Chapter 6 Poison

Frederick stopped teasing her. "No worries, I get a housing allowance from work, so rent's not really a problem."

Hearing this, relief washing through her.

"Your company's benefits are seriously good.”

Just then, His phone buzzed.

It was his assistant, reminding him about an important business cocktail party.

After hanging up, Frederick pulled a card from his wallet.

"Here's five hundred grand for the bride price. I've got some business to handle, so I need to head out."

Xandra took the card,Her fingers tightened slightly.

He had just paid the bride price. She felt she should give something back, but right now she had nothing to give.

She decided would wait wait until she saved some money.

"Take my number. Call me if you need anything."

Frederick recited his phone number.

Xandra saved it immediately and called back to confirm.

"This is my number."

Frederick glanced at the screen, nodded once, and left.

As the door clicked shut, Xandra stood alone in the unfamiliar apartment, biting the inside of her lip.

Was this really where her new life would start?

Mixed feelings churned inside her, relief, uncertainty, a quiet ache.

She steadied herself and walked into the master bedroom.

The master bedroom was a suite, decorated in black, white, and gray, exuding a sense of cold elegance, much like its owner.

She hesitated for a moment, then decided against moving her luggage in yet. She pushed it into the guest room instead.

"Mommy, it's kind of small here."

"Mommy, how are we going to live here?"

The three little ones, after exploring the rooms, ran to Xandra.

They were used to a big house with a backyard and pool.

Xandra knelt, softening her voice. “We’ll live just like before. Chuck gets one room. Beth and Maggie share.”

"Oh, so Mommy will share a room with Mr. Flores?"

Faced with her daughter's bright eyes, Xandra felt a bit awkward.

She changed the subject, "When Mommy makes some money, I'll buy you a bigger house."

"Making money is a man's job."

Charles asked, face stern for a six-year-old.

He already regretted letting Mommy marry Raymond. He seemed broke and couldn’t support her.

It looked like he would have to make money to support Mommy in the future!

"Men and women are equal, don't be so chauvinistic."

Xandra ruffled Charles's hair with a small smile.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

"Mommy, me too."

Beth and Maggie rubbed their tummies.

Xandra’s smile flickered. “Mommy will check the fridge and make something delicious.”

The two little girls quickly looked at Charles and shook their heads vigorously.

Charles’s normally blank face cracked.

"Mommy, how about we order takeout?"

Mommy's cooking... was not something they were eager to eat!

They didn't want to eat the dark cuisine!

"Takeout is expensive. Mommy needs to save money for your schooling."

The kids fell silent.

They didn't want to go to school!

They wanted takeout!

At The Chef's Loft, a private dining restaurant.

Frederick was in a private room, chatting with some clients.

His phone rang on the table.

Frederick picked it up casually, "Who is this?"

"Mr. Flores, it's Maggie."

A small, tearful voice came through the phone.

Frederick's brow furrowed instinctively, and he stood up, walking out of the room.

"Maggie, why are you crying? Tell me, who bullied you?"

"It's Mommy, she..."

Xandra?

Frederick was surprised, "Did your Mommy hit you?"

"I'm afraid to say."

Afraid to say?

Xandra seemed so gentle and kind, could she be mistreating the kids behind closed doors?

Frederick's face darkened, "Maggie, don't be scared. Tell me what happened. I'll back you up."

"Mr. Flores, we're going to be poisoned by Mommy! Ugh!"

Frederick's face turned serious. "Your Mommy is poisoning you?"

"Mommy won't order takeout. She made us some awful food that tastes like poison!"

Frederick fell silent, trying to process the situation.

Back at Riverside Estates, in the kitchen.

Xandra had no idea her daughter had tattled on her.

She looked at the mess on the marble countertop, feeling a headache coming on.

She had been pampered by her parents growing up and never had to cook, a typical rich girl who didn't do housework.

But after her parents' accident, she tried cooking a few times, but she was probably just a domestic disaster, with no talent for cooking at all.

She had followed the cooking tutorial video, but the dishes she made were simply awful.

Xandra sighed, picking up a plate of charred BBQ ribs and dumping it into the trash.

She had wanted to make a plate of sweet and smoky ribs, but they turned out overly sweet and burnt.

And the cheddar cheese scrambled eggs she tried to make were so salty and bitter, it was like salt and pepper had a party in the pan and forgot to invite flavor.

Even the simplest sautéed spinach with garlic had unwashed grit in the leaves!

She was truly a kitchen disaster!

Xandra frowned, swallowing the bitterness in her mouth, and quickly dumped all the dishes into the trash.

The kids were still hungry, so it seemed she had no choice but to order takeout.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Xandra, wiping her hands in the kitchen, called out, “Chuck, go see who it is.”

In the living room the three sat on the couch.

Hearing the doorbell, Elizabeth and Margaret eyes lit up.

"Chuck, it must be Mr. Flores sending food!"

"Yes, Chuck, go open the door!"

Charles dragged a chair over, climbed up, peered through the peephole.

It was Frederick's assistant, Aiden Wood, holding two large bags.

They had met him at the Russell Group Building that morning, so Charles recognized him.

He climbed down from the chair and opened the door.

"Hello, sir."

Aiden, seeing the three kids again, felt a complicated pang.

He hadn't expected his boss to marry a stranger so quickly, and the bride was a single mom with three kids!

But the kids were so adorable that he couldn't help but want to take one home.

They had definitely won points for the new Mrs. Russell.

"You're Chuck, and you two are Beth and Maggie, right?"

Aiden greeted the kids.

"Yes, sir."

Margaret replied.

Aiden replied gently, "I'm Aiden Wood, a friend of Mr. Flores. He's busy with clients, so he asked me to bring you some food."

Frederick had ordered some dishes from The Chef's Loft and asked Aiden to buy some snacks for the kids, instructing him not to reveal his identity and to say he was a friend.

Aiden didn't know what Frederick was planning, but he followed orders.

"Wow, so much good food!"

Elizabeth and Margaret's eyes lit up at the sight of the food.

"Please come in."

Charles, trying to act mature, invited Aiden in with a serious face.

"Chuck, who is it?"

Xandra poked her head out from the kitchen.

"Mommy, Mr. Flores's friend brought us some food," Charles said.

She quickly dried her hands and came out.

"Hello, I'm Xandra Cavendish."

Aiden’s first thought was that she was strikingly beautiful.

Was his boss's sudden marriage driven by attraction?

He quickly greeted her, "Hello, I'm Aiden Wood. Mr. Russell is busy, so he asked me to bring you some food."

The name “Mr. Russell” made Xandra’s eyes flash with confusion.

"Mr. Russell?"

Was he referring to the head of the Russell Group?

Did that Mr. Russell send the food?