Chapter 53
Phoebe prided herself on her cooking skills. As she stirred the vegetables in the pan, her mind was already drifting to everyone’s compliments at the
dinner table later.
When Evelyn returned, she found her territory had been compromised. Phoebe was facing away from her.
Upon hearing footsteps, Phoebe hurriedly grabbed a nearby bottle of soy sauce, pouring it in without looking. She tossed the vegetables around briefly before plating them up.
Evelyn gave a resigned sigh. Noting it was nearly dinnertime, she grabbed some plates and utensils to set the table.
Once the kitchen was empty, Natalie quickly swapped the soy sauce bottle Phoebe had used with an identical one.
Once the dishes were set on the table, Celeste called Juliet and Yvette to sit down for dinner. James had just returned from playing basketball. He washed his hands before taking a seat.
“Hi, Mrs. Jenson, Yvette,” he greeted the two.
Juliet smiled and replied, “It has been a while, James. You’ve grown taller, haven’t you? You must be about six–foot–one by now?”
James smiled brightly, while Celeste answered, “Exactly six–one, just one inch shorter than Jasper.”
Juliet nodded. “Give him a couple of years, and he’ll catch up to Jasper soon.”
“I wonder if he can grow any taller,” Celeste said and sighed, picking up her fork. “Alright, everyone dig in. Don’t be shy.”
Juliet took her fork and picked up the dish nearest her. After taking a bite, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. “This shrimp is delicious! It’s tangy and spicy. It’s so appetizing!”
Celeste nodded after trying some herself. It was indeed refreshing, without any fishy taste. She shot an approving look at Evelyn.
Seeing the two praising the dish, the others at the table eagerly tried the shrimp and began to compliment it as well.
Evelyn hadn’t received such validation in a long time and smiled shyly. “Actually, this recipe came from Nate. I never knew shrimp could be paired with lemon and bell peppers like this.”
Natalie quickly added, “Oh, I just suggested it, but Evelyn perfected it. The right proportions for each ingredient were all figured out by Evelyn. It just goes to show that a skilled cook can make anything taste amazing.”
Evelyn felt warm at Natalie’s words. She exchanged a grateful glance with her. Natalie playfully winked back.
Juliet didn’t miss their interaction and thought that Natalie was good at winning people over. She even seemed to have won Evelyn’s heart already.
Picking at some other dishes, Juliet turned to Phoebe and asked, “Phoebe, I saw you busy in the kitchen earlier too. You must be a decent cook, right?”
“I only know how to make some basic dishes,” Phoebe replied humbly.
Juliet turned to Yvette. “You could learn a thing or two from Phoebe. She is only 18, and she is hardworking, considerate, and a good cook.”
Yvette barely looked up as she replied, “We’ve got a housekeeper at home. I don’t need to cook.”
Juliet sighed. “Well, Celeste has Evelyn here, yet Phoebe still lends a hand.”
Yvette swallowed her food and mumbled, “If I have to do everything, what’s the point of having a housekeeper?”
As soon as she said that, Evelyn tightened her grip on her fork, glancing at Celeste for her reaction. Thankfully, Celeste didn’t show any.
