His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 673

Thaddeus had a look of sheer panic as the chicken nugget slipped from his fingers and plummeted into the bubbling oil of the deep fryer.

Hot oil spattered across the back of his hand and up his arm, the pain snapping him back to reality as his lips parted awkwardly, muttering, "Elvis."

"You're always talking about that stuff. Are you really that horny?"

Elvis snorted softly, craning his neck to peer into the fryer, "I dunno if Evadne caught a whiff yet, but I sure followed the scent over here. Smells like something's burning, though."

That caught Thaddeus off guard, and he suddenly realized that the chicken he'd dropped in earlier was still submerged.

He fumbled for the slotted spoon, but by the time he fished out the nuggets, they'd turned a deep brown.

The corners of Thaddeus' eyes drooped in dismay, and he was instantly reminded of the first time Chairman Emeric had tried his cooking, labeling it a string of "failures."

It was like a curse he couldn't shake.

"Look, I get it, you're trying to be sweet, but don't force yourself into something that's clearly not your forte. If you scald yourself and end up with blisters, it's Evadne who's going to suffer, right?"

Saying this, Elvis shrugged off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and positioned himself next to Thaddeus, nudging him aside with his hip, "Go stand over there and chill. Don't get in the way."

Thaddeus' eyes widened in surprise, "You're going to take over?"

"If I leave it to you, my little sis will end up eating charcoal."

Thaddeus didn't get upset because Elvis was absolutely right; he'd overestimated his cooking skills.

Elvis washed his hands and expertly lowered the chicken into the fryer, watching the clock and counting the seconds before stirring the oil and soon after, retrieving the perfectly cooked nuggets.

Thaddeus stood by, assisting Elvis and absorbing every move with rapt attention.

"Got it yet?" asked Elvis, not even looking up.

Thaddeus nodded, "Yeah."

"Your eyes may have got it, but your hands sure didn't."

Thaddeus frowned with a rueful smile, "Elvis, sometimes, I need a little encouragement."

Elvis' long lashes fluttered as he glanced at Thaddeus, "Fail a few more times, and you'll get it right. I've botched it up countless times myself before getting it to look half decent. If Evadne didn't love it so much, who in their right mind would bother with this mess? It's filthy, it's a hassle, and you can't get rid of the smell of oil for days! Sometimes, you shouldn't spoil her too much. If you let her get her way all the time, she'll be demanding you cook every day, then what'll you do?"

Thaddeus' eyes glowed softly as he gently smiled, "Doesn't matter. As long as Evadne's happy, I'm willing to do anything, no matter how troublesome it is."

"Pfft, easy for anyone to say," Elvis responded with feigned disdain, but inside, he felt a warmth spreading.

"Wow! Fried chicken! Smells amazing!"

Both men turned around.

Now the real little foodie had arrived.

With the weather turning cooler and to better care for Emeric, Evadne had swapped her delicate silk nightgowns for a cozy, milk-white fleece loungewear, setting off her moon-bright face. From a distance, she looked like a celestial rabbit morphed into a human, landing in the mortal realm, soft and adorable.

"Thad, Elvis, when did you guys get back? You could've at least let me know."

Evadne scampered over in her slippers, bringing with her a sweet, warm breeze and flung herself into Thaddeus' embrace.

"Evadne, I'm covered in flour, I'll get your clothes dirty," Thaddeus gently warned, his flour-dusted hands hovering mid-air, not daring to touch her.

"Did you really make this for me just because I mentioned it last night?"

With warm fingertips, Evadne brushed the flour from his cheek, her heart both sour and tender, "What are you doing, you silly man? You're already running around between two places every day, working and then coming back to be with me. It's hard enough. For something like this, we could've just ordered in. You didn't need to tire yourself out."

"It's not tiring. Your happiness is what matters the most."

Thaddeus' sturdy arms wrapped around her waist, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked over at Elvis, "Besides, I didn't really do much. It was all Elvis."

"Oh, Elvis made them nice and crispy."

Pfff!

Elvis clutched his chest as a mouthful of fictional blood nearly sprayed into the fryer.

With Elvis’ efficient work and Thaddeus' assistance, two plates of golden, crispy fried chicken were served steaming hot.

And Thaddeus' few failed attempts sat neglected in a corner.

"Come on, Evadne, try some of my cooking!"

Elvis leaned against the table, eyes twinkling with anticipation as he watched his little sister's eyes light up, "It's been a while since I cooked for you. Let's see if I've still got it, huh?"

Evadne grabbed a piece with her hands, took a big bite, and crunched happily.

"Mmm, delicious! Elvis, your cooking is still as fantastic as ever!" Evadne beamed with contentment, her eyes sparkling.

A pleased smile spread across Elvis' lips.

Suddenly, his mind flashed back to a face similar to Evadne's.

That night, thanks to Elsie's diversion, he'd managed to safely escape from the Velvet Haven.

What about her? Had Avery discovered everything she'd done? She had gone to Matthew to buy him time; did that brute give her a hard time?

Although Elvis despised Snaky Avery and was wary of her status, after last night's events, he found himself increasingly curious about that woman.

He couldn't believe that anyone decent could be found in Avery's company.

But Elsie didn't seem all that bad either.

"Hey! Evadne, don't eat that!"

Thaddeus' eyes narrowed in alarm, but it was already too late.

Evadne blissfully opened her cavernous mouth and devoured his charred offerings, savoring them without a hint of disdain.

"Mmm. They're not that bad."

"Evadne, stop eating," Thaddeus urged, capturing her hand, "You don't have to force yourself to compliment me. I know they're not good."

"No, they're made with love. How could they not be delicious?"

Evadne picked up another piece and ate it with evident pleasure, showing no sign of pretense, "Besides, what does it matter if they're black or golden? Once they're in your stomach, it's all the same, right? Isn't that right, Elvis?"

Thaddeus' lips curved into a tender smile, and he couldn't resist planting a kiss on her greasy lips.

Elvis again clutched his chest and closed his eyes!

He regretted it so much.

Why did he come back to be the third wheel?