Chapter 93
Rain woke up early, determined to keep her promise to Alexander. She went to the kitchen and found Chef Philip, the quiet, middle-aged head chef, already hard at work.
“Good morning, Chef Philip,” she greeted him with a smile. He gave a curt nod, not saying much, as was his habit. Without hesitation, she added, “I’ll just be making a beef stew for my husband—no peanuts this time—so please continue with your work p>
Chef Philip glanced at her and nodded again. A few minutes later, as Rain began prepping ingredients, he surprised her by asking, “Do you need help p>
She smiled warmly. “I’m fine for now, but I might need your expert taste later. I’m not the best at balancing flavours p>
“Alright, just let me know,” he replied in his usual calm tone.
As Rain worked, she bit her lip thoughtfully before saying, “I’m sorry you’ve been left to manage everything alone. I hope Uncle Ben finds someone soon to replace Chef Sarah p>
For the first time, Chef Philip smiled. “It’s honestly no trouble. To be honest, I was the only chef here before Sarah arrived. I’ve always managed just fine p>
Rain looked at him in surprise. “Really? So how long have you been working with the Lancasters p>
“Almost twenty-five years now,” he answered with a kind smile.
Her eyes widened. “Wow, that long p>
He nodded with a glint of pride. “Indeed, and I plan to keep going as long as my body allows. This place is like home to me.” Rain’s smile widened at Chef Philip’s words. She could sense his genuine care for the Lancaster family, not just as an employee but as someone deeply connected to them.
“You seem to know the Lancasters well,” she said, her curiosity piqued.
“I know enough,” he replied with a gentle smile. “Sir Rock and his family are good people p>
Rain nodded in agreement. “Yes, they are. Which is why I can’t stand the fact that Chef Sarah tried to harm Alexander just to mess with me,” she murmured, pouting slightly.
Chef Philip raised an eyebrow. “Hmm, well, Chef Sarah has her reasons. She wanted Miss Carla to become the mistress of the house. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s already reported this whole incident to her. You see p>
He trailed off, leaving Rain hanging. She stared at him, wide-eyed. “Ah, no way! Spill the tea! You can’t just stop there after dropping a hint like that p>
Chef Philip chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t usually meddle in other people’s affairs, but since you’re a bit… persuasive, and I’d rather not end up on your bad side, I suppose I’ll give you some hints p>
Rain chuckled along with him, amused. She found it funny how she had gotten the usually reserved chef to open up. Then again, she did have a knack for making people talk—it was part of her job as a lawyer, after all.
“Well, we didn’t need an extra chef at all,” Chef Philip began, shaking his head, “but Miss Carla p>
Rain noticed the hesitation in Chef Philip’s eyes and offered him a reassuring smile. “It’s alright. I already know about Carla Cartier. She was Alexander’s girlfriend five years ago p>
Philip nodded, seeming relieved, and continued, “Well, Miss Carla insisted on Sarah being hired. To be honest, I found the whole thing suspicious. Sir Rock didn’t like it either, but Alexander agreed, saying having an extra chef around wasn’t a bad idea in case I was unavailable or on leave p>
Rain sighed, now fully understanding the situation. “So Carla managed to slip her spy into the house right under Alexander’s nose p>
“Exactly,” Chef Philip said, his voice laced with frustration. “I think Alexander saw it as a harmless favor. But Sarah wasn’t just here to cook—she was reporting everything back to Miss Carla p>
Her lips twitched and Chef Philip elaborated, “You see, a few months later when Sarah started working here, Miss Carla flew abroad to pursue her career. Then I caught Sarah a few times on the phone, reporting everything about Sir Alexander to Miss Carla p>
Rain nodded slowly. “But I heard Carla broke up with him. Why bother keeping a spy here? She’s so weird. If she’s that possessive, she could’ve just kept a long-distance relationship instead p>
Chef Philip chuckled. “I know, right? But Miss Carla’s the type who can’t afford a scandal tied to her name. It’s all about her image. Relationships can be tricky for someone like her. Not all celebrities make it to stardom without some calculated moves p>
Rain rolled her eyes. “So, she was more worried about her reputation than actually being with Alexander p>
“Exactly. Keeping tabs on him while maintaining her perfect image. She didn’t want to risk any scandal affecting her career,” Chef Philip explained with a smirk.
Rain let out a long sigh as she continued peeling the carrots, then hummed, “Or maybe Carla’s just confident enough not to bother with a long-distance or secret relationship p>
Chef Philip simply shrugged in response, and Rain chuckled. “Alright, enough gossip. Go ahead and get back to work, Chef. Sorry for dragging you into all this p>
“It’s fine, Mrs. Lancaster,” Chef Philip said with a warm smile. “Honestly, I feel at ease and comfortable around you p>
Rain laughed, then playfully teased, “Hmm, or maybe it’s because you’re just being careful not to get on my bad side p>
Chef Philip’s hearty laughter echoed in the kitchen, but he quickly composed himself as the other staff members started filing in, ready to begin their duties.
When they were once again left alone, Chef Philip suddenly spoke, “But you’re probably right too that maybe Miss Carla is just confident enough not to bother with a long-distance or secret relationship p>
Rain turned to Chef Philip with a frown.
“I apologize if this may sound inappropriate, given that Sir Alexander is married to you now,” Chef Philip began cautiously. “But Sarah used to mention that Sir Alexander would never have another relationship after Miss Carla. She often said Miss Carla was the only woman for him, and that he wouldn’t be alive if not for her. Miss Carla saved his life once p>
Rain’s eyebrows shot up as annoyance surged through her. “So? Just because she saved his life doesn’t mean she owns my husband!” she snapped, her tone sharper than intended.
She couldn’t believe the entitlement some people had when it came to Alexander as if his past defined his future without considering her presence now.