[Bonus chapter]Childish Squabble To Show Superiority In Parenting.

He had a foreboding feeling looking at her flattering smile but he ignored it. What could she do? Mix poison in his food! Wouldn't she lose her position as an empress if she did so. She was not such a fool. He assured himself as he nodded his head with some difficulty.

But there was still a tightening feeling in his chest when he looked at her face.

Soon, he distracted himself with the footsteps of the maids who came with trays of food in his hands.

He did not realize when he started looking forward to the meal.

The maids looked at him with dread as they placed the dishes in front of him.

"This is the sweetest pie of the empire filled with honey. Honey pie! And these are macarons, cup cakes, pancakes with fruits and honey drizzled.

Chocolate mousse, sweet cream puffs and chocolate ganache. I am sure that you would enjoy it with honey dew juice that was extra sweetened by the chef." she smiled as she personally introduced each of the dishes on the table, "oh, how did i forget about the signature dish of my chef, this is eclairs. It is filled with sweet chocolate cream and soon there will be tiramisu too."

"....." was it death by sweets. Finally he realized how she was planning to take revenge on him.

He turned to see the face of his elder son who was looking pale like him while his younger son was looking at him with eyes full of pity while stifling a laughter.

"What is that supposed to mean?" his eyes turned colder and his whole demeanor changed.

The pressure could be felt from afar that each of the maids tried to shrink their presence to nothing but Katherine continued to smile unfazed.

"Hmm? All this is breakfast that I have ordered to make before you arrive, your majesty? What happened, is this not upto your liking?" she asked with a look of confusion on her face as if she could not see his face getting darkened.

"So, this is how you are playing childish games with the crown prince. Did you not find any better way to torment him?" there was no way that he would accept that he was getting tormented just by looking at so much sweet.

He knew for sure that Lennox did not like sweets too with the way he was looking at the breakfast.

The woman was more foolish than he had thought.

Her face that had a leisurely expression turned rigid instantly at the name of Lennox and her head snapped back in his direction.

The boy passed her an awkward smile as he was picking up the jam treat from the nearby tray.

She frowned as she looked back at Chris not ready to accept his false accusations.

"I did not understand what you were talking about, your majesty. The kids enjoy sweet food and it is good for their age.

Though i know that it should be in proportion but as we have very few chances to have a meal together. Shouldn't we enjoy the food that is liked by my sons." very easily, she called them hers instead of his or theirs when he raised a brow.

"You are talking like you are his mother! When you have not even a faint idea of his likes and dislikes.

Do you not feel embarrassed at your act when you have not even prepared for it or tried to do some research for it.

He hated sweets as much as I do." he declared as he let go of the napkin in his lap and threw it on the table.

But he frowned when Lennox did not repeat his actions. He continued to sit there and even placed more food in his plate as if he was thinking about eating it earning a frown from Chris who had expected him to not be able to eat too.,

A look of worry passed through the eyes of Katherine. How could it be? She had personally gone to the maids and took the details of his likes or dislikes. Not for the act, but she genuinely wanted to please him and make his stay comfortable.

But if what Chris was saying was true, then Lennox would think that she was playing the same trick with him too and was only playing an act of being sweet while her intention was to torment him.

The thought was enough to lose all the color of her face as she panicked. Her abdomen spasmed as she opened her mouth and turned to look at him.

As if reading her thoughts, Lennox smiled warmly as he took one bite of the jam treat he was eating.

"I.. I did not know what father was talking about your majesty. I like sweet food. These jam treats and cream puffs are my favorite. Not to forget the eclair the chef had made especially for me.

I love all of them.'' His words were enough to deepen the frown of Chris who was declaring his likes with such confidence.

What affected him more was the pale face of Katherine bloomed again like an elixir had sprayed all over her face.

The arrogance was more than before when she stared back at him and scoffed,

"It is alright, your majesty. I can understand that you are confused since you do not spend much time with them. It is normal to think that your kids' preferences matched yours when you never ask them what they like or try to know where their happiness lies.

You do not need to worry about it and if you do not like the food then you can always have a different meal in your chamber.`` In short, stand up and leave from here. No one needed you here.

"Ha! Telling the one who was being called by her honorifics in such a formal way. I am amazed by your confidence but one should not forget the truth."