"Fidelia!" Andrian shouted the moment he opened the door to his house. He rushed straight to the kitchen, only to find the table covered with different delicacies. The sight left him completely shocked.
"Can't believe you ran in here because you were scared I'd burn the house down," Fidelia said, turning to look at him with a smirk.
"Wow…" The scent of the food hit Andrian first, sweeping him off his feet before his eyes began drowning in the sight of it all. After feeding his gaze, he glanced up at Fidelia.
"Where's the chef that cooked this? I'm a hundred percent sure it's not you."
"You underestimate me a lot. I should sue you."
"So what's the occasion? Why did you suddenly decide to cook?" Andrian asked, dragging a chair out and sitting down, staring at the spread—steaming jollof rice, crispy fried chicken, bowls of vegetable soup, and fresh bread rolls. He didn't even know where to start.
"Well, the occasion is called hunger," Fidelia replied, removing her apron as she sat opposite him. "After today's ups and downs, I figured you deserve some good food."
Andrian picked up a spoon and was just about to take his first bite when he paused.
"What's wrong?" Fidelia noticed and frowned.
"Do you know what will pain me?" Andrian said slowly, eyeing the spoon. "If after all this, it's not as delicious as I thought."
"Give me my food!" Fidelia shot back, reaching across the table.
"Hey, hey—you said it yourself, I deserve it," Andrian said, sliding his plate away from her reaching hand.
"I'm starting to think you don't," Fidelia huffed, pulling her hand back with a mock glare.
Andrian wasted no time after that. He dug into the food, and God—he savored every bite. His teeth sank into the chicken, tearing it apart with ease, and the rich juiciness burst across his tongue. The meat was tender, smoky, and seasoned so well that the flavors seemed to melt in his mouth.
He closed his eyes for a moment, almost in disbelief. He had never tasted chicken cooked this way before.
"Hmm — not bad," Andrian lied, though every mouthful said otherwise. He couldn't bring himself to praise her outright.
You bloody liar — your eyes already said it all, Fidelia thought, though she kept enjoying her own food. She wiped her fingers on a napkin and nodded toward the envelope on the table. "I wonder how Damien will look when he finally sees how we played him," she mused.
"Trust me, he'll be pissed," Andrian replied. "But he started it — he got what he deserved." He pushed the envelope across to her. She picked it up, slit it open, and scanned the contents.
"You couldn't even sell it for above 800m?" she sneered, eyebrow raised.
"How about you rob him instead — should I get you a gun?" Andrian shot back.
Fidelia couldn't help but smirk. For all the jokes, she knew she was being greedy.
Then Damien's call came in on Fidelia's phone. She glanced at the screen, smirked, and answered.
"Speaking of the devil… Hello, Damien."
"Fidelia, I hope you haven't forgotten our deal."
"Forgotten the deal? Why would I?" Fidelia teased, leaning back in her chair. She could hear him sigh in relief on the other end.
"Great. Then when should I expect the payment? Remember, no payment, no help."
"Yeah, I remember clearly. And let me just drop the bomb—" her smile widened, "I won't be sending you a single cent. Count it as compensation for the stress you put me through."
"Fidelia! How dare you—"
"Listen, I'm not done." Her tone hardened. "Take this as a warning. The only deal I ever helped you with was persuading Andrian to sell the company. Next time, I won't be so nice. I'll leave you and your brother to tear each other apart… Sayonara, sucker."
She hung up without hesitation.
"You're one wicked witch," Andrian commented, still savoring his meal as if none of this shocked him.
"Compared to the old you, I think I'm still learning," Fidelia replied smoothly. Then, tilting her head, she asked, "But tell me, what really changed?"
Andrian's spoon paused halfway.
"Two years ago, I heard stories about the third son of Richardson Corporation," she continued. "The man who brought down companies at their apex just because they crossed him. Where's that guy now?"
Andrian's jaw tightened. His eyes darkened as the memories stirred, and a frown slowly crept across his face. The past he tried to bury was clawing its way back.
"That man… never really left."