None of these incidents made a difference to the people of the Thornston household. The dia was looking at them in a new light, from their supposed benevolence and the fact that they would bend over and do such a grand gesture for ex-relatives who tried to harm them.
Alex and his household were now being hailed, while Sally, Mollya, and the three dumb ones were in the gutters. They dared not counter anything as Brad’s plan had been perfectly executed, and they had supplied the evidence themselves. Their only way out would be to dispute their proof, and this would bear down on their integrity; hence, Molly and her sister were in a bind.
Trending in the news was also about Shelby’s miraculous return, as well as Ian’s. There were nurous theories surrounding this.
Though the dia had a field day with the elderly, now ex-Thornston sisters, there was almost no news from the source on how they were healthy as a fiddle, but cloaked in an air of mystery that no press release, statent, or paparazzi photo could explain. Ian and Shelby felt no need to explain themselves, though they expected a visit from Leon and his team.
That morning, Shelby scrolled through the comnts and headlines and couldn’t help but laugh at them:
"Back From the Dead? The blue-eyed goddess Returns With a Mystery Bump!"
"Vanished Chairman Found! Love Story or Cover-up? Stay tuned as we delve deep into this!"
"Tumbled off a cliff and back with a bump!"
"Where Were They?"
"All seed to be lost for this couple, but they are now as close as ever!"
The online forums were flooded with theories, but surprisingly, given how Aliya had dominated the news in their absence, there was no ntion of her. It was as if she had conveniently been forgotten unanimously.
After the first few hours of a few scattered curses at Aliya, she had just fallen off the face of the dia, and no one even noticed. The two detectives did, but after all they had seen, they were no longer surprised. Leon and Evans also followed the news and the forums, especially on this and could not help but marvel at the netizens’ vivid imagination:
"Do you think that a cult abducted her?"
"No, she went off-grid to hide a scandal."
"What do you all know? It’s all staged—look at her glow. That’s not trauma; that’s magic."
And one especially bold theory: "Aliens. 100% aliens."
"Pfttt!!!!" Evans spilt his morning coffee when he read this, not knowing that Shelby also had a similar reaction. People were entitled to their views, and the more they read, the more ridiculous the comnts got.
No one knew that their closest guess was actually the most far-fetched.
Behind closed doors, the Thornston family was not paying attention to any of this. For them, this was a reunion that they had never thought would happen with Aliya’s reign of terror.
And yet, despite the madness outside, the scandals, and the weight of it all, Shelby smiled when her children were nearby, which they had been since she had returned. Shelby did not feel suffocated at all... on the contrary, she loved it. Ian’s hand in hers was steady. Whatever storm the world tried to throw at them, it would pale in comparison to what they had already endured... and to what still lay ahead.
Ian helped Shelby sit down as the rest of the family was already there and she finally put her phone away.
The breakfast room was alive.
The long table groaned under the weight of steaming dishes — pancakes, dumplings, smoked fish, baked potatoes, sautéed vegetables, fresh fruit, and at least five types of bread, not forgetting the freshly squeezed fruit juices and wine. The workers, under Suzie’s direction, had been cooking since dawn for this festive breakfast. Even Ava and Rocky were to join at so point, but they had yet to show up.
Workers weaved in and out, topping up glasses, refilling trays, and gently placing napkins on eager laps.
It was the first ti in months that the entire family was gathered under one roof, and the atmosphere was brimming with happiness, except for Suzie, who seed distracted.
Laughter spilt into the room like sunshine through the tall windows. At the heart of it all sat the pregnant Shelby, glowing, with one hand resting gently on her belly as her three children jostled over who would serve her next.
"Let pour your tea, Mama!"
"No, !"
"I’m the oldest!" Samantha reached out with her long hands, beating Gabriel to it, while Ingrid just shook her head. However, her eyes were glued to Shelby’s, not blinking even once, as if Shelby might disappear in that ti if little Ingrid blinked.
Ian chuckled, tapping Gabriel’s disappointed shoulders in mock comfort.
Alex, picking up and pooping a grape in his mouth, leaned back and grinned. "I see this estate has returned to its natural noise level."
Geneva swatted him with a napkin, though her eyes shone with joy. "What’s a ho without so noise?"
Shelby chuckled, reaching for the tea that Samantha had handed her, then gasped softly and placed a hand on her stomach. Ian grabbed the steaming tea before it spilt.
There was an instant silence.
"Was that a kick?" Ian asked softly, suddenly alert.
She nodded. "Yes... and quite the strong one."
The kids squealed with excitent, and even the workers leaned in for a peek before quickly pretending to focus on table settings again.
"So, sister-in-law is really pregnant? Aweso!" It seed as if Brad was still getting used to the notion of the pregnancy despite the now-obvious baby bump.
"Why did you think that Shelby just ate a lot to get that bump?" Geneva asked narcissistically, making Brad blush to his roots.
"Mum!"
"Don’t Mum !"
The two went on bickering, while Ian placed his hand on Shelby’s stomach, rubbing it affectionately.
"Has it stopped?"
Shelby nodded, "It was just one kick, so it’s okay."
Before any other words could ensue, Geneva cleared her throat and clinked on her glass, drawing everyone’s attention.
The workers went on their task with practised precision. Within the short ti that they had returned, Currey had set to work, clearing the estate of any remaining bodies and associated mories as well. The whole bunch of workers were now very happy that their bosses had returned, but they had no recollection of what had happened prior to Aliya’s ti there.
Like the outside world, Aliya seed to have beco a taboo topic in the household, and it was also as if she had never existed at all.
Geneva cleared her throat with theatrical purpose.
"Now that we are all gathered again by the will of the heavens, I’d like to say that I am so happy that Ian and Shelby have returned safe and sound, bringing us a big surprise as well.
But now, I think it’s high ti we addressed the elephant in the room." She smiled sweetly at Brad, and he felt a chill go down his back.
Brad blinked, mid-sip of his coffee. "?"
"Yes, you, boy," Alex added, lowering his hand and setting down the toast that he had been about to eat.
"You’ve dodged every question about marriage since Ian’s marriage — and look where he is now! They already have a child on the way and have already adopted three! Four children and you don’t even have a woman!"
"That’s not fair, Dad! How can Ian have three children with no effort, and I have to start from zero? Besides, I am yet to enjoy my life after all that hectic ti in the company.... Ian ca back and refuses to go back.... I am saddled with so much work and you want to add marriage on top of it?" He whined.
Brad thought that his explanation made sense, but to his surprise, it was Shelby who supported Geneva and Alex’s statent,
"Exactly," Shelby chid in, raising an eyebrow. "Which ans it’s your turn."
Gabriel joined in with a chant: "Uncle Brad is getting married! Uncle Brad is getting married!"
Brad wished that he could smack the words out of Gabriel’s mouth, but it was impossible, especially with Ian, who watched in amusent.
"I— No! I never agreed to anything!" Brad spluttered, waving his hand.
"But you said —," Samantha jumped in, eyes wide with innocent delight, "— that if Mum ca back safe, you’d do anything asked!"
"When did I say that? ... Even if I did, you can’t use this against ! This is clearly emotional blackmail!" he exclaid, staring around at the now grinning faces. Even the workers were struggling not to smile in the background.
"Exactly," Shelby said sweetly, sipping her tea. Brad wanted to say that Shelby was not there to have heard anything of such, but he couldn’t. It was a little prayer to himself, and he could not rember how those brats had heard of it.
Geneva, taking advantage of this, leaned in with mock sternness.
"I have just the girl in mind. She’s very beautiful and polite. She -"
"Stop it!" Brad groaned, sinking into his chair.
Laughter exploded around the table.
He looked at Ian helplessly. "Are you just going to let them do this to ?"
I only grinned. "A bride was dropped into my lap.... An exquisite trap, but the best trap of my life." Ian kissed Shelby right on the lips, making them all cheer.
"... or do you still have an eye for my wife?"
"WHAT?!!!"
Brad stumbled out of his chair, nearly knocking it over, with his hand on his chest.
"WHAT THE HELL, IAN!!!!!"
"Fine! I’ll do anything!"
Ian’s eyes creased, then he said slyly, "Since I didn’t even know my wife before all this, I think we can do the sa for you."
"Wh-" Brad shut up, fuming. He knew that any objection would turn Ian on him, and he did not like that one bit!
"I like that. What do you have in mind?" Geneva asked, her face mirroring Ian’s perfectly.
"What do you say? Since you don’t like Mum’s choice, how about we leave it to fate? The next woman through that door will be your wife!"
*********
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