er tongue , an explosion of horrible flavor blasted straight to her brain . What the heck was this ?! Cordelia couldn't even swallow it . She rushed to the trash can and spat it out . " Ugh ! Why does this turducken taste so weird ? Why is it so sour and salty ? And the edges even taste burnt ... " Norma ! I followed your recipe exactly . How did this happen ? " Norma quietly wiped cold sweat from her forehead as she whispered . " I think you confused the sauces and mistakenly added some vinegar . You also added salt several more times . " Cordelia froze on the spot , looking dumbfounded . Declan finally couldn't hold it in . He turned away , laughing . The servants also covered their mouths , stifling giggles . Cordelia felt utterly defeated . " I spent hours on this , and it turned out like this?!" Just then , she noticed Declan was laughing so hard his ears had turned red . Her anger quickly gave way to surprise , " Declan , you actually laughed ? " She stepped up to Declan and studied him . " This is the first time I've ever seen you laugh . " Declan held his breath as her face suddenly drew close . He forgot entirely how to keep laughing . The next second , Cordelia reached out and pinched his cheeks . " Declan , you really should laugh more . You look way younger when you smile . Otherwise , with that stiff face , you just look like some grumpy old man . " Before Declan could process her words , he spotted several fresh blisters on Cordelia's arm . " You're hurt ? " Cordelia glanced at her own arm . " Yeah , when I cooked earlier , the oil splashed up . " 0.0 % 09:38 Chapter 22 Without a word , he turned and strode toward the living room . She soon saw Declan crouching in front of a drawer , searching for something . Cordelia walked closer , only to find him pulling out a medical kit. " It's just a few little blisters . They'll fade soon . " Cordelia was about to run off to Norma for another lesson . But Declan stopped her . " Don't move . " The man's usual distant voice now carried a commanding edge that allowed no refusal . It made Cordelia's heart flutter nervously . She stood quietly as Declan took out cotton swabs and ointment , tending to her wound with meticulous care . 288 iVouchers And suddenly , she remembered back in high school during a sports test , when she twisted her ankle while running . Declan had treated her then , too , eyes dark with annoyance , but his hands just as gentle . " Be careful not to get it wet when you shower tonight . " For some reason , that simple line landed in Cordelia's ears with an oddly intimate weight . Her heart pounded wildly . Just then , Conrad pushed open the door and walked into the living room , only to see his parents gazing at each other intently . He gaped at them , looking shocked . Conrad spun around abruptly , nearly knocking Elton over with his water glass . Elton scratched his head , puzzled , as his brother stormed back into the room . Once Declan finished treating her wound , he told her , " Stop moving around . If we're cooking again , I'll handle the heating part . You just help on the side . " Cordelia knew she hadn't fully mastered cooking skills yet , so she didn't argue . This time , Declan took the lead . After hearing Norma go over the steps once , he began smoothly , methodically , with none of the frantic mess Cordelia had made earlier . Cordelia stood to the side , deeply impressed . " Declan , you seem to be good at everything . 32.7 % 09:38 Chapter 22 " It's like ... nothing can ever stump you . " She wasn't flattering him . Since childhood , Declan has always displayed extraordinary control , whether in academics or sports . Cordelia had even been jealous of him for that before . Declan's brows furrowed slightly . In a voice barely audible , he said , " Not everything . " Cordelia froze . " What did you just say ? " Declan explained , " I'm not good at everything . " When it came to marriage , love , family , and children , he had made such a mess . Though at forty , he still didn't know how to get along with Cordelia . Cordelia didn't know what Declan was thinking . She only thought he was being modest . An hour later , the turducken was finally finished . This time , with Declan taking the lead , the dish looked far better than the earlier disaster in every way . Cordelia eagerly picked up a piece . " Let me see what kind of results a straight - A student can get in the kitchen . " The moment the turducken touched her tongue , Cordelia's expression grew solemn . Even the usually composed Declan looked a little tense . " How is it ? " Cordelia slapped the fork onto the table in frustration . " What the heck ? How is this possible ? " It's the same dish . How come your cooking tastes so amazing while mine is unbearably awful ?! " Declan just silently watched her throw a tantrum . His eyes were full of tenderness . When Cordelia ate , she liked to puff food up in her cheeks . As she chewed , she looked like a hamster . 70.0 % 11 288 Vouchers