Chapter 600

The night in Marigoldia had that special ocean vibe, with the resort restaurant's terrace lit up like a starry sky.

Zoey pulled out a chair and sat down, the sea breeze playfully messing with her already tousled hair. She realized she hadn't had a moment to fix it all day.

"Let me call Celine first."

Zoey took out her phone and dialed Celine's number, signaling the waiter to give them a minute.

The call connected quickly, and Celine's voice was filled with concern. "Zoe? How's it going? Did you find Claire? Is she okay?"

Even though Celine had stayed back at the villa to help with Gabriel and Travis, she had been worried sick about Claire.

She had never met Upton, but from Zoey's description, she knew he was bad news.

Anyone who could convince Finnegan to demand two hundred million dollars in dowry from Joseph had to be trouble.

Upton's kidnapping of Claire likely meant he knew about her eight hundred million dollars and wanted it for himself.

So, Celine was genuinely worried about Claire's safety.

"We found Claire, she's safe now."

Zoey glanced at Claire sitting across from her, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "We're at the main restaurant in the resort. Come down and join us for dinner. How are Gabriel and Travis?"

There was a faint sound of footsteps on the other end, as if Celine was moving around. "Gabriel and Travis had two pieces of chocolate cake this afternoon, and now they're out cold."

Celine's voice carried a hint of laughter. "I'll be down in five minutes."

Knowing Claire was safe and nothing unexpected had happened, Celine finally felt relieved.

Claire being okay was all that mattered, especially since she had just married Joseph a few days ago. If something had happened during their honeymoon, it would have cast a shadow over their lives forever.

After hanging up, Zoey finally relaxed, leaning back in her chair and letting out a long breath.

Henry handed her a glass of water at the right moment, and she drank half of it in one go, feeling the tension of the day start to ease.

"Celine will be down soon," she told everyone, then turned to Claire. "Are you sure you don't need to rest first?"

Claire shook her head. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, she seemed relatively composed. "I'm starving, and..." She paused, "I need to feel normal with my friends."

Joseph silently held Claire's hand, his thumb gently stroking the scabbed-over scrape on her wrist.

As a doctor, Joseph knew physical wounds healed easily, but today's ordeal would likely leave deeper scars in Claire's mind.

Celine arrived even faster than expected.

She wore a green dress, her hair casually tied back, looking much more relaxed than she had during the day.

But when her gaze fell on the scrapes on Claire's arm, her brows immediately furrowed.

"Did Upton hurt you?" Celine asked bluntly, pulling out a chair and sitting next to Zoey.

Claire didn't shy away from the question. She could now calmly recount the terrifying experience. "Almost. Luckily, Zoe and the others arrived just in time."

She managed a faint smile. "And Zoe castrated Upton, which is a public service."

"Serves him right!" Celine slapped the table, drawing glances from nearby diners. She lowered her voice, "Scum like him deserves that fate."

Zoey raised her eyebrows proudly and started recounting the dramatic events at the hospital. "You won't believe it, Jett needed a blood transfusion, but his blood type didn't match."

Her storytelling was animated, even mimicking Finnegan's furious expression and Mabel's pathetic collapse.

"So now Finnegan is doing a paternity test at the hospital," Zoey concluded, spearing a piece of fruit from the appetizer tray and taking a bite.

Celine's expression shifted from surprise to disbelief, finally settling into a complex understanding.

She looked at Claire. "So Finnegan only has you as his daughter now."

Claire's eyes turned cold instantly, her fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of her water glass. "I've already severed ties with him."

Claire's voice was calm, without a hint of emotion. "From the moment he took the million dollars I gave him and agreed to cut off the last bit of our relationship."

The restaurant's soft lighting highlighted Claire's resolute profile.

Joseph silently held Claire's hand, conveying his support without words.

Celine snorted lightly. "It's ironic, neglecting his own daughter while treating someone else's son like a treasure for thirteen years."

She raised her glass. "That's karma."

The conversation soon shifted to lighter topics.

Delicious dishes arrived one after another, their aromas dispelling the day's unpleasantness.

Zoey and Henry shared stories about Gabriel and Travis's recent antics, while Celine recounted cute moments from the afternoon spent watching them.

Claire gradually relaxed, even laughing at the story of Travis walking like a penguin.

Dinner ended on a cheerful note.

As they parted, Zoey hugged Claire and whispered in her ear, "Get some rest. Call me if you need anything."

Claire hugged Zoey back, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you, Zoe. If it weren't for you today..."

Zoey interrupted Claire. "No need for that between friends."

She patted Claire's back. "See you tomorrow."

By the time they returned to the villa, it was late.

Zoey and Henry tiptoed into Gabriel and Travis's room.

In the soft glow of the nightlight, the two three-year-old boys were sleeping soundly.

Gabriel clutched his favorite stuffed animal, his little mouth slightly open; Travis lay sprawled out, his blanket kicked to the side, his round belly rising and falling with his breaths.

Zoey couldn't help but smile, quietly walking over and gently covering Travis with the blanket again.

Her movements were as tender as if handling the most precious treasure, a stark contrast to the fierce woman who had incapacitated Upton earlier that day.

"Goodnight, my little warriors."

Zoey kissed each boy's forehead, her voice barely audible.

Henry stood at the door, watching the scene, his eyes filled with affection.

When Zoey returned to Henry's side, he gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. "You were amazing today."

Zoey leaned into his embrace, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion. "I just did what needed to be done."

She glanced back at her sleeping sons one last time, softly closing the door. "I hope they never have to face such ugliness."

The hallway light cast long shadows, intertwining their silhouettes, like a silent promise that no matter how dangerous the world outside, this home would always be a haven.