"I ept. Thank you, Dad."


    yton smiled warmly. “Alright, alright, the food''s getting cold. Why don''t we do the cake first so Tarquin can make a wish and blow out the candles, then we can eat?"


    The familyposed themselves and sang "Happy Birthday" to Tarquin. They watched him make a wish, blew out the candles with him, and then dug into the cake.


    "This cake is delicious! Emmett, you''re amazing!" everyone eximed in unison. Emmett''s cheeks flushed with excitement, his eyes sparkling. "Then I''ll be in charge of cakes for everyone''s birthdays from now on!"


    "Okay! For my birthday, I want a bunny-shaped cake."


    "For mine, I want a fighter jet-shaped one," Evan said, then suddenly looked at Elysia. "Mommy, what did you get Daddy for a present?”


    Elysia froze. Thinking about what they''d gotten up tost night, her face instantly turned red. Her lips moved for a moment before she managed to say, "It''s a secret. My gift is a secret."


    Fearing her son would press further, she quickly changed the subject. “Are you all happy that it''s Daddy''s birthday?"


    "Yes! There''s so much good food, and we get to eat cake!"


    "I''m happy too! I wish it was Daddy''s birthday every day, so I wouldn''t have to go to school."


    Baby''sment made everyone roar withughter.


    After the cake, they had dinner. The birthday pasta was a team effort: yton prepped the grill, Pam marinated the steaks, the kids helped set the table, and Elysia brought the final dish to the table. The room was filled withughter and joy, the very air thick with happiness and bliss.


    After dinner, the children stayed with yton and Pam, while Elysia and Tarquin headed to The Blissful Pub. Just as they left the house, Tarquin suddenly pulled Elysia into his arms, cupped the back of her head, and crushed his lips against hers. The kiss was sudden, deep, and lingering.


    Terrified that her parents and the children might see, Elysia tried to push him away, but she couldn''t budge him. After a full seven or eight minutes, Tarquin finally released her.


    Elysia was breathing heavily, about to scold him, when Tarquin cupped her face, his eyes red and his voice choked with emotion. “Thank you for bringing so much beauty into my life. All my happiness, it''s because of you."


    Before Elysia, his life had been a mess. His parents died young, and he spent his childhood enduring all sorts of dangers and hardships. After Elijah was born, the two of


    them refied on each other, but Elijah''s psychological issues put him under constant strain, living every day on edge. Then Elysia appeared, and happiness suddenly flooded into his life! So much happiness he could hardly believe it.


    "Maybe fate knew it was too harsh on me in the first half of my life, so it sent you to me. You''re my angel."


    Elysia''s lips parted. She couldn''t bring herself to scold him anymore; her heart just ached for him. She ced her hand over his. "The first half of my life was full of misfortune, too. I''m so lucky I met you. You''re my knight.”


    They stood under the streetlight, smiling at each other, their eyes filled with nothing but one another. Looking at each other was like looking at their own happiness.


    After a long moment, Tarquin cupped Elysia''s face again, gave her a soft kiss, then took her hand and


    tucked it into his pocket as they walked to the car A blissful smile yed on his lips. He now fully understood the importance of having a good wife. Coming home to a woman like her... it was worth more than anything in the world.


    And because he understood that, he wanted his brothers to experience that same happiness. That''s


    when Lancelot Spencer suddy


    appeared, he was immediately on high alert. This guy wasn''t his rival-he was Axel''s! He was being vignt on Axel''s behalf. Blossom was the only girl who was bold enough to show her feelings for Axel without him pushing her away, and he was afraid someone else would snatch her up.