Chapter 17 Strictly business!
"Just some simple home-cooked meals," Natalie replied.
She was adept at cooking a variety of international cuisines, and she could easily manage appetizers, side dishes, and main courses. However, her favorite dishes to prepare were home-cooked meals and various types of desserts, and she could probably replicate the ones that were currently on the table.
Oliver nodded, seeming agreeable. "Well, whatever."
Natalie detested it when people said "Whatever."
Could that be considered a dish?
Natalie's culinary skills were impressive, and she boasted millions of followers on Instagram, but Oliver harbored disdain even for dishes made by top chefs, so he undoubtedly wouldn't appreciate what she cooked.
Most likely, he just wanted her to engage in some hard labor!
There weren't many ingredients left in the kitchen, so Natalie took the remaining mushrooms and concocted a savory dish of braised mushrooms with oyster sauce. There was also prime beef loin nearby, which Natalie sliced into thin strips. There was fresh mantis shrimp that could be transformed into a flavorful shrimp paste.
While waiting, Oliver was so hungry that his stomach ached. He found himself unable to concentrate on the company files and inexplicably got up and wandered toward the kitchen.
A slender and graceful figure was hunched over, dicing vegetables. Her apron highlighted her slender waist, and her long hair was casually held to the left with a black elastic band.
Bathed in sunlight, her profile was beautiful and indescribably tender. Her fingers moved nimbly as she handled the knife with skill.
The beef strips were sliced with precision, and the mushrooms were prepared without compromising their appearance. The shrimp paste was crafted effortlessly.
It was evident that Natalie was no stranger to cooking.
Oliver couldn't help but frown.
He had never paid any attention to the Watson family's affairs and knew nothing about Natalie, but she shouldn't be so gentle and virtuous before him.
"Oliver, do you eat spicy food?" Natalie caught sight of Oliver watching her and seized the opportunity to inquire.
"Yes, I do."
Originally, Oliver didn't have any specific taste preferences, but due to his aversion to food, he happened to enjoy spicy dishes.
"Oh." Natalie put down the red chili pepper she had just picked up and switched to carrots. As she shredded them, she remarked, "You have a stomach issue, so it's not suitable for you to eat spicy food."
Oliver was at a loss for words. Was Natalie doing it deliberately?
Natalie concentrated on cooking and failed to notice Oliver's gloomy gaze at the kitchen door.
Oliver felt that Natalie was doing it on purpose!
Liam stood with his hands clasped in front of him, a hint of amusement sparkling in his slightly weathered eyes.
He never imagined that Natalie would be able to make Oliver back down.
Three dishes and a vegetable soup were completed in no time.
The three chefs looked down their noses at the utterly unremarkable home-cooked dishes. Oliver started eating with his fork, his eyes widening in shock.
The dishes crafted by top chefs were unpalatable. However, Natalie's cooking sparked an unexpected appetite and satisfaction within Oliver.
It seemed that the issue wasn't with the food but with the person.
"Natalie."
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Natalie instinctively braced herself for another critique of her cooking.
"From now on, you're responsible for cooking my three meals."
Natalie couldn't resist teasing Oliver, "Aren't you worried I might use cooking as an excuse to seduce you?"
But it didn't matter to her. Cooking was a piece of cake for her. After all, it was her hobby.
She just hoped Oliver didn't trouble her and ignored her completely.
***
Unaware of Oliver's culinary preferences, Natalie would prepare different dishes each day, keeping in mind the potential for his health issues. The focus was on wholesome, nourishing meals.
When Oliver wasn't around at the estate, a discreet assistant named Collin Charles would show up in Oliver's Porsche, punctually half an hour before mealtime, to fetch the food.
After lunch, Natalie would make her way to the garden for her mandatory, model-like exercise routine.
One day, as she was leaving the garden, she overheard two maids whispering nearby.
"Even we rank higher than Natalie. She sleeps alone and plays the cook. Bet Mr. Windsor just sees her as a free servant!"
"You didn't see what she made that morning. Serving such food to Mr. Windsor was hilarious!"
"I heard Natalie used to be with Mr. Windsor's nephew, Adrian. For outsiders, it looks like Mr. Windsor is picking up where his nephew left off. Only Mr. Windsor could put up with her!"
***
Natalie lowered her gaze and chuckled softly. It seemed like now everyone thought they could push her around.
She strode over confidently.
The two maids turned pale with fright when they suddenly saw Natalie. "Mrs. Windsor."
Natalie offered a faint smile, her voice imbued with a tender, crystalline clarity that commanded respect. She declared, "I'm merely a cast-off woman, unworthy of bearing that esteemed title."
"We're sorry, Mrs. Windsor! We were wrong! We shouldn't have spoken out of turn!" The maids bowed down before Natalie, their legs quivering under the weight of their remorse.
Though Natalie might've fallen from favor, she remained the rightful and legitimate lady of the manor, bound in matrimony to Oliver. To challenge the established order within these walls was to court expulsion, cast out as refuse.
"In the future, should you feel the urge to indulge in idle chatter," Natalie advised with a hint of admonishment, "seek a more discreet place, one where the subject of your discourse won't be privy to your whispers."
After saying this, Natalie turned and walked away, her posture regal and frigid, like a figure in a painting.
She was never one to be underestimated.
Liam observed everything from the second-floor window and gave a nod of approval before reporting back to Marjorie.
It was Marjorie who had orchestrated this marriage.
***
Ever since Natalie had "coerced" Oliver into a kiss at All Night Manor, Isaac had been concerned for him.
Wyatt harbored a secret about a girl that was off-limits to discussion, and he wouldn't compromise her, but Isaac could suggest a potential match for Oliver.
Much to his surprise, he stumbled upon the perfect opportunity.
Consequently, he made his way to the CEO's office at the RisingKing Group's headquarters, armed with pertinent details to seek out Oliver.
Oliver was engrossed in scrutinizing reports dispatched from a foreign division. They were bilingual, yet he navigated through them with consummate ease. Whenever an aspect didn't sit well with him, he discarded it with nonchalant strokes.
"It's been a handful of days since your wedding. How are you and your wife getting along?" Isaac pondered that if Oliver's matrimonial life was blissful, proffering Natalie would be ill-advised.
Natalie, once again...
For Oliver, Natalie's influence felt somewhat unbridled, and in merely a matter of days, his existence had undergone a radical transformation.
Irritably, he glanced upwards and barked, "Spit it out if you've got something to say; otherwise, scram."
"Strictly business!" It appeared as though Oliver wasn't seeing eye to eye with his wife!
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