Chapter 362: Is Tonight Alright?

The meal was incredibly harmonious. My thoughtful mother had already recognized Zoey, but perhaps to spare her discomfort, she didn't show it. She still treated Zoey like a guest. However, a keen observer would notice that tonight's dinner catered to both my and Zoey's tastes, with spicy dishes for me and lighter ones for her. The table was filled with dishes from all over the world, and Zoey didn't seem to mind.

It was Bill, on the other hand, who had a sneaky vibe about him, constantly serving food to everyone—from my mother to Carter and me, even Nicholas—before the last spare rib finally reached Zoey's plate. He appeared to believe this act would go unnoticed. Nicholas was perplexed after receiving his meal.

Wait! Was this guy losing his mind? He actually came up with a devious plan to curry favor and make me uncomfortable. Nicholas found it disgusting but didn't want to appear rude, being a cultured man. Internally, he cursed Bill for his malicious methods. I watched as Nicholas quietly pushed the ginger Bill had placed on his plate aside.

Carter, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of the drama, focusing only on serving me. My mom served me a piece of food and then repeated the action for Zoey. "Janice, don't be shy here; just treat it like home," she said. Zoey, slightly more at ease, nodded enthusiastically. "Okay."

Bill stood up and said, "The soup's still simmering in the kitchen. Let me bring it out." He walked around serving soup to everyone, but Nicholas quickly pulled back his bowl. "Thanks, I'm good," he said. Then, Nicholas served my mother some vegetables. "Philippa, you haven't had much vegetable lately. You need to maintain a balanced diet," he said.

Bill rushed to serve Zoey soup, joining the battle. "She's not a rabbit and doesn't need to eat so many vegetables. Eat some fish to get protein," he retorted. Nicholas countered, "Eat the marrow, for calcium." Bill fired back, "Eat pork liver, for iron." My mother was speechless. Her plate was overflowing with food.

Chapter 363: Is Tonight Alright?

I was overcome with complicated feelings; when men acted childish, it was like dealing with a three-year-old. Zoey had a small smile on her face. It was nice. Mom had finally emerged from the dark place she'd been in.