Aurora looked at the meal set before her; the colors and aroma instantly lifting her mood. She couldn’t help but praise him. “Your cooking really is the best. Just looking at it makes me happy.”

“Exactly. That’s why I should be the one cooking from now on. You stay out of the kitchen.” Lucas tapped her nose lightly.

Aurora gave a little huff. “Fine, you can do the cooking. I guess I’m better suited for work outside.”

“You sure about that?” Lucas raised a brow.

Meeting his questioning gaze, Aurora fell silent. Forget it, maybe neither role fit perfectly. Better to just focus on what she could control: managing the studio and handling her own responsibilities. That was enough.

As she ate the pasta he’d made, her eyes curved in contentment. She felt as if her heart might melt. After being spoiled by his cooking, her own attempts hardly compared—thankfully, he had come home in time.

“Is it really that good?” Lucas asked, watching her with amusement.

He hadn’t noticed before, but now he realized how much joy it gave him to watch her eat. Seeing her dig in so happily even sparked his own appetite.

Aurora caught him staring and frowned. “Why are you watching me like that? Eat your own bowl before your pasta gets soggy.”

Lucas only glanced down at his bowl, then lifted his gaze again. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll eat after you’re finished.”

Aurora was speechless. What kind of odd habit was that? She had never heard anything like it before.

“It’s just pasta, not a fancy meal. Don’t wait for me, go ahead and eat,” Aurora urged again.

Seeing her insistence, Lucas finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll have some too.”

The truth was, he hadn’t been hungry at all. Watching her eat was enough to make him feel full.

When they had both nearly finished, Lucas suddenly said, “Right, I almost forgot to tell you something.”

“What is it?” Aurora asked, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. She looked up at him, wide-eyed and puzzled.

Her innocence made Lucas’ smile soften. He relayed Diana’s words. “This weekend, our family’s hosting a gathering. Mom asked me to bring you along.”

“So soon?” Aurora’s heart skipped.

The thought of meeting so many of Lucas’ relatives left her uneasy. She had just met his parents—now she was expected to face all the aunts, uncles, and cousins? And in a family like his, relationships were bound to be complicated.

One glance told Lucas exactly what she was worrying about. “Don’t stress. It’s just a family dinner, more about reunion than formality. You don’t need to bother with the rest. With me there, all you need to do is be polite with my parents. At the banquet, you won’t need to say much—just show up, greet a few people, that’s it.”

Aurora still felt conflicted, but Lucas didn’t hesitate. “Just stay by my side. You don’t need to worry about those people or play along with them. Don’t forget, I’m the head of the family now.”