er tongue, an explosion of horrible flavor blasted straight to her brain.
What the heck was this?!
Cordelia couldn’t even swallow it. She rushed to the trash can and spat it out.
“Ugh! Why does this turducken taste so weird? Why is it so sour and salty? And the edges even taste burnt…
“Norma! I followed your recipe exactly. How did this happen?”
Norma quietly wiped cold sweat from her forehead as she whispered.
“I think you confused the sauces and mistakenly added some vinegar. You also added salt several more times.”
Cordelia froze on the spot, looking dumbfounded.
Declan finally couldn’t hold it in. He turned away, laughing.
The servants also covered their mouths, stifling giggles.
Cordelia felt utterly defeated.
“I spent hours on this, and it turned out like this?!”
Just then, she noticed Declan was laughing so hard his ears had turned red.
Her anger quickly gave way to surprise,
“Declan, you actually laughed?”
She stepped up to Declan and studied him. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen you laugh.”
Declan held his breath as her face suddenly drew close. He forgot entirely how to keep laughing.
The next second, Cordelia reached out and pinched his cheeks.
“Declan, you really should laugh more. You look way younger when you smile. Otherwise, with that stiff face, you just look like some grumpy old man.”
Before Declan could process her words, he spotted several fresh blisters on Cordelia’s arm.
“You’re hurt?”
Cordelia glanced at her own arm. “Yeah, when I cooked earlier, the oil splashed up.”
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Chapter 22
Without a word, he turned and strode toward the living room.
She soon saw Declan crouching in front of a drawer, searching for something.
Cordelia walked closer, only to find him pulling out a medical kit.
“It’s just a few little blisters. They’ll fade soon.”
Cordelia was about to run off to Norma for another lesson.
But Declan stopped her.
“Don’t move.”
The man’s usual distant voice now carried a commanding edge that allowed no refusal.
It made Cordelia’s heart flutter nervously.
She stood quietly as Declan took out cotton swabs and ointment, tending to her wound with meticulous care.
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And suddenly, she remembered back in high school during a sports test, when she twisted her ankle while running.
Declan had treated her then, too, eyes dark with annoyance, but his hands just as gentle.
“Be careful not to get it wet when you shower tonight.”
For some reason, that simple line landed in Cordelia’s ears with an oddly intimate weight.
Her heart pounded wildly.
Just then, Conrad pushed open the door and walked into the living room, only to see his parents gazing at each other intently.
He gaped at them, looking shocked.
Conrad spun around abruptly, nearly knocking Elton over with his water glass.
Elton scratched his head, puzzled, as his brother stormed back into the room.
Once Declan finished treating her wound, he told her, “Stop moving around. If we’re cooking again, I’ll handle the heating part. You just help on the side.”
Cordelia knew she hadn’t fully mastered cooking skills yet, so she didn’t argue.
This time, Declan took the lead.
After hearing Norma go over the steps once, he began smoothly, methodically, with none of the frantic mess Cordelia had made earlier.
Cordelia stood to the side, deeply impressed.
“Declan, you seem to be good at everything.
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Chapter 22
“It’s like… nothing can ever stump you.”
She wasn’t flattering him.
Since childhood, Declan has always displayed extraordinary control, whether in academics or sports.
Cordelia had even been jealous of him for that before.
Declan’s brows furrowed slightly. In a voice barely audible, he said, “Not everything.”
Cordelia froze. “What did you just say?”
Declan explained, “I’m not good at everything.”
When it came to marriage, love, family, and children, he had made such a mess.
Though at forty, he still didn’t know how to get along with Cordelia.
Cordelia didn’t know what Declan was thinking.
She only thought he was being modest.
An hour later, the turducken was finally finished.
This time, with Declan taking the lead, the dish looked far better than the earlier disaster in every way.
Cordelia eagerly picked up a piece.
“Let me see what kind of results a straight–A student can get in the kitchen.”
The moment the turducken touched her tongue, Cordelia’s expression grew solemn.
Even the usually composed Declan looked a little tense.
“How is it?”
Cordelia slapped the fork onto the table in frustration.
“What the heck? How is this possible?
“It’s the same dish. How come your cooking tastes so amazing while mine is unbearably awful?!”
Declan just silently watched her throw a tantrum.
His eyes were full of tenderness.
When Cordelia ate, she liked to puff food up in her cheeks.
As she chewed, she looked like a hamster.
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