Chapter 95

"I have," Asher answered right away.

Colton said, "I'll admit, Miss Stanley is impressive,but don't underestimate the Hudson family. If you walk away from Rosie this easily, they might not let it go."

Asher responded in a steady, commanding tone,"And what if they don't? What couldthey possibly do?"

Colton fell quiet. The truth was, the Hudson family couldn't compete with the Gordons.

Still, he couldn't shake the thought that it was a bold move to fall out with them so openly.

Turning the tables, Asher asked, "And what about you? Hasn't your grandmother been pushing you lately?"

Colton's smile faded for a moment.

Without warning, an image of a young, gentle girl flickered in his mind.

He forced the thought away and replied with a shrug, "I'm not rushing to get married."

Later that day, Arabella needed to pick Daisy up in the evening.

Along the way, she crossed paths with Karlie.

At the sight of two identical Daisys, Karlie stared in surprise, but she recovered quickly. "You must be Arabella!"

Arabella nodded. "Looks like Daisy filled you in."

Karlie grinned. "The resemblance is obvious. You and Daisy really are twins!"

A soft smile touched Arabella's lips. "Good observation.How have you been holding up?"

The question made Karlie look down.

The performance was drawing closer, and despite Arabella's promise about a full-time spot, nothing had changed yet.

Karlie had been practicing until late every night before heading home.

"Nothing's different," Karlie said quietly.

Arabella squeezed her shoulder gently. "I meant what I told you. Be patient-I'll keep my promise."

For a second, Karlie studied her, then nodded with resolve.

She already knew what the twins had been through and felt that Arabella was someone she could trust.

Afterward, Daisy and Arabella got in the car to head home. Daisy filled the ride with stories about her day while Arabella listened, lost in thought,until the car rolled to a stop.

Daisy watched Asher step out of the car,confused.

He came back a few minutes later, holding a custom cake in his hands.

Arabella spotted the bakery's logo and her eyes widened. "Jen's Bakery... Aren't their products always booked solid for weeks?"

Asher handed her the box. "I don't need a reservation. You've been busy all day, so try some cake first. Dinner's waiting at home, too." His voice grew gentler as he spoke.

A faint smile touched Arabella's lips. "Thank you."

Daisy pulled a face for a second, but quickly asked, "How did it go today? Was it a big hit?saw Felix posting about your restaurant. You actually know him?"

"Something like that," Arabella answered.

Daisy's eyes sparkled. "Is he as cute in person as he seems online?"

"He's cute," Arabella said.

Daisy was relentless. "But is he as handsome as Asher?"

The steering wheel creaked under Asher's grip.

Arabella replied from the back, sounding cool and unbothered, "They have their own styles."

Daisy let out a laugh. "So, whose style do you like more?"

Asher's knuckles tightened again. He was silent but hanging on her answer.

He wanted to know the truth as much as anyone.

Arabella hesitated, thinking over her response-then Asher interjected, "You should eat your cake before it gets too soft."

With that, the topic shifted, and Arabella exhaled softly, glad for the interruption. She tried a bite,and the cake really did melt on her tongue, sweet and light.

Asher eased up a little, keeping his eyes on the road, but sweat still clung to his palms.

He had never imagined a girl would take up so much space in his thoughts.

Later, after they finished a good meal to her place, Arabella spoke to Asher. "Our chefs have everything running smoothly now. Shouldn't your mother's chefs head back to her place?"

Asher kept his tone calm. "No rush. Let them stay at the restaurant for a while."

Arabella looked at him curiously. "Won't your mom need her chefs back?"

He stayed unruffled. "She's fine. She is on diet food anyway."

Arabella blinked in surprise. She always thought wealthy families never worried about gaining weight. After all, none of them ever seemed out of shape.

Over at the Gordon family's mansion, Cecily stared down at her dinner, her appetite nowhere to be found.

She murmured to herself, "When are the chefs coming home?"

She lost interest in her food, pulled out her phone,and scrolled through social media. Right away,she spotted a Twitter post from her son, Asher,

advertising a new restaurant.

Could this restaurant belong to Asher? Cecily's curiosity spiked right away. If she came here, she could finally eat real food again and show her support for Asher's venture at the same time.

By eleven the next morning, Cecily was standing at the restaurant entrance.

Taking in the impressive design, she muttered to herself, "Only my son could open a place like this."

Cecily walked in and caught a server talking to a woman. "Boss, everything is nearly set."

"That's wonderful. Make sure every guest is looked after," Arabella answered.

She turned and caught sight of Cecily."Welcome!Will you be dining alone or with others?"

Cecily stopped in her tracks when she saw Arabella's face, startled by the familiarity.

Arabella waited a beat, then asked, "Ma'am, how many are in your party?"

Cecily finally found her voice. "Are you the owner here?"

"Yes, that's right," Arabella answered.

Cecily's expression shifted through several emotions before she answered in an even tone,"Just me."

Arabella gave her a polite nod. "Please follow me."

Cecily settled at her table and ordered severa of the signature dishes, all the while watching Arabella move around the room. The resemblance was almost uncanny.

When her food arrived, Cecily tasted each dish and found every biteboth flavorful and healthy.

It had to be the work of their family's chefs.

Still, Cecily wondered why Asher had sent them here. The reason escaped her.

Maybe... something was going on between Asher and the owner? But she quickly dismissed the idea-it must be business, nothing more.

Cecily couldn't imagine the girl having a deeper connection with Arabella.

Meanwhile, Arabella was busy checking on the staff and making sure the restaurant ran smoothly when her phone rang. Karlie's voice was frantic

on the line. "Arabella, something's happened!

Daisy's in trouble!"