Chapter 97
Juniper gave Celeste a gentle pat on the head and sighed, "You're my sweetheart. I'll do anything for your happiness. But for now, you gotta hang in there, okay?"
Celeste nodded. "Alright, I'll hang in there." She knew that once Alice slipped up, she'd get her revenge.
Juniper led Celeste into the private room, greeted the Tudor Family members one by one, and then took a seat next to Marcus.
Lucas was the last to show up. When Alice saw him being wheeled out of the elevator by Robert, her eyes lit up, and she quickly broke free from David to greet him.
David, feeling a bit helpless and bitter, straightened his rumpled shirt and suit, then followed Alice to greet Lucas.
Lucas, looking sharp in his new clothes, was all smiles. He had rushed over as soon as he heard Alice and David were really together. Realizing he was still in his old clothes, he had the driver buy him a new outfit on the way, feeling pretty pleased with himself.
"Alice," Lucas grinned, his eyes crinkling, and patted Alice's hand, then looked at David.
David nodded at Lucas and said, "Let's get Lucas inside."
"Sure thing!" Alice took over from Robert and pushed Lucas towards the private room.
Gavin, with his eagle eyes, was the first to spot Lucas and immediately stood up to greet him. "Lucas, what took you so long? I was about to call you! Come, sit next to me. Finally, our families can have a proper meal together!"
In the private room, Gavin and Lucas sat at the head of the table, with their families seated on either side. Next to Gavin were Caleb, Seraphina, Felix, David, and Alice, while next to Lucas were Marcus, Juniper, and a visibly unhappy Celeste.
James's face was full of displeasure. Gavin noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Why the long face on such a happy day? Give me a smile."
James forced a smile at Gavin, then quickly went back to his serious look. "David, sit next to me." James reached around Alice and tugged at David's sleeve. "Let her sit between you and Felix. You come over here."
David gave him a long look. "Seriously, James? How old are you?"
James almost jumped up. "David, I'm 22! Just two years older than her!" He wondered why David always saw Alice as a child who never grew up, but treated him like an adult. This made him feel very frustrated.
Felix, hearing this, couldn't help but laugh at the interaction between the two brothers. He nudged David's shoulder and whispered, "You and Alice sit in the front, I'll sit next to James."
Felix was thoughtful. He knew James might still have some reservations about Alice, so he wanted David to sit next to him, but that would mean being close to Celeste. Although nothing would happen in public, he still felt uncomfortable. Besides, it wasn't appropriate for Alice to sit between him and David, so he decided the three brothers should sit together, and Alice should sit next to Lucas, closer to him.
The three of them shuffled their seats around, and Felix ended up next to James. He gave James a light pat on the head and sighed, "Happy now?"
James pouted. "Yeah, that's better."
Meanwhile, Celeste, who had been quiet, looked visibly upset. Under the table, Juniper discreetly patted Celeste's hand and gave her a look, signaling her to keep calm.
The waiter quickly brought out all the dishes. Gavin wished he had four hands. "Lucas, try this chicken soup. It's good for you. Eat up!"
"This soup is amazing, trust me!"
"And this salmon!"
"Gavin, Lucas's bowl is about to overflow!" Seraphina finally couldn't help but stop Gavin, who was about to serve more food.
Gavin turned back with a smile and waved. "Bring more bowls. The restaurant has plenty, hurry!"
"Enough!" Lucas held back his temper and grabbed Gavin. "I'm not starving. The nursing home feeds me three times a day. Just eat your food!"
Gavin clicked his tongue. "Look how skinny you are. What do they feed you at the nursing home? Is it even nutritious? I need to talk to your nutritionist."
Lucas rolled his eyes and then looked at Alice, noticing she seemed a bit plumper than last time, which reassured him a little.
"Alice, tell me, are you two really together?" Lucas's eyes sparkled with anticipation but also a hint of doubt. He wasn't against it; in fact, he was secretly delighted but worried Alice might have made up a kind lie to ease his mind.
David held Alice's hand tightly, looking at Lucas with a gentle smile. "Yes, we are together."
Alice was momentarily stunned, her emotions mixed.
Seeing Alice not pulling away from David's hand and looking comfortable, Lucas smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "Good, as long as you're happy! What's the plan next?"
"Plan?" Gavin exaggeratedly widened his eyes as if he had heard something unbelievable. "Lucas, you didn't forget Alice's birthday is coming up, did you? It's next month. Time is tight! The top priority is to celebrate Alice's birthday, then the engagement and other events."
"Right." Reminded by Gavin, Lucas patted his forehead, "I'm getting old and forgetful, almost overlooked it. Let's have the birthday party first. I'll arrange with the nursing home to let me come out for the celebration."
Hearing this, Alice frowned slightly and was about to speak, but David gently squeezed her hand, stopping her. "Gavin, where do you plan to hold Alice's birthday party? At a hotel or at home?"
"At home!" Gavin said without hesitation. Despite his old age, his thoughts remained meticulous. "Such an important moment needs to be private and cozy." After all, he still remembered that girl, Lila, and didn't know what trouble she might cause. To be safe, it was better to be cautious, especially since the incident years ago almost cost him David.
"Hosting it at home is the best," Seraphina agreed. "Home is more intimate and lively. Although hotels are nice, they might make Alice feel constrained. Home is much more relaxed."
"Alice, what do you think?" Lucas asked.
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