Zelda nearly dropped her whisk when Leopold came crashing down onto the cobblestone path with a thud.

"Blimey, Leopold, that's flagstone, you absolute brute!" She exclaimed, still half-focused on perfecting her cake recipe. Jasper could not help but chuckle at the scene. "Alright, alright, enough with the dramatics. Get up," he said with a grin.

Leopold rose, shaking his head with a laugh and holding a gift box. "Well, Sir, these are some of your favorite things. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just grabbed a bit of everything." Jasper's smile widened. "You're quite the character, kid. No wonder that Martinez girl fancies you so much. Speaking of which, aren't you going to come out?"

Hearing this, Leopold froze, his feet suddenly as heavy as lead.

His heart stopped for a moment as if encased in ice.

Vivienne and Percival exchanged glances that did not need words; it was clear Leopold was in the dark.

Percival just shrugged. If he knew, would he have even shown up?

Thomas muttered under his breath, "Percival's as ruthless as ever."

Zelda, putting aside her baking tools, dragged Griffin out from the shadows. "No use hiding now, love. It's not like you're being dragged to the altar."

Griffin Martinez stood at the threshold, her eyes cast down, her feet rooted to the spot.

Both of them were wracked with unspeakable thoughts and mutual guilt.

Vivienne nudged Leopold forward with a swift kick. "Snap out of it, will ya?"

Leopold stumbled into Griffin's space, and she looked up, her eyes rimmed with unshed tears, at a loss for words.

Zelda snickered and finally remembered to turn off the oven while she, along with Natalia and Yasmine, quietly exited the kitchen.

Percival and Vivienne ushered Jasper to the back garden, leaving the two frozen figures alone in their awkward silence.

caused Griffin to

it over Griffin's shoulders, breaking the silence. "When did

said you were alright, so he

could say more, she wrapped her arms

taken aback, was not

slightly, sniffling. "Couldn't you try to comfort me

impression, Griffin had always been the woman who was either forcing him to marry her, chasing after him on a

a little, he blinked

and kicked him in the shin, annoyed. All the tears she had shed for him when

yelped, rubbing his

attempt to stand on one

looked up to see her smile

he vowed never to

took her hand in his.

beat as she held his gaze, her

never doubted Leopold's innocence, and she was glad her unwavering trust in him was

curve of his neck.

hesitating before

his hands and pulled them around

hiding spot, Vivienne rolled her eyes.

pretty hopeless. Our dad's way better at this. He always hugs

bedtime, he never lets

mouths before they could reveal any

laugh

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