Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 1288

"Leave the biggest piece of lobster for Mara. Tonight is her celebration, after all," Lacey stated coldly.

But Ethan was faster. With a swift motion, he snagged the prime cut and dropped it onto Mira's plate.

He shot Lacey a sideways glance. "Celebration? Let's talk after her copyright actually gets approved.

Mira was missing for seventeen years. When she finally came home, I didn't see you throwing any welcome parties for her."

Without missing a beat, Ethan proceeded to pick out all the most expensive, premium cuts from the table and loaded them onto Mira's plate.

Seeing this, Mara's eyes instantly welled up with theatrical tears.

"Ethan! Are you incapable of having a civilized dinner?" Adrian snapped loudly.

"Eat up. I never said you couldn't enjoy your meal," Ethan replied coolly. "If you don't have an appetite, you're free to leave."

He calmly spooned a generous serving of rich broth into Mira's bowl, then lowered his head to continue eating.

Mira kept her focus entirely on her food. Whatever Ethan put on her plate, she ate. She didn't look up, didn't stop, playing the picture-perfect, obedient sibling.

Damon stared at Mira in utter bewilderment. Was this girl dense? All she did was eat. She didn't even try to diffuse the tension or talk Ethan down.

Naturally, Adrian and Lacey's glaring disdain for Mira only deepened.

Since Mara had completely lost her appetite, Adrian and Lacey found themselves too infuriated to stomach another bite. The more joyfully Ethan and Mira ate, the angrier they became.

Thoroughly disgusted, they pushed their chairs back to take Mara away. They were already full on rage.

"Rachel, prepare a bowl of Red Reserve Saffron for Mara," Lacey ordered as she turned to leave.

"Right away, ma'am," Rachel replied obediently.

In this timeline, Rachel had helped raise Mara. She was no longer the fiercely loyal housekeeper who used to sneak extra portions of soup for Mira.

"Make a larger batch. Pour a bowl for Mira, too," Ethan commanded.

"Damon, are you blind? Did we start the fight, or did they?

Why aren't you asking them why they felt the need to fight over the best cut?"

"But what do you actually gain by falling out with Adrian?"

Damon had always been an opportunist. It was true in their past life, and clearly, it held true now.

"Why don't you ask yourself what I gain by keeping the peace? Swallowing my pride so we can be treated like garbage?"

Ethan had originally debated telling Damon the truth, hoping to bring him over to their side. But now...

Since his younger brother prioritized fame and profit above all else, Ethan decided to let him be.

"But aren't we a family? You used to be Adrian's golden boy. You two always had a solid relationship—why the sudden hostility?"

Ethan took a moment to think it over but ultimately decided to keep Damon in the dark. The guy was too blinded by ambition; he was probably already banking on riding the coattails of Mara's stolen songs.