Chapter 126 #126
Chapter 126
~Shailyn's POV~
The door opened.
Someone cleared their throat.
Loudly.
Dwayne and I broke apart instantly, both breathing hard.
I looked up, expecting Hannah.
But it wasn't even Hannah.
An older woman stood in the doorway, arms full of grocery bags, smiling widely.
"Well, well, well," she said. "What do we have here?"
"Aunt Marie!" Hannah appeared behind her, eyes wide. "I didn't know you were coming!"
"Clearly." Marie set the bags down and looked between Dwayne and me. "Don't let me interrupt. You two looked very... engaged."
My face burned. "We were just—"
"Kissing? Yes, I saw." She grinned. "And very sweetly too."
"Aunt Marie—"
"Oh, don't be embarrassed, dear. I'm a sucker for love. Always have been." She walked further into the room. "You two make a lovely couple."
"We're not—" I started.
"Of course you are. Anyone with eyes can see it." She looked at my stomach. "And those babies are going to be absolutely beautiful."
I wanted to die. Right there. Just sink into the floor and disappear.
"Aunt Marie," Hannah said desperately. "This is complicated—"
"Love usually is." Marie waved her hand dismissively. "But that doesn't make it any less real.”
Luke appeared in the doorway now too, looking confused. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Hannah said quickly. "Absolutely nothing."
"Except young love," Marie added cheerfully. "The most beautiful kind."
Dwayne cleared his throat. "Ma'am, I appreciate the sentiment, but—"
"But nothing. Life's too short to deny yourself happiness." She looked at me. "Especially you, dear. You're glowing. Pregnancy suits you."
"Thank you," I managed weakly.
"And you—" She turned to Dwayne. "You better treat her right. She's carrying precious cargo."
"I will. I promise."
"Good." She clapped her hands together. "Now, who's hungry? I brought ingredients for lunch."
"Aunt Marie, you don't have to—"
"Nonsense. You have guests. And pregnant women need to eat."
She bustled toward the kitchen, humming to herself.
Hannah looked at me apologetically. "I'm so sorry. She has a key and just, shows up sometimes."
"It's fine," I said, though my heart was still racing.
Luke leaned against the doorframe. "So. That happened."
"Shut up," Hannah hissed.
"I'm just saying—"
"Don't. Just don't." He and Hannah were having back and forth.
I risked a glance at Dwayne.
He was looking at me. Intensely.
Like he wanted to finish what we started.
Like he wanted to take me right there.
My entire body heated under that gaze.
"Shailyn," Marie called from the kitchen. "Come help me chop vegetables, dear."
I practically fled toward the kitchen, grateful for the escape.
Marie was laying out ingredients on the counter when I arrived.
"You don't have to be embarrassed, you know," she said without looking up.
"I'm not—"
"Yes, you are. Your face is still red." She smiled. "But there's nothing to be ashamed of. That man loves you."
"It's complicated—"
"Most good things are." She handed me a knife. "Start on the carrots?"
I took the knife and began chopping mechanically.
"Hannah tells me you're married," Marie continued.
"Yes."
"But not to him."
"No."
"Does your husband treat you well?"
I hesitated. "Not really."
"Then why stay?"
"It's complicated."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
She stopped what she was doing and looked at me. "Sweetheart, life's too short to stay with someone who doesn't cherish you. Especially when someone who does is right there."
"He's my husband's brother."
"So?"
"So it's wrong."
"Is it? Or is staying with someone who hurts you wrong?"
I didn't have an answer for that.
"Those babies," Marie said softly. "They deserve a mother who's happy. Who's loved. Not trapped."
Tears pricked my eyes. "I know."
"Then do something about it." She hugged me.
Hannah appeared in the doorway. "Aunt Marie, stop interrogating her."
"I'm not interrogating. I'm advising."
"Same thing."
"Hardly." Marie turned back to her cooking. "Go entertain your guests. We're fine here."
Hannah gave me a questioning look.
I nodded. I was okay.
She left, and Marie and I continued cooking in comfortable silence.
\---
Lunch was surprisingly normal.
Marie told stories about Hannah's childhood, making everyone laugh. Especially Luke who has been looking at her like he can't wait to devour her.
Dwayne sat across from me, his foot occasionally brushing mine under the table.
Every touch sent electricity through me.
Luke kept stealing glances at Hannah, who pretended not to notice.
"You two should date," Marie said suddenly, pointing between Hannah and Luke.
Hannah choked on her water. "What?"
"You heard me. He's clearly smitten. You clearly like him. What's the problem?"
"Aunt Marie—"
"Don't 'Aunt Marie' me. I see how you look at him when you think no one's watching."
Luke's ears turned red.
Hannah glared at her aunt. "Can we not do this right now?"
"When then? You're not getting any younger, Hannah."
"I'm twenty-eight!"
"Exactly. Prime time."
Dwayne laughed. "I like her."
"Of course you do," Hannah muttered. "She's embarrassing everyone equally."
"That's my specialty," Marie said cheerfully.
After lunch, Marie insisted on cleaning up herself.
"You young people go relax. I've got this."
We moved back to the living room.
Dwayne sat beside me on the couch. Close. Too close.
His hand found mine, fingers interlacing.
Hannah noticed and raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
Luke was typing on his laptop, focused on something.
"Any updates?" Dwayne asked.
"Working on the voice recognition. Should have results soon."
"Good."
Marie emerged from the kitchen, drying her hands. "Alright, I'm heading out. Hannah, call me later?"
"Will do."
"And you two—" She pointed at Dwayne and me. "Be good. But not too good."
She winked and left.
The moment the door closed, Hannah collapsed onto the armchair.
"I'm so sorry about her."
"Don't be," I said. "She's sweet."
"She's a menace."
"A well-meaning menace."
Dwayne squeezed my hand. "She's not wrong though."
"About what?"
"About us. About what we could be."
My heart flipped. "Dwayne—"
"I meant what I said earlier. I'm done hiding."
"We have to be careful—"
"I know. But that doesn't change how I feel."
Luke cleared his throat. "Should I leave?"
"No," Hannah and I said simultaneously.
"We need to focus," I added. "On the plan. On keeping Dwayne safe."
"Right," Dwayne said, though his eyes didn't leave mine. "The plan."
Luke turned his laptop around. "I've been thinking. If we want to catch Frederick in the act—"
"Wait," Dwayne interrupted suddenly.
We all looked at him.
"What?" Hannah asked.
"Why did you install cameras in the first place?"
Silence.
Hannah and I looked at each other.
"What do you mean?" Hannah asked carefully.
"I mean, you just happened to have cameras set up in Dante's study? That's pretty specific."
"I wanted to keep an eye on him," Hannah said quickly.
"Why?"
"Because he's Dante. He's always up to something."
"That's not the only reason. Is it?”
Hannah shifted uncomfortably. "I just thought—"
"Hannah." Dwayne's voice was firm. "Why did you really install those cameras?"
She looked at me.
I looked back at her.
And in that moment, I knew.
He was figuring it out.
Dwayne stood slowly, looking between us.
"There's something you're not telling me. Something big."
"Dwayne—"
"How long have you been planning this? The cameras. The evidence collection. The party sabotage."
"It's not—"
"How long have you been watching Dante? Is it just Dante?"
Hannah and I remained silent.
Dwayne's expression shifted. Understanding dawning.
"You remember," he said quietly, looking directly at me.
My heart stopped.
"You remember everything. Don't you?"