The Real Heiress's New Family Adored By All novel Chapter 45

Chapter 45 Hidden Little Preferences

Without Jensen’s reminder, Leighton might have harmed the young girl by mistake.

“No green onions, no garlic at all, only lean meat-not a single bit of fat…”

Finished

Jensen rattled off a long list of restrictions. That was exactly why he’d said everyone else could dig in while he looked after Zora.

He’d never expected such an upscale booth to serve smoky barbecue, nor hack he thought to inform the server of Zora’s dietary restrictions in advance.

Even some of the dislikes Zora had forgotten herself, Jensen remembered perfectly.

In that moment, it felt to Zora as if her mentor were right there beside her again.

Her mentor had always paid close attention to what she ate, too.

People said Zora was picky with food, but it was never genuine fussiness. There were plenty of things she didn’t care for, yet she would never complain if they were served to her.

She’d just eat less of what tasted plain, and indulge a little more in what she liked. If nothing on the table suited her taste, plain bread would suffice.

Life at the Knox Villa meant bland, mild meals. Zora hadn’t properly enjoyed a good meal in ages, usually full after just a few bites.

It was only after moving to the Marlow Manor that she finally had food tailored to her tastes and slowly began eating more.

A cold had left her throat sore a few days prior, so no spicy dishes had been prepared for her.

As soon as the smoky barbecue spread was laid out before her, Zora could feel her mouth watering.

Wow, Zora, you have so many dietary restrictions. You’ll have to be careful when we eat out from now on.”

Leighton memorized every detail, going over the list in his mind before turning his gaze to Zora.

gaze

No wonder she was so slight and delicate-with so many things she couldn’t eat, she really was hard to care for, needing the most thoughtful attention.

Zora wanted to say she was actually easy to please; a simple bread would be enough for her. But then she thought it over. She barely knew Leighton, so why bother explaining herself to him? They were hardly

close at all.

“Mhm.”

With that thought, Zora only gave a quiet, muted reply.

Leighton scanned the table, then helped Zora to some grilled pork tenderloin.

It was perfectly lean, melt-in-your-mouth tender.

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“You’re absolutely right. Zora, vou’ve got to stay mindful when dining out. Food allergies are nothing to take lightly. Whenever you’re shopping here and want a meal, come straight to my place. It’s on the house for you. I’ll pass along all your dietary restrictions to the kitchen right away.”

Jett nodded in agreement beside him. Being careless with food was never a good idea.

“Leighton, what brings you here out of the blue? You never drop by without a reason. Aren’t you swamped with work? You just got back from overseas-did you go see your dad yet?” Jett turned to ask Leighton.

Leighton had left the country a couple of years prior and only recently returned. Jett couldn’t figure out why he’d suddenly show up at his restaurant.

“Why would I go? Just to get whacked with a stick?”

Leighton lazily helped himself to a piece of smoked meat and dipped it in the seasoned sauce.

He watched the girl across the table take a bite of her meat, then lowered his gaze, picked up his own portion, and ate it in one mouthful.

He had to admit, the flavor was incredible.

“… Well, that’s what you get for refusing the path he laid out for you and starting your own company instead.”

Jett chuckled at the thought of Leighton’s hot-tempered father.

The Pierce family had a long military legacy, and Leighton’s father held immense authority. Yet Leighton had always been a rebel. He’d launched his own business back in college and built it into a roaring success.

Every time he visited the Pierce estate, his dad itched to discipline his late-in-life son-yet never could bring himself to do it.

Zora sat quietly to the side, simply observing their conversation.

“Exactly why I steer clear and stay out of his way.” Leighton glanced across the table, picking up a shrimp croquette for himself. It was bouncy and juicy, bursting with flavor the moment he bit into it. A little on the spicy side, though.

Г

Leighton had no eating disorder, but he never had much of an appetite. Food was just something to fuel his body, nothing more.

He couldn’t understand why Zora’s eyes lit up with every bite, why she smiled softly as she savored each mouthful. Still, watching her made it look utterly delicious.

If Zora could read his thoughts, she would’ve shot him a slow, skeptical glance. Let him survive two months on bland, tasteless meals with no flavor at all-then he’d understand how good it felt to have food full of rich flavor.

Zora never considered herself picky, but she’d always hated the tasteless, plain dishes served at the Knox Villa.

Every meal there was nothing but pale greens, filled with awkward silence from start to finish.

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Chapter 45+dden Little Preferences

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Even when her mentor had struggled financially, he’d never made her live on plain greens like a rabbit.

Staff like Tom had secretly suck her extra flavorful meals behind the scenes back then-until Jolie found out and got them scolded.

After that, Zora refused any special treats from the staff and survived on plain bread alone every day.

It wasn’t until she moved to the Marlow Manor that her meals finally had proper seasoning and taste.

“Zora, do you still have those calming herbal sachets left?”

Mentioning why Leighton had come, Jensen remembered the business at hand.

Leighton also turned his attention toward Zora.

‘I do. Are you still having trouble sleeping, Jensen?” Zora set down her fork at once, looking over at Jensen with clear concern in her eyes.

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The Real Heroes: New Family Adored by All