Chapter 127 Kitchen chaos

Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Kitchen chaos

Chaos had practically taken over the kitchen, and Eugene was the undisputed pioneer of it.

After searching through the cottage for what felt like forever, they had finally located the kitchen. Eugene had immediately decided that he was taking control because, apparently, nobody else looked capable enough to handle the situation.

There was only one small problem.

The kitchen looked nothing like what he had expected.

Most of the modern equipment he was used to seeing was nowhere to be found.

No gas cooker.

No electric stove.

No microwave.

No modern oven.

Nothing.

Everything looked ancient, almost as if they had somehow stepped into a village from hundreds of years ago.

Damian stood in the middle of the room, staring around in confusion.

"Are you sure this is even a kitchen?"

He pointed toward one particular corner.

"And what’s that supposed to be?"

Several stones had been arranged together into a large structure at the extreme end of the room.

Marcus, who had been examining almost everything they could possibly use, sighed.

"This is what we’re going to cook on."

Eugene and Damian immediately turned toward him.

Marcus pointed toward the stones.

"There’s no gas here like most modern kitchens have, so we’re going to use this."

Both men stared at him.

Then at the stones.

Then back at him.

Damian’s mouth slowly fell open.

"Cooking with stones?"

He sounded genuinely offended by the concept.

"Come on. I know I don’t know much about cooking, but what exactly are you planning to do? Turn these stones into some magical source of light?"

He shook his head.

"That’s impossible. Marcus, just accept that you’re even more clueless than us."

Damian burst out laughing.

Eugene pressed his lips together, desperately trying not to laugh with him.

He was supposed to be helping Marcus.

The last thing he wanted was to ruin whatever little confidence the man had left.

"Damian doesn’t mean that," Eugene said, trying to sound serious. "He’s just trying to understand. Are you sure we can actually cook with these?"

Marcus slowly turned toward him.

At that moment, he began regretting every decision that had led him into this kitchen.

How exactly was he supposed to explain to these two that this was an old method of cooking?

It worked.

People had been doing it for generations.

And honestly, there was something enjoyable about it.

But judging by the looks on their faces, convincing them was going to be harder than expected.

"Just find some sticks for me," Marcus said. "Let me get the fire started and I’ll show you what I mean."

He barely took one step.

Something suddenly flew directly past his face.

Marcus instinctively ducked.

A sharp object flew through the space where his head had been a second earlier before embedding itself into the wall.

His eyes bulged.

Slowly, he turned around.

A knife.

A fucking knife was sticking out of the wall.

Marcus stared at it.

Then at Eugene.

Eugene blinked innocently.

Marcus’s expression darkened.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind?"

Eugene looked toward the knife.

"I—"

"Look at that!"

Marcus pointed at the weapon.

"That almost took my life!"

He touched his head as though checking whether it was still attached.

"Why did that happen? And don’t tell me you used your powers in here."

Eugene scratched the back of his neck.

"I was just testing them on some kitchen equipment."

He glanced toward the knife.

"I didn’t know it would fly like that."

He gave Marcus an apologetic look.

"I apologize."

Marcus stared at him.

He didn’t even know what to make of that apology.

If he hadn’t been fast enough, that knife would have sliced his head open.

And then what?

Would Eugene have apologized to his corpse?

Of course.

Because he would have been fucking dead.

"Shove the apology down your ass."

Marcus walked away.

"Let’s get this over with because I’m already having nightmares about dying in this kitchen."

He took another step.

Then almost immediately tripped.

"Whoa!"

Marcus stumbled forward and caught himself against the counter.

He looked down.

His expression changed.

A leg was sticking right into the middle of the walkway.

He slowly followed the leg upward.

Damian was sitting on the floor, searching through a basket filled with utensils as though nothing had happened.

Marcus stared at him.

"You know what?"

Damian looked up.

"Yes?"

"Fuck this."

Marcus pointed toward the door.

"You all can go ahead and cook the goddamn food because I’m not doing shit anymore."

He turned around.

"This is beyond me. I don’t know how long I’m going to remain alive in this place."

He pointed toward the knife still stuck in the wall.

"That was the second attempt on my life in less than five minutes!"

He started walking toward the exit.

Eugene’s eyes widened.

"Marcus, wait!"

Marcus walked faster.

"Please don’t go!"

He walked even faster.

"I need this to work!"

Marcus didn’t stop.

Eugene immediately ran after him.

"I can feel him!"

That made Marcus slow down.

Eugene grabbed his arm.

"I can feel that he’s not at peace. He doesn’t seem happy."

Marcus looked at him suspiciously.

Eugene continued quickly.

"I’m sure Damian can attest to that."

Damian, who was still sitting on the floor, looked up.

"Unfortunately, he’s right."

Marcus sighed.

Eugene tightened his grip.

"So why don’t you do it for Noah?"

Marcus stared at him.

Eugene’s expression became more desperate.

"We can’t let him eat something terrible. At least let him enjoy one good meal."

He hoped the emotional manipulation would work.

Apparently, it did.

Marcus stared at him for a few seconds before releasing a long sigh.

"Fine."

Eugene immediately smiled.

"Thank you."

"But if I die, I’m haunting all of you."

Damian laughed.

"You can’t haunt us if you’re dead."

Marcus slowly turned toward him.

"That’s exactly what someone would say before becoming haunted."

Damian immediately stopped laughing.

Eugene tried to hide his smile.

The truth was that he really was worried.

He had been able to sense Noah’s emotions before.

That was because Damian had told him what Noah was feeling.

Eugene had wanted to go check on him immediately, but he had forced himself to stay behind and help with the food.

There was another reason too.

He had recently marked Noah.

Yet somehow, the connection wasn’t working properly.

At first, he thought he could feel it.

He had sensed something.

But then the connection had suddenly gone quiet.

It was as though something had severed it.

And that frightened him more than he wanted to admit.

Why couldn’t he sense Noah anymore?

Was Noah hurt?

Was something blocking the connection?

Or had something happened to his mark?

Eugene’s expression darkened.

He needed to know.

Marcus noticed the change in his expression.

"I still don’t understand why this is so important to you."

Eugene looked up.

Marcus crossed his arms.

"You haven’t told me the truth about what you’re trying to do."

Eugene remained silent.

"Did something happen between you and Ashton?"

Marcus narrowed his eyes.

"Is that what you’re trying to fix?"

Eugene’s expression didn’t change.

"The whole cooking thing and your behavior are freaking me out."

Marcus sighed.

"I love Noah. I’d do whatever it takes for him."

His gaze sharpened.

"But you’re taking this too far."

He gestured around the chaotic kitchen.

"Why are you so paranoid about making sure this food is perfect?"

Eugene didn’t answer.

Marcus stepped closer.

"What aren’t you telling us?"

For the first time, Eugene completely stopped moving.

His face remained unreadable, but his eyes betrayed him.

He was worried.

Scared, even.

"It’s just..."

He looked away.

"Something that’s been worrying me for a long time."

Marcus waited.

Eugene swallowed.

"It’s scary for me to admit, but I just want to be well. I want things to be okay."

He looked back at them.

"Isn’t that a good thing to want?"

Damian raised an eyebrow.

Eugene’s expression softened.

"Can’t a husband cook for his own baby?"

Marcus blinked.

Eugene continued before anyone could interrupt.

"That’s my Ashton."

He smiled faintly.

"He’s our Ashton, after all. I just want him to enjoy his meal."

Damian immediately scoffed.

"The same meal you don’t know how to cook?"

Eugene’s smile disappeared.

Damian pointed toward the scattered ingredients.

"If you don’t take care, you might poison him."

Eugene opened his mouth.

"You could make one tiny mistake and—"

"Okay, that’s enough."

"—we’ll be attending a funeral instead of eating dinner."

Eugene glared at him.

"I know how to cook."

Marcus looked at the knife still embedded in the wall.

"Really?"

Eugene went quiet.

Damian laughed.

Before the argument could continue, voices suddenly came from the entrance.

Everyone turned.

Rose and Lamia appeared in the doorway.

Both of them stopped.

Their eyes traveled across the room.

Utensils were scattered across the floor.

Ingredients were everywhere.

A basket had been overturned.

A knife was lodged in the wall.

Marcus looked like he was reconsidering every choice he had ever made.

Damian was still sitting on the floor.

And Eugene looked like he was desperately trying to convince everyone that he was perfectly capable of cooking.

Lamia stared.

Rose stared.

Silence filled the room.

Lamia finally spoke.

"I thought they said you guys were cooking."

He looked around.

"Is this what cooking looks like?"

He immediately turned around.

"I’m leaving."

Rose grabbed him by the back of his clothes.

"Nah."

Lamia froze.

"You’re not leaving."

Rose pulled him back inside.

"All of us are staying."

"But—"

"Seems like they don’t know what they’re doing."

She looked around the kitchen.

"So we’re helping."

Marcus’s face immediately brightened.

He saw the door.

Freedom.

He took one step toward it.

Then Rose slammed the door shut.

Marcus stopped.

His happiness vanished.

"No."

Rose smiled sweetly.

"We’re all making that food."

Marcus’s shoulders dropped.

"I knew it."

Rose turned toward the others.

"I’ll tell everyone what to do."

Eugene’s face immediately lit up.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Thank God."

He looked genuinely relieved.

Rose smiled.

"Now, let’s start."

Lamia stood behind her and facepalmed.

"Well..."

He looked around the kitchen.

"There goes the food."

He sighed.

"I thought it would already be ready by now."