Sophie’s POV
“What are you doing?” I almost dropped the ladle that I was holding when Vincent suddenly peered behind me.
I looked at him. “Y-You’re already here.”
“Yes. I already missed you.”
“I cooked some sheet pan honey mustard chicken and vegetables.”
He looked at the food that I was cooking. “Looks good.”
“Well, I hope it tastes good too.”
“I know it will.” He said with a smirk. I was surprised when he suddenly sniffed my neck. “God, you smell so fucking nice…”
I quickly moved away from him. “I-I will prepare our dinner. I think you should change your clothes now.”
“Alright, if that’s what you want, honey. But I would just like to also remind you we will be playing another game tonight before you sleep.” He said before he finally warded off the kitchen.
“Why is he so early today?” I mumbled.
The maids helped me prepare the dinner and I asked them to call Vincent upstairs. We all waited for him to go down. “Shall we eat now?” he asked me.
“Sure. But wait, Vincent.”
“Huh?”
I looked around us. “Can we ask them to join us? I mean, this table is a banquet type and there are too many foods here so I don’t think we would be able to eat them all.”
Vincent stared at me for a second. “Go on. If that’s what you want. I don’t care as long as they won’t bother us.”
“Please, join us here. It would be nice if we could eat together every day.” I smiled at the maids, which made them all feel shy. “Please take your seats.”
They were all hesitating at first, but then they sat down after I pleaded with them to do so. I can’t help but smile just seeing them all eating with us. After all, being surrounded by many people feels great. At least I can feel that somehow I am not alone.
“Does it taste good?” I asked Vincent.
“Well, not bad.” He said without looking at me.
I smiled. “Thanks for being honest.”
“Are you going to cook for me starting from now on?”
“Huh? Sure, but I don’t think I can do it every day since I’m still attending school and I have a job too.”
Vincent leaned on his chair and stared at me. “I think you look sexier when your hair’s in a messy bun.”
I almost choke because of what he just said. “H-Huh?”
“I said you look se—
“I-I heard it! You don’t have to say it here, i-it’s embarrassing…” I whispered.
Vincent laughed. “You’re adorable when you’re flushed.”
“W-What? I-I’m not… S-Stop it, could you?”
I could see the maids beside us gazing at us with smiles on their faces. Vincent really loves teasing me in front of so many people.
“Where’s Vincent?” we all stopped eating when we heard a voice of a man coming from the living room of the mansion. I glanced at Vincent and I saw him heaved a deep sigh. All the maids stood up as soon as two people entered the dining hall. I stood up and faced them too.
A blond woman in her 30s wearing a red silk dress walked in together with a man wearing a black suit who looks exactly like Vincent except he has a mole under his right eye. They glanced at me then shifted their attention to Vincent who was still sitting on his chair, continuing his dinner.
“Vincent.” The woman called him.
“What are you doing here? What do you need from me?” Vincent asked them without even looking.
The man laughed. “You never really changed. Won’t you at least ask us to join you for dinner?”
“You have your own house, why don’t you eat there?”
“I’ve heard you got married last month, where’s the girl?” the woman then asked then she looked at me.
“Is it her?”
Vincent stood up. “I told you not to care about my life anymore. You asked me to leave your house and now you’re here for what?”
“You still don’t know how to respect your parents, Vincent.”
My eyes widened. So they are his parents? I almost thought they’re siblings.
“I will give you another chance, Vincent. You can still change your lifestyle and stop wasting it on your illegal doings. You can study again and be a doctor, or you can even take my place as the CEO of our company. I know you can do it, Vincent. You are an intelligent child and you have the potential to—
“Are you asking me to go back because your favorite child already turned his back to you, too? Or maybe you need someone you can control again to fulfill your own plans?! I’m already living the best of my fucking life now, and I don’t need you to take control of everything again. I don’t need your fucking—
“HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO YOUR FATHER!”
We were all shocked when the woman’s right palm suddenly landed on Vincent’s right cheek. It was so hard that the sound of it reverberated through the whole dining hall.
“You really are the worst son we could ever have! If you want to waste your life and be a bastard forever, then be it! You are really nothing compared to your brother! You know what? I regret being your mother! From now on, forget that you even had us as your parents!!!” Mrs. Hastings yelled at Vincent then they finally walked away, leaving us all in shock in the dining hall.