Chapter 189
Five years. Nearly 2,000 days. She’d tiptoed around Cedrick’s conscience, shielding it from guilt, from discomfort, from the crushing weight of her injury.
She’d been wrong.
If she didn’t mention it, others would. They’d wield her crippled leg like a weapon against her.
Now she saw the truth: when she brandished her own flaw as a weapon, she became the one attacking.
“Lucille, everyone’s here. Could you please be sensible?” Cedrick urged, brow furrowed, fearing her next words.
Lucille’s smile returned, cool and detached. “I’ve always been sensible. But I’ve noticed something: when I’m sensi- ble, others aren’t. And when I’m not… suddenly everyone remembers their manners. So really, it’s better if I stay… not sensible.”
Just then, a server knocked. David quickly interjected, “Alright, alright! Food’s here!”
Lucille realized another past mistake: why had she ever avoided eating with these people?
She should come and eat her fill!
Look, now when each dish arrives, she reaches out first. Every time a new dish comes, she extends her hand again, while everyone else just sits still.
“This one was ordered for Maricela .”
Cedrick whispered to her as the Seared Tuna Medallion was served.
“Oh?
Can’t I eat it?”
Lucille asked Maricela with a smile, “Maricela, can’t I have this?”
Maricela: …
…
“You can, of course you can, Lucille! Go ahead and eat! There are so many dishes!”
Maricela gestured toward the other plates, only to realize every single one had already been touched by Lucille–and each looked rather messy.
“Why aren’t you all eating?”
Lucille asked cheerfully.
“We… we are…” Maricela forced a smile.
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Chapter 189
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But when the next dish arrived, Lucille reached out first again. Harlan, in particular, wanted to offer Maricela the first piece of Ocean Delicacy Platter–her favorite–yet Lucille swiped the whole platter toward herself. “This is mine. You wouldn’t fight me for it, would you?”
Cedrick just felt a headache coming on and signaled Harlan, “Order another one.”
The server returned to inform them the Ocean Delicacy Platter was sold out for the day.
The new restaurant’s opening was overwhelmingly busy…
Lucille couldn’t possibly finish it all anyway. After a few bites, she pushed the platter back toward Cedrick. “I’m full. You have it.”
Cedrick: ……
“Eat up!
Don’t waste it! It’s limited edition!”
Lucille insisted.
Cedrick stared at the remaining Ocean Delicacy Platter. No one else could eat it now because Lucille had only scooped out the very center of each piece.
“It’s not like watermelon where the center’s the sweetest. Why did you eat just the middle of every piece?”
Cedrick couldn’t help asking.
Lucille offered three words: “I felt like it.”
She was fully prepared for Cedrick to lose his temper, ready with a comeback. But to her disappointment, he didn’t explode–robbing her of the chance to retaliate.
She didn’t know how the others felt about the meal, but she thoroughly enjoyed herself.
When dinner ended, Cedrick went to pay the bill. At the restaurant entrance, he bid farewell to his friends, apologiz- ing repeatedly and promising to make it up to them next time.
Lucille almost felt sorry for the chump. Make it up? When wasn’t he the one paying?
After seeing off his friends, Cedrick finally snapped. “Lucille, you went too far today.”
“You mean me eating all these dishes went too far?”
Lucille pointed at the table.
“You’re my wife. Couldn’t you show some table manners?”
Cedrick’s eyes burned with barely suppressed anger.
Lucille smiled coolly. “You never take me out to eat with you. How would I know your dining etiquette? Maybe Maricela could teach me? You take her out often enough.”