Chapter 133: Wedding (7)

Maria shook her head, smiling as Helen leaned toward her to recall a childhood memory involving a family gathering where Jason and Richard had managed to get themselves into trouble. The two women soon became absorbed in their conversation, laughing about how their brothers had once tried to blame each other for a mess neither had wanted to clean up.

"You remember how Jason insisted he hadn’t touched the cake?" Helen asked, laughing. "He had chocolate all over his face!"

Maria laughed so hard that she had to put down her drink. "Richard wasn’t any better! He told everyone he was protecting the cake from Jason, but somehow half of it disappeared while he was guarding it."

Richard, who had heard his name, frowned. "I was a child. Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Because you were a terrible liar even then," Helen replied sweetly.

Jason pointed at his brother. "See? Even your wife knows."

"Your wife is laughing at you too," Richard shot back.

Ethan leaned back in his chair, enjoying the spectacle. "This is excellent. I should record all of this for future reference."

Jason immediately turned on him. "You wouldn’t dare."

"Of course not, old man. I’m a respectful son."

"You’re a disrespectful brat."

"And yet you invited me to sit beside you."

"I didn’t invite you. You followed us!"

"Details."

Evelyn gave Ethan’s arm a gentle nudge, silently reminding him not to push Jason too far, but she was smiling too. The conversation moved from one family story to another, with Albert occasionally joining in whenever he managed to escape the attention of another guest. Yasmine listened with quiet amusement, sometimes asking a question that encouraged the others to explain a story in greater detail.

Nora, meanwhile, continued eating. She had slowed down after Ethan reminded her to enjoy the food instead of racing through it, but she showed no signs of abandoning her mission to sample everything that caught her attention.

When Evelyn offered her a drink, Nora accepted it gratefully before turning back to her plate.

Ethan watched her for a moment, a fond smile settling on his face.

’She’s really starting to relax.’

There had been a time when Nora’s behavior around him had been stiff and guarded, as though every word he spoke needed to be examined for hidden intentions. She still had her reserved moments, but seeing her enjoy herself so freely was a reminder of how much their relationship had changed. He didn’t need her to behave perfectly or impress anyone. He simply wanted her to feel safe enough to be herself.

When she caught him looking, Nora tilted her head suspiciously. "What?"

"Nothing. Keep eating."

She narrowed her eyes. "You’re laughing at me again."

"I’m admiring your dedication."

"Then stop admiring me and eat your own food."

Ethan laughed, and Evelyn shook her head with a helpless smile. Across the table, Jason heard Nora’s response and laughed loudly enough to attract a few curious glances from nearby guests.

"That girl has your attitude, brat!" He declared.

Ethan pointed his fork at him. "Take that back, old man. She’s clearly inherited Evelyn’s good looks and my intelligence."

"Your intelligence?" Jason repeated incredulously. "The only thing you’ve inherited from your mother is the ability to annoy me."

"That’s still a valuable family trait."

Richard groaned, Helen laughed, and Maria simply shook her head as the bickering continued. Even Yasmine, who had been quietly observing the family, found herself smiling at the easy familiarity between them.

The afternoon passed in a comfortable rhythm of food, conversation, and laughter. Ethan spent time congratulating Albert whenever their paths crossed, while Evelyn chatted with Yasmine and the other women. Nora remained close to her parents, enjoying the meal and occasionally joining the conversation when someone asked her a question.

Eventually, Ethan glanced toward the entrance and remembered the gift waiting in the BMW X5.

He set down his napkin and rose from his seat. "I’ll be back in a few minutes. I left something in the car."

Evelyn looked up at him. "Do you need me to come with you?"

"No, stay here and enjoy yourself. I’ll be right back."

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before making his way out of the hall. The afternoon air felt pleasant after the warmth and noise inside, and he walked toward the parking area, where the BMW X5 sat among the other vehicles.

After unlocking the car, Ethan retrieved the carefully wrapped gift he had brought for the newlyweds. He checked that the wrapping was still intact, then closed the door and returned to the venue.

Albert and Yasmine were speaking with a few guests when Ethan approached them. Seeing the package in his hands, Albert immediately looked curious.

"What’s that?" he asked.

Ethan stopped in front of the couple and held out the gift. "Something for the two of you. Consider it a wedding present."

Albert accepted it with both hands, his face brightening. "You didn’t have to bring anything, bro."

"I know. That’s why it’s called a gift."

Albert laughed and shook his head before turning toward Yasmine. "Look at this guy. He can’t give someone a present without insulting them."

"That’s because you make it too easy," Ethan replied.

Yasmine smiled as she looked at the package, then raised her eyes toward Ethan. "Thank you for thinking of us. It’s very kind of you."

"You’re welcome. I hope you both like it."

Albert held the gift against his chest and grinned at his cousin. "I’ll open it later, but you should know that if it’s something embarrassing, I’m getting you back."

Ethan slipped his hands into his pockets, looking entirely unbothered. "Go ahead. Just remember that I have years of embarrassing stories about you, and I don’t mind sharing them with your wife."

Albert’s grin vanished.

Yasmine turned toward her husband with renewed curiosity. "Really?"

"No," Albert replied quickly, tightening his hold on the gift. "He’s lying. He’s always lying."

Ethan laughed as Yasmine joined in, and Albert shook his head with an affectionate smile, realizing that his cousin was unlikely to let him enjoy even his own wedding without a little trouble.

For Ethan, that was perfectly fine. He had come to celebrate an important day in Albert’s life, and seeing his cousin standing beside a woman who clearly cared for him was more than enough.

He offered them both another warm smile before returning to the table, leaving the newlyweds with their wedding gift and the beginning of their new life together.