?Chapter 378:


    Brief acquaintance, she had somehow umted a substantial debt to him. How could she possibly repay such kindness?


    Her thoughts became a tangled mess of gratitude and confusion, causing her to lose focus on the task at hand. When awareness finally returned, she discovered her spaghetti had transformed into an unrecognizable paste. “No, no, no!” she cried out, frantically shutting off the burner.


    The damage was irreversible—this culinary disaster couldn’t possibly be served to anyone, let alone her benefactor. Merlin had honored her humble establishment with his presence, and she had repaid him with what amounted to edible cement. But preparing a fresh batch would require significant time. Would his patience extend that far?


    While she wrestled with this dilemma, Briggs materialized in the kitchen doorway. “Hailee, what’s the holdup? Why hasn’t the spaghetti made its appearance yet?”


    Heat flooded Hailee’s cheeks as embarrassment consumed her. “I’m so sorry, Dad. My mind wandered, and I forgot to monitor the pot. The spaghetti is overcooked.”


    Briggs clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Good heavens, child! How does one be distracted during such a simple task? That important gentleman is still waiting out there. You’re damaging our family’s business’s reputation!”


    With practiced efficiency, Briggs gently moved his daughter aside. “Go offer our apologies to the gentleman. I’ll handle preparing a fresh batch.”


    “Of course,” Hailee murmured, turning toward the dining room with leaden feet.


    But she had barely taken three steps when amanding presence filled the kitchen doorway.


    Her movement ceased abruptly as she found herself face-to-face with the uninvited Merlin, his imposing figure dominating the cramped space.


    The instant Hailee saw Merlin, her body stiffened, and a deep blush spread across her cheeks from pure embarrassment.


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    Briggs spun around to see what had startled his daughter and immediately tensed up. “Oh my! Sir, what are you doing in the kitchen? It’s all smoke and oil in here—you’ll ruin that nice suit! Please head back to the dining room.”


    Merlin offered Briggs a small, reassuring smile before shifting his gaze to Hailee. His voice was gentle but probing. “What took so long?”


    Hailee fumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. It wasn’t like she wanted to impress him or be involved with him. Still, her pride was bruised. Being the daughter of a spaghetti shop owner, she should’ve nailed a simple te of spaghetti. Overcooking it was downright embarrassing. It made her feel like some rich girl pretending to help in the kitchen—clueless and coddled. She didn’t want to look like that.


    Briggs, unaware of his daughter’s inner turmoil, hurried to apologize. “I’m terribly sorry, sir! I may have pampered my girl too much. She overcooked your spaghetti. Give us a moment, and I’ll prepare a fresh te myself.”


    Merlin nodded slowly and stepped toward the stove. He bent down to take a look at the pot and then turned back to them. “It’s okay. It’s still edible.”


    Without hesitation, he scooped the mushy spaghetti into a bowl,dled some warm chicken broth from a nearby pot, and—after a quick nce around—added a sprinkle of chopped scallions and a handful of fresh greens. Carrying the bowl, he headed directly to the dining room.


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