She Accepted Divorce, He Panicked

124 He Cooks

Scarlett's POV

"Did you know that-"

"Sebastian! Sorry about the farce..." Ava's pitiful yet bright voice cut off my pronunciation class. I pull my wrist hard and of course this time he lets me go.

"Scarlett," Ava calls after me and I almost tremble at her voice. I take a deep breath and turn to look at her. She glances at Sebastian timidly before she hooks her fingers: "I'm sorry I made a fuss about it. I shouldn't have told you about your mom, and I hurt you. I deserve losing my room if that could make up for anything...anyways, what I'm trying to say is, welcome home."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," I mumble as I go and sit at the furthest seat.

Ava stares at me, a bit surprised. I'm not arguing with her nor trying to expose her lie out of guilt, yes. But I wouldn't have anyways even if I didn't break that doll. Like I told her in the hospital, the Fullers are HER family, and the Romeo over there is HER prince charming. I know better now than to demand "fair" from her army.

Ava lets out a "relieved sigh", turning to Sebastian with a shy smile: "Thank God you are here, or I wouldn't be forgiven so easily."

Even my silence can be her weapon of staining my name.

I look at Ava calmly, doesn't even have the urge to expose her anymore. She made the cocoon of lies herself, and the more she is trapped, the more she has to lie just to cover it up. She can make me look as bad as possible in front of these people, but in the end, it's her heart that those lies are burning a hole through, not mine.

"If you don't want fights with Scar, then just keep your distance," Sebastian says, adding when he sees Ava's pout because he is not taking her side fully today, "I will try to keep her away from you, too."

"She already-" Ava blurts, only to purse her lips, glaring at me.

She already took my room! That's Ava's line. She said half, only to realize that her complaint just might push Sebastian to work harder on "taking me home", and that was never what she wanted. She just wanted his pity and his attention.

I almost burst into laughter.

"You can sit with your dad," Sebastian pulls out the chair right next to the main seat of the long table, hinting Ava, "furthest from Scar. I think this way the dinner would be safer."

Ava gloats at me where Sebastian can't see. And with an enjoying smirk, she sits down on the seat he pulled out for her.

Isn't she tired? Controlling her facial expression to the extreme just to act in front of him AND to flash

me???

"Where are you going?" Ava grabs Sebastian's sleeve when he is not sitting down next to her, but turning to leave.

"Still like a little girl," Sebastian smiles, but I don't hear the spoiling in his tone like usual, "I'm going to help

124 He CooksCopyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

out in the kitchen."

I raise my eyebrows so high that I'm sure they have disappeared in my hair. Seriously? Sebastian Knight? Helping with dinner? He has NEVER cooked, in the five years that we were married - actually, I have never seen him cook in my whole life. That was the one skill I thought I had an upper hand against the perfect prince.

Now I see. He cooks. He just doesn't cook for me.

"Daddy..." Ava jumps up and clings to Jack Fuller's arm, hugging him tightly, "My stuff-"

"How much do you need?" Jack Fuller sees through Ava's intention, "Just give the final number when you are done redecorating."

"Thanks! Love you the most, Daddy!" Ava cheers, making a face at me from behind Jack Fuller.

As much as I hate Jack Fuller, I can't deny that I envy her. I don't want Jack Fuller to treat me fairly or shine love on me. I have given that up a decade ago.

But I can't help but wonder what my dad would be like. Would he also see through my act and spoil me when I shake my tail at him? What would that be like?

"Not that I'm jealous, but maybe not stare at an old guy with a beer belly like that?" Sebastian suddenly appears behind me. I turn to look, only to have my cheek bump into something freezing cold.

He chuckles at my reaction and puts it by my hand - a cup of ice coke.

"What's this?" I push it away with a finger, glaring at him as he pulls out the chair next to mine and sits down, "Why are you sitting here?"