"Do you really like it?" he asks Avery.

"Yes, it's fine," Avery says.

"How about I ask her to cook for you every day?" Evan asks.

Avery's handshakes slightly and she spills some of the soup back into the bowl, "That's the chef's job."

"Well if Leonie's cooking is as good as you say, we don't need a chef anymore," Evan says.

"Evan," Leonie's voice is low with uneasiness and anger and her eyes have gone frosty.

"What the hell has Avery done to make this man fall for her?" Leonie wonders, 'She practically has him wrapped around her finger. But she doesn't deserve him."

Leonie holds the bowl so tightly it almost breaks and she mentally curses Avery. She swore to herself that she'll find a way to make Avery regret everything.

"Leonie is a guest here," Avery says coldly, "She doesn't have to cook."

Avery looks at Leonie and can see how pale the other woman has become. She's obviously angry and hurt by Evan's words.

"She eats and lives at my house. It's not too much for me to ask her to do a favor for you," Evan insists maliciously, "Since you're preparing for a pregnancy, it will be good for her to help you out. She can cook for you for as long as you like."

Evan turns to Leonie and adds, "Unless you're not up for this Leonie?"

Leonie's eyes start to water and her hands shake uncontrollably as she holds the bowl, but she forces a winsome smile.

"I didn't know Avery wanted to get pregnant, but I hope you have babies soon," she says shakily, "Of course, I'd be happy to cook for Avery."

Avery frowns deeply. She was expecting Leonie to object and is surprised to see her agree so easily. Avery feels uneasy—as if Leonie knows something she doesn't. Avery' can feel her heart pounding nervously in her chest and she begins to feel faint. She pouts the bowl onto the table and some soup slops over the side and splashed onto her dress. She leans down to examine the wet spot.

"Excuse me, I'll go and get changed," she says.

Leonie stares coldly at Avery's back and places her bowl on the table.

"Excuse me, I think I'll go and check on her," Leonie says.

A fair hand stops Avery from opening her bedroom door.

"Are you pleased now that Evan has ordered me to cook for you?" Leonie asks.

"Why would you think that pleases me?" Avery asks.

Avery pushes Leonie's hand away, opens the door crosses her bedroom to the dressing room. Leonie follows her across the room.

"You won't be so smug later," she says darkly.

Leonie throws herself onto the settee in Avery's dressing room. Her long fair legs are exposed as her dress rides up. Leonie tilts her head and charmingly arranges all of her hair on one side of her face.

"Who knew that Evan wants to get you pregnant just as badly as I do?" she asks.

"Please," Avery says, "We both know Evan isn't the one who wants this baby—it's his grandfather."

"You're very smart," Leonie says as she allows her hair to drop behind her ear, "I really don't know why Evan's grandfather wants you to have children with Evan so badly that he'd have my sister imprisoned"

"Imprisoned?" Avery thinks, "Did Leonie just tell me that Evan's grandfather is keeping Diana as a prisoner?"

She feels chills creeping down her back and seizing her entire body.

"No wonder Diana never answered my emails," Avery thinks, "She can hardly write back if she's locked away. But why would Mr. Francis Howel be so insistent that I have children with Evan? Why can't it be somebody else?"

Avery smiles softly at Leonie, "You mean Evan's grandfather is threatening to keep Diana locked away unless Evan has children with me?"