Project May

While the Town Slept

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Author's Note:

This is a chapter from my new fanfic, which I will start publishing as soon as I finish "Reflections of the Choices." So if it feels like this chapter is out of context, don't be surprised — it really is. I've also hidden the names of some characters to keep the intrigue alive.

While you're waiting, you might enjoy a little laugh, and of course, Alice's invitation extends to you as well: place your bets! Who's hiding a secret under their heart? I'll give you a hint: there are many different characters, but the child's last name will be Bridgerton. Haha!

***

The morning at the Bridgerton house began surprisingly peacefully. The recent events seemed to have left their mark on everyone, and it felt like they were all, without any discussion, seeking the same thing: peace, serenity, that fleeting sense of harmony, as if merging with something eternal and unchanging. At least for a moment. Because it was clear that they wouldn't be granted any more than that.

Edmund sat in a soft chair in the living room of one of his sons' houses, and for the first time in a long while, he could truly enjoy this silence. After his wife's death many years ago, laughter and joy in his home had been replaced by cold emptiness, and the silence, which had become his constant companion, now only brought him sorrow. Every morning was a reminder of what was gone.

But now, with his family gathered together again, everything felt different. He looked at his children, heard their voices echoing from different parts of the house, and felt a warmth inside him—a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could make things right. The silence no longer felt as daunting. It had lost its coldness, becoming the backdrop to the sounds of life that he had been deprived of for so long.

Edmund closed his eyes, listening to the soft murmurs and occasional bursts of laughter coming from the kitchen. In this moment, however brief, he felt like everything was finally falling back into place.

But precisely at 9:02, the morning's tranquility was shattered by a whirlwind. Alice burst into the room with incredible energy, as if she were a hurricane, holding up a wand like a victory flag. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and without wasting a second, she yelled:

"While the town slept, the mafia made their move!"

Edmund startled, opening his eyes and frowning in confusion. Daphne choked on her tea, her eyes widening in shock. Anthony immediately, as if on cue, began gently patting her back to help her regain her composure.

"Again?!" one of the younger ones exclaimed, glaring at Alice in annoyance. "I understand, I've even come to terms with the fact that this has become an annual tradition, but twice in one year?!"

"Three times," someone corrected him from the corner of the room, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

"No, that's not going to fly," he continued with a serious expression. "We need to set some rules. Like in China! The family's population has become completely uncontrollable."

Kate and Lucy, sitting off to the side, exchanged amused glances, barely holding back their laughter. They didn't fully understand what was being discussed, but the verbal sparring was clearly entertaining them.

"Silence!" Alice shouted, trying to calm the chaos erupting among her relatives. Her sly grin stretched across her face, much like the Cheshire Cat's. "It's time to place your bets!" she whispered, her mischievous tone clearly audible to everyone in the room. Her eyes sparkled with a playful glint.

"Could we at least get an explanation of the rules first?" a voice called from the back of the room. It was Hermione, who was clearly feeling a bit out of place amidst all the chaos.