cuss with you," Audrey added. Her tone shifted slightly, carrying

loved Audrey's cooking. He set Cleo down gently, his mind racing with

ad started helping out at age three. He even knew a few recipes now. Standing on a stool, he handled the prep work effortlessly. Dante often joked he was

ndlady, Martha, was traveling for a few days, which was why Dante was helping out. The kitchen quickly filled with t

dependent, Martha traveled the world and rented out a room for company and house-sitting. They hit it off instantly. Martha never pried into Audrey's past or asked about the baby's father

are covered, Audrey pursued her master's degree. It was also through Martha that Audrey met Dante, who lived next door.

iming he didn't need to work and was just avoiding his family's pressure to marry and take over the family business back home, practically became a stay-a

e had stayed solely because he couldn't bear to leave her and the kids, choosing to protect them as a friend. He had sacri

, so these dishes were effortless for her. The table was set with simple elegance,

lly spoke up. "Dante, I've made a dec

live happily here forever until she accepted him. The metal of the fork bit into his palm as al

you least want to see are? Why go back? Isn't it good here?" His words tumble

tbreak or crossing paths with those toxic people again. He viewed New York as a battle

e one of them," Audrey said calmly. Earning money was her priority now, and she had long since moved past the trauma of five years

If she wanted, he could provide a luxurious life for her and the kids with a single word. She didn't need to struggle. He wanted to scr