Darren didn’t answer; he simply set the dinner plate in front of her.
The steak was cooked medium-well—edges just charred, glazed with a rich, dark sauce.
He pulled off his chef’s hat, his tone brooking no argument. “Charlotte, try the steak I made for you.”
Charlotte, still fuming, shot him a look of pure annoyance. “Are you out of your mind? It’s only three in the afternoon and you want me to eat steak?”
Besides, she was allergic to beef.
Darren’s face stayed hard. “I cooked it myself. Just take a bite—then you can tell me whose food is better, mine or Bradley’s.”
She stared at him, caught off guard by the stubborn glint in his eyes. The whole thing was so absurd, she almost laughed.
“Darren, have you forgotten? Yesterday, the whole world was celebrating your new baby. Xena is at home, pregnant with your child, waiting for you! And here you are, grilling steak for me?”
“I have to say, I’ve never seen anyone stoop as low as you.”
Her words hit him like a punch to the throat. He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, the head chef behind him couldn’t help chiming in.
“Miss, Mr. Harrington came in and didn’t stop practicing all day, just to learn how to cook steak. He burned his hand and didn’t even put anything on it. Why not just try a bite?”
The chef was clearly someone who didn’t keep up with the news—he hadn’t recognized her as the infamous ex-wife of Mr. Harrington, the one the tabloids had torn to shreds.
Charlotte glanced at Darren’s right hand. Sure enough, there was an angry red blister near the base of his thumb.
The sight dragged her back years, to the time she’d scorched her own hands over and over, baking pastries at Pixel Sweetery for him. All those humiliating memories—better left forgotten.
Her voice turned icy. “It’s just a little burn. Mr. Harrington has a tough hide—he probably doesn’t feel a thing. As for your steak…”
She didn’t bother finishing her sentence. Instead, she lifted the plate and, without hesitation, dumped the entire steak onto the floor.
From the corner of the dining room, their golden retriever bounded over and gobbled it up in seconds.
“You—!” Darren’s face went livid. “Charlotte, did you just feed the steak I made you to the dog?”


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