Thinking of that, Larissa felt a little regretful for what she did. She was impulsive in setting them up. So, she didn't consider whether it was the right time to do it. "To express my apology, how about I invite you to my place for dinner tonight? We will be having stew." The mark on Marilyn's cheek had faded without a trace because of the ointment she got from the infirmary. It was Larissa's chance to turn the situation around. "Stew?" Marilyn had not tried Larissa's cooking before. Recalling her previous experience with Caldorian cuisine, she felt apprehensive. "Is it spicy?" "There are spicy and non-spicy options. You can go for the non-spicy one," Larissa replied. Marilyn agreed immediately, "Okay, I'll be there." Since she had a ride, Larissa asked Kevan to not pick her up. She did not mention to Marilyn that Lewis would also be coming. After work, Larissa walked with Marilyn, leaving Lewis behind. Both cars met up in front of Larissa's apartment building. As Lariss

Wendy had arrived home half an hour before Larissa. By now, she was already in her loungewear and watching TV, slouching on the sofa. In her arms, she held a bag of potato chips that they bought from the supermarket last night. In comparison to Kevan who was busy in the kitchen, she seemed very relaxed. Approaching Wendy with Lewis' and Marilyn's coats, Larissa kicked her under the coffee table. She hissed with displeasure, "Can't you go and help out?" Wendy winced in pain and withdrew her leg. She glared at Larissa and said through gritted teeth, "It's not like I can be of any help! Mr. Rogers came over early in the afternoon to wash the vegetables and prepare the seafood. Tell me, what else can I do?" Hearing this, Larissa glanced at the kitchen with a puzzled expression. "Then why is he still in the kitchen?" Wendy gestured towards Aster with her chin. "Ask your son!" Larissa turned her questioning gaze on Aster, who replied proudly, "Daddy is making pretzels for me!"

"Don't eat so much, you need to leave room in your stomach for the stew. I spent so much on seafood. We can't let them take advantage of us," Kevan said. His stingy attitude amused Larissa. "Mr. Rogers, you have a net worth of over a hundred million dollars. Can't you be less stingy?" she said, giving him the side eye. Kvan shrugged it off. "Well, we can't let others take advantage of us." He bent down and planted a kiss on Larissa's cheek. Giving her a cheeky smile, he whispered into her ear, "My money is only for my wife."His hot breath made Larissa blush red with embarrassment. Trying to calm down her racing heart, Larissa turned away stiffly. "Lewis and Marilyn are waiting for me to get them water."She grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and almost fled from the kitchen. Lewis and Marilyn were already seated on the sofa. Although Wendy was usually lazy at home, she was enthusiastic about hosting guests. Larissa had only left for a few minutes before Wendy had f

Wendy had gotten the stew base from a friend in Caldor. One was spicy and the other was tomato-flavored. They were both her favorites. Thus, the person who enjoyed the meal the most was Wendy herself, along with Aster who was clueless. As for the others, Kevan was fuming as he didn't get to sit next to Larissa. He had a sour expression on his face throughout dinner. Lewis was still upset with Larissa meddling in his relationships. He looked displeased and did not speak an extra word. Still, he indulged in as much seafood as he wanted. Marilyn remained quiet, probably due to her unfamiliarity with everyone or Lewis' attitude. Larissa was stuck between Lewis and Marilyn. She tried to engage in conversations with both of them, switching between one and the other. Before the meal was over, she was exhausted and regretted her choice in trying to set Lewis up. Finally, the meal was over. The food that Kevan prepared was devoured. Even the tomato stew was half gone, thou

As Kevan didn't ask her to stop, she didn't dare to stop. She felt his body leaning back. In the end, his body weight was fully leaning on her. It was clear he had fallen asleep. Larissa didn't have the heart to wake him up. He must have been exhausted preparing a feast for them the whole afternoon. It was understandable that he would be tired by now. She whispered for Aster to turn off the television. Wendy also left the living room. "You should let Mr. Rogers sleep over here tonight," Wendy said. "Yeah." Larissa had the same thought. Once they were alone in the living room, Larissa supported Kevan's back and prepared to get up from the sofa. She intended to lay him down gently on the sofa. Alas, she had hardly moved when Kevan opened his eyes. His dark eyes seemed clouded by a hazy mist. There was an unexpected charm to him being so unguarded. "Did I fall asleep?" He rubbed his forehead and sat upright. His deep voice sounded slightly hoarse, but it only added

Larissa's body stiffened. She didn't dare to move. She asked, "What … what are you doing?" Kevan wrapped an arm around her waist. His fingers tickled the soft flesh on her tummy. Larissa couldn't help but snuggle closer to Kevan to escape his fingers. Time seemed to pause at that moment. Everything became still. The only thing ringing in Larissa's ears was Kevan's heavy breathing. Her heart was in her throat. It was thumping so hard that it almost leaped out of her chest. Kevan held her tighter and rested his chin on her shoulder. His cheek brushed against her slender neck. His lips lingered on her face, leaving a trail of kisses. "What do you think I am about to do?" He nibbled on her earlobe and whispered in a low, husky voice. Larissa shivered as an electric current coursed through her body. She opened her mouth, but there was no sound. In this situation, nothing she said seemed appropriate. Kevan's patience wore thin in her silence. His hand on her waist slipped u

She found her phone on the bedside table. It was already 11:00 am. Kevan was nowhere to be found. Larissa turned on the lights. She noticed a set of clean clothes placed beside her pillow. Kevan had prepared that for her in advance. A warm feeling filled her heart. Still, the warmth vanished as she felt a soreness spreading throughout her body. In her mind, Larissa cursed, "That asshole!" She struggled to put on the clothes. Alas, the crew-neck sweatshirt was unable to hide the hickeys Kevan planted on her neck. Cursing again, she put on a thick layer of concealer to cover the red marks on her skin. When Larissa emerged, Aster was eating alone in the dining room. Kevan and Wendy were nowhere to be seen. She asked in a hoarse voice, "Where are your dad and your godmother?" "Daddy went to the study to take a call. I don't know where Godma is. I haven't seen her since I woke up," Aster replied. He asked with concern, "Mommy, are you sick? Why is your voice so hoars

The kindergarten's parent-child activities were held in the afternoon. Only a few classes were joining. Thus, there were fewer people in the kindergarten as compared to regular school days. Kevan held a bag filled with baking ingredients in one hand. He held Aster's hand in the other. Larissa was on the opposite side of Aster. She was waiting for Wendy's reply. Wendy had a day off today. Usually, she would be home all day. This time, her mysterious lover came over last night. So, she left the house early in the morning. The two of them were spending time together now. Larissa was very curious about the mysterious man who made Wendy's love life bloom. Still, she didn't want to push it since Wendy wasn't willing. The three of them would not be home for dinner tonight. So, Larissa sent a message to Wendy saying that she needed to settle dinner on her own. Of course, if Wendy wanted to bring her man along for dinner, she was more than welcome. Alas, Wendy hadn't responded

Kevan picked up a strawberry from the plate. He brought it to Larissa's lips. He gestured for her to open her mouth. Larissa wasn't used to such public displays of affection. She wanted to take the strawberry with her hand. Alas, Kevan dodged. "You can choose between me feeding you by hand or by mouth," Kevan whispered in a low tone against her ear. Larissa opened her mouth and bit into the strawberry. Kevan didn't let go. After she bit off half of the strawberry, he ate the other half. "That's really sweet." He licked the remaining juice off his lips, exuding a seductive expression. Larissa could sense the burning gazes of other people on Kevan. She felt irritated by that. Jealousy surged within her, filling the air with a sour taste. She pinched the flesh on his waist. She warned him through gritted teeth, "You better tone it down before I teach you a lesson back home!" Kevan's smile widened and he agreed in a cheerful tone. "Okay." He seemed to be in a go

Allen's words sounded a little ambiguous. "What's different? I have also come this far by learning step by step like everyone else." Larissa clarified in a hurry. She was afraid that Kevan would be offended and do something overboard. Kevan wasn't paying attention to their interactions. At this moment, he was playing a childish game with Aster. They were smearing whipped cream and flour on each other's faces. They were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Larissa took a moment to glance over. When she saw cream on them, her temples throbbed. "Excuse me," she said to Allen. Going over to the other side of the table, she pinched Aster's ear. In reality, she wanted to pinch Kevan's ear instead. However, she didn't want to embarrass him in front of everyone in the room."What are you two doing? After the competition is over, we need to go for dinner. What if the restaurant won't let us in now that your clothes are so dirty?" Larissa scolded with a frown. "Then we will f