Chapter 17 Chapter 17 147 % +23 n Ellison had looked Joycelyn straight in the eyes as hed said that , and she felt her cheeks flush almost instantly .
She saw the twinkle of amusement in Ellisons eyes and hurriedly turned her face away to avert his gaze .
Fancy a couple of drinks tonight ? I have a few good bottles of wine in my collection , Ellison offered light heartedly .
He seemed to be in a fantastic mood .
Joycelyn was a disciplined woman who always kept her cool .
She was usually reserved and serious , but when she drank , shed become uninhibited .
I cant hold my liquor , Joycelyn tried to decline gently .
She continued to busy herself to distract her from feeling embarrassed .
Dont worry about that , the alcohol content isnt high , Ellison said as he picked out a bottle of red wine and opened it .
The two newlyweds stood a little away from each other in the kitchen .
One focused on cooking while the other poured wine into a decanter .
Joycelyn had pulled out the stops in her menu , the gas range occupied by various pots and pans .
She methodically timed , seasoned , and tasted everything , and in about forty minutes , the three course meal was ready .
Ellison sat at the head of the dining table , sipping on his glass of wine as he admired her swift and efficient movements in the kitchen .
He was quiet but focused .
Joycelyn had finished plating the dishes and turned to him to inform him that dinner was ready to be served ; only to find that he had his eye on her the entire time .
He was silent and observant , exuding the same intimidating aura he did in the company boardroom .
Do you have a sweet tooth ? Joycelyn tried to ease the tension that was building up in her as she carried the first dish to the table .
It was a rich looking lobster bisque that she drizzled with truffle oil at tableside .
Im alright , Ellison got up and walked to the kitchen sink to wash his hands , following which he took the initiative to bring the rest of the dishes to the dining table , including a surf and turf of oven baked fish and grilled ribs , and dessert .
Joycelyns plating hadnt been elaborate or over the top , but the smell easily whetted Ellisons appetite .
Joycelyn took her seat at the dining table as well with butterflies in her stomach .
It was the first time she and Ellison were having a meal together at the same table .
Mr.
Grant , did you want to have still or sparkling water ? Joycelyn asked .
Still water is fine , Ellison replied .
Sure thing , Joycelyn got up again to retrieve two bottles of mineral water from the refrigerator , along with two glasses .
Ellison waited patiently at the table for Joycelyn to return before picking up his cutlery .
Everything looks great , he commented as he began eating .
Ellisons dining etiquette was impeccable .
Every cut , slice , and poke he made was deliberate and precise .
I poured you a drink , he said as he gestured lightly at the glass next to Joycelyn plate .
Joycelyn , on the other hand , was nervous that the food wasnt to his liking , and she couldnt get over the fact that she was dining with her CEO .
She stole a glance at him and asked seriously , How is it ? Is it good ? 1/4 12:55 Mon , Feb 10 Chapter 17 Ellison gave his verdict with a satisfied look .
Not bad .
A smile of relief broke out on Joycelyns face .
As long as its not terrible .
3 Joycelyn began to tuck in as well , and she ate her food in delicate little bites .
Shed been conditioned to do so while living with the Mercer family .
She picked up the drink that Ellison had poured her and had a little sip .
She was surprised to find that it wasnt wine , but juice .
It was sweet with a hint of tartness , and she had drank half of it in two mouthfuls .
She felt embarrassed again .
The both of them ate in relative quiet .
Ellison was a man of few words , and Joycelyn was not chatty by nature .
She didnt quite dare to bring up any small talk topics with Ellison anyway .

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After a while , Ellison said , Im done eating .
Thank you for the meal .
Joycelyn glanced at the leftovers on his plate and asked worriedly , Is the food not to your liking ? I dont usually eat much for dinner .
Please continue without me Ellison explained before he finished the last sip of his wine .
Then he wiped his mouth carefully and got up to leave .
Joycelyn had set her cutlery down as well , but seeing the amount of food still left on her plate , she felt conflicted .
What should I do with the leftovers ? Throw them out , Ellison answered easily .
Thats much too wasteful , Joycelyn remarked before picking up her cutlery again to have another go at her food .
A three- course meal was filling by itself , but shed been afraid that it wouldnt be enough for Ellison , so shed prepared even more than the usual portions.
She had always been frugal , and throughout her high school and college days , whether she was at school or home , shed always eaten very simply on an almost vegan diet .
23 Expensive ingredients like meat and seafood in the Mercer household were usually reserved for Octavia and her father so shed only have a mouthful or two of those at the most , and in school , she simply couldnt afford such luxuries .
Her situation had only greatly improved after shed started working .
When Joycelyn had looked at the ingredients in the refrigerators she could tell they were all top grade items that surely cost a pretty penny .
It would go against her conscience to let any of it go to waste .
Ellison had gone to the living room to watch the financial news , leaving Joycelyn to herself at the dining table .
Feeling more at ease then , she could feel her appetite increasing , and she ate with gusto .
When she was finally done , she was stuffed .
She slumped slackly against the back of the dining chair , her little tummy sticking out .
It was a far cry from her careful , meticulous appearance when shed first walked through the doors .
Ellison entered the kitchen again to get another water for himself and saw that Joycelyn had essentially finished up the dishes , but said nothing .
Joycelyn snapped back to her usual self and promptly got up to clear the dishes while explaining , I didnt want to let it go to waste , so I ate everything .
She was , in fact , a meat lover .
She had always been so since she was a child .
Shed only ventured into a vegan diet because the circumstances had forced her to .
Thats fine .
You should eat more anyway , youre too skinny , Ellison replied in his deep , magnetic voice , giving her the once over as he took a sip of water .
2/4 12:55 Mon , Feb 10 O Chapter 17 Joycelyn smiled .
Her cheeks felt hot again .
G 47 % +23 Its too much of a hassle to cook after coming back from work , I asked William to find me some personal chefs , Ellison continued .
Im guessing you dont like having strangers in your home ? Joycelyn guessed as she turned her head to look at Ellison with her beautiful doe eyes .
Under the warm lighting , Ellison was bathed in a soft glow that accentuated his sharp features and the reserved air about him .
In that moment , he was dangerously handsome .
He nodded .
If my dishes arent to your taste , you can request other dishes instead .
I quite like this kitchen , and I feel its kind of therapeutic to make food , Joycelyn said eagerly .
You wouldnt find it tedious ? Ellison asked .
I used to , but not anymore , Joycelyn replied with a shrug .
Ellison was curious .
Whys that ? Not telling , Joycelyn said teasingly and winked at him .
In truth , she thought of Ellisons place as a temporary haven that could help her forget all her worries and troubles at the Mercer household .
Compared to the irksome father and daughter duo there , Ellison was calm and aloof .
That didnt bother her , though .
Shed already been working at his company for two years , so she simply thought of this as an additional work responsibility .
Moreover , she knew that a massive villa like this was beyond her reach , and she could never dream of affording such a place , so it was a small consolation that shed be able to be a sort of housekeeper instead .
It would just be a little more troublesome at night .
Putting the dishes in the dishwasher , Joycelyn cleaned up the kitchen while humming a little tune .
The room upstairs has been set up for you already .
Let me know if you might need anything else , Ellison said .
Oh , thats great , thank you , Mr.
Grant , Joycelyn answered cheerfully .
Every time Joycelyn addressed Ellison by his last name , hed frown slightly .
He didnt like that she called him that .
It gave him the impression that she was treating their marriage as a kind of job .
Soon , Joycelyn finished cleaning up , and after she washed her hands , she made her way upstairs to her room .
When she walked into the guest room though , she gasped .
Thinking shed walked into the wrong room , she walked back out and checked .
There were only two rooms on that floor , Yesterday , the room had only contained a bed , but now , it looked like a fully furnished suite .
Joycelyn gaped in awe .
There were four sets of silk pajamas on the king sized bed , a large walk in closet already filled with outfits from the latest season and a dressing table stocked with brand name skincare products .
Oh my god , she muttered in shock .
Before , she had a makeshift space that had been carved out from the sunroom .
It was so small that it could only accommodate a single bed .
Now , she was living in a proper bedroom , maybe even the bedroom of her dreams .
R / A 12:56 Mon , Feb 10 & O Chapter 17 47 % It was clean and bright , and everything had been designed to her liking .
Joycelyn was moved to the point of tears .
Shed always been tough and resilient , but she couldnt fight back the tears welling up in her eyes .
She could feel all the indignation and injustice shed suffered up to that point dissolving .
She felt healed .
+23 Ellison saw Joycelyn standing in the doorway of her room and came up behind her with his hands in his pockets .
Dont you like it ? he asked .