Chapter 391: Chapter 391

"Why did we have to leave, Murray? I want to go to my Mama!" Murray sighed for the nth time and looked to Samantha for help. Gabriel was indeed a handful when it came to his Mama Shelby. On this day, especially, he wasn’t taking ’no’ for an answer.

Murray had exhausted all of his excuses and his way of convincing the boy who was stuck on his new mother. Indeed, Gabriel was the first one out of the children to see Shelby as his mother, but even with this, none of them had imagined that if Aliya was in the picture, little Gabriel would still be hanged up on Shelby.

Ingrid looked on indifferently and walked over to a chair in the corner of Gabriel’s room, where they were all after they had left the parlour. She was expressionless, hiding all that she was feeling undeath a stoic face.

Murray only had a couple of minutes to get the three out of the parlour after he had received Ian’s instruction.

Samantha took one look at the older man, Murray, and then at Gabriel. She said almost flippantly, "You’re on your own with this!"

’Brat!’ Murray wanted to say, but he only thought of the word and turned back to Gabriel, who was at his feet and pulling his jacket.

"Gabriel, I’ve told you time and again that your Mama is busy now, and we can only go to her later. For now, why don’t you finish the drawing so that you can show it to her when she comes back?"

Gabriel’s shoulders drooped, and his head hung low—his reluctance was obvious. Murray sighed, "How about I send you to your other mother? She-"

"Fine, I will go and complete my drawing!" Gabriel said quickly, drawing out the last word so it sounded more like, ’draawwing’.

Murray raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn’t understand why all three kids were adamant and almost uniform in how they viewed Aliya. He had a hunch on what the case might be, but Murray was still shocked at this reaction.

’You’ve got your work cut out for you, brother,’ Murray mind-linked Currey, then asked,

’How’s that investigation coming about?’

’Mind your own business, brother!’ Currey’s snappy reply came, and Murray smiled. As Gabriel had finally conceded and was busy at his drawing, Murray relaxed and moved to the farthest wall from the kids so that he would not disturb the three.

He continued his conversation with Murray on more serious stuff regarding the same investigation. As the two brothers discussed the direction of the investigation, Murray felt a calm settle on his being, and his mouth lifted slightly.

As his mistress’ protector, he was more attuned to her emotions, and Murray knew more than anyone that it had been getting more erratic in the days after Aliya had come into the picture. He, of all people, understood everything from Shelby’s perspective. When Shelby was on edge, it affected him as well.

The slight calm that he felt told him that the master had managed to calm his mistress down. However, Murray also knew that this was only temporal. The question was, could His Highness do what was necessary to get rid of these worries once and for all? That only remained to be seen. Currey had assured him that the bond and blood oath were unbreakable, but that was what worried Murray the most.

It was confirmed that the oath was one of its kind and superseded many things. It was as rare as could be, and they only found one ancient text that had talked about it. Even in that, it sounded more like a myth. The question on Murray’s mind was, ’How would it feel to be stuck in an oath like that?’

Murray was rightly justified in these thoughts, but he made a real conscious effort to keep his thoughts sane when he was around his masters. After all, who was he to question his Highness’ decisions? At the same time, he was the appointed protector of Her Highness.

He sighed and rubbed his head, turning to meet Ingrid’s piercing eyes.

Without specifics, Shelby knew what Ian was talking about and, most importantly of, whom Ian was talking about as well. So, she answered with another question, "Are you so eager to be someone’s Prince?"

Ian’s chest rumbled with laughter. He pulled Shelby closer and nibbled on her ear.

"Ian! I’m being serious!"

"I know, my Elfin. However, the fact that she calls me that, does not mean that, I feel anything for her. She has always called me th-"

Ian realized that Shelby’s body language was getting cold. He stopped and then said,

"Never mind... I’m sorry!"

Shelby sat up on his body, glaring down at him. Even though she was very serious, Ian found it hard to get the meaning for one simple reason.

She had braced herself so that her arms were on his chest to hold her body up, the cloth had fallen off her body, and her tits were staring right at him. They were perky and hard. Each movement of hers caused those breasts to jingle lightly. His body still had a light sheen of sweat, and there were red patches on her skin where he had kissed and nibbled. Her lips were slightly swollen to a pouty level with a light bruise as well.

Shelby glared at him, oblivious to this.... To how sexy she looked. Ian found it hard to concentrate on what she was saying, with her tantalizing body right in front of him for the grabs

’You’re only mine!’ Shelby used her mind-link this time, causing his eyes to darken even more.

"Of course I am!" Ian added, and then, taking hold of her tiny waist, disappeared from the parlour into the bathtub in their room.

Later that evening....

In the dining room, the aroma of freshly roasted lamb and baked bread filled the room as the long table kept being ladled with more assortments of foods, from freshly made fruits and, of course, grape juice and wine. Brad sat, playing with his phone, as if he was in his own world. The slight buzz of conversation around him did not seem to even bother him in the least, but soon, one thing did - it was trivial but still angered Brad.

Brad had been the first to come around. Soon, Rocky and Ava came in. Brad barely glanced at them and continued what he was doing. Alex and Geneva came in next. His sleeves were rolled up, and his hand clasped his wife’s.

Alex pulled out a chair for Geneva and then took the seat at one head of the table. The couple did not comment of Rocky, as he had been basically a part of their household for the past. Month. The relationship between Rocky and Ava was public knowledge, and Geneva, more than anyone, was the happiest.

One by one, the rest came in. The three kids rushed in and took their respective places on one side of the table, Gabriel to the seat just adjacent to the other head of the table, followed by Ingrid and then Samantha.

Gabriel ran around the table for his usual greetings to every single person there before he finally resumed his seat.

Then, came in Ian. Surprisingly, he was alone.

Geneva frowned, "Where is Shelby?"

The two girls also turned their expectant eyes, looking behind Ian, but their disappointed gazes told all that they were also looking for Shelby.

"She’ll be here soon."

At that, everyone turned to look at Ian. That was a first for them. The couple had always come to the dining room hand in hand or some other form of skinship.

Ian walked up to Gabriel and ruffled his hair before taking the seat right at the other head of the table.

On Alex’s side, Geneva sat to his right and Brad to his left. On Ian’s side, the kids were on his immediate left and on his right, one seat was empty on his immediate right, followed by Ava and then Rocky.

Just then, steps sounded, and then Aliya walked into the room. She smiled and immediately went for the empty seat immediate to Ian’s right.

"Thanks for saving me a seat!"

The whole room paused, including the workers who were serving.

Who did not know this simple fact: that seat was Shelby’s! It was not even rocket science to know that the seat right by a husband at the dining table was reserved for his wife!

"What are you doing?" Brad snapped! He placed his phone down and glared at Aliya from the other end of the table.

"That seat is reserved for sister-in-law!"

With all attention on Aliya, no one had noticed that Shelby, the heartbeat of the household, had also stepped into the dining room with her usual delicate grace. Her eyes, bright with pride at the bustling scene, immediately shifted to her place at the table—and froze.

Shelby’s smile faltered, her steps slowed, and the warm energy in the room seemed to dim as her gaze settled on the chair that was always hers.

’Why was that woman was seated there?’

Shelby’s eyes sought out Ian’s immediately. What was the use of her making a scene about a singular seat if Ian allowed it?

Aliya—elegant, poised, with an unsettlingly familiar smug look—met Shelby’s gaze with a calm yet unnerving smile as though she had every right to be there. The room seemed to hold its breath, the jovial conversations halting one by one as the family turned to look at her.

"What is she doing there?" Shelby couldn’t help but ask, her voice low but sharp, slicing through the quiet like a blade as Aliya grabbed the glass in front of her and took a sip of its contents. Shelby did not want to ask but looking at the arrangement at the table, where was she supposed to sit? Her eyes bore into Ian’s as did everyone’s at the table.

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