Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 329

Annalise was itching to avoid another confrontation with Marlon, so she was the first to raise her hand and stand, "I'll help out."

"Annalise, cooking is a whole lot trickier than playing with clay." Marlon whistled, flashing a devilishly charming grin.

Ever since Adeline had unwittingly downgraded Annalise's sophisticated pottery career to mere mud play, the gang had pigeonholed her as a clay pusher. Now, Annalise couldn't even muster the will to argue, simply scoffing at Marlon, "At least I've handled clay. Whatever I make will surely beat anything crafted by your pampered hands."

Marlon, ever so quick to rise to the bait, was on his feet in a heartbeat, rolling up his sleeves, "Watch and learn kiddo. I'm about to school you."

Seeing Marlon riled up, Harding, who was Marlon’s buddy, quickly grabbed his arm, "Give it up. You'd probably made pizza into some unrecognizable creatures."

Marlon retorted, "As if you a surgeon can talk trash about me an actor. At least I've had some practice on set."

Harding chuckled, "Don't kid yourself. That cooking scene was all me. Those were my hands wielding the kitchen knife, not yours."

"I remember loads of fans said my hands were better-looking than yours. I can't help being born with such charm, and it's a gift. Daphne, what are you doing?" Marlon's tirade was cut short when he noticed Daphne aiming her phone at him, all smiles.

Daphne quickly pocketed her phone, shaking her head like a bobblehead, nearly spitting out the grapes she was munching.

Lionel, who had been peeling grapes, suddenly stood up, pressing down Daphne's head with a frown, "Why are you picking on my wife? Didn't you notice her baby bump?"

Harding chuckled, "Lionel, come on, and she doesn't even look pregnant."

"You're always sucking up to your sweetheart." He said, tightening Daphne's shirt to accentuate her belly, "See? Pregnant lady right here."

"Man, you're as overprotective as Kerry." Harding sneered, before realizing the jab and turning on Lionel, "Sweetheart?"

"Honey, let's go watch me make pizzas," Lionel said, guiding Daphne toward where Julie and Kieran were standing.

Marlon took his chance and kicked Harding in the rear, "Go on. Call him out. Tell him I'm certainly not his sweetheart."

He kicked him in the butt.

Harding turned around, his gaze icy, "You're asking for it now."

Before he could finish, Marlon was already trailing behind Daphne and Lionel, "Come on, let's see some magic from these hands."

Three minutes later.

Payne quipped, "Gentry, is that supposed to be a pizza or a piece of shit?"

Marlon glanced at his creation and earnestly asked, "Aren't pizzas supposed to be round? These wrappers must be fake. Can't you guys roll properly?"

"Man, square wrappers are not proper." Payne laughed, shouting to Harding, who was absorbed in his phone, "Hey stunt double, come over here. We've got an actor in distress."

Harding, foreseeing this outcome, put his phone away and started dragging Marlon toward the couch.

Marlon, innocence personified, whispered, "Is that ugly?"

"Maybe 'a piece of shit' is a proper description."

Seeing Marlon angry, Adeline quickly stood up and pulled Julien, "Let's go make pizzas before this turns into a full-blown living room war. Don't ask me how I know. My karaoke booth experiences have taught me, and it's an absolute truth."

Kieran, ever the assertive host, insisted that everyone roll up their sleeves and make their own pizzas. The crowd around the table was indeed a sight to see. Those who knew how to make pizzas did so, and the rest rolled out the dough. The tasks were well assigned.

Logically, the men should have taken on the task of rolling dough, but Julien, far from the traditional homemaker, was likely to produce some unsightly pizzas, so she bravely took on the arduous duty.

Julie hadn't expected such a turnout and with not enough rolling pins, she handed Julien a glass bottle, "Use this."

Just as Julien grasped the bottle, Marlon's teasing voice came from behind, "That bottle's quite thick. Can your petite hands handle it?"

As Annalise had now allied herself with Julien due to a mutual acquaintance, she pointed to the slender rolling pin in Hayden's hand with a smile, "Hayden's thing is slimmer, easy to grip. Why don't you use that?"

Hayden, who had been silent, suddenly looked up at Annalise and said earnestly, "Julien knows mine isn't slim."

Annalise blushed to the roots of her hair, a classic maiden caught off-guard.