Chapter 72
Tobias’s expression was on the verge of collapsing.
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Kaia was secretly amused, while Russell, who followed along, didn’t hold back one bit and just burst but laughing.
Oh my God! I can’t take it anymore! This is killing me!” Russell howled, banging on the staircase ailing so hard it echoed through the hall.
Kaia held back her laughter. “How about we keep it simple? Maybe just a grilled cheese sandwich?”
Tobias secretly breathed a sigh of relief. For someone who had never cooked before, making all the lishes Kaia had just listed was basically asking him to jump into the most brutal corporate war neeting instead.
He said, “Alright. Wait here. I’ll be quick.”
He turned to Russell. “No sandwich for you.”
Come on, Tobias, I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing at myself…” Russell protested.
Meanwhile, at the Sharp family household.
After hanging up the phone with Kaia, Penny looked at Donald with a strange expression, opening her mouth several times but stopping herself.
Noticing her unusual behavior, Donald asked, “What’s wrong with you? Did something happen?”
She asked, “Dad, did K&B really cancel their cooperation with the Parsons family?”
I just got the news myself. People are saying the Parsons family must’ve offended someone they really shouldn’t have.” Donald lit a cigarette,
Hearing that, Penny suddenly remembered what Kaia had said yesterday outside the Kaye Bella shop
“Soon, their family won’t be a K&B partner anymore.” The sentence kept echoing in her mind.
She thought, Coincidence? Or did Kala have some kind of foresight… or maybe..”
“Penny, Penny, what’s going on with you?‘ Donald’s voice pulled her back to reality.
She said, “Dad, Kaia just called me and said our family should join the bidding for K&B’s new
project tomorrow.”
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“What?” Donald froze.
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“She also said that as long as our proposal isn’t too bad, K&B will prioritize working with us,” Penny said nervously.
Donald, cigarette between his fingers, didn’t react for a long moment. A few minutes later, he frowned.
“Do you think she’s messing with us?” he asked.
Penny replied, “I don’t think she’s the joking type.”
Her words made Donald sink deeper into thought.
“Dad, there’s another thing. Today at the mall, Kaia and I ran into Rita…” Penny recounted the entire incident in detail.
“So you clashed with Rita, and later the Parsons family lost their partnership?” Donald was startled.
Penny swallowed hard. “I think it’s… maybe a coincidence?”
“Not necessarily.” Donald narrowed his eyes. “Remember the Maybach that picked up Kaia yesterday?”
“I do, so…” Penny’s eyes widened. “You’re saying the person she contacted in the store might have been a K&B executive? Or maybe… their CEO?”
Donald said, “Quite possible. But don’t tell anyone. It’s only a guess. Even if it’s true, it’s her private matter. If she doesn’t want to say, you, as her friend, shouldn’t spread it.”
Penny frowned. “I understand, Dad. But… no way… could it really be Conrad? He’s handsome, sure, and he’s both CEO and chief designer… but he’s 35.”
“So what if he’s 35? Thirty–something is when a man’s really in his prime,” Donald shot back.
“Sure, it’s not old, but Kaia’s only 20! He’s 15 years older!” Penny shook her head. “That’s a huge gap.”
Donald said, “Cap or not, Conrad is a business prodigy and a design legend. Besides, he’s not married. Anyway, let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Penny asked, “You’re right. But if I just ask Kaia outright, will she tell me?”
“Why don’t you give it a shot? Donald suggested.
She replied, “Forget it. We’ve only known each other for a couple of days. Even if I want to be friends with her, it’s too soon to pry like that. I’ll wait. Maybe she’ll tell me herself someday.”
Donald was genuinely pleased with Penny as his daughter. “You think things through well… Come with me to K&B tomorrow. We might see her.”
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“Okay,” she replied.
***
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Back at Moreno Manor. Kaia was sitting on the sofa, waiting for dinner, when she suddenly smelled something burning.
Russell
put
down his phone and looked over. “Kaia, do you smell that?”
She turned toward the kitchen. Smoke was pouring out. She quickly got up.
“Whoa! It’s on fire!” Russell leapt from the sofa and ran toward the kitchen.
By the time Kaia reached the doorway, Tobias was already using the fire extinguisher.
For a moment, they just stared at each other in awkward silence.
A little later, after they’d cleaned up the mess.
“Let me do it.” Kaia rolled up her sleeves and opened the fridge.
It was stocked with almost everything imaginable.
“You can cook?” Tobias was surprised.
She replied, “Why is that surprising? I grew up in the countryside. Cooking’s just normal for me.”
Tobias frowned slightly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
Kaia paused and gave him a sidelong glance. “You’re overthinking it. I’m just telling the truth.”
Russell let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Finally. A proper dinner tonight.”
The death glare Tobias gave him nearly cut the air in half. Russell quietly backed out of the kitchen.
Yikes, that stare could kill. I mean, I was just being honest, Russell thought.
He wasn’t picky. He didn’t need Michelin–star food, just something edible.
Besides, with the storm raging outside, going out to cat wasn’t exactly an option.
An hour later, Kaia carried the dishes to the table. Each one was plated so beautifully it could’ve been in a magazine spread.
“No way! You can do garnish carvings too?” Russell pointed at the intricate tomato rose and cucumber spirals, wide–eyed.
He’d thought “I can cook” meant she could whip up a basic country stew, not pull off something that looked like fine dining,
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Tobias was also taken aback. The plating and color coordination were anything but casual home cooking.
“Tobias, stop zoning out! Come on, let’s eat together,” Russell urged.
Russell speared a piece of herb–roasted chicken breast and popped it into his mouth.
Tobias picked up his fork and tried a bite of the braised short rib.
Chapter 73
