Silvia gave Julia a warm smile and said, “Hi, Julia! I’m Silvia Saxon, but you can call me Silvia. Is there a dessert you like? I can make it for youter.”


    Julia said sweetly, “Hi, Silvia! Can I have some crème caramel, please?”


    Silvia smiled and said, “Perfect, that’s actually my specialty!”


    Then Julia wriggled out of Aria’s arms, and Lily and Pearl led her away to y some games.


    Owen announced, “Alright, everyone, let’s get these ingredients prepped and start cooking!”


    Silvia walked up to Aria’s side and said softly, “I’ll make dessert a bitter-let me help with dinner first.”


    Aria directed, “Start by washing these vegetables.”


    Silvia hurried over. “Okay!”


    Johnny watched the scene and muttered under his breath, “She’s like a puppy following its master…”


    Owen called out, “Give me a hand!”


    “Coming!” Johnny replied.


    Soon, Caleb arrived too.


    Before Caleb could even say a word to Silvia, Kim grabbed him and led him aside. With a teasing formality, he asked, “Mr. Saxon, can you gut a fish?”


    Caleb hesitated. “I… think so? Maybe?”


    Kim grinned and said, “Alright, you give it a shot.”


    Caleb picked up the knife and reached for the fish with his other hand.


    But in the blink of an eye, the slippery fish escaped his grasp and flopped onto the floor.


    He crouched down to grab it, only for the fish to wriggle away again, flopping to the other side.


    Owen’s temple twitched as he snatched the knife from Caleb’s hand. “I’ll handle the fish. You two go take care of the chicken.”


    “Got it,” Caleb said.


    Owen nced over at Johnny, who was methodically chopping vegetables and chatting animatedly with Cloe.


    Seeing this, Kim left Caleb alone to deal with the chicken and squeezed himself between the two. Turning to Johnny with yful formality, he said, “Mr. Oconnor, let me take over here. Why don’t you go handle something else?”


    Johnny rolled his eyes and retorted, “Seriously, if there was something going on between us, what’s that to you?”


    Kim said with an innocent look, “Mr. Oconnor, you’ve got the wrong idea-I really didn’t mean it that way. I’m just a total newbie in the kitchen, and Cloe can show me the ropes here. Please don’t misunderstand.”


    Speechless, Johnny thought, ‘What a way to y innocent!


    Johnny muttered under his breath as he stalked off to another corner of the rooftop.


    Owen looked away with a wry smile.


    Owen shifted his gaze to Aria. Silvia, Pearln, and Lily were all gathered around her, and even little Julia was clinging to her side.


    Owen withdrew his gaze, a warm smile deepening in his eyes.


    ‘Yeah, this is the life I want,’ he thought.


    At the Saxon family’s ce, Luke’s expression darkened as Silvia and Caleb remained conspicuously absent.


    Knowing where the two had gone, Zoe murmured an exnation. “Caleb has an unavoidable business dinner.”


    Luke asked, “And what about Silvia?”


    “Silvia… well, you know she’s been starting a business with a friend. That friend’s an orphan and had surgery today, so Silvia felt bad for her and stayed to help. She should be back around ten,” Zoe exined, her tone smooth and reassuring.


    Since this “friend” was entirely made up, Zoe simply spun the story on the spot.


    She wasn’t sure if Luke believed it or not. He let out a long sigh. “This house is getting emptier by the day,” he muttered.


    Abigail, ever the career woman, was too swamped with work to even show up.


    Lincoln went abroad to see an art exhibition.


    Nathan also didn’te back, saying he had evening sses that night.


    Only five people were left at the table.


    “Don’t worry,” Gloria reassured them. “Wilson will be back soon, and things will liven up around here.”


    Luke was furious. “That ungrateful kid! First, he promised toe back in August, but now, he’s pushed it to the end of the year. Might as well not bothering back at all!”


    Joseph shot him a re. “If you keep acting like this, he’ll probably storm off again the moment he arrives! All day you aplish nothing, yet your temper’s even worse than mine!”


    Luke grumbled, “Dad, among us four siblings, I’m the one who takes after you the most.”


    Joseph was itching to scold him again.


    Zoe gazed out the window, unconsciously gripping her fork tighter and tighter.


    ‘If only Aria were here,’ she thought, ‘this house wouldn’t feel so lifeless.’


    Meanwhile, the rooftop of Amour Bistro was buzzing withughter.


    As dusk fell, the ambient lighting came alive, setting the mood.


    Johnny set up some speakers and was casually flipping skewers on the grill, humming a tune.


    Out of nowhere, he spotted a drone hovering nearby.