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Vernon looked at the food on the table. He noticed there was plenty of food that Chloe had never cooked before. He didn't know if Chloe was just trying out new things by using internet recipes or did she get any tips from Dorothea.

He glanced at the kitchen, which was a complete mess with so many dirty dishes stacked in the corner. The kitchen made it look like Chloe cooked A LOT of food, but the food on the table seemed to be only enough for three of them.

'Did she send the food to Dorothea and those boys?' Vernon wondered. 

"It seems that you cook a lot for dinner," Vernon commented as he sat on the chair beside Mackie. "Did you send the rest of the food to those boys and Dorothea?"

Before Chloe opened her mouth, Mackie replied first, "Yes, Uncle! They are eating downstairs! Mommy said that our table is too small for all to fit, so we have to eat separately!"

Chloe's eyes widened. She panicked because Vernon already gave her an ultimatum that Dorothea and those boys were not allowed to enter their penthouse area when Vernon came home. He said that he only wanted to see Mackie and Chloe after work and definitely didn't want to see Dorothea, or else he would 'lose his appetite.'

Chloe looked at Vernon worriedly, afraid that he'd get angry because Chloe kept the boys and Dorothea in their place even though he already said no. 

"T—They helped a lot," Chloe tried to reason with Vernon, whose mood turned sour instantly. "Mackie and the boys are the ones who decorated the tree, while Dorothea and I are the ones who cook. I—I'm sorry, Vernon, but I can't do everything all by myself."

Vernon's mood turned bitter instantly when he heard that Dorothea and those boys were downstairs.

Though he didn't hate Dorothea anymore, his resentment lingered, and he didn't want to spend too much time with her unless necessary.

While he didn't hate Chelsea's sons, he still carried a heavy responsibility to take care of them. So whenever he saw those boys, he'd be reminded of all he had to do to help them, which put weight on his shoulders.

The combination of Dorothea and the boys in his personal space ruined his mood. 

He wanted to be free of responsibility and trauma once he returned home. So that meant there should only be him, Chloe, Mackie, and their future children in his personal space, no more, no less. 

He was disappointed in Chloe, but he wasn't mad.

He knew that Chloe had a good heart. She was naturally nice, and of course, the sight of four boys and an elderly lady would melt her heart. 

Vernon could only sigh, "That's right, Mackie. They can't eat here with us because the table is too small, it won't fit all of us."

"Yup, I understand, Uncle!" Mackie understood that the tables were only fit for six people at most, so it wasn't fair if they left out someone. But still, she wanted to celebrate Christmas with Granny and her cousins, so she said, "Don't worry, Uncle! We can gather together tomorrow morning in front of the Christmas Tree! Mommy said she will make a cake and hot chocolate for all of us!"

Vernon paused. He glanced at Chloe, who was panicking. 

He already had everything planned for their Christmas but didn't include Dorothea and those boys. 

Now that Mackie seemed to have that idea, he wondered if Chloe said something to her. 

Chloe's face paled, she didn't want to see Vernon getting angry, and she definitely didn't want their Christmas ruined.

However, she also didn't want to exclude Dorothea and the boys. They deserved to have a happy Christmas as a family. They were all starving for the warmth and the love of a family, but it all still depended on whether Vernon wanted them in. 

Vernon sighed again and then shifted the topic, "The food looks good. Let's eat them before they get too cold."

"Yes!"

**

Chloe finished her meal first and then got up from the chair.

"I'll check downstairs to see if they are eating well or not, you two should eat more, okay?" Chloe said before she went down. 

Vernon and Mackie stared at Chloe, who seemed to be in a hurry. Mackie tilted her head, confused about why Mommy was panicked.

"I'm sure that my cousins and Granny must be eating well right now," Mackie commented. She looked at her Uncle and asked, "Uncle, did you scare Mommy?"

"I didn't," Vernon denied. Though he probably looked pretty unpleasant before, and that sent her to panic mode

"Umm, then why's Mommy panicking?" Mackie wondered.

"… just eat your food, Mackie," Vernon said. "Your Mommy cooks a lot for us, she'd be sad if you don't eat her food."

"Of course! I'm planning to eat everything!"

**

Chloe checked downstairs and saw that Dorothea and the boys ate well. They didn't seem unhappy because they were eating in a separate area from Chloe, Mackie, and Vernon.

Dorothea was the first one to notice Chloe, and she was surprised, "Chloe? Why are you here?"

"I—I'm just checking," Chloe said. She looked at the boys, who looked back at her with curiosity. "Are you guys eating well? Do you need something?"

"Um, not at all, Aunty."

"Yes, your food is delicious!"

"Yes!"

"I want to eat more!"

Dorothea smiled at Chloe and replied, "We're fine down here, Chloe. We're eating well, and the boys are happy with the food. You should go up to have fun with Mackie and Vernon."

"Chloe, we are happy," Dorothea assured. "You should take care of your little family as well, they need you."