Page 87 of My Ex's Billionaire Brothers

I rub my thumb along the edge of my phone, considering. “I think you can accept it at face value. Enjoy the Chaucer, Vivian. You’ve earned it.”

Her tone softens. “Thank you, Theo. Take care and enjoy your mini-vacation. Don’t come back until you’re actually rested for once.”

“Yes, bossy.”

We hang up, and I slip my phone back into my pocket. The sky is bright and clear, the sand glimmering with morning light. It’s a beautiful day, but all I can do is think about Calvin—how bad things got and how they stand now.

He’s sending lavish gifts and apologies. Surreal is an understatement.

I’m about to turn back toward the house when my phone buzzes again. This time, it’s a text message from Calvin himself:I hope she likes it. I won’t bother you again.

She does. Thank you.I hesitate, then add,If you want to be a real brother one day, it’ll take more than a book.

I know.

A part of me wonders if it’s possible for Calvin to turn over a new leaf. Another part of me scoffs at the idea. He’s always been opportunistic, manipulative. He takes after Mom.

Yet, he also has these fleeting moments of sincerity, like now. Perhaps I’ll leave that door open, as I told him. Maybe time and effort could mend fences. Stranger things have happened.

Pocketing my phone, I stroll back toward the cottage. The world feels a fraction lighter now that the threat to Sins is neutralized, and my staff can breathe easy. It’s not every day you manage to strong-arm a family member into reversing a cyberattack, but here we are.

I slip back inside through the kitchen door, hearing voices from the living room—surprised voices, hushed and slightly overwhelmed. My eyebrows furrow as I walk into the living room, only to see Gage and Hunter standing there in silent astonishment. Anya’s parents are off to one side, murmuring to each other. And at the center of the room…flowers.

Mountains of them. Roses, carnations, lilies, daisies, you name it. Bouquets tower on every surface—coffee table, end tables, even a few large arrangements on the floor. Anya stands in the middle of it all, her hand over her mouth. The sweet, heady scent of blossoms nearly overwhelms me.

I step closer, careful not to knock over a precarious vase balanced on a footstool. “What in the world…?”

Anya lets out a strangled laugh, as if she’s torn between delight and exasperation. “I think Billy’s entire shop must be empty right now. His sisters delivered these. There was a note.”

She lifts a small card, reading it aloud. “‘Anya, there is nothing I can say or do to earn your forgiveness, but I hope the flowers make you smile. I am truly sorry for how I behaved. It is my greatest shame. I won’t bother you, your family, or my brothers again. I should have treated you better. I know they will. —Calvin.’”

I feel Gage’s gaze flick to me. Hunter clears his throat softly, scratching the back of his neck. Anya’s parents exchange looks of muted confusion—understandable, given how volatile things were just a day or two ago. For a moment, no one speaks. It’s as though we’re waiting for a punchline that never comes.

Anya recovers first. She sets the note aside and glances at us. “Well. I guess that’s nice. Surprising, but nice.”

“Surprising is an understatement,” Jessica murmurs, eyes wide. “Just the other day he was…well, you know.”

Alexei nods in agreement. “He certainly caused enough trouble.”

Gage crosses his arms, his brow furrowed in that pensive way he gets when he’s trying to puzzle out someone’s motives. “Is this legit? Or is he playing some angle?”

“I honestly don’t know,” I reply, exhaling slowly. “Calvin’s…complicated.”

Anya walks across the living room, brushing her fingers over a cluster of bright yellow roses. She stops at a vase of pink daisies and inhales their scent. There’s a subtle sadness in her eyes, though she tries to hide it.

Hunter steps forward, concern etched on his face. “You okay?”

She nods. “I’m just…it’s a lot to take in. I never thought Calvin would do something like this. Or anything else he’s done in the past week and a half. He can be thoughtful when he wants to be, but an apology on this scale?” She shakes her head, letting out a breath. “He must really mean it.”

I consider that. “Or he knows that, if he crosses the line again, I won’t hesitate to put a stop to it. This could be his way of throwing in the towel, or not.” I glance at the others. “Either way, it appears he’s done stirring the pot. For now.”

Anya sets a hand on her hip, scanning the sea of flowers. “So what do we do with all of these?”

Jessica pipes up. “We could donate them to the local nursing home or the hospital. Spread the cheer around. It’s a shame for them to just wilt here.”

“That’s probably for the best,” Anya agrees. “We can keep a few vases, but the rest…yeah, let’s share them.”

I clear my throat. “I will coordinate with Billy’s sisters about picking up the arrangements for donation. We can load them into the SUV if we have to, but hopefully they’ll help.”