395: RECIPE FOR DISASTER ARIEL’S POV “Luke lost his memory,” I brought out to Celine. “What? How?” She blurted promptly. “We had an accident, remember? And it turns out that shit went ahead to mess with his brain.” “Oh my god, that is terrible.” “I know,” I stated, shaking my head. “Right now, we can’t put him through any stress. That’s why I quickly took him to his room. I knew something terrible was going to happen. You know, he’s going to start feeling some pain, and I don’t want anything like that to start happening.” “Okay, okay, I get it.” She cut me off. “Yeah, I know you do,” I muttered in annoyance “So, what do we do now?” “We’ll just have to compose ourselves. We can’t afford to let anything bad happen to Luke,” I told her. Celine nodded, her expression softening with concern. “Right. We need to be there for him, no matter what.” “And we need to figure out how to handle this situation delicately. We have to be really careful.” Celine nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. “I just really need to ask: how do we help Luke remember without causing him more pain?” “That’s the crucial question,” I whispered, my mind buzzing with potential solutions. “For now, let’s focus on keeping him calm and comfortable. We’ll figure out the rest as we go. But just the happy moments, please.” “What about my presence?” JCelin Celine,” I began, meeting her gaze with a somber expression. “We’ll have to tell Luke everything eventually. But right now, he just got out of the hospital, and it’s best we don’t stress him for the next few hours.” Celine nodded, her eyes reflecting the weight of the situation. “You’re right. We can’t rush this. We need to give him time to process everything.” I let out a sigh of relief, grateful for her understanding. “Exactly. And in the meantime, we’ll just have to keep up the facade and support him as best we can.” She reached out, placing a reassuring hand on my arm. “We’ll get through this, Ariel. We’ll find a way to help Luke remember without overwhelming him.” I nodded, a sense of determination settling in my chest. “We will. “We just need to take it one step at a 395: RECIPE FOR DISASTER time and be there for him every step of the way.” 2/3 Celine squeezed my arm gently, offering a small smile. “Everything will be alright. We’ll make sure of it. And you don’t have to worry about anything; nothing terrible will happen to Luke.” “Of course,” I told her underneath my breath. “Take care.” She patted my shoulder before walking away, and her words were echoing in my mind. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the task ahead. Luke’s condition weighed heavily on my mind, but I needed to focus on something tangible, something I could control for now. Dinner seemed like a good place to start. I made my way to the kitchen, a spacious and elegantly designed room filled with high–end appliances and gleaming countertops. Tonight, I decided to prepare a dish fit for royalty: lobster thermidor. It was a decadent choice, but I wanted to indulge Luke in something delicious and comforting, even if just for a moment. I began by carefully selecting the freshest lobsters from the chilled display in the corner of the kitchen. I swiftly dispatched them with practiced precision, ensuring their demise was as humane as possible. Then, I expertly removed the succulent meat from their shells, setting it aside while I prepared the rich, creamy sauce. I melted butter in a saucepan over low heat and added finely chopped shallots, allowing them to soften and release their fragrant aroma. Next, I sprinkled in a generous amount of flour, stirring constantly to form a smooth roux. Once the mixture had thickened to my satisfaction, I slowly poured in heavy cream, whisking vigorously to prevent any lumps from forming. As the sauce simmered and thickened, I seasoned it with a dash of Dijon mustard, a splash of brandy and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a subtle kick. Then, I folded the tender lobster meat into chunks, coating each morsel in the luscious sauce. With the filling prepared, I turned my attention to the lobster shells, carefully stuffing them with the creamy lobster mixture until they were brimming with decadence. I sprinkled a generous amount of grated Gruyère cheese over the top of each shell, then placed them under the broiler until the cheese was golden and bubbly and the lobster filling was heated through. As the aroma of buttery lobster and melted cheese filled the air, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over me. Despite the uncertainty and challenges ahead, for this brief moment, I had created something beautiful and comforting for Luke to enjoy. And perhaps, by preparing a meal, I had found a small semblance of control in an otherwise chaotic situation. I balanced the tray of Lobster Thermidor, feeling quite proud of myself for conjuring up such a fancy meal, and then I strutted into Luke’s room with all the grace of a waiter at a Michelin–starred restaurant. But just as I was about to announce my grand entrance, I collided headfirst with Luke, sending the tray flying and the Lobster Thermidor cascading to the floor in a dramatic, creamy mess. “Whoa, watch it there,” Luke’exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise as he tried to steady both of us through the chaos. I blinked in disbelief at the disaster unfolding before me, feeling equal parts mortified and amused. 395: RECIPE FOR DISASTER 3/3 “Oops, my bad! It looks like dinner is served… on the floor,” I quipped, unable to suppress a chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. Luke chuckled, too, shaking his head in disbelief as he surveyed the creamy wreckage at our feet. “Well, I guess this is one way to make a grand entrance,” he joked, reaching down to help me clean up the mess. Together, we scooped up chunks of lobster and sauce splatters; our laughter mingled with the rich aroma of melted cheese and brandy. Despite the mishap, there was something oddly delightful about being knee- deep in Lobster Thermidor with Luke by my side. We both worked to salvage what remained of my culinary masterpiece, and I was really grateful for the unexpected camaraderie that had blossomed between us in this moment of crisis. Honestly, I was actually glad to see this smile at Luke’s house. I’m still surprised at how his mirth suddenly materialized, but I couldn’t care less. I just wanted to enjoy the moment; the bliss moving in between us was all that mattered. Who knew a dinner disaster could turn into such a memorable bonding moment? “So much for a fancy dinner,” I remarked, shaking my head at our mess. Luke chuckled. “Who needs fancy when you’ve got good company and a floor full of lobster?” I couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Yeah, that is quite correct.” Still in the process of cleaning, I stood up and told Luke, “I’ll be back. I just need to get something to clean this mess up as soon as possible.” Luke nodded, not looking at me, and as I set out to open the door, I slipped. I didn’t know what I stepped on, but I slipped. Luke quickly rose and caught me before I landed on the ground. At that moment, I wrapped my hands around his neck, and our eyes locked in. Spin to Claim Your Surprise Reward!