Chapter 993:

The meat was tender and full of flavor, the seasonings settling into the juices perfectly. A trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes. “All of you young folks prepared this?”

“Yes, we mostly followed whatever Rylie told us. If she had not stepped in and shown us what to do, we would have been completely confused,” Felix added.

Sean directed his attention toward Rylie and offered a measured nod. “Impressively done.”

“And these little carrot sculptures are Marcus’s contribution,” Kendrick remarked, indicating the beautifully arranged platter of cold cuts. “Take a look at this. It looks so real that I hesitate to touch it.”

Marcus responded with a modest smile. “It is only a small craft. It cannot compete with how amazing the salad dressing Rylie mixed together turned out.”

Sean moved his gaze from the delicate carvings to the modest bowl of potato salad set in front of Rylie—the very one Brad had mentioned earlier that he had seasoned himself.

D𝗼𝘸𝗻𝗅о𝖺𝖽 P𝗗𝘍s f𝘳𝗲𝖾 𝘰𝗻 𝗴аl𝗻𝘰𝘷e𝗅𝗌.𝘤o𝘮

Seeing where he was looking, Rylie lifted the serving spoon, gathered a portion of the potato salad, and set it on the empty plate before Sean. Her tone remained even. “Brad prepared this. Try some.”

Sean paused as if caught off guard. He studied Rylie with an unreadable flicker in his eyes. He tasted the bite. The potatoes were velvety, and the dressing blended sweetness, acidity, and a soft vanilla note in a balanced way. It truly tasted remarkable.

Sean continued eating without offering any remarks, although the tension in his features loosened a little.

With the Owen brothers gently guiding the conversation to keep everything upbeat, the remainder of the meal unfolded without trouble.

Deandre took the lead in delivering playful comments that eased the atmosphere, Marcus stepped forward at timely intervals to present each dish, and Felix quietly managed the situation with a steadying calm. Rylie now and then contributed a soft explanation about how certain items had been prepared, or she would focus on serving Lucilla and Selah beside her, tending to everyone with thoughtful care.

Brad remained mostly silent. For the most part, he focused on his meal and only responded briefly whenever Rylie or one of the brothers addressed him directly.

But he remained instinctively tuned in to whatever Rylie needed, quietly replenishing her glass with juice or placing food on her plate. All of these understated movements fell squarely within Sean’s line of sight.

He became aware, with sudden clarity, that it was only in this home with the Owens—only when he was beside Rylie—that his grandson resembled an ordinary young man with warmth and pulse, someone capable of laughter and ease.

Brad was still only in his early thirties. He had offered the prime stretch of his youth to his nation and his post, shaping every choice around duty, and he had never paused long enough to consider that Brad carried dreams of his own that he wished to pursue.

During the meal, the atmosphere settled into a glow of comfort and harmony.

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