Chapter 251

Laura had arrived in the morning with Jack, coming straight from the office. Given that it was getting dark, the weather was bad, and this area wasn't the best for hailing a cab, Laura decided to stay. Whether or not Jack stayed for dinner, she could hitch a ride with him, so she agreed to help Isabella once the ingredients arrived.

Meanwhile, Sebastian had asked Jack to stop by a bakery after their call. Jack went inside to pick up a cake, then headed back to the car. Sebastian, still feeling a bit off, reclined in the back seat, eyes closed, trying to relax.

As they approached a red light, Jack's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and, without rushing to answer, turned to Sebastian. "Mr. Landon, it's Siena."

Sebastian opened his eyes.

The phone continued ringing, and Jack asked again, "Do you want me to answer it?"

Back at Isabella's place, Laura was helping her in the kitchen. To Laura's surprise, Isabella pulled out her phone and started searching for recipes online.

Laura's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, Isabella, you don't know how to cook?"

"I know a little," Isabella admitted.

"A little? How little are we talking?"

"I can make salad," Isabella said with a slight blush.

Laura was both amused and exasperated. "I thought you meant you were a pro. You had me convinced you'd be whipping up something amazing."

Isabella felt a twinge of embarrassment. "With my background, most people would expect me to know how to cook. But I don't."

Nina had always taken care of everything-cooking and laundry. Isabella never had to lift a finger. She had always thought of Nina as a towering figure of kindness, and when she learned they weren't blood relatives, that appreciation only deepened.

Isabella only knew how to make the salad, something she learned from her college roommates. Saying she would cook dinner was a spur-of-the-moment decision, one she now regretted slightly.

Determined not to disappoint Sebastian, who seemed to have some expectations, Isabella had impulsively bought the ingredients. But reality had set in, and she was facing the fact that her cooking skills were lacking.

She thought, 'Never mind. Just look up a recipe and follow it. I've seen Nina cook countless times. It can't be that hard if you just manage the heat and seasoning, right?'

Half an hour later, the dishes were on the table.

Laura and Isabella stared at the array of plates with a mix of confusion and trepidation.

After a moment, Laura finally asked, "Can we actually eat this?"

Isabella handed her a fork. "Hey, don't judge a book by its cover. The presentation might be off, but if it tastes alright, that's what matters."

This was Isabella's first attempt at cooking, and her standards weren't high-basically, if it was edible, she'd consider it a win.

Laura took a bite and immediately frowned, bending over to spit into the trash can. "Is this raw?"

Isabella followed suit, grimacing as she did. "The outside's burnt, and the inside's still raw.

Laura was at a loss for words.

After sampling all the dishes, it was clear that the only thing edible was the salad. The rest of the meal was a disaster.

Looking at the lone remaining salad on the table, Laura couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm actually kind of looking forward to seeing Mr. Landon's reaction when he walks in and sees this."

At this moment, the doorbell rang.

Isabella put down her fork. "I'll get it."

Laura, still laughing, said, "Mr. Landon's back." But then she puzzled. "Why would Mr. Landon ring his own doorbell?"

At the door, the sound of conversation reached them. When Laura opened it, she was surprised to see it wasn't Sebastian but a delivery person.

Isabella quickly cleared away her cooking disasters and set out to deliver food. With the addition of that salad, they now had a hearty and delicious dinner ready.

Laura clapped her hands in applause. "Well played, Isabella. I didn't realize you had a backup plan all along."

Isabella smiled, "I know my cooking skills are limited. I couldn't let you all starve after all that effort."

Laura snickered, "You know, you might have been onto something. Mr. Landon might actually prefer your cooking. After all, love makes people blind."

Isabella laughed. "True, love might make people blind, but I'd rather not subject him to that, would I?"

"Of course, Mrs. Landon. Whatever you say."

Laura's teasing made Isabella blush slightly.

"But it's pretty late. Why hasn't Mr. Landon come back yet?" Laura glanced at the clock.

Isabella followed her gaze to the wall clock and felt a pang of unease.

It should have taken Sebastian no more than forty minutes to get home from the office. It had already been over an hour and a half, and still, there was no sign of his car.

The house fell into a tense silence as Isabella and Laura exchanged worried glances, their unease growing with every passing second.

Given the current tense situation and the intense battle between Sebastian and Charles, there was always a worry that Charles might resort to desperate measures and orchestrate some kind of accident.

Isabella shook off her worries and pulled out her phone, dialing Sebastian's number.

The phone rang for a moment before Sebastian's voice came through. "Bella."

Hearing his voice eased Isabella's tense nerves. "Sebastian, where are you? Why aren't you home yet?"

"I've got an urgent matter to handle. I forgot to let you know."

Isabella felt a twinge of disappointment, but she quickly pushed it aside. She thought, 'Compared to an accident, this is nothing. As long as Sebastian is okay, work is work.'

"Will you still make it for dinner?" Isabella asked.

"It'll be a while longer. Go ahead and eat without me."

"Alright. Just be careful, and have Jack keep a close eye on you."

"Will do."

After hanging up, Isabella turned to Laura. "He's caught up with something and won't be back for dinner. We'll just eat ourselves."

Laura looked sympathetic. "And all the food you ordered?"

"He's missing out," Isabella said, grabbing the utensils, "Let's dig in. No saving any for him."

Laura took a seat as well.

Isabella glanced at her phone and said, "It's hard to get a cab around here. How about I drive you home after we're done?"

Laura hesitated. "I think I'll wait for Jack to bring Mr. Landon back, then head home with him. There's no rush."

Isabella noticed Laura's tired expression and insisted on giving her a ride.

Laura finally relented.

In the garage, Isabella chose a white car and pulled it out. As she approached, she saw Laura standing on the steps, head bowed as she fiddled with her phone.

Laura looked up only when Isabella stopped the car in front of her. She quickly pressed her phone to her chest, her face flushed with a hint of guilt.