Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

But Brielle, tucked away in the cozy confines of Premier Palace, wasn't paying attention to any of that. Since her return, King had her on strict bed rest, allowing her to get up only for meals downstairs.

So, she had no idea that at this very moment, King was in the kitchen, brow furrowed in concentration, chopping vegetables under the watchful eye of the chef. The chef, seeing King's disastrous attempts, couldn't help but suggest he give up. "Sir, maybe this isn't your thing."

Feeling a twinge of frustration at his culinary ineptitude, especially compared to Dustin's skills, King was determined to keep trying.

"Just show me again. Let's start with something easy."

"Okay, let's try sautéed broccoli. It's simple and doesn't need any fancy knife work. Just prep the broccoli first."

Following the chef's instructions step by step, King managed to cook the broccoli, though it ended up looking far from appetizing.

He quickly went upstairs to call Brielle and Isaac for dinner. "Dinner's ready! I've made something special you both love." Among the spread of dishes, the broccoli stood out awkwardly, but King didn't seem to mind.

Holding her plate, Brielle immediately noticed the broccoli, wondering if it was a culinary disaster. But if it was, why serve it? Her gaze flicked to King, who was watching her expectantly. "What's wrong, Little Canary? Not to your taste?"

With a reassuring smile, Brielle was the first to reach for the broccoli.

King had hoped the dish would blend in with the others and not draw attention. Yet, Brielle picked it first, making his heart race.

She ate the broccoli without a word, moving on as if it was just like any other dish.

King relaxed, thinking his efforts might have paid off, and eagerly started serving Brielle soup. "Little Canary, have some of this, it's good for you."

Brielle smiled, serving him in return, though she avoided the broccoli. "You should eat too. You've barely had a proper meal since we've been at the hospital."

Isaac watched the adults exchange servings, his lips pursing. Suddenly, a piece of broccoli landed in his bowl, courtesy of King.

"Little Cricket, don't be picky. Eat up so you can grow tall. You won't find a partner if you don't reach six feet."

Isaac looked down at the broccoli, feeling as if it radiated a dark aura before even tasting it. Was it his imagination?

He hesitantly took a bite.

King watched, expecting Isaac's delighted reaction, similar to how he looked at Dustin.

But Isaac promptly covered his mouth, dashed to the trash can, and spit it out. "This broccoli is poisoned." King's face fell.

Brielle, struggling to contain her laughter, watched Isaac gulp down two glasses of water before solemnly returning to the table. "The chef messed up. This should've been tossed."

King pinched Isaac's cheek. "You know we shouldn't waste food."novelbin

With Brielle's encouraging gaze, Isaac watched as she bravely ate another piece of broccoli. "Right, Little Cricket. We can't waste food."

BUMS

Isaac, doubting his taste buds, stared as Brielle consumed the dreaded dish without flinching.

Brielle then praised King's effort, "You must've spent a lot of time on this, didn't you?"

Caught off guard, King blurted out, "Yes, we can't waste your "

He paused, backtracking, "No, I mean, the chef did it, not me. I wouldn't know the first thing about cooking."

He tried the broccoli himself,

immediately regretting it. As he reached for a napkin, Isaac's cool gaze met his. King swallowed the broccoli with a poker face.

Isaac gave a thumbs up. "Daddy, impressive."