Breaking Mr. Cold (Giselle and Donovan) novel Chapter 439

"So that's why I chose Haleona Beach as the theme," Giselle whispered in his ear, explaining the meaning behind the cake. Then, with deliberate tenderness, she added, "Darling, happy birthday!"

Donovan was moved despite himself. Words felt unnecessary. He turned, ready to kiss her again, when the sound of a car horn cut through the moment.

A beat later, Benjamin stepped inside to report, "Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane Senior has arrived, along with Mr. and Mrs. Ethan."

At once, Giselle took the initiative to step outside and welcome them.

The party was small—just Dorothea, Ethan, and Grace. Zachary, still in the country, chose not to attend.

"Mrs. Kane Senior," Giselle greeted dutifully, sticking to the formal title since she still hadn't earned Dorothea's approval. "The dinner has been ready for a while now. We've been waiting for you."

Dorothea gave her a cold glance, not bothering to respond, and swept straight into the living room.

"Ethan, Grace," Giselle tried again with polite warmth.

Grace answered with nothing more than a look of disdain. She had clearly been worn thin by the recent scandal over Gideon's parentage. She hadn't even wanted to come tonight, but for the sake of family unity, and to safeguard Zachary's place within the Kane family, she had forced herself to put on a front.

Once everyone was ushered into the living room, Giselle stepped fully into her role as hostess. She guided each of them to their seats, deliberately placing Dorothea at the head of the table.

Even when faced with her frosty demeanor, Giselle kept her posture low and her manners attentive, hovering to make sure everything was in order.

Grace, who had been silent and wilted until now, perked up with sudden energy. She glanced around the table, then chimed in eagerly, "Mom's right. I almost missed it myself at first glance, but these dishes are clearly from a restaurant. Pre-made food at that—cheap, stale stuff!"

She jabbed at the honey-glazed pork chop with her fork, lifting a chunk to make her point.

"Look at the color of this meat. Who knows which shady back-alley shop cranked out this garbage—it's not even fit for a dog! And she actually had the nerve to serve it here as a birthday dinner?

"This little tramp must've eaten cheap slop her whole life, and now that she's in the Kane family, she can't shake the habit. She's just here to disgust us!"

"This is outrageous!" Dorothea shot to her feet, her voice sharp with fury. She turned to the housekeeper and barked, "Get rid of every single one of these dishes now!"