232 Family Dinner Party
Soon, everyone moved to the dining table where Danny, the chef, had prepared a luxurious
birthday dinner.
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The presentation was beautiful, with an inviting aroma, but for the first few minutes, the atmosphere remained stiff.
Forks clinked a little too carefully. Napkins were unfolded with unnecessary precision.
Everyone kept stealing nces at everyone else, as if unsure which family should breathe first.
And then Oliver saved the night.
“Daddy… Congrattions on turning a year older…” he said with his cute voice, full of excitement, looking so proud of his own words that the whole table slowly burst intoughter.
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Axel smiled, though there was a slight heaviness
behind it.
Turning older was not exactly something he enjoyed being reminded of by his four–year–old
son.
“Hahaha, brother–inw, don’t worry,” Ste chimed in immediately. “You do not look older than your actual age. You are still young as long as you smile.”
Then, Ste turned to Evelyn and raised her brows dramatically. “Right, sister Eve…?”
Before Evelyn could answer, Alicia chimed in, “Stop teasing your brother–inw,” she scolded, giving Ste a smack on the back, though her lips were twitching.
Evelyn leaned closer to Axel, whispering softly, “Right, you still look young, the same age as me. As long as you smile often.”
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Axel nced at her, his voice lower than before. “Really? We are almost ten years apart, Eve.”
“I am serious,” Evelyn replied as she looked into his eyes. “No one believes you are in yourte thirties. People always assume you are in your early thirties.”
Axel chuckled quietly and reached under the
table for her hand.
“Well, I do not mind getting old. As long as you stay beside me, Eve,” he said with his affectionate
gaze.
Her heart swelled.
Evelyn lowered her voice even further, her words meant only for him. “I will stay beside you
forever.”
While the two exchanged loving whispers,
Amanda Knight, seated beside Oliver, was busyughing with her grandson at his amusing
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“Oh dear, your daddy is indeed getting old, in fact older,” Amanda said as she added more meat onto Oliver’s te. “And one important thing, you need to eat more if you want to grow tall and strong like daddy.”
Oliver puffed out his cheeks in determination and continued eating.
The whole tableughed when he announced loudly through a mouthful, “I will grow tall and strong. Like Daddy!”
Conversation shifted again.
This time, Alexander Knight proudly bragged that
Oliver took after him in looks, which made
Samuel Walters sit up straight and insist, equally proudly, that the boy clearly looked like the
Walters side.
Axel and Evelyn can onlyugh at how their
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family has now grown closer, despite the silent grudge between their fathers.
By the time dessert arrived, the entire table was lively.
Even Alicia and Lucy, who started the evening tense, were now smiling naturally.
When the final tes were cleared, Ste stood and raised her ss excitedly.
“Brother–inw, happy birthday!”
Everyone lifted their sses, even Oliver, who proudly held up his cup of orange juice.
Axel, who had not experienced this kind of warm, chaotic, heartfelt birthday celebration since his early teens, felt something unfamiliar rise in his chest. Something soft.
He stood slowly and looked at each person at the table. “Thank you, all.”
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That was all he said, but everyone could feel the sincerity behind it.
“Brother, here.” Ste handed a wrapped box to Evelyn, who then passed it to Axel. “Please ept this cheap present. If you do not like it, please do
not sue me…”
Samuel and Lucy hurriedly added their own gifts to the table. “Yes, we are old now. Our gifts are limited,” Lucy said jokingly.
Evelyn almost spat out her sparkling water fromughing. Her family never failed to entertain her.
Axel epted each present with a calm smile. He truly appreciated every one of them.
No matter howplicated everything had been between their families, seeing them all here tonight meant far more than he allowed himself
to show.
After dessert, everyone moved to the living
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room.
All the elders settled into the seating area. At the same time, Oliver squeezed himself into the center, talking excitedly about his horses, Cloud and Browny. The elders listened with a patience only grandparents possessed.
Meanwhile, Evelyn and Ste sat together near the wooden stove.
Ste leaned close and whispered, “Sis, I think our father’s senses have returned.”
“What do you mean?”
Ste looked around carefully to make sure no one else could hear before whispering again. “Dad refuses to divorce Mom.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened. “What?”
Ste shook her head, her voice full of disbelief. “He is the one who kept a mistress and betrayed Mom, but now he suddenly does not want a
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divorce. Is he insane?”
Evelyn let out a long sigh. She knew exactly why their father had changed his mind. Lana’s betrayal had wounded his pride.
And Evelyn knew for sure, her father was the kind of man who would crawl back only after losing everything.
“He must be insane,” Evelyn said, shaking with silentughter. “So what did Alice say?”
Ste’s expression turned gloomy. “You know,
Mom… She loves him. And a few times she asks
me… should she forgive him?”
Evelyn gasped in surprise. “Has she lost her
mind? How could she even consider that?”
Ste rolled her eyes. “We really share the same blood, sis. I also reacted exactly like that.”
Evelyn reached over and patted her sister’s shoulder, trying tofort her. Ste often hid
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her sadness behind her jokes, but she could read her well–she is sad.
“And you?” Evelyn asked softly. “Did you even consider epting Dad again?”
“No!” Ste spat immediately. “I would rather leave the house than ept him back.”
Evelyn chuckled. “That is my sister.” She squeezed Ste’s hand gently. “Do not worry. I will talk to Alice.” G
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Ste exhaled heavily, grateful. “Thanks, sis.”
The soft glow from the stove flickered across
their faces.
Laughter from the elders echoed through the
room. Oliver’s excited voice floated across the space as he exined how Cloud liked apples more than carrots.
Then, Evelyn turned to check Axel, but she didn’t see him in the room.
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‘Since when did he leave?‘ She wondered.
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<i>Thank </i>you <i>so </i><i>much </i><i>for </i>the <i>Golden </i><i>Ticket </i><i>& </i><i>Power </i><i>Stones</i><i>. </i><i>Please </i>continue<i>. </i>We need <i>to </i>raise <i>the </i><i>rank </i>to <i>give </i><i>this </i><i>book </i><i>more </i>
<i>opportunities</i>. Xoxo~
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Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.