Chapter 65
<b>“</b>Valerie, rx,” <b>Julian </b>began, her <b>voice </b>gentle. “Your <b>brother </b><b>and </b><b>I </b>are just suggesting you be more mindful with your spending. It’s not that you can’t indulge in king crabs, but there’s no need to stretch your budget unnecessarily. It could lead to unnecessary tension between you <b>and</b>
Matthew.
Julian, always straightforward and sincere, missed the undertone of condescension in Ashley’s <b>advice </b>to Valerie. He worried about the potential strain on <b>Valerie’s </b>marriage <b>and </b>added, “Ashley has a point. It’s fine to treat yourself on special asions, but it’s wise to keep everyday <b>expenses </b>in
check.”
Valerie appreciated Julian’s concern. “Don’t worry, Julian. If we’ve bought this crab, it means we can handle it?
Julian knew that Valerie was always <b>prudent </b>with her finances. Reassured by her confidence, he rxed. “Alright then, let’s enjoy our dinner.” He then replied.
However, Ashley wasn’t ready to drop the subject. Just <b>because </b>you can afford it doesn’t mean you should. <b>Everyone </b>can buy king crabs nowadays. Remember <b>our </b>wedding feast? We had a bigger one than this. How much did this cost <b>you</b>, <b>Matthew</b>?”
Matthew, <b>usually </b>patient, found Ashley’s tone grating but remainedposed for Valerie’s sake. “It was two…”
“200 dors?” Ashley scoffed. “You’ve been tricked, Matthew. Ours was
and <b>only </b>cost 175 dors. Why is yours smaller yet more expensive! It sounds like the seller saw you as an easy target.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.
<b>Valerie </b>had had enough. Ashley’s insinuation that Matthew was <b>naive </b>was bing too much. “Ashley, seafood <b>prices </b><b>vary </b>with the season; it’s perfectly normal. <b>What </b>matters is that we enjoy the meal together. If we’re all happy<b>, </b>a linde extra cost doesn’t hurt. Am I right?” Valerie’s smile was tight, her calm demeanor barely masking her irritation.
Ashley, momentarily lost for words, bristled silently. Valerie’s confident reson left her wondering how Valerie, who had married a poor man without a college degree, dared to speak <b>up </b>so boldly,
Matthew’s eyes flickered with surprise as he listened to Valerie defend him against Ashley’s subtle digs. He appreciated her support, especially since he owed her for helping his grandmother. Although he couldn’t reveal his true identity to her, be resolved to show his gratitude in other <b>ways</b><b>.</b>
<b>With </b>a slight smile<b>, </b><b>Matthew </b>chimed in, <b>“</b>Valerie’s <b>right</b><b>. </b>Seafood prices can vary, and <b>this </b><b>crab </b>is naturally <b>pricier</b>. Because <b>this </b><b>is </b>a Horsehair <b>Crab</b>. It costs 2000 <b>dors</b>.”
Observing the warm exchanges between Valerie and Julian, Matthew was reassured of their strong bond. He had arranged for several high–quality <b>seafood </b>dishes to be delivered through Charles, wanting to make the <b>meal </b>memorable.
It was evident that Valerie and Julian shared a close rtionship, marked by Julian’s straightforward nature. However, Ashley seemed to harbor a more cunning disposition
Ashley looked visibly choked. The crab’s appearance in her eyes resembled a lot of the king crab’s. Her limited experience with seafood suddenly became apparent, leaving her feeling out of her depth.
julian, ever direct, expressed his <b>gratitude </b>with a warm smile. Thanks to Matthew, we get to enjoy some truly top–notch <b>seafood </b>today”
Valerie donned disposable gloves and cheerfully announced, “Til handle the crab splitting!”
Ashley, unable to mask her irritation, declined the offer. “I’ve been feeling off these past few days and the doctor said I should skip the seafood”
Julian, concerned, asked. “You’ve been unwell? You should have mentioned it earlier.
<b>Biting </b>back her frustration, Ashley responded, “It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about me; just enjoy your meal”
Valerie, picking up on the tension, focused on serving Julian and Aiden, leaving Ashley out.
bly <b>fresh </b>and vorful”
<b>As </b>Julian tasted the crab, his eyes lit up with delight. “This is better than what we had at our wedding! It’s incredibly
Ashley’s expression darkened as Julian’s praise continued. Despite her reservations, she couldn’t deny the infectious enjoyment around the table. making her question if she was missing out on something truly exceptional
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