Melanie hummed in delight, savoring each bite of her food to her heart's content. The food her mother had prepared was delicious. But she knew it was because of having had a few morsels of bread for breakfast and nothing for lunch that she found the food before her all the more appetizing.
"This is so good," she mumbled, giving her mother a thumbs-up.
Camilla didn't need any words of approval. She knew she was a good cook. Yet, she couldn't stop grinning like a fool when she saw her daughter eat everything on the plate with relish.
"Have some more, Lannie," she said and pushed the chicken parmesan towards her.
"Will do. Will do. Let me finish this first." Melanie nodded, licking her lips. She looked like she was starving, and the three brothers couldn't help but stare at her in awe.
'Is our sister a glutton?' they wondered, immediately recalling how small Sandra's appetite was. She barely ate a few bites, claiming to be on a diet all year round.
"Whoa! Lannie, I never knew you had such a big appetite," Stefan remarked, utterly amazed by his daughter.
"I'm starving. Haven't eaten much since morning," Melanie said, without looking up. "And seriously, this is one of the best chicken parmesan I've ever eaten."
Camilla looked at her sons in pride. "See, there's at least someone who appreciates my cooking."
While Ezra and Declan didn't respond, Castiel looked at his mother aggrievedly. "Mom, I complimented you in the morning. I hope you remember."
"You did?" Camilla tilted her head in confusion. "I don't remember."
"Yeah, right. Even if you did remember, you wouldn't take our compliments to heart."
"True that." Camilla dismissed her son half-heartedly and returned her attention to Melanie, who was in the middle of serving herself another scoop of the chicken. "By the way, Lannie, are you allergic to anything?"
"Um...Kiwi and Avocados."
"You're just like your father," Camilla said, giving Stefan a look.
"Is he allergic to kiwi and avocados as well?" Melanie was surprised and looked at her father, who, for some reason, looked proud.
"Yes. None of your brothers is allergic to them. You are the only one to share the trait." Camilla nodded, finding a bond forming between her daughter, even if there was a slight awkwardness between them.
"That's because she's my daughter. See... we have someone to carry on my legacy," Stefan boasted as if having this allergy was something great, rendering everyone speechless.
Even Melanie stopped eating for a moment, amusement dancing in her eyes. Although her knowledge about her birth father lingered on the border of nothingness, she had never expected him to be so down-to-earth and playful, a trait she had never seen in her adoptive father.
She remembered Howard to be a strict, no-nonsense person. She had barely seen him smile at her, let alone talk to her casually. Moreover, the man was more focused on making money. He never had the time for his family.
Suddenly, her eyes fell on the food on her plate, and Melanie sighed heavily. Not just her father, even her mother wasn't close to her. As far as she could recall, Nadia had never cooked for her. She was mostly socializing and connecting with other women of high society, trying to help her husband as much as possible.
And Melanie had assumed all of this to be normal. Wasn't it how it was in the upper society. Her adoptive parents gave her everything she needed, and that was what she thought until...
Melanie suddenly realized how much she had missed. What she had once considered a happy family was far from it. Instead, what she had now was the true definition of happiness.
'How different my life would have been if Sandra and I hadn't been switched at birth?' she wondered, his eyes glazing over her food absent-mindedly.
"What are you thinking, Lannie?" Stefan's expression turned grim when he noticed his daughter's strangeness. She had become silent suddenly and had even stopped eating, even though her fork kept moving on her plate.
Though Melanie was lost in thought, it wasn't to the extent of forgetting her surroundings. She didn't reveal what was running in her mind. Instead, she lied conveniently not to hurt them. "I was wondering what I should do next."
"What do you mean?" Camilla asked, biting her lower lip nervously.
Even the three brothers were staring at her with narrowed eyes. Though they hadn't spoken to her, Melanie discerned what was running through their minds.
"About my career. I can't work at the Gilroy company anymore. I'm wondering what to do," she said, staring at everyone one by one. The matter hadn't crossed her mind until a few seconds ago. Now that it did, she lost her appetite completely.
"No worries, Lannie. Take it easy. You can always think about it once you've settled here," Stefan advised, glancing at the three brothers, subtly hinting at them to help their sister out later.
"Yeah. I still have some matters to sort out first. Perhaps, I'll take a break till then."
Nobody said a word this time. It was Lannie's life. She had to sort it out herself. They couldn't do much except guide her and help her if needed.
"Umm..." Camilla fidgeted in her spot, not knowing how to start the topic. But she mustered her courage when Stefan nodded at her assuredly. "Lannie, can you tell us about Liam?"
"What about him?" Melanie tilted her head, silently wondering where this was going. 'Do they know about Sandra and Liam?'
"Umm... what kind of a man is he? Will you two be proceeding with the marriage?" she asked the question that everyone had in mind.
"Well..." Melanie dithered. She didn't know how to reply to her. Until some time ago, she had assumed she knew Liam well. But now, it didn't seem so. "To be honest, I'm not sure myself either."
"Why? Is something wrong?"
While Camilla didn't show much expression, the four men, however, sat up straight and looked at Melanie curiously. For a moment, the lady in question felt flustered to receive their undivided attention. Yet, Liam's face flashed before her eyes, followed by Sandra's and the small eye interaction between them, sending her mind spinning with dubious thoughts.
"Even if I want to marry Liam, I don't think he has the same idea anymore," Melanie said and pursed her lips. "I thought I knew him, but after tonight, I should reconsider my opinions."
"Did he do something to you?" For the first time, Ezra asked her, startling her, and Melanie saw the lurking danger in his eyes.
Not just him, even Declan and Castiel's demenors had changed into something more menacing, and Melanie was astounded to see how protective they had suddenly become.
Subconsciously, her lips curled into a blissful smile. She was touched, more than she could perceive. Having been the only child all these years, she felt it novel to have three brothers out of nowhere, and even more so when she sensed their care.
"No, not yet. I can't say the same in the future." Melanie shook her head and pondered for a second. "I have a question." Her smile slipped, and she became serious again. "Did Sandra know Liam before today?"