After coming up with the decision to crash the family dinner after all, Cassidy proudly faces her adorable nephews who are now looking up to her expectantly.

"Alright, kids! We're going on the trip to that ice cream parlor!" she enthused with a grin, making both Hugo and Joshua brighten up in delight.

​​

"B-But wait, Aunt... We're still talking about the dinner, though?" Damien chimed in, not expecting that all it took to change her mind in just a matter of seconds was something as simple as ice cream.

"Sure, I'll go...! Is that fine, bossman?" she then asked and turned to her husband.

"You're certain...?" Adrian replied in surprise and confusion to which she only nodded in reply.

"Well, if you say so. Just to let you know, though - once you step in there, it will be hard to go out."

As his wife only pushes his warning aside with a cheeky smile and a dismissive shrug, he can already tell that she is up to something - time and again.

Though disappointed, her changing her mind like this is fine with him. Besides, she appears like she has everything under control somehow.

He's not going to ruin her fun by being overprotective of her again and reasoning without any basis that her unascertained assassins might come after her. Besides, he will be there with her, and so are their bodyguards.

However, it's not just her pursuers that he's wary of. His mother invited a few guests over, so he was already expecting that those inquisitive people would come trapping his wife in conversations and scenarios that she might not feel comfortable with.

Gertrude herself might not let Cassidy get away this time around.

'What's more, there's Irish...' Adrian thought with a sigh.

'She was the one who reassigned our maids in the mansion for no good reason at all. Up until the last time I called her last night, she kept making excuses. She even threw a tantrum when I told her that everyone was fired.'

Throwing a tantrum is all his sister can do, though. She can't defy him or go against his decision.

However, he has a feeling that it will not be the same case with his wife. Her anger seemed more directed to her when she was talking with him on the phone last evening. Because she let her vexation distract her the whole time, he couldn't get a proper explanation from her in the end.

In any case, Adrian will make sure that Cassidy isn't going to face anyone's wrath there.

'All those things are indeed my top concerns, but...' he continued to brood before taking out his mobile phone from his pocket and staring down at it in dismay.

'It's a shame that I have to cancel our date at that restaurant."

In reality, Adrian had planned to take Cassidy out to a beachside dinner date instead of going to their family dinner.

He made a reservation at another place that has a beautiful evening view of the beach. It's a famous tourist attraction around there. But before he could even tell her about it, she already changed her mind, which he did not expect at all.

This might be his biggest disappointment on this matter.

Not going to the family dinner wasn't much of an offense for him, though it would probably irk his mother. They are having family dinners often, anyway. This was the only time he would not go - but not anymore.

"So much for the surprise date..." Adrian sighed in dismay once more before suddenly recalling something that made him perk up.

"Oh, but I can still do that."

"Do what, Uncle Bossman?" Hugo asked from beside him out of nowhere, making him flinch and turn to him in surprise.

"It's nothing, Hugo. I was just thinking about... something."

"Then, it's not nothing," the toddler deadpanned.

"You... Why does it seem like you're starting to speak like your aunt?"

As he only continues looking down at him with an incredulous look on his face, his wife starts calling for both of them. She is about to eat lunch with the others and wants everyone to gather around the table.

"This is supposed to be a picnic, so we should eat together. Come on!" Cassidy said from her seat while beckoning them over.

"Let's go, Uncle Bossman!" Hugo enthused before holding his hand and pulling him to their direction.

Even the way he called him had changed, though it's not that he just noticed now. His wife is really beginning to rub on him - perhaps, not only him, but his brothers as well.

Yet because Hugo said it with a kind of affection that made that nickname sound special like when it's Cassidy who's calling him, Adrian only let his nephew be and joined the four of them, a small smile gracing his features all the while.

---

Later that night, Edward comes running to their mansion's door with a worry-stricken expression.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Adrian."

His brother lets him in before they can proceed to have a proper conversation. Even up until they get to the living room, he is panting for air. It's more than obvious that he took a mad dash all the way here as soon as he got out of his car.

"Calm down, Edward. It's not like we left your sons all by themselves at the beach," Adrian started as he sat on the sofa and gestured for him to do the same.

"I know, but I still promised them that I would pick them up before dinner. Yet before I knew it, I got too caught up in my work, and I didn't realize that it's already way past dinner."

"And who's the workaholic again?"

"It's not everyday, okay? I just got really busy this time, especially since I took a break for a few days to prepare for Damien's party."

"Well, if you say so."

As they are having this exchange, Cecile arrives with two cups of coffee. She gently places each one on the table before leaving as quietly as she comes. Adrian silently trails after her with his eyes, still suspicious of her despite Cassidy's decision to spare her.

"By the way, where are they?" Edward asked before he took a sip from his coffee.

"Already in bed. Their aunt is with them at the moment - or more like for the whole day. They were clinging to her the entire time to the point I was afraid they were gonna take her home with them," Adrian answered with an enigmatic frown on his face, making his brother nearly choke on his coffee.

"H-Huh...? They were?"

"Yeah. That's why I said that they should just spend the night here. So, thanks for coming late."

"I thought for sure that they're gonna be upset that I didn't come. Seems like they really got attached to her."

"You did come, though? Stop putting yourself down. They are not upset at all."

"I see. What a relief... Thank you for watching over them, Adrian. To Cassidy as well. I need to thank her properly tomorrow."

For a moment, Edward smiles at Adrian and heaves a small sigh, looking as if ashamed. He then casts down his gaze and begins thinking deeply, which gives his brother the impression that he is thinking about one more thing other than expressing his gratitude.

In reality, Edward is indeed not satisfied with simply thanking Cassidy.

It was only a couple of days since his sons met the new her, but they were already this close with her. Their high favor and admiration for her always seep through whenever she is mentioned in their conversation. Sometimes, they were even the ones who would start talking about her.

If he hadn't only been busy with the investigation yesterday, he would see and hear more of it.

It's still a bit hard to believe that his sister-in-law was actually hiding something this amazing within her - something that even those children would grow very fond of in such a short period of time. Now that she is showing her true colors to everyone, having no exemption at all, everything else is also beginning to come to light, including certain emotions.

For one, Edward is starting to feel guilty for being as guilty as his other family members when it comes to dismissing and neglecting her existence in the past - the fact that he now owes her something has made that feeling surface at last.

Because of that, he doesn't think that a mere 'thank you' is enough. He wants to apologize as well. Besides, he also wants to display his good will as a way to show his appreciation in advance for the care and attention that she will continue to pour on his sons in the future.

"Hey, Adrian," Edward started again after a brief pause on his part.

"What?" Adrian simply replied as he took a sip from his coffee.

"Can I give Cassidy a bouquet?"

After hearing that, Adrian took his turn to almost choke on his coffee, taken aback.