She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother

When Alex and Danny walked into the dining room, the table was already brimming with the kind of hearty, unpretentious spread that Linda had perfected over decades.

Steaming platters of fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, buttered toast, and a warm ceramic dish of freshly baked apple cinnamon rolls filled the room with a rich, comforting aroma.

Victoria was already seated near the middle of the table, though she had very little choice in the matter, as Nina had firmly occupied the chair directly to her right, pressing close enough that their shoulders nearly brushed.

Seeing the two of them step in from the hallway, Linda looked up from setting down a pitcher of freshly squeezed juice and motioned toward the table with an affectionate wave of her hand.

”There you two are,” Linda said warmly, smoothing down her apron. ”Stop lingering by the doorway like strangers and sit down. Everything is hot and ready, and we were just waiting on you boys.”

”Yes, yes! Big Brother, hurry up and come eat with us!” Nina chimed in eagerly, bouncing slightly in her seat while her small hands patted against the tablecloth in pure excitement.

Seeing her lively, rosy-cheeked display, Alex couldn’t help the fond smile that spread across his face.

He strolled over toward the table, tilting his head with mock betrayal as he looked between the little girl and Victoria.

”Look at you,” Alex teased, crossing his arms with an amused smirk. ”The second your Aunty Victoria walks through the door, you completely forget all about your big brother. I guess I’ve already been replaced, haven’t I?”

Nina giggled, puffing out her cheeks in an adorable pout before shaking her head so fast that her yellow ribbon bobbed wildly. With theatrical importance, she patted the empty chair on her other side, looking up at him with wide, triumphant eyes.

”I didn’t forget you at all!” Nina protested cutely, gesturing proudly to the space beside her.

”See? I already reserved this seat just for you so you could sit with us. Now hurry up and sit down before the rolls get cold!”

Alex chuckled and pulled out the chair beside her, gently tugging one of her yellow ribbons before taking his seat. Danny followed right behind, sliding into the chair next to Alex with an amused shake of his head.

At the head of the table, David was already seated with his morning coffee, watching the lively exchange with quiet amusement.

His gaze drifted from Danny to Alex, and finally across to Victoria, a proud, fatherly warmth settling behind his wire-rimmed glasses. It still felt surreal to see the young man who had once shouldered life’s burdens in silence sitting here so composed, flanked by the people he loved.

Neatly folding his morning paper and setting it aside, David rested his forearms on the table, looking across at Alex with genuine interest.

”You’ve been running nonstop ever since college wrapped up, son,” David said, his tone warm and thoughtful. ”I know setting up a company from scratch isn’t a walk in the park. How are things shaping up on your end?”

”Steadier every day, Dad,” Alex replied with an easy, reassuring smile. ”The foundation is coming together nicely. Right now, I’m mainly focusing on scouting the right, capable people to build a solid core team around. Finding people you can genuinely trust takes a bit of patience, but everything is moving on schedule.”

David nodded in quiet satisfaction, knowing better than to doubt the young man’s capability.

”And what about your side, Dad?” Alex asked, turning the conversation with genuine curiosity. ”How are things holding up at your office?”

”Much better than before, honestly,” David smiled, taking a slow sip from his coffee mug.

”The work is smooth, the atmosphere is calm, and there’s hardly any pressure these days. The new department head is reasonable, so the days actually go by pretty quickly.”

Alex gave a quiet, appreciative nod. If he had his way, he would have had David step down from his post months ago to enjoy a comfortable, well-deserved retirement on the estate without ever having to clock in again.

But David was a man raised on honest labor and routine; he had stubbornly refused the offer, insisting that staying idle inside an empty villa all day would only age him faster.

Alex understood that quiet pride, and as long as the workload remained light and respectful, he was content to let the older man keep his routine.

Just then, Linda carried over the last ceramic dish of warm pastries, setting it neatly in the center of the table before slipping into the empty chair beside her husband. She smoothed down her apron with a happy, fulfilled sigh, her eyes crinkling as she looked around at everyone finally gathered together.

?”Alright, that’s the last of it,” Linda declared warmly, gesturing toward the laden table. ”Let’s all dig in before everything loses its heat.”

?Turning her full attention toward Victoria, Linda reached forward to pour her a cup of hot coffee, her maternal warmth tempered by a lingering, instinctive hesitation.

?”Now please, don’t be shy, Madame Victoria,” Linda said, offering a self-deprecating smile as she nudged the dish of pastries a little closer. ”I know our simple breakfast might not compare to the exquisite meals you’re accustomed to in the upper districts, but every single thing was made fresh from scratch this morning.”

”It smells incredible, Mrs. Morrison,” Victoria replied, her voice smooth and devoid of any aristocratic stiffness. ”And please, call me Victoria. You don’t need to be formal with me.”

”Then Victoria it is, dear,” Linda said with an affectionate smile that reached the crinkles at the corners of her eyes.

Before Victoria could even lift her napkin, Linda was already leaning over the table, skillfully transferring two golden cinnamon rolls and a generous serving of eggs straight onto Victoria’s plate.

”You look far too slender, working long hours in those executive offices,” Linda insisted with maternal authority, waving off any possible protest before Victoria could even formulate one.

”You need proper nourishment, especially after taking so much time out of your busy schedule to visit us.”

Victoria looked down at the generously heaped plate, a rare, faint warmth rising to her cheekbones. In her world, dining was an exercise in calculated restraint... formal silverware, measured portions, and conversations laced with business agendas.

Being fussed over with warm cinnamon rolls and homemade eggs by someone who simply wanted to feed her was entirely foreign, yet undeniably disarming.

?Catching Alex’s eye from across the table, she saw the quiet, unrepentant smirk playing on his lips... clearly enjoying every single second of her surrender.

Seeing David pick up his fork with an approving hum and Danny waste no time reaching for another slice of bacon, the lingering formality dissolved into ordinary, lively morning chatter.

Beside her, Nina sat perched on the edge of her chair, her small hands resting flat on the table, watching Victoria with wide, expectant eyes to see what she thought of her mother’s cooking.

Letting out a soft, helpless breath, Victoria set aside the rigid etiquette that usually governed her every move. She lifted her fork, cutting into the edge of a golden, glaze-drizzled cinnamon roll, and brought a small bite to her lips.

The pastry was impossibly soft and pillowy, practically melting on her tongue as the rich warmth of cinnamon, melted brown sugar, and sweet butter coated her palate.

It was completely unlike the sterile, artisan pastries served at high-society banquets, which were always engineered for delicate presentation rather than genuine comfort.

A subtle light flared in her dark eyes, and before she could stop herself, a quiet, genuine sigh of satisfaction slipped past her lips.

?It was delicious.

?In the past, a plate loaded with rich, sugary pastries and buttery eggs would have been something she strictly avoided.

Maintaining the untouchable, razor-sharp presence of Madame Blackwood had always demanded ruthless self-discipline. It meant rigid dietary control, strict portion tracking, and bitter black coffee to keep her figure immaculate under the unforgiving scrutiny of the city’s elite.

Yet, as she looked down at the indulgent pastry on her plate, a quiet sense of freedom bloomed in her chest.

If there was one unexpectedly wonderful perk her cultivation journey had brought to her daily life, it was that mundane restrictions no longer applied to her.

With her physique refined and her body operating on a level far beyond ordinary mortals, her constitution metabolized food and burnt away physical impurities with effortless ease. The concept of counting calories or watching her waistline had become completely irrelevant, granting her the rare, unburdened freedom to simply indulge without a single second thought.

Without the slightest hesitation, Victoria cut into another piece, looking across the table at Linda with a radiant, genuine smile that lit up her entire face.

”It is incredible, Linda,” Victoria said softly, her praise carrying absolute sincerity. ”Truly... I don’t think I’ve had anything this wonderful in years.”