Chapter 113

113 Like A Child

“So Lea came here again?” Angela asked after Aquila let go of her hug.

“Yeah, I asked her to come. Wouldn’t the New Year’s Eve party be more fun if there were more people?” Aquila exclaimed with a sweet smile, exuding an aura of happiness. Meanwhile, Kalea felt like she wanted to get out of here right away because of the cynical look Angela gave her.

Angela’s expression immediately changed drastically, she returned her mother’s smile just as sweetly. “I’m going to help you, Mom, wait a minute.”

“Ah, no need, dear. You must be very tired, you better rest first,” Aquila refused so attentively but Angela persisted.

“Not so tired, really. I also want to help, there’s no way I can just let Lea cook together with Mom, right?” Angela said so, still with her sweet smile but it made Kalea even less daring to look at the woman.

“Okay, Mom and Lea will be waiting.”

“Okay!” Angela running to the room to put down her bag and clean her body for a bit.

“I hope you guys can get along,” Aquila said suddenly and resumed arranging the food, which was soon to be finished, only to arrange and decorate to make it more beautiful and appetizing. “Angela is a good girl, I’m sure if you spend a lot of time together, my daughter will slowly like you.”

Aquila’s words made Kalea a little surprised. That means Aquila also realizes that her daughter hates her so much, right? However, the woman had not reprimanded Angela at all, not even since the first time they met. Albern and Aquila seemed to normalize the attitude of their youngest child. Or maybe because it happened too many times to make them tired of reprimanding Angela?

.....

“I will also try to make my daughter close with you,” Aquila said again, smiling at the girl with the brunette hair.

“Why ... did you have to go to the trouble of doing that, ma’am?” Kalea asked not understanding. After all, she was nothing to the Jeffersons at all, just a stranger who was accidentally invited because Arthur had no other choice to invite any other woman besides her.

“Hm? Because I like you. Even though Arthur will have someone he loves, even get married, I hope our relationship will still go well,” Aquila replied, caressing Kalea’s cheek gently. For some reason, Kalea seemed to feel that Aquila was doing it with love.

She does not know how many times Kalea felt grateful to have met a woman as good as Aquila. In just an instant, she really likes that woman. And when she heard Aquila’s words, her eyes felt hot, like her tears were about to come out if she did not hold back as much as she could.

Shortly after that, Angela returned with a different outfit. Kalea’s hazel eyes accidentally met Angela’s purple eyes. Angela’s gaze was so flat and cold that Kalea could not look at her anymore and then focused on decorating the cupcakes again. She decorated it with cream of various colors such as white, pink, purple, yellow, and shaped it like a flower. Then she put a small raspberry on it.

“What can I help you with, Mom?” Angela asked, approaching Aquila.

“Oh, you can help Lea decorate the cupcakes. Lea, you can teach Angela, can’t you?” Aquila asked with bright eyes, as if she did not remember her age, but still Aquila was still fit to act cute like that.

“Why should I be taught by her, Mom? I’m good at decorating cakes too!” Angela protested, feeling that her self-esteem was tarnished because she had to be taught by someone she hated, especially someone Kalea’s age who was far below her.

“So that all cake models are the same, Dear. It’s okay, Lea is very good at decorating cakes,” Aquila replied, stroking her youngest child’s black hair.

Angela did not argue anymore, she just smiled wryly at her mother and then approached Kalea, who had been busy decorating the cake. She knew that Kalea had deliberately kept herself busy and was afraid of her presence. Angela continued to pay attention to Kalea’s painstaking hands, decorating the cupcakes that were originally plain but now look very beautiful.

Angela’s feelings were getting more and more irritated, she was reluctant to say a word to Kalea. She would better just take a quick glance and start decorating the cupcakes just like Kalea did.

On the other hand, Kalea really feels that she is being watched intently by Angela but her hands are still moving to decorate one by one the cupcakes and other desserts entrusted by Aquila. Even with shaking hands. After the umpteenth cupcakes were done, Kalea prepared another cream in a plastic triangle for Angela.

“Here’s the tool,” Kalea said, handing it to Angela with an awkward smile.

Angela was silent for a moment, then took the object from Kalea’s hand. She took one of the plain cupcakes, looked closely at Kalea’s cupcakes and imitated them.

Kalea watched Angela silently, Aquila did the same. She is watching her youngest child who is not good at cooking, trying to decorate a cupcake. Angela seems to be trying hard to imitate Kalea’s homemade cake.

“It’s finished?” Aquila asked as she checked her daughter’s handiwork. “Ah ... that’s already very good, honey!” Aquila praised her while stroking the top of Angela’s head proudly. However, Angela did not feel the same way. She is looking annoyed at her homemade cupcake decorations that are not clearly shaped. It does not describe a flower at all. “Just keep going, Mom is busy with other dishes,” Aquila said, returning to focus on her activities with the help of the cook because they only had a little time left.

Kalea flinched in surprise when Angela turned and glared at her.

“A-anything you want to ask, Miss?” Kalea asked nervously.

Suddenly, a thin grin etched on Angela’s lips made her look even more sinister and made Kalea afraid of what Angela would do to her.

Angela returned to decorating the cupcakes, and Kalea is hard to peek at even a little bit because Angela is guarding her tightly. Not long after, Angela gave the cake to her.

“This is for you, eat it,” Angela said suddenly friendly and smiled very sweetly.

“Th-thank you,” Kalea replied and hesitantly accepted. She blinked when she saw the cupcake that said “Die” in blood red cream. She glanced at Angela, who was busy decorating other cakes while humming happily without feeling the least bit guilty.

Kalea swallowed her saliva roughly and then ate the cake because it would be troublesome if Aquila saw it. Even though Kalea was sworn to death but bravely she still ate the cake. Angela also looked at Kalea strangely.

“Mom, Kalea ate the cake!” Angela complained that Kalea choked on the cake and immediately tried to get water and drank it.

“Huh? What’s wrong? You guys didn’t fight, did you?” Aquila asked, worried especially when Kalea choked. “Are you all right, Dear?”

“I-I’m fine, Ma’am,” Kalea replied, stroking her chest. It feels strange at this age to be complained about because of problems eating cakes in the kitchen. It’s like childhood nostalgia.

“She ate the cake first, Mom!” Angela said again, trying to make her mother think Kalea was a dishonest and disrespectful girl; after that, Aquila would hate Kalea too.

“You must be hungry, huh. It’s okay, eat what you want,” Angela said, gently stroking Kalea’s back. She was not angry at all, especially over such a trivial matter. After all, Kalea had been helping her cook since the beginning.

“You don’t think she’ll steal anything else in the house if it’s taken for granted like this?” Angela protested angrily.

“You’re exaggerating, honey. We’re going to eat all the food here, after all, right?” Aquila replied, trying to mediate between the two children. “Don’t tease Lea, Dear. What if Kalea doesn’t feel at home here?” Aquila continued in such a soft tone of voice.

“That’s exactly what I planned,” Angela pouted quietly.

“Angela,” Aquila called. “I heard you, Dear.”

Angela’s expression immediately changed drastically, she smiled broadly, then said, “Of course I’m joking, Mom! Lea, don’t take it to heart, okay. Because you’re innocent, it’s hard not to tease you,” Angela said while holding both Kale’s hands.

Crazy, Kalea could not say anything more with the change in the attitude of the woman in front of her.

After there were no more misunderstandings, Aquila glanced at the clock on the wall, then slightly moved away from the two women. She took out her cell phone to call someone. Of course, her eldest son who she loved very much.

[What’s wrong, Mom? I can’t come there, because I’m with-]

“Lea is here.”

[...huh? Who?]

“Lea, your friend.”

[What-why is she there?! How could that be?!]

Arthur’s voice was loud enough and made Angela and Kalea turn their heads.

“So come here, you can’t let Kalea have fun here without you, right?” Aquila said, she held back laughter when she heard the response of her eldest son who was so surprised.

[Haah... fine, I’ll be there in a minute.]

The call was ended unilaterally by Arthur.

As per Aquila’s plan, her son would really come if Kalea was with her. The woman turned to face Angela and Kalea again with a very happy expression.

“Arthur is coming!”