chapter 148
Elena's POV:
"You look so pretty."
Nicholas's voice carried that particular warmth reserved only for her.
The blue salon seemed to shrink around us as Rose murmured something about happy birthday, her fingers unconsciously smoothing the deep blue dress he'd sent.
"Speaking of which," I interjected, desperate to ease the charged atmosphere, "where did our little birthday messenger disappear to?"
The question shattered their frozen tableau. Rose blinked as if waking from a dream, maternal instinct reasserting itself. "She was quicker than—"
"Found her!" Adrian's voice preceded Lily's delighted giggle as they appeared in the doorway. He carried her on his hip with practiced ease, and she clutched a wrapped package nearly as big as herself.
"Uncle Adrian was showing me the fish!" Lily announced, then caught sight of Nicholas. Her whole face lit up. "Happy birthday! Mama said I could give you our present!"
Nicholas's expression softened in a way that made my chest tight. He crossed the room in three strides, gently taking the gift from Lily's small hands. "Thank you, sweetheart. Should I open it now?"
"Yes!" Lily bounced in Adrian's arms. "Mama helped me pick it out. She said you'd like it because it's from that place with the fancy name."
Rose's cheeks flushed. "Lily—"
"Montblanc," the little girl continued proudly. "See? I remembered!"
I felt Sebastian's hand find the small of my back, steadying me.
Nicholas carefully unwrapped the gift, revealing an elegant leather journal. His fingers traced the embossed cover with something approaching reverence. "It's perfect. Thank you both."
"Mama uses one just like it for her important thoughts," Lily supplied helpfully. "She writes in it every night before bed."
The look Nicholas shot Rose could have melted steel. She busied herself adjusting Lily's hair ribbon, steadfastly avoiding his gaze.
"Lily," I said, sensing Rose's discomfort, "did you know there's a whole room here just for children's parties? With toys and everything?"
"Really?" Lily's eyes widened with excitement. "Can we see it? Is it like the Disney place Daddy talked about?"
Rose's brow furrowed in confusion. "What Disney place, sweetheart?"
"Daddy said if I could convince you to come to his birthday party, he'd take me to Disneyland!" Lily bounced on her toes, her small hands clasped together in hopeful anticipation.
The color drained from Rose's face as understanding dawned. Her hand found Lily's bottom with a gentle but warning pinch that made the little girl squeak.
"We'll discuss this at home, young lady," she said through a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "And you and I will be having a very long conversation about keeping secrets and accepting bribes."
She straightened, her voice turning crisp and professional as she addressed me. "The gift has been delivered. We should be going now."
The tension in her shoulders spoke volumes—Nicholas had clearly been using their daughter as a pawn in whatever game he was playing.
The little girl seemed to sense the shift in her mother's mood, her earlier excitement dimming as she pressed closer to Rose's side.
"Afraid of revisiting old haunts?" Sebastian's voice cut through the moment, his tone deliberately provocative.
Rose's chin lifted, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I'm not afraid of anything."
"Then stay for dinner," he said smoothly, though it sounded less like an invitation and more like a command. "It would be rude to leave so soon."
Rose hesitated, trapped by social convention and Sebastian's calculating gaze. Her fingers tightened around Lily's small hand before she gave a curt nod. "Fine."
Nicholas's shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, relief flickering across his features now that Rose had finally stopped insisting on leaving. He caught my eye briefly, gratitude mixing with something else.
Once we'd settled in the private dining room, the atmosphere remained strained despite the elegant spread of food before us.
Nicholas pushed his fork around his plate, starting to speak several times before catching himself. His usual easy charm had been replaced by an anxious energy that made even Sebastian raise an eyebrow.
Finally, as Lily happily worked her way through a slice of chocolate cake, Nicholas cleared his throat. "Rose, I was thinking... my father's here tonight. I'd like to take Lily to meet him."
"No!" Rose's response was immediate and fierce, her body instinctively positioning itself between Nicholas and their daughter. "Absolutely not. I won't allow it."
Nicholas's jaw tightened, but his voice remained measured. "Your grandmother would be pleased to know Lily wants to thank him properly."
I felt my brow furrow in confusion at the exchange, clearly missing some crucial piece of their shared history. Sebastian caught my puzzled expression and leaned closer, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
"Old Black once sent his private medical team out in a torrential storm to save Rose's grandmother," he explained quietly. "The woman was dying, and the regular emergency services couldn't get through the flooding. Black's helicopter team made the difference between life and death that night."
Understanding dawned on me as the pieces fell into place.
"I want to say thank you to the nice man who saved Great-Grandma!" Lily suddenly piped up, her young voice cutting through the tension with innocent determination.
She turned to her mother with those big eyes that children perfected for getting their way. "Mommy, please? Great-Grandma always says we should thank people who help us."
Rose's face crumbled slightly at her daughter using her own grandmother's teachings against her. She looked from Lily's earnest face to Nicholas's carefully neutral expression, then closed her eyes in defeat.
"Ten minutes," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's all."