Chapter 216
216:
Seeing they were determined, Christina relented and sat down to join them. It never crossed her mind they’d actually finish all the dishes. Watching them laugh and share the meal together, Christina felt a gentle warmth unfurl in her chest.
For a moment, she almost forgot the awkwardness and self-doubt. Instead, she simply enjoyed the heartfelt, simple scene—so different from her cold, distant days with the Dawson family.
Christina’s early attempts in the kitchen had been nothing short of catastrophic. Yet, she’d persevered, learning by trial and error while still living with the Dawson family. Her progress had been hard-won—her meals still weren’t flawless, but compared to where she’d started, the improvement was undeniable.
The Dawson family, however, had never acknowledged her growth. No matter how much effort she poured into a dish—even when a professional chef hovered at her elbow to ensure perfection—they always managed to pick it apart.
With the lone exception of Bethel, not a single member of the Dawson family had ever offered a word of encouragement. Instead, Christina’s every effort had been met with cold criticism and dismissive sneers.
Only Bethel had shown Christina warmth and support. It was Bethel’s kindness, rare and genuine, that touched Christina deeply, and she silently vowed that one day, she would repay Bethel in full.
Noticing the shift in Christina’s mood, Dylan glanced over with concern, his usually reserved voice growing gentle. “What’s wrong?”
Chloe, though unable to see Christina’s face due to her sight issue, picked up on the tension right away. She leaned in, her tone worried. “Christina, did someone upset you?”
“No.” Christina gave a light, practiced laugh, brushing their concerns aside with ease. “Not at all. I was just thinking about your car being damaged…”
𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀．ⅽ𝗈𝗺
“Oh!” Chloe brushed off her concern with a carefree wave. “It’s no biggie. It’s just a car—it’ll be fixed up and good as new soon. Nothing to stress over.”
Dylan gave Christina a reassuring look. “Seriously, don’t blame yourself for this.”
Before Christina could reply, Chloe jumped in, her eyes bright.
“Christina, I should be thanking you!”
Christina turned to her, puzzled. “For what?”
“I’ve been itching to repaint that car for a long time,” Chloe announced with a grin. “Now, thanks to you, those two jerks got what was coming to them, and I get my dream color—all without spending a dime. Honestly, I should be celebrating.”
Chloe burst out laughing, so pleased that she nearly started clapping for Christina. Some men were downright vile—intentionally targeting female drivers by swerving in front of them with bad intentions. She’d dealt with it before: one smug jerk had cut her off, and she’d made damn sure he paid dearly for it.
Funny enough, when Chloe drove a flashy sports car, no one dared mess with her. But the moment she switched to her adorable pink Mini—something that looked inexpensive and harmless—they crawled out of the woodwork, full of spite.
“Christina, you handled it perfectly!” Chloe noted, full of admiration. “If it were me, I’d do the exact same thing. My car even has a warning sticker, but they still had the nerve to cut you off on purpose. Serves them right!”
Chloe then huffed, her voice laced with disdain. “Those guys think they can push around women who look soft or drive cheaper cars. They assume even if they scratch it, they’ll only owe pocket change. That’s why they act like they own the road.”
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