Chapter 2091
On the other end of the room, a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon sat unopened, its intended recipient clearly beyond doubt.
“This… I don’t think you are the type to be all spooked by a blackout. With the candlelit dinner you’ve prepared, you seem rather at ease, don’t you?”
It was obvious that Giselle had gone to great lengths-just for a dinner for two, she had laid out a veritable feast.
Alyssa’s lips curled with irony. “Even with a blackout, you managed to whip up a feast. You truly are a domestic goddess.”
Though Giselle felt a twinge of awkwardness, she didn’t miss a beat to sell herself, “On the days when work isn’t hectic, I love to come home, whip up a meal, and experiment with recipes. My culinary skills aren’t half bad.”
Giselle thought, surely with a spread like this, the old dame would have to look at her with new respect.
Alyssa suddenly asked, “Such a grand spread. Giselle, who are you cooking for?”
Giselle fidgeted with her hair awkwardly, “This… it’s just for me. You know, I’m hardly ever home, so I cook in bulk and freeze it. That way, it’s fresh when I get back, and I don’t have to fuss.”
Alyssa surveyed the modest apartment, “Seems like you have quite the flair for romance. A candlelit dinner for one?”
Giselle’s face turned a shade paler, “Uh… it’s the blackout! Madam, why hasn’t Balfour shown up yet? He knows about the power cut and said he’d drop by to check on me.”
Alyssa scoffed, “A sudden blackout late at night, and you should be calling the property management or an electrician, not a married man! What’s the big idea, calling Balfour in the dead of night? To keep you company? I’ve always believed that young ladies should have self-respect. Chasing after a man like that, throwing yourself at him-I’ve seen too little of that to understand
it.”
Under the flickering candlelight, Giselle’s face looked particularly distressed.
“Madam… you misunderstand, Giselle stammered. “That’s not what I meant. I was just scared and wanted a friend to help.”
Even now, Giselle was treating Alyssa as if she were a fool.
“I’m curious, what exactly do you take me for? Do I look easy to fool? Giselle, I’ve eaten more salt than you have walked roads. What games
do you think you’re playing with me?”
Giselle still feigned ignorance, “Madam, I truly don’t grasp your meaning. Maybe we should call Balfour; he can clear this up!”
“Oh, don’t tell me you actually think Balfour agreed to come?” Alyssa’s smile was cold. “I’ve said it before, no one besides me likely knows about your power outage.”
“What? Impossible! Balfour definitely replied to my message.” Giselle’s face was a mask of disbelief.
Alyssa’s expression was pregnant with subtlety, as if watching a private joke unfold, “Don’t wait up for him, dear. He won’t be coming. Today’s Ivy’s ovulation day; they’re probably busy at home trying for a grandchild for me. Do you really think he’s got the time to entertain you?”
Giselle’s face grew even more wretched, her hands clenched into fists uncontrollably.
She stepped back aimlessly, the dim light of the candles making the lavish table seem all the more pitiful.
“Giselle, last time at our place, you saw how Balfour and Ivy got on-they’re happy together, and you’re not someone who can intrude on that. If you’ve forgotten my warning, let me remind you. We’re quite taken with Ivy, and it’s rare to find a granddaughter-in-law who hits it off with us so well. We wouldn’t entertain someone like you wrecking things willy-nilly. Think about your acting career, dear. If you want to keep playing roles, you’d best behave.”
Alyssa’s face was expressionless as she issued her warning.
If Giselle would rather give up her acting career to be with Balfour, Alyssa might actually think more highly of her.
But no sooner had she spoken, Giselle’s attitude shifted entirely.
“Madam, I think there’s been some mistake. My relationship with Balfour is completely above board. The reason I called him
during the blackout is precisely because our relationship is transparent, and I trust in Balfour’s character. If it were anyone else, I would never have asked.”
