"Mr. Grant, are you sure the vegetables are clean enough?" Valerie asked.

Matthew looked up, puzzled, as Valerie picked up a leaf of lettuce. She casually removed two leaves and pointed out a speck of mud clinging to the stem.

Matthew's eyebrows twitched slightly, a realization dawning on him. Washing lettuce, it turned out, involved more than a quick rinse; he needed to separate the leaves.

Valerie suppressed a smile. It was clear that Matthew was out of his depth with everyday chores. Even five-year-old Aiden knew to separate the leaves for thorough cleaning.

However, she chose her words carefully, not wanting to embarrass him. "You know, greenhouse-grown vegetables tend to be cleaner. These must be from a local farm—they were organic and natural, which is great! But they do need a thorough wash, Mr. Grant."

"Okay," Matthew responded calmly, returning the vegetables to the sink for a more detailed cleaning. Internally, he marveled at the complexities of cooking.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"It might be Julian and Ashley," Valerie said, setting down her spatula and heading to the door. As she expected, Julian, Ashley, and Aiden were waiting.

"Julian, Ashley, welcome! Why didn't you let me know you were arriving? I would have started cooking earlier. I've only got two dishes ready."

Julian smiled. "We didn't come just for the meal. I left the shop with my assistant today, so we thought we'd drop by early. Aiden's been missing you."

"Auntie Valerie!" Aiden called softly.

Valerie crouched down, and Aiden leaped into her arms. She ruffled his hair affectionately and said, "Aiden, you're such a good boy!"

As Valerie stood, she locked eyes with Ashley, who looked uneasy, still embarrassed about the day she had been caught speaking ill of Valerie. Ashley avoided Valerie's gaze.

Despite her displeasure over Ashley's past remarks, Valerie didn't want to stir up tension, especially in front of her brother. She smiled warmly and said, "Come on in. Don't just stand there."

Encouraged by Valerie's welcoming gesture, Ashley entered the house with Julian.

Just then, Matthew appeared from the kitchen. His deep, serious voice greeted them: "Julian, Ashley."

Julian and Ashley paused, momentarily taken aback. Julian had been quietly observing since the door opened, curious about Valerie's husband, especially given Matthew's stern appearance in their wedding photos. Despite his mental preparation, Matthew's towering height and formidable presence caught him off guard.

He murmured inwardly, "He's so tall… And his expression is so stern…" For a moment, Julian wondered if there might be a grudge between them, fearing Matthew intended to take revenge through Valerie.

But then, Julian noticed Matthew's apron. Seeing Matthew sharing in household duties softened Julian's initial judgment. He grudgingly admitted that perhaps there was more to this man than met the eye.