Chapter 132: Have You Cooked Before?
Before she could muster the courage, Lydia appeared."Sister Thea, Grandfather is calling you.." Lydia announced, her voice breaking the silence.
"Brother Ryder, you are here too. Grandfather wants to see you as well.." Lydia added in seeing Ryder.
Ryder nodded lazily. "Hmm, you go. We will come."
Lydia darted off, leaving Thea and Ryder alone once more.Ryder turned to her, his eyes inquiring. "You were about to say something. What’s on your mind?"
Thea’s voice faltered. "The person... who..." She trailed off, her words caught in her throat.
Ryder’s gaze held hers. But Thea’s words remained frozen. Ryder’s gentle prompt, a soft "Hmm?" broke the silence, coaxing her to finish her unfinished thought.
Thea’s face scrunched up in frustration as she hesitated, her words caught in her throat. She hummed and hawed, her brow furrowed in concentration, but the words refused to come. Finally, with a defeated sigh, she shook her head. "Arg... Forget it."
She swiftly turned around, her movements sudden and urgent, as she hastened back to the mansion. She couldn’t bear the thought of Ryder witnessing her vulnerability, her emotions threatening to spill over.
With a quiet urgency, she fled the garden, leaving Ryder behind, his inquiring gaze still etched in her mind. The darkness of the mansion enveloped her like a shroud, providing a refuge from Ryder’s piercing eyes.
As she disappeared into the mansion’s depths, Thea struggled to regain control over her turbulent emotions, her heart racing with every step. She couldn’t let Ryder see her like this – fragile, exposed, and hurting.
Inside the mansion....
The living room buzzed with conversation as the family gathered together. Elder Edward’s eyes scanned the room, his gaze settling on Thea as she entered. A warm smile spread across his face, welcoming her.
As Thea approached, Elder Edward’s eyes shifted beyond her, noticing Ryder’s tall figure following closely behind.
"Ryder,you have arrived at the right time. We are just about to begin.." Elder Edward announced.
The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Elder Edward, awaiting his announcement. Thea and Ryder exchanged a brief glance before taking their seats.
A sly glint danced in Elder Edward’s eyes as he looked at Ryder with affection. "Ryder, my dear grandson," he said, his voice low and mysterious, "I have a surprise in store for you, something I think you’ll find quite... interesting."
"I am listening..." Ryder replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sensed that there was more to his grandfather’s words than met the eye. He knew that behind Elder Edward’s warm smile often lay a hidden motive or surprise.
"Today all the chefs are given rest...So..my dear grandson would cook for us the meal for dinner tonight.."
Ryder’s expression turned incredulous, but before he could protest, Harrison, Elder Edward’s son, chimed in.
"Father, is this some form of punishment for him?" Harrison asked, amusement dancing in his voice.
Elder Edward let out a hearty chuckle,"No, no, nothing like that," he said, shaking his head. "Today, I have a craving for something special - a meal prepared by Ryder himself."
Rosie called out her husband’s bluff. "Don’t play innocent, dear,"she said with a chuckle. "I recall a certain someone grumbling over lunch about Ryder’s secrecy surrounding his new love interest."
Rosie’s voice took on a conspiratorial tone as she whispered softly to her husband, "Don’t think you can fool me. I recall every word of your grumblings earlier today about Ryder’s secrecy surrounding his new love interest."
His expression remained serene, a smile playing on his lips as he silently acknowledged his wife’s words.
Then Elder Edward’s eyes swept across the room, his gaze lingering on each face to ensure he had everyone’s undivided attention. He declared, "And to make it even more interesting, I decree that Ryder shall cook for us alone, without any assistance from anyone in this household."
Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up in alarm. "Father, if he cooks, we’ll all go hungry tonight!"
Harrison nodding his head in amused agreement with his wife. "That’s right, Father," he said. "To be frank, we’ve never actually heard that Ryder possesses any notable cooking skills. And even if he does manage to cook something, there’s still the rather dubious question of whether the dish will be edible."
"Well, let’s see if Ryder can surprise us. It’s settled then – he’s cooking dinner tonight, solo."
Ryder maintained a stoic silence, his expression unreadable as he listened to the good-natured teasing and jokes at his expense.
With a fleeting, cryptic glance at his grandfather, Ryder turned and disappeared into the kitchen, his sudden departure sparking a flurry of whispered speculations and curious glances among the remaining family members.
Emerson, sitting beside Elder Edward, turned to her grandfather with wide eyes.
"Grandfather, can Brother Ryder really cook?" she asked.
Elder Edward chuckled, patting Emerson’s little soft hand. "We’re about to find out, Emerson."
Seated on the other side of Emerson, Elizabeth let out a wistful sigh. "I’ve never even seen Ryder, my son, boil water." she said, shaking her head in amusement.
"This should indeed be interesting.." Elder Edward chimed in, a hint of mirth in his voice.
Just then, a curious voice piped up. "Can I go see what Brother Ryder’s making, Grandfather?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Elder Edward’s tone was lighthearted and teasing as he gave his instructions. "Alright, Thea, take Emerson and go keep an eye on Ryder in the kitchen. And remember, no cheating! We want to see if he can actually cook something edible."
He glanced at Melanie and Lydia, a twinkle in his eye. "You two go along and make sure Ryder doesn’t get any ’help’ he shouldn’t have.And let me make one thing clear again: No Assistance, No Guidance, No Nothing. We’ll see what Ryder’s made of."
Lydia nodded, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Don’t worry, Grandfather. We will keep our hands off. I’m curious to see how Elder brother will manage."
Lydia’s voice was soft and melodious as she intervened. "Sister Thea, would you please take Emerson with you? We’ll join you all shortly."
With a nod, Thea stood up and gestured for Emerson to follow. "Let’s go, Emerson."
Emerson jumped up, excitement radiating from her. Together, they headed towards the kitchen, leaving the others to speculate.
"Elizabeth, are you certain our son can manage to prepare a meal for today, or shall we prepare ourselves for a hungry evening?"
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly. "I have faith in him. Let’s see what our son has prepared for us."
As they entered the kitchen, the sounds of clattering pots and pans filled the air. Ryder’s concentrated expression, his eyes fixed on the sizzling pan, sent a sudden jolt through Thea’s chest. Her heart skipped a beat as she stood transfixed.
"Wow, Brother Ryder’s really cooking!" Emerson exclaimed.
Ryder’s head jerked up, his eyes locking onto Thea’s as she stood beside Emerson. The kitchen’s warm glow danced across her face, highlighting the gentle curve of her smile.
For a fleeting moment, they simply gazed at each other, the air thick with unspoken emotions. The sizzle of vegetables and clatter of pots faded into the background.
Emerson’s excited chatter suddenly broke the silence, drawing Ryder’s attention back to the stove. "What are you making, Brother Ryder?" Emerson asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Ryder cleared his throat, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I’m making... a special dish.." he said, his voice measured, as he carefully stirred the contents of the pot.
"Have you cooked before?"
Ryder’s eyes stayed locked on the sizzling pan as he responded, "Hmm... occasionally, back in Scotland."
The mention of Scotland hung in the air, and
Thea’s expression subtly shifted. Her eyes clouded, and she fell silent.
The kitchen’s warmth seemed to chill slightly, the atmosphere tinged with unspoken emotions. Thea’s quietness spoke volumes.
Emerson chatted excitedly with Ryder, peppering him with a stream of questions about his cooking. "What’s that spice, Brother Ryder?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Can I try some? Is it going to be yummy?" Her words tumbled out in a happy rush, her enthusiasm infectious.
Ryder smiled, patiently answering Emerson’s queries as he expertly juggled multiple dishes.
Meanwhile, Thea slipped away from the conversation, settling onto a stool at the kitchen table. She watched Ryder with an introspective gaze, her eyes occasionally drifting to his hands as they moved deftly through the cooking process.
