After Divorce I Married a Tycoon-Chapter 88: Preparing to Fight Back

Adrian Sutton was speechless. Silas Rowan had been cleaning the kitchen for ages.

’I pretty much cleaned the kitchen already,’ he thought.

’How can Silas still be dawdling in there for so long?’

’Now Claire and the others will see a young master of the Rowan Family cleaning the kitchen for me...’

’How am I going to explain this to them?’

’Will Claire figure something out?’

’Silas won’t just blab and say I’m exploiting him, will he?’

He shot Silas Rowan a warning glance, telling him not to say the wrong thing.

But Silas, acting as if he hadn’t seen a thing, washed his hands and came into the living room.

He walked over to Claire Mercer and greeted her with a smile.

"Our little sister is here."

Claire Mercer was still a bit reserved around Silas Rowan.

After all, they didn’t know each other very well.

Although they had exchanged contact information, they had barely been in touch.

This was the first time they had seen each other since Mrs. Rowan’s birthday party.

She gave a polite, slightly distant nod and smile in greeting.

"Have you been here long?"

Silas Rowan maintained a faint smile. "Just a little while before you."

"This guy doesn’t know many people in Rhonia, so he called me over."

"Let’s hurry and sit down to eat, or the food will get cold."

Roxanne Peyton’s mouth watered as she gazed at the table laden with a colorful and aromatic feast.

She asked Silas Rowan in disbelief.

"Did you make all this?"

"Nope," Silas Rowan said. "Adrian made it."

"It looks amazing. The presentation is professional."

’This Adrian Sutton guy is pretty impressive,’ Roxanne Peyton thought.

’Not only is he handsome, but he can also cook like a pro.’

"But... it looks like everything on the table is one of Claire’s favorite dishes."

After saying this, Roxanne Peyton nudged Claire Mercer’s shoulder.

Then she gave her a playful wink.

Claire Mercer knew Roxanne was teasing her and Adrian Sutton.

She pretended not to hear or see a thing and sat down.

Roxanne knew not to push it and sat down next to Claire, along with Stella Thorne.

Before they started eating, the two women handed Adrian Sutton the red envelopes they had prepared.

"Adrian, congratulations."

"Stella and I didn’t get you anything, but here’s a small token from us."

With that, Roxanne Peyton and Stella Thorne each handed a red envelope to Adrian Sutton.

Adrian Sutton was taken aback for a moment, then politely refused.

"You’re too kind."

"I can’t accept these. I’m just happy you all could come to my housewarming."

Roxanne Peyton and Stella Thorne insisted, pressing the envelopes into his hand.

"You’re Claire’s friend, which makes you our friend. We’re all friends now."

"How could we come to a friend’s housewarming empty-handed?"

"Just take it. It’s a small gesture," Claire said.

"Alright." Adrian Sutton nodded.

"In that case, I’ll accept them. Thank you."

’If Claire says to take it, then I’ll take it.’

’I can always pay them back twofold later.’

’They’re good to Claire, so I’ll be good to them.’

"Alright, let’s dig in before the food gets cold."

The meal was a harmonious affair.

The dinner helped them all become better acquainted.

They chatted and laughed throughout, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere.

After dinner, Claire Mercer started helping to clear the dishes.

But there was no way Adrian Sutton would let her do that kind of chore.

He quickly took the dishes from her hands.

"Go relax. I can handle this myself."

Claire Mercer took the dishes right back from him.

"You cooked this entire feast. We can’t let you do all the cleanup by yourself, too."

"Besides, I’m very good at cooking, washing dishes, and general housework."

With that, she carried the dishes into the kitchen.

She rolled up her sleeves and began to wash the dishes.

Watching her busy figure in the kitchen,

Adrian Sutton felt a little dazed.

’It was as if Claire were already the lady of the house.’

’They would cook together, wash dishes together, do chores together...’

’...just like any young married couple, living a simple, ordinary, yet fulfilling life.’

’As long as she was by his side, he would be happy.’

"Adrian, why did you rent such a big place for just one person?"

"A three-bedroom place in a decent location... isn’t it a waste for you to live here all by yourself?"

Roxanne Peyton’s question shattered Adrian Sutton’s fantasy.

He snapped back to reality and started clearing the dining table as he replied.

"It is a bit of a waste of space."

Hearing this, an idea sparked in Roxanne Peyton’s mind.

"Actually, Claire has been looking for a place recently, too."

"But it’s not easy to find a place in Rhonia. The nicer apartments are too expensive,"

"and the cheaper ones are in bad neighborhoods with terrible living conditions."

"I told her she could move in with me, but she said it would be an imposition."

"I think your apartment is great—the complex is nice, and public transport is convenient."

"Since you can’t possibly use all these rooms by yourself, why don’t you let Claire move in as a roommate?"

"For one, you could split the rent and utilities, which would ease the financial burden."

"For another, you two are good friends already, so you could look out for her."

Roxanne Peyton rattled on.

With every word she spoke, Adrian Sutton praised her in his mind.

’Claire’s best friend really gets it.’

’What a divine wingman.’

He had mentioned the idea of being roommates to Claire before.

But she’d said she needed to think about it, and he felt it would be too forward to bring it up again.

He didn’t want her to think he had ulterior motives.

Now that Roxanne had brought it up, she was doing him a huge favor.

"I’m fine with it, but it depends on what’s convenient for Claire."

"What’s the big deal?" Roxanne said. "You’re both single."

"By the way, you are single, right?"

’If he had a girlfriend, having a female roommate wouldn’t be appropriate.’

Before Adrian Sutton could answer, Silas Rowan jumped in.

"Single since birth."

Adrian shot him a disgruntled look for airing his dirty laundry.

Roxanne Peyton and Stella Thorne both gasped, "Huh?"

"You can’t be your age and have never been in a relationship, can you?"

Adrian Sutton: "..."

’My age?’

’I’m only twenty-seven.’

’Why do they make it sound like I’m ancient?’

Silas jumped in to answer for him. "Not even once. I can vouch for it."

Stella Thorne shook her head. "I don’t believe it."

"A guy who looks like that? It’s impossible that no one’s ever chased after him."

The topic of Adrian Sutton’s love life clearly energized Silas Rowan.

"The line of people chasing him could stretch all the way to Elysia, but he’s never been interested in any of them."

"Are his standards that high?"

"Not a single one ever caught his eye?"

"Well, there was one..."

Before Silas could finish, Adrian Sutton emerged from the kitchen and shot him a sharp, warning glare.

Silas Rowan immediately clammed up.

’Since when did he become so talkative and gossipy?’

’Oh well,’ Silas thought. ’I’ve said enough for today.’

’It’s better to let Adrian tell her about his ten-year crush on Claire himself.’

By the time the dishes were washed and the kitchen was clean, it was already past eight o’clock.

After resting for a short while, Claire and her two friends left together.

’I need to get back and prepare my counterattack against Judith Caldwell.’

’I’ve let her gloat for a whole day.’

’Now, it’s time she gets a taste of what it’s like to fall into the abyss.’

’If they had just signed the adoption termination agreement without a fuss, I wouldn’t have planned to expose them any further.’

’But not only did they refuse to sign, they even went online to spout lies and slander my name...’

’In that case, I have no reason to hold back out of consideration for them raising me.’