Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 272

Chapter 272: 272-The Other Side Of My Stepfather

Helanie:

I had cooked so much food, and probably that’s why everyone was wondering what the occasion might be. Butter chicken, lemon chicken piccata, braised short ribs, and more dishes, along with salads, pavlova, and a creamy fruit bowl for dessert.

Emmet tasted the filet mignon first, and the way he closed his eyes to savor the flavor felt like a small victory to me.

Then he took a bite of the aglio olio pasta, and once again, he closed his eyes and let out a louder-than-expected moan.

“Mmmmmm!”

Everyone turned their heads toward him.

“This is so good,” he said with his mouth full.

Mr. McQuoid quickly grabbed some food and started nodding his head nonstop. My mother noticed their reactions and picked up a fork. Her response was even more surprising. She looked shocked.

“Seems like the chef has finally learned how to cook,” my mother commented, unable to hold back her praise.

Maximus pointed to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet and not reveal the truth just yet.

Maximus and Kaye obviously enjoyed the food since they were there when I was cooking. Slowly, their eyes turned toward Norman, who wasn’t paying much attention to what he was eating.

He had a file open right next to his plate, and he was engrossed in it. His fork reached his mouth as he absentmindedly took a bite. It was almost as if he froze for a moment. He stared at the fork and then at the food on his plate.

He started chewing more carefully now. He took another bite, and his eyes slowly closed.

“Ummm,” he murmured, frowning slightly.

He reached for the aglio olio next, then tried the other dishes. Soon, he filled his plate with a little bit of everything.

“Mrs. White cooked this food?” Norman asked, looking up at Maximus.

“Yeah,” Maximus lied.

Mrs. White was an elderly maid who had been with the family for years. She was mostly assigned to work in the kitchen alongside the other chefs. She was probably in her mid-seventies and had a deep love for cooking.

“Okay, someone should tell her this is amazing, so much so that I might end up eating her fingers too,” Norman said. For someone terrible at giving compliments, he definitely meant it as praise.

“That would be odd,” Kaye remarked. “By the way, Mrs. White didn’t cook.”

Norman looked up, waiting for his brother to explain. “Helanie did,” Maximus revealed, and Norman’s expression changed instantly.

“Ahem!” Norman coughed, grabbing his glass of water. “Why did she cook?” he asked, directing the question to no one in particular.

“Because I asked her to,” Maximus replied casually, enjoying his meal.

“Oh! Well, it’s… umm… delicious,” Norman said, not even glancing in my direction as he complimented the food. I couldn’t help but think he saw me as an enemy, like a child would after an argument. He was so awkwardly weird. At least he was eating now.

“How is it, Ursula?” Lord McQuoid suddenly asked my mother.

I had guessed my mother might have told Lord McQuoid that she didn’t want to talk to me, which is probably why no one reacted to her ignoring me earlier. But this time, Lord McQuoid pulled her right into the conversation.

She uncomfortably swallowed her food and gave a small nod. “It’s good,” she said quietly. Her voice was low, and her eyes stayed fixed on her plate. “I didn’t know she—hmm,” she started but stopped herself, focusing on her food. She still refused to look up.

“Helanie, you keep impressing me with your skills. When you first came here, you seemed clueless. But watching you grow makes me proud of you,” Lord McQuoid said.

Those were the words my mother should have said, but instead, she just kept eating.

“Thank you so much. Your sons helped a lot too,” I replied, which made Emmet and Norman look up. I didn’t want to put Maximus or Kaye in a tough spot, but I was just acknowledging the chaos they created while helping me in the kitchen.

“They’re not just my sons; they’re your stepbrothers too. You’re part of our family now,” Lord McQuoid added warmly. Though he meant it kindly, somehow, that simple statement made us all feel a bit awkward.

“Yeah, we did. I was so cool, Dad,” Maximus joked, using a playful tone.

“I was the one doing most of the work, though,” Kaye complained.

“Really? These two?” Lord McQuoid teased, making everyone laugh. Emmet cracked a small smile, but Norman just kept chewing like a bull, glaring at me.

I looked at him and then quickly looked away, feeling just as awkward as he seemed.

“You should tell Kesha this to impress him,” Lord McQuoid said. The moment he mentioned her name, I noticed Kaye glance at me, almost panicking.

“Umm, no! I was thinking about… umm… taking a break from that topic,” Kaye stammered, and his response left everyone staring at him. His father looked personally offended.

“What do you mean by that, Kaye? You’re not suggesting something foolish, are you? You’ve craved attention your whole life, and now that you’re finally getting it, you want to throw it all away?”

I hadn’t expected Lord McQuoid to react so harshly. His sweet and understanding demeanor shifted the moment Kaye shared his thoughts.

I was surprised and confused by Kaye’s response too. Why? Did he not want to choose Kesha anymore? Had he used her like he once claimed he would?

If Kaye thought he could try with me again, he was wrong. I knew he was my mate, but I had vowed never to accept him until I had my revenge.

“Dad, you didn’t even let him finish,” Norman said firmly, putting his fork down with a deliberate clatter to divert their father’s sharp glare away from Kaye. Kaye looked deeply uncomfortable now.

“Did you not hear what he was saying?” Lord McQuoid asked, his tone filled with disappointment.

His behavior left me stunned. A few minutes ago, I had wished my mother would be more like him. Now, I realized it was better not to have someone who controlled your life to the point of airing your insecurities in front of everyone.

Kaye’s confidence seemed to sink entirely. I hadn’t known that his father’s attention only came after he chose Kesha. That reflected poorly on Lord McQuoid.

“He’s an adult. He can make decisions for himself. I’d suggest you watch your tone next time,” Norman said, casually scolding his father. I was taken aback by his boldness. Lord McQuoid clenched his fists, his anger evident, but my mother gently placed her hand over his to calm him down.

“I was just joking,” Kaye said softly, almost inaudibly.