She used to say, “I’m the princess of my family. My parents spoiled me, and I’m not about to lower my standards now that I’m with you.”
So, to take care of her, I’d gone out of my way to take cooking classes, learning how to make all her favorite meals. As long as I was around, she never had to eat anything cold or stale.
But realizing she’d gone to such lengths for Cyril made all of my efforts feel like the cruelest joke.
I stared at his message, didn’t reply, and set my phone down to finish my breakfast.
Five minutes later, I got a message from Serena herself.
She didn’t mention last night at all.
Instead, her message was:
[Serena: Those meatballs you made last time were pretty good. Make some for me today—I’ll be waiting at the office.]
Shortly after, another message from her came in.
[Serena: Oh, and don’t forget—no cilantro.]
Albion's POV
As soon as I saw her last message, my expression quickly darkened.
Serena didn’t have an issue with cilantro. In fact, she loved it—she’d even order an extra portion whenever we had pasta.
Still, I thought for a moment before I replied.
[Me: Alright.]
After sending the message, I opened a food delivery app, randomly picked a home-cooked dish, and had it sent directly to her office.
Later that evening, after finishing up work, I went out for dinner with Stephanie.
But the moment we arrived at the restaurant we’d reserved, I spotted Serena walking in with Cyril. They were arm in arm, their faces lit with easy smiles.
When she saw us, Serena instinctively let go of his arm and walked over.
Meanwhile, Cyril’s expression shifted for a moment before he quickly followed, smiling as he said, “What a coincidence! But it looks like we’re late—no available tables. Mind if we share yours?”
Before we could respond, Serena seated herself right beside me, unbothered.
Stephanie’s eyes widened in shock. Without hesitation, she got up and switched places with her. “What are you thinking? Sitting me next to your first love—how’s that supposed to work?”
Now seated across from me, Serena looked slightly annoyed, as if waiting for me to say something.
Avoiding her gaze, I handed the menu to Cyril. “Here, Cyril. Go ahead and order. My sister and I have already decided on what we want.”
He took the menu with a casual smile. “Albion, your cooking is incredible. It’s so much better than anything you can get in a restaurant.”