chapter2212

Vivian's gaze glued itself to Calvin, her eyes widening like a child pressing against a candy shop window.

"Well, look who's back. Calvin, you haven't lost an ounce of charm," she sighed, sounding half awed, half overwhelmed.

Madeline pivoted, eyebrows arched. "Easy, or Zachary will hear about the way you ogle other men."

"Please. He's home every day, cradling that baby as if it might float away. He hasn't the time to worry about me," Vivian answered, still visibly starstruck.

Ever since Zachary had become a father, something in him had shifted. He rarely left the Sinclair residence unless an emergency in the hospital forced his hand.

Patient almost to a fault, he shadowed the nanny, correcting the smallest misstep, terrified the infant might suffer in someone else's arms.

Vivian, for her part, could not have been happier about it. A responsible father meant she could relax.

Madeline exhaled a long, helpless sigh.

After greeting a few more familiar faces, Calvin strode toward an empty seat and slipped gracefully into a seat.

Vivian beckoned Cecilia over, patting the chair beside her with uncontained excitement.

Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she asked, "Ceci, have you noticed? We haven't seen Calvin in forever, and he's somehow even more... well, masculine."

Cecilia let out an involuntary giggle, the sound light as wind chimes.

"You really should curb that bad habit of yours," she teased, shaking her head.

Vivian took a sip of water, propped her chin on one palm, and lamented, "Honestly, how did you ever find the strength to turn him down?"

"Because we're friends-only friends," Cecilia replied, the protest automatic yet gentle.

Vivian's expression screamed, Sure, and I'm the queen of Azania.

"If only I had a stunning male confidant like that," she added under her breath.

Cecilia let the comment drift away, unwilling to fuel Vivian's fantasies further.

Soon, the wedding orchestra changed keys, signaling the ceremony's start. All eyes lifted toward the softly glowing stage.

The lights dimmed to velvet darkness. The groom stood alone beneath a single spotlight. Moments later, Charlotte appeared, her father on her arm, veil shimmering as they walked the aisle.

No one dared disturb the hush. Only after vows and rings had been exchanged did hushed conversations bloom again like flowers after rain.

Vivian released a low whistle. "I always knew Sven was more than he seemed. Tonight just confirms it."

Cecilia had once entertained the same suspicion, though she had never chased it to conclusion. She kept the thought to herself.

A little later, Charlotte made her round of toasts, stopping at their table with flushed cheeks and shining eyes.

By the end of the formalities, exhaustion draped over her like an oversized cloak.

She had planned to join the group's after-party, yet fatigue—and the fact that this was her wedding night-pulled her toward quieter promises.

The hallway lamps cast a buttery glow across the polished floor as Cecilia turned toward Charlotte "Lottle, stay here with Sven and get some rest. The rest of us wilPslip outside for a little adventure."

Charlotte's shoulders sagged, yet she managed a brave smile. "Fine-but promise you'll watch out for one another."

"We will. Cross my heart," Cecilia said, tapping a finger against her chest for emphasis.

With that, she lifted a playful salute, spun on her heel, and disappeared down the corridor, the whispered goodbye still warm in the air.

Moments later, Cecilia gathered Vivian, Madeline, and Lucille, then went to Calvin.

ет

Outside, Vivian eyed Calvin's tall, disciplined frame as though she had stumbled on an amusing discovery. "Mr. Reese, you don't mind if we tag along, do you?"

The corner of Calvin's mouth curved in a restrained smile. "Of course I don't mind."

The group drifted into the neon-washed street, a pocket of laughter inside the wider city clamor.

Vivian kept chatting, yet she was careful not to disturb Cecilia and Calvin.

She understood those two old friends had years of unspoken stories waiting to surface.

So she, Madeline, and Lucille veered off to admire window displays while Cecilia walked in easy step beside Calvin.

Night had folded itself over the street, turning the pedestrian mall into a carnival of lights, music, and swirling aromas.

As they moved with the human tide, Calvin instinctively angled his body between Cecilia and the jostling crowd, an unwavering shield that keprevery stray elbow and swinging, shopping bag from brushing her sleeve.

When the crowd finally thinned, Calvin lowered his voice. "Nathaniel didn't come

with you?"

"He had to work," Cecilia replied, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Besides, Lottie and Sven aren't exactly connected to him."

"Fair enough," Calvin murmured, accepting the logic with a single nod.

Calvin's gaze drifted to the vivid glow of an arcade a short distance away. "Feel like playing a game? Walking circles out here is getting dull."

The moment Cecilia spotted the flashing marquees, her eyes lit up. "Absolutely."

She pivoted, waving for Vivian and the others to join them, and together they slipped beneath the arcade's pulsing lights.