Chapter 115

• MALIA’S POV
• Zach immediately turned towards the door and headed towards it. I watched him go until he was out of sight and turned back towards the exquisitely laid dining table.
• The table stretched out before me, a canvas of culinary artistry that seemed almost too perfect to disturb. Each dish was a work of art, arranged with such care that it felt like a shame to serve from them. The roasted chicken was the centrepiece of the feast, glistening under the candlelight with its perfectly crisped skin that hinted at the tender, juicy meat beneath. The rich aroma of thyme, rosemary, and garlic wafted through the air, mingling with the savoury scent of the roasted vegetables that surrounded it—carrots, parsnips, and red onions, caramelized to a deep golden brown, their edges slightly charred, just the way I liked them.