Rebirth of the Alpha's Slave Mate (Samantha and Kade) novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Kade’s POV

“Would you just eat your vegetables? They’re going cold!”

“No!” Ivy folded her arms across her chest and pouted, turning her nose up at the bright green broccoli on her plate. “I’m not eating those. They’re poisoned!”

Serena’s fingers tightened dangerously around her fork. She whipped her head toward Kade and blurted out, Would you do something about this? The girl needs to eat her vegetables!”

Kade sighed, setting down his wine cup. He studied Ivy’s plate; she had eaten the entire steak Kade had grilled earlier, but the steamed vegetables that Serena insisted on cooking tonight were still untouched.

Kade didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t blame Ivy for not wanting to eat them. They were bland and mushy -even Kade was struggling to choke down the overcooked and unseasoned broccoli, cauliflower, and sugar

peas.

“It’s fine,” he finally said. “Ivy had plenty to eat already.”

Serena’s mouth twisted, although Ivy perked up. “Can I please be excused?” she asked, to which Kade nodded.

Grinning impishly at Serena, Ivy shot out of her chair and scampered off. Kade could hear her socked feet pounding up the stairs and all the way down the hall until she reached her room, where the door closed with a slam.

The moment they were alone, Serena turned to Kade. “You spoil her.”

“How am I spoiling her?” Kade pushed his chair back and stood, gathering the dishes.

The staff had given up trying to clean up after dinner a long time ago; Kade had been insisting on doing it himself for years now. Standing over the sink, elbow-deep in soapy water, was always soothing after the stressful family dinners he’d been enduring for seven years.

Seven years. Seven years of… this. Seven years of tense meals and heated arguments and regrets.

And a whole lifetime more to come.

Serena, of course, followed Kade into the kitchen. “If you keep letting her get away with refusing food, she’ll be a picky eater for the rest of her life.”

“She’s seven.” Kade began scraping the uneaten food into the garbage. “Seven year olds go through phases. If we force her to eat when she really doesn’t want to, then it’ll only give her problems with food in the future. She’ll eat what her body really needs when she’s hungry.”

Kade didn’t look at Serena as he turned and began filling the sink, but he could feel her eyes on his back. He ignored her, hoping she would just go away-like she did most nights-but tonight was different.

Serena came to stand beside Kade. “I still think she should go to boarding school.”

Kade’s hands stilled on the plate he was scrubbing.

“The girl’s academy in my parent’s pack is excellent. I went to school there, and I turned out just fine.”

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Chapter 181

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“I’m not sending my daughter off to boarding school.” Kade calmly continued washing the plate, rinsed it, and placed it on the drying rack. “Especially not at seven years old.”

Serena let out a disappointed huff and glared at Kade. He pretended not to notice, of course-just continued washing the dishes. This was a conversation they’d been having since Ivy was old enough to start kindergarten, and his response was always the same.

But still, over the past two years, Serena hadn’t let up on the subject. She continually insisted that Ivy should be sent away to boarding school. She claimed it would be “good for her”. That it would teach Ivy some discipline, and that it would be healthy for her to be independent and make friends.

Kade knew how she really felt, though. Serena hated Ivy, and simply wanted her to leave.

There had been a time, once, when Serena seemed to love Ivy. During those dark days when Ivy’s life was touch and go, she prayed to the Moon Goddess shrine for Ivy’s health and tried to visit her often, even though Kade barred all visitors to the cottage where Ivy had been held.

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