The Wrong Woman

The square dining table was arrayed with six main dishes, soup, appetizers, and fruit. The main dishes featured shrimp, crab, fish, chicken, beef, and salad, served alongside a butternut squash soup. Daniel noticed that while the variety of food wasn't overly expensive, it still exceeded what most families would typically have for an everyday meal.

Such a spread seemed reserved for special occasions like Christmas or other important holidays.

Daniel glanced at Felix, who seemed downcast. It dawned on him that these delicacies weren't specifically prepared for Felix after all.

"Mom, the doctor said I should stick to light, non-greasy food until my wound heals completely. Heavy meals aren't good for me right now," Felix said with a forced smile.

Shelly served some salad onto Felix's plate. "You can have the salad. It's light."

Felix couldn't tear his eyes away from the big crab before him, and his mouth started watering. Seafood was a rare treat in their home. Yet, Shelly was serving seafood when he got injured. Felix hadn't even taken a bite of the food, yet irritation was already simmering within him.

Shelly used a pair of tongs to place the biggest crab onto a small plate right in front of Daniel. Her smile was warm and inviting. "Daniel, dig in and enjoy some crab."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lawson," Daniel replied politely. Uncertain about what to do next, he glanced over at Sienna.

Sienna kept her head down, quietly sipping her soup.

Daniel couldn't shake the sense that Shelly was being unusually enthusiastic. Did she maybe want to treat him like a son and make him Sienna's brother?

Later, he glanced at the table and asked, "Do you have any tools to crack crabs with?"

Shelly hesitated. She wasn't aware of any specific tools

and hurried to the kitchen. She returned

Daniel, Sienna said, "You can use these. We just used to bite into

the

to her seat and continued savoring her

served Daniel seafood and Felix chicken, urging them to dig in. Everyone enjoyed their meal while Daniel concentrated on cracking

finished her soup

more spaghetti.

her seat, she

l.ne

a small plate

meat before her.

looked at Daniel with surprise while Shelly and Felix smiled warmly, pausing in their meal

his hands, and said, "Once you finish those, I'll peel some more

blushed, feeling embarrassed and

over at Shelly and Felix, who instinctively averted their eyes. They quickly looked down and continued enjoying their meals as if they hadn't seen her watching. With a warm feeling enveloping

warmly as he lifted his spoon and sipped his soup. His gaze involuntarily

hush fell over the

a while, Shelly cleared her throat and suggested, "Daniel, you should join us for meals

felt a pang of