The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 75

Ferris had a distinct preference for sweet and tangy flavors. I only figured that out after attending a few family dinners at the Sterling estate. These BBQ Ribs, in particular, looked simple enough, but achieving the perfect balance of sweet and sour while retaining the rich, savory essence of the bone was actually quite difficult.

The secret lay in the caramelized glaze. The heat had to be controlled flawlessly, and the recipe required exactly nine pieces of brown sugar to hit the precise flavor profile Ferris loved.

It used to be my proudest signature dish.

But ever since the day he callously told me he was sick of it, I lost all desire to cook. If Leon hadn't specifically begged for it, this dish wouldn't even be on the table right now.

Zoey had no idea about any of this when she eagerly brought it up, but Ferris, Leon, and I were all acutely aware of the history.

I wasn't worried about Ferris exposing our marriage, but I still shot a guilty glance at Leon.

To my surprise, I caught him staring right back at me.

A second later, his gaze shifted to Ferris. His tone was perfectly casual, yet sharp. "I'm sure Dr. Sterling has tasted every delicacy Port Capital has to offer. He's probably sick of this kind of food by now."

Was it my imagination? Why did the words 'sick of' sound so heavily loaded coming from Leon?

Everyone else in the room froze. Even the head nurse hesitated for a couple of seconds before smoothly stepping in. "Oh, Leon, you don't get it. When you eat out, you're paying for novelty. When you eat here, you're tasting friendship. It's totally different!"

She quickly ushered Ferris to take a seat between Zoey and me.

The moment he sat down, the younger woman meticulously arranged his silverware for him, playing the role of the doting little wife flawlessly.

The rest of the staff exchanged subtle, secretive glances but kept their mouths shut.

Meanwhile, I felt like I was chewing on an unripe olive—an unbearable, sour bitterness flooded my mouth, and I couldn't even spit it out.

Sharing a meal with Ferris was something I had endlessly fantasized about. Yet here I was, his legal wife, forced to sit in silence and watch my husband flirt with his 'Little Mischief' right in front of me and my colleagues.

It was tragic and pathetic.

At the word 'house,' my chest tightened painfully.

My house? That was her beloved Ferris's house. If she ever actually showed up there, I doubt she'd have any appetite left.

I cast a frustrated glance at the notoriously tight-lipped Ferris and could only manage a vague, polite smile to brush her off.

Once everyone else had left and it was just the Anesthesiology staff, Amber let out a massive sigh. "Everyone always says Dr. Sterling is this untouchable, ascetic god who never looks twice at women. Looks like he finally fell hard."

"Watch what you say," the head nurse immediately warned. "They might just have a normal mentor-mentee relationship."

After saying that, she shot me a quiet, incredibly sympathetic look.

My fingers curled inward in panic. Had my acting been that bad? Had she seen right through me? I hesitated for a couple of seconds before tentatively asking, "What is it?"

The head nurse leaned in close and lowered her voice. "This Skye City conference is a joint event between Anesthesiology and Neurosurgery. Unspoken rule: attendees usually get to bring one intern along. Go talk to Dr. Yates in a bit. Maybe you can tag along and get some real-world exposure."