Chapter 102: Never Been Born
The waiter handed menus to the three women and finally to Eliot. They all skimmed through the options, and Eliot was the first to place his order, followed by Myra and then Marianna.
When it was Eira’s turn, she noticed everyone turning toward her. She hesitated before putting on a feigned embarrassed expression. "Uhm, I’ve never had this kind of food before, and I’ve never been to a restaurant like this. I’m not sure what to order. If I just pick something at random, I might not like it..."
"Give it to me. I’ll help you order," Eliot offered, taking the menu from her with a small smile, though there was a hint of guilt in his expression.
"Thank you, Dad," Eira said with a sweet smile, earning an eye-roll from Myra.
"You can try..." Eliot began listing several dishes that were remarkably similar to ones Eira had enjoyed in her past life. When he finished, their eyes met, and they exchanged a knowing smile.
Minutes later, the waitstaff returned, arranging their food neatly on the large table before bowing politely and stepping away.
"All right, let’s dig in," Eliot said, and everyone began eating.
The table filled with the clinking of spoons and forks on plates, the soft thuds of glass cups being set down, and the low murmur of Myra and Marianna’s conversation.
Suddenly, Eliot picked up a champagne glass and lightly tapped it with his spoon, the clear ding immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
"So, I’m sure you all know why we are all here today eating dinner as a family but I will say it again. Our company, Alc Architecture, got a contract worth a hundred million, and the company that gave us the contract is the main Aelion Laboratory for Advanced Research and Innovation (LARI). This is one of the most prestigious research companies in the world, and securing this contract means not only financial stability for the next few years but also a major boost in our reputation within the industry." Eliot’s voice carried both pride and delight as he looked at each of them in turn.
Marianna’s face lit up, her earlier embarrassment forgotten. "That’s wonderful news, Eliot. A hundred million is an incredible amount. You’ve really outdone yourself."