The Ninth Bride (Samantha and Finley)

Chapter 266 Cook Yourself If You Want to Eat

"At times," Samantha admitted with a touch of admiration, "I have to say, you're good to your sister."

Elias raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "What? Are you jealous?"

"Not at all," she replied with a teasing smile, "because Finley treats me even better than you treat your sister."

Samantha finished her apple and, after setting the core aside, made her way to the kitchen. There, she found Finley busily preparing dumplings. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and teased, "So, the delectable meal you promised is just this? Dumplings cooked by Ms. Stuart?"

Finley chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You wouldn't understand, Sam. Seasoning is an art in itself."

With that, she had no counterargument. She stepped aside, eager to see how her husband's seasoning would enhance the dumplings.

At that moment, Elias walked in, holding a plate of fruit. He approached Finley and asked, "Finley, my sister and I haven't had breakfast yet. Since you're already cooking, could you make a bowl of dumplings for each of us as well?"

Finley's eyes grew cold as he recalled Elias' disparaging remarks about Samantha the night before. "If you want to eat, you'll have to cook it yourself."

"But I don't know how," Elias protested.

"You've got hands, don't you? What does it matter whether you know how to cook or not?" Finley retorted, turning back to the task of seasoning the dumplings and pointedly ignoring Elias.

This left Elias in an awkward predicament. He glanced at Samantha, who, unaware of the previous night's conversation, assumed a conflict had arisen between Finley and Elias. Seeing Finley's cold demeanor, she presumed they had had a falling out.

Observing the simmering dumplings, she said to Elias, "Finley only made enough for us. If you want some and don't know how to cook, perhaps you should ask Ms. Stuart for help."

Just then, Daphne walked by Elias and interjected with a hint of scorn, "I'm not making anything for him. If he loves to talk big, he should be able to handle the kitchen, too."

Elias stood there awkwardly. "Ms. Stuart, I mentioned last night I was just trying to lighten the mood. I was saying the opposite of what I meant. Why are you still holding a grudge?"

Her tone remained frosty. "You

upset Mr. Dean, and now I'm

returning the favor. It's not about

holding a grudge; it's about you crossing the line with your words. Some

gs are simply not meant

to be said."

He frowned, feeling the sting of Daphne's words. "Fine, I won't say anything next time."

"Then, you can eat next time, too," Daphne said, her voice curt. "I'm off to the store. If you and your sister are hungry, you'll have to cook for yourselves."

With that, Daphne effectively went

on strike for the morning, leaving Elias and his sister to fend for

themselves. Finley continued to

ignore Elias while Samantha stolet

there, bewildered by the unfolding drama.

Samantha approached Finley and inquired, "What did Elias say last night that made both you and Ms. Stuart so upset?"

Finley looked at her with a gentle

smile. "Sam, it's better if you don't know. I fear that if you did, you'd be just as upset as I am. And it's not good for girls to get too worked up it can cause wrinkles. So it's best if you remain unaware

Samantha nodded, accepting Finley's words. Since he was unwilling to elaborate, she chose not to press further.

In the brief time she had been lost in thought, Finley had already finished preparing the seasoning, leaving Samantha...