When L returned, Kieran was already waiting at Evergreen Heights. As usual, he was dressed in a suit, his expression stern.


    Seeing her enter, he stood up and took a box from beside him. It was for her, and it contained the outfit she would wear that evening.


    She took the box. "I''ll go upstairs and change."


    He had chosen a silk gown this time, so she casually bunched her hair up with a w clip. After a moment, she decided to wear a pair of high heels.


    As she headed downstairs, Kieran stood up and waited at the foot of the stairs. When she got closer, he reached out to take her hand.


    L looked at his open palm and hesitated momentarily before cing her significantly smaller hand into it. The intimacy of the gesture made her nervous. She tried to steady her heartbeat, afraid that he would notice her racing pulse.


    "Don''t be nervous. You''re his fiancée now. This kind of gesture is normal," she silently reassured herself.


    Even though she tried to rx, Kieran still noticed her nervousness. A faint smile tugged at his lips.


    "I''ll take care of everything tonight." His voice was gentle, like aged wine, deep and alluring.


    It was a simple statement he had said before, but itforted L every time, as if he could protect her from anything, no matter what happened.


    "When we enter the Locke residence, you can''t call me ''Uncle Kieran'' anymore."


    He helped her into the car, and L suddenly looked up at him. Sitting in the car, she noticed he was still standing outside.


    Herrge eyes were filled with confusion. "What should I call you, then?" If not Uncle Kieran, should she call him Kieran?


    "Call me by my name." The man''s voice rose slightly at the end, confirming her doubt.


    The car door shut, but L remained still in her seat. Before Kieran could get in, Cole quickly teased, "You''ll be husband and wife soon. You should be calling him that."


    L''s face turned bright red, her thoughts in disarray. But it also helped distract her from her worries.


    They arrived at the Locke residence


    soon after. The Locke family''s


    e''


    assets couldn''tpare to the Morgan family''s, but the family was farrger, with twice as many members. The Morgan family elders hadn''t arrived yet, and Noah, who didn''t like such events, would be skipping this one, too.


    Shannon was the first to notice Kieran''s car pulling up. She excused herself from the person in front of her and walked toward a spot where she could get a better view. Her grip tightened around her wine ss.


    Would he bring L? If not, did it mean that he wasn''t really ready to acknowledge L as his fiancée?


    On the other side, Amelia, who Benjamin had coerced to attend the banquet, noticed Shannon''s movement and looked up. Vince, who was sitting next to her, followed her gaze.


    Benjamin was confused and asked, "What are you two looking at?"


    "Dad, don''t you have anything else to


    do? You''ve been following me


    around since we got here half an


    hour ago," Amelia said, puzzled.


    "Mom''s already spoken to five young men. Aren''t you worried?"


    "Is that so?" He was shocked and immediately started searching for Charlotte. He spotted Charlotte talking to a young man, and his protective instincts kicked in.


    "Amelia, I need to handle some personal matters. Don''t cause any trouble, okay?"


    Amelia responded absentmindedly, then looked back at Shannon.


    "What do you think she''ll do tonight?"