The man standing beside Barbara was clearly Edward's father—the resemblance between them was striking. Still, Janice didn't feel comfortable addressing him too casually.
Barbara smiled warmly and introduced them, "This is Edward's father. And this is Edward's girlfriend, Janice Smith."
Robert had already suspected as much and was quietly observing the young woman. At first glance, he was impressed.
She had an elegant appearance and a calm, steady presence. She wasn't impulsive or fidgety and spoke with confidence. Not bad at all.
"Hello," Robert greeted her.
Feeling a little nervous, Janice replied, "Hello, Mr. Moore. Please, make yourselves at home!"
With that, she turned toward the kitchen and called out, "Edward, your parents are here!"
The kitchen?
Barbara and Robert exchanged surprised looks, both of them clearly shocked that their son was in the kitchen.
Just then, Edward stepped out. "Please make yourselves comfortable. The food will be ready soon. Is Matilda coming?"
"She said she'd be here shortly," Barbara answered. "Are you the one cooking?"
"Yes."
As Edward returned to the kitchen, Barbara's expression shifted to one of confusion.
Noticing her puzzled look, Janice assumed it was because Barbara wasn't thrilled about Edward being in the kitchen. She stood up and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Moore, please relax. I'll go check on the food—"
"It's fine," Barbara interrupted, gently pulling her back down. "Just stay here. I'm curious, though… Can he actually cook?"
Janice felt Robert's gaze on her, which made her slightly uneasy. "I've never had his cooking either."
Seeing her discomfort, Robert's expression softened. "There's no need to be nervous. Please, make yourself at home. We're the guests here."
"Right, right," Barbara agreed quickly, changing the subject. "Janice, that artifact still hasn't been restored. I wanted to ask if you'd have the time to take it on. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're properly compensated. You'll be paid at a professional rate. I truly don't want to burden you, but I'm at my wit's end as no one else seems to be able to fix it."
"Send it here."
At that moment, Edward entered the room. "Send it to my place instead. I know a bit about the restoration process and can help her with it."
He turned to Janice and added, "You can work here. It's quiet, and there won't be any distractions."
After all, she did have Jacob at home.
It made perfect sense. Handling such delicate artifacts required the utmost care.
"That works well," Janice agreed.
Barbara's expression brightened instantly, and she grasped Janice's hand gratefully. "You've really saved me! Thank you so much!"
"You don't have to thank me, Mrs. Moore."
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