No sooner had the words left her mouth than the crackling sound of roaring flames intensified from the kitchen, the fire threatening to grow out of control. Addison instinctively turned toward the source of the noise. Fear gripped her at the sight of the increasing flames. "If you don't go, then I'll do it myself!" she declared, ready to charge back inside. She knew how much this house meant to her grandfather, and she could only think about doing everything she could to save the kitchen. Seeing her about to rush in, Morris's eyes twitched. Driven by instinct, he grabbed her and pulled her behind him. "Stay back! I'll handle this!" Only when she saw Morris heading inside to put out the fire did Addison breathe a slight sigh of relief. She turned around, planning to fetch water to help, but a sudden sharp pain on her face made her wince. The sting spread across her face and eyes, and she realized she must have been too close to the flames earlier, getting lightly burned in the process. Unable to ignore the pain any longer, she ran to the side, turned on the faucet, and let cold water gush out. Leaning over the sink, she splashed her face with the icy water, and only then did the burning sensation begin to fade. After about ten minutes of this, she heard hurried footsteps approaching. When she looked up, she saw Leon and Matthew rushing over, both with tense expressions. "Morris, what's going on? I smell something burning!" Leon was a bit confused, walking briskly while calling out. Matthew followed behind him, his face serious. Addison watched the two of them hurry, and a feeling of dread struck her heart. This was bad, really bad. She had come to help, but instead, she had made things worse—potentially setting the kitchen on fire. She'd probably be livid if she were in her grandfather's shoes. Ignoring the lingering sting on her face, she shut off the faucet and ran toward them in a panic. Meanwhile, Morris, who had spent years in the military and was well-versed in crisis handling, had managed to get the fire under control by the time Leon and Matthew arrived."It was an accident while lighting the fire. The flames got out of hand, and the kitchen caught fire," Morris explained as he stepped out of the kitchen. His face was smudged with soot, patches of black marks covering his skin, and his once-clean clothes were now filthy with ash. Hearing this, Leon's expression darkened immediately. He strode into the kitchen without a word. Inside, the walls were scorched black, and the strong smell of burning lingered in the air. Nearly half the kitchen had been charred. "You did this?" Leon asked incredulously. Without hesitation, Morris took full responsibility. "Yes, it was my fault. I'm ready to accept punishment." He lowered his head, awaiting whatever reprimand Leon deemed necessary. Leon was so furious he couldn't even find the words. "You ... you! Since when did you become so careless? "What were you thinking? How do you manage to mess up something as simple as lighting a fire?" His anger surged, each word growing harsher. Morris, however, remained silent, head bowed. "I'm willing to accept any punishment. I have no complaints." Leon took a deep breath, his frustration evident. "Do you have any idea how important this house is? Punishment? Do you think punishment can undo your mistake?" Matthew finally caught up to them just as his furious reprimand echoed in the air. He hadn't fully grasped the situation yet but was clearly displeased by Leon's yelling. "Why are you shouting at Morris like that?" Matthew said sharply, frowning. He paused to catch his breath, about to chastise Leon further, when his eyes caught sight of the kitchen's current state. His expression instantly turned icy. "What ... what happened here?" Morris turned toward him and lowered his head respectfully. "Mr. Matthew, it was my fault. I'm ready to accept any punishment." Matthew's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the scorched walls and lingering smoke. He took a hesitant step toward the kitchen but was forced to retreat almost immediately by the thick smoke still hanging in the air. "You did this?" he asked, stunned. "Yes, it was me," Morris answered in a low voice. "You served in the military for so many years, and this is how you handle things?" Matthew's voice trembled slightly with rage."This house was only finished this year, and you've already gone and nearly burned my kitchen down! Tell me, do you have some sort of grudge against me?" His lips quivered with anger, his whole body visibly shaking. "I don't. I truly don't," Morris said softly, his tone filled with sincere regret. But no amount of apology could calm Matthew's fury. Heavy and suffocating tension thickened in the air, like the calm before a violent storm. At that moment, Addison finally arrived at the kitchen. She should have been there much sooner, but on the way, the pain in her eyes became unbearable, forcing her to return and rinse them with cold water until she could open them properly again.