Chapter 133: They Did It On Purpose!
Wendy was very glad that the elderly lady liked Jake. So, Wendy felt a little bad towards Mrs. Lucas when she thought of how she was taking Jake back to Rheinsville City.
No matter what her relationship was like with Michael or with the Lucases, from the very beginning, Mrs. Lucas had never done anything wrong to her. Instead, she had always protected and defended Wendy.
During her three years of marriage, if not for Mrs. Lucas, Wendy would probably have been tormented to death by Michael.
Thinking back about the past, Wendy only felt how blind she was, eyes as well as heart.
Thankfully, she was no longer the silly, incorrigible woman she used to be.
Wendy watched Jake leave to play with his great-grandmother with mixed feelings showing on her face. She turned to walk to the kitchen. She did not come to the main house very much but was still quite familiar with it.
Entering the kitchen, she saw there was only one person in there. And it was a man in a suit, standing tall and straight.
Looking at his back alone, Wendy could already tell who he was.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Michael turned around. He saw Wendy and looked surprised.
"Wendy? Why are you here? I thought it was Mrs. who came in."
Michael looked genuinely surprised. Wendy could not tell that it was faked. But she was not dumb.
"Really? What a coincidence," Wendy let out a cool laugh with a hint of sarcasm.
"Grandmother called me here early this morning," Michael explained. "She said she has never tried my cooking before and wanted me to make something for her to eat."
"Mr. Lucas, why are you in such a hurry to explain yourself?" Wendy saw through his act immediately. "I didn’t ask for one. Besides, this is the Lucas’ house. As the oldest grandson, it isn’t odd for you to be here. If any explanation were needed, it should be by an outsider like me."
Michael gave an awkward cough and rubbed his nose. He lowered his head a little, not wanting to look Wendy straight in the eye.
"You aren’t an outsider. You’re..." Michael wanted to say, ’you are my wife.’ But before he could finish his sentence, Wendy waved her hand and made a stop sign.
Michael said no more.
"Grandmother wants to eat your cooking and wants me to make a lotus cake," Wendy said without any expression. "So, are you cooking first? Or should I go first?"
Michael looked at the kitchen and said, "This kitchen is so large. We can both make ours at the same time and shouldn’t affect each other."
The Lucas kitchen was so huge that it could fit not only just Wendy and Michael. Twenty people could stand in there and not be in a squeeze. Except that Wendy did not want to be in the same space as Michael.
"Don’t worry, I won’t get in your way," Michael said after he saw Wendy stay silent.
He even took a few steps back to give Wendy more room to walk.
Wendy did not say anything more. Mrs. Lucas had obviously set them up to share the space. It would be rude if Wendy were to kick up a fuss now and not make the cake or chase Michael Out. This was, after all, the main house. Wendy did not want to put Mrs. Lucas on the spot.
She could still force herself to bear with it if they were merely sharing the kitchen.
It was her first time in the Lucas’ kitchen. She was actually unfamiliar with this place. The kitchen was so huge that she had no idea where all the ingredients to make the lotus cake was stored.
There was only Michael in the kitchen. A man like him did not know how to cook. How many times would he have tried cooking? So, Wendy did not look to him for help.
Even if he did know, she would not ask him. Wendy started looking for the flour and sugar and other ingredients by herself. But after searching for a while, she could not find them.
Wendy could only leave the kitchen and look for someone to help her. But she could not find anyone outside. It seemed as if everyone was deliberately avoiding her.
No, not seemed to be. They did it on purpose!
Wendy returned to the kitchen and saw Michael looking very busy. Her face darkened a little.
It was obvious that Mrs. Lucas had made everyone stay out of the kitchen.
Wendy could understand why Mrs. Lucas was doing this but she was not happy about it. Mrs. Lucas knew fully well that she was no longer the Wendy Stewart of the past, and yet she still tried to create an opportunity for Wendy to get back with Michael.
Forget it, Wendy thought. She was going to return to Rheinsville City anyway.
Mrs. Lucas was free to do as she pleased. It was not going to change anything.
Michael saw Wendy walk out and then come in. He knew what she was going to do. He had been waiting for her to ask him where the ingredients were. But after Wendy returned to the kitchen, she continued to hunt for the ingredients.
"Wendy, what are you looking for?" Michael had no choice but to take the initiative to ask. Michael was asking the obvious.
Wendy had not wanted to answer Michael. But after searching for a while, she really could not find any of them. She even started to suspect that Mrs. Lucas had ordered somebody to hide all the ingredients somewhere.
Her face turned darker when she considered that possibility. She wondered if her decision to bring Jake to visit Mrs. Lucas at the main house was a mistake. But now that she was already here, she could only suppress the dissatisfaction in her heart.
"Where are the flour and sugar?" Wendy finally asked Michael.
"I saw it earlier. It is..." Michael walked over and pointed to the cabinet above Wendy’s head. "It is in there."
The Lucas kitchen had a very high ceiling. The cabinet that Michael pointed at was above Wendy’s head. She tiptoed and reached as far as she could but could not reach the cabinet door.
Michael’s expression had softened. He hid behind Wendy, covered his mouth, and laughed quietly.
The sight of Wendy trying her best to open the cabinet was rather cute.
After watching her try for a while, Michael reached over to help.
At the same time, Wendy turned around to take a stool over.
As she turned, she bumped into Michael as he walked over to her.
Wendy felt a little dizzy from the bump and held her head. "What are you doing?" she asked angrily.
"I..." Michael’s hand was up in mid-air. "I was trying to help you open the cabinet door," he said awkwardly.
"If you were going to open it, you should have said something. Not sneak up behind me."
Wendy’s face was filled with fury. She glared at Michael and then looked around for a stool. She found one in the far corner.
She walked over and brought the stool over.
She completely ignored Michael, stood on the stool, and reached for the cabinet. This time, she was finally able to reach it.
She opened the cabinet and found all the ingredients needed for the lotus cake. Now Wendy was certain that Mrs. Lucas and Michael had planned this together.
Wendy had always respected Mrs. Lucas but she had only hatred for Michael. Naturally, she vented her frustration on Michael.
"Mr. Lucas," she questioned him in anger, "you don’t normally cook, do you? Plus, you don’t return to the main house often. How did you know that the flour and sugar were kept here?" Michael let out a small cough and rubbed his nose.
This was the time to push the blame on his grandmother. "Grandmother told me earlier. I found it strange then. Why would she tell me that? Now I see it was..."
Michael deliberately trailed off.
Wendy was no fool. She only believed half of what he said. She believed that Mrs. Lucas had told Michael where the ingredients were, but she did not believe that Michael had no idea what was going on.
After getting the ingredients, Wendy was about to get off the stool. She was still feeling angry and did not watch her step. She ended up slipping off the stool. She lost her balance and instinctively let out a Scream.
Michael happened to be behind Wendy. He saw what was happening and with his quick reflexes, he caught her in his arms.
She had expected to hit the ground. She did not expect to fall into warm arms.
Before Wendy could recover from her shock, she looked up and her eyes met with Michael’s.
Her heart was beating a little fast. She was not sure if it was because she was shocked by her near-accident, or because she was looking into Michael’s eyes.
"Are you all right?" Michael’s face was full of concern. He checked carefully to make sure she was not hurt.
Wendy took a deep breath and stood up. She pushed Michael away and stepped back from his embrace.
She raised her hand to rearrange her messy hair.
"I didn’t fall. Of course, I’m fine." Her gaze was still not very steady.
"I’m glad you’re ok." Michael was relieved.
His grandmother had instructed the flour and other ingredients to be placed out of Wendy’s reach.
She had wanted to force Wendy to ask Michael for help. As long as she took the initiative to speak to Michael, their relationship would be able to move a step forward.
His grandmother also told him to grab any chance to hit Wendy’s hand or something to increase more physical touch. That would slowly help their relationship get better.
The first part was not a problem, but Michael did not expect that Wendy would not ask him for help.
She stood on a stool and almost fell off.
Fortunately, she did not fall, or else Michael would feel remorseful.
Wendy took another deep breath and her heat settled down somewhat.
That was really close. She was so scared that she started sweating cold sweat.
She took the ingredients and started to make a lotus cake.
"Let me help you," Michael smiled and came over. He was acting according to plan. But his movement was too deliberate, and Wendy moved further away. "It’s all right," she said. "I can manage on my own."
"I..." Michael was about to say something when his cell phone rang.
He took his cell phone out of his pocket. It was Winnie.
He swiped to answer and immediately his mother’s voice could be heard over the phone,
"Are you back yet?"
"I’m at the main house already," Michael answered truthfully.
Winnie was surprised to hear that Michael was already there. She removed the facial mask from her face. "I’ll go down once I’ve tidied up," she said. "Wait for me in the house. Don’t leave."
Michael’s answer was too surprising to Winnie. He was actually already at the main house. It was only past ten o’clock.
Whenever Winnie asked Michael to come to the main house, it was like pleading with the gods. And when he did come, he would always wait till it was night and would leave after about ten minutes.
Winnie was afraid that Michael would leave soon and wanted to hurry down.
Today, she must make Michael stay. He must not leave. Of course, Michael would not leave. With his grandmother’s help, he was finally able to make Wendy come to the main house. As long as Wendy did not leave, Michael would not leave.
"I’m not leaving. You can take your time. You don’t have to rush." Michael kept his eyes on Wendy throughout the call.
Wendy was curious and looked at Michael while he was on the phone. She caught him staring at her. But Wendy turned her head away as if nothing happened.
Michael hung up and placed his cell phone on the countertop. "Let me help," he said.
Michael reached over to take the things in Wendy’s hands.
Wendy instinctively withdrew her hands at the touch of his hand. "I said, I don’t need your help!" she said, glaring at him with a look of disgust.
She then lowered her head and saw the phone that he had left on the counter.
The screen was still lit after the phone call. The picture on the lock screen looked very familiar...
