The Tycoon's Odyssey

In one of Evan's mansions, BBSR…

Sniff…Sniff…

Evan was jolted awake upon sensing a sharp smell of smoke assaulting his nostrils. His heart raced as he sprang up, calling out in alarm.

"SMOKE… FIRE!"

Screaming, he looked around only to find the spot where Suri was sleeping was empty.

Recalling his mother calling Suri for an early shopping trip, a sense of foreboding gripped his heart.

Without spending another moment for a second thought, he dashed from his bedroom, rushing down the hall and leaping from the top floor to the ground below. He landed gracefully but his eyes immediately widened as he took in the haze filling the air. Smoke swirled around the room, thick and stinging.

"What the hell?"

He strained to locate the source, nonetheless after following the trail of smoke, he was led to the kitchen.

There, he was greeted by an unexpected sight that left him momentarily speechless. Amidst the swirling smoke, two familiar figures stood hunched over a pot, coughing and waving their hands in front of their faces in a futile attempt to dispel away the smoke.

The sight of Suri and Claire, both looking utterly helpless, snapped Evan into action.

He raced to the stove, quickly shutting off the burner and moved the charred pot aside before opening all the nearby windows to clear the smoke. He grabbed a nearby dish towel and started fanning the air, making sure that there were no lingering embers that could reignite. Finally, with the room clear enough to breathe in, he turned back to face the two women, who were now shrinking under his exasperated glare.

"Suri… and… Mother," he said, still catching his breath, "what on earth is going on here? Where did all the guards disappear to?"

Claire and Suri exchanged sheepish glances, looking like children who had been caught in the middle of a prank gone wrong.

Finally, Suri cleared her throat and, with a small, guilty smile, spoke up. "We… we were just trying to make breakfast for you."

Evan's gaze drifted to the blackened pot, where a few shriveled pieces lay burnt beyond recognition.

'Now what the hell is this thing?'

Evan screamed in his mind, unable to find anything that could be considered edible since all that was left were pieces of black charcoal.

He raised an eyebrow and asked slowly, "Have either of you… ever cooked before?"

He looked first at Claire, who sheepishly shook her head, and then at Suri, who awkwardly averted her eyes.

Letting out a sigh, Evan's gaze softened just a little. "Please, don't do something dangerous like this again."

Suri and Claire simultaneously shot back, "We were just cooking!"

Evan's lips twitched, suppressing a grin. "Cooking?" he muttered, casting a doubtful glance at the smoky kitchen. "It looks more like you were cooking the whole house."

Taking a moment to assess the situation, he asked, "And where are the maids and guards?"

"We… sent them away," Suri replied, her tone full of hesitation.

"And where's Father?"

Both women looked around, suddenly realizing Roy was missing. "He was here just a moment ago," Claire murmured, glancing around.

Just then, Evan spotted a familiar figure sprawled on the floor in the corner of the room, surrounded by a mist of smoke, breathing heavily. It was none other than his father, Roy.

Evan let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking back at his mother and Suri, who still seemed caught somewhere between pride and embarrassment.

"Next time, before you try cooking again," he said, his tone a mixture of amusement and mild exasperation, "at least ask the maids for help. Or, better yet, learn from someone who knows what they're doing."

Rolling up his sleeves, he shook his head, but a warm smile broke through his initial frustration. "Don't worry. I'm not angry… I'm just worried. Now, take Father and go rest. Leave the kitchen to me."

He stepped forward and gently guided them towards the door. "Just let me cook," he added, chuckling softly.

Suri and Claire exchanged glances, then relented before reluctantly retreating while taking up Roy and leaving Evan alone in the smoke-filled kitchen.

Two curious figures crept back into the kitchen a little while later, moving as silently as possible, hiding just around the doorway. Claire and Suri had slipped back in to watch, mesmerized by the sight before them.

There, amid the now pristine countertops and open space, Evan moved skilfully, his figure tall and poised, shoulders broad under his fitted shirt, completely at ease amid the morning's chaotic beginning.

He moved with a natural grace, his hands working effortlessly as he sliced through vegetables, each movement swift, precise, and refined—like a Michelin-starred chef who had spent years perfecting his art. His dark hair fell slightly across his brow as his focused gaze shifted fluidly from the ingredients to the sizzling pan, his calm, methodical movements filling the space with a quiet intensity.

Evan plated each dish with care, bringing out rich, warm aromas. There was a creamy mushroom risotto, golden-brown vegetable fritters, and a fragrant tomato-basil soup, each dish arranged to perfection with meticulous detail.

Hidden in her corner, Suri's heart raced as she watched, unable to look away. Her chest swelled with an overwhelming sense of pride, her cheeks warming as she admired his every gesture, every detail.

"Hmm… after all, whose husband is he?" she thought to herself with a smile, feeling a flutter of happiness. "Isn't he mine?"

She glanced over at Claire, expecting to see a similar expression of admiration, but instead, Claire's gaze held a deeper, more bittersweet emotion.

Her eyes softened with a hint of sadness as she looked at her son, the son who could cook with such skill, not out of luxury or hobby but, she feared, out of necessity.

The sight pulled at her heart. 'How many hardships did he endure to learn these things?' she wondered. 'What had he gone through while I had been absent, unable to even make him a simple meal?' She knew she was useless in the kitchen, but watching her son now, she felt that void flaring up more profoundly than ever.

She had even asked Suri for help, thinking perhaps they could surprise him together. Who would have thought Suri would be just as hopeless in the kitchen? A small, guilty sigh escaped her.

Moments later, carrying the final dish, Evan looked up and saw both of them standing there, peeking in. He smiled and gestured toward the dining table, where he had already arranged everything with care.

"Come on," he said, his voice warm. "The food's ready. Let's eat."

They followed him to the dining room, where Roy was already seated, a bit disheveled from his earlier ordeal but back to his cheerful self. As Evan set the last plate on the table, Roy looked at him with an amused gleam in his eyes.

"You know, son," he began with a smirk, "I might not have survived today if you hadn't—"

He stopped abruptly as he felt Claire's sharp gaze, her eyes flashing with a hint of warning. Roy immediately adjusted his tone, clearing his throat as he tried to smooth over his words.

"I mean, if you hadn't been there too, uh, lend a hand." He quickly shifted his focus to the food, eager to avoid any further disapproving looks from his wife.

Evan let out a small chuckle before taking his seat at the table and then gestured at the food in front of them, his gaze shifting warmly between each of them.

"Go on, everyone. Try it before it gets cold."

Suri and Claire exchanged a quick, excited glance before eagerly digging in, their faces lighting up as they tasted each carefully prepared dish. The earlier kitchen disaster had turned into a warm and heartfelt family moment, one the family knew they would remember for a long time.