The Wife You Buried Is Back from Hell novel Chapter 1078

Alexander placed the gift box on the corner of the table and said nothing, his gaze unconsciously drifting to Niki. The little girl kept her head down, her long eyelashes hiding whatever she was feeling. A pang of bitterness washed over him. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to begin.

Vivian took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, and forced a smile for the children. "Niki, Raffy, shall we have some more cake?"

"Okay!" Niki nodded obediently, stealing a quick glance at Alexander before lowering her head again.

Raffy nodded too, but he couldn't stop himself from occasionally peeking at Alexander, his eyes filled with a complicated mix of emotions.

A waiter soon wheeled in the cake Kirsten had brought. They lit the candles and dimmed the room's lights. The warm yellow candlelight flickered, illuminating everyone's faces as a soft rendition of "Happy Birthday" filled the room.

Alexander watched Vivian's profile in the candlelight, watched Danielle gently fix Niki's hair, and watched Harold patiently cut a slice of cake for Raffy. A mix of complex emotions churned within him. He felt like an outsider who had crashed a warm, intimate gathering, completely out of place.

After the candles were blown out, the lights came back on.

Kirsten smiled as she passed out slices of cake, pointedly handing one to Alexander. "Mr. Davidson, have some? It's a special low-sugar recipe."

Alexander took the cake and said, "Thank you," but he barely touched it. He knew this was a subtle jab. Only an outsider would get such special consideration.

He knew he wasn't welcome here, and the longer he stayed, the more awkward it would become. After sitting for just a short while, he stood up to leave. "Happy birthday. I have something to attend to, so I'll be going now."

Without looking up, Vivian simply waved her hand in acknowledgement.

Danielle watched his retreating back, her lips parting as if to say something, but she remained silent.

As Alexander reached the door, he glanced back at Niki. The little girl happened to be looking at him, but the moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away. His heart tightened. He turned and walked out, gently closing the door behind him.

Vivian ruffled his soft hair, her eyes filled with affection. "Of course, you can. Our Raffy is so much more mature now. You can visit anytime."

Niki came over and took Raffy's hand. "You can come over to my place to play. I have lots of comic books."

"Awesome!" Raffy's eyes lit up. Then, remembering something, he asked curiously, "Niki, I heard you dropped out of school? I actually have a lot of homework problems I wanted to ask you about."

The question made the adults pause. Harold looked at Danielle, his tone tinged with inquiry. "Dropped out? What happened?"

Danielle's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. "It's nothing," she said lightly. "For some personal reasons, she's studying at home for now."

Harold didn't press further, just nodding, though a flicker of deep thought crossed his eyes.