233. LILLY'S BIRTHDAY - II

233. LILLY'S BIRTHDAY - II
The birthday was held in an open-air garden venue, draped in sunshine and laughter. White tents with flowing yellow ribbons lined the space, shading the tables while still letting in the soft evening glow. Fairy lights hung from tree branches, twinkling like fireflies as the day slowly leaned toward dusk.
Round tables were dressed in crisp white linens, with cheerful yellow flower centrepieces, sunflowers, daisies, and roses, set in mason jars. Along one side, a long buffet table displayed treats and drinks, decorated with white-and-yellow bunting that fluttered lightly in the breeze.
At the centre of the garden stood Lilly’s stage: a small platform framed with a balloon arch in yellow and white, with “Happy Birthday Lilly” glowing in gold letters above. Just beside it, a playful kids’ corner was set up, with beanbags, a soft rug, and baskets of plush toys waiting to be claimed.
The cake stood tall on its own pedestal near the stage, simple but elegant and frosted in white with yellow sugar flowers cascading down one side, crowned with a golden 6.
The entire atmosphere felt fresh, lively, and warm, less like a formal event, more like a cheerful family picnic turned magical celebration.
Kade liked this about his newly found half-sister. Everything she did seemed to bend toward her own liking. She wouldn’t just throw around expensive nonsense because she had money. She had taste, and that surprised him.
Even more surprising was the guest list. None of Zaley’s business partners, not even the closest ones, were invited. Out of respect, the event was strictly for family and friends. Kade had thoroughly checked the backgrounds on every single attendee. Even the watchman of their apartment was here, laughing with his wife and eating cake. But Zaley’s CFO? Not a chance.
And yet, the interns working on a small project at Z were here. Interns. Talking animatedly with Lilly as though she were their boss instead of a six-year-old. Apparently, she was friends with them. God only knew how.
As usual, Kade stayed in the shadows, gaze sharp and alert. His sight followed Lilly everywhere she went. But for the first time, he lost her.
He stepped out. A mistake.
A little girl spotted him and screamed. Her mother rushed over, questions firing in rapid succession.
“Who are you? How did you get in? They’re just letting anyone into the party these days?!”
Kade’s jaw ticked. He could’ve shut her up in less than a second. Twisting her neck would’ve been faster. But it wasn’t his day. It was Lilly’s birthday.
And, speaking of the devil, Lilly appeared out of nowhere.
She planted her finger right at the woman. “You meanie beech. Don’t talk to my half-uncle like that.”
The woman gasped, scandalised.
Lilly turned to him, lowering her voice. “Don’t tell my mamma that I called her meanie beech.”
Kade’s brows pinched. “You mean…mini beach?”
“No. Meanie biitch.” She stretched the word. “That’s what the interns call their manager when she’s mean.”
Then she smacked her forehead with the kind of drama only a six-year-old could muster. “You don’t even know that.”
So, he heard right. Lilly had just called a stranger a bitch, for his sake.
“How did you know I was here?” he asked, suppressing the strange, unsettling rush of emotion that came from her taking his side.
“As soon as we came, my daddy pointed at you and said, ‘Lilly, look. There’s your half-uncle. Don’t go to him. He looks as angry as Hulk.’”
“Then why did you come?”
She shrugged casually. “I like Hulk.”
Kade exhaled through his nose and dropped into a nearby chair. Lilly dragged over another one—well, “dragged” was generous. It was he who actually pulled it into place.
“You didn’t wear yellow,” she said accusingly.
“Your mom didn’t wear yellow either.”
“But she wore daisies on her dress and had a yellow ribbon around her waist.” She held out her palm as if summoning evidence.
And there they were. His mortal enemies. Yellow flowers.
“Seline! Come here!” Lilly chirped, waving.
Another enemy of his appeared, his fiancée.
Seline turned, the sunlight catching her hair so she looked like an angel descending the stairs. In truth, she was only coming down a step, but Lilly’s face said otherwise.
“Pin them to his shirt,” Lilly ordered.
Kade sat back, smirking. She wouldn’t dare—
She did.
Now three daisies sat proudly in the pocket of his white shirt.
“Now,” Lilly clapped her hands, businesslike. “What did you get me for my birthday?”
“Barbie,” Kade muttered, still glaring at Seline.
“I used to play with them when I was little. It has been so long. Thank you.” Lilly said with a smile as if she were no longer little and an adult. “Seline gave me Tinker Bell’s house. It’s this big.” She stretched her arms wide. “And I can decorate it however I like. She made it with her hands.”
“What’s a Tinker Bell?” Kade asked flatly.
Lilly gaped. Hands planted on her hips, she turned to Seline. “He doesn’t even know what a Tinker Bell is. Why are you marrying him?”
Seline pressed her hands to her chest, trying not to laugh. She failed. Silent laughter shook her shoulders.
And Kade, for the first time, wished he could hear her voice.
“Anyway!” Lilly snapped her glittery notepad out of invisible pockets. “Tell me the steps of marrying. Since you’re getting married, my daddy said you should know.”
Seline crouched and, instead of explaining, began drawing crude pictures that even a six-year-old could understand.
Lilly studied them seriously. Then she gave a dramatic thumbs-up. “You’re smart and very beautiful. Like my mamma.” She leaned close to Seline, stage-whispering, “Don’t marry him. He wears no colours.”
Soon, Layla appeared, a smile tugging at her lips. “Your friends are asking for you, Sprinkles.”
With one last wave, Lilly dashed off toward the balloon chaos.
As if Lilly wasn’t enough, her father strolled up, eyes narrowing at the daisies pinned to Kade’s chest. He smirked.
Layla muffled a laugh. “Good to see you, Kade.”
Later, Kai arrived late, beige suit pressed to perfection, holding a million-dollar cheque. His version of a gift.
Lilly accepted it with the manners her parents drilled into her. “Thank you.”
Then she frowned, squinting at his outfit.
“What are you wearing, grandpa?”
Kai smiled. “It’s yellow. Your favourite.”
Lilly smacked her forehead again. “That’s beige. Neither of you knows yellow. Write the spelling of yellow a hundred times.”
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “No. One hundred thousand times.”
Then she ran once again to apologise to the meanie biitch because her mom told her to respect the guests who took their time to attend her birthday.
When everyone cheered for the cake, Kade pulled out his phone and searched for Tinker Bell. His eyes narrowed at the results, then widened in reluctant recognition.
“Ah. Grasshopper fairy. Of course, I knew it.” He leaned back, self-satisfied. “This Lilly has no idea how much I deserve Seline.”
He unwrapped one of Lilly’s so-called “happy sticks” and popped it in his mouth. Immediately, he grimaced and yanked it out again.
Why was it so sweet? He’d need a dentist after this.