Chapter 974

Vivian Dempsey's gaze was drawn to the cookware display, momentarily forgetting her earlier questions. "The brand is right, but the design seems different?"

The sales associate approached eagerly. "This model is perfect for young families like yours."

"We're not a family of three," Vivian corrected bluntly.

The clerk's smile froze. "My apologies, I assumed—"

"We did come together," Vivian attempted to clarify, "but we're buying a replacement pot for a friend. We accidentally damaged theirs."

The explanation only deepened the awkwardness.

Victor Laurent quickly interjected, "And the baby isn't ours."

The clerk's expression turned wary, fingers inching toward the panic button.

"Not kidnapped!" Victor blurted.

Now it was beyond salvage.

Baby Chloe tensed at the rising tension.

"Don't scare her!" Vivian immediately softened her expression. The toddler relaxed, even mimicking adults by patting Victor's shoulder to be put down.

Victor wiped his brow but carefully lowered the child.

Seeing their natural interaction, the clerk exhaled and resumed her sales pitch.

Vivian abandoned explanations and focused on selecting a pot—only to find none matching the Hamilton household's original.

"That model was discontinued three years ago. This upgraded version performs better," the clerk insisted.

They settled on the upgrade. As Vivian reached for her wallet, Victor scanned the payment first. "My treat."

"That expensive?!" Vivian's eyes widened. "I thought four digits max!"

Victor winced too. "Had I known, I'd have snapped the spaghetti to cook it. No Italians here to lecture me."

"You've offended Italians before?" Vivian perked up.

Baby Chloe tilted her head curiously.

After hesitation, Victor confessed, "Cultural clash. I brought Hawaiian pizza to a potluck. My Italian classmate nearly fainted at the pineapple, even brandished a cross like it was demonic."

"Allergic to pineapple?"

"No—just that fruit doesn't belong on pizza. For revenge, he later served boiled soup dumplings..."

"What?!" Vivian slammed the table. "Soup dumplings must never be boiled!"

United by culinary principles, they left the store with Baby Chloe.

"Let's have lunch out," Vivian suggested.

Choosing a dumpling restaurant for the toddler's sake, Vivian expertly coaxed bites with animated "Ahhs" while Victor folded a napkin into a bib.

"When did you learn this?" Vivian marveled.

"Practice makes perfect." Proudly, he shaped another into a bunny. "Hotel part-time job."

Envious stares from the next table's children earned them a second paper bunny.