?<strong>Chapter 1393:</strong>


    From his post in the kitchen, Kenji’s heart skipped at the sound of her melodiousughter mixing with unfamiliar voices beyond the doorway. Proud of hisbor of love, Kenji lifted the cookie tter, eager to witness her reaction. But as he stepped into the dining room, his anticipation shattered at the sight of an unexpected male guest.


    Scarlette and Roscoe turned toward Kenji simultaneously, and the air grew thick with unspoken words. Time seemed to freeze as three minds raced in different directions.


    Scarlette’s eyes widened at Kenji’s presence, particrly fixating on the pink apron that seemed so at odds with his usualmanding presence. The sight of him performing such a domestic task left her bewildered—it felt wrong, like watching a lion trying to purr.


    For Roscoe, pieces of a puzzle clicked into ce. This wasn’t just dinner. It was an borate stage.


    Meanwhile, Kenji’s thoughts spiraled around the man beside Scarlette. Were they really together? Had their rtionship already progressed to meeting the family? The weight of that possibility settled like lead in his stomach.


    The suffocating silence stretched until Alicia gracefully intervened, relieving Kenji of his burden. “The food is ready. Let’s sit down and eat. Thanks for putting in the effort, Kenji.”


    Kenji remained silent. The sudden shift in Alicia’s and Caden’s demeanor made perfect sense now—they’d orchestrated this entire scene. They had been waiting for this moment. Everyone sat down, each with their own thoughts.


    Alicia pushed the te of misshapen cookies toward Scarlette. “Try them. Kenji made them himself.”


    Scarlette hesitated to eat. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she nudged Roscoe. “You try them first. They look awful.”


    Kenji’s face remained a mask of indifference, though each word cut deep.


    Roscoe, after sampling one, offered genuine praise. “They taste good.”


    Scarlette nibbled one cautiously, managing only a nomittal shrug of eptance.


    From his seat across the table, Kenji felt the bitter irony of the situation. The afternoon’s anticipation had frozen into a cial reality—he had unwittingly yed sous-chef to his rival’s debut dinner.


    As the meal progressed, Kenji retreated into silence while Caden and Roscoe’s animated conversation filled the void.


    The conversation meandered through business and careers before inevitably circling to Scarlette’s future.


    “I’ll be relieved if Scarlette is with you,” Caden dered, his words falling like hammer blows. “She’s quite spirited and needs someone to keep her in check. Take good care of her.”


    Roscoe lifted his ss with practiced modesty. “Scarlette is still young and not thinking about rtionships yet, but I can wait, no matter how long it takes.” His patience dripped with quiet confidence.


    Caden’s gaze shifted to his daughter. “Scarlette, didn’t you tell me you really liked Roscoest time? Why aren’t you thinking about rtionships?”


    Across the table, Kenji’s fingers whitened around his wine ss before he drained it in one desperate gulp.


    “Dad…” Scarlette squirmed in her seat, a blush creeping up her neck.


    “Why are you bringing up such a topic at dinner?”


    Caden’s indulgentughter only deepened Kenji’s wound.


    “Why are you only drinking and not eating?” Alicia’s concern cut through the tension as she served Kenji more food. “Be careful with your stomach.”


    “Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Ward,” Kenji’s smile was brittle as ss. “Scarlette and her new boyfriend are so sweet that I’ve lost my appetite.”


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