Chapter 58
Aaron hid a knowing smile as he pulled Katherine away to the dining stool around the corner. "Sit, you are my guest for today," he helped her sit on the stool gently, then turned, "I’ll do the cooking tonight," he said, walking to the cabinet.
And Katherine raised a shocked eyebrow, arms crossing slowly, looking at him skeptically. Katherine thought she would be able to move away from his hooded gaze earlier by saying she’d do the dinner, but here was Aaron saying he’d do it.
Aaron and cooking weren’t in the sa line.
Aaron doesn’t cook, he doesn’t know how to and can’t do it—she was even shocked a day ago about him cooking.
Aaron had been shocking her with so different shades of him.
"Years ago, that ti you used a stove, you nearly set off an alarm," she reminded him—the horrible past of Aaron nearly setting the mansion on fire—and he chuckled fondly at the mory.
Katherine rolled her eyes ridiculously, grabbing the juice cup on the counter. "And aren’t you the one oil was splattering on a day ago?"
Aaron grinned boyishly, completely unbothered. "A dramatic exaggeration, Your Honor."
Aaron’s laughter rumbled through the kitchen as he opened the fridge, pulling out vegetables he needed onto the counter. "It was just a minor mistake," he said with a wink. "Besides, I’ve been learning."
He sounded too confident, and that alone made her suspicious. "Learning? Since when?" she asked, sipping her tea as she leaned her hip against the counter, watching him with narrowed eyes.
Aaron didn’t respond. Instead, he put on a plain black apron and turned to the cutting board, washed his hands and rinsed the vegetables, then started chopping them with a surprisingly steady rhythm.
The twins ca out of their room already changed out of their clothes into new pyjamas. And Jasmine popped her head through the small window that was connecting the living room to the kitchen, cheering Aaron as he stirred the pot.
"Uncle Piano is cooking?" Jasmine asked in shock, looking at Aaron.
"Yes," Aaron responded, nodding his head while flashing her a grin.
"Woah! I can’t wait to eat your cooking," she said, her laughter bubbling from the other side.
Hanith joined her quietly, peering through the window. Katherine didn’t miss the way both kids leaned forward curiously, watching their father slice, stir, and mix with actual effort.
Aaron caught Katherine watching what he’d been doing. "I watched videos, okay? I’ve practiced," he said to reassure her that he knew what he was doing. The little faint burnt mark under his sleeve was proof of his diligence.
"Like Uncle Mathew does!" Jasmine added with a wide grin, her little hands folded under her chin dramatically.
Katherine’s brow arched as she looked at Aaron slowly, her eyes twinkling. "So that was what pushed you into cooking?"
Aaron let out a short laugh. "Maybe after I saw Mathew cook for you and the kids and... yeah. I wanted to do more. Be more."
Aaron went back to stirring the pasta sauce, tossing the flakes of flour in it for more aroma. The sll filled the room—a shockingly delicious blend of cream, garlic, and sothing else Katherine couldn’t place but didn’t hate. He plated everything himself, even wiped the table clean and laid out cutlery with odd precision.
"Dinner’s ready," he called out.
The twins scrambled to the table, dragging their chairs as Jasmine climbed in, already sniffing loudly and dramatically like she couldn’t wait to devour the food. "Slls good," she grinned, bouncing on her seat.
Hanith waited patiently, his eyes wide as he stared at the food in front of him. Spaghetti and chicken Alfredo.
Aaron watched nervously as he waited for them. He held his breath watching them take a bite.
And imdiately, Jasmine’s eyes lit up. "It’s better than Uncle Mathew’s!" she blurted out with glee, clapping her hands together.
Katherine nearly choked on her food. "You’re impossible," she muttered, shaking her head. "You change sides depending on the food."
"But don’t tell Uncle Mathew!" Jasmine grinned, already stuffing another bite in her mouth.
Aaron didn’t even try to hide his smirk. He leaned back with a proud glint in his eye—pride swelling up in him. Finally, he won the kids with food now. It felt warm, and it felt oddly... right.
He had been trying. Ever since that night Mathew cooked, that gnawing jealousy inside him had stayed. It wasn’t just the food—it was the comfort Mathew brought with it, the natural way he seed to fit into their routine. Aaron had felt like an outsider.
But now—now he had done sothing too. His kids were eating his food. They were happy. And Katherine was right there at the sa table, quietly chewing, sneaking a glance at him now and then.
Katherine tried to act unfazed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. She kept eating, quietly watching how Aaron helped Hanith wipe a bit of sauce from his chin, how Jasmine bobbed her head happily as she chewed.
After dinner, the twins washed their hands and ran off to their rooms—claiming they wanted to explore their rooms and beds properly tonight. Their laughter echoed faintly as their doors closed.
Katherine was standing by the sink, rinsing a cup when Aaron appeared beside her with a soft smile. "Hey."
She whipped her head and looked at him with a little smile. Aaron went to the jug and poured the tea into the mug. He handed it to her.
And Katherine accepted, inhaled the aroma—it slt nice—and took a sip, just like how she liked it. No sugar.
Aaron pushed her towards the balcony, his hands gently placed on her lower back. He couldn’t help but notice how she jolted in his arms, and Katherine followed silently.
The night air was cool but not cold. The city was quieter, and the buzz of traffic distant. Aaron leaned against the railing, eyes tracing the dark sky which was filled with stars.
Katherine stood beside him, hands gently wrapped around the mug and sipping slowly.
"You really cooked," she said. Her voice was light, carried with the wind, starting a new conversation in the silent night. She couldn’t help how her heart was thrumming in her chest.
"And I learned," Aaron responded. His voice was calm, then a pregnant pause before he added softly, barely above a whisper, "For you."
Katherine turned her head to face him, eyes searching. She wasn’t smiling, but her gaze was soft. "You don’t have to be better than Mathew," she said after a mont. "You never had to compete."
Aaron gripped the rail of the balcony tightly at her response and felt his heart skip.
"But you’re trying," she continued. "And you’re trying for us. And that... ans sothing."
Aaron let out a breath. A small, honest smile played at the corners of his lips. "That’s all I wanted," he said. "To an sothing again."
Katherine looked away—but not in rejection. She just didn’t want him to see how her cheeks were red in fluster. Her chest heaved at his words. She took a sip of the warm tea, leaning on the rail as her lashes fluttered, making the sky look blurry.
She loved this night—so peaceful and serene.
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