Chapter 94
Audrey could understand every word that Amelia said, but when they were strung together, the meaning totally escaped her.
‘Catch… someone cheating? Catch who cheating? Yann? But I’m the only one living under the same roof with him, and we haven’t done a single thing!” she thought.
Audrey examined the woman standing in front of her. It was the kind of beauty that stunned at first glance, but the kind that grew more attractive the longer you looked. She had a healthy, solid figure, light makeup, and looked to be in her early forties.
While Audrey was sizing Amelia up, Amelia was doing the same to Audrey.
Young, pretty, and not the delicate type–that was Amelia’s first impression of Audrey. The second was the barely noticeable mole beneath the corner of her eye.
“He must’ve totally lost it, even hired a stand–in for a housekeeper.” Amelia grabbed Audrey’s arm and led her inside. “How long have you been staying here? I need to ask you something.”
“About a week.”
“So you moved in right after he did.” Amelia tried not to startle her and kept her tone friendly. “Has there been a man who’s been around him all the
time?”
“You mean Calvin?”
“I knew it! They’re living together behind my back!”
Audrey went speechless. The corner of her mouth twitched. She set the grocery bag on the table, but a potato rolled out, hit the floor, and when she bent down to pick it up, she almost bumped into the chair leg.
Amelia rushed over to shield her head.
Audrey hadn’t bumped her head, but her mind was mush. A rich and beautiful older woman having a thing for Yann was enough to fry her brain–and Calvin and Yann being a couple? That was the final blow. She was toast, inside and out.
She had no issues with anyone’s preferences, but Yann didn’t strike her as… someone from a minority group.
“Don’t be scared, sweetheart. There are all kinds of choices in this world,” Amelia gently explained to Audrey. Gender aside–even species didn’t matter
anymore.
Audrey hadn’t taken in a single word. But she did grasp one thing. “You… support them being together?”
“Even if I didn’t, it wouldn’t change anything,” Amelia said with a shrug. “As long as Yann’s happy, I’m happy.” That sounded like the ultimate form of
love.
Amelia watched Audrey nearly crush the potatoes and sighed inwardly. She really hoped she hadn’t scared the girl off. From the moment she saw her, she felt a connection. “What’s your name?”
“Just call me Audrey.”
Amelia repeated it and smiled. “Audrey, you’re prepping dinner, right? Let’s go chat in the kitchen.”
They chatted while prepping food in the kitchen. Normally, Yann cooked meals Audrey liked. But today, since she got off work early, she was making the dishes Yann preferred.
The more Amelia looked at her, the more pleased she felt. She couldn’t help thinking, ‘If only this girl were my daughter–in–law. She could cook, had a good personality, looked lovely, and was easy to talk to.
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Chapter 94
Most importantly, she smiled a lot. Yann was way too cold–such a young kid already pulling a long face all the time, like he had no zest for life!
She tried to subtly probe whether Calvin was staying over. Meanwhile, Audrey finished cooking the Pulled Pork Skillet with chili peppers.
Amelia took a bite of the shredded pork and gave a big thumbs–up. “This chili’s fragrant–it’s got kick, but not the dumb kind of hot. That’s just how Yann likes it.”
Voices came from the living room. Amelia stepped out of the kitchen.
Calvin followed Yann and took the bag at the entrance. “Gabriel’s on it already. We’re pushing for the highest sentence.”
“Don’t take your eyes off him. We can’t give hith any chance to bounce back,” Yann said coldly, his eyes filled with icy sharpness.
Calvin grabbed a damp towel from the guest bathroom and handed it to Yann to wipe his hands. Yann carefully cleaned even between his fingers, as if he had touched something filthy.
“She filed the paperwork today…” Yann began, then noticed Amelia standing in the dining room, eyes flicking back and forth between him and Calvin.
“Mom?”
“Mom?” Audrey, who had followed them out, froze in place.
Amelia thought, ‘That’s the sweetest way I’ve ever been called.‘
Yann thought, ‘I could get used to that.‘
Calvin rubbed his nose and introduced her. “This is Mr. Yann’s mother, Amelia.”
Audrey’s hand slipped, almost dumping the skillet on the floor.
She thought, ‘Yann’s mother? That meant she is Logan’s ex–wife. And since I am the daughter of Logan’s current wife… how awkward!‘
Her expression turned pale. She quickly set the dish down before it actually spilled and hurried back into the kitchen.
Amelia thought her sudden departure was because she was scared of meeting the ex–wife, and she glared at Yann in reproach. “I was having such a nice chat with Audrey earlier, and now you’ve frightened her.”
Yann’s face darkened. He frowned slightly. “Why are you here?”
“I need to see it with my own eyes to feel at ease.” Amelia looked at Calvin. “Take me shopping. I’m staying here for two days.”
Calvin glanced at Yann, and only after Yann gave a slight nod did he follow her out.
Yann walked into the kitchen and saw Audrey standing by the sink, washing potatoes. The water was running loudly, but she was staring off into space. He turned off the tap and took the potato from her hands.
“She got married even before Logan’s remarriage. She doesn’t care about that stuff,” Yann said as he took a peeler and started peeling the potato. “Amelia’s a bit flighty, kind of all over the place sometimes. Don’t take it to heart.”
Audrey pulled out some beef and began tenderizing it with a meat tenderizer to help it absorb the marinade. Her voice was muffled. “She thinks I’m the
housemaid.”
Yann put the peeled potato into a bowl and turned his head to look at her. “Don’t want her to find out?”
Audrey said, “Yes.”
“Then don’t tell her.”
Audrey pressed her lips together and nodded, then picked up the meat needle and went back to tenderizing the beef.
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Vann peeled another potato and put it in the bowl, then washed his hands. “Amelia’s staying here for two days.”
“What? Oh!” The meat needle hit Audrey’s index finger, and a bead of blood quickly welled up.
Yann grabbed her hand right away and, without thinking, brought her finger to his mouth.
Audrey’s eyes flew open. Her fingertips tingled from being sucked on. Her heart pounded like crazy–about to explode. She yanked her hand back. “Gross!”
It’s not gross.” Yann held her hand and examined the wound. Once he saw it wasn’t serious, he pulled her along to get a band–aid.
Audrey said, “It’s fine. It’s just a pinprick.”
Refusal didn’t work. Yann grabbed the first–aid kit and began cleaning, disinfecting, and finally covered it with a bandage. “There are bacteria on grooming brushes. Easy to get infected.”
“Should I go get a tetanus shot too?” Audrey joked.
“Good idea, let’s go get the shot,” Yann said and started dragging her out. Audrey quickly stopped him. “I was kidding! It’s not that serious!”
After much tug–of–war, they compromised–no hospital, but Yann would cook. Audrey helped out in the kitchen, but her thoughts drifted to what Amelia said. Her eyes wandered to Yann’s waist.
“If you want to ask something, just ask,” Yann said while cooking with practiced ease.
“You’re thirty now, right? Shouldn’t you be settling down?”
Yann started marinating the beef and turned to look at her, his gaze deep and unreadable.
“Amelia said she’s happy if you’re happy. I am too…” Audrey grinned awkwardly, her smile a bit forced. “Whoever you like, I’ll support…”
Yann lifted his arm and trapped her between him and the fridge. He looked down at her, the space between them suddenly tight. “So whoever I like, you’ll support?”
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