Navy's Sons: Bullied by Quadruplet Stepbrothers novel Chapter 34

Navy’s Sons: Bullied by Quadruplet St…

29.Punching bag-2

The next morning, I don’t come down for breakfast. My body feels like it’s been run over, and my thoughts haven’t caught up with the sun outside. I stay curled beneath the sheets, staring at the ceiling, too drained to move. Besides, I don’t think I’m in the mood to deal with any of my stepbrothers right now–not even Evren, and he’s the one who helped me pull myself together last night. And oh, don’t get me started with Jace. Catching him kissing another girl in the bathroom is one thing, but me walking out after that just makes it worse. Ugh, why did I even walk out in the first place? Now, I just made things awkward between us.

I am bathing in my misery when I hear a knock at my door. It creaks open and Mom walks in with a breakfast tray. She offers a curt smile and sits beside me on the bed.

“You didn’t come down for breakfast, she notes.

“Hm-mm. I’m feeling lazy.” I try to sound casual.

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She just nods while placing the tray on my bedside table.

“What happened last night?” she asks. “I noticed you left early. Did something happen?” I sense the worry in her voice.

I sit up slowly and pull the blanket across my lap. “I just wasn’t feeling well. You know how I am during social functions.” I try 1/4

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29.Punching bag-2

to make my tone light. The last thing I want is my mom knowing about my apparent crash out last night. “Don’t worry, Evren drove me home. I guess I’m not the only one who is not fond of parties.”

She watches me for a moment. I half expect her to push for more, but she just nods and smooths a wrinkle in the blanket near my knee.

“Well,” she says, “I have a cake tasting this afternoon at

Petaline’s. It’s that fancy pastry shop in town. You should come with me.” Her mood shifts at the mention of her appointment. She seems excited.

Petaline’s… yeah, I remember Mom gushing about that pastry shop when I was younger. It’s one of those well-known places on the island-reputable and expensive. Back then, my dad had to save for months just to buy her the cheapest cake on their menu. Now, she’s getting her wedding cake from the same shop. No wonder that puts her into a good mood.

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“There are a lot of flavors to try, and I want to make sure I pick the right one for the wedding cake. So… I’d really appreciate it if you came with me. I’d like to hear your opinion, darling.”

I think about it. My body still feels like it’s made of lead, but the idea of being out with her, doing something simple, doesn’t sound terrible. Plus, driving away from the estate is like a free ticket away from my stepbrothers. That seals the deal

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29.Punching bag-2

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll come.”

“Great!” Mom claps her hands and grins. “Finish your breakfast and get ready. Then, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

I do as she says. After finishing my toast and wiping my mouth with a napkin, I change into a cream knit top and a pair of high-waisted jeans. I throw on a light beige cardigan and slip into flat sandals that won’t kill my feet if we end up standing around too long. I tie my hair into a loose ponytail before heading out.

When I reach the front of the house, Mom is already waiting by the open car door. Thankfully, I don’t run into any of the brothers on the way down. I slide into the backseat of the black limousine beside her, and Gerald starts the engine.

It takes roughly twenty-minutes before we arrive at Petaline’s. We hop out of the car, and Mom immediately starts chatting away about how excited she is for the tasting. She’s already going on about how many flavor combinations she hopes to try and how long she’s been looking forward to this appointment. I give her a small smile, amused by how giddy she looks.

But that smile disappears the moment I spot four figures standing in front of the shop.

Evren, Luca, Reed, and… Jace! They’re all waiting outside

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29.Punching bag-2

Petaline’s, their eyes instantly fixing on me. My stomach drops.

Holy shit. What are they doing here?

Mom turns to me with a bright smile. “Your stepbrothers will be joining us for the tasting! Isn’t that wonderful?”

Shit.

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Navy’s Sons: Bullied by Quadruplet St…

30. Cake Tasting

Tabitha’s POV

I scoot closer to Mom and whisper, “How did you even convince all four of them to come?”

Mom beams at me. She looks triumphant, as if bringing her four stepsons to this appointment is a personal victory—maybe it is for her, but for me… this is a disaster waiting to happen. Coming with her was a mistake!

“When I mentioned the cake tasting, they actually showed interest,” she says proudly. “I hope this means they’re starting to warm up to us.”

I take a deep breath. I accepted her invitation hoping it would buy me some time away from the brothers, but now I’m stuck with them. Just great! A part of me wants to run away. But mom looks super excited. I don’t want to be a jerk and ruin her fun because I can’t stand being around the Aldair brothers.

Reed steps forward and clears his throat. “Are we just going to stand here, or are we going inside? I’m starving and I can’t wait to try some cake.” He runs a hand over his buzzed hair and casts an impatient look at the shop’s door.

Mom laughs softly. “Then let’s go,” she announces. 1/6

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30. Cake Tasting

I follow her inside, careful to keep a space between the boys and me. When Jace moves to fall into step beside me, I immediately shift closer to Mom. He slows down for a second as if registering the deliberate dodge. I catch a flicker of something in his eyes before I turn my gaze away.

Maybe it was hurt. But I convince myself it wasn’t. It must have been irritation. Maybe even anger. That makes more sense. I don’t have the kind of weight in his life to hurt him-or any of them for that matter.

Inside, I’m surprised to see that Alpha Emery isn’t there. I was half-expecting this to be a whole family bonding experience. But I guess the Alpha has better things to do in his already busy schedule. Mom greets Lydia, the pastry chef, and they exchange a few pleasantries.

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She gestures toward the spread. “We’ll start with the lighter flavors first and work our way to the richer ones,” Lydia explains and my mom nods as he listens. “Each cake has been prepared with different frosting and filling combinations, so you’ll be able to taste how they blend. If something feels too sweet or too heavy, feel free to take a break or sip water in between.

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As Lydia talks, I sense Jace slide in beside me. He doesn’t say anything. He just stands there, quiet and still, as if waiting for me to turn his way. I don’t. Instead, I shift slightly toward Mom and pretend I’m more interested in the table setup than the boy looming beside me.

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30. Cake Tasting

Shit. Why does he keep on trying to get close? It’s taking a lot of effort to maintain a poker face while Jace Aldair is intentionally invading my personal space. It doesn’t help that my heart is also hammering wildly inside my chest, as if it’s excited about the madness of this situation.

Jace tries to take a step closer to me again but I instinctively back away. I catch a glimpse of him in the mirror ornament hanging on the wall. His expression is clearer this time. He looks… sad. Hurt. There’s a weight behind his eyes that he doesn’t bother to hide. I don’t know what to do with that. I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to feel.

“Please, go ahead and take a seat,” Lydia announces with a smile. “We’ll begin with the vanilla sampler and move down the

row.”

I choose the chair next to Mom without hesitation. I keep my head down as I sit. From the corner of my eye, I notice Luca reaching for the chair to my other side, but before he can pull it out, Jace steps in to grab it as well.

My heart pounds crazily as I watch the two brothers locked in a quiet standoff, each holding opposite ends of the same chair. Neither of them lets go. Jace’s fingers tighten, his knuckles pressed white against the polished wood. Luca holds firm, but his jaw tenses. They are not talking but I can see the silent irritation brewing in their eyes as if they battle for the chair.

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