"ARE YOU READY?" HE asked.
I glanced at him and nodded. "Yes, but I'm a little scared." I let out a deep breath and looked back at the mirror. "Dad will be there, and he's pissed."
"I'm just thankful that he's coming. I know he doesn't want to see my family, but he's willing to set that aside for us."
I smiled at what he said. Soon, we stepped out of the room. I immediately saw Dad and my cousins. "Let's go," Dad said.
My heartbeat quickened the moment we arrived at Bloom Village. Ren had decided to host the dinner at his house, where both families would meet. He kept caressing my hand until we reached his home.
The nervousness I felt faded, replaced by awe when I saw the place. Catmint had organized everything, so it wasn't surprising that Ren's house looked stunning, both outside and inside.
Ren's siblings greeted us with wide smiles and warm hugs. They also decided not to bring the kids, knowing that the kind of dinner we were about to have wasn't suited for them.
"Augustine?" Ren's father asked in surprise, confusion evident on his face. "I-Is that really you?"
"You can call me Attorney Forrester, Mr. Fitzmael," Dad replied coldly.
"Please, take your seats," Lilac said gently. She must have sensed the tension, so she spoke up.
The food arrived, and we started eating. The tension slowly dissolved as conversations began. Cedar and Ari, Elisha and Lilac, Zius and Kyler, Catmint and Archer, all kept the atmosphere alive.
After we finished eating, Dad cleared his throat, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "Let's not dance around it," he said, his eyes locking on Uncle William. "I once swore I'd never set foot on your land, never face you again—but when I saw them, everything... everything changed. They love each other." He let out a short, bitter laugh and raised his glass of wine, letting it linger before sipping.
"I couldn't—could never—steal my daughter's happiness. That was never mine to take."
My throat tightened. I swallowed hard, but the lump in my chest made it impossible to breathe without trembling.
"You used to joke," Dad's voice softened, almost breaking, "about our children ending up together... so we could stay fr... friends until we were old. Who would have thought... more than thirty years later, even after we stopped being friends, they would still find their way back to each other?"
Uncle William's gaze softened, haunted by memories. He lifted a glass of water, fingers trembling slightly, listening as if he were hearing a long-lost echo.
"Have you forgotten... how badly you wanted to be a father?"
No one dared to speak. The air was thick, almost impossible to breathe.
Uncle William sighed, as his gaze fell on the wineglass in front of him. "I... I honestly forgot," he murmured, barely above a whisper. Then his eyes lifted, searching my father's.
"I... I nearly abandoned Lilac—" His voice broke, uneven and fragile.
"And now..." Aunt Hyacinth reached for him, sliding her hand over his, delicate and grounding. "We're losing all of them..." A single tear traced her cheek.
Uncle William drew a shaky breath, "I'm not proud of any of it. Every choice I made... I regret. Ren—since he was a boy—raised his siblings without complaint. He became the man I always wished I could be." His voice faltered again, heavy with longing. "I would be... truly happy to see him start a family of his own. Ren and his future wife, Rain... they have our blessing. I'm sorry it took me this long to see it." His gaze found Dad's. "Attorney... thank you for reminding me."
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When the Flower Falls (Fitzmael 7) - COMPLETED
Romance[TRIGGER WARNING: Violence, Strong Language, Mental Health Themes] Ren has never been interested in having a girlfriend, and that's exactly how he likes it. Those who know him see him as a perennial flower, always blossoming with energy and life. He...
