Chapter 29: Dinner With Friends...

"Wow! This smells delicious," Kristie said with a bright smile on her face, her eyes lighting up as she stared at the dishes in front of her.

Everyone else was already seated around the large dining table, eyes wide and focused on the perfectly arranged plates.

The vibrant golden rice gave off a light saffron aroma, the herb-roasted chicken thighs were perfectly crisp with a glistening glaze.

Liam placed the last of the dishes on the table and took his seat with a soft, welcoming smile. "Thank you all for coming. I really appreciate you being here today."

"You're the one thanking us?" Matt chuckled. "Liam, you invited us into Bellemere Mansion, cooked for us, and treated us like royalty. If anything, we should be thanking you."

"Seriously," Harper added with a light laugh. "I don't think any of us have ever been hosted like this by someone our age. You've set the bar a little too high."

"Thank you for inviting us," Kristopher said, raising his glass. "To Liam."

"To Liam," everyone echoed, clinking their mocktails together gently.

With the pleasantries out of the way, the group turned their attention to the food.

One by one, they picked up their utensils and took the first bite. And one by one, their expressions shifted.

Lana blinked in disbelief. Matt's eyes widened. Elise let out a small gasp. Even Alex paused mid-chew, visibly stunned.

"This is... incredible," Kristie said slowly, as though trying to confirm that her tongue wasn't playing tricks on her.

"Okay, I was ready to give you compliments either way," Harper said, shaking her head with a smile. "But this is not me flattering you. This food tastes exceptional."

They all went back in for another bite. Then another. And soon, the table grew quiet—not out of awkwardness, but from mutual reverence for what they were tasting.

"This chicken is better than anything I've had at my dad's private dinner parties," Kristopher said. "And he literally hires celebrity chefs."

"The rice..." Kristie muttered, "how is it this fluffy and fragrant?"

Matt gave a muffled groan. "Bro, I'd pay to eat this again. Like, seriously."

As they ate, their eyes kept darting to Liam, curiosity bubbling behind every glance. They wanted to ask—how did he learn to cook like this? Where did he train? How was it possible that someone their age could create dishes better than half the professionals they'd encountered in their lives?

But none of them asked.

It wasn't just the taste. It was the way the food was plated, the portions, the texture, the contrast of flavors—it all spoke of someone with not just talent, but mastery. And that... was hard to question without sounding intrusive.

So, they simply enjoyed it.

After everyone was done, they sat back, sipping the last of their mocktails with satisfied expressions and full bellies.

"Liam, this was honestly perfect," Stacy said softly, smiling at him from across the table.

"Yeah, man. You seriously outdid yourself," Alex added, giving him a thumbs-up.

Liam nodded appreciatively. "Thanks. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. I also got a little help from Stacy."

They all laughed when they heard this.

"Nahh. I didn't do much except stand around in the kitchen and cause distraction," Stacy laughed.

As the others started rising from the table and heading toward the living room to relax, Liam remained behind, quietly gathering up the plates and cutlery.

To his surprise, Stacy stayed behind as well.

"I'll help," she said, already reaching for a stack of dishes.

"You don't have to," Liam said.

"I know," she replied, giving him a grin. "But let me. Please."

"Sure," Liam nodded.

Together, they cleared the table, their movements synchronized and casual. Liam carried most of the heavier dishes while Stacy grabbed the glasses and lighter items.

Once inside the kitchen, Stacy washed while Liam dried and put things away.

Liam glanced sideways at Stacy and noticed that the disbelief from earlier had faded. Her face had relaxed into her usual calm expression.

He smiled and continued what he was doing. Though she was calm on the surface, he knew that something has changed and she was still trying to wrap her head around what he told her.

She will probably investigate to confirm.

After the dishes were done, they both dried their hands and walked back into the living room together.

The rest of the group was lounging comfortably. Some on the long sectional couch, others on the armchairs, chatting softly and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

Liam sat down, and everyone turned to him expectantly.

"So... what do you guys want to do now?" he asked.

Everyone looked at each other.

"Honestly, we didn't have anything planned," Lana admitted. "We just came to chill and see the place."

"Yeah," Matt agreed. "We're just vibing with whatever the host has planned."

Liam nodded. "Alright. Then let's just talk."

They spent the next thirty minutes conversing about random things—recent gossip, funny moments from the group chat, and random topics. Eventually, the conversation circled back to Bellemere Mansion.

"So," Harper said, raising a brow, "are we allowed to ask how you managed to buy this place?"

Liam smiled calmly. "I've been fortunate. That's all I'll say."

There were a few amused glances and nods. Everyone could tell he wasn't going to spill details, and they respected that.

There's three things that intrigue and scares the elite—things they don't know, things they don't understand and things they can't control.

And Liam was all three. Everyone here knew that and it's the same reason why they want to be on his good side.

It's been a full day since Liam bought the mansion and moved. Some people had probably already dug up his background, but they didn't find what they were looking for.

And what was that? His actual identity. Sure, they may found out about his actual parents and how they technically made him an orphan young, but there was no way that they would believe such two normal, ordinary people gave birth to someone who can easily spend tens of millions of dollars. It was something impossible to believe.

"You're like a mystery box," Alex muttered.

Kristie laughed. "A rich mystery box."

Eventually, Stacy leaned forward slightly. "Hey, Liam. You wanna join our group chat?"

Everyone looked up.

"Yeah!" Kristie said immediately. "You should totally join."

"It's mostly memes and nonsense, but we keep each other in the loop," Matt added.

Liam smiled. "Sure, why not?"

Stacy pulled out her phone and tapped away quickly. Moments later, Liam's phone buzzed with the invite. He accepted.

"Welcome to Chaos Corner," Alex said grandly, and everyone laughed.

"If you ever need anything, any assistance, you can chat us up, we will help out if we can," Kristopher said and they echoes their agreement would nods.

"Thank you. I will hold back," Liam smiled.

They talked for a little longer, but by now, the sky outside was already beginning to darken. The rich orange glow of sunset filtered through the tall windows.

"I think we should head out," Matt said, standing.

"Yeah, it's getting late," Elise added. "Driving around here too late might not be the best idea."

One by one, they stood and began thanking Liam again for his hospitality.

He walked them to the front door and held it open as they stepped out into the cool evening air.

"Thanks again, Liam. For everything," Kristopher said with a wave.

"See you in the chat," Matt grinned.

Each of them made their way to their cars and started pulling out of the driveway, but Stacy lingered at front door for a moment longer.

She stood at the threshold, looking at him.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Liam met her gaze. "You're welcome."

She smiled faintly, then looked away and stepped toward her car.

Liam watched her drive off with the others, the gate closing softly behind them. He exhaled a long breath and stepped back into the quiet of the mansion.