Chapter 134 Aura
Chapter 134 Aura
Chapter 134: Aura
The next morning came slow and heavy, the kind of morning where the house looked calm but felt like it was holding its breath.
Inna stood alone in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back, stirring a pot on the cooker. The smell of onions and oil filled the space. She had barely slept. Every sound from upstairs during the night had felt like a reminder she didn’t want. She moved carefully, like someone afraid to break something fragile.
Her hands shook slightly as she reached for salt. She heard footsteps. Inna stiffened before she even turned.
Coco walked into the kitchen like she belonged there, calm, relaxed, dressed simply, her hair loose. She looked rested in a way Inna wasn’t. Coco’s eyes scanned the kitchen once, slow and deliberate, then settled on Inna.
Inna swallowed hard.
“Good morning,” Coco said casually.
Inna dropped the spoon by accident. It clattered against the counter. She bent quickly to pick it up, her fingers trembling.
“G-good morning, ma,” Inna said softly, her voice barely steady.
Coco raised an eyebrow, amused.
Before Coco could say anything, footsteps entered again.
Tems walked in.
She took in the scene in one glance, Inna at the cooker, Coco standing there like she owned the room and her face tightened immediately.
“What did you just call her?” Tems snapped.
Inna froze. “I—I greeted her.”
Tems stepped closer, pointing. “You will never greet her again. And you will never call her ma in this house. Do you hear me?”
Inna’s lips parted, her eyes darting to Coco, then back to Tems. “I was just being respectful.”
“Respect who?” Tems shot back. “Do you even know your place? She is no longer your boss.”
Coco laughed. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t angry. It was light, almost lazy.
Tems turned sharply. “What’s funny?”
Coco walked past them both to the fridge, opened it, took out a bottle of water, and twisted the cap slowly.
“You,” Coco said, smiling. “You’re very loud this early in the morning.”
Tems scoffed. “This is my brother’s house.”
“And his bedroom,” Coco replied calmly. “Which I slept in.”
Inna flinched.
Coco took a sip of water, then turned to Inna. “What are you making?”
Inna cleared her throat. “Breakfast.”
Coco nodded. “Good. Make macaroni and cheese too.”
The kitchen went quiet.
Inna blinked. “Ma…”
Tems slammed her hand on the counter. “Don’t call her that!”
Coco raised her hand slightly, stopping Tems without even looking at her. Then she faced Inna again.
“Make macaroni and cheese,” Coco repeated evenly. “And bring it to my bedroom.”
She paused, then added, “Roy’s bedroom.”
Inna’s face drained of color.
“Yes,” Inna whispered. “Yes, ma.”
Tems laughed bitterly. “Are you serious right now?”
Coco closed the water bottle and placed it on the counter. “Very.”
Tems stepped closer, her voice rising. “You think you can just walk in here and start giving orders?”
Coco finally looked at her. “I just did.”
Tems clenched her fists. “You’re not his wife.”
Coco smiled slightly. “Neither are you.”
Inna moved quickly, grabbing ingredients, her movements frantic. She didn’t want to hear anymore. She didn’t want to see their faces. She just wanted to finish and disappear.
Tems turned back to Inna. “Don’t you dare take food to her room.”
Inna hesitated, her hands hovering over a box of pasta.
Coco leaned closer to Tems, her tone calm but sharp. “Let her work.”
Tems laughed in disbelief. “You think you’ve won?”
Coco shrugged. “I’m not competing.”
“That’s a lie,” Tems snapped. “You walked in here to humiliate her.”
Coco took another sip of water. “I walked in to eat.”
Tems looked like she wanted to scream.
Inna turned on another burner, poured water into a pot, her hands shaking so badly she nearly spilled it.
Tems pointed again. “Look at her. You’re enjoying this.”
Coco tilted her head. “I didn’t make her greet me.”
“You let her,” Tems said.
Coco’s smile faded slightly. “She chose to as she should.”
Inna swallowed, blinking back tears as she stirred. “Please,” she said quietly. “Please don’t fight.”
Tems rounded on her. “You are too weak.”
Coco’s eyes hardened. “Enough.”
Tems stared at her. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
Coco stepped back, picking up her bottle. “Shout all you want. I’m done here.”
She looked at Inna one last time. “Macaroni and cheese,” she said. “Not dry.”
“Yes, ma,” Inna replied automatically.
Tems exploded. “I told you not to call her that!”
Coco turned toward the door, laughing again. “She can call me whatever she wants.”
She walked out of the kitchen without another word.
Tems followed her to the doorway. “You think Roy choosing you means you control this house?”
Coco stopped briefly but didn’t turn around. “No,” she said. “It means I don’t need to argue.”
She continued walking.
In the kitchen, Tems spun back to Inna. “Don’t you dare take that food upstairs.”
Inna kept stirring, tears sliding silently down her cheeks. “I have to.”
Tems shook her head in disbelief. “You’re weak.”
Inna said nothing.
Tems stormed out of the kitchen, her shouting echoing down the hallway, cursing Coco, cursing Roy, cursing the entire house.
Inna stood alone again, the pots bubbling, her hands unsteady, the weight of everything pressing down on her chest as she cooked in silence.