Sophia made herself comfortable in the mansion, moving around with an air of entitlement that made Esme's blood boil. She acted as if she belonged there, smiling sweetly at the staff, making small talk with Kael whenever she could, and throwing subtle glances Esme's way—as if challenging her to react.
Esme refused to play into her games. At least, she tried to.
One evening, Kael arrived home from work, his tie slightly loosened and his expression unreadable as always. He stepped into the living room, where Sophia was already waiting with a tray in hand, a confident smile tugging at her lips.
"Kael, you must be exhausted." Her voice was gentle, filled with a forced sweetness that Esme saw right through. "I ordered this from the best five-star restaurant in the city. Their seafood is incredible; you should try it." She placed the tray on the table before him, lifting the silver lid to reveal an extravagant spread.
Esme, who had been standing near the staircase, watching the scene unfold, narrowed her eyes.
Kael barely glanced at the food before shaking his head. "I'm not hungry," he said flatly.
Sophia's smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "Are you sure? Just one bite—"
"I said I'm not hungry," Kael repeated, this time with more finality. Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked toward the stairs, heading to his room.
Esme smirked to herself.
Sophia, however, was fuming.
—
Upstairs, Kael stepped into his room, only to find Esme sitting on the bed with her arms crossed and a deep pout on her face.
He raised a brow. "What's wrong with you?"
Esme said nothing. She just sat there, sulking like a child.
Kael sighed, stepping closer. "Esme."
She still didn't respond. Instead, she suddenly grabbed his wrist and started pulling him toward the door. Kael blinked, slightly amused by her unexpected behavior.
"Where are we going?" he asked, allowing her to drag him along.
Esme didn't answer until they reached the kitchen. She stopped in front of the counter, where a plate of food sat, covered to keep it warm. Turning to face him, she lifted the lid, revealing a homemade meal.
"I made this for you earlier," she said, her voice small. Then, looking up at him with big, round puppy eyes, she asked, "Will you eat?"
Kael stared at her, the way her bottom lip jutted out slightly, the hopeful glint in her eyes.
How could he say no to this cutie?
"Yes," he answered simply.
A wide smile spread across Esme's face, and she immediately started heating up the food. Once it was ready, she gestured for him to sit. Kael took a seat on one of the kitchen stools, expecting her to hand him a spoon. But instead, she scooped up a bite herself and held it up to his lips.
Kael arched a brow. "You're feeding me now?"
"Shhh, just eat,"
He let out a low chuckle but leaned forward, allowing her to feed him.
Esme giggled as he chewed, clearly enjoying herself. "See? It's good, right?"
Kael swallowed, nodding. "Not bad."
"Not bad?!" She gasped, pretending to be offended. "I worked so hard on this, you better say it's amazing."
Kael smirked. "It's amazing."
Satisfied, Esme continued feeding him, beaming the whole time.
Meanwhile, in the hallway, Sophia stood frozen, watching them with clenched fists.
The sight of Esme feeding Kael so intimately made her blood boil.
This was unacceptable.
She turned on her heels and stormed off, determined.
Esme had to go.