Jenna Roland tied her apron and spent the entire morning bustling in the kitchen.

The flames danced merrily on the stove. The spatula clinked against the wok with crisp sounds.

She had specially prepared Ethan Roscente's favorite dishes—braised pork ribs, steamed sea bass, and garlic broccoli.

The dining table was set with four dishes and a soup, each perfectly presented.

Wiping sweat from her forehead, Jenna admired her handiwork with satisfaction.

Her phone suddenly rang, Ethan's name flashing on the screen.

"Mr. Roscente, I made your favorite dishes. When will you be home?"

His cold voice came through the line. "I have a client meeting. Won't be back for lunch."

Jenna's smile froze.

"But—"

The call ended abruptly, leaving only the dial tone.

She stared at her phone blankly before slowly setting it down.

The steaming dishes sat untouched, their aromas wafting through the empty dining room.

Jenna picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of the ribs.

Though prepared exactly to Ethan's taste, they now seemed flavorless.

She dialed her brother Milo Roland.

"Hey sis, I already ate at Ryan Watson's place," Milo answered cheerfully.

Jenna murmured a quiet "Okay" before hanging up.

Her finger scrolled through her contacts before landing on Stella Laurent's name.

"Hello, Jenna?" Stella's voice chirped through the phone.

"I made too much food. Would you and Jake like to come over?"

Stella gasped excitedly. "Perfect timing! We're at the supermarket nearby. We'll be right there!"

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Stella walked in arm-in-arm with Jake Varley, both smiling brightly.

"Wow! Everything smells amazing!" Stella's eyes sparkled as she took in the spread.

Jake immediately grabbed chopsticks and sampled a bite. "Jenna, you could open a restaurant with skills like this!"

She gave a faint smile. "Just some simple dishes. Help yourselves."

Stella happily nibbled on a piece of fish, closing her eyes in delight.

Jake suddenly turned to Stella. "See how well Jenna cooks? You can't even make decent fried rice."

Stella's smile vanished, her chopsticks hovering mid-air.

Jenna frowned. "Jake, that's not fair."

He shrugged. "A woman should know how to cook. My grandma always said—"

Stella lowered her head, silently pushing rice around her bowl.

Jenna set down her chopsticks and locked eyes with Jake. "That's an outdated mindset."

As Jake opened his mouth to argue, Stella gently tugged his sleeve.

The cheerful atmosphere turned tense.

Seeing Stella's dejected expression, Jenna felt irritation rise in her chest.

She stood abruptly. "I'll get more soup from the kitchen."