The silver serving tray carried a modest yet enticing selection: two savory meat dishes, two seasonal vegetable sides, and two bowls of perfectly steamed white jasmine rice. The aroma was delicate, carrying the nostalgic scent of home-cooked meals that stood in stark contrast to the heavy, truffle-infused scents wafting from the main table.
For Christian Hobbs, the sight was an immediate trigger for her appetite. She had skipped breakfast entirely, her stomach knotted with anxiety over the reunion, and the adrenaline of her recent anger had finally begun to fade, leaving her physically hollow.
Gary Walsh kept his head bowed, carefully avoiding Allen Morgan's direct gaze as he placed the dishes on the small side table with practiced, feather-light movements. He felt the immense weight of
