Chapter 20
In this chapter, Vanessa mocks Althea’s simple breakfast preparation, ridiculing the meal of toast and soup as insufficient for the Callister family, especially for Vanessa and her refined sisters. Althea remains calm and explains that the breakfast is made to suit Daven’s usual preferences, but Vanessa continues to belittle her, demanding a more elaborate meal and showing open disdain for Althea’s efforts. Kate, Vanessa’s mother, sides with Vanessa, dismissing Althea’s position in the household and urging her to cater to Vanessa’s demands.
As tensions rise, Vanessa accuses Althea of shamelessly trying to ingratiate herself with Daven by bringing him lunch at his office, which Vanessa finds inappropriate and offensive. Althea defends herself quietly, questioning why it should be shameful for a wife to care for her husband. Kate’s anger escalates to the point of nearly striking Althea, but their confrontation is abruptly interrupted by Daven’s arrival.
Daven’s presence immediately shifts the atmosphere. He ignores Vanessa’s advances and focuses on Althea and the breakfast she prepared. He calmly questions the disturbance and, upon learning about the breakfast, requests to eat with Althea alone in the study. This quiet but firm gesture highlights his support for Althea and dismisses the hostility from Vanessa and her family. Althea, surprised but relieved, follows Daven, signaling a subtle but powerful moment of solidarity between them amidst the ongoing conflict.
Chapter 20
Vanessa arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Is this really the grand breakfast you prepared for the Callister family?” she asked, her voice laced with mockery. “Toast and soup? That’s it? Isn’t that a bit… dull? Or is that all your cooking skills can manage, Althea p>
Althea turned slowly to face her, her demeanor composed and steady. “This is the kind of breakfast Daven usually prefers,” she said evenly.
Vanessa chuckled softly, a cruel, mocking sound. “How sweet,” she sneered.
Resting her chin on her hands, Vanessa narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharp and unforgiving. “Are you trying to insult the Callister family by serving such a simple meal? Or are you just too lazy to put in any effort p>
Althea met her eyes calmly. “And what makes you think that, Miss Vanessa?” she replied coolly. “I prepared something I know Daven enjoys in the mornings p>
“Oh, please,” Vanessa scoffed dismissively. “That might be your idea of breakfast, you cheap woman. But Mommy Kate, and my sisters Felicia and Kalina—they have refined tastes. No wonder they’re turning up their noses at this. What did you make again? Toast and soup? Pathetic p>
Althea fought to keep her patience. “Actually… I made all of this for Daven,” she said quietly.
Vanessa burst into a sharp, mocking laugh. “Oh, come on. That’s ridiculous. Daven’s tastes are far more sophisticated than this.” She pushed the plate of toast, adorned with various jams, away with obvious distaste. “Make me a vegetable omelet with smoked salmon and avocado. And don’t make the tea too hot. Honestly, prepare a proper breakfast p>
“Excuse me?” Althea asked, maintaining her calm.
“You heard me,” Vanessa said smoothly, crossing her legs with practiced grace. “I want something edible this morning. I can’t be expected to eat like… commoners.” She glanced toward Kate. “I’m sure my future mother-in-law won’t mind if I ask for something decent p>
“Of course not, darling,” Kate replied sweetly, without hesitation. “Althea, just make what Vanessa wants. You’re living here rent-free, aren’t you? Still clinging to that title of ‘Daven’s wife’? Oh, please!” Kate laughed loudly.
Her amusement was quickly mirrored by Felicia and Kalina, both clearly relishing the spectacle.
“Get on with it, and make Vanessa what she wants. And the rest of us too, Miss High-and-Mighty Maid. Don’t forget—you’re nobody here p>
Althea pressed her lips together tightly. Slowly, she untied the apron she had been wearing. “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to cater to demands beyond what I’ve prepared,” she said softly but firmly. “If Miss Vanessa wants something different, she can speak to the kitchen staff p>
Kalina laughed with scorn. “Wow, getting bold, aren’t we p>
Felicia smirked slyly. “Or maybe she’s feeling special after Daven granted that pathetic little request of hers p>
Vanessa, never one to hide her contempt for Althea, crossed her arms defiantly. “Oh, I almost forgot—Mom, did you know? Yesterday, this shameless woman showed up at Daven’s office. Said she was bringing him lunch p>
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “I swear, she was fawning all over him right in front of his assistant. It was disgusting p>
Althea took a quiet breath, steadying herself, and met Vanessa’s gaze. “Since when is it shameful for a wife to bring lunch to her husband p>
Vanessa sneered. “Clinging to his arm? Acting all sweet with him? Right in front of Arven? If you’d seen how she behaved, Mom, I swear—you’d be just as disgusted as I am p>
Kate suddenly stood, her face flushed with anger. “How dare you, Althea?! Do you have any idea how disgraceful you’ve made this family look? If I had known from the start—” Her hand lifted, ready to strike.
But heavy footsteps interrupted the rising tension.
“What’s going on in here?” Daven’s voice cut sharply through the room, slicing through the hostility like a knife.
Kate’s hand dropped immediately. Vanessa spun around, her expression shifting instantly.
“Darling,” she purred, moving toward him without hesitation. She slipped her arms around his waist, clinging as if she belonged there. “I was hoping we could have breakfast together p>
Daven barely glanced at her. From the moment he stepped into the dining room, his eyes had been fixed solely on Althea. Had he arrived even a moment later, Kate’s hand might have landed hard across Althea’s face.
“I’ll ask one more time,” he said, his gaze sweeping the room before settling on his mother. “What’s going on? Why all the yelling so early in the morning p>
“It’s all Althea’s fault,” Kate snapped, her voice sharp. “She’s being ungrateful, she p>
Her words trailed off as Daven’s attention shifted to the plate of toast and warm soup still gently steaming. The rich, comforting aroma filled the room.
“Did you make this?” he asked quietly.
Kate froze mid-sentence. Felicia and Kalina blinked, stunned into silence. Vanessa looked completely thrown—how dare he ignore her and focus on Althea?
“Yes,” Althea replied softly. “I hope it suits your taste p>
“Lani,” Daven called to a maid standing near the door, “bring my breakfast—and my wife’s—to the study. I want to eat with her. Alone p>
The room fell utterly silent.
“You don’t mind, do you, my wife?” he asked, looking directly at Althea.
Still recovering from the shock, Althea could only nod stiffly.
“Then hurry up,” Daven said, his voice soft but with a quiet urgency. “I don’t want to be late for work p>
What else could Althea do but follow him?
The chapter closes on a poignant note, underscoring the quiet strength and dignity Althea maintains despite the relentless disdain directed her way. Her calm resolve in the face of Vanessa’s cruelty and Kate’s scorn reveals a deeper emotional resilience, highlighting the theme of inner grace amidst external turmoil. The simple breakfast, initially mocked and scorned, becomes a symbol of genuine care and connection, contrasting sharply with the hollow pretenses of the Callister family’s elite.
Daven’s intervention brings a subtle but powerful shift, affirming Althea’s place and worth in a household rife with tension and judgment. His choice to share a private moment with her away from the hostile eyes of his family speaks volumes about his respect and affection. This quiet act of solidarity not only offers Althea a reprieve from the chaos but also hints at the possibility of a stronger bond between them, built on mutual understanding and support amidst the shadows of their troubled past.
The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the simmering tensions that have just erupted at breakfast. With Daven’s unexpected support for Althea, the fragile balance within the Callister household is bound to shift, stirring up old resentments and new conflicts. Readers can anticipate a charged atmosphere as Vanessa and her family grapple with this subtle yet powerful challenge to their dominance, while Althea finds herself navigating the treacherous waters of acceptance and rejection in equal measure.
Emotionally, the next installment will likely explore the complexities of loyalty and identity, as Althea’s quiet strength confronts the harsh judgments of those who seek to undermine her. Daven’s actions hint at a growing alliance that could reshape relationships and alliances, but with the undercurrents of jealousy and disdain still strong, peace may be fleeting. Prepare for moments of vulnerability, subtle power plays, and the unfolding of secrets that could redefine what family and love truly mean in this fractured household.
Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.