Aria stood up unwillingly feeling sorry for her stomach and the chicken on the dining table. "I'm full. You guys enjoy the dinner."

Then Eva repeated it and followed her.

​​

Rian and Noah were baffled looking at two gluttons leave without eating anything.

Rian realized soon, "Crap! Bro don't tell me you are still jealous of chicken?"

Isaac almost choked on his spit hearing him and glanced at Alan who played cool the previous day was no better than him.

He tried his best to be invisible but Noah pointed at him, "Brother Isaac, I can't believe even you are punishing Eva for chicken."

Four men looked at them in confusion. Sophia was confused too.

Punishing for chicken? That made no sense to them.

Alan checked all the dishes and understood Eva probably purposely asked chefs to prepare only chicken dishes because there was no other meat present. He understood two girls were guilt-tripping them.

Isaac didn't look at the big picture and took his plate with extra chicken and looked for his girlfriend immediately.

Rian saw Alan sitting quietly and left the dining table without eating or taking.

Roxy pointed at Alan and revealed her analysis, "Holy, are they going to check who will surrender first? Your brother is cunning."

They know Aria will not eat if they take any chicken dish to her.

Finn coughed lightly and asked on behalf of confused assistants and Sophia, "What's going on?"

Roxy gave a quickest recap, "Arria and Eva were drunk and chose chicken over their husbands so they are pissed off losing against chicken."

Sophia chuckled hearing Roxy while four men never expected Alan to be so petty to even compete against chicken.

Noah asked Sophia to prepare anything for Aria without chicken and they continued to eat.

---

In Eva and Isaac's room

Eva was beaming as she ate while Isaac fed her attentively, asking her to eat well.

---

In Aria and Alan's room,

Aria's lips twitched uncontrollably looking at Alan. 'Dumb man, can't you play by rules. Ahhh... I will die of hunger.'

But she smiled, "Why did you come back so soon? Did you eat properly?"

"Uh!" Alan knew Aria wasn't a fool to misunderstand why he returned. He didn't respond and took his laptop and sat next to her as if everything was cool.

Aria controlled herself from punching him for changing the game every time. 'I didn't eat, he didn't eat. We are equal. Yeah, we are equal...'

She repeatedly convinced herself to stop thinking he didn't eat properly.

Alan saw her pathetic acting and controlled his laughter. He pulled her to his embrace for her to lean on him and continued to work normally in a hand.

Aria's stomach growled loud enough to be heard by two. She awkwardly laughed, "Normal part of digestion, hehehe..." 'Heartless prince.'

She cried her invisible tears hearing his indifferent hum. She continued to work leaning on him checking lots mail after mail.

Aria almost groaned hearing her stomach cry again and again. She was about to give up her stupidity, she heard a knock on the door.

Straightening her back, she said, "Come in..."

Rian stormed in and pulled Aria away from Alan, "Eat, it's prawns porridge."

Smelling the rich aroma, her stomach growled again. She opened her mouth to eat heartily.

But when her head moved little towards the spoon, she was forcefully tugged aside by a strong arm.

Rian was speechless with Roxy who was at the door.

Aria wailed, "Alan, I'm hungry. I will soon die from hunger." She felt like crying and punched Alan in frustration.

Rian didn't get time to react and saw Alan's closing both laptops and carried Aria out.

"Ahhh Let me go... Alan, That wasn't chicken. Alan..."

Rian went out. The couple saw Aria continuously negotiating and getting no response, she bit Alan at the crook on the neck.

"Little Devil got her chicken." He chuckled with Roxy.

Aria saw Alan still unaffected. Pouting, she rubbed his neck where she had bitten him hard.

She saw Finn, and the other three in the living hall and spoke, "Assistant Nathan, what are you still doing here? Go to your wife, your car is outside. You single dogs, go and rest if nothing is planned for tonight."

Nathan sympathetically looked at single dogs and left soon. It was late so the other three stayed.

Finn looked at Noah, "Aren't you filled with a lot of dog food?"

Noah chuckled, "This is nothing. I have become numb to all these."

Finn felt bad for the only single of the Fourie. He collected his laptop from Dustin and went to his room.

---

In the kitchen

Aria pouted when Alan left her on the island counter. "What do you want to eat?"

Aria looked away crossing her arms, "Nothing."

"Aria..." Alan called her helplessly and saw Rian entering the kitchen.

Aria took the bowl smiling at him, "Pretty Beauty..." Then she noticed Alan's face turn dark seeing her take what Rian brought instead of what he was ready to cook for her.

She gulped looking at him. If he really gets angry, she would be done. Her soft voice turned firm and spoke to Rian, "What are you still waiting for? Go to your fiancee."

Rian rolled his eyes, "I will tell grandpa if you sleep empty stomach. Then I will see how you will save your husband."

Aria stuck her tongue out at Rian and saw him leave. Alan had just turned around to cook something for her but Aria panicked thinking he was angry.

She quickly pulled him back wrapped her legs around his waist holding his top tight with her hand, "I didn't want to waste this."

Alan saw her eyes moistened and sighed. He wrapped her tight in his embrace, "Dummy, I was just kidding in the morning and I'm not angry."

Aria grumbled, "Then why did you keep a vegetable to my plate?"

Alan didn't know whether to cry or laugh, "Do you remember which vegetable I kept in your plate?"

Aria remembered, "Baby corn... Oh, I like it so you picked it." Then she asked an important question, "Then why didn't you ask me to eat in the room?"

"I didn't know only you are allowed to play dumb."

Aria awkwardly laughed and complimented him, "Your acting is so good."

"Yours is pathetic...."

Aria ignored it and fed him as she also ate. As a punishment, Alan had to prepare crispy chicken poppers and feed her.

All had gone to their rooms when they went out. "I will check on Noah and come."

Alan hummed but carried her till Noah's room and waited outside for her. Finn, who had just gotten fresh, saw the couple from the creek of the door.

He was really happy for Aria seeing her giggling in Alan's arms but there was unexplainable pain that he buried because he wasn't and couldn't be the one next to her.

He pushed the door shut and went to bed having no mood to work.