Chapter 107

Teresa stepped forward to block Jonathan's path. "No way. You can't take him."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, his tone turning serious. "And why not?"

"I've already told you. I won't repeat myself. Compared to you, I have more right to care for him," Teresa said firmly.

Jonathan narrowed his eyes, clearly about to retort when Michael tugged on his sleeve. "Let's eat first!" he interjected.

"Yeah, let's eat! I'm famished," Miriam quickly added, eager to diffuse the tension. "It's late, and you two shouldn't fight in front of the kid."

Cheryl chimed in, "Jonathan, Miriam's right. Let's eat first—we're all starving!" A loud growl rumbled from her stomach.

Miriam had planned to impress everyone with her cooking skills by making fish, but it had gone disastrously wrong, leaving the meal burnt and inedible. By now, it was well past 6:30 p.m., and no one had eaten a proper meal.

Jonathan, unfazed, handed Michael to Miriam instead of Teresa. With a casual shrug, he shed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and smirked slightly. "Out of respect for you two, I'll cook."

Teresa turned away with a huff. "You don't have to make anything for me. I'm not eating."

"You better not eat then," Jonathan retorted with a sneer.

"Fine. I'm not eating," Teresa shot back. There was no way she could bring herself to eat a meal prepared by her ex-husband. It would be too humiliating after an argument.

Jonathan didn't seem bothered. He grabbed the groceries and headed for the kitchen. But as he surveyed the chaotic mess inside—burnt pots, greasy counters, and a sticky floor—he frowned deeply. 'How does a woman let her kitchen get this bad?' he wondered.

With practiced efficiency, he cleaned up and called Cheryl in to help.

Teresa stole a glance at Jonathan working in the kitchen before taking Michael to another room. She gently washed his face, carefully tidying him up, and leaned in close to whisper something. Michael's wide, innocent eyes glowed with understanding as he nodded.

"Mo—I mean, Ms. Johnston, I'm going to watch Mr. Lime cook!" Michael exclaimed.

"Hey, come back!" Teresa wanted to stop him, but Michael quickly scurried off.

Miriam, meanwhile, was starving. The smell of cooking from the kitchen was torture, and she felt like she could eat an entire feast by herself. Finally, Jonathan's braised short ribs were ready.

Unable to wait for the rest of the dishes, Miriam grabbed a few ribs and dug in enthusiastically. "Teresa, come eat! Jonathan's cooking is amazing. It's absolutely delicious," Miriam said.

She even held out a rib toward Teresa, urging her to try it, but Teresa shook her head firmly. "Take it away. I don't want it." Even though the savory aroma was tempting and stirred old memories, she refused to touch it.

Jonathan poked his head out of the kitchen and said casually, "If you're not busy, come help. Things will go faster."

"I'm coming!" Miriam said, putting down the ribs and darting toward the kitchen. Teresa, however, stayed rooted in place.

Since she wasn’t eating, there was no point in helping. Instead, she focused on looking after Michael. Hungry but stubborn, she nibbled on a couple of orange slices.

By 8:30 p.m., dinner was ready. Jonathan placed dish after dish on the table—braised short ribs, deep-fried prawns, crab cakes, mashed potatoes, sautéed asparagus, meatballs, and honey pork chops.

"Wow!" Cheryl, Miriam, and Michael couldn't help but drool at the sight. The vibrant colors, tantalizing aromas, and intricate presentation made it feel like a feast.

Jonathan dished out a small portion of each item for Michael, arranging them neatly on a plate. "This is the kid's portion—you shouldn't eat more than that," he said gently.

Michael grabbed a short rib and began gnawing on it with gusto, smacking his lips with each bite. "This is the best short rib I've ever tasted!" he exclaimed.

Cheryl and Miriam, too, couldn't wait any longer. They dove into the food eagerly, savoring every bite. Cheryl gave Jonathan a thumbs-up. "It's been forever since I've tasted your cooking! Honestly, you can be considered a top chef."

Miriam, chomping on a pork chop, laughed. "Totally agree! Back when those two were still married, I used to come over for meals all the time."

In the kitchen, Teresa stood by the counter, intending to have some gruel. However, she lifted the pot lid, only to find the oats inside were still raw. She froze for a moment.

'Darn it! Jonathan showing up threw me off, and I forgot to turn on the stove!' she cursed silently, her stomach growling as if in protest.

"Are you sure you're not eating?" Jonathan's voice broke the silence, smug and insufferable.

Teresa turned sharply and glared at him. "I said I'm not eating!"

Jonathan smirked. "Why don't you just change your last name back to Lynn?"

Teresa snapped back, "Teresa Lynn? That sounds awful. Absolutely not. Besides, I'm not even hungry," but as if on cue, her stomach let out a loud, unmistakable growl. Flustered, Teresa bent over slightly, pressing a hand against her stomach as though that might silence it.

Jonathan's gaze softened as he watched her. 'So stubborn,' he thought, sighing inwardly. 'Everything about her exudes gentleness—except that sharp tongue of hers.' "Come on, have some. We made a lot, and they can't finish it all without you," he coaxed, his tone less sharp.

"I told you, I'm not eating. Stop worrying about me," Teresa said, pretending to busy herself wiping the table.

Jonathan frowned, torn. Seeing her stubbornness left him frustrated, but the thought of her going hungry twisted something in his chest. Finally, he gave in. "I'm just kidding, all right? You're still a Johnston. Now go eat. I even made your favorite pork chop."

Teresa remained unmoved, so Jonathan sighed and wrapped his arms around her gently, pulling her into a firm embrace.

Teresa looked up, startled, her face heating as she found his face inches from hers. "What are you doing?" she whispered, her heart pounding. "This is Miriam's house."

"You're being stubborn. I had no choice," Jonathan murmured, his intense gaze holding hers.

Teresa's face flushed deeper as she squirmed in his grasp. "Are you crazy? There's a kid outside!" she hissed, pushing at his chest.

"Hello," a small, innocent voice piped up. Michael's wide eyes peered in from the doorway. "What are you guys doing?"

Hearing the boy's voice, Jonathan reluctantly released Teresa, and she quickly adjusted her clothes, her cheeks flushed. "I'm going to eat," she said hurriedly, taking Michael's hand as he pulled her toward the dining table.

"Mr. Lime, you're amazing! I've never had food this good in my whole life!" Michael exclaimed happily.

Upon hearing that, Teresa couldn't help but chuckle to herself, 'Come on, you haven't even been around that long.'

"Teresa, you're finally here! Hurry up and eat, we're almost done!" Miriam called out, letting out a satisfied burp. She handed Teresa a fork while casually cleaning her teeth with a toothpick.

Teresa scanned the table and froze. Her gaze locked on the empty plate. Her pork chop—gone, just like that.