Rachel came out of the kitchen with the dish a full two hours later. She had never realized how exhausting cooking could be, especially when she forgot the recipe for the meatballs halfway through and had to juggle between watching online tutorials and trying to recall how her mother used to make them. Her mom’s specialty had always been meatballs. If she couldn’t recreate that exact flavor Tyler loved, then this whole meal would be pointless.
Rachel nervously brought the dish to the dining table. She glanced over at Tyler, who was still lounging on the sofa, glued to his phone. She walked over and called out to him from behind, “Dinner’s ready, Mr. Hunt.”
Tyler paused mid-text and looked toward the dining table that was now covered with a decently hearty spread. He got up slowly from the couch and came to stand in front of Rachel. He rested his hand on the armrest and leaned in just a little.
“Rachel, why does this feel a little like a trap?” he asked.
Rachel instinctively took a step back. Although her expression remained calm, her heart pounded. She forced a smile. “How could it be? You already got Oasis. My mission is complete.”
Tyler didn’t press further. He straightened up and casually replied, “Alright then. Let’s eat.”
Rachel followed him to the table while pursing her lips tightly. Her mind was already racing. That one comment from Tyler had completely blocked her next move. If she tried to bring up the favor she needed during dinner, would he get annoyed? Trying not to show it, she sat down across from him and forced herself to get it together. There was no turning back now. She’d just have to go with the flow.
She picked up a meatball with her fork and placed it on Tyler’s plate. “Try it. I can’t promise it tastes exactly like how my mom made it, though.”
If she had known sooner how much Tyler liked this dish, she would’ve practiced ahead of time. The way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, after all.
Tyler picked up the meatball and took a bite. Rachel stared at him anxiously. It felt like her heart was being squeezed. She could barely breathe. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Well? Is it good?”
Honestly, she hadn’t even felt this nervous when signing contracts. Tyler wasn’t saying anything. His expression kept shifting from a slight frown one moment to chewing with mild interest the next. Every second felt like an eternity until Rachel finally blurted out, “Can you just give me a straight answer already? Is it good or not?”
“It’s alright,” Tyler replied flatly.
Rachel couldn’t believe it. She had spent all that time cooking, and all he had to say was that it tasted alright. She picked up a piece herself and took a bite. Her eyes lit up immediately.
Chapter 242 +25 BONUS
It was really good. How could he just say it was alright? But then again, he was Tyler, the “ruler” of Yurelia City. He’d probably eaten meatballs from every top kitchen in the county. If he’d been to a restaurant that served better meatballs, he wouldn’t have asked her to make this dish in the first place. Rachel comforted herself with that thought. She had worked hard on this meal. There was no way she’d admit it tasted bad.
A thought suddenly popped into her head. She set down her fork and reached out to take back the plate of meatballs from Tyler’s side. Her expression was suddenly cold. “If it doesn’t suit your taste, then I’ll eat them myself. I think they taste great.”
Just as she was about to pull the plate toward her, Tyler reached out and stopped her. His hand closed firmly around her wrist.