Ch. 37: Mr. Edwards' Unraveled Life chapter 37

Chapter 37Gwen urged them to spend some time alone, pushing Norah into the kitchen.

Kevin continued preparing the ingredients without pausing. Norah found this surprising—Kevin never used to do things like this.

"Why are you here, Kevin?" Norah asked.

"You didn’t answer my calls, so I asked Mom where you were," Kevin replied.

As they washed vegetables together, Norah said, "I don’t remember you ever doing this before."

Kevin smirked and said, "Just trying to impress my mother-in-law."

Norah responded, "You don’t have to."

Kevin then asked, "Why didn’t you answer my calls?"

Norah hesitated. "I didn’t want to disturb you and Bianca."

Kevin laughed, which puzzled Norah. "What’s so funny?" she asked.

"Are you jealous?" he teased.

Norah denied it quickly. "No, and it wouldn’t be the first time. If I got jealous every time, I’d be miserable."

Kevin didn’t reply, but when some water splashed on Norah’s face, he gently stopped her from wiping it with her sleeve. Instead, he dried his hands and used a tissue to carefully wipe her face.

Norah felt his tender care and found herself staring at him. At that moment, Kevin’s focused and gentle demeanor reminded her of the boy he used to be.

"Be careful," Kevin said in a hushed voice. "You shouldn’t be doing this; you’ll just get yourself dirty." He took the vegetables from her and continued the task.

Gwen, watching from the doorway, saw the affection between the couple. She turned to Jack and said, "See, I told you our daughter is happy. Kevin treats her so well."

But Jack wasn’t convinced. "What if he’s just putting on a show? Who knows how he treats her when we’re not around."

Gwen dismissed his concerns. "You’re overthinking. If Kevin didn’t care about her, why would he marry her?"

Jack remained skeptical. "How often have we seen them like this since they got married? And remember, Norah once told us not to talk about their relationship. That’s not normal. Something’s off."

Kevin’s sudden arrival made Jack uneasy, even though he appreciated Kevin’s help. He knew Norah well enough to sense that she might hide her true feelings from them. He hoped for her happiness but couldn’t shake his doubts.

Gwen returned to cooking, while Norah sat outside, making tea for Jack.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Norah went to answer it and was surprised to see Steven standing there.

"Steven?" she exclaimed.

Steven smiled and asked, "Am I interrupting?"

"Of course not, come in," Norah said, ushering him inside.

Steven carried several gifts and greeted Gwen and Jack warmly.

Gwen looked at Steven, trying to place him, while Jack immediately recognized him and welcomed him with enthusiasm.

"Steven! It’s been years! When did you get back to Craggaville?" Jack asked.

"I returned not long ago," Steven replied. "Norah and I have already caught up, but I’m sorry it took me this long to visit you."

Gwen finally remembered him. "So, it’s Steven! You used to live just a street away. You’ve grown so much more handsome!"

"Thank you, Auntie," Steven said, clearly pleased. But then he noticed Kevin sitting on the sofa, his sharp eyes locked on him.

"Is Mr. Edwards here too?" Steven asked, surprised.

The room fell silent, unsure of how to respond.

Norah quickly said, "Yes, Mr. Edwards is visiting today. Steven, please have a seat."

Gwen chimed in, "Steven, stay for dinner. You can’t leave."

"Thank you, Auntie," Steven replied politely.

The large sofa provided enough space for everyone. Steven sat diagonally across from Kevin.

Jack and Steven reminisced about old times, and Norah realized that Steven had once lived nearby and was quite familiar with her parents.

As she listened, Kevin’s mood darkened. He felt like an outsider as they chatted about the past.

During dinner, Steven showed special attention to Norah, pouring her a glass of milk. "Here, for you," he said.

"Thank you," Norah replied.

Kevin watched and, with a cold tone, asked, "Mr. Lord, how do you know Norah likes milk?"

Steven explained, "I used to see her drink it often when we were in school. I wondered if she still does."

Norah was surprised Steven remembered that, but Kevin felt uneasy. He wasn’t pleased that someone else knew Norah’s preferences.

As Kevin reached for something on the table, he accidentally knocked over the cup of milk, spilling it.

"I’ll get another cup," Kevin said, his voice cold as he glared at Steven.

Norah noticed Kevin’s strange behavior.

When Kevin returned, he handed Norah a cup, saying, "It’s hot, the weather’s cool."

Norah felt warmth in her heart and quickly held the cup, which seemed to ease Kevin’s mood.

Steven noticed the interaction between them but didn’t comment, continuing his conversation with Jack.

As the evening went on, Jack, who had drunk a bit too much, began praising Steven. "You’ve done so well for yourself, starting from scratch. It’s impressive."

Steven humbly replied, "I’ve just been lucky, Uncle White."

Jack, still in high spirits, suddenly proposed, "Steven, what do you think of my daughter? She’s beautiful and has a good temper. How about I betroth her to you?"

The room fell silent, everyone’s expressions shifting.

Gwen was shocked, and Norah felt embarrassed. Kevin’s face darkened instantly, while Steven just smiled, saying nothing.

Gwen quickly tried to smooth things over. "Husband, you’re drunk. Stop talking nonsense!"

"I’m not drunk," Jack insisted. "Steven is a good man, and he’s come back to see us after all these years. That shows he’s grateful. I believe my daughter would be happy with him."

Gwen apologized to Steven, "Please don’t mind him. He’s had too much to drink."

Steven responded kindly, "I don’t mind at all, Auntie. I understand."

But Kevin, looking furious, glared at Steven and said, "Don’t take those words seriously."

Steven, taken aback, asked, "What do you mean, Mr. Edwards?"

Kevin’s eyes narrowed as he coldly replied, "You’ll never marry Norah."