Armand quickly hid behind Dolores noticing Boyce’s rage, “I’m just telling the truth but you deny it, I’m
sure Jasmine likes you, otherwise she won’t be so worry when you got hurt. Age is not an issue at all,
look at Dolores and Matthew, there is an eight years gap, but they are doing well.”
Dolores turned to Armand, “You are talking about Boyce, why drag us in?”
She didn’t like someone mentioned about the past.
She was indeed young at that time, eighteen years old should be in university but she already got
married.
Boyce took the chance, “He is full of crap, isn’t he? Never change!”
Armand stared at Boyce, “Don’t take this chance to attack me, I might not be able to fight you
physically but I can seek help.”
Dolores slapped Armand on his shoulder, “Tune down, Theresa might hear you.”
‘If Armand knows what Theresa said today, wonder if he can still act so childish.’ Dolores thought.
Theresa’s name worked like a charm on Armand, he shut up right away.
“Hah, there’s something you are afraid of?” Boyce teased.
“Get lost!” Armand threw himself on the sofa without any more words.
Dolores held two bottles of liquor and told them, “Dinner is ready, let’s eat.”
She put the liquors on the table and headed to Theresa’s room to help with the bath and dressed. She
then held her out while she tiptoes to the living room, avoiding hurting her wound on the way. Armand
rose to help but he stopped noticing Theresa didn’t even look at him.
Dolores helped her to the dining table, Andrew immediately pulled out a chair, “Be careful, Renee.”
Theresa stroke his head, smiling, “You will be very famous amongst girls in the future.”
Andrew waved and said, “I only need one, too many women will cause too many troubles.”
His words made everyone laughed. Dolores pinched his cheek, “Stop saying nonsense.”
“It’s true,” Andrew defended with a grunt, “You and daddy argue once every few days, aren’t you?”
“What did you say?” his voice was too low, Dolores missed it.
Andrew quickly shook, “I said I got it, no more nonsense.”
Coral delivered the last dish to the table while Dolores arranged them, “Let’s eat.”
Boyce and Armand approached together.
“What a feast.” The whole table was full of mouthwatering food, like a feast at a hotel.
Boyce smiled, “Thank you, Dolores.”
After finished setting up the cutleries, she looked up and said, “It’s to celebrate your promotion, it’s
worth it.”
Boyce was embarrassed slightly, it was not like he was promoted to be the chief, only the assistant.
Matthew came down when everyone was already seated, he sat at the main seat. Dolores opened the
liquor and said, “The first glass should be for Boyce.”
Boyce stood up and took the bottle from Dolores, “Let me do it myself.”
He couldn’t let her poured him drink.
Dolores didn’t insist and sat down, “Honestly Boyce, who is Jasmine?” she asked, smiling.
She didn’t get to ask just now but she was still curious about Jasmine.
Boyce was mature and stable, it was rare that he was connected to a woman, he didn’t have many
female friends.
Boyce froze, ‘Didn’t this topic has already passed?’
Armand put his glass in front of Boyce signaling him to fill it, “Do you want me to bring her here?”
“Can you just shut up?” Boyce threw a fierce glance at him, “Can’t you just be quiet for a while?
Haven’t you realize Theresa is right opposite you?”
Armand was speechless while Andrew and Amanda snickered.
It was funny seeing Armand became speechless.
Boyce filled Matthew’s glass too before he put down the bottle and explained to Dolores, “I want to
have a family too and I’m no longer young, but Jasmine is really just a misunderstanding, she is too
young for me.”
“Boyce is a dependable man, I believe he could definitely find his perfect match,” Theresa said.
“Hopefully,” Boyce smiled.
“I’m just stating the fact, sigh, I missed the chance, otherwise I’d be happy to be your girlfriend.” She
put up a regretful face and totally disregarded the change of atmosphere around the table, perhaps she
knew but she chose to ignore it. Theresa continued, “Someone told me that marriage is like a second
birth for a woman, the first choice is wrong and the second one must be wise. Marrying a scum will
suffer for life. This is so true, but someone like Boyce could never be a scum.”
Boyce automatically looked towards Armand.
Armand stared straight at Theresa. ‘How could she utter words that pierce his heart regardless of
venue and event?’
Boyce wanted to advise Theresa but found no words.
Armand was responsible for what happened to Theresa, hence, he had no ground to defend him. He
could only get clean from this, “Say whatever you want to but please leave me out of this
misunderstanding, one should never touch a friend’s partner, I’m very well aware of this.”
Theresa smiled, “Look at your scary face, I know my condition.”
Boyce immediately explained, “I didn’t mean that…”
He had got no intention to discriminate and didn’t say that because he thought she was not pure.
“What did you mean then? Do you like me too?” Theresa interrupted him.
Boyce was at loss for words. ‘I shouldn’t have come, how can I explain this?’
Dolores slapped Theresa slightly, “That’s enough.”
“I’m just joking, just teasing Boyce,” Theresa said, smiling.
Boyce put on a serious face, “Please don’t joke with this again in the future.”
Others that didn’t know him could easily misunderstand it to be true, this was a sensitive issue after all.
“All right, let’s eat.” Dolores tried to change the weather by introducing the dishes, “The one in the
middle is salted goose, Coral said it’s delicious, come on, let’s try.”
Salted goose is pickled using salt during winter. And then it was chopped into small pieces and slow-
cooked for two hours into a stew along with ingredients such as wolfberry and ginseng. The bitter taste
and saltiness of the meat match each other well. It had a special fragrant to it.
She picked one piece for her son.
“I want one too.” Amanda thought she was forgotten.
Dolores didn’t forget her, but Andrew was closer, so she picked one for him first, she couldn’t pick two
pieces at once.
Matthew picked up a goose nibble and put it on his daughter’s plate, “Daddy is the best, Mommy only
loves Andrew now,” she complained while blinking.
“Can Mommy picks up two pieces at once?” Matthew asked her gently.
Amanda shook her head, “No.”
Her response was quick this time, “I know, I know Mommy loves me too, she said she will bring me to
the pet shop.”
She then picked up the meat and started eating. The meat was tender and full of ginseng flavor,
“Yummy,” she said.
“Eat up, Renee, it’s tasty,” Andrew reminded Theresa while he ate.
Theresa smiled, “You are so nice to me, never forget about me, look at how delicious you eat, let me
try some too.”
She picked a piece of meat, tasted it, and said, “It is delicious.”
The children were good at making the atmosphere lively.
The atmosphere around the table was turning better, apart from Armand, he was not as talkative as
usual, and he kept drinking quietly.
The doorbell rang in the middle of the dinner, Coral wanted to get it but Dolores stopped her. She had
been cooking the whole day, she needed some rest, “Let me go get it.”
“Let me,” the new maid volunteered.
Dolores nodded but didn’t sit down. She stood at the dining room looking at the front door, curious
about who could be visiting at this hour.
The atmosphere around the table was turning better, apart from Armand, he was not as talkative as
usual, and he kept drinking quietly.
The doorbell rang in the middle of the dinner, Coral wanted to get it but Dolores stopped her. She had
been cooking the whole day, she needed some rest, “Let me go get it.”
“Let me,” the new maid volunteered.
Dolores nodded but didn't sit down. She stood at the dining room looking at the front door, curious
about who could be visiting at this hour.
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