Chapter 18

Sizzle— The cured pork danced in the hot oil, golden fat seeping out as the aroma of green beans filled the kitchen.

Aria Bennett flipped her wrist with practiced ease, the spatula moving deftly in her hand. In moments, a glistening dish of cured pork with braised green beans was plated. Without pause, she stir-fried a vibrant plate of mustard greens, their glossy leaves shimmering with oil.

"That smells amazing!" Audrey Lane inhaled deeply, her stomach betraying her with an audible growl.

Serena Blake stood to the side, her nails digging into her palms. Her own dishes—a fiery boiled fish and spicy chicken—sat untouched on the counter, their pools of red chili oil intimidating.

"Need any help?" Jonah Pierce peeked in, his nose twitching. "That aroma’s driving everyone in the yard crazy."

Serena forced a smile. "Aria and I just finished cooking."

"Thanks for the hard work, ladies." Jonah’s gaze flickered between two versions of Sichuan fish stew. "These are…?"

"One’s mild, the other regular spice," Aria explained smoothly. "Wesley and Audrey probably can’t handle too much heat."

At the dining table, Wesley Hart was the first to try the fish. The moment it touched his tongue, his eyes lit up. "This fish is tender as tofu, and the pickled greens are perfect!"

"Really?" Caleb Monroe eyed him skeptically before taking a bite—then promptly couldn’t stop. "Holy—this is next-level!"

Damian Cross picked up a slice of cured pork, its amber glaze catching the light. He chewed thoughtfully—then abruptly sped up, reaching for more.

"Save some for me!" Audrey nearly stood in her haste to grab another serving.

Serena’s dishes sat ignored at the far end of the table. Nolan Reed didn’t spare them a glance, too busy competing with Damian for the last piece of pork.

[LMAO the way the guys are fighting over food like starved wolves]

[Serena’s face is greener than her untouched dishes]

[Is Aria a professional chef? Look at them losing their minds]

[Who said Aria couldn’t cook? Come take your L!]

"You’re amazing, Aria," Serena said through gritted teeth, sweetness dripping from her voice. "City girls like me can’t even light a stove properly."

Aria sipped her soup leisurely. "Guess I’m just naturally good at this."

"Drop the 'guess.'" Damian’s rare smirk appeared. "You could open a restaurant with skills like this."

Aria tilted her head. "So you’ll be a regular, Damian?"

[OMG THE CHEMISTRY—]

[Since when does Damian banter?? Is the sun rising in the west??]

[Serena’s face is a whole mood ring right now]

[Okay but Aria’s charm is underrated. So genuine!]

As comments flooded the screen, Nolan suddenly placed the last slice of pork on Aria’s plate. "Eat up."

The table fell silent.

Serena’s chopsticks clattered to the floor.