Claire smiled meaningfully. "I wouldn't want to steal your thunder."
Seb expressed his regret. "I'm really good at making desserts."
"If you don't believe me, ask Yolande."
Claire looked at Yolande.
Yolande's mouth twitched, her expression complicated.
"He's loved messing around with this stuff since he was little, but..." Yolande recalled the disastrous dishes her brother had made.
"He loves playing pranks, and his desserts always taste bizarre."
Like the time he made a cake that looked like literal crap for their mother's birthday.
Even though it tasted fine, nobody dared to take a bite.
So much so that the entire family was afraid to eat it.
"That little lemon cake was probably a trap too," Yolande thought to herself. Good thing Seb knew his limits and didn't give it to Claire.
Given how fiercely Padgett protected his own, if this kid really offended Claire, he'd be in for it.
"How was it a trap? I made that lemon cake with real lemons, top-quality ingredients."
Seb argued his case.
Claire suddenly understood. "So it must have been really sour, then?"
"Uh-huh." Seb didn't deny it.
"Then it really was more suited for Irma," Claire hinted.
Seb burst out laughing. "You're totally right, Claire!"
It seemed he wasn't the only one who disliked Irma.
It was all because Irma was so fake, always acting like an angel in front of Ophelia whenever she visited the Churchills.
Seb had played pranks on her more than once.
Afterward, he would sincerely apologize, making it hard for Ophelia to scold a child.
Besides, her niece wasn't entirely innocent.
If adults got involved in kids' squabbles, it would only make things worse.
"I actually like you, Claire. Please keep it up."
Seb reached out to pat Claire's shoulder.
Claire caught his hand. "I like you too, as long as you don't try that nonsense with me."
Seb tried to pull his hand back but found he couldn't.
His hand was covered in cake frosting, almost smearing Claire's clothes.
"Ah, hey, why are you grabbing me? I'm Seb!"
Seb blinked innocently.
He didn't like Irma because she was faker than him.
He also didn't like Claire because her arrival meant Yolande got scolded by their mother a lot.
He was a protective brother who just wanted to play pranks!
Who knew he'd met his match this time? Claire not only predicted his move, but... "Ahhh, it hurts!"
Seb suddenly screamed.
People around them couldn't help but look over.
Claire let go of his hand. "Seb, you aren't going to say I did something to you, are you?"
"I didn't do a thing!"
Claire looked even more innocent than him.
Seb felt his entire hand go numb. Claire had definitely done something to him.
But he had zero proof.
"What did you do?" Seb couldn't believe he'd been bested by Claire.
Even though he didn't look down on her like his mother did, he was highly confident in his own skills
"Nothing. I just hit your funny bone."
Seb was speechless. "...Please let me go!"
Claire looked at him with a half-smile. "You'll be fine in a minute. Don't be such a
baby."
Seb knew he had met his match and could only beg for mercy.
"I was wrong. I won't do it again."
He pleaded for a long time, saying
everythin
he could think of, praising
Claire as if she were an angel before
she finally helped him
His hand stopped hurting, and Seb rubbed his reddened eyes. "You're so ruthless,
Claire."
How could she be so harsh to a cutie like him?