In one of Evan's mansions, BBSR...
Sniff...Sniff...
Evan was jolted awake upon sensing a sharp smell of smoke assaulting his nostrils. His heart raced as he sprang up, calling out in alarm.
"SMOKE... FIRE!"
Screaming, he looked around only to find the spot where Suri was sleeping was empty.
Recalling his mother calling Suri for an early shopping trip, a sense of foreboding gripped his heart.
Without spending another moment for a second thought, he dashed from his bedroom, rushing down the hall and leaping from the top floor to the ground below. He landed gracefully but his eyes immediately widened as he took in the haze filling the air. Smoke swirled around the room, thick and stinging.
"What the hell?"
He strained to locate the source, nonetheless after following the trail of smoke, he was led to the kitchen.
There, he was greeted by an unexpected sight that left him momentarily speechless. Amidst the swirling smoke, two familiar figures stood hunched over a pot, coughing and waving their hands in front of their faces in a futile attempt to dispel away the smoke.
The sight of Suri and Claire, both looking utterly helpless, snapped Evan into action.
He raced to the stove, quickly shutting off the burner and moved the charred pot aside before opening all the nearby windows to clear the smoke. He grabbed a nearby dish towel and started fanning the air, making sure that there were no lingering embers that could reignite. Finally, with the room clear enough to breathe in, he turned back to face the two women, who were now shrinking under his exasperated glare.
"Suri... and... Mother," he said, still catching his breath, "what on earth is going on here? Where did all the guards disappear to?"
Claire and Suri exchanged sheepish glances, looking like children who had been caught in the middle of a prank gone wrong.
Finally, Suri cleared her throat and, with a small, guilty smile, spoke up. "We... we were just trying to make breakfast for you."
Evan's gaze drifted to the blackened pot, where a few shriveled pieces lay burnt beyond recognition.
'Now what the hell is this thing?'
He moved with a natural grace, his hands working effortlessly as he sliced through vegetables, each movement swift, precise, and refined—like a Michelin-starred chef who had spent years perfecting his art. His dark hair fell slightly across his brow as his focused gaze shifted fluidly from the ingredients to the sizzling pan, his calm, methodical movements filling the space with a quiet intensity.
Evan plated each dish with care, bringing out rich, warm aromas. There was a creamy mushroom risotto, golden-brown vegetable fritters, and a fragrant tomato-basil soup, each dish arranged to perfection with meticulous detail.
Hidden in her corner, Suri's heart raced as she watched, unable to look away. Her chest swelled with an overwhelming sense of pride, her cheeks warming as she admired his every gesture, every detail.
"Hmm... after all, whose husband is he?" she thought to herself with a smile, feeling a flutter of happiness. "Isn't he mine?"
She glanced over at Claire, expecting to see a similar expression of admiration, but instead, Claire's gaze held a deeper, more bittersweet emotion.
Her eyes softened with a hint of sadness as she looked at her son, the son who could cook with such skill, not out of luxury or hobby but, she feared, out of necessity.
The sight pulled at her heart. 'How many hardships did he endure to learn these things?' she wondered. 'What had he gone through while I had been absent, unable to even make him a simple meal?' She knew she was useless in the kitchen, but watching her son now, she felt that void flaring up more profoundly than ever.
She had even asked Suri for help, thinking perhaps they could surprise him together. Who would have thought Suri would be just as hopeless in the kitchen? A small, guilty sigh escaped her.
Moments later, carrying the final dish, Evan looked up and saw both of them standing there, peeking in. He smiled and gestured toward the dining table, where he had already arranged everything with care.
"Come on," he said, his voice warm. "The food's ready. Let's eat."
They followed him to the dining room, where Roy was already seated, a bit disheveled from his earlier ordeal but back to his cheerful self. As Evan set the last plate on the table, Roy looked at him with an amused gleam in his eyes.
Chapter Stay:
"You know, son," he began with a smirk, "I might not have survived today if you hadn't—"
He stopped abruptly as he felt Claire's sharp gaze, her eyes flashing with a hint of warning. Roy immediately adjusted his tone, clearing his throat as he tried to smooth over his words.
"I mean, if you hadn't been there too, uh, lend a hand." He quickly shifted his focus to the food, eager to avoid any further disapproving looks from his wife.
Evan let out a small chuckle before taking his seat at the table and then gestured at the food in front of them, his gaze shifting warmly between each of them.
"Go on, everyone. Try it before it gets cold."
Suri and Claire exchanged a quick, excited glance before eagerly digging in, their faces lighting up as they tasted each carefully prepared dish. The earlier kitchen disaster had turned into a warm and heartfelt family moment, one the family knew they would remember for a long time.