She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 681

All eyes instantly shifted to Zelie.

She looked a bit embarrassed, lowering her head and nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. But she couldn't resist sneaking glances at everyone's reactions, especially Loyce's.

Loyce walked over, crouched down, and gently took Zelie's roughened hands. "Why were you working so hard all by yourself? You must be exhausted."

Zelie looked back at her, her eyes brimming with warmth. "Everyone works so hard. You all need to rest. Especially you, sweetheart."

Loyce held her gaze for a long moment before leaning in to press a soft kiss against Zelie's cheek. "Thank you. Leave the main course to us."

Zelie froze for a second, then a shy, radiant smile broke across her face.

For the rest of the day, the atmosphere in the Lonsdale household was more harmonious than it had ever been.

The three elders were comfortably settled on the living room sofa, each with a fresh mug of a custom wellness coffee blend Loyce had brewed. Hank brought over a chess set and pointed at them. "None of you are allowed to lift a finger today. You sit here, drink your coffee, watch TV, and play chess. We'll call you when dinner's ready."

Gordon was thrilled, though he couldn't hide his blatant distrust of his grandson. "You're built like a tank. What do you know about cooking? Don't burn my house down."

"Grandpa!" Hank groaned.

Marcella chuckled, patting the old man's arm. "Don't worry, Gordon. Loyce is in charge. She's a brilliant chef. The kitchen is safe."

Facing a group of men who were utterly clueless in the kitchen, Loyce's first instinct was a brewing headache. But she quickly seized command, assigning clear, non-negotiable tasks to her makeshift brigade.

"Forrest," she said, looking at the eldest and most grounded brother. "You've got the most muscle. You're handling the turkey. Follow the marinating steps I've written down. The spice ratios must be exact—not a gram more, not a gram less." She handed him a densely packed index card.

"You wrote this up last night?"

"Yep."

Forrest took the card as if receiving highly classified intel. He nodded with grave seriousness. "Understood." He turned and marched toward the massive bird, treating it like an enemy combatant.

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