The awkwardness in the dining room intensified as the four sat in silence, including Caesar. To Grace's shock, her daughter clung to Caesar, demanding he feed her. A moment ago, Stella had been behaving as if the food were not to her liking, even when Aiden was being nice to her. But immediately Caesar appeared, her daughter was happy and eating. Grace felt a pang in her chest, especially seeing how hurt Aiden looked. She knew how much Aiden adored Stella, even if she was not his child.
To break the awkwardness in the room, Grace smiled and asked her daughter if she liked the food prepared by Uncle Aiden.
"He knows what you like and made it," Grace added with a smile. This made Caesar look up awkwardly, but little Stella didn't say anything and continued eating. Grace went ahead and said Aiden was a great cook and that Stella liked the food prepared by Aiden. This made Aiden smile and Caesar unhappy.