But the tension at the table made it hard to taste anything.
Then dessert came out.
Chocolate soufflé.
Perfect little towers dusted with powdered sugar, served with vanilla bean ice cream slowly melting down the side.
Nobody at the table seemed interested in it.
Except me. I ate some with Lil Zay.
As the night went on, the conversation didn’t feel normal.
It felt like everyone else knew what was happening except me.
Words kept floating across the table like pieces of a conversation I wasn’t invited into.
Arrangements.
Families.
Marriage.
Mr. Wells was the first to speak directly to Yuna.
“I forgot to tell you that you look healthier, baby girl.”
Yuna nodded quietly. “I am.”
He leaned back in his chair, studying her like she was a project someone else had finished.
“You embarrassed this family for years. I’m glad someone finally decided to correct it.” He looked at Ares.
Across the table, he didn’t move. He just smirked the whole time with a glass of cognac in his hand, as none of the discomfort fazed him.
Mrs. Wells lifted her wine slowly and turned her attention to Zay.
“So,” she said calmly, “the arrangements are moving forward with the merge? Marcel said a bunch of nothing at the meeting today.”
Zay’s voice stayed even. “It’s being handled.”
“And the public proposal?” she asked, now looking at Ares.
Zay answered before Ares could.
“It will happen when it needs to.”
Mrs. Wells smiled slightly, the kind of smile that didn’t feel warm at all.
“Zacian, you’ve become very comfortable speaking like someone who has authority in this family.”
“You need to chill, that’s why. Now ain’t the time. You are here to have dinner with your kids, not talk business.”
She said his name again. I hated the way she said it and the way she looked at him like a piece of meat.
“Zacian.” Her voice stayed smooth.
“If you continue speaking to me with that tone, I will arrange a marriage for you as well. There’s a lot of money missed while you play house.”
