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“How’s Melanie, Juli? I hear she’s enjoying the terrible twos.”
Juliet sighed. “The word ‘no’ in her mind is so powerful, and no one can take that feeling away from the little girl.”
They erupted in another conversation about the children growing up, and Reginald excused himself as he received a message from his phone.
Opening the message, he rolled his eyes as Benjamin had been the one to send it to him concerning a bet they had before he left for Paris. And apparently, their suspicions were correct, but Reginald lost as he thought they would at the least be taking it slow.
Benjamin: You owe me $20.
Chapter twenty-seven
Omniscient
Ten Years Ago
Delilah walked to her father as he sat speaking to Uncle Blaine and Uncle Shin. They were celebrating her ninth birthday, and the party was relatively small… well, as small as Brielle could convince Killian to make it.
“Daddy,” Delilah began, and he looked over to her with a smile.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
She glanced over at her uncles for a split second before looking back to her father. “Mom says you need to stop talking so much and come help her welcome the guests that you decided to invite. She knows it’s not all your fault because she knows Uncle Blaine was talking to you.”
“I’m offended,” Blaine said as he looked away, and Killian sighed.
“You’re always offended, Blaine. Tell her I’ll be over in a moment, darling.”
Delilah nodded and went over to Brielle, who stood inviting everyone in, but from the fake smile on her face, Delilah knew her mother was anything but happy.
Noticing Delilah returning, Brielle walked over to her with her two-year-old sister on her hip, and she giggled. “There’s the birthday girl!”
Delilah smiled as the guests wished her a happy birthday, and Brielle whispered in her ear, “Where is your father? It’s his fault I’m about to lose my sanity.”
Delilah held back a laugh as she heard her father’s voice, which was as cheerful as ever.
“Welcome, everyone! I’m sorry for my absence. Sweetheart, you should have called me over earlier,” he said, placing a kiss on Brielle’s head. “Please follow me. The party is being hosted in the back.”
The guests followed him out to the garden, and Brielle sighed. “I swear that man is bipolar. He has a different persona every time I see him.”
Delilah watched Benjamin as he froze at the door. Brielle directed her attention over and rolled her eyes as she heard Calvin’s voice.
“Are you not going to let me in, Alfred? I know you technically have a restraining order against me, but must we drag it out after so many years?”
Setting Ivory on the floor, Brielle approached the men as Delilah stayed with her sister. “Calvin, I thought I told you you could come if you were on your best behavior. Bullying Benjamin was undoubtedly not part of my agreement.”
Calvin sighed and entered as Vivienne came in with Stephan and Archer behind her.
“Thank you for the invite, Brielle. He will surely be on his best behavior, right, Cal?” Vivienne spoke with a sinister tone toward him, and Calvin raised his hands in surrender.
“Yes, yes! I understand.”
Benjamin examined the scene for a moment and looked over to Brielle. “Sir isn’t aware of the Lockwoods joining us for Delilah’s party, is he?”
Brielle sighed, and before she could speak, Calvin gasped.
“Killian has yet to know that I will taking part of today’s festivities? Excellent. Alfred, walk me over to the scene of the party, would you?”
Benjamin looked over to Brielle, who gave him an apologetic look and said, “Why don’t we all go? I could possibly diffuse the bomb that is likely going to go off.”
