Chapter 193 Matchmaker
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Cade attempted to reach Lucian by phone in the evening, but his calls went unanswered. Cade checked
with David, who said Lucian hadn’t been to the company.
He quickly put the pieces together and concluded that Calista had likely rejected Lucian once more.
Without hesitation, Cade drove to Everglade Manor. A servant greeted him and opened the door.
“Mr, Northwood is in the study on the second floor.”
He thanked the servant and made his way upstairs. The door to the study was unlocked, yet he knocked
twice as a courtesy.
Lucian’s cold voice echoed, “I’m not eating. Go away.”
His un
intrusion only added to
Cade ignored Lucian’s orders and boldly entered the room,
Lucian’s already sour mood. Lucian wanted to get angry but restrained himself when he saw it was Cade.
“What brings you here?” he asked sternly.
Cade replied, “I’ve come to deliver a gift.”
Lucian’s eyes fell upon the cheap plastic bag Cade held, and he couldn’t help but ask with a lack of
enthusiasm, “What’s inside?”
It was the first time Cade had shown up with gifts. For someone of their wealth and stature, gifts rarely held the power to pique Lucian’s interest.
Cade fetched a duck he had purchased at the local market for a modest sum and placed it
unceremoniously on Lucian’s high–end, multi–thousand–dollar wooden desk.
A few drops of blood splattered as he did so. Unimpressed, Lucian furrowed his brow and pushed his
chair back slightly, his expression conveying a mix of irritation and curiosity.
“Why bring groceries to my office? Have I ever been short of supplies when you visit Everglade Manor?
You could have simply handed this off to the staff to prepare for lunch. What’s the reason for this Impromptu delivery? Look at the mess!” Lucian exclaimed.
Cade responded with a hint of sarcasm, “I brought this to test if you still have the stamina after what had happened.”
Lucian visibly winced at the mention of the word stamina, as if it struck a nerve.
“I’ve gone to great lengths, even throwing you in front of her, yet you’ve failed to win her over. Is the
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you shut your mouth?” Cade continued, seemingly unfazed by Lucian’s growing frustration,
He continued, “Should I strip her and place her in your bed? Well, that might not do the trick. I’d probably. have to position her on top of you to get you going. I’m not your parents. I shouldn’t have to give your lessons on bedding a woman.”
Cade had no genuine interest in being a matchmaker between Lucian and Calista. After all, he wasn’t the God of love.
However, Cade found Lucian’s behavior incredibly exasperating. Whenever Lucian got rejected by Calista, he would act as if the world owed him a fortune and responded to others with a sour attitude.
He appeared to be hurling insults at everyone as if they were to blame for his problems. Furthermore, he was tired of receiving frequent calls to clean up after Lucian’s messes.
If it weren’t for Lucian’s unwavering pursuit of Calista, Cade would have readily found solace in the company of another woman.
Lucian stared at the lifeless duck occupying the desk and remarked, “You’ve certainly had your fair share of adventures, haven’t you? Cameron can’t seem to get rid of you. It’s almost as if you belong to the same league as me. Just be careful. You might be in a precarious situation one d
day.”
“I’ve heard Mrs. Baker has stopped setting up blind dates for Paul lately,” Cade responded.
Lucian was familiar with this information. The social circle they moved into was so interconnected that even if he wasn’t actively gossiping, tidbits like these naturally found their way to his ears.
“I happened to bump into Mrs. Baker at the mall recently. She mentioned her plans to have Calista over for dinner at her place this weekend.”
Cade intentionally relayed the information with the aim of provoking Lucian. Lucian stared at Cade for a moment, his lips tightly pursed.
“You can leave now,” he ordered.
Cade let out a wry chuckle and stood up to leave.
“Take your companion with you,” Lucian commanded.
Over the weekend, Calista made a trip to the Baker residence, bearing gifts she had recently purchased for the elders of the Baker elders.
As a child, Calista had frequently visited this place, often accompanying her grandfather or mother.
Despite the changes by renovations over the years, the Baker residence still held onto its essence,
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Surprisingly, it felt even more like a second home to her than the Everhart villa by Willowbrook Lake.
Agnes greeted Calista at the door,
“Mrs Baker, Calista politely greeted.
Agnes had a warm personality and bore a strong resemblance to Paul.
She graciously accepted Calista’s gifts and remarked, “Come inside quickly. It’s freezing out there.”
Despite not being the winter season, it felt colder than it had during the winter.
Agnes glanced behind Calista and asked, “Have you seen Paul? You haven’t been here in years, and he
was worried you might not find your way, so he went down the hill to pick you up.”
“I might have missed him,” Calista replied as she spotted Paul’s car.
Agnes hurriedly pulled Calista inside.
“Come on in and enjoy the heater. Don’t mind him.”
There were no signs of anyone else at home, so Calista inquired, “Where are Mr. Baker and Mr. Baker
senior?
“Harold and his friends went mountain climbing. Paul’s father is on a business trip,” Agnes explained as
she headed to the kitchen.
“Calista, take a seat and relax. I’m going to whip up something special for you. Paul shared a list of your favorite dishes, and I’ve been honing my cooking skills for days. You’re in for a treat.”
Calista couldn’t let Agnes work alone in the kitchen and quickly followed her.
“Mrs. Baker, let me help you.”
“Take a load off, and don’t bother getting your hands dirty. Our maid took the day off today, so I’m looking
forward to cooking.”
“Isn’t it kind of dull cooking alone? Do you want me to peel these potatoes?” Calista inquired.
“Well, you could peel a few potatoes and then head out to spend time with Paul,” Agnes replied.
As Calista was peeling potatoes, she conversed pleasantly with Agnes about her childhood. Their exchange created a warm and harmonious atmosphere in the kitchen.
Paul walked in and heard the lively voices of the two women chatting in the kitchen, their conversation.
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A smile crept across his lips as he approached and asked, “Is there anything I can help?”
Agnes was about to ask him to leave but then remembered something and changed her tone.
“Paul, why don’t you help Calista peel the potatoes? Peel plenty of them. I’m making bacon mashed
potatoes.”
The Baker family had lived in their residence for a long time due to sentimental reasons and had not
moved in years.
Despite being a villa, the kitchen was not exceptionally spacious, and the designated area for potato
peeling was tucked away in a corner.
While it had been sufficient for Calista to work alone, with Paul’s presence, the limited space suddenly
felt crowded. Their legs were almost touching while peeling the potatoes.
She could even feel the warmth radiating from him, which made Calista slightly uneasy. But Paul
continued peeling the potatoes unwaveringly. If she were to stand up now, it might raise suspicion.
As the awkwardness lingered, the sound of the doorbell interrupted.
Calista was about to answer it when Agnes hurriedly said, “You keep peeling. I’ll get the door.”
Outside the door, Lucian and the reluctantly accompanying Cade stood with gifts in hand, both chiming in.
“Surprise!”
Agnes had invited Calista over today because Paul had confided in her about his feelings for Calista. She had spent an entire week mentally preparing herself for the role of matchmaker.
Upon seeing Lucian’s unexpected presence, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of awkwardness. The
situation was surreal to have attempted to set up her son with a woman before her ex–husband.
“Lucian, Cade, what brings you here?”
Lucian began to explain, but before he could, a series of crashing sounds echoed from the kitchen. All
three of them exchanged worried glances and rushed toward the kitchen.
Their steps came to an abrupt halt at the kitchen door. The scene inside was pure chaos. Calista and Paul
were sprawled on the floor amid the scattered mess.
Her head rested against his abdomen, and the situation might have appeared intimate to any outsider, a
scene that could easily set one’s heart racing.
