Ethan looked at the table full of food—bright in color, rich in aroma, and proper home-cooked comfort food that made one's appetite surge.
These delicacies with full color and flavor instantly awakened Ethan's taste buds.
He was genuinely hungry and didn't bother being polite, so he picked up his fork and dug in heartily.
Victoria sat across from him with her cheek resting on her hand, her eyes sparkling. "How does it taste? Is it to your liking?"
While speaking, she placed another piece of the fattest salmon fillet in his bowl.
Ethan's mouth was full, and his words were muffled.
"I didn't expect Sister Vic's cooking to be this good!" The speed of his eating didn't decrease at all. Two bowls of rice disappeared in the blink of an eye, and he drank two bowls of delicious lobster bisque in a row, making satisfied "mmm" sounds.
He didn't care about appearances at all.
He was a casual person, and with his new life, he had nothing to hold back.
If he'd nibbled cautiously like others, Victoria would definitely have felt it was rude and stiff.
But seeing Ethan eating so enthusiastically, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction in her heart.
He looked unpretentious when he ate, as if he'd returned to the most relaxed home. This natural closeness warmed her heart.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to steal it from you." Victoria said this, but her hands kept adding food to his bowl.
Watching him eat like a whirlwind, she was already thinking about what new dish to make next time.
After a while.
Ethan leaned lazily back in his chair, like a satisfied cat. This appearance made Victoria laugh—at least much better than those college students who passed out after eating.
"Ethan, tell me about yourself." Victoria rested her chin on her hand, her eyes shining with curiosity.
She began counting on her slender fingers. "I knows nothing about you except your address. Where do you go to school? How old are you? What's your phone number? Instagram or Snapchat would work..."
Ethan rubbed his temples. This interrogation-style questioning made him not know whether to laugh or cry.
'If she asks any more, I'm afraid even my stamina will be exposed.'
"Sister Vic, are you trying to set me up with someone?" Ethan joked, but still explained honestly.
When she heard that he'd just turned 18 and was a high school senior, Victoria's eyes widened in surprise—he was two years younger than she'd guessed.
But how could the boy's conversation and demeanor in front of her have any hint of youthfulness? Whether it was the calm composure in times of crisis or his speech and manner, everything showed maturity beyond his years.
If it weren't for that face that still had a youthful quality, she'd really think this was an experienced peer, or even someone a bit older than herself.
Victoria suddenly remembered something, glanced at the date on her phone, and exclaimed, "Oh! Today's the 31st—the SATs are in just a few days!"
She patted her forehead in annoyance. "I hope today didn't affect your performance, otherwise your I will feel so guilty."
Ethan quickly said, "Sister Vic, it's fine! My grades aren't bad. I'm confident about the SATs, don't worry!"
Seeing Ethan speak so calmly, not taking it seriously at all.
She felt a little relieved in her heart, obviously knowing he wasn't affected by today's incident.
So she teased, "Don't joke with me! Nobody can be that confident!"
"I'm not particularly confident, just casually at the level of getting into Harvard or Yale." Ethan leaned lazily back in his chair.
"Pfft—" Victoria couldn't help but burst out laughing. She quickly covered her red lips with her slender fingers, and tears burst from the corners of her eyes. Sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto her trembling shoulders coated her with a soft golden outline.
Ethan shrugged helplessly. "These days, no one believes the truth." He sighed pretending to be sad, but his eyes flashed with a cunning light.
Victoria finally stopped laughing and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Okay, okay, I believes you. When our Ethan gets into an Ivy League,I will give you a big bonus!" She said this, but in her heart she thought it was just a young man's joke.
Ethan changed the subject. "Sister Vic, where's your husband?"
Victoria's smile froze for a second but soon relaxed again.
She glared at Ethan playfully. "What, isn't my love enough for you?" The tone was light but with obvious evasion.
Seeing she didn't want to talk about it, he just smiled meaningfully. Sunlight cast dappled shadows on his face through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making that smile particularly transparent.
When Victoria saw him like this, she immediately relented.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you."
"That's fair!" Ethan blinked. "I've explained everything about myself, but Sister Vic is still hiding things."
In fact, he'd noticed from the moment he entered—the shoe cabinet was full of women's shoes, the pink toothbrush in the bathroom was solitary, and there wasn't the slightest trace of a man's presence in the whole house. These details were like scattered puzzle pieces, slowly taking shape in his mind. It was just inconvenient to speak up before, but now it was natural to ask through a joke.
Victoria gently stirred the herbal tea in her cup, and the steam blurred her expression. She spoke slowly, her voice very soft, as if she was telling someone else's story.
"Originally... we were a very happy couple." Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the rim of the cup. "Until I was more than four months pregnant..."
Ethan sat quietly, even his breathing eased.
The sunlight softened through the sheer curtain and fell on Victoria's slightly trembling eyelashes.
"He cheated when my morning sickness was at its worst." Victoria suddenly smiled—that smile made Ethan's heart tighten. "Later I found out there was more than one... There were Instagram models, flight attendants, even interns from his company."
The flower petals in the teacup swirled, just like her wandering tone at the moment.
Ethan noticed there was still a faint tan line on her left ring finger, visible in the sunlight.
"The divorce procedures went through very quickly. He never even met the child." Victoria raised her head, her eyes falling on the sleeping baby in the crib not far away. "From prenatal checkups to delivery, from night feedings to vaccinations, I did it all alone..."
Her voice gradually fell, but her back was straight.
The afternoon sun plated a layer of gold on the side of her face, melting all the unspoken hardships into a warm halo.
.....
Just like that, the two of them chatted and drank tea.
Time passed quickly, and it was already three o'clock in the afternoon in the blink of an eye.
"Ring ring ring—" Victoria's phone suddenly rang.
She picked up the phone and unconsciously frowned. "Okay, I know. I'll head over right away."
Hanging up the phone, she looked at Ethan slightly apologetically. "The company has something urgent. Why don't you stay here, and I'll come back after I handle it?"
"It's fine! You should handle your work. I need to head home anyway." Ethan stood up naturally.
Victoria quickly walked into the bedroom and changed into a sharp professional outfit.
When she reappeared in the living room, the gentleness of home had faded, replaced by the capable temperament unique to working women.
"Let's go, sister will drop you off." She grabbed the car keys, her movements efficient.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the Mercedes, coating the body with a warm orange glow. The car navigation showed two destinations—drop Ethan off first, then head to the company.
Victoria held the steering wheel intently, and her profile looked particularly soft in the twilight.
"Good luck on the SATs." At the corner near his house, she rolled down the car window and suddenly said, "When the exam's over, your sister will take you out for a big meal."
There are 40 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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