Chapter 502
“Okay,” Eileen replied, her tone showing mild reluctance towards Judie’s bubbling enthusiasm. She stepped into the restaurant, pausing for a moment to look around as she waited for Bryan.
The restaurant, which covered over a hundred square meters, had a quarter of its space dedicated to the kitchen and a small private room. The remaining area was furnished with about twenty tables and chairs, offering a clean, cozy atmosphere.
“Eileen, the private room’s right here. We’ve already served two dishes,” Judie informed her, pouring a cup of coffee for Eileen and then turning her attention to Gabriela. “This little one is adorable, just like you.” Judie reached out to embrace Gabriela, but Gabriela, accustomed to the quiet of home, recoiled from the unfamiliar touch.
Judie chuckled. “Oh, she’s shy.” She settled beside Eileen. “Eileen, do you have a craving for anything in particular? I can ask Roderick to make it for you right now.”
Eileen, still watching Gabriela, replied, “Nothing in particular. Just tell Roderick to keep it light.”
Upon hearing this, Judie said, “It’s not often we get to host you. We couldn’t afford much before, but now we can treat you properly.” Her tone carried a hint of pride.
Although their restaurant wasn’t large and they weren’t as wealthy as Eileen, they were comfortably making ends meet. Their daily profits consistently ranged between two to three thousand dollars. With this pace, they could afford a house in Onaland within a few years.
The restaurant was their pride, and Judie wanted to boast a little in front of Eileen. In her mind, they were now on equal footing. She no longer had to live in Eileen’s shadow.
Eileen could easily read Judie’s thoughts, but her reason for coming today was solely to see Roderick. After enduring over thirty minutes of Judie’s continuous small talk, Roderick and Denise finally arrived, bearing a handful of dishes.
After setting down five dishes, Denise returned to the kitchen to fetch more, eventually bringing out ten dishes and a soup.
“Eileen, Bryan,” Roderick called out, his gaze lingering on Gabriela. He pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket, causing Judie’s smile to falter slightly.
“When I learned you had a daughter, I picked this up from the jeweler. They recommended gold for children,” Roderick explained, opening the box to reveal a gold bracelet, likely worth over ten thousand dollars.
He hesitated for a moment before extending it toward Eileen. “Eileen, why don’t you help Gabriela put it on?”
“You do it,” Eileen replied, gently holding Gabriela’s chubby arm, rolling up her sleeve, and presenting it to Roderick. “Gabriela, let your uncle put the bracelet on you.”
Gabriela gurgled happily, her eyes fixed on Roderick as he fastened the bracelet around her wrist. She fumbled momentarily before touching the bracelet, clearly pleased with her new jewelry. Her tiny legs kicked energetically, and she continued to fidget with the bracelet absentmindedly.