When fate plays its hand

Chapter 0740

+25 BONUS

Mindy only asked Miranda to contact Sam because the two of them already knew each other.

Back when Lionel’s wallet was stolen at the train station, Miranda had introduced Sam to them. She called him “Mr. Cooper” and explained that he was a friend. Later, Sam had even thoughtfully dropped them off at their building.

Mindy had a good impression of Sam from that encounter. So when she learned of his identity the day before, she couldn’t help but marvel at how fate had a way of connecting people.

Miranda simply nodded. “Okay.”

Sam slept in until nine that morning, and the hangover was unpleasant.

He hadn’t indulged in heavy drinking for over half a year. While he hadn’t completely abstained from alcohol, he hadn’t gotten as drunk as he had the previous night in a long time.

After getting up and taking a shower, he called room service to order breakfast. Once he finished eating, he started working. Before he realized it, two hours had passed.

He was just about to stretch his legs when his phone rang. Seeing Miranda’s caller ID on the screen made his heart leap. He quickly grabbed the phone and answered.

“Mi-”

“Sam, come over for lunch at our place,” Miranda interrupted.

That single “Sam” stopped him in his tracks. For a moment, he was silent. Then, he replied, “Alright.”

“Noon, sharp.”

“Okay.”

After ending the call, Miranda put her phone down and headed to the kitchen to help. Lionel took charge of cooking, while she assisted him.

Mindy, catching the familiar scent of her favorite dishes, couldn’t resist wandering into the kitchen. Seeing that Lionel had bought her favorite fish filet, her eyes lit up.

“It smells amazing… You didn’t add rosemary, did you?”

Lionel shook his head. “Nope. Everything’s made just how you like it. Go sit down; lunch is almost ready.”

Satisfied that there was nothing for her to help with, Mindy returned to the living room to chat with Aren and Fiona, Nelly sat to the side, occasionally interjecting, though the elders didn’t seem interested in her topics and kept their attention on Mindy.

Eventually, Nelly stopped trying. Her nails were digging into her palms, but she didn’t seem to feel any pain.

+25 BONUS

Chapter 0740

At noon, Sam arrived at the villa.

“Sam’s here!” Mindy stood up to greet him warmly. Fiona’s face lit up with a smile as well.

Sam entered, greeting, “Grandma, Aunt Minnie…”

Then his eyes fell on Nelly, sitting stiffly on the couch. He froze for a moment before addressing her. “Mom.”

“Hmm,” Nelly replied coolly, her tone making it clear she was in a foul mood. Sam furrowed his brow but ultimately said nothing.

Soon, dish after dish was brought to the table, filling it completely. Lionel had prepared dishes Mindy and Miranda loved, along with ones he had learned from Mindy that Aren and Fiona enjoyed.

Everything was cooked with minimal oil and salt to accommodate Fiona’s health, with a lighter flavor profile. Yet even with these constraints, the dishes looked vibrant and appetizing, making everyone’s mouths water.

“I didn’t have much time, so this is all I could manage. Please make do,” Lionel said while removing his apron and setting it aside.

Seeing the sweat on his forehead, Mindy felt a pang of sympathy. She quickly grabbed a plate and cutlery for him and even got him some soup. Watching this, Nelly couldn’t help but feel a fleeting pang of envy.

Timothy had never cooked for her–not once. He didn’t even know her likes and dislikes when it came to food Lionel, on the other hand…

However, Nelly snapped out of it, feeling absurd for even entertaining such thoughts.

How could she compare Timothy to Lionel? Lionel was just a regular teacher–what right did he have to be mentioned in the same breath as Timothy?

Any man who spent so much time in the kitchen clearly wasn’t capable of achieving greater things.

How ridiculous.

“Try this pork rib dish,” Mindy said with a bright smile. “It’s Lionel’s specialty.”

Nelly smiled faintly and nodded. “It’s delicious. My brother–in–law is quite talented in the kitchen.”

Mindy’s smile grew even more radiant. “He wasn’t always this good. When we first got married, neither of us could cook. I didn’t want to learn, and he said he would. And once he started, he’s been cooking ever since. It’s

now been decades since.”