Lukas gaped as he saw his grandmother and Sandra chatting warmly and laughing together at the dining table.
"Your cooking is delicious! Just like Grandma's!" Maria couldn't stop praising her. "You've got magic hands for cooking!"
"Really?"
"You're like the reincarnation of me when I was young! Beautiful, a great cook, caring... I misjudged you!" Maria kept spooning the food she had longed for into her mouth. In Singapore, her private doctor kept her on a strict diet. She missed these favorite dishes terribly!
"Grandma must have been even more beautiful and talented!" Sandra added another piece of soft rendang beef to the plate of the old woman, who wore dentures. "Have some more, Grandma! I cooked the meat until it's super tender, so you can enjoy as much as you want!"
"If Grandpa were still alive, I'm sure he'd love you too!" Maria complimented her again.
"Grandma! What's going on?" Lukas rushed over to them in disbelief. Why was it like this? Wasn't Grandma supposed to hate Sandra, not be this friendly?
"Lukas, come here! Eat!"
"Me? Eat this?"
"Sandra told me you often throw away her cooking? Shouting at her? What a cruel man! Don't you appreciate women or food? Do you know how many people out there are starving?"
Maria twisted his ear and asked Sandra to dish up breakfast for him. He, who usually only ate toast or cereal, was now forced to eat a heavy, greasy breakfast.
And worse, a dish with a smell he'd always hated.
"I don't want to eat jengkol, Grandma! I'm your grandson, not Sandra!"
"Now I understand why your parents like her so much! Look at her—beautiful, can cook, very polite. She's the perfect wife for you!"
"But I like Kayla, Grandma!"
"Kayla might be pretty and rich, but can she cook like Sandra?" Grandma snapped. "Sandra reminds me of myself when I was young—a village girl, but brave and independent!"
"Grandma! I don't want to eat these village-style foods! What's gotten into you?"
"Come on, Sandra! Feed him! Lukas has always been picky about food since he was a kid," she scolded. "What's wrong with rendang and jengkol? Don't insult food! Look at your Grandpa and me—we were lucky village folks! Without village people, you wouldn't be where you are today! So arrogant!" she added, smacking him on the head.
Sandra smiled in triumph. She scooped a spoonful of rice topped with a big jengkol slice. Payback time! Once again, Lukas lost to her. Who could ever beat Sandra?
"Aaaaaaahhhh…" Sandra offered the spoon to his mouth.
"No!"
"Stop whining, Lukas!" Maria smacked him again, forcing him to comply.
Lukas chewed the food with a reddened face full of fury. He vowed to get back at Sandra for this. She would pay for what she'd done this morning.
"More, sweetie!" Sandra now fed him two giant pieces of jengkol. Her sly smile only widened as she watched her husband struggle to swallow. What a beautiful sight!
"Keep it up! You two are so romantic—just like Grandpa and me when we were young!"
Lukas and Sandra locked eyes sharply. Even though they were smiling, their mutual hatred was obvious. Especially Lukas, who was already planning how to teach her a lesson.
"Grandma, why don't you just stay here with the family?" Sandra suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
"There are too many beautiful memories there. Grandpa and I spent so many years in that house."
"But don't you feel lonely? Do you have anyone to talk to?" Sandra asked, and Maria's eyes glistened with emotion. Her own children and grandchildren had never asked her that.
"Are you trying to win my grandma over?" Lukas interrupted jealously. "Don't listen to her, Grandma! You're supposed to be on my side!" He clung to Maria's wrinkled arm like a child.
"You naughty boy!" Maria smacked Lukas's arm suddenly. "You bullied my granddaughter-in-law all this time? Don't ever do that again! She's my granddaughter now too!"
"Grandma!"
"Don't talk back, Lukas! You're still such a spoiled brat. I swear, if I catch you meeting Kayla again—!"
Sandra stuck out her tongue and hugged Maria while her husband got scolded. Sandra had gained Grandma's trust in no time! Like she said—it was easy!
Lukas couldn't believe what he was seeing. His tough grandmother had given in so easily. Sandra had stolen the affection of everyone close to him—his father, his mother, and now the grandmother who had never betrayed him since childhood.
"Come on, Sandra, sit with Grandma and let's do some knitting! I'll tell you more stories about your grandpa!"
"Yay, let's go!" Sandra cheered excitedly.
"Lukas, after breakfast, have the maids store the leftovers. Grandma still wants to eat more later!"
"Grandma's giving me orders now?"
"Learn to be independent!"
Sandra stuck her tongue out again. She was riding high. Lukas had lost completely! Everything the real Sandra suffered through—she would repay it in full.
*****
Kayla slammed her phone down when her call with Lukas ended abruptly. She was furious. Lately, Lukas always made excuses to avoid seeing her. He was blatantly avoiding her.
Especially since Sandra had changed, it had become even harder to come to his house. That woman was seriously annoying!
"You think just because you smashed my phone, you're safe? I already saved your video to my computer!"
Kayla fiddled with her phone, planning to threaten Sandra again like before. She wanted to give that woman a lesson she'd never forget.
She was about to send a threatening message containing the naked video she secretly recorded while Sandra was showering.
But the moment she remembered Sandra's recent transformation, Kayla hesitated. What if Sandra told everyone? What if it backfired and she became the one in trouble?
If that happened, Kayla could lose Lukas and the trust of his family.
"Damn Sandra! What the hell happened to her? How did she change so fast? Dammit!"
"You're also an idiot! It's been two years and you still haven't gotten rid of her? You've also failed to steal their product designs!"
Kayla turned to her older brother, who was drinking beer straight from the bottle.
"How are you supposed to take over everything Lukas owns and avenge our parents if you're this stupid?"
"You think it's easy?"
"I'll show you how it's done. While you try to win Lukas over, I'll go for Sandra."
"Go ahead!" she challenged.
Kayla crossed her arms. She would never forget how her parents died because of Lukas's family.
Back then, their families were healthy business rivals. Lukas's family had just started and was way behind them. But one day, Lukas's family released new products that became more popular. Her father's company went bankrupt. Years of effort crumbled to dust.
Her father and mother died from heart attacks and depression, leaving behind massive debts. She and her brother had lived in misery. Kayla would never forget that.
Even now, though she and her brother had rebuilt their lives with another business, the pain still lingered.
"Where are you going, Arhan?"
"Party."
"All you ever do is party!" Kayla snapped.
"So? I've worked day and night! Unlike you, who can't even complete one simple task!" her brother shouted. "All you had to do was marry Lukas and secure his fortune! Make that man submit to you! How hard can it be?"
"You don't know how hard I've tried!"
"I'll step in and show you how it's done!" Arhan slammed the door on his way out. He was sick of his sister's incompetence. He would approach Sandra and treat her as a backup plan.
Wasn't Sandra also an heir? Maybe he could use her too—especially knowing her background.