Chapter 73: The dinner at Theron’s place (Part – 2)

Charlotte let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, we can talk more over dinner. Why don’t we head to the dining hall?"

Everyone moved toward the dining table.

As Soren took a seat beside Elowen, he quietly surveyed the surroundings. The curtains, the table liner, the flowers, the dinnerware—everything was according to Elowen’s liking.

The realization raised a sharp irritation inside him.

’He went to all this trouble for my wife.’

His fingers curled under the table. But he kept his expression neutral.

"Aunt, you’ve decorated the house nicely," he remarked casually. "Especially the flowers. Lilies are my wife’s favorite."

Soren deliberately emphasized the words ’my wife.’ It was a clear message to Theron: No matter how much effort he put into winning Elowen’s affection, she was already married.

But Theron, who was determined to make her his, didn’t care what her marital status was. He had no intention of giving up.

He had wanted Elowen for so long, years before Soren had met her. Her marriage had not changed his feelings, and Soren’s presence wasn’t going to sway his determination.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Charlotte noticed the tension tightening between the two men.

She was afraid her son would say something that would make the already awkward situation worse.

"Oh, that’s wonderful. I also like lilies." She hoped to steer the conversation away. But she had underestimated her son’s determination.

Theron wasn’t going to let Soren ruin the evening he had planned so carefully.

"Try the roasted chicken, Elowen." He picked up the service dish and pushed it toward Elowen. "I know you love it."

Theron watched Elowen, waiting for her reaction.

He had watched her, followed her from a distance, and learned about her likes and dislikes. He remembered so many small things about her. Her favorite food, her favorite color, the flowers she liked, and the things she loved to do.

To him, no one would love her the way he loved her.

’Perhaps Soren has spent seven years married to her. But I wonder how much of the woman he claimed he loved he truly knows.’

Soren saw Theron’s lingering gaze on Elowen, and his blood boiled. He imagined stuffing the whole roasted chicken into Theron’s mouth. Instead, he smiled.

"Yes, she does love roasted chicken." Soren picked up his knife and fork, cut a neat portion, and placed it on Elowen’s plate. "But these days, she prefers chicken and mushroom risotto."

He glanced at her, his eyes softening. "Don’t you, my sweet?"

Elowen nearly choked on her breath. Her face flushed crimson.

’My sweet?’

This was the first time Soren addressed her so lovingly. The endearment caught her completely off guard. Her heart pounded so wildly that she was afraid everyone around the table would hear it.

She didn’t know what to do. She could only say, "Thank you."

Soren held her hand under the table.

Elowen stiffened at the unexpected touch. She tried to pull away, but he interlaced his fingers with hers, refusing to release her.

She shot him a warning glance.

He merely smiled at her before turning his attention back to his daughter.

"Sera, finish your soup before it gets cold."

"Yes, Daddy." Seraphina picked up her spoon.

Meanwhile, Soren continued his affectionate display. He noticed a small spot of sauce near Elowen’s mouth and reached out to wipe it with his thumb.

Elowen froze.

"Soren!" she whispered, her eyes darting toward the others.

"What? You had something on your face."

Before she could answer, he lifted her glass and moved it closer to her hand.

"Drink some water, my sweet."

Then he added more roasted chicken to her plate. "You haven’t had much."

His attentiveness left Elowen blushing furiously.

She had spent years wishing Soren would notice the smallest things about her. Now that he was doing so, she could barely keep up with the change.

Every affectionate gesture seemed unfamiliar, yet she couldn’t help feeling touched.

Soren, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He wanted Theron to see how much he cared about his wife. He was no longer the distant husband who had treated her like a stranger.

More importantly, he wanted everyone at the table to know that Elowen was the wife he cherished the most, that she was unapproachable.

Theron watched them with growing irritation.

Every time Soren called Elowen ’my sweet,’ his jaw tightened. Each time he saw him tend to her needs, he felt another thread of his carefully maintained composure snap.

He wished he could throw Soren out of his house.

Alaric and Charlotte could sense the underlying tension between the two men. They exchanged worried glances.

Charlotte decided it was time to serve the dessert.

"Shall we have something sweet?"

She signaled for the chocolate lava cake to be brought out.

A moment later, the warm dessert was placed on the table.

She turned toward Elowen. "Theron baked this especially for you."

She glanced at Soren, knowing he was jealous. "Don’t misunderstand his intentions. He only wants to thank the woman who saved his life."

Soren silently stared at the chocolate cake.

"Back then, he didn’t get time to thank her," Charlotte explained. "We brought him straight home after the accident. Years later, he finally found his savior again. And he was overjoyed to discover that she worked at the company he had recently acquired."

She then looked back at Elowen. "That’s why he wanted to invite you to dinner. Besides, we also wanted to see you to thank you."

Soren chuckled, finding it amusing.

Theron had lied to his parents too. He had never told them the full extent of his feelings for Elowen. He hadn’t revealed that he had been following her for years, or that his obsession with her had destroyed his bond with his best friend.

"So touching." Soren picked up the wine glass and took a sip. "Theron went to the trouble of baking cake especially for her. It seems he learned her likes and dislikes in a remarkably short time."

His smile was pleasant, but his words carried a pointed edge.

Charlotte’s smile froze. She had hoped to smooth things over, not make the situation worse.

Alaric cleared his throat, trying to redirect the conversation. "The cake is delicious. Little Sera. Would you like another piece?"

He cut a generous slice and placed it on Seraphina’s plate.

Seraphina beamed. "I love chocolate cake."

Soren smiled at her. "I know you do, little bird. But too much sweetness is not good for you."

"She is just a child," Theron interjected. "Let her enjoy her cake. One more piece won’t harm her."

Soren’s muscles tensed. His tightly wrapped fingers with Elowen’s under the table loosened. He could tolerate Theron provoking him, but he wasn’t going to let him use his daughter to make a point.

Sensing he was losing his temper, Elowen reacted quickly. She grabbed his hand back, trying to ground him.

Soren’s head snapped toward her.

"Let her eat," Elowen said, her voice just above a whisper. "Please." Her eyes held a quiet plea.

Soren’s expression softened a bit. But the tension in his body remained. He turned back to Seraphina, patting her head.

"Finish your cake. Just don’t complain to me later if your tummy hurts."

Seraphina grinned and nodded.

Theron watched the exchange, and his irritation deepened.

Soren had managed to make himself look like an attentive husband and father in front of everyone.

And Theron hated him for that.

"Uncle, Aunt..." Soren started, taking a slow sip of his wine. "Have you considered Theron’s marriage?"