Chapter 974
Chapter 974:
Gratefully, Yelena accepted the bowl. “Thank you p>
Maggie waved off the thanks. “No need for that. You’re stuck here because of us, missing your time with your family p>
She didn’t shy away from acknowledging she had listened in on the call.
“You’re fond of cookies, right? I can try making some. They won’t match up to your dad’s, but I’ll do my best p>
Warmth spread through Yelena’s heart. No matter where she found herself, there were always people who cared, making her feel at home.
“No need to trouble yourself, really,” Yelena replied, smiling.
Yelena didn’t want Maggie to go out of her way and do things for her, much like she never expected Austin to conform to her preferences.
“It’s no trouble at all. I love baking cookies; they’re delicious,” Maggie said.
Just then, Austin’s deep voice joined the conversation as he entered the room. “You want cookies? I’ll get someone to bake some for you,” he said, having caught the tail end of their exchange.
“There’s no need to bother anyone; the soup was filling enough,” Yelena replied.
However, Maggie pulled Austin aside with a sly wink and quietly shared what she had overheard about Yelena’s phone call with Donna. “Her dad made her cookies back home—you should do something special for her too,” Maggie suggested playfully.
Should Austin also try his hand at making cookies for Yelena as something special?
“List the ingredients for the cookies,” Austin said absentmindedly, fiddling with his cufflink that had come loose earlier in the day when he had grabbed Yelena’s hand.
“Or perhaps…” His voice trailed off as a dull thud from outside interrupted him.
Maggie and Austin exchanged a quick glance before rushing to the courtyard where John was clambering out of a snowdrift, looking quite disheveled and holding a foam delivery box.
Brushing snow off his face, John said, “The Harris family sent this over, saying it’s something Yelena loves p>
Stories live now on
Had Yelena’s parents planned this surprise from the beginning? Was the phone call merely a prompt?
Austin personally carried the box upstairs. Yelena opened it to find an assortment of adorable cookies.
A poignant sting welled up in Yelena’s throat, the cookies evoking memories of Archie.
She puzzled over why Callum had decided to make cookies now, but the gesture deeply moved her.
“If you’d like to eat them now, I can warm them up in the oven,” Maggie said kindly.
Yelena nodded. “Okay p>
While Maggie went to heat the cookies, Yelena went to check on Aitana.
Upon entering the room, she caught Aitana hastily hiding something. As Yelena approached, Aitana resembled a child caught in mischief, her eyes darting about, unwilling to meet Yelena’s gaze.
“Caught you sneaking candy!” Yelena exclaimed with a smile, approaching her.
Aitana, startled, looked up with a mix of surprise and guilt.
“The room smells sweetly of candy; it’s tempting,” Yelena said.
Aitana hesitated and then said, “Do you want some p>
“I do,” Yelena replied.
“I’ll share with you then. Reuben bought it for me; it’s delicious. But Austin thinks it’s not good for my health p>