Chapter 181 Told You So!
Calhoun's POV
Servants are running around, arranging the dining hall, dusting tables and chairs, and turning on the lights, the whole house hasn't been the same since Kristen returned from the place that she went.
"What's the celebration about?" Bruce has a thoughtful look on his face as he stares at the buzzing servants.
"Don't ask me, ask her," I point at Kristen who's at the door, welcoming guests.
Her announcement for a little feast came
unexpectedly because it's something she hasn't done before, which makes it questionable because it's clear she has something up her sleeve.
She went out of her way to invite people over, asking the servants to send them messages and when an invitee gave an excuse, she would move on to the other person. She did this until all the chairs at the dining table were completed.
Sixty-two guests in total and it happened under three good hours.
She's Luna, after all, she has great influence over these people. They have regarded her highly ever since she was kidnapped by Theodore Fitzgerald and she returned home with his dead body in the backseat of the car she had driven.
"What are you doing?" I say under my breath, although she can't even hear me.
She's full of smiles as she goes around exchanging pleasantries with her guests. I haven't seen her look this cheerful before.
"Bruce?" She turns away from an elderly man when she notices my beta sitting beside me.
"Yes, my Luna?" My beta sends me a quick
questioning look instead of Kristen. I wonder why it's me he's looking at.
"You can't sit next to my husband all the time," Kristen points out with a friendly non-threatening smile.
"My apologies," Bruce clears his throat and throws me a puzzled look once more.
"You can sit over there," she points at the seat between her two best friends. Maddy and Sapphire.
And I notice how Bruce pales for a few seconds as if he just saw a ghost when his eyes land on Sapphire.
"Is anything the matter?" Kristen inquires upon sensing his tension.
"No...no," Bruce stutters, and gets up quickly.
While Maddy seems at ease, Sapphire on the other hand doesn't look comfortable with this.
Is there something going on?
Bruce reluctantly goes over to sit beside Sapphire and
Kristen takes the seat at my side.
"You haven't done this before," I say only for her hearing.
"Are you offended?" Kristen doesn't have any bit of innocence in her eyes. It's all gone since she came
back a week ago.
"Not at all, it just took me off by surprise," I respond quietly, something which isn't even a lie.
Kristen gives me a quick smile before rising to her
feet with her glass of wine, and then she hits the fork against it to gain silence from the chattering going across the table.
"Well, hello everyone. It's glad to have you all grace this place with your presence, after accepting my invitation," Kristen smiles and nods at a few people.
And this is so unlike her. She's been smiling too much since she came back. And earlier, she wasn't like this. In fact, she seemed rather tensed when she barged into my study and asked me to keep an eye on our son.
"It was never my intention to throw a feast today, but just this afternoon, it rolled into my mind and so, I invited everyone who I thought off," Kristen let out a small awkward laugh.
And her guests are seemingly pleased by this.
"Thank you, Luna!"
"It is an honor to invite us here tonight,"
"I must say I admire your effort, you've done more
than we expected of you this past few days."
At this, I know they're referring to Theodore's murder.
Christ, can I ever look at her the same?
She's not that fragile Kristen anymore. She knew about Theodore's deadly addiction to her, and so she lured him with a fake attraction, and made him kiss her. Only to remove his heart from his chest.
The innocent Kristen is turning into this unpredictable woman, she hasn't even shed a single
drop of tears over guilt and regret from killing Theodore Fitzgerald.
And judging from how she's addressing all sixty
people at this table, it's clear she'll do it again if perhaps a third mate comes this time.
"Calhoun?" Kristen's voice remains steadfast and resolute when she tries to gain my attention.
"Yes?" I maintain an unbroken connection with her
eyes.
"I have news for you," she tells me.
"Woah, a news," I release a quick breath and wonder
what she has to say. Since she returned with Theodore's body, it's been one surprise after the
other.
"We're going to have a baby again!" Kristen has a beam on her face when she announces.
And a quick gasp erupts from the table.
"A baby?...Wow!" I can feel my eyes widening and my
jaw dropping in disbelief, as I absorb the news of my wife being pregnant for the second time. I am
shocked, surprised, and rendered momentarily speechless.
Kristen, upon sensing my astonishment, furrows her
brows with concern and confusion.
"Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."
"Pregnant again!? I...I didn't expect that," I stammer. And I see worry taking over her face as she touches my arm, "Is it too quick? Aren't you happy about it? You wanted Aiden to be a handful of years before we have another baby?"
Quickly, I blink, trying to give my initial shock away with a warm smile.
"No, no..it's just unexpected. I mean, it's huge and of course a great news... I was just trying to process everything because it came off by surprise." "You had me worried there for a moment, I thought
you weren't excited," And Kristen sighs in relief, mirroring my expression.
Standing up to my feet, I pull her into a quick hug.
"Excited? Absolutely. Overwhelmed? Maybe a bit but it's the best way possible. We're in this together, remember?"
To think she was pregnant this whole time and no
one knew.
My hands find themselves around her waist and I kiss her long and deep, telling her so many things through the kiss.
For a moment it felt like just the two of us here, until
applause from our guests erupts, separating us from
the kiss, as a chorus of joy cascades through the dining hall from this news. They're smiling and
clapping in unison, as a short celebration of the moment.
Suddenly someone slams their fist against the dining table, silencing everyone.
And I turn away from Kristen to see who it is.
Only to find out that it's my beta, who looks so upset as if he wants to shred something into pieces. Kristen's friend, Sapphire who is seated at his side,
has complete fear written on her face. And it's the first time I have seen her look like this. The excitement from my wife has already faded and
replaced with concern on her face as she glances at me, before fixing her gaze on her friend. Confused whispers spread across the dining hall, but they all stop when an enraged Bruce points at Sapphire.
"I am not the father of your baby!" He yells in her
face.
And while Sapphire flinches, a gasp echoes around, and widened eyes with dropping jaws, turn towards
Sapphire's side of the table.
"You know it's not true, Bruce. How can you say that?
"While protesting, a confused Sapphire jumps to her feet with tears welled in her eyes.
Wait a minute...
My beta and Kristen's best friend have been fucking?
Did I just misheard them?
Or something else is going on?
I thought Kristen set up this place so she could announce that she's pregnant with baby number two?
Why else is Bruce and Sapphire arguing and bringing
in a twist of events?
"What's going on?" I speak up as the head of this
place.
And Bruce who is already storming off from the dining table, shoots back.
"Ask her!" He nudges his head accusingly at Sapphire's side before taking a deep breath, and then
straightens his collar, "Kristen is pregnant and now you too, are telling me that I impregnated you?" He wipes his mouth with the back of his palm before
letting out an incredulous chuckle, "I won't be any part of this charade."
I try to exchange a puzzled glance with Kristen, as I
am still unsure of the unfolding drama, but Kristen maintains a straight composure and calls out to my
beta.
"You need to calm down so you two can talk about this, Bruce!" She screams at him.
But my beta doesn't even listen. He's already way too
upset to speak, so I'll take it that he's leaving to go blow off some steam.
"I might be a slut and everything despicable, but I am
telling the truth," Sapphire sobs and rubs the side of her arm.
But Bruce doesn't even listen to this, he heads out and shuts the doors behind him with a loud thud. People across the table are startled by this. "Don't tell me you're already aware of this?" I ask my
wife when I return my attention to her. She's been way too calm as if she saw this coming. "I just found out this evening, Calhoun," Kristen replies with the look of disappointment crossing her
face.
"I told you I didn't want to do this, I told you so!" Sapphire, who looks completely hurt, choked back her tears as she directs this to Kristen.
While Kristen leaves my side and goes to embrace her
friend.
And Maddy on the other hand, seems completely taken aback and left out of everything, as she's yet to even utter a word.
Just like that, the once pleasant ambiance is now shattered with a lingering tension in the air. While Sapphire cries silently as she hugs my wife.