Chapter 1927

“You’re a household name, a superstar through and through. My mistake, a Collins never falls far from

the tree - Romeo here’s proof of that, all charm and charisma, hahaha.”

At that moment, Kenneth glanced at his watch, “Make yourselves comfortable. Today marks Bella’s first

year with us. I’ve got to whip up something special.”

“Dad, please, let Bella spend a nice New Year here. Your skills...” David interjected with a grimace,

“And Mom, let’s not turn this evening into an episode of ‘Kitchen Nightmares,’ okay?”

It was a big holiday, and a trip to the ER was the last thing they needed.

“Right, right, let me handle it. I want to create a memorable and wonderful evening for Bella,” Cornelia

said while standing up.

“If Cornelia’s cooking, then I've got to show my skills too,” Belinda announced, rising from her seat.

“No, no, you sit down and relax. I’ll do a couple of dishes - one representing your good intentions, and

one with my personal touch,” Darren said to his wife.

Arabella wanted to tell everyone not to fuss, but before she could get a word out, they all marched into

the kitchen, determined to impress her. Her brothers, not to be outdone, followed suit.

Both kitchen were bustling with activity. In the end, the only ones left idle were Arabella, Romeo, and

Alma.

Sensing the tension, Alma volunteered, “I’ll go check if they need any help.”

“I’d like to make something for you too,” Romeo said gently.

“It’s not necessary. We’ll have too much food as it is.”

“I’ll make two dishes.” Romeo caressed her cheek, “They’ll be your favorites.”

He kept the details a mystery.

The six massive fridges at Reflections Villa were stocked with every ingredient imaginable. If anything

was missing, David would take his sister to the property’s kitchen garden for some fresh picking.

“Sis, do you like cabbage?” David asked as he noticed the robust heads of cabbage in the garden.

“Sure, anything’s fine.”

“I’ll pick some extra. Let’s see what the others whip up for you,” David gathered a hefty assortment of

veggies, even taking the ones Arabella had picked, adding them to his basket. He didn’t forget to snap

a selfie and post it on Facebook.

[Picking veggies with my sister. Everyone’s trying to impress her with their cooking. What should I

make to outshine them all? Suggestions welcome!]

The photo captured him holding a large wicker basket, selfie stick in hand, with the lush garden and the

silhouette of his sister, busy picking vegetables, in the background.

Within a minute of posting, the selfie amassed thousands of likes and countless comments offering

suggestions.

One comment sparked an idea in David. Yes, he’d create an artistic dish - broccoli fashioned into a tree

of prosperity, garnished with colorful minced bell pepper, both appealing and simple, with a meaningful

message.

It symbolized growth, wealth, and abundance.

An hour later, the dining table was laden with delectable dishes.

Arabella wasn’t idle either, preparing a visually stunning centerpiece.

“Bella, come on over. Stop fussing in the kitchen.”

Everyone was eager to explain their culinary creations to Arabella, each dish with its own special

significance.

“Bella, I made this dish called ‘Thrivingness’. It’s to wish you an ever-rising fortune and better days

ahead,” Bernard explained.

“Nice!!” A round of applause filled the room.