<h4>Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Unexpected Revtions</h4>


    Author’s pov


    Nearly three decades had passed, but Esther Moore recognized him the second their eyes met.


    Zane Locke.


    Time had added some lines to his face and silver to his temples, but his posture was still regal, his presence unmistakable.


    He hadn’t lost the quiet gravity that once made people pause mid-sentence when he entered a room.


    And yet - he was standing here, surrounded by boxes of jasmine rice and organic quinoa, looking at her like she was a ghost from a life he barely remembered but couldn’t ignore.


    Zane Locke.


    The eldest son of the Locke family - a name whispered with a certain reverence in political circles, and, less publicly, among those who managed the fragile rtionship between werewolf ns and the human world.


    VanDyck and Cecilia had no idea what to make of the tension crackling between them.


    One nce between father and daughter was all it took to confirm that both had noticed something was... off.


    Esther’s throat tightened.


    Her mother, Helena, worked as a live-in housekeeper for the Lockes.


    She had lived in the Locke household for many years before moving to Denver for college, though she’d never mentioned knowing Zane personally to her daughter.


    The tension crackling between them was impossible to ignore.


    VanDyck and Cecilia exchanged nces, both silently acknowledging the strange undercurrent in the air.


    "You’re Helena’s daughter... E... Emma?" Zane asked, searching throughyers of memory to ce a name to a young face from his past.


    The color drained from Esther’s face.


    Herposure wavered for just a second, her heart pounding visibly in her throat.


    "No," she corrected him with a forced smile. "My name is Esther."


    "Oh, right, Esther. My mistake," Zane apologized, looking genuinely embarrassed. "It’s been so many years. How is your mother doing these days?"


    "She’s well," Esther replied, her voice carefully controlled.


    Zane’s gaze shifted to Cecilia, studying her features with an intensity that bordered on inappropriate.


    "Miss Moore is your daughter?"


    "Yes, she’s my daughter," Esther answered, struggling to maintain herposure.


    Cecilia observed her mother’s unusual behavior, remembering Mr. Locke’s strange reaction at the restaurant weeks ago.


    Her eyes darted to her father, but his expression revealed nothing.


    "Your daughter is beautiful," Zanemented, his eyes holding a sharp, assessing quality that seemed to look right through Cecilia.


    "Thank you for thepliment," Esther nodded with a thin smile.


    VanDyck finally intervened, positioning himself slightly in front of his wife and daughter in a subtle protective gesture. "Mr. Locke, we need to finish our shopping. It was nice meeting you."


    Zane nodded politely. "Likewise."


    They exchanged brief goodbyes, and the Moore family quickly pushed their cart away.


    Cecilia nced back once to see Zane Locke still standing there, staring after them with an unreadable expression.


    The remainder of their shopping trip was silent and awkward.


    VanDyck grabbed a bag of millet instead of the rice he’d intended to buy, while Esther, who’d said she wanted milk, returned with two boxes of frozensagna instead.


    That single encounter with Zane Locke had thrown the entire family into disarray.


    Cecilia’s pov


    Back home, the tension persisted.


    Mom immediately disappeared into the kitchen with the groceries.


    Dad retreated to the balcony to tend to his nts.


    I organized the items we’d bought into the refrigerator, asionally ncing toward the kitchen where Mom stood motionless, lost in thought.


    After a while, she emerged from the kitchen, her face was pale.


    "Mom, you look tired. Sit down and rest. I’ll handle dinner," I said, guiding her to the sofa.


    I poured her some water before heading to the kitchen to prepare our meal.


    From my peripheral vision, I could see her watching me with reddened eyes.


    Dad sat silently on the balcony, staring vacantly at his beloved nts.


    The atmosphere in our apartment felt heavy with unspoken words.


    As I worked in the kitchen, the doorbell rang.


    "Mom, could you get that? I invited Harper over for dinner," I called out.


    Harper had helped me through everything, from the divorce proceedings to emotional support. Now that things had settled and my parents were back, it seemed right to include her in our family dinner.


    Momposed herself and went to answer the door.


    "Harper, you’re - " Her words cut off abruptly.


    Curious, I turned down the heat on the stove and peeked out from the kitchen.


    Standing beside Harper was the towering figure of Sebastian, looking impossibly handsome in casual clothes that probably cost more than my monthly rent. He was holding an elegantly wrapped gift box.


    My stomach did that annoying swoop thing. What the hell was he doing here?


    "Good evening, Mrs. Moore,"he said politely, his voice calm, smooth, andced with just enoughmand to make people straighten their spines without realizing it.


    My mother blinked, surprised - but quickly recovered with the grace of a woman who could host a dinner party during a hurricane. "Well, hello. Harper, is this your boyfriend?"


    Harper let out a theatrical groan that could’ve won her an off-Broadway audition. "Oh, Aunt Esther, please. If I ever got that lucky, I’d be humble about it for at least five minutes."


    Mom tilted her head, still confused. "Then who is he?"


    Harper dragged the suspense out like she was announcing a plot twist.


    "He’s Cecilia’s..."She let the pause stretch until Mom’s face went pale, her brain clearly sprinting through every scandalous possibility.


    "...new boss,"Harper finished sweetly.


    I could almost hear her silent addition: * I was going to say new mate, but that might be too shocking.*


    Mom finally nodded, blinking back her surprise. "Right. New employer. Cecilia did mention someone new at the office."


    But the real question - Why was my boss at our family dinner?


    I stepped out of the kitchen just in time, having turned the stove down before something caught fire.


    When I saw Sebastian standing in our living room, all six-foot-something of him looking unfairly good in a ck cashmere sweater, I stopped short.


    "Mr. ck - what are you doing here?"The title slipped out before my mouth could consult my brain.


    "I invited him," Harper immediately imed responsibility. "Since he helped resolve everything so smoothly, I thought he should join us in celebration."