Contract Marriage starring Love and Revenge
Chapter 35. Happy birthday.

Chapter 35: 35. Happy birthday.

"You must be Champagne, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Frederick Grand, but of course you can call me dad." He says with a smile on his face. One that flawlessly mirrors that of Duke.

I must say, the man is so... so... fine. I mean, to be Duke’s father he should be at least over forty years old, right? But he still looks fine. He’s as tall as Duke, maybe even more good looking.

Now I know where Queen EM gets her inspiration from. It’s like the Male lead of her comic, ’Lover’s at forty’ just came to life. Those fine blue eyes, sharp chin, full brows, perfect brown hair... It’s Jonah King, the Male lead life version!

"Pagne!"

"Huh?" I stare at Duke who just called my name. And I’m finally pulled back to the hand that is stretched out to me. "Oh, oh my gosh! I’m so sorry." I grab his hand with both of my own and shake him a little violently, "I_ I didn’t mean to stare. I was being rude. It’s nice to meet you sir." I force a smile.

"You clearly are one interesting young woman." He says, "You also know how to throw a mighty kick." Oh my gosh, he saw that.

I am so embarrassed, "Oh, I am so sorry you had to see that." I say with a palm over my face, "I know I’ve said this before, but I’m really not like that, it was just so dark and_ and he was wearing a mask and I didn’t know, so my survival instincts just took over." Oh gosh I am ranting in front of my husband’s father! A man I just met!!!

"Oh I really like her." He says with a loud laugh, "Unlike your mother she’s easy to tease."

Oh like father like son, I see... He was just teasing me.

"Oh will you at least let her come inside, she must be freezing." Emily says.

"Oh, come on in, my dear," He extends his elbow to me. At first I stare at Duke but then he nods at me as though silently telling me it’s okay to take the hand being extended to me. I turn back to his father and with a nervous smile, I slip my arm into his own.

In a very gentlemanly manner, he leads me into the house, Duke and the twins coming in behind us. It’s such a warm and cozy atmosphere in here. And unlike Duke’s mansion that is so enormous, expensively and extravagantly decorated, this place is so simple and small.

With Christmas decorations hanging from every part of the house, it’s colorful and bright.

It’s just like I imagined a beach house would be, cozy.

I can see Alan already made himself comfortable inside.

"Now, here we are—" He says and as he does, I notice the boldly cut-out letters from colorful cardboards hanging on one side of the living room and it says...

Happy birthday... is what the letters are saying.

He couldn’t possibly have... I mean they couldn’t possibly be—

"I heard it was your birthday today." He says and I’m trying to understand the situation right now, but I can’t.

"So we decided to throw you a welcome-into-the-family and birthday party all together. That husband of yours has been working us all to the bone all day to make this happen."

I turn around to stare at him and he’s smiling at me, "Happy betday mummy!!!" The twins scream and everybody bursts into laughter, but I burst into tears.

"Ah, they’ve been holding it back long enough." Emily says.

"Happy birthday dearest." Duke says and I can’t even see him properly even though my glasses are still on. The water streaming down from my eyes is blurring my eyesight.

"Oh, you’re all making her cry." Fredrick says.

"Y_you, you knew it was my birthday?" I ask and he laughs.

"How could I not know my wife’s birthday?"

Okay, Duke I can understand, but his father and mother, I just can’t understand why they would do this for me. They literally just met me and judging by the way Duke seems with his parents, he must have told his father too about the entire circumstances of our marriage.

So why? "Why are you all so nice to me?" I bury my ugly face inside my palms as I cry some more.

I can’t understand it. The more I try, the more it doesn’t make sense.

Until now, no one has ever shown me this much kindness and yet ever since I met him, kindness never seems to end. It’s like everywhere I turn, I’m faced with kindness that I don’t even think I deserve.

"You_you don’t even know me well and yet you throw a welcome and birthday party for me." I cry.

"Daddy, is mummy cwaying?" I hear one of the twins say.

"Come on now dearest, you’re going to make the kids worry." He says as he walks up to me and envelops me in a hug.

"Oh, my eyes!" I hear Alan mutter.

"If you’re jealous, go get yourself a wife too. When are you going to get married, young man? You are not so young anymore, you know." Emily is saying.

"Ah, I see. Now that he’s married it’s my turn to get an earful." He says and I hear everyone laughing. I can tell Duke is laughing too even though I’m not looking up at him. I can feel the vibration of his laughter from his chest.

I can’t stop crying, because I’m so touched. I can’t lift my head from his chest because I must look so ugly right now.

"Come on Pagne, we’re never going to start this party if you keep crying." He says. "And besides, the twins have presents for you."

"Presents from the twins?!" I instantly look up at him with my face filled with tears and he laughs.

"I knew that would get you." He brings his hands to my face and wipes the tears from beneath my glasses. "Come on, let’s get this party started."

...

I’m standing here, wondering, thinking while I’m staring and I still can’t believe it even though I’m looking right at it, that... "The pink cockatoo was actually real?!" I say the same thing for the umpteenth time.

I can’t believe it, it’s standing there on Emily’s shoulder in the same exact posture as the image in the living room back at home. The exact posture!

"I thought it was just a picture of a random cockatoo." I say as I keep staring at it, unable to hide my surprise and excitement on seeing a real life cockatoo.

"Oh, Moriarty is very much real." Emily chuckles.

"Moriarty?" I ask. "Why am I not even surprised?" I say and Emily laughs. I mean we already have a Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler, not having a Moriarty is unthinkable.

"Well, hello Moriarty, it’s nice to know you are real. I am Champagne." I really want to stroke it, but I’m kinda scared. What if he gets startled and claws at me? No, I’m not taking any chances.

"Does he talk?" I ask.

"Oh he is talkative." Emily says with a laugh. "But he’s usually quiet around new faces. Give him a few days, and he won’t stop chanting your name." She says and I nod.

"Hey," I shrink a little and blush as I feel his hand wrap around my shoulder from behind, his warmth is slowly seeping through my system.

"Here’s the punching bag." Emily jokes and I feel so embarrassed. I still can’t believe that happened.

"I really am okay being her punching bag." He says and I can’t bring myself to stare at him, "Don’t forget what I said, just give me a heads up next time." He slyly reminds me of what he had told me and I’m blushing foolishly.

"Go away." I shake off his shoulder but he holds me back, resting his hand there again, "You should have said something, I wouldn’t have reacted that way if I knew it was you."

"I kept talking but you weren’t listening, Dearest." He’s right, I think he was talking that time but of course I wasn’t listening. Why would I listen to a guy in a mask?

"Better still, you should have taken off the mask." I say.

"Pagne, at that time I didn’t even remember I had the mask on." He always has a response! It’s so embarrassing to think I did that and he won’t give me a chance to justify myself.

Emily is just looking at the two of us with weird twinkling eyes and a weirder smile on her face.

"I think you should watch less horror movies." He suddenly says.

"I didn’t act that way because of horror movies." Lies!!!

"Liar. I can tell you had been waiting all your life to act as a victim and killer and once a chance presented itself, you did just that."

Ohhh! He’s so_ so_ so right!

"I hate you." I slam an elbow into his abs and he laughs. I hate him, really.

"You’ll love me soon enough." He suddenly declares and I look up at him in surprise

Dear God, please bless this man for me. Please bless him.

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