Chapter 5
Rosie walked in slowly, dressed in a flawless, custom–made dress that clung to her frame in all the right ways.
It had been years since I’d last seen her, but now, she radiated a grace and elegance that far exceeded anything I remembered.
Every step she took carried an air of nobility that could never be hidden.
The entire room rose to their feet in
unison, an undeniable show of respect for
her presence.
Over the years, Rosie had expanded her business internationally, her reach stretching far beyond Cavendale. The main branch of the Jewett family in Cavendale had become increasingly dependent on her
success.
As everyone’s gaze turned to Rosie, hers found mine, locking with mine for a brief
moment.
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When she noticed Kendra standing beside me, something dark flickered in her eyes, a silent warning that I couldn’t quite place.
Before I could say anything, Kendra‘ s phone rang, and with a curt excuse, she stepped out to meet someone.
I glanced at Rosie, unsure, but she didn’t give me a chance to speak. With a purposeful stride, she moved to the spot Kendra had vacated, sitting down beside
- me.
“Everyone must be starving waiting for me. Let’s eat,” Rosie said with a soft smile, guiding me into my seat.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she began peeling shrimp for me.
I tried to explain, “Kendra was sitting here earlier…”
“It’s fine,” she interrupted, her focus unwavering as she served me with dishes.
To my surprise, each dish was one of my
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favorites, as if she had known me for years.
Soon, my plate was piled high with shrimp shells, and the fish was flawlessly deboned, every gesture thoughtful, every detail perfect.
I couldn’t help but smile as I ate, savoring the care she took. Just then, the doors to the dining room swung open, and Elliot‘ s overly cheerful voice filled the air.
“Hello, Uncle and Auntie!”
The moment his voice rang out, I saw the change in the room. The faces of the Jewett family soured, their expressions hardening as they turned to face him.
Elliot was my uncle‘ s illegitimate son, and the upper crust of Cavendale never welcomed him.
If it weren’t for the Jewett family‘ s attempt to protect my reputation, he wouldn’t have even been allowed to step
foot here.
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Chapter 5
Benjamin’s face darkened, and he scolded Kendra sharply.
“This is a family banquet. Why did you bring an outsider here?”
Elliot‘ s face flushed with shame, and he shrank behind Kendra, looking utterly pitiful.
Distressed, Kendra shielded Elliot with a protective gesture, her voice rising defensively.
“Elliot’s Wyatt‘ s brother, which makes. him my brother too. At the end of the day, he’s family. Why shouldn’t he be here at our family banquet?”
After speaking, her gaze flickered to the seat beside me, now occupied by Rosie. In an instant, Kendra‘ s face darkened, but she bit back her frustration, unwilling to
voice her displeasure.
I watched as Rosie served me food and soup, the tenderness in her gestures only adding to Kendra‘ s growing irritation.
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Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen and saw a message from Kendra.
[What’s going on? Are you and my aunt conspiring together just to spite me because I brought Elliot here?]
I turned the phone face down, pretending I hadn’t seen it.
Across the table, Kendra‘ s eyes bore into me with such intensity that I almost felt. like they could cut through me.
Just then, Benjamin raised his glass, his voice ringing out with an air of formality.
“The joyous news in our family has become. quite the topic in Cavendale,” he began, hist tone full of pride.
“This banquet is to finalize the matter.”
He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “And also to settle the plans for the marriage registration and wedding ceremony moving forward…”
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Before he could finish, Kendra‘ s voice. interrupted, quick and eager.
“Don’t worry, Dad. The registration is almost done. We’ll take care of everything ourselves. You and Mom don‘ t need to
worry about a thing.”
“Right, Wyatt?”
She called my name, sending a pointed look in my direction, a silent plea for me to
agree.
I lowered my gaze, purposefully ignoring her, my thoughts elsewhere.
After all, I wasn‘ t marrying her, so there was no point in responding.
Kendra‘ s expression turned to ice, her eyes simmering with anger and
disapproval.
Without hesitation, her fingers danced over
her phone, sending another text:
[Say something! If you keep this up, I’ll cancel the wedding for real!]
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[Wyatt, don‘ t test me!]
I had reached my breaking point. With a flick of my wrist, I pulled out my phone and blocked her.
When she realized what I’d done, disbelief washed over her face. Her glare was sharp enough to cut glass, veins standing out on her hands as she clenched them into fists.
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