Chapter 544 Who's Making the Moves?
Natalie sighed, finding it harder to have Oliver "help" than to do everything herself. It was written all over her face: letting him help was a mistake.
"So why did you agree to let me come in here, then?"
"I was worried you'd pick a fight with Lucas outside."
Oliver's face turned to stone. Him? Picking fights with Lucas? As if Lucas wasn't the one starting them!
"Natalie, don't think for a second that your brother is an easy target," he retorted. Like a tiger ready to pounce !
Natalie, all righteousness and a touch of pride, shot back, "Of course, my brother's not easy to push around."
If it weren't for the fear that Natalie couldn't handle the truth about Lucas's shady organization, he was itching to rip off Lucas's good brother facade!
Natalie decided not to ask Oliver for help anymore and went to fetch the butter from the fridge herself. Just two steps in, her foot slipped, sending her lurching backward.
"Ah—"
Her shriek cut through the air as she saw the sharp edge of the countertop out of the corner of her eye... But instead of the anticipated pain, she found herself in the embrace of strong arms, the scent of fresh pine all around her.
"Turns out, you're rather easy to tease," Oliver's voice floated down. "I'm not totally useless, at least I can protect you."
Those words were laced with an indescribable sentiment.
Natalie, her heart still racing, felt her ears heat up as she quickly steadied herself. Only then did she notice a puddle on the floor, unsure if it was her doing while washing vegetables or Oliver's.
"Who's playing damsel here?" Natalie pushed him away and got back to cooking.
"Could it be me?" A quick flash of amusement sparkled in Oliver's eyes as he finally got a reaction out of Natalie.
She didn't blush easily, but the glow of her ears was unmistakable.
Oliver's fingers moved through the air, mimicking the way they had circled Natalie's slender waist. After a moment, he looked around and spotted a mop in the corner. He grabbed it and started cleaning up the puddle, a comical sight given his unfamiliarity with the task. God, his heart had almost skipped a beat when he saw Natalie about to fall.
Natalie snapped back to reality and couldn't believe her eyes. Mr. Windsor, of all people, was mopping the floor, an awkward yet amusing sight. That puddle was the one that had almost tripped her...
A flicker of emotion passed through Natalie's heart, soon dismissed.
" Get out! Stop making a mess here!" Natalie commanded and pushed Oliver out of the kitchen.
"Aren't you afraid I'll go beat up Lucas?" Oliver jested, unmoved by Natalie's feeble shove.
She scoffed, "If you dare lay a hand on my brother, you won't get anything to eat!"
When Natalie asked Lucas to serve the dishes, he was so touched he could've cried. Inside, he felt tormented, these three were close to killing his interest in gaming! His gaming sessions were filled with frustrations.
Mia, Ethan, Cadence, and Barrett were tasting Natalie’s cooking for the first time. Coming from well-off families, they'd had their fair share of exotic delicacies. They didn’t expect much—just something edible was fine, definitely a step up from their own undercooked and sometimes burnt attempts.
But the food was unexpectedly delicious!
Every dish was devoured completely, leaving nothing behind. Barrett even took to social media to flaunt the culinary victory.
“Mr. Windsor, I'm terribly envious!” Ethan said, patting his full belly with a look of admiration.
Ethan had always been keen on keeping things clear-cut. His envy didn’t need specifics; Oliver would catch the drift.
Ethan had seen Oliver helping Natalie in the kitchen that afternoon—a sight not lost on him. If Oliver had really cut ties with Natalie as rumors suggested, would he have spent that much time in the kitchen?
Plus, Mr. Windsor’s gaze upon their arrival was like that of a wolf eyeing its prey.
Anyone with half a brain could see there was something complicated between Oliver and Natalie. Saying what Oliver wanted to hear was key, and fortunately for Ethan, Natalie's good nature and composure meant no awkward blunders would be held against him, an outsider.
Cooking was an affair that the young masters and mistresses handled themselves, though cleanup was left for the staff.
After the meal, everyone lounged in the courtyard outside, enjoying the fresh air and scenic views.
The estate was not far from the river.
"Just sitting here is kinda boring. How about... we play Truth or Dare?" Mia suggested, her youthful spirit undiminished despite being married.
Her voice faltered when her eyes met Oliver's, and she sheepishly proposed, "Just truth, no dare—sounds good?"
Who would have the guts to challenge Oliver to a dare?
"So, this is basically a gossip fest in disguise?" Lilian asked, clearly intrigued.
"Exactly!"
"Let's do it!"
Ethan well accepted the game with grace.
Barrett and Cadence were both game for some fun, so they naturally agreed.
Cadence recalled how she had almost used the game as an excuse to kiss Oliver and silently thanked the heavens that Mia had scrapped the Dare part.
Focusing on gossip is so much better!
"Lucas, you're in too, right?" Lilian's eyes sparkled as she turned towards Lucas.
Lucas deadpanned a no, "That stuff is years old."
"What? You're not playing?" Lilian puffed up with indignation, giving Lucas a look of unrelenting interest mixed with a touch of sulking.
Lucas softened at Lilian's look of eager disappointment, finding the word "no" stuck in his throat. It felt like a cardinal sin to refuse.
Finally, he begrudgingly uttered one word: “Fine.”
Lilian giggled with satisfaction. "Natalie, you're playing too, right?"
Though not really interested, Natalie didn't want to ruin the vibe and agreed.
"What about Oliver?" Lilian asked.
Oliver thought the game was for nitwits and was less inclined to join than Lucas. But seeing Natalie in, he uncharacteristically nodded before he realized it.
"Do you mind if a few more join?" Leonard approached with Susan in tow, along with Sharon and Carter.
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