Chapter 121 A Gift...

Chapter 121 A Gift...
That day, my phone practically exploded with calls and birthday wishes—mostly from people I expected the least to hear from. Kirill’s eyes rolled with irritation when I got a call from Yevgeniy, the owner of the real estate agency through which Kirill bought our house.
But that was nothing compared to the way my husband’s fists clenched and his teeth ground together when the next caller rang.
“Yes?” I answered casually, picking up an unknown number. Silence stretched on the other end.
“Hi,” I heard Danil’s voice.
“Dani… hi,” I exhaled awkwardly, and I saw Kirill tense beside me, glaring at the phone in my hand. My unshakeable, jealous caveman.
“Happy birthday, Vicky. I wish you all the best… and that all your dreams come true,” the brunette said quietly.
“Thank you,” I muttered, not knowing what else to say. We both knew there was a chasm between us now.
“Tell me… are you happy? He… doesn’t hurt you, does he?” he asked gently. And I understood—he needed to know.
“Danil, I really love him. And I’m very happy,” I answered honestly, glancing at the man in front of me. Kirill finally relaxed, stepped closer, wrapped his arms around me from behind, and kissed my cheek, burying his face in my neck. “Everything is good, and our feelings are mutual.”
“Do you trust him?”
“More than enough. He’s… changed a lot, Dani. I’d be really happy if you two could someday find common ground,” I added, just as Kirill lifted his head and made a skeptical face at me—which, of course, made me smile.
“All right,” Danil sighed. “I really am glad that things worked out for you. That’s all I needed to hear. Have a good day, Vicky.”
“Thank you—you too,” I replied. The call ended, and I was immediately spun around and kissed possessively by my husband.
The first guests to arrive were my parents and Oleg Alekseevich, who subtly pulled me aside and handed me a gift. It was a small box tied with a red bow.
My jaw practically hit the ground when I saw the car keys inside. And a minute later—I saw the car itself.
Oh. My. God. It was stunning.
I stood frozen, overflowing with emotions. I hugged my father-in-law, thanking him over and over, while Kirill stood nearby grinning at my reaction. My husband promised to give me his gift at the end of the evening—but I honestly didn’t know how he planned to top what his father had just done.
Nazar arrived, and so did Marina with her new boyfriend, Viktor. Sure, first impressions can be misleading, but… I didn’t like him. Handsome, polite, witty—but something about him felt off. Still, my friend was glowing with happiness, and he treated her well—that’s what mattered.
Dasha and her husband came to congratulate me too. I’d grown very close to her and was happy to see her at my birthday. Her babies were only two months old and stayed with her mother so she and Makar could sneak away for a couple of hours. As usual, her husband was silent, withdrawn, gloomy, and clearly uncomfortable—stealing uneasy glances at everyone.
And what’s a gathering without Irishka and Mikhail? They arrived with their energetic kids, who immediately stormed the inflatable bouncy castle we’d rented for the children. Our boys were fascinated too—and, thankfully, it was relatively safe for them to climb on.
Valentina was also supposed to come—with a plus one. She called me the day before asking permission to bring someone, and I knew exactly who the man was. I was more than happy they were coming. And they didn’t take long to arrive.
“Valentina! Uncle Vanya! I’m so happy to see you!” I exclaimed, hurrying to greet them with tight hugs.
“Happy birthday, dear!” my guests congratulated me, smiling warmly and wishing me all the best.
When we all sat down at the table, I couldn’t help but notice the furious glare Oleg shot toward the newcomers. His jaw tightened, his mood darkened instantly, and the heaviness of his stare could have crushed uncle Vanya’s neck if it had physical weight. He quite literally looked ready to strangle him.
But despite the tension among the men and all the loaded glances, my celebration was wonderful. I was surrounded by the exact people I was genuinely happy to see and hear from.
My parents, together with Valentina and uncle Vanya, chatted near the children’s play area, where Andry and Egor were running around. Mr. Yartsev watched them with a stone-cold expression, talking to someone on the phone. Irishka and Marina were sitting at the table, chatting cheerfully, while Viktor sat nearby, silently and openly bored, barely interacting with anyone.
Kirill, Nazar, and Makar stood off to the side, talking about something. Though, from the looks of it, it was mainly Kirill and Nazar arguing over something, while Makar simply observed them with curiosity.