Chapter 1606

Stella was the apple of her parents' eye. But life was not easy. Born and raised on a farm, Stella had folks who were too busy tending to the fields to cook up meals. Learning to whip up a meal was a survival skill that every child in her village mastered early. Lucas, who was downstairs, watched as Stella, quick and nimble, fetched a lean cut of meat from the fridge. She washed it, sliced it into fine strips, and then plucked a few fresh greens. Her skilled movements belied a novice in the kitchen. Unfortunately, Lucas had never had the chance to taste her cooking. Soon, Stella had prepared a hearty grilled chicken salad. She grabbed a large bowl, filling it to the brim. That was it—one bowl, no leftovers, not even a dressing on the side. Lucas reached out eagerly. "You barely touched your dinner. Aren't you hungry? This is a lot, I can't finish. Let's share it." But Stella ignored his outstretched hand. "Why would I cook if I'm not hungry?" Caught off guard and realizing Stella had not cooked for him, Lucas stammered and scratched his head awkwardly. "You go ahead. I'm not hungry. Don't worry about me." Lucas thought for sure that Stella could not possibly finish such a massive bowl of salad. He figured he would just eat whatever was left behind. But Stella dug in like there was no tomorrow. She wolfed down that huge bowl of grilled chicken salad, not leaving a single leaf behind. Lucas felt a knot in his stomach but kept a smile on his face. "Damn, Stella, when did you become such a pro in the kitchen? Think I'll ever get a chance to try something you've whipped up?" Stella did not even look up. After finishing the last bite, she patted her full belly. "No filming, no cameras, just eating whatever the hell I want. Feels freaking awesome!" "Stella..." "What? You got a problem with my language?" Lucas shrugged. "Who doesn't swear now and then? I just want to taste a dish made by you. Will I ever get that chance?" Stella shot back, "Mr. White, I'm just your tenant. I've paid my rent. I don't owe you a homemade meal, do I?" Back when Stella and Lucas had just tied the knot, she found that acting gigs were scarce. With more time at home, she would often cook up a meal, waiting for Lucas to come back. But he never did. Meal after meal, she would end up dumping them in the trash. Eventually, she stopped cooking altogether. "I'll learn to cook seriously and make meals for you," Lucas said. Stella brushed off his offer. "Let's get down to business now." "Alright, you lead." "I know I can't take on the Sandow family alone, but I'm not ready to give up," Stella declared. "We definitely can't let them get away with it," Lucas agreed. Stella continued, "I have evidence of their crimes. I tried to get it to the authorities before, but someone always blocked it. I'm not influential enough, so this time I asked a friend for help." Lucas grew anxious. "Which friend? A guy? A woman? Stella, I'm already handling this. You don't need to go to other men." Lucas knew Stella barely had any friends. He could not fathom who would have the clout to help her tackle the Sandow family issue. "Ronan," Stella said simply. "Ronan? Didn't he go abroad? Why would he be lurking around?" Lucas questioned. "Can't he come back from overseas?" Stella retorted. "Ronan isn't right for you, and his family would never approve of you two." "He's not right for me? And who is? You?" "Yeah, me." Stella chuckled. "I recall your family didn't approve of us either." "It never mattered whether they approved or not," Lucas countered. "What matters is what you think. If you're willing to remarry me, nobody can stop us."