Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 182

Caden wriggled out of Seraphina's embrace and trotted over to Hester.

Hester reached out to gently stroke his hair. "I'm going to grab some breakfast. You go ahead and spend time with your mom."

"Okay!" Caden tilted his head back to look at her. "You eat first, but Mommy brought you a matcha cake. She baked it herself!"

Hester offered him a warm smile. "Did she? Well, please tell her thank you for me."

The lingering tension in Caden's little chest vanished instantly at her words. If Godmother was saying thank you, it meant she was genuinely welcoming his mother this time.

Thrilled by the thought, he spun around and bounded back to Seraphina. "See, Mommy? I told you my godmother is amazing. She knows you're trying your best, so she isn't mad at you anymore!"

"She certainly is." Seraphina patted Caden's head before looking up at Hester, her eyes brimming with apparent gratitude. "Thank you, Hester."

Hester met her gaze, evaluating the other woman with quiet scrutiny.

They hadn't seen each other in over a week, and Seraphina did seem remarkably more stable than before.

As long as Seraphina didn't pull any of her usual stunts, Hester was perfectly willing to maintain this superficial harmony for Caden's sake.

"It's all for Caden. As long as he's happy, that's what matters." Hester paused briefly before adding, "Make yourselves comfortable. I'm going to go eat."

Seraphina nodded eagerly. "Of course, go ahead. We're in no rush."

Hester offered a faint murmur of acknowledgment and turned toward the dining room.

...

Once she was seated at the table, Lena immediately brought over a steaming bowl of luxury health supplement.

The rich aroma filled the air as the bowl was placed gently in front of her.

"This is the luxury health supplement your sister sent over," Lena whispered, casting a sideways glance toward the living room. "The stuff Seraphina brought over has terrible packaging. I'm not saying it's fake, but it definitely doesn't compare to the premium quality your family provided."

"Just handle whatever Seraphina brought however you see fit, Lena. There's too much for me to finish anyway. If you don't mind, you can keep it for yourself."

"I couldn't possibly! She brought it specifically for you."

"I really can't eat it all," Hester insisted, taking a slow sip from her bowl. "It's going to expire eventually, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

Not that Hester cared in the slightest.

With both the man and the child over at Silverstream Villa, she was more than happy to enjoy the peace and quiet.

"Daddy!"

Caden's bright, excited voice snapped Hester out of her thoughts.

She focused back on her meal, polishing off the last few bites.

Seraphina's voice drifted in, sweet and tender. "Julian, what brings you back so early today?"

"Things were slow at the office. I knew you were coming over today, so I figured I'd drop by and check in."

"You worry too much. Hester is actually a wonderful person. You're just so blunt that you end up upsetting her, and then you blame her for having a bad temper."

"Daddy, Mommy made Godmother a matcha cake! When Godmother came downstairs, she talked to Mommy and even smiled. She really isn't mad anymore!"