Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 326: I’ll Cook Today

Chapter 326: I’ll Cook Today

Christmas had just passed, and the festive spirit lingered in the air, with Christmas trees lining every street. During this time, most people were busy exchanging gifts, but for the Sterling family, the rare holiday brought fewer social obligations. With only a few business associates dropping by, the usually bothersome social engagements were minimal.

Mr. Sterling Senior had already flown to Bali on his private jet, spending his time with the exotic beauties of the tropical island. He often said that wasting time at home chatting over tea in such cold weather was pointless for an old man like him.

The Sterling family mansion was quiet, with only a few security guards on duty, incentivized by triple their usual pay during the Christmas break. Most of the household staff, including Mrs. Harris, had gone back to their hometowns for the holidays.

The unusual silence inside the mansion felt somewhat unsettling. In the second-floor movie room, Emma Hart was watching "Titanic," surrounded by an array of snacks. Normally, Damien Sterling would scold her for eating junk food, but considering it was the holiday season, he let it slide.

Their two children were beside Emma, intermittently napping and waking up crying for milk when hungry. Meanwhile, Damien Sterling and his assistant were in a video conference, deciding on crucial company plans for the upcoming year.

As the house settled into its atypical calm, lunchtime approached. Emma Hart, carrying a freshly brewed cup of Damien’s favorite coffee, knocked on the study’s closed door.

"Come in," Damien Sterling said.

"Hey, Mr. Sterling, done with work?" Emma placed the coffee on his desk.

"Yeah, what’s up?" Damien asked.

"Mrs. Harris and the others have left. What about lunch..." Emma hinted, hoping to avoid cooking.

"Why don’t you make it? Not confident?" Damien raised an eyebrow mischievously.

"Impossible!" How dare he underestimate her! She had trained under a top Western chef and learned a few tricks from Brianna Baker at the Green Mountain Retreat.

"Then, I look forward to it!" Damien said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"You watch the kids in the room. I’ll get started! Just wait for Chef Hart’s special lunch!" Emma said with a smile, heading to the kitchen.

Damien found teasing her one of life’s great pleasures, though he briefly wondered if he had made a mistake.

Emma Hart opened the refrigerator, scanning the array of ingredients Mrs. Harris had thoughtfully stocked before leaving for her hometown. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and various meats filled the shelves.

"What should I make?" Emma mused, overwhelmed by the choices. She originally planned to impress Damien Sterling with creative dishes like pepper-crusted steak, curry seafood soup, or breaded chicken cutlets. However, fearing Damien’s criticism, she settled on a safer option: a classic steak dinner with creamy mushroom soup.

Emma took out the packaged Australian steak, butter, and the ingredients for the soup. She started with the soup, heating olive oil in a pot and toasting some flour. In another pot, she brought cream and milk to a boil before adding the prepared roux, followed by ham and mushrooms. She let it simmer, adding salt to taste. This recipe was a fusion of Mrs. Harris’s teachings and online tutorials.

Without much prior experience, it took Emma over an hour to prepare both the soup and steak. Upstairs, Damien was already starving. When Emma tasted the soup, she was relieved to find it reminiscent of Mrs. Harris’s version—a testament to her diligent practice.

Once everything was ready, she rushed upstairs to call Damien, each carrying one of the children as they went back down. Before eating, they fed the babies first. Surprisingly, the little ones decided to adopt a grazing approach, drinking only half their bottles and refusing more, forcing Emma and Damien to give up.

As soon as the parents put down the bottles, the babies burst into laughter, leaving Damien exasperated and Emma amused. Seeing the situation potentially spiraling, Emma quickly interjected, "Alright, I’ll feed them again later. Mr. Sterling, let’s eat first!"

The steak was nearly cold, so Damien reluctantly agreed. He was astonished by the sight of Emma’s perfectly cooked steaks. Previously, she always overcooked them, but this time, they were seared to perfection—crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, with just the right amount of black pepper sauce. Even the creamy mushroom soup tasted surprisingly good. Emma had truly outdone herself.

"Well, how is it?" Emma Hart looked at Damien Sterling with a proud smile, waiting for his praise.

"You’ve improved, keep it up," Damien said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his wine.

"That’s it?" Emma was clearly disappointed with his lukewarm response.

Seeing the hint of disappointment in her eyes, Damien chuckled softly, feeling a bit guilty. "Alright, 90 points. I’ll save the remaining 10 for next time."

Emma’s face lit up instantly. She knew getting a compliment from the usually stoic Damien was no small feat. "Come on, eat more!" she said, filling Damien’s bowl with more creamy mushroom soup.

As they continued their meal, Emma noticed the quietness of the house. Only their occasional conversation, the TV commercials, and the children’s giggles or cries broke the silence. It felt unusually dull.

"Sigh..." Emma let out a deep breath.

"What’s wrong?" Damien asked.

"It’s just... it’s Christmas, but the house feels even more lifeless than usual. Isn’t it boring?" Emma replied.

Damien hadn’t really noticed. He had always spent Christmas alone, and with his exhausting work schedule, he usually craved nothing more than a few days of uninterrupted sleep in a quiet environment. But seeing Emma so disheartened made him reconsider.

An idea crossed his mind, and he smiled. "How about we all go on a trip?"

Emma’s yawn was immediately stifled by her surprise. "What? Really?" she exclaimed, overjoyed. Emma couldn’t believe it.

"Yes, you decide where. Just let me know once you’ve made up your mind, We can leave right away." Damien said, putting down his utensils and wiping his mouth before heading towards the sofa.

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