Chapter 645 Caitlyn, I'm Getting Married!
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Jesse was a whirlwind of energy, tearing around the open space. Snowflake was loving the new place too, darting around Jesse's legs, all excited.
Kingsley stood nearby, keeping an eye on them.
Eventually, both Jesse and Snowflake got worn out. Jesse, who adored Snowflake, handed her over to Kingsley. "Dad, Snowflake's all dirty. Can you clean her up?"
Kingsley took the soft, smooth-skinned Snowflake by her fur-less belly with one hand. Jesse ran off to grab a towel and handed it to his dad, eyes wide with anticipation.
Kingsley cleaned up Snowflake and then scooped up Jesse with his other hand, heading back to the villa.
Jesse, a bit shy, rested his head on Kingsley's shoulder but couldn't resist petting Snowflake after a bit.
Amara came downstairs in her comfy clothes.
As they settled in for dinner, Jesse began to fuss, insisting that Snowflake should join them at the table. Kingsley was trying to explain things to Jesse. Snowflake, meanwhile, was perched on a chair, looking all innocent.
Jesse didn't get it. "Why can't Snowflake eat with us?"
Kingsley raised an eyebrow. "Snowflake only eats dog food. Plus, how's she gonna reach the table? She doesn't have hands to hold a spoon."
Jesse's eyes lit up. "Dad, you can feed Snowflake."
Kingsley was silent.
In the end, Jesse figured it out on his own, sadly putting Snowflake on the sofa and coming over to eat. Seeing his face, Kingsley couldn't help but soften. "After dinner, I'll make a little dining table for her, so she can eat separately, okay?"
"Really?" Jesse's eyes sparkled.
"Of course." Kingsley hooked pinkies with him.
Amara sighed softly. "You spoil him too much!"
Kingsley glanced at her and calmly replied, "He's our son. What's wrong with spoiling him a bit? Jesse's only three; he won't start preschool until later this year!"
Amara didn't say anything else.
After dinner, Kingsley took Jesse and Snowflake to the tool room. They spent quite a while there, making a small dining table and chair set for Snowflake out of wood, plus a little bed. Kingsley polished the wood until it shone.
Snowflake seemed to know it was her bed and jumped on it, curling up. When Kingsley finished, he brought the two small items upstairs.
Amara, having finished her bath, was seated at her desk, engrossed in the company's financial report. Kingsley placed the items in front of her and said in a flat tone, "Make something for Snowflake, like a small cushion or pillow, preferably with soft pink fabric."
Amara looked up.
Kingsley had wood shavings on him, and his hair was falling over his forehead, looking quite different from his usual neat appearance.
Amara felt a bit disoriented. "I'll just buy a set online! It'll look better than what I can make."
Kingsley disagreed. "Jesse wants it handmade."
Amara reluctantly agreed.
At that moment, Snowflake wobbled in and jumped into Amara's lap, her tiny paws pawing at the documents in front of her. Afraid she'd tear the papers, Amara quickly moved them aside.
Her slender fingers gently stroked the puppy. "Kingsley, are you raising Snowflake as a daughter?"
Kingsley's gaze deepened. "Why don't we have another daughter?"
Amara didn't say anything, and Kingsley didn't push it. Instead, he brought up something else, "Tomorrow morning, we're changing Jesse's last name."
Amara was taken aback.
Jesse Butler was soon to be officially known as Jesse Hawkins?
Kingsley watched her and said slowly, "If you want, we can also get married. I have no plans to find a stepmother for Jesse."
Amara looked up at him. Just then, her phone rang. It was Caitlyn.
Amara glanced at Kingsley.
Kingsley said, "Is that your lover calling? Should I not listen in?"
Amara had no choice but to answer. On the other end, Caitlyn's voice was raspy. "I'm getting engaged tomorrow. Tonight's my bachelorette party. Are you coming?"
Amara suddenly remembered that tomorrow was Valentine's Day—Caitlyn's engagement day.
Caitlyn was causing a scene tonight. Amara guessed she hadn't gotten over her feelings for Landon and asked, "Is there anyone else with you?"
Caitlyn sobbed. "Everyone's gone!"
Then she mumbled a few more words.
Then someone else took the phone and spoke in a low voice, "Is this Ms. Butler? I'm Hazel Reynolds, Ms. Robinson's maid. She's causing quite a scene, and I don't dare call Mr. Carter. What should we do?"
Caitlyn was at the villa Landon had given her?
Amara quickly said, "Take care of her. I'll be right over."
She hung up and met Kingsley's gaze, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her, "Caitlyn isn't doing well. Tomorrow's her engagement day. I'll go check on her. Can you take care of Jesse?"
Kingsley brushed the wood shavings off himself and said slowly, "Why should I agree?"
She walked over to him, helped remove a few wood shavings, and softened her voice, "Please. I'm begging you."
Kingsley stared at her intently.
Amara lightly licked her lips and leaned in to kiss him, trying to please him. But before she could kiss him, he said in a hoarse voice, "Be back by twelve-thirty! There's a curfew."
Amara blushed but felt relieved and said, "Okay."
She changed her clothes, and Kingsley tossed her his car keys. "Take my car. The interior color is too bright for me; I'm not used to it."
Amara neither accepted nor refused. She drove his car and quickly arrived at Caitlyn's villa.
As soon as she entered, the maid came over and grabbed her hand. "Ms. Butler, thank goodness you're here! She's been crying and causing a scene. I didn't dare let her family come to get her. If they found out about her relationship with Mr. Carter, it would be a disaster!"
Amara nodded slightly and went upstairs.
When she opened the bedroom door, the smell of alcohol hit her. Amara frowned. "How much did she drink?"
The maid was silent.
Caitlyn was sprawled on the soft bed, wearing a red slip dress, with her high heels still on, looking incredibly sexy as she mumbled Landon's name. She cursed him as a heartless bastard, questioned why he hadn't come for her, and confessed she didn't want to get engaged.
Amara watched for a while, feeling compassionate.
She headed for the bathroom and wetted a towel in cool water. Returning to Caitlyn's side, she sat gently on the edge of the bed and began to gently wipe her friend's tear-stained face. The cool touch of the towel seemed to wake Caitlyn up. Seeing Amara's face, Caitlyn felt her nose twitch. "Why did you come so late!"
Amara gently pressed her hand and said softly, "You drank so much. Aren't you worried you'll mess yourself up?"
"Of course not! No one cares anyway."
Caitlyn lay on her back, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. "My fiancé is very accomplished, but he's into open marriage. We each do our own thing, but of course, the children must be his. How is that any different from Landon? What am I lacking compared to you? Why is it so hard for me to find love?"
She was rambling, and the maid tried to intervene.
Amara said softly, "Go downstairs and make some sobering food for Ms. Robinson."
Hazel hesitated but eventually went downstairs.
Amara turned to Caitlyn, gently stroking her brow. She knew Caitlyn was deeply hurt. Caitlyn didn't really care about her fiancé; it was still about Landon.
Otherwise, why hadn't Caitlyn sold this place after their breakup and kept Hazel working here?
Maybe Caitlyn had been waiting for Landon all this time before her wedding.
Amara spoke softly, "Do you really want to go through with this wedding?"
Tears streamed down Caitlyn's face. "I don't know! I feel like I'm worthless."
Amara thought Caitlyn was like Snowflake.
She said gently, "You're young and beautiful."
Caitlyn forced a smile. "Amara, I never realized you had such a maternal side!"
Amara smiled faintly. She can't even sort out her own love life, but she's still worried about Caitlyn's. She just can't stand seeing her like that.
Amara had never interfered in Landon and Caitlyn's relationship.
But tonight, Amara made an exception. While Hazel took care of Caitlyn, Amara went downstairs and called Landon, who was in Boston. "Mr. Carter."
Late at night, Landon was still awake. He was surprised to get a call from Amara. "What's wrong? Is there a problem with the company?"
Amara replied, "No! It's about Caitlyn!"
She chose her words carefully. "She's drunk and not in a good state. Her engagement isn't going well either. Mr. Carter, have you really not reconsidered?"
After asking, she felt anxious.
Landon was her boss, and this was quite overstepping her bounds.
On the other end, Landon was silent for a long time before speaking, "Amara, things are very complicated here at the Boston headquarters. Recently, I reached an agreement with Briana. I'm marrying her niece to maintain balance! It's a sort of alliance."
"Mr. Carter!" Amara's voice was urgent; this was unexpected.
She found it difficult to know where to start, finally squeezing out, "Caitlyn might still be waiting for you."
This time, Landon was very straightforward.
He said, "The wedding is tomorrow! Amara, for certain reasons, I didn't tell you or announce it to the Boston branch. Tell Caitlyn; it might help her move on."
Amara couldn't help but say, "Don't you think this is very cruel to her?"
There was such a long silence that Amara's legs grew sore from standing. Finally, Landon responded, "Maybe."
The call ended. Amara stood in the living room, feeling cold all over. Landon choosing this day to get married was cruel to Caitlyn, but wasn't it also cruel to himself?
She looked up and saw Caitlyn standing in the middle of the stairs, her delicate face calm and showing no emotion.
Amara feared she might do something rash and called out to her, wanting to go upstairs to comfort her but finding her legs too stiff to move.
Caitlyn seemed to have sobered up. She smiled slightly, tilting her head. "Amara, thank you! But you don't need to plead with Landon for me. Is he getting married, and specifically choosing tomorrow?"
Amara didn't know how to comfort Caitlyn.
Caitlyn brushed her long hair aside and smiled nonchalantly, "Don't worry, I've figured it out. I'm going to be myself again! Tomorrow's engagement is off!"
Her voice grew softer, a bit hoarse. "I'm going to Boston."
"Caitlyn."
Caitlyn smiled brightly. "I just want to see him walk down the aisle so I can finally let go. After that, even if Landon begs me one day, I won't give him a second glance!"
She softened her voice. "Amara, will you come with me?"
Caitlyn only trusted Amara.
Amara was in a difficult position. It was a crazy scheme to begin with, not least of which was the fact that Landon was her boss. Accompanying Caitlyn to disrupt his wedding could very well risk her job. Plus, Kingsley had given her a curfew of midnight.
When Amara called Kingsley, he was quite straightforward. "Going to Boston to attend Landon's wedding?"
Amara was slightly taken aback. "You knew already?"
Kingsley chuckled lightly. "You just found out? That shows how little you mean to him!"
At this point, Amara wasn't going to argue with him. She asked directly, "Do you agree?"
"Why wouldn't I? What's wrong with letting you see Landon get married?" Kingsley generously said, "I'll not only let you go, but I'll also give you two invitations. Otherwise, you won't even get into the hotel."
Amara was a bit helpless. "Thank you for your generosity."
Kingsley replied, "Just a fair exchange."
Amara stayed the night there.
Early in the morning, Kingsley sent two invitations and arranged a private jet, handling everything thoroughly.
Caitlyn's wedding scene was chaotic.
Because she had run away, and no one could find her, the wedding was called off.
At noon, Landon's wedding was held at the Blue Mountain Private Hotel in Boston. His new wife was in her early thirties, looking elegant and dignified.
Halfway through the wedding, Caitlyn appeared. She wore a deep purple sequin dress, looking young and sexy, a complete contrast to Landon's new wife, Phoebe Cole.
But no amount of makeup could hide Caitlyn's pale face.
She quietly watched the couple, looking at the woman holding his arm. She just wanted to witness his wedding, to see him marry someone else, not her.
She had been with him for three years, and she meant nothing to him.
When she heard him say "I do," Caitlyn smiled softly, her eyes moist. "Amara, I feel so pathetic! I always thought he wouldn't marry anyone and stay by his side forever would be enough. Turns out he can give marriage, just not to me!"
Now, Caitlyn finally saw Landon for who he was.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
