Chapter 72

The clatter of cooking utensils drifted from the kitchen, but unliké yesterday's frenzy, the rhythm now was calm and steady.

When Yvonne came downstairs freshly dressed, she spotted Julian still moving about in the kitchen while Rodger sat at the dining table, half-hidden behind his newspaper.

"Good morning, Rodger," she greeted warmly, sliding into the chair across from him.

"Good morning!" Rodger replied with a broad grin. He flicked a quick glance toward the kitchen, then leaned closer, lifting the paper like a shield as his eyes twinkled with mischief. "So... did you sleep well last night?"

Under his watchful eye, Julian and Yvonne found themselves compelled to share a bedroom. To him, there was no question they'd surrendered to a night of burning passion.

Yvonne's smile faltered, her expression tightening at the question. She couldn't very well confess that Julian had slipped out the night before and that she had fallen asleep without knowing when he had come back.

"We..." Yvonne faltered, her voice catching as she searched for a way to continue.

Before the silence grew too heavy, Julian emerged from the kitchen balancing a tray, sparing her the effort.

He set three plates on the table, each one holding a fried egg so oddly shaped and jagged it looked as though it had barely survived the pan.

The sight drew a muffled laugh from Yvonne, her shoulders shaking.

Julian's mouth tightened, his gaze dropping, shadowing his eyes as he caught her reaction.

Snapping back into composure, she straightened and said with deliberate sincerity, "You've really improved.At least this time they're not charred."

Rodger gave a slow, deliberate nod, mumbling loud enough to be heard, "And at least they don't look deadly." Then,flashing Julian an encouraging grin, he added in a booming voice, "Keep practicing. You'll be amazing at this before you know it."

Yvonne nodded with a spark of eagerness, fully agreeing.

Regarding his attempts at cooking, Julian could only put up with their playful taunts quietly-after all, the teasing came from the two people he cared about mnost.

With a faint sigh, he turned back toward the kitchen, returning with a glass pitcher of mmilk.right, let's eat already."

Both Rodger and Yvonne nodded dutifully, lifting their utensils. For a while, the dining room filled only with the soft scrape of knives and forks against porcelain.

Whether Julian had truly improved or frying eggs simply left little room for disaster, the meal turned out surprisingly palatable.

Yvonne cleaned her plate quickly, even finishing off her milk with a satisfied tilt of the glass.

Across from her, Julian displayed his usual precision-methodically slicing the misshapen egg into tidy squares and eating each piece with composed elegance. When he was done, he reached for the napkin folded neatly at his side and dabbed at his lips with practiced care.

A low grumble escaped from Rodger before he could stop himself. "What a strange little habit."

Julian went rigid, a faint flush creeping up his neck, and carefully set the napkin aside before glancing at Yvonne. "I'll take you to the office later.

Playing the part of a flawless husband, he couldn't allow her to head out alone. Yet beneath the facade,reluctance gnawed at him. After nearly drowning, even if her body seemed intact, the mental scars had to run deep. She should have been resting, not rushing back to deadlines.

Still, Yvonne had been adamant about returning.

Was it just dedication to her career? Or was she pushing to secure that five million faster,so she could end their marriage? The thought sent a chill across Julian's features, his expression hardening.

Not knowing what ran through his head, Yvonne assumed Julian's coolness came from the pressure of keeping up appearances for Rodger by driving her to work.

A faint unease stirred in her-she wanted to insist she could handle the trip herself, but Julian didn't leave room for protest. He gathered the plates and disappeared into the kitchen.

Rodger's gaze shifted between them. He sensed a tension, a subtle shift in the air, though moments ago everything had seemed perfectly smooth.

Choosing not to meddle, he cleared his throat and offered a cheerful grin."Yvonne, I'm heading out to play chess. Don't forget to come home early and cook tonight's dinner!"

Without waiting for her reply, Rodger made his escape, leaving behind a silence that seemed to stretch across the dining room.

When Julian returned from the kitchen, only Yvonne remained. Their eyes met briefly before darting away,the air thick with awkwardness until Julian finally spoke, his voice even but firm."Wait for me in the garage."