The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 477

Vivian nodded obediently. "You're absolutely right, Mom. I'll make sure to learn."

Cynthia shot her a glance and said nothing more.

"Mom."

Seeing her turn to leave, Vivian called out to stop her. "Aren't you going to do this with me?"

Cynthia's pupils contracted. "What did you just say?"

"I said, why aren't you joining me?"

Vivian looked genuinely confused. "I agree with everything you just said, but shouldn't you be setting an example for me? That way, I can ask you for guidance on the things I don't know how to do."

Cynthia's immediate instinct was to snap, *Isn't there someone right there to teach you?*

But on second thought, that didn't sound right either.

If there was someone to teach her, then there was someone to do the work, meaning she wouldn't need to do it herself.

Taking a deep breath, she locked her dark gaze onto Vivian. "Fine. I will guide you."

And so, for the rest of the day, the two women bustled around the manor. After finishing the garden, they went to the backyard to feed the peacocks, finally ending up in the kitchen to prepare dinner themselves.

"I'm tired."

Cynthia sat in a chair, taking a slow sip of her tea, her voice completely flat.

"No one else is available right now. You're in charge of dinner tonight."

"I..." don't know how.

She swallowed the rest of her sentence under Cynthia's warning glare and quickly pivoted. "Of course I'd love to cook for you, Mom, but my cooking is pretty average. Please don't hold it against me."

"Cut the nonsense."

A flash of impatience crossed Cynthia's eyes. "If you're only average, then learn. There are plenty of tutorials online. Can't you read?"

But she had overlooked one crucial detail.

"What do you think!"

Cynthia wasn't coughing as badly, but she was furious.

She opened her mouth to scold her, but looking at the young woman's pathetic, pleading expression, she stopped. If she went off on her now, she really would look like a ridiculously abusive mother-in-law. If word got out, how would Cynthia ever show her face in public again?

Keeping her spine perfectly straight, Cynthia forced her heaving chest to calm down. "That isn't 'average' cooking! You clearly don't know anything! Starting tomorrow, you will stay in the kitchen with the chef and learn to cook. You aren't leaving until you figure it out!"

She stormed off, leaving Judith and Vivian staring at each other in stunned silence.

"Vivian..."

Helpless, Judith let out a long, heavy sigh.

"When Silas was young, he lived on his own for a while. He lost a lot of weight simply because he didn't know how to take care of himself. Madam isn't intentionally being harsh with you. She just hopes that you can, at the very least, be self-sufficient... Even though there are always people around to serve you, if an accident ever happens, you won't be left completely helpless."

A subtle flicker danced deep in Vivian's eyes. Was Cynthia really just hiding a soft heart behind her biting words?