Divorced, But Queen - Chapter 226: Chapter 226

Breakfast that morning was a spread: fresh-baked rolls, steak, a bowl of light oatmeal, some pickled vegetables, and a colorful fruit platter.
Derek's eyes practically lit up the second he saw it.
Waking up to a hot breakfast, no shouting, no lectures, no fake niceties—he honestly never wanted to leave.
"Owen, you're amazing! If I were a girl, I'd marry you," Derek said, not even trying to hide his admiration. "A man who's good in the kitchen and out in the world—where do you even find someone like that?"
Owen just smiled politely. "You should learn, too. It'll help you find a girlfriend someday."
Derek grinned. "I'll come to you for lessons once I meet someone I like."
Aria arrived a moment after Derek, and Owen pulled out the chair for her.
She sat down, murmured a soft thank you, and started on her oatmeal.
Owen's gaze flickered to her hand. "You didn't put on any medicine?"
Aria followed his eyes, glanced at her own hand, and chuckled. "It's just a scratch. It'll heal soon."
"Warm compress, then medicine—it'll heal faster," Owen said.
"I'll put some on later."
He didn't press it. Derek watched the two of them out of the corner of his eye.
Aria was way too reserved—he wondered if Owen's slow-burn approach would ever work. Frankly, it looked hopeless.
Derek finished his bread and asked, "Larkridge High's out for the weekend, right? Finals are over. You picking Lily up this afternoon?"
Aria nodded.
"I'll go with you," Derek volunteered.
"Why?"
Derek thought, 'To piss off Nathan.' But what he actually said was, "Finals are over, I'm bored."
"Suit yourself."
Owen watched the way the siblings interacted, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
He slid a perfectly sliced steak in front of Derek, then took Aria's plate and began cutting hers, too, the movement so smooth and natural it caught her off guard.
Aria was startled—this level of attentive service was almost too much.
Derek, on the other hand, was genuinely touched.
A perfectly cut steak on a winter morning was enough to melt away his gloom.
He'd worked his butt off to make up credits in a different major, crammed for finals, and then slept half the day away afterward.
Last night, his dad had berated him in front of everyone at dinner; Lennox pretended to defend him, which only made things worse.
In a fit of anger, Derek had snapped, "Why don't you just admit Lennox is your real son?" and stormed out.
His dad had hurled the dishes after him and told him not to come home. So he'd ended up here.
It was the first time anyone had ever cut his steak for him.
Owen's kindness, by way of Aria, made Derek's nose sting a little.
"Thank you," he said, sounding more pitiful than he meant to.
Aria glanced up. "Owen cut the steak. Why are you thanking me?"
"Because I'm only getting it thanks to you. So, thanks to both of you."
Owen laughed. "No need."
He finished cutting Aria's steak and set the plate in front of her.
"Thank you," Aria said.
Owen replied, "Don't mention it—you paid for the steak, anyway."
After breakfast, Derek stopped Owen as he was about to get up. "Owen, Aria's definitely going to be too lazy to use a compress or put on medicine. Why don't you help her? I'll wash the dishes."
He figured the least he could do was play matchmaker, since he was the one benefitting from their hospitality.
He gathered the dishes and started humming as he headed to the kitchen.
Aria sighed. "You don't have to listen to him."
"It's just a warm towel, not complicated. Wait a second."
Without waiting for a response, Owen disappeared into the bedroom. He quickly returned with a hot, neatly folded towel and gently set it on her hand.
"Thank you, Owen."