Chapter 468

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Silvia wanted to stay a bit longer and instinctively glanced at Aria , her eyes silently asking for permission .
“ Stay for dinner , ” Aria offered .
Hearing the reply , Silvia’s face lit up with a bright smile . “ Sounds great , ” she replied cheerfully .
Just as Silvia was wondering about dinner arrangements , she saw Owen knock and enter .
With a gentle smile , Owen nodded at everyone , then turned to Aria . “ Dinner for five tonight , I’ll add a couple more dishes . Anything special you’d like to
eat ? ”
No one spoke . “ Let’s add some steak and a vegetable salad , ” Aria said .
She headed to the kitchen . “ I’ll wash and chop the veggies . ”
Seeing this , Lily quickly got to her feet and said , “ I’ll lend a hand too . Pearl , you and your sister just stay and chat — just wait for dinner . ”
“ Okay . ” Pearl nodded .
After the door closed , Silvia turned to Pearl with curiosity and asked , “ So , do you usually eat at Mr. Shaw’s place ? ”
Pearl beamed with happiness , her face glowing as she replied , “ Yes , Silvia ! Mr. Shaw is such a great cook ! How lucky Aria is ! ”
“ Oh ? Is Mr. Shaw dating Aria ? ” Silvia asked in surprise .
Pearl nodded vigorously , her eyes sparkling with excitement .
Silvia thought for a moment about the Shaw family , then smiled . “ Mr. Shaw really is a great guy , ” she said .
In Mandino City , the Shaw family enjoyed an impeccable reputation – a stark contrast to the Shaw family in Kanit City .
She had met Owen’s mother , Emma – a remarkably open – minded and kind – hearted woman .
At a banquet , when someone mocked Aria , Emma immediately clapped back . Owen’s father , James , fiercely defended his wife , firing back at those gossips without regard for his status .
She was sure the Shaw family would treat Aria well .
During dinner , Silvia discreetly observed Owen’s every move .
Owen’s attention wasn’t solely on Aria . He was equally attentive to the other girls , carefully ensuring everyone felt cared for .
After dinner , Owen effortlessly cleared the table while everyone else stayed seated , as if this were routine .
One saying had always stuck with Silvia .
It said , “ Don’t fall for someone just because they’re good to you ; fall for someone who’s inherently good and chooses to be good to you . ”
‘ Owen perfectly fits that last description , Silvia thought .
Joseph introduced her to Luciano Norton . While rumors painted him as gentle , she’d seen his cruel side firsthand .
She was terrified of that man . The thought of spending her life with him made her skin crawl .
After Silvia left , Aria walked into the kitchen . “ Our hardworking Mr. Shaw – still having to cook for us after a long day at work ,” she teased .
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She glanced around , looking for something she could help with .
Owen subtly stopped her hand and smiled . “ I really enjoy cooking . When I was alone , it could get pretty lonely , but now , with everyone around , it feats to lively – I really love it . ”
“ If it weren’t for my cooking skills , I might never have won you over .”
There was not much he was good at – cooking was pretty much the only thing he could take pride in
Owen chuckled and teased , “ Besides … you always bring home adorable young girls , never any mischievous young guys ”
Before Aria moved into Mayen Garden , Owen had lived a solitary routine – cooking and eating alone , day after day .
After she moved in , Derek , Caleb , Lily , and Pearl started coming around , and the household grew livelier by the day .
Owen turned to look at Aria , a gentle smile softening his eyes .
Somewhere along the way , the quiet emptiness in her eyes faded , replaced by a play of emotions , and her smiles became more frequent .
Owen’s gaze lingered on Aria’s lips , and out of nowhere , he suddenly remembered how fiercely she’d bitten his shoulder the night before . His ears burned .
At that moment , he’d wanted her to let herself go and make a sound , to stop holding back , but she wouldn’t – and ended up biting his shoulder instead .
Aria arched an eyebrow and teased , “ Isn’t Derek a young guy ? ”
Seriously ? His mind had to go there at a time like this ?
Owen chided himself inwardly , then said , “ He doesn’t count . ”
Little did Owen know that this “ young guy ” would arrive so soon .